Chennai
Travel Guide > Asia > India > Chennai
Introduction
Chennai (formerly Madras) is the capital of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the gateway to the varied culture of south India. The fishery towns that were situated here along the Coromandel coast grew together during the British colonial times, forming the major city of Chennai. Now Chennai is the cultural and commercial capital of southern India and fourth biggest metropole of India. Chennai is a modern city with beautiful buildings and a lot of green areas.
Brief History
In the 17th century two merchants (Francis Day and Andrew Cogan) of the East India Company established a trading post between the with palmtrees surrounded rice fields and fishery towns. The fortified settlement was finished in 1640 and was called Fort saint George. Outside the walls of the fort was situated George town, the "indigenous" town, where the British stored their goods. Every street in George town was devoted to another handicraft. Under British rule the villages in the surroundings grew together. One of these villages was the 16th century Portugese settlement of San Thome, the sacred location where apostle Thomas would have stayed (and from where Christianity in India was spread).
Long before the arrival of the Europeans, in the 7th century, the Pallavas (an ancient Tamil kingdon) built a seaport at Mylapore. The Kapeleshvara temple shows the old age of the city, as well as the Parthasarathi temple in Triplicane. With the colonial time started the commercial advance of the city. Nowadays the most trade buildings and enterprices are established in George town. Fort Saint George is the location where the government of Tamil Nadu is seated. The area of Chennai is 172 square kilometres, where the old and the new, the stately colonial buildings and the modern skyscrapers form a dynamic picture. The rich cultural heritage of Tamil literature, music, and dance finds a continuation at the universities and cultural stages [1].
Neighbourhoods
Sights and Activities
Events and Festivals
Weather
Eat
Drink
Sleep
Budget
There are many budget hotels near the Egmore train station, especially around Kennet Lane and Triplicane.
- Hotel Regent - 11 Kennet Lane. About 350 rupees for a double room. Tel: +91-(0)44-28253347.
- Broadlands Lodge - 18 Vallabha Agraharam Street. About 450 rupees for a doubleroom. Tel: +91-(0)44-28545573.
Mid-Range
Upscale
Work
Learn
References
- 1 Capitool reisgidsen, 2005. India. Areopagus
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