Friday, October 30, 2009

Explore India - Chennai, Tamilnadu


Asia -}India -} Tamilnadu -} Chennai : Ref code: CHN0001/TN/IND



Chennai (Tamil: சென்னை), formerly known as Madras, is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the fifth most populous city in India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai city had a population of 4.34 million in the 2001 census within the area administered by the Corporation of Chennai. The urban agglomeration of metropolitan Chennai has an estimated population over 8 million people.

Chennai hosts a large cultural event, the annual
Madras Music Season, which includes performances by hundreds of artists. The city has a vibrant theatre scene and is an important centre for the Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form. The Tamil film industry, known as Kollywood, the second largest movie industry in India, is based in the city; the soundtracks of the movies dominate its music scene.

Climate:

Chennai has a
tropical climate. The city lies on the thermal equator and is also on the coast, which prevents extreme variation in seasonal temperature. The weather is hot and humid, for most of the year. The hottest part of the year is late May to early June, known locally as Agni Nakshatram ("fire star") or as Kathiri Veyyil, with maximum temperatures around 38–42 °C (100–107 °F). The coolest part of the year is January, with minimum temperatures around 18–20 °C (64–68 °F). The lowest temperature recorded is 15.8 °C (60.44 °F) and highest 45 °C (113 °F). The average annual rainfall is about 1,300 mm (51 inches). The city gets most of its seasonal rainfall from the north-east monsoon winds, from mid-October to mid-December.
Culture:

Chennai is a major centre for music, art and culture in India. The city is known for its classical dance shows and Hindu temples. Every December, Chennai holds a five-week long
Music Season celebrating the 1927 opening of the Madras Music Academy. It features performances (kutcheries) of traditional Carnatic music by hundreds of artists in and around the city. An arts festival called the Chennai Sangamam, which showcases various arts of Tamil Nadu is held in January every year. Chennai is also known for Bharatanatyam, a classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu. An important cultural centre for Bharatanatyam is Kalakshetra, on the beach in the south of the city. Chennai is also home to some of the best choirs in India, who during the Christmas season stage various carol performances across the city in Tamil and English. The Madras Musical Association (MMA) is one of the oldest and prestigious choirs in India and has staged performances across the world.

Transport:

Chennai is well connected to other parts of
India by road and rail. Five major national highways radiate outward towards Mumbai, Kolkata, Tiruchirapalli (Trichy), Tiruvallur, Tindivanam and Puducherry (Pondicherry). The Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminus (CMBT), the terminus for all intercity buses from Chennai, is the largest bus station in Asia. Seven government-owned transport corporations operate inter-city and inter-state bus services. Many private inter-city and inter-state bus companies also operate services to and from Chennai.


Traveler’s quick guide:

HOTELS in chennai - URL/Info:
http://www.hotelschennai.com
Average tariff range: check-in 1200 hrs to check-out next day 1200 hrs (24 hrs)
OPTION 1: 5 Star hotels: USD 120/- (INR 6,000/-) to USD 400 (INR 20,000/-)
OPTION 2: 3-4 Star hotels: USD 60 (INR 3,000/-) to USD 120/- (INR 6,000)
OPTION 3: Economy hotels:USD 30/- (INR 1,500) to USD 50/- (INR 2,500)
HISTORY/ HERITAGE
Chennai boasts of a long
history from ancient South Indian empires through colonialism to its evolution in the 20th century as a services and manufacturing hub. Listed below are some of the Historical places in and around Chennai.
Fort St. George:
One of the most famous tourist destinations of Chennai is Fort St. George. Built in 1640 AD, by the British East India Company under the direct supervision of Francis Day and Andrew Cogon, it achieved its name from Saint George, the patron saint of England. The fort also houses Saint Mary's Church the oldest Anglican Church built in 1680.
War Memorial Hall
The War Memorial Hall is a circular rock and marble structure built in memory of those who laid down their lives for the country's honour during World War I. The hall is situated on Beach Road near Island Grounds.
Birla Planetarium
The Birla Planetarium at Kottupuram is one of the modern planetariums of the world. One can enjoy shows on themes ranging from astronomy- twinkling stars, meteoroids, comets, constellations, rotating solar system and other cosmic events.
Fort Museum
Located in Fort St. George, the Fort Museum has 10 rooms displaying the documents of Indian History. The collection includes old uniforms, padlocks, old prints, coins and palanquins. The banquet hall has a collection of paintings of the governors and officials of the British regime.

Marina Beach
Marina Beach is the second longest beach in the world with a stretch of 4.5 km (2.5 miles). Visitors can take long walks along the beach or spend evenings by eating crispy sundal and murkku.



Theosophical Society
Theosophical Society founded by Madame Blavatsky and Col. Olott sin USA is situated amidst the beautiful sylvan settings in Adyar. The society encourages the study of comparative religion, philosophy and science. It also houses a 95 year old library which has a rare collection of Oriental manuscripts written on palm leaves and parchment.

Valluvar Kottam
Valluvar Kottam is a memorial dedicated to poet-saint Tiruvalluvar. The temple is a replica of the temple chariot in Thiruvarur. The statue of the saint is 33m tall.
Kalakshetra
Tamil Nadu is known for the love of music and dance. Established in 1936, Kalakshetra is a pioneer institute for classical dance, fine arts and music. A festival is organized at the end of each year.

SPIRITUAL
Spirituality and mystical charm have always drawn people from all over the world to India. The traditional Indian way of life has helped in the evolution and growth of Spiritualism. Numerous cultures and religions have thrived and flourished together for ages and resulted into the unique Indian way of life. Arts like Yoga, Meditation and Ayurveda coupled with religion have played an important role in the evolution and existence of spirituality in India.
Listed below are some of the Spiritual practices followed in India.

Yoga: Yoga refers to traditional
physical and mental disciplines originating in India. The word is associated with meditative practices in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
See
http://www.bksiyengar.com for more information.

Meditation: Meditation means
insight into the nature of reality. It is a way of self-transformation through self-observation and introspection.
See
http://www.dhamma.org for more information.

Vipassana Research institute: Tirumudivakkam, Near Pallavaram - 28 Kms drive from Central Chennai.

DISCOVER MORE

FOOD: Chennai is known for delicious and spicy food. It has over 100’s of verities to choose from. You can stay rest assured to get everything that you eat back home. May it be, intercontinental, Chinese, Thai, Mughal or typical south Indian.





AFTER SUNSET: Night life in chennai has evolved to rock over the last 5 Yrs. People are very adoptive to the western way of living - earn for the week and spend on the weekend. There many appealing clubs and pubs in chennai, usually serving all kinds of beverages upto 1AM. Unleash the dancer inside you at some of the best clubs of chennai.

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