Chennai, (formerly known as Madras) the capital of Tamil Nadu,
lies along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, developed after 1639 when the British
East India Company established a fort and trading post
at the small fishing village of Chennai.
Over
the past three and a half centuries, the small fishing village has
grown into a bustling metropolis which is especially known for its
spaciousness which is lacking in other Indian cities. This
characteristic is exemplified by the long esplanade called the
Marina and which is lined by impressive buildings which remind the
casual visitor of the long and inseparable association the city has
had with the British.
Even
elsewhere in the city, one cannot fail to notice the dominant
British influences in the form of old cathedrals, buildings in the
Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, wide tree lined
avenues.
However, though the English legacy is undeniable, Madras has
continued to be a center which has blended the foreign influence
with the traditional Tamil-Hindu culture. As a city it continues to
maintain the best of South Indian traditions. This is not surprising
because the region was an important center of Pallavan culture long
before the British came here and the traces of which are to be found
in the numerous old temples.
 Thus, the
unwary visitor will find Madras more than just a gateway of South
India. He shall find it a convenient base to peep into the varied
aspects of traditional south Indian culture and life styles which
intermingle with the modern city complete with its plush hotels and
restaurants - offering a range of continental and typical south
Indian cuisine, long and un crowded stretches of beaches, modern
shopping centers which offer traditional handicrafts, textiles and
much more peculiar to this part of India.
Besides the modern city itself, there are several interesting
towns like Mamallapuram and Kanchipuram, each with a rich collection of ancient
temples and an array of traditional handicrafts which are very much their own.
Pondicherry, famous
for its Aurobindo ashram.
HOW TO GET THERE
:
By
Air : Madras is served by
an international airport. The Anna International Terminal and the
Kamarajar Domestic Terminal are situated at Thrisulam 17 km from the
city centre.
By Rail : Broad gauge train services link
the city to New Delhi
, Bombay,
Calcutta, Cochin,
Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad
, Bangalore,
Coimbatore, Lucknow,
Guwahati and many other destinations.
The metre gauge train services cater to the
south of Madras.
Madurai
, Rameshwaram, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin being
some of the important destinations on this network. Madras Central caters for all broad
gauge services and the Madras Egmore station for all meter gauge
services. Both the stations are located at the heart of the city and
are easily accessible.
By Road : Connect to all neighboring
districts and to all prominent destinations in southern
India.
By Sea :
Madras is connected by a passenger liner to Port Blair in the
Andaman and
Nicobar Islands.
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