CHENNAI

TOURIST PLACES IN CHENNAI:

Chennai is the capital of the state Tamilnadu. Nowadays Greater Chennai is the term used to define Chennai's boundary which includes certain areas and places of Kancheepuram and Thiruvallur District. Though those places present in those District were described as situated in Chennai, In this page We are limited to just describe about the Tourist places present in Chennai District alone as depicted by the below map.

Chennai is the capital city of the State, besides being an important district. The district city is one of the metropolis of India and serves as the gateway of  the  culture  of South India. In spite of being the  capital  of  a  Tamil speaking  State,  it has emerged as a cosmopolitan city playing  an  important role  in  the  historical, cultural and  intellectual  development  of  India, representing  still the distinct components of the highest form  of  Dravidian civilisation.  In addition, it holds out an interesting fare of  South Indian architecture, music, dance, drama, sculpture and other arts and crafts.

Chennai is situated on the north-east end of Tamil Nadu on the coast of Bay of Bengal. It lies between 12* 9' and 13* 9' of the northern latitude and 80* 12' and  80*  19'  of the southern longitude on a `sandy  shelving  breaker  swept beach'. It stretches nearly 25.60 kms. along the Bay coast from Thiruvanmiyur in  the south to Thiruvottiyur in the north and runs inland in a  rugged  semi-circular  fashion. It is bounded on the east by the Bay of  Bengal and  on  the remaining three sides by Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur Districts.

The city  of Chennai came into being due to a strategic necessity and historical accident. It symbolises the rise of British power in South India by setting up and  consolidation of the East India Company in the seventeenth  century with its headquarters at Fort St. George in Chennai as a trading centre. Within 350 years,  a  few scattered villages (important being Mylapore,  Triplicane  and Chennai  Patnam)  have  developed  into a  modern  metropolitan  city  without shedding  its traditional customs, religious outlook and other traditions.  It can  be  proudly  remarked that the greatness of  ancient  Chennai  is  mostly religious  due to the preservation of the old  famous Saivaite and  Vaishnavite shrines  signifying  the  antiquity of the  place.

 The growth of  the  city  is  significant  and closely linked with the  development of  British  Institutions and administration. In short, Chennai  city was the chief centre from which the  British  rule expanded in the sub-continent and it remains a standing monument  of British contribution to  India. Chennai  city  has acted as an important centre of culture and   education  in South  India  and has been the cradle of many movements  which have  played  an  important  role  in  the  history of the  sub-continent. 

 A  large  number  of  institutions  which  are known in India and abroad are  found  located  in  the city, of which mention may be made of the  Theosophical Society, the Kalakshetra  and  colleges of Arts and Crafts. The  establishment of  professional  colleges like  Medical,  Veterinary,  Law  and  Teaching,  the  location  of  the  Indian Institute  of  Technology and the  establishment of  Central  Leather  Research  Institute have added to the  development of the city. Chennai is one of the leading cities in India today  from the point of view of trade and  commerce, with the fourth largest port in the  country and the  first  to have developed a full-fledged container terminal to  international   standards.

The  port  is providing trade links with Japan,  Singapore,  Malaysia,  Burma, Bangladesh, Ceylon and other far eastern  countries. Chennai is also one  of  the most important industrial cities of the  sub-continent. As a district of  the State it ranks third after Coimbatore and  Salem in so far as the number of  factories is  concerned  but  stands at the top in  case  of  employment  and  productive capital and first in revenue.  It,  however, ranks second in  terms of industrial  out-put  next  to Chengalpattu.  Chennai city enjoys an  eminent position in the country in  film  industry  and Kodambakkam, known  as the Hollywood of Chennai, has a number  of   studios  engaged in the  production of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada,  Malayalam,  and Hindi movies  which are quite popular. Total  area of the district is 178.20 sq. kms.

The city of  Madras  has now been renamed as Chennai. It is stated that  the  name  Chennai  traced     its origin to "some other language". The   rechristening of the city is part of  the steps announced for the "growth of  Tamil in various fields".  There  are  different  versions about the name of  this  once  sleepy  coastal  village.  When the British landed here in 1639  A.D. it was said to be part  of the  empire of the Raja of Chandragiri. The  British named  it Chennapattinam,  after they acquired it from Chennappa  Nayakar. Gradually, it became Chennai.  The first instance of the use of  the name Chennai is said to be in the Vestiges of  Old Chennai, the sale  deed of August 1639 to Francis Day, an agent for  the British. There it has  been referred to as Chennaipatnam.

The  British  are said to have built Fort  Saint George, the  present  seat  of  power, in 1640. It was named after the  patron saint of England. The Vestiges of Old Chennai infer  that the original village of Madraspatnam lay  north  of  the proximate to Chennapattinam. In  course of time and  with  rapid  growth,  the  two virtually became one. It is  also inferred that  the  English   preferred the name Madraspatnam, while  Indians chose Chennapattinam.  

TOURIST PLACES:

MARINA BEACH:

 Marina Beach is a natural urban beach in the city of Chennai, India, along the Bay of Bengal. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Foreshore Estate in the south, a distance of 6.5 km (4.0 mi), making it the longest natural urban beach in the country and one of the world's longest beach ranking with 1. The Marina is primarily sandy, unlike the short, rocky formations that make up the Juhu Beach in Mumbai. The average width of the beach is 300 m (980 ft) and the width at the widest stretch is 437 m (1,434 ft). Bathing and swimming at the Marina Beach are legally prohibited because of the dangers, as the undercurrent is very turbulent. It is one of the most crowded beaches in the country and attracts about 30,000 visitors a day during weekdays and 50,000 visitors a day during the weekends and on holidays. During summer months, about 15,000 to 20,000 people visit the beach daily.

Before the 16th century, there were frequent incident of inundation of land near the coast due to rise in sea level. When the sea withdrew, several ridges and lagoons were left behind. On the southern side of Fort St. George, one such sand ridge ran from the mouth of the Cooum to the present site of the Presidency College. On the rear side of the ridge was a huge depression on which the college grounds were later developed. The ridge is the site of the present-day beach. When Fort St. George was built in 1640, the sea was too close to the fort. The building of the harbour near the fort resulted in sand accretion to the south of the fort and the harbour and the sea, which was washing the ramparts of the fort, moved afar at about 2.5 km away from the fort creating a wide beach between the land and the sea.

Before the Madras harbour was built, the beach was just a strip of mud, teeming with mudskippers. The beach washed up close to the present day road for a long time until the harbour was built in 1881. Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff, the governor of Madras from 1881 to 1886, who was captivated by the beach on an earlier visit to the city in the late 1870s, conceived and built the promenade along the beach in 1884 by extensively modifying and layering with soft sand. He also christened it the Madras Marina in the same year. Since the early 19th century, a number of public buildings were constructed fronting the beach.

Ever since the harbour was built, the area south of the port has accreted significantly, forming the present day's beach mainly due to the presence of wave breakers laid for the construction of the harbour, although the coast in the northern region has undergone severe erosion. Eventually, the north-drifting current widened the beach to its present extent. The beach was formed as a result of arresting the littoral drift by the port's breakwater. The area of the beach is increasing 40 sq m every year due to progradation.

Since the creation of the promenade in 1884, there were several additions along the stretch. The country's first aquarium was established as one of the first additions in 1909. Shortly after the Independence, the Triumph of Labour statue and the Gandhi statue in 'march to Dandi' stride, which has been duplicated on the lawns of the Parliament House, were erected on the beach. In 1968, a number of statues of icons of Tamil literature was erected to mark the first World Tamil Conference, including Avvaiyar, Tiruvalluvar, Kambar, Subramania Bharathiyar, Bharathidasan and the Europeans Bishop Caldwell, G.U. Pope and Veeramunivar. Anna memorial was built in 1970 and the MGR memorial in 1988, shortening the stretch at its northern end. More recent additions include the statues of Kamaraj and Shivaji Ganesan. In December 2016, then CM Jayalalitha was also laid to rest here, very close to M.G.R. Memorial and a memorial for her is expected to be constructed within a year.

In January 2017, A silent protest and rally for Amending PCA act and to bring back the banned sport which is more than 5000 years old, called Jallikattu (A bull embracing sport) was conducted by School/College Students, Youngsters and public of Tamil Nadu without any leadership and politicians. The Marina beach was flooded with 1500000 protesters who steadily fought to bring back the culture and tradition to their native home .The solidarity and the decorum of the youngsters for about 160 hours of continuous day and night protest made the government to turn up their eyes towards the youngsters of Tamilnadu. The protest held at all cities and villages of Tamilnadu which made the state Government to pass the permanent bill for conducting Jallikattu. It's the next pride protest for every tamilan after the freedom struggle of India.

Marina beach is a major tourist attraction of the city. People visiting Chennai make a point to visit the beach. It is also the main place for the local people to escape from the summer heat. The beach is popular for its shops and food stalls run by about 500 shops run by about 1,212 vendors. The memorials and statues, morning walk, joggers' track, lovers' spot, aquarium, and the like make it a hangout for people of all ages. Kite flying and beach cricket are common sports at the beach, and there are also facilities for pony rides. Beach cricket at the Marina dates back several decades. However, Chennai City Police has banned it at different points due to its interference with traffic and beach walkers. The sea is generally rough and waves are strong. There are fishermen colonies present at both ends of the beach. There are also joyrides, merry-go-rounds and mini giant wheels along the stretch, although they are installed without permission from any government agency.

There are two swimming pools along the stretch—the Marina swimming pool and the Anna swimming pool. The Marina swimming pool was built in 1947 and is located opposite the Presidency College. The pool is 100 m long and 30 m wide, bigger than the standard Olympic pool size of 50 m × 25 m and is 3 to 5.5 feet (0.91 to 1.68 m) deep. It is maintained by Corporation of Chennai. It underwent renovation in 1994 and 2004. The Anna swimming pool is located opposite the clock tower building of the University of Madras and virtually remains hidden behind the Anna Square bus terminus. The pool is said to be the first Olympic size pool to be built in Tamil Nadu. It was constructed in 1976 with a diving board. However, the diving board was removed later during a renovation. The pool is 4 to 11 feet (1.2 to 3.4 m) deep. It also has a toddler pool that is 2.5 feet (0.76 m). Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) conducts regular coaching camps at the pool. The oval-shaped skating arena at the beach has an outer railing and standing area for people to watch from.

As part of the 'Chennai Forever' initiative by the Tamil Nadu government, a 34-foot (10 m) tall, artificial waterfall was installed in September 2005 at a cost of ₹ 1.5 million.[36] A visitor centre near the Cooum River mouth on the Marina, similar to the Marina Barrage Visitor Centre in Singapore and San Antonio Visitor Center in the United States, has been planned as part of an initiative to create awareness of the need for clean waterways. In 2008, two floating fountains with spray height of 100 feet with colour lights for night view were planned to be installed in sea waters off the beach. In 2010, the Chennai Corporation procured new cleaning equipments to clean the beach at a cost of ₹ 8.011 million. These included a sand-cleaning machine capable of cleaning 15,000 m2 area in an hour procured at a cost of ₹ 3.267 million, three skid steer loaders to clean narrow lanes commissioned at a cost of ₹ 2.652 million, imported lawn mower, ride-on mechanical sweeper, tree pruner and hedge trimmer. An automatic ticket-vending machine at a cost of ₹ 170,000 was also commissioned at the Marina swimming pool for managing the crowd. The corporation also planned to construct two more public conveniences at the beach.[39] About 150 corporation staff, including a junior engineer, maintains the lawns and service lanes on the beach. As of 2013, the 3.1-km stretch of the beach from the Triumph of Labour statue to the lighthouse has 31 high-mast lamps.

Being the city's primary area for recreation, the entire stretch features numerous statues and monuments that have come up over the years along the beach promenade, called Kamarajar Salai. While the beach stretches along the eastern side of the road, the western side is dotted with various governmental institutions and historic and stately buildings from the British rule all along its length. Victory War Memorial, a memorial for the warriors who lost their lives in the World Wars, marks the northern end of the beach. Memorials for C. N. Annadurai and M. G. Ramachandran, former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu, are present on the northern end of the promenade known as the Anna Square. All along the length of the promenade, stone statues adorn the roadside area of the beach starting from the Triumph of Labour statue, the first statue erected in the beach, near the memorials at the Anna Square to Mahatma Gandhi statue near the lighthouse. Most statues are of national or local legends while others have symbolic significance like the Triumph of Labour statue. The statues along the promenade are (from north to south):

Robert Caldwell (erected on 2 January 1968)

Kambar (erected on 2 January 1968)

Ilango Adigal (erected on 7 November 1971)

Triumph of Labour (erected on 25 January 1959)

Bharathiar (erected on 2 January 1968)

Kannagi (erected on 2 January 1968/re-erected on 3 June 2006)

Subhas Chandra Bose (erected on 15 December 1997)

Thiruvalluvar (erected on 2 January 1968)

G.U.Pope (erected on 2 January 1968)

Annie Besant

Bharathidasan (erected on 2 January 1968)

Swami Vivekananda (erected on 12 July 1964)

Avvaiyar (erected on 2 January 1968)

Mahatma Gandhi (erected on 14 April 1959)

Veerama Munivar (erected on 2 January 1968)

Kamarajar

Periyar

Sivaji Ganesan (erected on 21 July 2006)[42]

MYLAPORE KABALEESWARAR KOVIL:

Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai is a temple of Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The form of Shiva's consort Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal is from Tamil, ("Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree"). The temple was built around the 7th century CE in Dravidian architecture. According to the Puranas, Shakti worshipped Shiva in the form of a peacock, giving the vernacular name Mylai (Mayilāi) to the area that developed around the temple - mayil is Tamil for "peacock". Shiva is worshiped as Kapaleeswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Karpagambal. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Kapaleeswarar and Karpagambal being the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and four yearly festivals on its calendar. The Arubathimooval festival celebrated during the Tamil month of Panguni is the most prominent festival in the temple. The present masonry structure was built during the Vijayanagar rulers of the Tuluva Dynasty (1491–1570 CE). The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

The Kapaleeshwarar temple is of typical Dravidian architectural style, with the gopuram overpowering the street on which the temple sits. This temple is also a testimonial for the vishwakarmas sthapathis. There are two entrances to the temple marked by the gopuram on either side. The east gopuram is about 40 m high, while the smaller western gopuram faces the sacred tank.The vahanas (Sanskrit for "vehicles") at the temple include the bull, Adhikaranandi, elephant, bandicoot, peacock, goat and parrot, while a golden chariot is a recent addition. Statues of the god and the goddess are seated on a vahana or chariot which is brought in a procession around the temple while the temple band plays music. Devotees gather around the vahanas and consider it a privilege to pull / lift the God and the Goddess on the vahana. There is also a peacock and a peahen caged inside the temple, to symbolize the tradition that Karpagambal had come in the form of peahen to plead to Kapaleeshwarar.

During the Tamil month of Panguni, the traditional brahmotsavam (annual festival) takes place when the entire neighborhood comes alive with a mela (carnival)-like atmosphere. Since this month corresponds to the mid-March to mid-April duration, the Kapaleeshwarar temple celebrates the nine day-long as Panguni Peruvizha (Spring festival). The festival starts with Dwajarohanam (flag hoisting), includes the therotsavam, (Tamil, ther, "car/chariot"; utsavam, "festival"), Arupathimoovar festival and concludes with the Tirukkalyanam (Marriage of Kapaleeswarar & Karpagambal). In Brahmotsavam, the idols of Kapaleeshwarar and Karpagambal are decorated with clothes and jewels, are mounted on a vahana, and then taken around the temple and its water tank in a pradakshinam (a clockwise path when seen from above). This is repeated with different vahanas over the next nine days. The more important of the individual pradakshinams are the Athigara Nandhi on the third day, the Rishaba Vahanam on the midnight of the fifth day, the ther (about 13 meters in height and pulled by people) on the seventh morning, and the Arupathimoovar festival on the eighth day. The Arupathimoovar festival is the most important procession. It is named after the sixty-three Nayanmars who have attained salvation by their love & devotion to the all-compassionate Lord Shiva. All sixty-three Nayanmar idols follow the Kapaleeshwarar idol on this procession. During the car festival, Kapaleeshwarar is depicted holding a bow while seated on a throne, with his wife Karpagambal alongside. Brahma is depicted riding the ther. The chariot is decorated with flowers and statues, and there are huge gatherings of devotees to pull the ther. The car festival of 1968 is documented in the documentary film Phantom India by Louis Malle.


GUINDY NATIONAL PARK:

Guindy National Park is a 2.70 km2 (1.04 sq mi) Protected area of Tamil Nadu, located in Chennai, South India, is the 8th smallest National Park of India and one of the very few national parks situated inside a city. The park is an extension of the grounds surrounding Raj Bhavan, formerly known as the 'Guindy Lodge', the official residence of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, India. It extends deep inside the governor's estate, enclosing beautiful forests, scrub lands, lakes and streams.The park has a role in both ex-situ and in-situ conservation and is home to 400 blackbucks, 2,000 spotted deers, 24 jackals, a wide variety of snakes, geckos, tortoises and over 130 species of birds, 14 species of mammals, over 60 species of butterflies and spiders each, a wealth of different invertebrates—grasshoppers, ants, termites, crabs, snails, slugs, scorpions, mites, earthworms, millipedes, and the like. These are free-ranging fauna and live with the minimal of interference from human beings. The only major management activity is protection as in any other in-situ conservation area. The park attracts more than 700,000 visitors every year.

CHENNAI SNAKE PARK:

The park covers an area of 1 acre in the Guindy National Park campus. The land is taken on a long-term lease agreement with the Government of Tamil Nadu on a nominal rental. Accessibility to the park is provided by a small road linked to Sardar Vallabhai Patel Road. The park attracts about 700,000 visitors annually, of whom one fifth are children, generating a revenue of about ₹ 6 million. As of 2010, the park exhibits a total of 39 species, including 23 species of Indian snakes, all 3 Indian species and 4 exotic species of crocodiles, 3 species of Indian tortoises and turtles and 6 species of the larger Indian lizards. Snake species on display include reticulated python, Indian rock python, common krait, Russell's viper, saw-scaled viper, Indian rat snake, red sand boa, common sand boa, dog-faced water snakes, common cat snake, common kukri snake, common bronzeback tree snake, annulated sea snake, common wolf snake, common vine snake, striped keelback, checkered keelback, olive keelback, common trinket snake, spectacled cobra, banded sea krait and hook-nosed sea snake. Crocodilian species include the gharial,[5] marsh crocodile, saltwater crocodile, Siamese crocodile, African dwarf crocodile, Nile crocodile and spectacled caiman. Other reptiles at the park include water monitor, Bengal monitor, Indian black turtle, Indian flapshell turtle, Indian star tortoise, spotted rock gecko and South Asian chamaeleon. The snakes are housed in glass-fronted enclosures and the crocodilians and the larger lizards are housed in open-air enclosures protected by parapet walls and wire mesh. The park also has an aquarium for water snakes and turtles. All the enclosures have signages giving information in English and Tamil.

On 16 January 2010, the country's first-of-its-kind Digital Infotainment–based visitors interpretation centre with static and electronically aided moving mode displays with information on snakes in English and Tamil, using six 32" LCD screens, was opened for public.There is a small auditorium with a ceiling-mounted projector, wall-mounted screen and a touch-screen kiosk for conducting classes for visiting students. There are also facilities for projecting from the kiosk to the wall-mounted screen. The park has a museum of preserved specimens of reptiles and amphibians and a library with a stock of books and journals on reptiles and related subjects. The park also demonstrates venom extraction from snakes. From May 1976, the centre publishes a journal named Hamadryad on reptiles and amphibians, renamed as Cobra since 1990. Originally a quarterly, the journal was made a half-yearly since January 2010. The centre also publishes various books on the subject.

The centre remains closed on Tuesdays.

BIRLA PLANETORIUM:

B. M. Birla Planetarium is a large planetarium in Chennai providing a virtual tour of the night sky and holding cosmic shows on a specially perforated hemispherical aluminium inner dome. It is located at Kotturpuram in the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus which houses eight galleries, namely, Physical Science, Electronics and Communication, Energy, Life Science, Innovation, Transport, International Dolls and Children and Materials Science, with over 500 exhibits. Built in 1988 in the memory of the great industrialist and visionary of India B. M. Birla, it is the most modern planetarium in India. There are two other Birla Planetariums in India, viz., the one in Kolkata known as M. P. Birla Planetarium and the other in Hyderabad, Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore. The planetarium is located in the Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre's (TNSTC) Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus on the Gandhi Mandapam Road in Kotturpuram abutting the Central Leather Research Institute campus. It lies close to the Guindy National Park in the predominantly wooded Adyar-Guindy region known as the Green Lungs of Chennai, enabling it to conduct night-sky observation comparatively easily which is otherwise difficult amidst the glaring city lights in the night. Other nearby landmarks include the IIT Madras, Adyar Cancer Institute, Anna University, University of Madras–Guindy campus and the Anna Centenary Library. The nearest railway stations are Kotturpuram MRTS in the northeast and Kasturba Nagar MRTS in the southeast, both located at a distance of 1 km from the planetarium. The Kotturpuram bus stop lies 2 km to the north.

The planetarium is equipped with a versatile opto-mechanical GOTO GM II starfield projector, an accompanying special-effects projector and an X-Y table system for simulating various celestial phenomena. The GM II projector has the provision to execute the diurnal, annual, latitudinal, and precessional motions. The pierced hemispherical inner dome of the planetarium, made of aluminium, is 15 m in diameter. The air-conditioned theatre has a seating capacity of 236. The total outlay proposed for the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002–2007) for the Periyar Science and Technology Centre and B. M. Birla Planetarium was ₹ 6.4 million, including ₹ 2.6 million for the X-Y table system at the planetarium.In 2009, the planetarium established the 360-degree sky theatre, the first in India, with the installation of a full-dome mirror projection system with a DLP projector. The 360-degree effect is created with the help of Wrap, a special software that takes care of curvature correction. The projector was installed at a cost of ₹ 2.1 million.

The planetarium building features a circumferential hall of fame around the main theatre with portraits and statues of scientists and photographs and models of various heavenly bodies, celestial phenomena and space missions. In 2009, the U.S. Consulate at Chennai donated portraits of Neil Armstrong, Sunita Williams and Kalpana Chawla for display in the hall of fame to commemorate increasing Indo-U.S. space ties.The planetarium also offers courses in astronomy and night-sky observations. There is a seminar hall and a classroom studio at the planetarium, where discussions and workshops are conducted by eminent personalities in the field of astronomy. The planetarium organises a special show on every second Saturday of month to view the night sky from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

Under Part II Scheme for the year 2011-2012, the state government has sanctioned an amount of ₹ 1.5 million for the modernisation of the planetarium by providing six-segment multimedia projection system.

The planetarium conducts sky shows every day at different times in different languages. The shows include the Solar System, sky and seasons, eclipses, Earth, Man on Moon, comets, shooting meteoroids, stellar cycle and the deep sky. As of 2007, since its inception, the planetarium has introduced 35 programmes on these topics. Audio-visual programs on various aspects of astronomy and different cosmic phenomena are also shown. Program themes are changed every 3 months. Shows are conducted in English and Tamil. The planetarium and the Science and Technology Centre is open on all days except on national holidays from 10:00 am to 5:45 pm.The Science and Technology Centre, however, receives complaints on lack of maintenance of the scientific displays at the science park.



RAIL MUSEUM:

The Chennai Rail Museum is a railway museum in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, which has a rich rail heritage of India. The museum was opened on the 16 April 2002 on the premises of the Furnishing Division of Integral Coach Factory near Villivakkam. It is located in over 6.25 acres of land with the host of both technical and heritage exhibits with a sizable collection of steam engines belonging to various decades of the British Raj. The museum also exhibits various vintage coaches such as Ooty trains endemic to the Indian railways. Most of the older models were manufactured by the North British Locomotive Company and some of the collection dates back more than one hundred years as it covers the railway history of South India. A toy train offers rides around the premises on regular days. Museum remains open from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm (Last entry 5.30 pm) Tuesday to Sunday and remains closed on every Monday and National Holidays. The Indoor Art Gallery is now fully renovated and opened to the public.The museum is administered, managed and maintained by the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai.

GOVERNMENT MUSEUM:

The Government Museum or Madras Museum is a museum of human history and culture located in the neighbourhood of Egmore in Chennai, India. Started in 1851, it is the second oldest museum in India after the Indian Museum in Kolkata. It is particularly rich in archaeological and numismatic collections. It has the largest collection of Roman antiquities outside Europe. Among them, the colossal Museum Theatre is one of the most impressive. The National Art Gallery is also present in the museum premises. Built in Indo-Saracenic style, it houses rare works of artists like Raja Ravi Varma. The museum is located in what is known as the Pantheon complex, or "public assembly rooms." It is located on the Pantheon Road in Egmore. The road on which the museum is located too takes its name from the complex.

The museum complex consisting of six buildings and 46 galleries covers an area of around 16.25 acres (66,000 m²) of land. The objects displayed in the museum cover a variety of artifacts and objects covering diverse fields including archeology, numismatics, zoology, natural history, sculptures, palm-leaf manuscripts and Amravati paintings. Located close to the main museum entrance gates on Pantheon Road, the museum theatre is a rare specimen of the Italianate style of architecture, inspired by Classical architecture and developed in 1802 at Britain by John Nash. However, the theatre was built by the British in the late 19th century when this style was no longer popular in England. The structure has a high plinth and is accessed through a tall flight of stairs. It is primarily a semicircular structure with a rectangular wing at the rear. The latter wing now houses some of the galleries of the museum. The main hall is accessed through a verandah with a row of columns linked by semicircular arches. The walls and columns are embellished with floral and geometric designs. The huge main hall was initially designed for staging theatrical performances. It has around 600 seats and a commodious stage and the actors' dressing rooms adjoin this stage.

During the British era, the theatre was mainly used for staging English plays preferred by the British elite of the city. Now, the museum has been using the theatre for its own cultural and academic programs such as art workshops, lectures and conferences. It also rents the hall for various cultural performances, mainly dramas. The hall has witnessed several plays including those of Shakespeare. Since August 2004, the museum is also a designated "Manuscript Conservation Centre" (MCC) under the National Mission for Manuscripts established in 2003. The museum has taken preventive care of about 19,007 manuscripts and given curative conservation treatment to about 7,402 manuscripts. The museum for children in the complex houses several static exhibits such as galleries of dolls adorned with costumes of various nations and civilisations and also exhibits pertaining to science, transportation, and technology.

VIVEKANANDA HOUSE:

Vivekanandar Illam Vivekananda House, earlier known as Ice House or Castle Kernan at Chennai, India is an important place for the Ramakrishna Movement in South India. It is remembered as the place where Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days when he visited Chennai (then Madras) in 1897. Vivekananda House now houses a Permanent Exhibition on Indian Culture and Swamiji’s Life, maintained by the Chennai branch of the Ramakrishna Math and is a source of inspiration to thousands of people who visit it every year.  Spherical in shape and rising to three-storeys, Vivekananda House stands majestically on the busy Kamarajar Salai and it’s a well-known landmark in modern-day Chennai. It finds a mention in Madras, The Architectural Heritage, an INTACH [Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage] Guide for the architecturally important buildings in Chennai. The Vivekananda House structure is distinctive and has several unique features. Though it has undergone several changes over the course of time in terms of spatial functionality, styles and the materials used, it stands out as an important monument connecting contemporary times to the days when it was built. This is reflected clearly in its distinct architectural features such as the circular core, the semicircular corridors, the hemispherical dome and the square plan.

43 paintings of exquisite artistry trace the evolution of our culture from Vedic times to the advent of Sri Ramakrishna. While other great cultures of history like those of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome have flashed across the sky for a while like meteors and vanished, the stream of Indian culture flows on uninterrupted down the ages. Unity in diversity is its saving principle which has enabled it to tolerate, accept and absorb into itself the best in the other cultures. These paintings are colorful commentaries on the secret of the longevity of our culture. They illustrate the reach and range of India's spiritual heritage. Every region in the land, for over 4000 years, has bequeathed something rich to Indian culture and contribution of Tamil Nadu in this regard is quite substantial. One section, therefore is devoted to elucidate how Tamil Nadu has enriched the national heritage. The Vedas, the Epics and the Puranas come alive in these paintings. Adornin the exhibition are also some special paintings and models by well-known artists of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal and New Delhi.

The large circular verandah exhibits 120 photographs relating to Swamiji from his days as an itinerant monk to his spiritual conquest of the West, which has become a part of World History. Rare photos are on display, elegantly laminated, with English and Tamil sub-titles and footnotes. These serve to remind the devotees and admirers some of the striking incidents in the life of Swamiji. They have been donated by the Vedanta Society of St. Louis, U.S.A., and are remarkable for their sharpness and clarity, though taken a century ago. The walls are embellished with the aesthetically handcrafted plaques with floral motifs, and the circular walls proclaim the thrilling messages and exhortations Swamiji gave on different occasions. They have become quotable quotes in the hands of great writers and speakers, since they are as relevant as today when uttered a century ago.

Swami Vivekananda's Room

It is in a room on the second floor that Swamiji stayed in February 1897. This room, full of sacred memories, is now maintained as a meditation room. Anyone who sits here even for a few minutes cannot but feel the 'peace that passeth understanding'. Meditation can be done here comfortably seated.

THOUSAND LIGHTS MOSQUE:

The Thousand Lights Mosque, a multi-domed mosque, located in Anna Salai in Chennai, is one of the largest mosques in the country and a revered place of worship for Muslims. It was built by Nawab Umdat-ul-Umrah in 1810. There is an interesting story behind the name of the mosque. It is said that 1000 lamps needed to be lit in order to illuminate the assembly hall. From this, it derived its name, Thousands Lights Mosque. However, there are others, who are of the belief that the lights were provided by the Indian National Congress to mark their first visit to the city of Madras. The mosque is a medieval architectural style building.It has an exhilarating structure, with multi domes and spearing minarets. The average height of the minarets is around 64 feet above the ground. Another mosque was added in 1981, with two tall minarets and five inward curving domes showing modern West Asian influence. Besides, the mosque is adorned with the quotes from the holy book of Muslims, the Quran. There is a main hall at the ground floor that is used to offer prayers by men, while there is a separate room for women. There are two rooms on the second floor which are known as Bargah and represent the sanctuary. The Thousand Lights Mosque holds great importance for the Shiite Muslims and is a pilgrimage site for them.

The mosque is popular for a number of reasons, such as its name, its architecture and its historical and religious importance. In early 19th century, the place where the mosque presently stands used to be the assembly place of the Shiite Muslims, during the month of Muharram. Later, the assembly hall was built, following which the mosque was constructed. It is believed that the Shias who live in the Thousand Lights neighbourhood and Royapettah are the followers of the Ahl al-Bayt ("the People of the House"). The total area of the land, which was donated by Nawab Wallajah, occupied by the Thousand Lights Mosque is 3 acres. The descendent of the Wallajah faily made the hall in 1810, the family owned much of the property in the area for the Shia Muslims to assemble at Moharram Today, the Thousand Lights Mosque is a common mosque for all Muslims, a primary holy place for Shias. Moharram is the most important day for them when Shias mourn for Imam Hussain and participate in Matam in mosques. It is a great scene during the annual Moharram festival. The old mosque is quiet impressive from the inside and very different from the grandeur of the new mosque. The mosque is also a home of Chief Shia Ghazi Moulana Ghulam Mahadi Khan of Tamil Nadu and a Shia burial ground is inside.

KAMARAJ MEMORIAL HOUSE CHENNAI:

As the name suggests, the monument is dedicated to Shri Kamaraj, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who led the state of Tamil Nadu, thrice. Shri Kamaraj was not only an inspiration among the Tamils but he set an example for most of the Indians that no hardships can stop an individual from achieving success. The Kamaraj Memorial House exemplifies the intense simplicity Kamaraj lived with. The House was inaugurated in 1978 by the then Chief Minister, M. G. Ramchandaran and the house opened for public exhibition. The memorial, spread on the two floors of the building, showcases the personal photographs and items related to Shri Kamaraj, providing an insight into his life. The ground floor has a bedroom which was once the personal den of this well-regarded personality. The room is adorned with plain furniture, symbolizing the plain and simple life Shri Kamaraj led. There is also a well stocked library in the house, occupied by the books like volumes of 'Lok Sabha Debates', '100 Modern Lives', 'Churchill' and 'Doctor Zhivago'. Though Shri Kamaraj had to put an end to his formal education in his early days, he became a well-read man, fond of reading several books.

The Memorial House also exhibits a rare collection of his photographs; the walls of the dining hall are covered with many black and white photographs of Kamaraj. These photographs will take you to a virtual journey of the different phases of Shri Kamaraj's life, depicting his childhood to the later years. The pictures capturing his 1954 swearing-in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the first Kamaraj Ministry of 1954, the second of 1957 and the third of 1962 are some of the most interesting pictures stocked in the house. In many other photos, he is seen mingling with the known personalities like Pt. Nehru, Sarojini Naidu, Rajendra Prasad, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, M.G Ramachandran, Martin Luther King, Queen Elizabeth, etc. The building has exceptionally unique collection of the pictures of showing the leader in different moods: playing cricket, hauling the rope in the Tug of War' for the Legislator's Sports Meet, getting wet under the Courtallum Falls, heading the meetings, extending aid to the victims of flood, and many others.

The second floor of the house displays a number of his belongings, like luxuriant Felicitation Shawls along with his simple attire, his suitcases, timepiece, pens and utensils. One of the prized possessions of this exhibition is the prison coat, which he wore during his term in prison in the year 1942. The displayed personal effects of Kamaraj include his spectacles, a spool tape player and even a Gillette shaving set. Another spectacular collection of photos exhibits number of eminent personalities including Late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi and veteran actor Shivaji Ganeshan, paying homage to the leader after his demise. The entire building reflects series of events sufficient to portray him as an epitome of simplicity, gracefulness, honesty and prosperity. Visit Kamaraj Memorial House on your trip to Chennai and embrace the manifestations of this ecstatic monument.

GANDHI MANDAPAM:

Gandhi Mandapam is a serial of memorial structures built on the arterial Sardar Patel Road, in Adyar, Chennai.  Although it is referred singularly as Gandhi Mandapam, the complex comprises four other memorials of people of eminence such as Rettamalai Srinivasan, Rajaji, Kamaraj and Minjur Bhaktavatsalam. The most prominent of the structures is, however, the Gandhi Mandapam which is dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. It is built in a temple style and is the largest of the memorials in the complex. The first structure to be built on the premises is the famous Gandhi Mandapam, opened by C. Rajagopalachari on 27 January 1956. History memorial was also built in the same compound in 1876. The Kamaraj memorial was built the following year and the event was presided by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Owing to its prominence, the premise is often utilized for public functions, particularly for cultural discourses and music shows.

This is the place where the urn containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi was kept before a portion of which was immersed in the three seas. The exemplary temple is located near to the Kumari Amman Temple and is one of the most picturesque spots in Kanyakumari. The temple is build in such a way that on 2 October, the birth date of Mahatma Gandhi, the rays of sun fall exactly on the spot where the urn containing the ashes is kept.


SHOPPING ZONES:

There are lot of Shopping zones present in Chennai city. Tnagar Hosts variety of shops to choose. The Malls present in the city hosts entertainment as well as high tech shopping facility. City Centre, Spencer Plaza, Express avenue, Prince Plaza, Abirami Mega Mall, Pheonix Mall, skywalk are some of the malls which may be defined as must visit shopping zone to get lot of fun and entertainment.