Important Places in Chennai

Chennai

"Once a fishing village, Chennai, is now a sprawling capital city of Tamil Nadu. People of Chennai are deep rooted in their cultural moorings and traditions, even though modernity has its own impact. Chennai is airy, spacious with verdant green and beaches. With a population of 6 million people, Chennai is a vibrant city ever growing, expanding and changing every year."  Popularly regarded as the "Gateway to the South", Chennai presents 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.  Chennai has rich traditional and civilization and it is blend of the old, and the new, vibrating ceaselessly to keep pace with the rest of India, as bouyant metropolis of the third most industrialised state.  People of Chennai are deep rooted in their cultural moorings and traditions. From traditional vegetarian fair to fast foods, from ancient temple architecture to modern high-rise with Indo-Saracenic and Victorian as stops along the way from classical music and dance to discos, Chennai has them all and many more vivid contrasts that are a pleasant surprise. And perhaps the most striking of them all is that here is a modern metropolis with beaches, parks and even sanctuaries in the heart of the City.  Chennai is a city that has a clear skyline, long sandy beaches, parks, historic landmarks and tourist infrastructural facilities which make it a convenient entry point or base to start your tour of Tamil Nadu and South India. Where religion is concerned, history has certainly left its mark on this city which is believed to have been the place of St. Thomas, in the outskirts of the city. There are a number of churches in Chennai that are connected with the life and times of this apostle. There are also several ancient temples around Chennai, and, within the city itself are two magnificent temples - a temple in Triplicane and another in Mylapore.   General Informations Area : 174 sq. kms. Population : 3,795,028 (1991 census) Altitude : Sea level Climate : Max. Min. Summer : 37ºC 21.10ºC Winter : 32ºC 19.81ºC Rainfall : 1,272 mm. Season : TROPICAL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Clothing : Tropical Languages spoken : Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu and English.   Places of interest Fort St. George Fort St. George occupies a place of pride and prominence in Chennai. It was built in 1640 AD, by the British East India Company under the direct supervision of Francis Day and Andrew Cogon. This bastion achieved name from St. George, the patron saint of England. The fort houses St. Mary's Church and fort museum. St. Mary's Church the oldest Anglican church in India built in 1680 and the tombstones in it's courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India. This ancient prayer house solemnised the marriages of Robert Clive and Governor Elihu Yale, who later founded the Yale University in the USA. The High Court With the decorative domes and corridors reminiscent of Indo-Saracenic architecture and the adjacent Parry's corner are the important landmarks of Chennai . This area is always crowded and active. Built in 1892, the High Court of Chennai is believed to be the second largest judicial complex in the world.  The Marina Beach Marina Beach, the pride of Chennai is the second longest beach in the World and has a wide sandy foreshore. Situated on the beach, the Anna and MGR Samadhis which are memorials of the most popular former Chief Ministers of the State attract good crowd everyday. An aquarium is also located on the Marina Beach. Some of the most beautiful buildings in Chennai such as the University of Chennai, Senate House, Chepauk Palace, Presidency College, and Ice House are located on this beach drive.   Sri Parthasarathy Temple This temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The temple was originally built by the Pallavas in the 8th century AD. Though additions were later made to it by the Chola and Vijayanagara Kings. Kapaleswarar Temple Not far from Triplicane, in Mylapore, there is yet another 8th Century Pallava Temple. The temple 'Gopuram' (tower) is in the characteristic Dravidian style of architecture. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple has some most beautiful sculptures, along with the bronze idols of 63 Saivaite Saints (Nayanmars) which adorn the outer courtyard are rare specimens. Also is the courtyard under the old Punnai tree is a small shrine depicting Goddess Parvathi in the form of a Peacock, worshipping Lord Shiva. It is from this legend that Mylapore derived its name - ''Myil" meaning peacock and 'Oor' meaning town. Mylapore swarms with life during the Arubathumoovar festival that is held in March-April every year.  San Thome Cathedral Basilica  San Thome at the southern end of Marina derives its name from St Thomas, the apostle of Christ who is believed to have come to Madras sometime during 52 AD. He was killed on St Thomas Mount just outside the city in 78 AD. and was interned in San Thome 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 3ft. high statue of Virgin Mary which is believed to have been brought from Portugal in 1543.  Guindy National Park The Deer Park 595 acres in extent, situated adjacent to Raj Bhavan was originally a part of the Governor's Estate. Now it is fragmented and the major part is a thickly forested game sanctuary where the spotted dear and the black buck roam about and a wealth of smaller fauna thrive. This is the country's only Wild Life Sanctuary within a city's limits. Raj Bhavan, the Governor's mansion, occupies one end of the park, and at the other is the beautiful forest-girt campus of Chennai's famous Indian Institute of Technology, one of Asia's foremost technical educational institutions. In between, and edging the road, are a famous Cancer Institute, a Children's Park with its own mini zoo and mini-railway, a Snake Park, rich in reptiles, and Memorials to Gandhiji, Rajaji, the first Indian Governor-General, and Kamaraj, a great national leader. Latest addition to this array of memorials is that of Bakthavatchalam, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Opposite the park are the Anna University of Technology, whose nucleous was the oldest technical school in the East, and the Central Leather Research Institute. To the east of the Park as well as at the back of it sprawls the campus of the Central Institute of Technology. Not far way is one of the country's finest Race-courses.  Kalakshetra In Thiruvanmiyur, beyond Elliot's beach, is Kalakshetra or 'Temple of Art'. It was founded in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale to train, encourage and revive interest in Bharatanatyam which is the classical dance form of the state. MGR Film City  Set up by the Government of Tamil Nadu in the sprawling Tharamani area, MGR Film city houses various locations and settings for film-shooting besides dubbing and re-recording theatres. The software city is coming up nearby. Birla Planetarium The Birla Planetarium at Kotturpuram, between Adyar and Guindy, is the most modern planetarium in the country. Adjoining the planetarium is a Periyar Science and Technology Museum which will be of interest to students and other science scholars. Valluvar Kottam The standing memorial to immortal Tamil Poet-Saint Thiruvalluvar is shaped like a temple chariot and is, in fact, the replica of the temple chariot in Thiruvarur. A life-size statue of the saint has been installed in the chariot which is 33m. tall. The 133 chapters of his famous work Thirukkural have been depicted in bas-relief in the front hall corridors of the chariot. The auditorium at Valluvar Kottam is said to be the largest in Asia and can accommodate about 4000 people.  The Government Museum National Art Gallery, Gallery of Contemporary Arts and Children's Museum also lie in the Museum Complex.  V.G.P Golden Beach Resort This is a very skillfully planned beach resort geared to entertain the visitor with sculptured vignettes from the past folk dances and ethnic food cuisine. There is an entertainment arcade for children and for adults. There are folk dance performances apart from an Art Centre which sells handicrafts and articles made out of sea shells. The beach is clean and ideal for sun-bathing.  Vandalur The sprawling 1,265 - acres the Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur is the biggest in South Asia and has a rich variety of different species of mammals, reptiles and birds. The enclosures for the animals are located in natural surroundings with vast areas for the animals to move freely. Kanchipuram (75 kms.) One of India's seven great mythologically famous Hindu cities, Kancheepuram has a plethora of temples, each one unique in its own way. Besides being the Golden City of temples, Kancheepuram has for over four centuries, been famous for its weavers who till today weave sarees using the best quality silk and pure gold thread. It has been the centre of culture and learning and Adhi Shankaracharya, one of the famous Gurus of India has established his ashram (Kamakoti Peetam) here.  Mamallapuram (58 kms.) Built in the 7th century, this ancient Pallava port is the site of several antique sculptural marvels. The only remaining shore temple is a spectacular two-spired shrine which is unique in that it houses shrines for Vishnu and Shiva. The Pallavas had perfected the art of sculpting rocks to build temples without using brick, mortar or timber and the five monolith Raths (chariots) stand as the surviving masterpieces of Pallava sculpture. Arjuna's penance is the world's largest bas relief measuring 27m by 9m. This sculptural panel shows animals, Gods and Angels contemplating the descent of the Ganges from it's source in the Himalayas and also depicts popular fables from the Panchatantra. Besides these, the Mahishamardhini Cave, the Krishna Mandapam and Varsha Mandapam also have beautiful reliefs depicting Vishnu reclining on the coils of seven headed serpent, Krishna as incarnation of Vishnu lifting mount Goverdhana to protect his kinsman from the wrath of Indra respectively.  Vedanthangal (85 kms.) Vedanthangal is one of the largest bird sancturies in India. It is a marshy, 30 hectare park with lake visited by over 1,00,000 migratory birds every year. The majority of these birds can be seen between November and February. The variety of birds include Herons, Darters, Spoonbills, Pelicans, Sandpipers, White Ibis, Cormorants,Blue winged teals and Swans.  Crocodile Bank (44 kms.) Several species of Indian and African crocodiles and alligators bred in captivity are kept here in open pools. Visitors can view the reptiles from close but safe proximity. There is also a small snake farm here that conducts demonstrations of venom extraction. Muttukadu (36 kms) The backwaters of Muttukadu have been developed by the Tamilnadu Tourism Development Corporation to serve as a scenic picnic spot and a centre for watersports. In February every year, a windsurfing regatta is organised in Muttukadu. Competitions in windsurfing and other watersports are also held. Training and demonstration programmes are held for youth.  Covelong (48kms)  The remains of the Fort have now been converted into a luxury beach 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 5 Star hotel. How to get there ? Air Kamaraj National and Anna International Airports are situated at Meenambakkam about 20 kms from city. Can also be reached by sub-urban train services. Alight at Tirusulum. You must travel light and walk a km to airport. Rail Main Railway Stations: Central and Egmore. Central linking north and west and Egmore south. Road Chennai is connected by good network of roads with all important places in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India. You may rent a car with popular private cab owners. White plated taxis ply 5 people on contract. Pre-paid taxis and airport coaches are available at airports.

Important Tourist Places in Trichy

Srirangam

The district's most important pilgrim centre is located in an island just 7 km from Trichy. Srirangam, surrounded by the waters of river Kaveri on one side and its tributary kollidan on the other, is a 600 acre island-town enclosed within the seven walls of the gigantic Sri Ranganathaswami Temple. There are 21 gopurams, among which the Rajagopuram is the largest in South India. The 72m high 13-tiered gopuram was built in 1987 and dominates the landscape for miles around, while the remaining 20 gopurams were built between the 14th and 17th centuries. Originally, there was just a small shrine where the temple is today, but it was added on to and expanded by the Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas, Hoysalas, the Vijayanagar Kings and Nayaks of Madurai and today Srirangam stands as the biggest temple complex in the country. 

Government Museum 

This is located on Bharathidasan Road. Bronze and stone sculptures are on display here. Admission is free, the museum is open on all days except Fridays.

Kudumiyanmalai (25km) 

The Siva temple here has some interesting inscriptions as well as beautiful sculptures. One of the inscriptions deals with the musical treatise of Mahendravarman Pallava and his experimentation with an eight-stringed instrument called Parivadini.

Sittannavasal (58km) 

In this village are the remains of a 2nd century B.C. Jain cave temple. Fresco paintings reminiscent of Ajanta adorn the walls. Many of them are typical of the 9th century Pandyan period and include exquisitely detailed pictures of animals, fish, ducks, people gathering lotuses from a pond and two dancing figures. There are also inscriptions dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. Fresco paintings from the 7th century can be seen on the ceiling of  Ardhamandapam. There are many pre-historic burial sites around Sittannavasal and among the relics unearthed are burial urns, cists and Kungupatarai.

Manora (72km) 

The eight-storeyed victory tower here was built by the Maratha King Serfoji in the year 1814 to commemorate the victory of the British over Napoleon Bonaparte at Waterloo. The name 'Mannora' is derived from the word minaret meaning small minar. From this 30 metre high tower one can have a panoramic view of the palm fringed Bay of Bengal. This tower also served as a light house.

Gangaikondacholapuram (100km) 

The Brahadeeswarar temple at Gangaikondacholapuram was conceived and constructed by the Chola King Rajendra - I after his victory over the kingdoms bordering the river Ganga. Apart from the huge Nandi, there are some beautiful sculptures including a dancing Ganesha, a lion-headed well and a stunning figure of King Rajendra being crowned by Siva and Parvati.  

Thanjavur (54km) 

The capital of the imperial Chola dynasty a thousand years ago.  The magnificent Brahadeeswarar temple dedicated to Lord Siva bears witness to the glory of Chola architecture,  sculpture  and  paintings. A  museum  in  the  temple  countyard  has interesting Chola artefacts.The Saraswathi Mahal Palace was started by the Nayaks of Madurai around 1550 AD and completed by the Maratha rulers of Thanjavur.

The Palace Library instituted by Maharaja Serfoji has a collection of 30,000 palm leaf manuscripts and many rare European books. The Thanjavur Art Gallery has  priceless  collection  of  bronze  icons and  granite sculptures dating from the  9th century AD. Thanjavur is a good place to shop for Thanjavur Art Plates, handicrafts, handwoven silk, bronze icons, intricately inlaid brass work and bejewelled paintings.

St.Joseph's chruch 

This church built in 1812 has louvred doors which open to convert it into an airy pavillion and is located near the Theppakulam.

Grand Anaicut - Kallanai (24 km) 

The Grand Anaicut built by Karikalan Chola in  the 2nd century A.D. to harness the waters of the Kaveri. Made of stone, the dam is 329 m long and 20m wide and still very much in use. Additions have been made in the form of a road bridge on top of the dam. This is a good picnic spot.

Mukkombu (Upper Anaicut) (18 km) 

At the head of the Srirangam Island, there is another dam called Upper Anaicut or Mukkombu which is about  685 m long. Constructed in the 19th century across Kollidam, this dam has been forced into three sections instead of one long stretch because of the shape of the island. This is also good spot for picnics. 
 

Narthamalai (17 km)

 Narthamalai has some of the oldest structural stone temples, built by the Mutharaiyars. This temple has six large skillfully carved statues of Vishnu in the central hall. A 9th century Pallava cave temple dedicated to Siva lies to the south, and in front of this is the Vijayalaya Choliswaran temple. Vijayalaya was the first of the Later Cholas and as such, this Siva temple is one of the earliest Chola creations, but not as grand as the ones that were to follow. However, glimpses of an artistic greatness that was still to come can be seen in the beautiful figures of the dancers in front of the vimana, the elegantly carved dwarapalakas and the figures of other gods. 

Tirumayam (79 km)

Tirumayam is one of the most interesting places around Pudukkottai. There are a couple of rock cut cave temples and an old fort, both of which are worth stopping for. The cave temples which lie side by side are dedicated to Siva ( Sathyagireeswarar ) and Vishnu ( Sathyamoorthy ) and were built by Mahendravarnan and Narasimhavarman Pallava.  Atop the hill is the old fort called OOMAIYAN KOTTAI where captured  rebels  were  imprisoned  by  the  British.  It  was  built  in   the year 1687 by King Sethupathi of  Ramanathapuram. The Siva temple has some inscriptions of music. There are two shrines in the Vishnu temple, and one where the Lord is represented in a reclining posture is particulary remarkable as it is the largest of its kind in the country. On the walls behind the idol are beautiful carvings depicting Vishnu and the serpent Adisesha chasing away rakshasas (demons) by spewing fire and poison.

Important Tourist Places in Madurai

Sri Meenakshi - Sundareswarar Temple

Timing: The Meenakshi Amman Temple is usually opens between 0500hrs and 1230hrs and again between 1600 hrs and 21.30 hrs.

Synonymous with Madurai is the Meenakshi Sundareswarar twin Temple, the pivot around which the city has evolved. The Meenakshi Temple complex is literally a city - one of the largest of its kind in India and undoubtedly one of the oldest too. The temple grew with the contribution of each dynasty and victorious monarchs, into an enormous complex extending over an area of 65000 Sq m. The temple first came in to being 2000 years ago and was substantially expanded during the regime of Thirumalai Nayak(1623-55 AD).

          
Lord Siva in his incarnation as Sundareswarar and his fish-eyed spouse, Meenakshi, are enshrined in this twin temple. There are four massive gateways enclosing these two shrines. Even a casual visitor is fascinated by the many paintings and sculptures.

          
A striking feature of the temple is the astonishing structure know as “Ayiramkaal Mandapam” or the Hall of Thousand Pillars and each pillar features high, ornate, bold sculptures that look life like. View from any angle these pillars appear to be in a straight line, an architectural masterpiece indeed In the outermost corridors are situated the matchless musical pillars carved out of stones. When it is tapped, each pillar produces different musical note.

Thirumalai Nayak Palace

Timing: The Palace is open for visitors between 0900hrs and 1300 hrs and again between 1400 hrs and 1700 hrs. Entrance Fee. Rs.1/-

About 1.5 Kms from the Meenakshi temple, this palace was built in 1636 by the ruler whose name it bears. The imposing edifice is famous for the “Stuccowork” on its domes and impressive arches. The Sorgavilasam (Celestial Pavilion), measuring 75m x 52m, constructed entirely of brick and mortar without the support of a single rafter or girder, is a marvel of indo-Saracenic architectural style. Among other striking features of the palace are the massive white pillars, several of which line the corridor that runs along the courtyard. Connected by high decorated arches, these pillars measure 20m in height and have a circumference of 4m. Elsewhere, there are polished black stone pillars of varying heights. It was King Thirumalai Nayak’s grandson who demolished much of the fine structure and removed most of the jewels and woodcarvings in order to build his own palace in Tiruchirapalli. (His dream never came true). 

Thanks to Lord Napier, the then Governor of Madras, who partially restored the palace in 1866-72, and the subsequent restoration works carried out several years ago, today, we get to see the Entrance Gate, The Main Hall and the Dance Hall. There’s daily sound and light show in English at 1845 hrs and in Tamil at 2015 hrs. This half an hour show extols the virtues of King Thirumalai, particularly his passion for arts, his victories in battle and his love for his subjects.

Tickets for the show: Adults Rs.10/-- Children Rs.5/-

Thirupparankundram Temple

It is located 8 Kms South of Madurai Railway Junction. The temple here is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya. Its innermost shrine is cut out of a solid rock.

Alagar koil

About 21 Kms North East of Madurai, stands a celebrated Vishnu Temple dedicated to Lord Alagar. The temple is situated on a hill amidst panoramic surroundings. The shrine is know as Alagarkoil and the hill , Solaimalai. The temple also contain some beautiful carvings and makes the visit rewarding. Palamudirsolai, one of the six abodes of Lord Subramaniya is located atop the Hill.


Gandhi Museum

Timings: 1000hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1730 hrs. (Open all days)

Housed in the old Palace of Rani Mangammal, the Gandhi Museum depicts the highlights of the freedom struggle and contains a picture gallery of the Gandhian movement. Also can be seen are a gallery of relics, Khadi and village industries section and South Indian Handicrafts section.

Mariamman Teppakulam

Mariamman Teppakulam is a beautiful square tank spread over a huge area of almost 16 acres, located about 5Kms East of Meenakshi Temple. The tank is the scene of the colourful float festival held in January/February to celebrate the birth anniversary of King Thirumalai Nayak, who built this tank. The deities of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are placed in a float, called “Teppam”, decorated with flowers and illuminated with hundred of lights. This float is taken around the tank to the sound of traditional music. On the Northern side of the tank a temple is dedicated to Mariamman , a famous village deity of Tamil Nadu.