Chennai ( Madras) - The Queen of the Coromandel..

Chennai also know as Madras, is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu in India, situated in the East coast.It is one of the largest metros in the country.There are dominant British influences in the form of old Cathedrals, Buildings and style of architecture and the wide tree lined avenues.
In spite of that , It is probably the only city in South India that has still retained its traditional look.One can still see the front of the houses decorated with 'Rangoli' patterns drawn by women from traditional Hindu households.One can also see a lot many of the men wearing dhotis and shirts and the ladies with long plaited hair with jasmine flowers and colorful silk sarees...it makes me nostalgic each time i visit here to see something that was part of one's life a decade ago, but unfortunately not any more in Bangalore where the pace of life is so hectic that one is left with very little time for such rituals!!
Chennai is a bustling city no doubt and a major Industrial town, but with all that, one can still find the old traditions and customs still thriving here.
It is one of the most important cities of India , as, many major IT companies and other major Industrial giants have their head offices and corporate offices in and around the city.
The major disadvantage here is the weather.It is hot throughout the year , tolerable only between October and March , and the best time to visit here.

Interesting places in and around Chennai
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There are lots of places of interest within the city like the beach called Marina.It used to be a nice clean beach at one time, but on my last visit i saw a lot of changes.The Tsunami had hit here and destroyed the entire stretch of road and most of fisher folks dwellings.It has been rebuilt but somehow the old majestic look has gone with shanty huts and innumerable little shops creeping in on the beach.
There are temples , churches and a planetarium .
Fort St. George built in 1640 AD, by the British East India Company houses St. Mary's Church and fort museum. St. Mary's Church the oldest Anglican church in India built in 1680..
Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur is the biggest in Souh Asia, nice for a day out..

The place i love to visit is Mahabalipuram called Mamallapuram, which is a little beach resort about 50 kms from Chennai.It has a magnificent carved temple structure which is centuries old, right on the beach.The beach here is nice, much nicer than the Marina. There is a light house on top of a small hill from where one has a grand view of he Beach temple and the Sea...

Shopping in Chennai

Chennai is famous for its Kanjeevaram silk sarees, intricately woven with silk and gold. These sarees are very expensive as they come with gold thread borders and the silk is heavy and of top quality.But they last for years.My mother still has her Kanjeevaram silk wedding saree after nearly 50 years.And it is in perfect condition to this day.They are like heirlooms to be passed down generations..
Chennai has some of the best shops selling silk sarees and dress materials in silk.
I love their handicraft items made from wood , coconut shells and sea shells.There are many art galleries selling these .Natesans has a great collection of these along with antiques , bronze idols and carvings.
Cotton is available in plenty here.Sarees, shirts, dresses ,in fact everything is very reasonably priced and in come in great variety.
I like the cheese cotton curtain materials which are ideal for tropical weather , as it needs to be washed often.

Reaching Chennai

Many major international airlines have regular direct flights to Chennai.Chennai is connected to all major cities in India like Delhi, Mumbai,Kolkotta,Bangalore and Hyderabad by air , rail and road.
It is well connected to most Far eastern cities like Singapore, Kuala lumpur, Tokyo and Hong kong.

Restaurants and eating out

Food is good in Chennai.There are plenty of good restaurants serving excellent food both vegetarian and non vegetarian..

Some restaurants that i would recommend here are:

"Ponnuswamy" and "Saravana Bhavan" come on top of my list as these two restaurants have the most authentic South Indian food and the preparations are delicious.
One can have a hearty meal here at a very reasonable cost..

"Dakshin Restaurant" is another place that has a good variety of South Indian snacks and meals.They have set meals which come with a lot of variety.
"Amravathi" is a Andhra Restaurant Serving delicious Andhra cuisine, they serve delicious biriyani and fish curry here.The dishes are very spicy.Andhra food is known to be extremely spicy.

Hot Breads, a bakery with attached eateries have some delicious quiches, cakes, pastries, puffs and the like.

Senor Pepes is an Italian restaurant that has become very popular of late especially with the younger crowd.I love their pizzas ,pastas and delicious flavors of ice creams.

"Buhari" a 1950s style landmark restaurant is a must visit place. Their Biriyanis, and Mutton dishes are very tasty.I feel that one's visit to Chennai is not complete without visiting this place and having a meal here.They have a very extensive menu with some signature dishes that are very popular and tasty like the Russian Chicken, Crab masala and Mince stuffed parathas..

There are many Chinese restaurants in Chennai , but, Chungking is probably the best among the lot.I love their chicken and sweet corn soup and the mixed Schezuan fried rice, a real value for money.

General Information

Area : 174 sq. kms.
Altitude : Sea level
Climate :
Summer :37ºC - 32ºC
Winter :32ºC -21.10ºC
Rainfall : 1,272 mm.
Season : TROPICAL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
Clothing : Tropical
Languages spoken : Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu and English.

Chennai is a vibrant city ever growing, expanding and thriving

Summary: A vibrant metro