DISTANCE - 331 KM From Bangalore, 76 KM From Kanchipuram, 345 KM From Tanjore

CONNECTION

By Air : Chennai is well connected to the world and most international airlines have flights to Chennai's Anna International Airport. Domestic airlines operate daily flights to all major cities of the country from the Kamaraj domestic terminal near the international terminal. Both air terminals are located at Meenambakkom about 20 kms from the city.

By Rail : Chennai is the headquarters of Southern Railway, a division of Indian Railway. Chennai is connected to many cities and towns by super-fast and express trains.

By Road : Chennai is well connected to all the major cities of India by a network of highways and roads.
 
ABOUT CHENNAI

Chennai is the metropolitan city houses all sorts of attractions, be it famous South Indian Temples, museums, monuments, parks, beaches or picnic spots. There is no dearth of attractions as such. The accredited mega city does not give any chance for a complaint to a globe trotter. And to add some spice, as is South known for, the place has a number of industrial and commercial hubs.

The popular places of interest in Chennai are the much crafted temples. These famous South Indian temples witness a great number of visitors every year. Next in line are the monuments, most of them built during the British occupancy. The monuments withhold the beauty of the past and some rich memories associated with them. The diverse wildlife of Chennai is featured by several parks and breeding centres. Beaches, likewise, pour in some more life in the city.

PLACES OF INTERESTS IN CHENNAI
 
Little Mount & Mount of St.Thomas : A Rock-Hewn Cave on Little Mount is believed to be the place where, in AD 72, the mortally wounded St.Thomas sought refuge. Near the modern Church of Our Lady of Good Health is the older Blessed Sacrament Chapel built by the Portuguese over the Cave. Inside the cave is the opening through which the fleeing saint is said to have retreated, leaving behind a still visible imprint of his hand near the entrance. At the rear end of the caves is the Masonry cross before which St Thomas is said to have prayed. The most important relic here is the ancient stone cross embedded into the wall of the alter which is said to have been engraved by the saint himself.

Marina Beach : Marina beach situated to the east of Chennai at Kamarajar Road, 3 Km away from the city centre. The beach covered with the silver sands is said to be the longest beach in India and one of the longest in Asia, which extends to a length of 13 Km, from Fort St. George all the way to Mahabalipuram. There is a drive along the beach circumscribed with palms and casuarinas running the whole length of Chennai.

VGP Golden Beach Resort : VGP Golden Beach Resort offers a serene and relaxing atmosphere in today's stress-driven world. Located on the World's second longest beach, it attracts over two million visitors every year. This unique resort is designed like a mini township and offers cottages of different designs, which reflect the culture of traditional India but provide worldly luxuries.

Guindy National Park : Guindy National Park is an ideal picnic spot for a day spending with your family. This National Park encompasses a snake park and a children's park as well. Guindy Park boasts of over 24 varieties of trees, for example, Amona Squamosa, Atlanta Monoplylla, Feronia Limonia, Azadirachta India, etc. to mention a few. The main faunal attraction of this park is the occurrence of rare Indian Antelope popularly known as the "Black Buck", found nowhere in the world except India.

Sri Guru Nanak Sat Sangh Sabha : Sri Guru Nanak Sat Sangh Sabha located in Chennai was established by Lieutenant Colonel Gill (former Director General of Prisons) in the year 1949. Guru Nanak Sat Sangh Sabha helps to establish social, cultural and spiritual contact among Sikhs in Chennai.

Big Mosque : The Wallajah Mosque referred to as the "Big Mosque" was built by the Wallajah family in 1795 in memory of the Nawab. The present Prince of Arcot is closely associated with this shrine even today. Hidden behind the modern buildings on Triplicane High Road, this renowned place of worship for Muslims is a marvellous granite structure.

Government Museum : The Museum established in 1857 is one among the best museums of the country. The museum displays the collection of authentic relics of 2nd century A.D., Buddhist site of Amaravati and the prehistoric antiques of South India. The magnificent carvings of the Hindu, Buddhist and Jain faiths are displayed in the sculpture gallery of the museum. In addition the museum has an huge collection of wood carvings, South Indian musical instruments and jewellery, ancient icons and modern bronzes.

National Art Gallery : National Art Gallery houses the excellent collection of old paintings. The famous collection include 11th -12th century Indian handicrafts, 10th and 13th century bronzes, 16th-18th century Rajasthani and Mughal paintings and 17th century Deccani paintings.

RELIGIOUS PLACES IN CHENNAI

Parthasarathy Temple : The Parthasarathy temple in Chennai has its origin back in 8th century. It was generally built by the Pallavas and later reformed by the Vijayanagar Kings during 11th century. The literal meaning of 'Parthasarathy' is the charioteer. According to the great Indian epic 'Mahabharata' 'Partha' meant Arjuna while sarathy is meant as charioteer. In the epic it is said during the great battle of Mahabharata Lord Krishna was the charioteer of Arjuna. In the epic Arjuna or partha was a brave warrior and Lord Krishna was a good friend, philosopher and guide to the Partha or Arjuna.

Kapaleeswarar Temple : Visiting to temples can serve many purposes. It just depends on your preference. If you are give some spiritual touch to your tour then you can visit the temple. Also if you want to understand ancient India with all its political, cultural principles then also you can tour to the temples. So if any of these topics are your interest then in your Chennai temple tour list you can add a visit to the Kapaleeswarar temple in Chennai

Sri Prasanna Varadharajar Temple : In the front, we can see a huge vimaanam (Gopuram) which is found in 5 Nilais (Partitions), where lots of Architectural works are found in a beautiful manner. As we enter the Gopuram Vaasal, we can see the Dwajasthambam (Kodi Maram) which is raised to a big extent. To the Right of Kodimaram, Sannadhi for Ramathoodan, Aanjaneyar Sannadhi is found. After worshipping if we go further, we can reach the Sri Krishnar sannadhi, where the perumal is found along with the flute and giving his seva in Nindra thirukkolam.

• Ashtalakshmi Temple
• Mangadu Kamakshiamman Temple
• Kaligambal Temple
• Ayyappan Temple
• Thirumalai Thirupathi Devasthanam Temple
• Shirdi Sai Baba Temple
• Mathyakailash Temple
• Marutheeswarar Temple
• Thiruneermalai Vishnu Temple
• Thirukkalukundram Temple
• Anjaneyaswami Temple

WHEN TO GO CHENNAI
 
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 city is from November to February.
 
WEATHER FORECAST
 
Chennai, located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, has a hot and humid tropical climate. The place bears tropical climate with mercury rising higher than 40 °C mark in summers. The average temperature in summers is 37 °C and in winters it is 24 °C. The east of city is lined up by the sea, that is Bay of Bengal. The region thus receives a good amount of annual rainfall, mainly from the north eastern monsoons. Average annual rainfall received by the city is 1300 mm. The cyclones in the Bay of Bengal rarely hit the coastal regions of Chennai. The period from November to February constitutes the winter season and is the best time to visit the place. The period is marked by a tolerable temperature 24 °C and low humidity. There are little rains during this period.
 
EVENTS AND FESTIVALS IN CHENNAI
 
Chennai festivals provide sumptuous opportunities to have glimpses of the local culture. The city is inhabited by a population with diverse social and cultural backgrounds. The region is dominated by Hindu majority and as such popular festivals celebrated here have direct association with the popular faith.

Deepavali, Dussehra, Durga Puja, Navratri, are festivals celebrated with equal zeal thought the city and the country at large. Besides these there are some locally celebrated ones and it is these we would be putting forth.

Arubathimoovar festival : The festival is celebrated to pay respect to the 63 saints of Shiva (Siva) who spent their lives in devotion and penance. The festival is marked by a vibrant procession carried through Mylapore township.

Chitirai festival : Chitirai festival is celebrated to pay homage to the marriage event between Pandiyan Princess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. The celebration sees are enactment of the marriage to immortalize the event.

Dance festival : Dance festival is the much popular hosted at Mammalapuram. The celebrations include traditional dance performances like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Odisi. The festival has been preserving the folk dances since time immemorial.

Kanthri festival : Kanthri festival is dedicated to saint Quadirwali. During this ten day festival devotees pay visits to the tomb of the saint. Offerings are made to the spiritual leader who is one selected follower of the saint. On the last day of the festival the tomb is anointed with sandalwood and the paste is later on distributed. The paste is believed to possess great healing powers.

Kavadi festival : Kavadi festival dedicated to one of the most popular deities Lord Muruga is celebrated throughout the city. The festival is marked by a procession carrying decorated stage up to the Palani Hills. The air is filled with beating of the drum and followers in trance follow in the procession.

Tayagaraja festival : Tayagaraja festival is celebrated in the memory of South Indian saint and composer who lived during the 18th century. The festival is marked by musical performances by the upcoming artists from the region.

Vellankani festival : Vellankani festival is also one of the most celebrated one in the city. The festival follows a wonderful legend wherein Portuguese sailors were saved from a terrible storm by a divine light. The festival is celebrated at the place where the shrine was erected by the sailors, that is the spot where their ship landed.
 
FOOD AND RESTURANTS IN CHENNAI
 
Tamil Nadu is known for its hospitality and traditional food. People in the state are of the belief that serving food to others is a service to mankind. This fortifies the fact that your eating experience in the city will definitely be an unforgettable one. Specifically talking about the cuisine of Chennai, the city offers a wide variety in terms of different types of dishes. The delectable South Indian savories are truly a treat for the foodies. There is a plethora of items for both vegetarians as well as non vegetarians. For non vegetarians, the platter consists of rice, along with curries or dishes cooked with mutton, chicken or fish. The breakfast and evening snacks mainly include idli (steamed rice cakes), dosa (pancake made from batter of rice) and lentils crisp fried on a pan, vada (deep fried doughnuts made from a batter of lentils), pongal (rice and lentils boiled together, seasoned with ghee, cashew nuts, pepper and cumin seed) and uppuma (cooked semolina seasoned in oil with mustard, pepper, cumin seed and dry lentils.). All the above dishes are served with coconut chutney, sambar (seasoned lentil broth) and mulaga podi (powdered mix of several dried lentils eaten with oil).

Gallopin Gooseberries, Swathi - Saravana Bhavan , Bangs Fried Chicken, Eatalica, Kailash Parbat, Mumbai Food Junction, Hot breads.