To avail the below mentioned package please click Book Now

Since time immemorial, the village of Mylapore has been the religious and cultural epicentre of the Tamilians. Pre-dating Chennai, a visit to Mylapore offers a great insight into Dravidian architecture and the effects of the Portuguese invasion on India during the mid-sixteenth century.

DESTINATION SPECIAL

Kapaleeswarar Temple

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple once stood at the ancient thriving seaport, up until the Portuguese destroyed it, pushing the natives inshore, where it stands gloriously today, having been re-built 300 years ago. This temple is the epicentre around which Mylapore is built, giving us great views of the surrounds and setting a fine example of the pure Dravidian style, with gopurams and mandapams.

Parthasarathy Temple

It is an 8th-century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to God Krishna, located at Triplicane, Chennai, India. The temple is glorified in the DivyaPrabandham, the early medieval Tamil literature canon of the Alwar saints from the 6th-9th centuries CE and is classified as among the 108 DivyaDesams dedicated to Vishnu. The name 'Parthasarathy', in Sanskrit, means 'charioteer of Arjuna', referring to Krishna's role as a charioteer to Arjuna in the epic Mahabharata.

Mylapore Market

Thannithorai Market has been a key market for Mylaporeans. Situated on the banks of Buckingham Canal, off Luz Corner, the market sold produce brought from the land as well as by boats plying in the Canal which originates in south Andhra Pradesh and ends in the Marakkanam Lake. Hence the name 'thannithorai'.

The market continues to exist today and fairly busy. The boats do not ply anymore for the canal is polluted. The city's metro rail runs alongside the canal and this market.

Sri Ramakrishna Math

Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai is the first branch center of the Ramakrishna Order in Southern India. It was started in the year 1897 by Swami Ramakrishnananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Besides Swami Ramakrishnananda, the Math was visited by Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi, Swami Brahmananda and Swami Shivananda. The motto of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission is: For one's own salvation, and for the welfare of the world.

Saravana Bhavan / Sangeetha Restaurant

Hotel SaravanaBhavan / Sangeetha Restaurant follow the perfect formula for success. Delicious food prepared under extremely hygienic conditions, served in a clean environment with a lot of passion and the reasonable pricing is the perfect answer the gourmet, budget conscious customer. A menu of over 350 dishes in 10 categories, prepared to exacting standards and serving 1,20,000 customers across all the outlets, is a testimony to the impeccable quality and taste that these hotels are famous for.

Karpagambal Mess

Located strategically near the famous KapaleeswararTemple, this eatery which is over three decades old (my reckoning) has come a long way from the old uncomfortable layout and seating arrangements it once had. It was rebuilt in the same place six years ago. This eatery boasts of traditional south Indian tiffin items Its quality is impeccable and the ingredients used are of fine quality. Many old timers vouch for it. Alldevotees going to theTemple make it a point to visit this restaurant. It remains crowded all thru the day and is open on alldays of the week.

Radha Silk Emporium

Yards of plush lavender, cloudy black and rich red. These colours evoke a powerful imagery of the old tradition of silk weaving. Radha Silk Emporium, simply known to all as Rasi Silks has been upholding this tradition. This popular silk destination was started in 1900 in Thirucharai, a small village in Kumbakonam by RKT Bros. In 1915, they shifted base to Madras. They set up shop in Sannadhi Street, Mylapore, in a small agraharam-style house replete with wooden rafters, red-tile roofing and thinnai.

South & North Mada Streets, Mylapore

By the late 19th century, Mada Streets were largely with well-endowed residences of Mudaliar merchants and Brahmin lawyers. Some of the latter claimed membership to the redoubtable legal fraternity called the Mylapore Vakils.

"The ones who wielded domestic clout on Mada Streets were the mamis on their verandahs and within the temple courtyard," recalls Dr S Amarnath, associate professor of history at Presidency College who spent his formative years on Nallapan Street near South Mada Street. "The mamas convened outside KalathiKadai on the corner of East and South Mada Street." (Kalathi churns out the famed rose milk of Mylapore). "Community life would spill into the streets, when cycle and handpulled rickshaws were the only ones around. "These days consider yourself lucky not to be run over by the autorickshaws that populate Mada Streets. With vendors putting down stalls on the bitumen, and traffic seizing the roads, even Kapaleeswarar would think twice before negotiating these streets.