¤ About Chennai
Chennai is one of the four major metropolitan cities in India and one of the holiday destinations in the golden triangle of the Southern India. The city is situated on the shores of Bay of Bengal. The small fishing village has turned into a beautiful city. Chennai perhaps is the most peaceful and green metropolis in India. Chennai has a number of attractions for the tourists to relish. The city has its fair share of forts and palaces reminding the tourists the glory of bygone eras along with the modern advancements. Most of the tourist attractions in the city do have a distinct colonial influence though the others are religious shrines. Your tour will comprise of the visit to the Kapaleeshwar Temple. The temple is Dedicated to Lord Shiva and is the oldest temple in Chennai. It was constructed in the 13th century. The other important temple in the city is the Parthsarthy temple with Lord Krishna as the reigning deity. The temple reveals the architectural skills of the Dravidians.

The main entrance facing east is painted in red, blue and yellow with puranic legends sculpted on the sanctum sanctorum. The colonial influence can be seen at the Fort St. George. The fort was founded by Sir Day. The exterior of the fort has been done in gray granite. This is quiet in contrast with the decoration of the Mughal forts. This first piece of real estate that British owned in India housed barracks for the British army, a parade ground, and the oldest church of Chennai namely, St. Mary’s Church. More than that the structures the city also has its natural beauty. One of the examples of the natural abundance in Chennai is the beautiful Marina beach. At the beach the blue waters of Bay of Bengal mingles with the golden sands. The beach extends from Fort St. George all the way to Mahabalipuram. You will be spell bound with its spectacular sight at dusk. The waters are not safe for swimming with the strong tides. Chennai is one of the important trade centers of south India and is a good place to shop for a large variety of items. You may shop for traditional bell metal items, bronze icons, and stone sculpture, as well as other crafts of the southern region at the local shops of Chennai. Besides these the city of Chennai is famous for the beautiful Kancheepuram hand woven silk sarees.

¤ Major Tourist Attractions of Chennai
Sri Kapaleeswarar Temple - Not far from Triplicane, in Mylapore, there is yet another 8th century Pallava temple. The temple 'Gopuram'(tower) is characteristic of Dravidian style architecture .Dedicated to Lord Shiva,this temple has some beautiful sculptures,among which the bronze idols of 63 Saivite Saints(Nayanmars) which adorn the outer coutyard are rare specimens.

Guindy National Park - Once this was all part of Governor's Estate. Now it is fragmented and the major part is a thickly forested game sanctuary where the spotted deer 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.

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.

Government Museum Complex - Once British Society in Chennai used to meet in the Pantheon. Its 18th century buildings and grounds have over the years since then been developed into the Connemara Library, one of the country's three National Libraries, the national Art Gallery, a beautiful building of Jaipur- Mughal architecture.

Valluvar Kottam - The memorial to the poet-saint Tiruvalluvar 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.

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.

The Marina - Stretching two miles, from the Coovum River's mouth, south of the Fort, till the northern boundaries of the 16th century Portuguese town of San Thome, is this magnificent beach drive and promenade. At the southern end of the Marina is the San Thome basilica, built in 1896.

¤ Shopping
The city has several state-run as well as private emporia which sell handicrafts made of rose-wood, sandal-wood, ivory, bronze and silver. Leather goods, silk and hand-woven fabrics, sarees and jewellery are available at most of the upmarket shopping centres.

¤ Accomodation
There are many Rest Houses & Hotels where accommodation is available to suit every budget.

¤ Climate of Chennai
Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, is situated in the tropical zone of climate. It is due to this reason that the city experiences a hot and humid weather.This is due to its location near equator. As a result, Madras city experiences hot climate throughout the year. During the summer months, which are between March and October, the climate is extremely hot. April and May are the hottest months of the year, with mercury crossing 40o C mark. Monsoon arrives with the advent of the Northeast Monsoon Winds. The rain showers are a delight, as they wash away the heat of the otherwise hot climate. People are seen rejoicing in the rain, with umbrellas in their hands. The winters are very short lived in Chennai. They occur during the months of November to February.

¤ How To Reach Chennai
» Air - Kamaraj National and Anna International Airports are situated at Meenambakkam about 20 kms. from city. Can also be reached by suburban train services. Alight at Tirusulum. You must travel light and walk a km to airport.

» Rail - Chennai is connected by rail with all major towns and cities in India. 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.