Chennai (Madras)

Visit of Madras, Santhome Cathedral - Built by Portuguese in the 14th and 15th century, this Cathedral is named after St. Thomas. St. George Fort - one the first few bastions built by the east India company. Later visit Kapaleeswarar temple - Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Kapaleeswarar temple has inscriptions from the 13th century A.D,Marina Beach - pride of Chennai, is the second longest beach in the world and has a wide sandy foreshore. Kalakshertra - The cultural Institution found by Rukmani Devi Arundale in 1936 and is devoted to the revival of classical arts

Chennai (formerly Madras) known as the Gateway of Southern India and also the 'Queen of the Coromandel'. Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest city in India, is a sprawling metropolis and also an important port.The erstwhile villages of Mylapore, Triplicane, Ezhambur (Egmore) etc. all now a part of Chennai, have a recorded historical past centuries older than Chennai. Chennai, the present gateway to the South of India, is itself, however, only about 350 years old.. Once a fishing village, Chennai was the capital of the Madras presidency during the British era and was converted into the capital of Tamil Nadu in 1969.

Particularly charming features of Chennai are its allegiance to ancient traditions, no matter how modernised it has become, and its willingness to spread out further rather than develop into a multi-storey concrete jungle. The result is a widespread city still open to skies; a green, airy city with several vestiges of its rural past; a city that adheres to the liesurely tempo of life of a world of yesterday; a city whose values of another day still survive midst of the humdrum bustle of today; a city that still retains the charm, culture and courtesies of the ages.

How to get Chennai

Many major international airlines have regular direct flights to Chennai. These include: Air India, British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air Lanka and Malasia Airlines. Almost all other international airlines have direct flights to either Delhi or Bombay to which Chennai is well connected by air, rail and road. Indian Airlines has daily flights from Chennai to Bombay and Delhi and most International Airlines will arrange the domestic flight booking with Indian Airlines to Chennai, if you decide to catch their flights to either Bombay or Delhi. Chennai is connected to all major cities in India by air and its rail and road network make the tiniest village easily accessible by comfortable trains and deluxe buses. Airline resrevations from Chennai can be made at large travel agencies and the respective airlines offices.

Santhome Cathedral Bailica, Chennai

Santhome at the southern end of Marina Beach derives its name from St. Thomas, the apostle of Christ who is believed to have come to Madras sometime during 52 A.D. He was killed on St. Thomas Mount just outside the city in 78 A.D. and was interned in Santhome beach, where a church was later built. Several years later, another church was built further inland and his mortal remains were transferred from the old church to the new one. In 1606 the church was rebuilt as a cathedral and in 1896 it was made a basilica. The beautiful stained glass window at the basilica portrays the story of St. Thomas and the central hall has 14 wooden plaques depicting scenes from the last days of Christ. In the cathedral is a 3 ft. high statue of Virgin Mary, which is believed to have been brought from Portugal in 1543.

St. George Fort

Fort St. George occupies a place of pride and prominence in Chennai. It was built in 1640 A.D by the British East India Company, under the direct supervision of Francis Day and Andrew Cogon. This bastion achieved its name from St. George, the patron saint of England. The fort houses St. Mary's Church and Fort Museum.

Kapaleeswarar Temple

This temple enshrining Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal (Shiva and Parvati) is a well visited one. The current structure is about 300 years old although the deitiy has been sung by poets of the past millennium. Temple festivals here attract huge crowds. This temple is one of the major landmarks in Madras.

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Kalakshetra

Kalakshetra was started in January 1936 by Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale, as a Cultural Academy for preservation of traditional values in Indian art, especially in the field of dance and music. It became a centre of excellence due to her dedication and perseverance. Under her guidance the Institution achieved National and International recognition for its unique style and perfection. Over the years it grew in stature and strength. In 1962, Kalakshetra shifted to its vast new campus in Tiruvanmiyur.