 : Visitors
 : Hits
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ATTRACTIONS IN INDIA - CHENNAI (MADRAS) |
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Rich in history and tradition, Chennai is endowed with the second longest beach in the world-the Marina Beach. The fourth largest city in the country, Chennai is a mix historic monuments and new high-rise buildings. Chennai is a wonderful city to tour. The capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai attracts tourists in groves to its beautiful beaches and historic temples.
Chennai is the ideal starting point to begin a tour of South India. The beaches, temples, culture and crafts of South India wait to be discovered by you, as you arrive in Chennai. This capital city of Tamil Nadu, is situated on the coast, allowing you to travel both inland and out to sea. A list of tours is given below. These tours have been planned keeping in mind the needs of individual and group travelers. These tours are indicative in nature. They can be customized according to your interest and convenience. Please mail us your requirements - we are happy to help you find a memorable tour to India.
Madras, or Chennai as it is now called, is known as the Gateway of Southern India. The East India Company developed Chennai as one of the major trading centres in India. Chennai has a blend of Dravidian and Gothic architecture in its buildings. The city might have grown but it has never lost its traditional grace and charm. The Tamil society might have incorporated English culture but the Dravidian roots are as strong as ever.
Chennai is the epitome of tradition, culture and life-style of Southern India. But like the rest of India, Chennai has over the years, developed its share of urban style and modernity. Accommodation and transportation are cheap and efficient. It is very likely that the temples that you will visit in Chennai are unlike any other that you have seen before. Visit the 4.5 km long Golden Marina beach,one of the longest beaches in the world.
Unlike Mumbai, the Chennai port is not a natural harbour. Nevertheless, this man-made port is very modern and efficient in handling cargo and other traffic. Today Chennai is the fourth largest city in India and commands a major share in the trade from the South.
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Please click on Bar Link..
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Marina Beach:
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Marina beach is considered to be the jewel in the crown of Chennai. Adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, this ravishing piece of land is the second longest beach
in the world. You will come across the statues of Mahatma Gandhi, MGR, Anna and many other great leaders when you take a walk along the Stretch of a distance of 4.5 km. The view of sunsets and sunrise from Marina Beach are such a splendor that, even the best man made marvels stand no comparison. Evenings on the beach are really colorful with many stalls lining up on the beach and a large number of enthusiastic tourist starting to show up.
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Fort St. George :
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Fort St. George is the first British fort in India in the year 1644.
The construction of the fort started the activity of people settling around the fort and commencement of trade with other states. This is why it is said that Chennai (formerly Madras) started its evolution around this fort.
The fort is a well sculpted citadel with a 6 meter wall that withstood a number of sieges in the 18th century. Today the fort renders its services as the administrative headquarters for the legislative assembly of Tamil Nadu. There is a museum that holds many relics from the days of Raj, including many portraits of the governors.
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Kalakshetra :
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Kalakshetra is the apex institution for classical dance, music and the fine arts, established in 1936 which is the brainchild of Late. Rukmini Devi. A Proteges of Annie Besant, was deeply influenced by the progressive views of the Theosophical Society. She defied tradition by learning and performing the classical dasi attam, which was considered to be in the sphere of devdasis (Temple Dancers). Covering an area of 100-acre in Thiruvanmiyur in South Chennai, Kalakshetra has enrolled students from around the world who have the flair for learning the best.
Over the years, Kalakshetra has been associated with the betterment of the ancient cultural traditions of India. The auditorium within the Kalakshetra is built according to the Natya Shastra. The institute also conducts research into works of several renowned Sanskrit scholars to stage dance productions, not only for Indian audiences but also for major world theaters.
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Guindy National Park :
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Guindy National Park, is a major attraction for all true wildlife enthusiasts. It is situated on an area of 2.82 sq. km. The distinctive feature of this park is that it is actually located within a city, unlike all other national parks in the country. It has a small population of animals that include Black bucks, Bonnet Macaques, Spotted deer, Mongoose and Jackals. Among the birds seen here are - Yellow wattled lapwings, Partridges, Bulbuls, Babblers, Mynas, Cuckoos, Pittas and occasionally a Baza.
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Snake Park :
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Situated in the Guindy National park, Snake park has become a major attraction among the visiting school children but it also is a hit among visitors of all ages. It has a huge variety of snakes, venomous and non-venomous, small and huge turtles and tortoises, various species of Crocodiles, Caimans and Gharials. It also has an interesting enclosure with four chameleons which are quite difficult to spot because more often than not, they stay hidden in the small bushes.
The park also holds hourly lecture sessions to educate people about these wonders of wildlife. And specially for the daredevils, they will have the rare opportunity to handle snakes during these demonstrations.
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Parthasarathi Temple :
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The temple dedicated to Lord Krishna is a creation of Pallavas in the 8th century. Although this is considered to be one of the oldest temples in the region but it definitely has the most visually appealing structure. The temple is spread over an area of 1.5 acres and is a Triplicane. The temple finds its mention in the ancient Vaishnavite works of Alwar saints and is one of the 108 sacred center of the Vaishnavites.
Vaikunth ekadashi is the main festival celebrated in this temple. There are special prayers that are offered to the deity on every Saturday in the Month of Purattasi.
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Kapaleeswarar Temple:
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Kapaleeswarar temple is an ancient temple around 350 years old devoted to Lord Shiva. Situated at Mylapore, this temple is the biggest in the city. The structure of the temple is purely in Dravidian style and is a great example of their wizardry in architecture. Inside on the walls, you will find inscriptions which date back to 13th century. The gopuram in the center has carvings illustrating tales from Hindu Mythology and with a towering height of 37 meters, it has an impeccable presence. The Teppam festival(float festival) is an annual event which attracts a large number of devotees. The Paradosham Festival which is held after every two weeks is also a crowd Gatherer.
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Birla Planetarium :
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Equipped with fully computerised projectors to depict the world beyond earth, the Birla Planetarium is one of the most modern planetariums in the country. It makes audio-visual presentations to the public and students on various themes in astronomy. These presentations are made in a manner that introduces even the basic of laymen to the mysteries of the universe.
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Valluvar Kottam :
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A memorial to the immortal Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, this landmark is located at Nungambakkam. The shrine is a replica of the chariot temple of Thiruvarur. A life size statue has been installed on the chariot. It also has an auditorium, which can accommodate 4000 people at a time and is the largest in Asia.
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Mamallapuram :
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A site of many ancient sculptural marvels, Mamallapuram was the port city of the Pallavas. The Pallavas had mastered the art of construction without using bricks or mortar, carving out exquisite sculptures from rocks. The best example of their art here are the five monolith chariots, the pride of Mamallapuram. The various panels on the walls depict scenes from Hindu mythology and fables from the Panchtantra. Located 61 kms from Chennai, it is now known as Mahabalipuram.
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Crocodile Bank :
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Close to Mahabalipuram and 44 kms from Chennai is the Crocodile breeding and research centre run by Romulus Whittaker. This farm breeds several species from India and Africa in captivity to augment the crocodile population. These crocodiles are kept in captivity and can be viewed from a safe distance.
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Muttukadu :
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This place is an ideal picnic spot with facilities for boating and wind surfing. It is 6 kms from Chennai.
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Thirukkalukundram :
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The Shiva temple here is located on top of a hill, 160m high. Try and make it to this place around lunch time. Every afternoon, two white kites come to the temple and are fed by the priest. It is believed that these kites are saints who stop at the temple on their journey to Varanasi from Rameshwaram. Below the hill temple is the larger Shiva temple with a tank which is said to have healing powers. Every 12 years, a conch is found in the tank. A large collection of such conches is kept in the temple. Thirukkalukundram is 70 kms from Chennai.
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Chennai Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary :
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A variety of birds migrate to Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary every year. This sanctuary is one of the largest sanctuaries for birds in India. Varied species of birds can be spotted here. The best season to visit this marshy, 30-hectare park is between November and February. It is 85 kms from Chennai.
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Kancheepuram :
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The golden city of temples is one of the seven most famous holy cities of Hindu mythology. The weavers of Kancheepuram have been famous from ancient times for some of the best woven silk sarees in the world. It has also been the centre of culture and learning down the ages. Adi Shankaracharya, one of the greatest gurus of Hindu spirituality established his ashram here. Kancheepuram is 75 kms from Chennai.
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Pongal :
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While Chennai celebrates most major Indian festivals, Pongal - the harvest festival is Tamil Nadu's own festival. This festival is a thanks and prayer for prosperity, celebrated in mid-January with much feasting, music and dance.
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Diwali :
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The festival of lights and Holi, the festival of color are popular. The other festival celebrated with a lot of fervor is the Tamil New Year, which falls in the month of April.
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Day 01: Arrival at Chennai :
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On the first day of Chennai special tour the guests shall arrive at the Chennai International Airport. Our representative shall welcome the guests with a Chennai itinerary designed most meticulously keeping in view all the preferences and demands of the guests. Our representative shall escort you to your desired hotel where you shall be accommodated for the overnight stay.
A quick visit to the golden beaches and other tourist destinations can be arranged on guest’s demand. The rich culture of Chennai can be explored by visiting the majestic temples and elegant monuments of the city. This trip to the tourist places in Chennai shall conclude in the evening when guests shall retreat to their hotel.
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Day 02: Chennai
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The second day of the itinerary for Chennai shall bring a visit to other tourist attractions of the city. The guests shall be taken on a trip to Fort St. George, built during the imperial rule of British in 1640 AD. Chennai set on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal is blessed with the beauteous Marina beach the second largest beach in the world. The guests shall visit the beach along with a trip to the soothing Kapaleeswar Temple. The afternoon shall comprise of a shopping arcade from where the guests can buy some mementos to be taken back home. Exhausted by the elaborate sightseeing expedition and shopping the guests shall spend the night peacefully in their hotel.
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Day 03: Chennai- Kanchipuram- Mahabalipuram :
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This day shall advent with another excursion to Mahabalipuram also known as Mamallapuram as planned under your Chennai Special Tour. The trip to Mahabalipuram shall be a very pleasant experience as the trip shall include an enroute visit to Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram is famous for its beautifully crafted silk sarees and its rich culture. A visit to the place shall bring loads of opportunities for shopping and sightseeing. The guests shall have the day for touring the main tourist attractions of the place thereafter the guests shall stay for the night in the hotel as pre planned in your Chennai itinerary.
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Day 04: Mahabalipuram :
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Located in Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu, Mahabalipuram is famous for its historic monuments have also been classified as a UNESCO world heritage. This day of your South- India tour shall begin with a tour of the nine; rock- cut cave temples of Mahabalipuram. This day shall include a visit to Mahishasuramardhini cave renowned for its mythological carvings, Five Rathas- these are the five monolithic temples and the Shore Temple one of the oldest temples in South- India. The trip to these temples shall be followed by a trip back to hotel for an overnight stay.
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Day 05: Mahabalipuram :
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The beauty of the sun- kissed beaches shall give all the reasons for elongate your India tour a little bit. Hence, this day shall be scheduled for a visit to the scenic beaches of Mahabalipuram where guests can relax and sun-bask. This fifth day of your Chennai Special Tour shall conclude with an overnight stay in the hotel.
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Day 06: Mahabalipuram- Chennai- Departure :
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The guests accompanied by our representative shall take a drive to Chennai where they can enjoy shopping. Buying some mementos from the country shall surely refresh the pleasant experience of special tour of Chennai in your life later on. Our representative shall make all the arrangements for your departure from Chennai from where you shall board a flight back home.
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