Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and it is the fourth largest city in India. Madras was the old name of this metropolitan city until 1996 from the period of the British raj. It is located near the state of Andhra Pradesh on the northeastern tip of Tamil Nadu.
The city covers an area of 174 km². The districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, and parts of Kanchipuram are considered as the metropolitan areas of Chennai. Nearby cities are Mamallapuram, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Sriperumbuthur, Arakkonam and Sriharikota.
It is an ancient city, its History started from before AD. Mylapore in Chennai was the main port of the Pallava dynasty. However, after the English landed in Chennai in the 17th century, it has grown into a major city. Chennai is considered the gateway to South India. It is a major port city on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal.
Chennai Tourism
This is one of the most-visited cities in India because of its geographical historical and cultural significance. It is gifted with huge natural beaches, magnificent temples, and notable historical monuments. The city is the gateway to South India for foreign visitors. The High Commissions of many countries work in this metropolitan city, helping foreigners to complete their visa process.
Important Places
Marina Beach: The second largest beach in the world, which is 13 km long Marina, is a landmark of the city (formerly known as Madras). Marina Beach is one of the most popular beaches in India. Around 30,000 people visit Marina Beach every day. On weekdays and holidays, it can reach 50,000
Valluvar Kottam is another landmark of the city built in the shape of a Temple Chariot. It was built for the honor of The Great Tamil poet Tiruvalluvar, who wrote The Great Tirukkuaral in 1976. There, a 33-foot tall statue of Tiruvalluvar has been installed for public view.
Kapaleeswarar Temple: This is one of the oldest and best-known temples situated in Mylapur, said to date to the 8th century. However, the current structure dates to the 1600s. Notable above all, for its towering incredibly detailed 37m entrance gate (gopuram).There is a huge water tank behind the temple, used for the Thaipusam festival (Jan-Feb), and plenty of flower shops all around it.
Fort St. George: This was formerly known as White Town and was established as the East India Company’s fortified foothold in Madras. It was from this small trading post that British power extends all over India.
Santhome Cathedral Basilica: It is one of the Basilicas built over the tomb of a missionary in the world. It is believed that the remains of St. Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, were buried in this beach in 78 AD, on which a Church was built. Several years later on it was shifted to its current site further towards the land.
Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram): This UNESCO Heritage site is located 60 km from the city center. The city’s exotic attractions are the long pass-relief remnants of the Pallava dynasty of the 7th and 8th centuries. In addition to these reliefs, Beach, Shore Temple, Five Rathas and Sculpture Work Shops are also a part of this town and attract thousands of Local and International visitors every year.
Karaneeswarar Temple
Parthasarathy Temple
St. Mary’s Church
Government Museum
National Art Gallery
The Birla Planetarium
Guindy National Park
Guindy Snake Park
Language
The population of Chennai is about 7.45 million. It has a population of 24,418 people per square kilometer.
The majority of Tamil speaking people are here. English is widely used in offices and academies. Telugu speakers are also prevalent. Other languages spoken here are Kannada and Malayalam. The people of Marwari, Gujarati, Bengali, and Punjabi are also living in Chennai.
Climate of Chennai
The heat and humidity in Chennai are high throughout the year. The maximum temperature recorded in Chennai is 44.1˚C, while the minimum temperature is 15.8˚C. The southeast monsoon and mainly the north-west monsoon bring rain to the city. The District receives about 1300 mm of rainfall per year.
How to reach Chennai
Air
It has an international airport with two terminals. The Anna terminal for international arrivals and the Kamaraj terminal for domestic arrivals. This is the third busiest airport in India for international arrivals. It handles about 400 flights a day and is connected to major hubs across Asia, Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and Africa through more than 30 national and international carriers.
All most all main domestic airports in India are connected to this airport by a number of low-cost domestic carriers.
Rail
This metropolitan city has two main railway stations, one is Chennai central and the other is Chennai Egmore. Both are connected to the airport, bus station and other parts of the city by the Suburban rail and city buses. The Central station is mostly dependent on services to the rest of India. Meanwhile, Egmore station is busy with passengers inside Tamil Nadu.
Road
The city is connected to other Indian cities by the Golden Quadrilateral system of National Highways. Four National Highways are connected to this International city to the rest of India. NH 4 to Mumbai (via Bangalore and Pune), NH 5 to Kolkata (linked via NH 6) (via Visakhapatnam and Bhubaneswar), NH 45 to Theni (via Villupuram, Tiruchirapalli, and Dindigul) and NH 205 to Madanapalle (via Tirupati) are that four National Highways.