Chennai situated on the Coromandel coast of the Bay of Bengal was formerly known as Madras is the capital city of Tamil Nadu state and is the fourth largest metro city in India. The city grew up around the English settlement of Fort Saint George and slowly absorbed the surrounding towns and villages. However, in spite of the strong British influence, Chennai has retained its traditional Tamil Hindu culture and effectively blended it with the foreign influence. Chennai has a wide area of about 180 Sq. Kms. It is a major trade center, being well connected by road, rail and air to important cities besides being a seaport. Chennai is far less crowded and polluted compared to the other metros of India. Chennai is a journey into changeless India, a kaleidoscope (constantly changing set of colors) of moods. Its riches include, from temples and shrines to forts and palaces, the landscape of the past, lives easily with the present. Chennai is the fourth largest city in India. Chennai has retained much of its traditional charm; this 350-year-old city is a gateway to south, providing many people an attractive literary sketch of southern heritage. From being a small fisherman`s village in 1639 to becoming one of the most massive and beautiful city in India Chennai has definitely come a long way. Chennai is also host to some cultural theatres that showcase various traditional Indian dances and plays on regular basis. Chennai like its counterpart Mumbai is the centre of the film industry of south India.

Though there are dominant British influences in the form of old Cathedrals, buildings in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture and wide tree wrinkled avenues, Chennai retains a charming feature of the typical South Indian heritage and way of living. Ever growing and changing, Chennai is an interesting place, presenting an increasingly multinational exterior that contrasts sharply with a firm and solid religious center.

Location of Chennai : Chennai has an Area of about 174 Sq.Km; it is on the Sea level. Chennai is situated on the east coast and is the Gateway to the South of India. The Britishers first major settlement in India was in Chennai.

Climate of Chennai : Chennai lies on the thermal equator and is also coastal, which prevents extreme variation in seasonal temperature. For most of the year, the weather is hot and humid. The hottest part of the year is late May and early June, known locally as Agni Nakshatram ("fire star") with maximum temperatures around 38-42 °C. The coolest part of the year is January, with minimum temperatures around 19-20 °C. The lowest temperature recorded is 15.8 °C and highest 47.1 °C. The average annual rainfall is about 1,300 mm. The city gets most of its seasonal rainfall from the north-east monsoon winds, from mid-September to mid December. Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal sometimes hit the city.

Visiting places in Chennai
Government Museum
The Chennai Museum has a good collection of paintings and sculptures, both traditional and modern.The traditional paintings of Tanjore, Rajput, Moghul, Kangra, Deccani schools and modern paintings in Oil, Tempera, Water Colour, Graphics and Acrylic mediums. Graphics and modern style metal sculptures are also in the collections.


Chennai is one of the important trade centers of south India and is a good place to shop for a large variety of items. There are traditional bell metal items, bronze icons, and stone sculpture, as well as other crafts of the southern region at the local shops of Chennai. Besides these the city of Chennai is famous for the beautiful Kancheepuram hand woven silk sarees. These sarees are famous for the temple borders and rich zari (gold thread) pallavas. Detailed traditional motifs and bright colours with complementary borders make these sarees absolutely wonderful. Even the jewelry made from uncut precious stones make excellent gift items.

Amusements parks
Amusements parks in Chennai are source of attractions amongst children with all the hi tech amusement games.Some of them are located in the outskirts of Chennai city. However visiting there in short time is not at all a problem.

Birla Planetarium
In Chennai, The Birla Planetarium used to cast a spell in the minds of its viewers for its hi-tech presentation and savvy formatting. It is established at Kotturpuram, almost sandwiched two important locales of Guindy and Adyar.

Children`s Park
The Children`s Park is an integral part of the famous Guindy National Park. It houses numerous amusements techniques for the children and the kids. Playgrounds, swings, merry go rounds, toy trains. Within the Children`s Park, during the weekends, special attractions like the jolly elephant and pony rides (weekends) are organized for the school children. There is also a mini zoo with an ample collection of several deer, birds, peacocks etc. So much so that in the year 1995, the Central Zoo Authority gave the legal status of medium category zoo.

Connemara Public Library
Connemara Public Library, located in Chennai, is one of the four National Depository libraries, which accept prints of all books, newspapers and publications, which are available in the whole of Indian subcontinent.

Crocodile Bank
Crocodile Bank is the best place to visit in chennai. It is managed by The Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, established in the year 1976. It was a brainchild of Romulus Whitaker and few other people.
Dakshinachitra
Located in the heart of Chennai city, DakshinaChitra , or "a picture of the south", as it is meant in English, is a hub of living art traditions , conventional performing arts, crafts and architectural works of the country with due emphasis on South Indian customs and practices.

Elliot`s Beach
The Elliot`s Beach is built at Besant Nagar, which is just sixty kms away from the city of Chennai. The Elliot`s Beach is one of the most popular tourist destinations.

Forts in Chennai
Chennai, is a journey into timeless India, a kaleidoscope of moods. rich in the treasures of history, from temples and shrines to forts and palaces. There are forts like Udaygiri Fort, St fort George,The Fort Museum , etc.

Government Museum
Government Museum, Chennai is a multi-purpose State Government Museum, which is the heart of the city, spreading to an area of 16.25 acres of land. Six independent buildings in this Museum campus have 46 galleries.

Gudiyam Caves
Guditam caves are abode of wild animals and birds, which have found them ideal to take shelter .It, is regarded as `hominid habitation` of the pre- historic times. There are about sixteen rock shelters forming sheds of lush green trees.

Guindy National Park
It is acclaimed for being the only national established in the heart of a metropolitan town. It has rich biodiversities. More than thirty species of trees and plants are found here.

Kalakshetra
Kalashetra is located in the heartland of Chennai and is the premier institute of Indian classical dance, music and the fine arts. The danseuse Rukmini Devi established it in the year 1936.

Monuments in Chennai

Chennai is famous for age old monuments Some of the famous monuments are the Senate House, Kamraaj Memorial House, Pancha Mandapams, Ripon Building, Madras War Cemetery, Valluvar Kottam, Vivekananda Illam, Freemasons Hall Bharathiyar Illam , St. Thomas Mount, , Doveton House , Valluvar Kottam, Genzi etc.

VGP Golden Beach
It is situated almost thirty kms from Chennai city, thus becoming one of the renowned amusement parks in Chennai. There are also famous beach resort and game amusements.

Vedanthangal
Vedanthangal has drawn the admiration of the tourists due to its treasure of wild flora and fauna. Infact , Vadanthangal is one of the most prominent ground for numerous aquatic birds.