Location
Chennai,
the capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu and is located in the
Coromandal Coast of the Bay of Bengal.
The City Chennai
Earlier known as Madras, it is the fourth largest city of India. It is also
regarded as the gateway to the south. In earlier times the area has been
popular among spice traders across the world. The 16th century saw a drastic
change in the culture and lifestyle of the people with the coming of
Portuguese, Dutch and British East India Company. In the 19th century
British Imperial India, it became a major administrative centre. It is also
the centre of south Indian film industry. Its culture, temples, churches,
beaches, historic monuments, parks attract tourists from all over the world.
Climate
Due to its close proximity to the Coromandal Coast, the city experiences a
hot and humid climate. The city receives much rainfall during monsoon, so
there is not much temperature difference between summers and winters. The
average maximum and minimum temperature of the city is 40 and 18 degrees C
respectively. The ideal time to visit Chennai is between the months of
November to February.
Sightseeing
Chennai has numerous travel destinations which are worth seeing. Some major
ones are :
» Marina Beach - Stretching over an area of 13 km,
it is the second longest beach in the world. This beautiful golden sand
beach attracts tourists from all over world. It is one of the most favored
beach holiday destinations in India.
» St. George Fort - The St. George Fort built by the
British East India Company in the year 1653, is another landmark tourist
place in the city. The fort also houses a museum preserving a variety of
British and French antiques, and the St. Mary's Church.
»
Kapaleeshwar Temple - It is one of the oldest temple in Chennai
dedicated to Lord Shiva. Built in 13th century, it represents Dravidian
architectural style.
» Government Museum - The museum has a rich
collection of numerous ancient objects belonging to different period of
South Indian history. It houses a large number of bronze statues of Chola
Art.
Other Attractions
Some others in the list of Chennai attractions are the Tidel Park, the
Theosophical Society, National Art Gallery, Parthsarthy Temple, Guindy
National Park and Elliot Beach.
Fairs and Festivals
The culture of South India is totally different from the North India and so
the city of Chennai has some unique fairs and festivals. Some popular
festivals in Chennai include the Arubathimoovar Festival, Chithirai,
Kanthuri, Mahamagam, Natyanjali Dance Festival, Karthigai Deepam, Velankanni
festival etc.
Shopping
The shoppers delight Chennai has lots of places and shops which are worth
visiting. Local handicrafts, textiles and jewellery are the major shopping
items in various shops. One can buy traditional jewellery from Kumbakonam,
stone carving items from Mahabalipuram and silk sarees from Kanchipuram.
Some of the most popular shopping spots in Chennai are George Town, Parrys
Corner, Burma Bazaar, Moore Market, Pondy Bazaar offering a variety of goods
and products.
Accommodation
The
capital city of Tamil Nadu - Chennai offers accommodation facilities in
several deluxe, luxury and budget class hotels. Some popular hotels are the
Taj Connemara, the Radisson, the Park, Savera Hotel, President Hotel, the
Trident Hotel, Grand Orient etc.
Transportation
Chennai is well connected to all the major cities of India and abroad by
air, rail and road.
» Air - The Kamaraj Domestic Airport and the Anna
International Airport at Meenambakkam link the city with major destinations
of India and abroad by regular flights.
» Rail - Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore are the two
major railway stations in the city. These connects the city with all the
major towns and cities by several express trains.
» Road - A good motorable road network connects the
city with all important places in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India. Some
major road distances from Chennai to other cities ; Bangalore(334km),
Delhi(2095km), Mumbai(1329km), Kolkata(1678km)Hyderabad(704km).
» Communication - Taxis, auto-rickshaws, city buses
are the major modes local transport.
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