About Chennai

Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and is situated on the Coromandel Coast of Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area in India. The population of Chennai is 7,088,000 as per the 2011 census. The city is governed by the Corporation of Chennai consisting of a Mayor and councillors. The flourishing economy of the city is credited to its key industries - automobile, software services, hardware manufacturing, petrochemicals, textiles and financial services.

History of Chennai

Chennai boasts of rich historical legacy which lends an inexplicable charm to the city. The Portuguese arrived here in the 16th century and were followed by the Dutch, and the East India Company. The British were able to establish their undisputed supremacy in the city and the Fort St. George became the nucleus around which the British authority grew and expanded. Slowly, the city became a major naval base as well as central administrative centre for the British in South India.

After Indian independence in 1947, it became the capital city of Madras state, which was later renamed as Tamil Nadu. The city which was known as Madras was officially renamed as Chennai on 17 July 1996.

Over the years, Chennai has become a hot-spot of tourism in India. There are many tourist attractions in this city which are frequented by visitors every year. Some of them are Marina Beach, Kapaleeshwarar Temple, San Thome Basilica, Parthasarathy Temple, Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Santhome Basilica, Marundeeswarar Temple, Ashtalakshmi Kovil, Fort St George, Vivekanandar Illam, Government Museum, Guindy National Park, Covelong, St. Thomas Mount, Elliot's Beach, and many more.

Apart from these, there are other places near Chennai which are equally preferred by travel lovers. A few of those places are Mahabalipuram, Pulicat, Kanchipuram, Tirupati, Vellore, Pondicherry, Nellore, Yelagiri, Tranquebar/Tharangambadi, etc. 

This city also has some of the best educational institutes in the country.

Educational Institutes in Chennai

Religious Places in Chennai

Beaches in Chennai

There are quite many beaches in Chennai. In some of the beaches, you can indulge yourself into water sports, while near some others you can also see fishing villages. Some of the popular beaches in Chennai are Marina Beach, Covelong Beach and Elliot's Beach.

Churches in Chennai

The churches in Chennai reflect the rich architectural heritage as well as the culture of the religious Christians who built them around 500 years ago. Some of the popular churches in Chennai are St. Mary's Church, Santhome Basillica, Velankanni Church, The Armenian Church, C.S.I. Holy Cross Church, St. Thomas Mount, St. Andrews Church, St. George's Cathedral and Descanso Church.

Shopping in Chennai

When it is about shopping in Chennai, you always do not have to head to the shopping malls. Some of the areas in this city where you can happily go for shopping, include Pondy Bazaar, Anna Salai (Mount Road), Panagal Park, T-Nagar, Anna Nagar, George Town, Egmore, and Mylapore.

Chennai Cuisine

You will get a traditional range of cuisine in Chennai. Some of the cuisines you should not miss out when you are in this city are idli, dosa, upma, sambar, rasam, kootu, chutney. While these are usually taken in lunch, the evening snacks consist of onion pakoda, murukku and vada. These snacks are mostly taken with filtered-coffee. The famous sweet dishes you will get in Chennai are payasam, kesari, sweet pongal. The chettinad pepper chicken is one of the most popular cuisines of Chennai.

Facts about Chennai

How to Reach Chennai

By Air: There is an International airport in Chennai. International flights arrive at Anna Terminal and domestic flights arrive at Kamraj Terminal. Chennai is well-connected to Thailand (Bangkok), Sri Lanka (Colombo), U.A.E (Dubai), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Kuwait, Muscat (Bahrain) and Singapore. Prepaid taxis ply from the airport to downtown Chennai city. The taxis come in two varieties - the standard black taxi and the private call taxi.

By Train: Chennai Central and Egmore are the two train terminus for long distance trains from other parts of India.

By Bus: Chennai is well-connected to other parts of India by the 'Golden Quadrilateral' transport project. Volvo air-conditioned services operated by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, run from Chennai to cities like Pondicherry, Vellore, Hosur and Trichy.

By Sea: There are two ports in Chennai - Chennai Port and Ennore Port. Regular ships ply from Chennai to Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

How to Reach Chennai

By Bus: Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses ply throughout Chennai city. MTC buses are operated and owned by the Tamil Nadu government. The bus fare is very affordable.

By Auto-Rickshaw: Auto-rickshaws are suitable for only short distances. If you call an auto-rickshaw, it is better to negotiate the fare with the driver before commencing the journey.

By Taxi: Chennai taxis have digital metres. They are reliable means of transport.

The city map of Chennai by Maps of India will help you to be acquainted with the city in a better way. The map will aid you to locate all the important national highways in the city, the important railway lines, areas which are rich in vegetation, important water bodies in the city, popular hotels and hospitals, the cinema halls in different parts of the city, and other important landmarks in the city.

Chennai Fact