Chennai travel information, Tamil Nadu
Chennai, also known as Madras, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is the country's fourth largest city. Compared to the other major metros of India, it is far less congested and polluted.
Chennai is a gracious city that has a clear skyline, long sandy beaches, parks, historic landmarks and tourist infrastructure facilities which make it a convenient entry point or base to start your tour of Tamil Nadu and South India. Where religion is concerned, history has certainly left its mark on this city which is believed to have been the place of St. Thomas, in the outskirts of the city. There are a number of churches in Chennai that are connected with the life and times of this apostle. There are also several ancient temples around Chennai, and, within the city itself are two magnificent temples - a temple in Triplicane and another in Mylapore.
History:- The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic center dating back to the 1st century. It has been ruled by South Indian kingdoms, notably the Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar empires. The town of Mylapore, now part of the metropolis, was once a major port of the Pallava kingdom. When the Portuguese arrived in 1522, they built a port and named it São Tomé, after the Christian apostle St. Thomas, who is believed to have preached there between the years 52 and 70. The region then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who established themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in 1612. On 22 August 1639, the British East India Company was granted land by the Nayak of Vandavasi as a base for a permanent settlement, believed to be called Madrasemen. A year later, Fort St George was built, which subsequently became the nucleus around which the colonial city grew. Elihu Yale, after whom Yale University is named, was British governor of Madras for five years. Part of the fortune that he amassed in Madras as part of the colonial administration became the financial foundation for Yale University. In 1746, Fort St George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius, who plundered the town and its outlying villages.
The British regained control of the town in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and subsequently fortified the base to withstand further attacks from the French and Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore. By the late 18th century, the British had conquered most of the region around Tamil Nadu and the northern modern-day states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to establish the Madras Presidency, whose capital was Madras. Under British rule the city grew into a major urban center and naval base. With the advent of railways in India in the late 19th century, it was connected to other important cities such as Bombay (now known as Mumbai) and Calcutta (since renamed Kolkata), facilitating communication and trade with the hinterland. It was the only Indian city to be attacked by the Central Powers during World War I, when an oil depot was shelled by the German light cruiser SMS Emden.
After independence in 1947, the city became the capital of Madras State, which was renamed as Tamil Nadu in 1968. From 1965 to 1967, Chennai was an important base for the Tamil agitation against the perceived imposition of Hindi. Chennai had witnessed some political violence due to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, after 33 people were killed by a bomb planted by the Tamil Eelam Army at the airport in 1984 and following the assassination of thirteen members of the Sri Lankan separatist group EPRLF, and two Indian civilians by the rival LTTE in 1991. In the same year, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was assassinated in Sriperumbudur, a city close to Chennai, whilst campaigning in Tamil Nadu, by Thenmuli Rajaratnam A.K.A Dhanu. Dhanu is widely believed to be have been a LTTE member. Strong measures were taken and the city has not faced any major terrorist activity since then.
In 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing many and permanently altering the coastline.
Tourist Attractions:-
Kapalishvara Temple, San Thome Cathedral, St. Thomas Mount, St Mary's Church, Fort St. George, St Andrew's, Kirik Goverment Museum, Vedanthangal Birds Sanctuary, Marina, Mamallapuram, Crocodile Bank, Dakshina Chitra, Kanchipuram, Little Mount Shrine
How to reach :-
By Air - Chennai is an international airport with flight connections to all major parts of the world; Domestic airlines connect Chennai with all the major cities of India.
By Rail - If you intend to travel any where from within India, Chennai is connected by rail with all major towns and cities in India. Suburban Electric trains run from Beach station to Tambaram and from Central to Gummidipoondi and Arakonam.
By Road - You can also travel by your own transport since Chennai is connected by a good road network with all other parts of India as well as important places in Tamil Nadu. Taxis, Auto-rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available. All types of tourist vehicle are easily available on hire.
By Sea - There is a sea line to Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Tourist Destination
Tamil Nadu in Details