 The
region of Chennai was called Tondaimandalm in those
days and had its military headquarters at Puzhal, which
is now a small and rather insignificant village on the
outskirts of the city.
Modern Chennai grew out of a small village when in 1639
a fishing hamlet called Madraspatnam was selected by
early English merchants of the East India Company as
a site for the settlement.
Chennai is a gracious city that has a clear skyline,
long sandy beaches, parks, historic landmarks and tourist
infrastructural facilities which make it a convenient
entry point or base to start your tour of Tamil Nadu
and South India. Where religion is concerned, history
has certainly left its mark on this city which is believed
to have been the place of St. Thomas, in the outskirt
of the city. There are a number of
churches in Chennai that are connected with the life
and times of this apostle. There are also several ancient
temples around Chennai, and, within the city itself
are two magnificent temples - a temple in Triplicane
and another in Mylapore.
Chennai, the
gracious capital city of Tamil Nadu is the fourth largest
metropolis in India. Located on a 17km stretch of the
Coramandel coast, the city is trisected by the waterways
of Cooum and Adyar and the Buckingham Canal. With a
population of 6 million people, Chennai is a vibrant
city ever growing, expanding and changing every year.
Popularly regarded
as the "Gateway to the South", Chennai presents
culture that is distinctly different from that of northern
India. Music, dance and all other art forms of the South
are cherished and nurtured in this city which, though
industrialized, continues to be traditional and conventional
in many ways.
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