ABOUT CHENNAI AND SURROUNDINGS

Geographical Location:

Population: 6.4 million
State: Tamil Nadu
Area: 174 sq. kms.
Latitudinal parallels: 13th north parallel.
Longitudinal meridians: 80-degree longitude

Monsoon: The Chennai monsoon period is from October to mid-December.

Weather: The weather is uniformly hot and humid. May is the hottest season with the mercury sometimes touching 42 C and the mean temperature about 33 C. December and January are the coolest months with a mean temperature of 24 C. However, the cool sea breeze makes even the warmest of evenings bearable. Venturing out in between noon and 3 PM during April-August is best avoided. November to February is the pleasant months.

Season: Tropical throughout the year.

Altitude: 60 m above sea level

Topography: This seaside city appears even more sprawling than it is, because of its low skyline. The Cooum River, the Adyar River and the Buckingham canal flow through Chennai.

Regional Language: Tamil, English, Tamil, Hindi, Urdu, Malayalam are widely spoken

and understood.

CHENNAI - GateWay to the South

Chennai, the gracious capital city of Tamil Nadu is the fourth largest metropolis in India. Located on a 17km stretch of the Coramandel coast, the city is trisected by the waterways of Cooum and Adyar and the Buckingham Canal. With a population of 6 million people, Chennai is a vibrant city ever growing, expanding and changing every year.

Popularly regarded as the “Gateway to the South”, Chennai presents culture that is distinctly different from that of northern India. Music, dance and all other art forms of the South are cherished and nurtured in this city which, though industrialized, continues to be traditional and conventional in many ways.

Chennai is a city where the traditional and the modern blend in life everywhere. From traditional vegetarian fair to fast foods, from nine-yard sarees to the latest in fashion, from ancient temple architecture to modern high-rise - with Indo-Saracenic and Victorian as stops along the way - from classical music and dance to discos throbbing to heady beats, Chennai has them all and many more vivid contrasts that are a pleasant surprise. And perhaps the most striking of them all is that here is a modern metropolis with beaches, parks and even sanctuaries in the heart of the City. Chennai offers a wealth of nature and a rich historic past to visitors in the ambience of a city with every modern facility.

The region of Chennai was called Tondaimandalm in those days and had its military headquarters at Puzhal, which is now a small and rather insignificant village on the outskirts of the city.

Modern Chennai grew out of a small village when in 1639 a fishing hamlet called Madraspatnam was selected by early English merchants of the East India Company as a site for the settlement.
Chennai is a gracious city that has a clear skyline, long sandy beaches, parks, historic landmarks and tourist infrastructural facilities which make it a convenient entry point or base to start your tour of Tamil Nadu and South India. Where religion is concerned, history has certainly left its mark on this city which is believed to have been the place of St. Thomas, in the outskirt of the city. There are a number of churches in Chennai that are connected with the life and times of this apostle. There are also several ancient temples around Chennai, and, within the city itself are two magnificent temples - a temple in Triplicane and another in Mylapore.

Marina Beach :

The Marina Beach, one of the logest beaches in the world, is around 5 km. long. A refreshing walk along the beach is worth the visit. Marina Beach is one of the most important sight seeing spots. The famous Chennai University which cherishes a 150 years tradition is located on the beachside. Along the beach, there are the memorials for Tamil Nadu’s former chief ministers - Arignar Anna and M G Ramachandran are also located on the Marina Beach side. The Santhome Church, All India Radio are also situated on the beach side.

St. Thomas Mount : This is a small hill on top of which the Church where St. Thomas was assassinated by an unknown killer.

Little Mount Shrine : This is where St. Thomas lived. A place of religious interest.
MAMALLAPURAM- Poetry in Stone

Though it is no longer a port ,Mamallapuram has retained its fame,thanks to the great Pallava artisans. It is among the most outstanding examples of Dravidian art and architecture and the jewel in the crown of the Pallava contribution to Tamil Nadu. In a land that is liberally strewn with some of the best in temple art, Mamallapuram holds its own, and stands as a silent yet eloquent witness to the glory of its creators and sculptors. Unfortunately most of the work was left incomplete, and time and naturel have also eroded the remains of this once great port.
Despite this, Mamallapuram’s wonders in rock leave visitors enthralled, conveying as they do, an impression of beauty, harmony, gentle wit and humour. The monuments are floodlit at night and so it is possible to enjoy their beauty even after sunset. The Mamallapuram dance festival is conducted every year during Jan - Feb. It is a month long festival and dances are organised during the weekends. Classical dances such as Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi are performed by well known exponents of the art.

Crocodile Bank : The crorodile bank is located at 45 Kms from Chennai, very near to Mamallapuram. The crocodiles in the bank can be viewed from a distance as they are kept in captivity. There is a research farm housed in the Crocodile Bank, which breeds various species from other countries.