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 Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu is the fourth largest metropolis in India. Located on a 17km stretch of the Coromandel Coast, the city is trisected by the waterways of Cooum and Adyar and the Buckingham Canal. It has grown from merging several small villages. It is also the principal harbour and has one of the finest beaches of the State. Though many still call it Madras, it is now officially known as Chennai.
Chennai is the home of the ancient Dravidian civilization, one of the oldest articulate cultures in the world. It is a city where the landscape of the past lives easily with more recent history. For more than 2000 years, the area has been popular with seafarers, spice traders and cloth merchants. The 16th century saw the arrival of the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch. In 1639 the British East India Company established a settlement in the fishing hamlet of Chennaipatnam. Chennai has always been the most important city in Tamil Nadu sience then.
Popularly regarded as the "Gateway to the South", Chennai presents a culture that is distinctly different from that of northern India. Music, dance and all other art forms of the South are cherished and nurtured in this city which, though industrialized, continues to be traditional and conventional in many ways.
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St.Mary's Church |
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| Destination |
St.Mary's Church |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Pilgrim Centre/Holy Place |
| Activities |
Heritage sight seeing,Pilgrimage/Place of worship |
 It is the oldest Anglican Church in India built in 1680 and is the oldest surviving English Church in India. The tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India. This ancient prayer house here solemnized the marriages of Robert Clive and Governor Elihu Yale, who later founded the Yale University in the States. |
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Kapaleeshwarar Temple |
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| Destination |
Kapaleeswarar Temple |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Pilgrim Centre/Holy Place |
| Activities |
Pilgrimage/Place of worship |
 Located in Mylapore, this is an ancient Shiva temple constructed in the Dravidian style and has a massive and intricately carved gopuram (spire). According to a legend, the Shaivite Saint Thirugnansambandar brought life back into a dead girl in this temple. This miracle of this incident is commemorated during the annual festival of the temple. |
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Marina Beach |
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| Destination |
Marina Beach |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Beaches |
| Activities |
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 The Marina is considered one of the longest beaches in the world and has a wide sandy foreshore. This wonderful promenade stretches from the Harbour southwards up to the San Thome Cathedral (13km). Situated on the beach are the Anna and MGR Memorials of the most popular former Chief Ministers of the State. An Aquarium is also located on the Marina Beach. It contains many species of tropical and marine fishes. Some of the most beautiful buildings in Chennai such as the University of Madras, Senate House, Chepauk Palace, Presidency College, PWD office and the Ice House are located on the beach drive. The Ice House is a memento to the British East India and was once used to store ice brought all the way from New England by Yankee seafarers for the benefit of the sun-baked businessmen in those pre air-condition days. |
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San Thome Cathedral Basilica |
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| Destination |
San Thome Cathedral Basilica |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Pilgrim Centre/Holy Place |
| Activities |
Pilgrimage/Place of worship |
 Located at the southern end of Marina derives its name from St Thomas, one of the apostles of Christ who is believed to have come to Chennai. He founded a church on the site where the present cathedral stands. In 1606 the church was rebuilt as a cathedral and in 1896 it was made a basilica. The beautiful stained glass window portrays the story of St Thomas. There is a 3ft high statue of Virgin Mary that is believed to have been brought here from Portugal in 1543. |
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Sri Parthasarthy Temple |
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| Destination |
Sri Parthasarthy Temple |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Pilgrim Centre/Holy Place |
| Activities |
Heritage sight seeing,Pilgrimage/Place of worship |
 Located in Triplicane, this temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. Built in the 8th century by the Pallavas, it was renovated in the 16th century by the Vijayanagars. It is one of the oldest surviving temples of Chennai. |
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St.Andrew's Church |
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| Destination |
St.Andrew's Church |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Pilgrim Centre/Holy Place |
| Activities |
Heritage sight seeing,Pilgrimage/Place of worship |
 Located near Egmore Railway Station, this church was completed in 1821 in the classical style. Its impressive blue dome is decorated with gold stars and there are excellent views from the 55m high steeple. |
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Government Museum |
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| Destination |
Government Museum |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Museum |
| Activities |
Visit Museums/ Libraries |
 Located on Pantheon Road, close to the Egmore Railway Station, the Museum was established in 1851. The buildings originally belonged to a group of eminent British citizens known as the Pantheon Committee, who were charged with improving the social life of the British in Madras. It has an interesting archaeological section representing all the major south Indian periods, a good ethnology collection and a bronze gallery that has a superb collection of Chola art. |
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Deer Sanctuary & Snake Park |
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| Destination |
Deer Sanctuary & Snake Park |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Wildlife |
| Activities |
Wildlife Safari/Bird Watching |
 This complex is situated adjacent to Raj Bhawan on the southern limits of Chennai city. This is the only sanctuary of its kind located within any city. In the Deer Park, there are a large number of the fast -dwindling black bucks. Other wildlife to be seen is jackals, mongooses, spotted deer, civet-cats and jungle fowl. The Reptile section has a good collection of rare snakes. |
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Theosophical Society Meditation |
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| Destination |
Theosophical Society Meditation |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Modern Wonders |
| Activities |
Yoga and Meditation |
 The world headquarters of the Theosophical Society, formed to facilitate and encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science is situated in beautiful sylvan settings in the Adyar district. The society was founded by Madame Blavatsky and Col. Olott in USA and later moved to Adyar in 1882. Apart from shrines of all faiths and the peaceful 'Garden of Remembrance', there is a 95-year old library, which has a very good collection of rare Oriental manuscripts written on palm leaves and parchment. |
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Valluvar Kottam |
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| Destination |
Valluvar Kottam |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Modern Wonders |
| Activities |
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 It is a memorial to the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, whose classic work, the Kural, is reputed to be 2000-years-old. Established in 1976, the memorial is shaped like a temple chariot. It is in fact the replica of the temple chariot in Thiruvarur. A life-size statue of the saint has been installed in the 33m tall chariot. The 1330 verses of the Kural are inscribed on the panels of the chariot. |
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Elliot Beach |
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| Destination |
Elliot Beach |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
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| Activities |
Pilgrimage/Place of worship |
 Located near Adyar district, this beach is quieter than Marina. At its southern end is the Velanganni Church that honours the Madonna of Health. There is also a Hindu temple, the Ashtalakshmi temple nearby, which is dedicated to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity. The temple looks quite different from the usual South Indian temples, as it is a modern granite tier construction. |
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Cholamandal Artists Village |
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| Destination |
Cholamandal Artists Village |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Night Life |
| Activities |
Art Gallery |
 Located about 18km south of Chennai, has a gallery of fine contemporary paintings and sculptures. Talented painters and master sculptors have settled here to work. Attractive paintings, drawings, sculptures, batiks and graphics can be bought from showrooms. |
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Muttukadu |
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| Destination |
Muttukadu |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
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| Activities |
Wind Surfing,Boating/canoeing,Water scooter,Yachting/Sailing |
 Located about 36 km from Chennai, these backwaters have been developed by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation to serve as a scenic picnic spot and a centre for water sports. In February every year, a windsurfing regatta is organised here. Competitions in windsurfing and other water sports are also held. |
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Covelong Beach |
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| Destination |
Covelong Beach |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
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| Activities |
Wind Surfing,Heritage sight seeing,Swimming/Bathing |
 Also known as Kovalam, is a fishing settlement located about 38 km south of Chennai. It was originally a port built by the Nawab of the Carnatic, Saadat Ali and it was here that the French troops landed in 1746. It has a fine beach and the ancient fort here has now been converted into the Taj Group's Fisherman's Cove Resort, which offers facilities for windsurfing and swimming. An ancient Catholic Church, a mosque and the ruins of the Fort make interesting viewing from this hotel. |
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Crocodile Bank |
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| Destination |
Crocodile Bank |
| Location |
Chennai |
| State |
Tamil Nadu |
| Destination type |
Wildlife |
| Activities |
Zoo/ Botanical Gardens |
 Located about 40 km from Chennai on the way to Mamallapuram, this is a successful crocodile breeding and research centre run by Romulus Whittaker. Here several species of Indian and African crocodiles and alligators are bred in captivity. The reptiles are kept in their natural habitat in open pools and can be viewed from safe proximity. This farm breeds crocodile to augment the crocodile population of India's wildlife sanctuaries. |
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