Chennai (Madras) India Travel Guide

Chennai History and Geography

Chennai is located on the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal, along a length of 19 kilometers. It is actually a fairly low lying strip of land, with its highest point being only 60 meters above sea level. The 12 kilometer Marina Beach in Chennai is one of the longest beaches in the world and forms the east coast of the city. The city is divided almost into two halves by the Cooum River and the southern part of the city is divided into two by the Adyar River. Another feature of the city is the buckingham canal which runs almost parallel to the coast through the entire length of the city. Chennai is a comparatively new city of the State of Tamil Nadu with its history dating back to almost 367 years. It now comprises of the former villages of Mylapore, Triplicane, and Ezhambur. Chennai and the region around it have served as important administrative, military, and economic centers since the 1st century. The notable kingdoms that have ruled Chennai include the Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya and the Vijyanagar dynasties. The town of Mylapore mentioned above was once a major port of the Pallava kingdom. In 1522, the Portuguese arrived in Chennai and built a port named São Tomé. Then the city was handed over to the Dutch, who established themselves near Pulicat, just north of the city in 1612. Later in 1639 the British East India Company came to the city and were granted land by the chief of Vandavasi. The city was maintained as a base for permanent settlement and was called Madrasmen. About a year later, Fort St George was built, which subsequently became the nucleus around which the colonial city grew. In 1746, Fort St George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius, who plundered the town and its outlying villages.

Chennai Weather

Chennai has a hot climate throughout the year which gets hotter and hottest as the summer approaches. That leaves only four months from November to February as the pleasant months to visit the city. May is the hottest month in Chennai, however the cool sea breeze make the evenings bearable even in the hottest months because of the city’s proximity to the Bay of Bengal. Its advisable though to avoid venturing out between noon and 3PM during the months of April and August. The months of October to mid December are the monsoon months for Chennai.

Chennai Things To Do and Attractions

Chennai is culturally a very rich society. Chennai attractions include its classical dance shows, Hindu temples, traditional artwork, antiques, jewellery and stone sculptures. Chennai holds a five week long Music Season, which has often been described as one of the world’s largest cultural events. This event is held in the month of December and music lovers get to see and hear the traditional Carnatic music perfomances by hundreds of artists in and around the city. Another important Chennai thing to do is to watch Bharatnatyam, the classical Indian dance that is the official dance form of the State. Chennai has a large cultural center known as Kalakshetra, which is devoted the dance form and is located on the beach in the south of the city. Chennai also has a very active theatre scene and the city is host to the large Tamil film industry. Do take in a showing at one of the many city theaters, as it’s a popular thing to do in Chennai amongts tourists and locals alike. There are many famous temples in Chennai. The Mahabalipuram Temple, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane, and the San Thome Basilica are some of the more popular ones. Mahabalipuram is an important Chennai tourist attraction. It is actually situated in a town neighbouring Chennai. Chennai also has many famous parks like the Guindy National Park, which is the country’s smallest national Park. The Vandalur Zoo, the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, and the Horticultural Botanical gardens are other Chennai things to do. Chennai is also very famous for its Kanjivaram Saree which are hand woven silk sarees of Kanchipuram. Chennai is full of beautiful monuments in the form of temples and palaces with intricate architectural details. The city is very attached to its tradition, inspite of the modern way of living that is spreading quickly. The city prefers to grow and spread its boundries rather than becoming a concrete jungle.

Chennai Restaurants

The city is famous for its South Indian food such as idli, dosa, and filter coffee. There are many Chennai restaurants that offer light meals popularly known as tiffins, which include the above mentioned dishes. This unique cuisine is very popular in all parts of the world.

Chennai Nightlife

Chennai night life is as active as any other metropolitan city in the country. With the advent of the IT companies, there has been an influx of a younger crowd, bringing changes to the way of life in the city. Though still classical dance and music shows are predominant, a lot of discos and pubs that cater to the young crowd have sprung up all over the city.

Chennai Getting There and Around

Chennai is connected to all the major cities in the country by air, rail and road. Infact, many major international direct flights run regularly to and from Chennai. Indian airlines has daily flights from Chennai to Delhi and Bombay, and most international airlines provide the facility to arrange the domestic flight booking through Indian Airlines to Chennai. Another very striking feature is the efficient rail and road system in Chennai, through which even the tiniest village in the area is well connnected to the city by way of buses and trains.

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