Chennai
Chennai which was known as Madras before, is the capital of Tamil Nadu on the east coast of South India. It is the cultural capital of South India and also the home for South Indian Movies. Chennai city boasts of some lovely beaches and exotic south Indian food like piping hot idlis, crispy dosas, tangy tomato chutneys and spicy sambar. Foreign tourists can manage with English. Of late, tourist autos have been introduced by TTDC. These tourist friendly autos are very helpful for foreign tourists.
Places of interest in Chennai
Marina Beach
Popular beach among the longest stretch of beaches in the world. Can get very crowded with the local population during a holiday.
Basilica of St. Thomas: This Cathedral Basilica is in Mylapore and the body of St. Thomas, the Apostle of Jesus, is buried under the Alter. The Apostle came to India by landing in Kerala in 52AD and converted many in Kerala to Christianity and then came to Mylapore in Chennai, for his Missionary work. He lived his last years in this region and was killed here in 73AD. The Cathedral was originally built in 1504 by the Portuguese over a smaller chapel which was there originally. It was rebuilt in 1890 with a 180 ft steeple. A small chapel near the Basilica, marks the spot where St. Thomas was martyred in 73AD. A picture of the Cathedral Basilica is on the right.
Kapaleeshwar temple
The Kapaleeshwar Temple located in Mylapore in Chennai is a fine example of eight century Pallavan architecture and is the oldest temple in the city. This temple is in the centre of the crowded residential area of Mylapore.
Government museum
The museum at Egmore has many ancient artifacts made of bronze and stone, the statues are preserved well. There are guides available in the museum who can talk about the history of the Kings and the relevance of these pieces. Government museum is located in the heart of the city at Egmore.
Dakshinchitra
Dakshinchitra, which means "picture of the South", was established in 1996 on a 10-acre plot in Muttukadu by Madras Craft Foundation (MCF). This unique Heritage Centre is located on the east coast road in Muttukadu on the way to Mahabalipuram. It gives an unforgettable insight into the lifestyles of the diverse peoples of South India in the ages gone by. Traditional craftspersons and folk artists work and perform in the make believe period settings of 19th century streets, homes and workshop-spaces.
Fort St George
Fort St. George is the first British fortress in India and was founded in 1639 by the British East India Company. The fort is believed to be the first establishment of the British in India. St. Mary's Church, situated in the fort, is one of the oldest surviving churches built by the British in India. The fort museum showcases a host of artifacts such as coins, medals, paintings, letters, etc, belonging to the colonial period.
Places of interest near Chennai
Mahabalipuram, declared a Unesco World heritage site in 1984, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/249 described thus on their site “ was carved out of rock along the Coromandel coast in the 7th and 8th centuries. It is known especially for its rathas(temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), giant open-air reliefs such as the famous 'Descent of the Ganges', and the temple of Rivage, with thousands of sculptures to the glory of Shiva.” Being only 60 Kilometers from Chennai, the easiest way to visit is by taking one of the many luxury bus tours with an English speaking guide included.
Madurai city is famous for its Meenakshi Temple. In 2009, this temple was selected as one of the Seven Wonders of India by NDTV, the popular Indian TV channel. The main tower of the temple is shown on the left.
Kanchipuram which is 64 Kilometers from Chennai is famous as a city of a 1000 Temples. The first temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century and has paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silk clothes.
Tiruchirappalli or Trichy as it is commonly called The most famous landmark of Trichy is the Rockfort temple which is on sits on top of a huge rock. The city also has the Srirangam Vaishnavite temple, the biggest functioning Hindu temple in the world.
Vailankanni is a famous Christian pilgrimage centre in India. The church ‘Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health’ is reknown worldwide as having miraculous health curing powers and is a pilgrimage centre in India, like Lourdes is in France. Veilankanni is 350 kilometers from Chennai and 12 kilometers south of Nagapattinam, the nearest railway station for Vailankanni.