Chennai may not be the place to visit if you look to beat the heat. Chennai and heat are inseparable for about 7 months in a year. If you are looking to visit a place that boasts of natural beauty, Chennai may go down on your list. But, if you love to visit a place where you can enjoy courteous reception from the people who welcome everyone with warmth in their hearts, Chennai is your rightful holiday destination.
Chennai, India's fourth biggest city and world's 36-th biggest metropolitan city, is also one of the important cultural centers of India. This city is referred to as the Gateway of South India. Let us have a look at the important tourist destinations in Chennai.
Those who are here for a relaxed visit can pack your luggage for a three-day Chennai visit. Those running short of time can choose one day Chennai tour.
If you are wondering why Vanappu comes up with travel related posts, we recommend you to read this post.
Is Chennai Just 382 Years Old?
In his book Madras Rediscovered, Muthiah S has mentioned that Chennai was born in the year 1639 when Andrew Cogan and Francis Day acquired a sandy strip of land from local Nayaks. He has mentioned that British, with the stretch of land, started acquiring adjacent villages including Triplicane, Mylapore and expanded the boundaries to make Chennai a larger city. One can term it as British territorial expansion; not British creation of Chennai.
Chennai - An Ancient City Over 2000 Years Old
Chennai is an ancient city with over 2000 years of history. Historical evidences prove that areas of today's Greater Chennai including Egmore, Mylapore, Santhome, Kodambakkam, Chetpet, Tambaram, Pallavaram, Tiruvanmiyur, Nanganallur and Adambakkam were all under the administrative unit named Puliyur Kottam, which was ruled by Kurumbars. Puliyur Kottam had all the signs of an established society with its own culture and music. Evidences show that Puliyur Kottam also had trade relationships with other countries.
How is it justified to say that Chennai was born after it came under British rule when it was already a kingdom by its own right 2000 years ago and came under rule of various kings including Kurumbas, Cholas and Pallavas before British even entered this part of the continent? Neither is it justified to say that British combined various villages to create Chennai as all these villages of the past were unitedly under Puliyur Kottam 2000 years ago.
British acquired a land in Madrasapatnam and since it was difficult for them to say Madrasapatnam, they started calling the place Madras.
Colin Mackenzie, the first Surveyor General of India, had mentioned in his book about Kurumbars rule of Puliyur Kottam 2000 years ago.
Above all, archaeologists and historians have come up with evidences that prove Chennai is over 2000 years old.
An ancient tool belonging to Paleolithic age (BC 25,00.000 to BC 10,000) was found in Pallavaram in Chennai, which is a strong evidence that stone age man lived here. Robert Bruce Foote, geologist and archaeologist who discovered stone man age tools in Pallavaram in 1863, also found evidences of stone age man's life in Pallavaram.
In a 13-th century inscription, Tampuram (now Tambaram) is mentioned to be a part of Surathur Nadu, which is a branch of Puliyur Kottam.
Tu. Sundaram, inscription researcher from Coimbatore has mentioned that the extent of Puliyur Kottam and information about Puliyur Kottam are found in the book published by archaeological department in the year 1970 about inscriptions in Chennai and in the book Kanchipuram Inscriptions. It can be learnt from the inscriptions that there were eight divisions under Puliyur Kottam including Puliyur Naadu, Mangadu Naadu, Ezhumoor Nadu and Surathur Nadu. The villages under each of these eight divisions are parts of Chennai including Koyambedu, Tiruvallikeni, Mylapore, Thiruvanmiyur, Pallavapuram, Santhome, Nungambakka, Chetpet, Saidapet, Royapuram and Madambakkam.
Yet another interesting information learnt from inscriptions is that though these villages were under the control of the king, every village had a 'grama sabhai', which functioned efficiently and independently. King Rajarajan I and King Gulothungan I, in particular had given these sabhais complete freedom to function independently. This administration style prevailed even during the periods of Pallavas and Vijayanagar Kings. From the inscription found in Tiruvotriyur, it is evident that such grama sabhais performed in Manali and Adambakkam.
The port of Madraspattinam was very active even during the 9th century. Madraspattinam finds mention also in a 14-th century inscription. All these go to prove how ancient Madraspattinam is.
To sum up, just as one cannot claim Chennai is under 400 years of age, it also cannot be said that British united all these villages to create Chennai as Chennai, the ancient city was not born in 1639 but was already over 1639 years old in 1639.
Special thanks to Mr. R. Rangaraj who has written in depth articles on Chennai's history. (Please read his work here:https://thefederal.com/opinion/adieu-muthiah-its-now-time-to-celebrate-the-real-history-of-chennai/)
Places to Visit in Chennai - An Ancient City with Recent History
When I was working on a writing project involving historical structures belonging to various cities, I was assigned to write about Chennai. When compared with other cities, historical places, particularly historical constructions, are few in Chennai. Wherever you find Chennai's ancient constructions mentioned, you can only find those built during Dutch and British era, that is, these buildings boast of an history of less than 500 years. And those do not sing the praise of the natives of the land. Chennai, with a rich history of over 2,000 years, unfortunately does not seem to have had the opportunity to preserve those ancient structures. Just like every Chennai citizen who has a passion for history, I deeply regret the fact that the city does not have any such ancient monuments to boast of.
Let us take this Cooum river for example. We know the present plight of this once magnificent river. In ancient times, the river was used as a channel for trading with various countries including the Roman empire. The river starts its journey from Tiruvallur, which is about 70 kms from Chennai, and courses through various parts of the city and finally drains into Bay of Bengal. A few decades ago, the entire course of the river Cooum would have been a feast to the eyes with rich greenery. Also one can't help but think of how important the river was to the growth of the city.
Photo by Sri Ranjani Mukundan on Unsplash
Cooum River in 1880
Source: https://www.past-india.com/photos-items/cooum-river-in-chennai-old-photo-1880/#iLightbox[gallery12582]/0https://www.past-india.com/photos-items/cooum-river-in-chennai-old-photo-1880/#iLightbox[gallery12582]/0[/caption]
According to statistics, there were more than 600 water bodies in Chennai in 1980-s. Now not even one-third of the water bodies exist. Watching old Tamil movies will give you an idea on how beautiful Chennai was during those times. Considering that even we have let the recent history fade and out of sight, what else could we say about letting go of historical evidences of the past 2000 years?
Beaches
Visiting a beach can fill you with mixed emotions. While the vast expanse of sand and water immediately elevate your spirits, you may also feel so humble in front of the overwhelmingly awesome scenario nature presents. The vast sea, the waves that hit the shore relentlessly, the sound of waves (can't help but be reminded of 'Alai Osai' (The Sound of Waves) a famous novel by Kalki), the sea breeze, sunrise and sunsets, glowing sea under the hot sun, a real beauty that is so near to heart during a full moon day, vendors selling foods, just everything about beach is so exciting.
Here are some of the famous beaches in Chennai:
Marina Beach
Marina beach is the second longest natural urban beach in the world. Marina Beach has an inevitable place In the list of almost all one day tour packages of Chennai, The beach looks breathtakingly beautiful during sunrise and sunset making the time ideal to visit. You can have a quiet walk in the early morning enjoying the gentle breeze. Evenings are busy here with the crowd growing in numbers and you can also enjoy ‘beach special’ foods here, not for the fuzzy tummies though. To experience the essence of a beach stay, you need to be here either early in the morning or late in the night as the crowd begins to thin. Marina Beach is a must-visit place during your Chennai tour.
Sea shell collectors can have a whale of a time here at Marina beach. If you are the DIY type interested in creating sea shell necklaces, sea shell earrings and sea shell decorative pieces, ensure Marina beach is on your Chennai tourism places' list.
Besant Nagar Beach
Besant Nagar Beach attracts more compliments as it is less crowded and much cleaner than Marina Beach. However, the beach has a near packed crowd during weekends and hence it is best to visit the beach during weekdays. Much smaller compared to Marina beach, Besant Nagar beach gains over the city-favorite in few other aspects. Ashtalakshmi temple and Besant Nagar church are some of the most frequented places of worship near Besant Nagar beach.
Breezy Beach
Situated in Valmiki Nagar, Breezy Beach will captivate you with its serenity. A much smaller version of Marina beach, this beach remains clean, unpolluted, green and quiet. It is much less crowded than Marina and Besant Nagar beaches. Breezy beach is famous for water sports and boat rides. Breezy beach is also called as Thiruvanmiyur beach.
Places of Worship
Chennai is home to people of various faiths and hence you will naturally find places of worship of various religions across the city. You may also avail one day Chennai temple tour packages on offer.
Temples
The ancient temples in Chennai speak volumes of stunning architectural excellence of the past. Here are some of the must-visit temples, believer or not.
Kapaleeswarar Temple
One of the ancient temples in Chennai, Kapaleeswarar Temple is said to have been built by the Pallavas during 7th century. the present form of the temple was built during 10th century by Vijayanagar kings. The temple is located in Mylapore.
Parthasarathy Temple
Built in 8th century, Parthasarathy temple is a representation of architectural splendor. Located in Triplicane, the temple is close to the beach and offers amazing sunset view from the top.
Kallikambal Temple
Located in George Town, a busy commercial and residential area in Chennai, Kalikambal temple attracts devotees in great numbers. Devotees apart, the temple holds attraction for tourists belonging to various faiths thanks to its historic importance and unique architecture. The ancient temple, small and beautiful, was initially constructed near the seashore and in the year 1640, it was relocated to the present place and the construction was completed in 1678.
Adeeswar Temple
A place of worship for Jains, Adeeswar temple belongs to the 1st century BC. Some claim that the temple was built around 4th or 5th century AD. The temple is dedicated to Rishabhadev, the first Tirthankar (Omniscient teaching god) of Jainism and ranks amongst the finest Jain temples.
Churches
Some of the famous churches in Chennai include:
Santhome Church
Santhome church is one of the most frequented churches in Chennai not just because it is located near Marina beach or because it is one of the beautiful churches in Chennai but because of its religious significance. Also called as Santhome Cathedral Basilica, the church is one of the only three basilicas constructed over the tomb of an apostle. Santhome church is built on the tomb of St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.
St. Mary's Church
Built in the year 1680, St. Mary’s Church is not only the first church built by British in India but is the oldest Anglican Church east of Suez. The bomb-proof church is built on the grounds of Fort St. George. Though situated inside Fort St. George, which houses the Tamilnadu State Assembly, the church retains its tranquility.
Armenian Church
Armenian Church was built in the year 1712 by Armenians in George Town. The church was rebuilt in the year 1772.
Mosques
Chennai is home to a number of religions and their places of worship. The city has one of the largest mosques in India. The famous mosques include:
Thousand Lights Mosque
Thousand lights mosque ranks among the largest mosques in India. The mosque is located at Anna salai, which is easily accessible from most parts of the city. Built in the year 1810, Thousand lights mosque is a symbol of architectural splendour.
Wallajah Mosque
Wallajah Mosque, famously called the Big mosque, was built in the year 1795. This beautiful mosque was built without using steel and wood. Contrary to the belief by some that Big mosque is the oldest mosque in town, it was a mosque built by Kasi Viranna, a Hindu merchant, in mannady street, George Town, which was the oldest mosque. There is no trace of the mosque now.
3) Arignar Anna Zoological Park
The first zoo in India, Arignar Anna Zoological Park was inaugurated in the year 1855 in Moore market. Owing to accommodation and maintenance issues, the zoo was shifted to its present place in Vandalur reserve forest, which is on the outskirts of Chennai, in the year 1985. Cycles and battery operated vehicles are available for rent. Unless you are a great walker you may need the cycles to cover the zoo. Also referred to as Vandalur zoo, it is a must-visit destination in Chennai if you love watching animals and if you have come with your kids.
4) The Huddleston Gardens of Theosophical Society
Source: http://adayarbanyantree.blogspot.com/2009/05/
Established in the year 1883, the massive 260 acre Huddleston Gardens, famously referred to as Theosophical Society, offers feast to the eyes and peace to your soul. The world headquarters of Theosophical Society is home to places of worships of various religions keeping in line with its philosophy that is sans discrimination of all sorts. The 450+ year old banyan tree at the center of Theosophical Society along with its offshoots occupy around 40000 square feet of land and is one of the largest banyan trees in the world.
5) Semmozhi Poonga
A visual treat to eyes, Semmozhi Poonga was built in the year 2010 to commemorate the awarding of the status of classical language to Tamil. It is a beautiful botanical garden covering an area of 20 acres and the first of its type in Chennai. With 8 sub gardens containing wide range of flora, herbs and trees, the park is an excellent natural environment in the heart of the city making it a must-visit destination in Chennai to experience the tranquility.
6) Anna Centenary Library
Source: http://www.annacentenarylibrary.org/2011/02/sections.html
The biggest library of South Asia, Anna Centenary Library is situated in 8 acre land with a built-up area of 3.75 lakhs square feet. The ground floor plus eight floors of this building have an amazing collection of about 5.5 lakh books, which sure would be a dream destination for every book lover. The collection of books include books in various languages and e-books. Children have a dedicated section of 15,000 square feet with over 60,000 books. To encourage reading habit in children, various activities are organized here including story telling, magic shows and puppet shows. It is interesting note that visitors can bring their own books to read in a separate section created for them.
7) Birla Planetarium
Situated on the grounds of Periyar Scientific and Technology Center, Birla Planetarium has eight galleries with over 500 exhibits in them. Here is where India's first 360-degree sky theatre was established. Various sky shows are conducted every day at Birla Planetarium. Shows are conducted in Tamil and English.
8) St. Thomas Mount
St. Thomas Mount has historical significance. St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ was martyred here. A shrine built in the year 1523 can be found at the top of the hill. You can climb the stairs to reach the top or you can ride on a two-wheeler to the top. Anyone who visits here during their Chennai tour is definitely attracted by the serenity that prevails here.
Amusement Parks in Chennai
Amusement parks are interesting even if you don't get yourself actively engaged in any of the rides there. Personally, I am against dangerous rides but otherwise rides in general are interesting to watch. Amusement parks have a unique feature that will be hard to find in other tourist places. When you visit a place with astounding natural beauty, the general emotions of all tourists out there would be surprise, happiness and excitement. On a visit to museum, the general emotion would be the passion for more knowledge. In amusement parks, you can find transformation in the attitude of seniors who become several years younger and get playful. These parks bring in mixed emotions. A visit to an amusement park in Chennai is a worthy try to spend some time in an exciting but relaxed way.
Popular Amusement Parks in Chennai
- VGP Golden Beach
- Kishkinta
- MGM Dizzie World
- VGP Universal Kingdom
- Maayajaal
- Queensland
We will soon come up with a post on tourist places to visit around Chennai.
Rama Thamizharasu
Welcome to yogaaatral. I am a yoga therapist, SEO consultant, writer and translator. If you love pets, we invite you to visit our pet blog @ https://voiceofapet.blogspot.com/ and our YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@PetsDiaryandMomsToo
8 Responses
செம்மையான சென்னையை
தங்களின் செழுமைமிகு கட்டுரை சுவாரசியமான சென்னையாக வெளிப்படுத்தியிருக்கிறது.
சென்னையின் வயது இரண்டாயிரம் ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முந்தையது என்பதும் சான்றுகளின் மூலம் பெருமைமிகு சென்னையின் வரலாறு பழைய கற்காலத்திற்கும்( Paliolithic Age) உரியது என்பது உண்மையில் வியப்பில் ஆழ்த்தக்கூடியதொரு தகவல். கோடம்பாக்கம் சுற்றியுள்ள சில பகுதிகள் மட்டுமே புலியூர் எனும் கிராமம் என நினைத்திருந்த வேளையில் புலியூர் கோட்டம் என்பது பெருநிலப்பரப்புகளை உள்ளடக்கிய பல அரசர்களின் ஆளுமையின் கீழ் இருந்த ஒரு இராஜ்யம் என்பது கூடுதல் தகவல்
சிறப்பான கட்டுரை…வெகுசனப் பத்திரிகைகளில் எழுதினால் அதிகம் பேரை சென்றடையுமே
மிக்க நன்றி. ஆம், உண்மையிலேயே சென்னையின் புராதன வரலாறு வியப்பையும் பிரமிப்பையும் ஏற்படுத்தக் கூடியதுதான். தொடர்ந்து பதிவுகளைப் படித்தும் கருத்துகளைத் தெரிவித்தும் வருகிறீர்கள். இது மிகவும் ஊக்கமளிப்பதாக உள்ளது.
சில தினசரிகளில் இது குறித்த செய்திகள் வந்திருக்கின்றன என்றாலும் வாராந்திர இதழ்கள் பற்றித் தெரியவில்லை. தாங்கள் சொல்வது போல் வெகுசனப் பத்திரிகைகள் மூலம் அதிகம் பேரை தகவல்கள் சென்றடையும்தான். எனக்கு யார் வாய்ப்பளிப்பது…
வாழ்த்துகள் ரமா. அருமையான பதிவு. மிகவும் விரிவாக, பல தகவல்களுடன் அமைந்திருக்கிறது.
மிக்க நன்றி ரகு. தொடர்ந்து படித்தும் ஊக்கமளித்தும் வருவதற்கு நன்றி. ஒரு எழுத்தாளரின் பாராட்டு என்ற முறையில் இது எனக்கு மேலும் மகிழ்ச்சியளிப்பதாக இருக்கிறது. நன்றி.
அருமையான படைப்பு. மிக விரிவான பதிவு. தெளிவான விவரங்களுடன் பதிவிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. வாழ்த்துகள் ரமா. தொடரட்டும் மேம்பணி.
தங்களின் பாராட்டுக்கு மிக்க நன்றி. தொடர் ஊக்கத்திற்கும் உங்களின் கருத்துகளைப் பகிர்வதற்கும் நன்றிகள் பல.
அருமை ரமா.இவ்வளவு தகவல்களையும் பகிர்ந்ததற்கு மிக்க நன்றி.நம் சென்னைப் பற்றிய தெளிவான விவரங் ளை அளித்து ஆச்சரியத்தில் ஆழ்த்தி விட்டாய்.
சென்னைக் குறித்த இந்தப் பதிவைப் படித்ததற்கும், கருத்தைப் பகிர்ந்ததற்கும் மிக்க நன்றி லலிதா. இது எனக்கு மிகவும் ஊக்கமளிப்பதாக உள்ளது.