Chennai , formerly known as Madras is the fourth largest city in India and the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal.The city was established in the 17th century by the British, who developed it into a major urban centre and naval base. By the 20th century, it had become an important administrative centre, as the capital of the Madras Presidency.

Places To Visit
Marina Beach
The Marina Beach, the pride of Chennai is the second longest beach in the world and has a wide sandy shore.The 12 km long and 400 to 500 meter wide beach features the Light House,memorials, statues, walkways, gardens and drives alongside the beach front.The beach begins near Fort St. George in the north to Besant Nagar in the south.Some of the most beautiful buildings in Chennai such as the University of Madras, the Senate House, Chepauk Palace,Presidency College and the Ice House are located on the beach drive.

Fort St. George
Fort st.George occupies pride of place and prominence in Chennai. This bastion derived its name form St. George, the patron saint of England. The State Legislature and the Secretariat are located inside this fort . The St. Mary’s Church, the oldest Anglican Church in India built in 1680 is situated here. The tombstones in its courtyard are some of the oldest British tombstones in India. The weddings of Robert Clive and Governor Elihu Yale, who later founded the famous Yale University in the U.S.A were solemnised in this ancient prayerhouse.

Government Museum

The Government Museum of Chennai is one of the most popular sightseeing pots in the city. It is deemed to be one of the oldest museums of India.Established in 1851,it is located in Egmore.The Museum complex consisting of six buildings and 46 galleries covers an area of around 16.25 acres of land.The objects displayed in the museum cover a variety of artifacts and objects covering diverse fields including archeology, numismatics, zoology, natural history, sculptures, palm-leaf manuscripts and Amravati paintings.Apart from this, the Government Museum also houses a Children’s Museum, which is a special section dedicated exclusively to Children. The Children’s Museum includes three sections, namely Civilization Gallery, Transportation Gallery and Kids Corner.

Guindy National Park
The Guindy National Park, the country’s smallest National Park with an area of 2.76 km², is located completely inside the city. It hosts a variety of endangered deer, foxes, monkeys and snakes. The Guindy Snake Park situated in the National Park has a large collection of snakes and is an important source of antivenom serum.The park has a dry evergreen scrub and thorn forest with over 350 species of plants including shrubs, climbers, herbs and grasses and over 24 varieties of trees, including the Sugar-apple, Atlantia monophylla, Wood-apple, and Neem.There are over 14 types of mammals including Antelope, Black buck, Chital, Jackal, Pangolin, Spotted deer, Jungle cat, Large Indian Civet, River otter, Hyena and Fox.

Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram city is also known as Mamallapuram and is located in the Kanchipuram district around 60 KM from Chennai city.The city was once the capital of Pallava kings and was named after the Pallava King, Mamalla.The rock cut temples and caves situated here are the finest in the world and originated between 7th and 9th century. The main attraction of Mamallapuram is the Shore Temple, which is renowned for its intricate carvings and skilled craftsmanship,the world over. The temple is located on the shore facing the sea. The most striking feature of this temple is that it is dedicated to both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.Apart from this, there are a number of other monuments here, such as the cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariots), sculpted reliefs and structural temples. Most of these monuments display Dravidian style of architecture.Considering the antiquity and the significance of the monuments, it has been listed amongst the world heritage sites of UNESCO.

Getting Here

Air
Kamaraj National and Anna International Airports are situated at Meenambakkam about 20 kms from Chennai city.

Rail
Chennai is connected by rail with all major towns and cities in India. Main Railway Stations are Chennai Central and Egmore.

Road
Chennai is connected by good network of roads with all important places in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India.
Distance From Various Places

Delhi-2095KM
Mumbai-1329KM
Thiruvananthapuram-708KM
Kochi-684KM

Best Time To Visit
Chennai is situated on the south east coast of India and lies in the tropical zone of climate. As a result, it mostly experiences hot and humid weather. However, it receives ample rainfall and therefore has a pleasant climate throughout the year. The best time to visit Chennai is from November to February i.e. during the winter months.

Hotels in Chennai

www.travelmasti.com/chennai.htm