YOUNGSTERS HANGOUTS

Marina Beach

The heritage of Chennai city lies in its oldest and longest Marina beach stretching over 12 kms which is so far the longest coastal stretch of the country. For every Chennaite and tourists from the southern part of Tamil Nadu, visiting the beach is an inevitable part of their tour schedule and the best part is the sandy coastal also houses the monuments of leaders MGR, Kamarajar and Anna beside the entertainment stuff.

Mayajaal

 

The first-of-its-kind Mayajaal came into being a few years back which catered to the entertainment and hangout spot for family, friends, couples and sports lovers. Covering an array of facilities within the premises, the entertainment zone is specially designed to spend enjoyable weekends. Housing 11 screens that plays movies from all languages, the variety of restaurants and play area make it a worthy outing trip.

Mocha

Among the different coffee shops in Chennai, Mocha is the least familiar place that offers quality coffee in a rich ambience. The posh interiors can be compared to that of the other known coffee shops such as Cafe Coffee Day and Barista.

Satyam Cinema

For the best movie experience, Satyam was the preferred theatre in the early past in the era of Devi theatre and Shanthi ruling the roost. Later, the organization innovated itself to come out with the spell binding multiplex experience named 'Satyam Cinemas' housing six screens. In the recent past, the further improvisation made it the best hangout spot to get a cuppa coffee, play your favorite games, give a trial at the bowling alley or dropping in for a scrumptious meal from a variety of cuisines.

Dublin

 

The largest pub in Chennai with a footfall of more than 1000 in the weekends and Saturday nights, Dublin gives the best pub cum disco experience at a go. Unacquainted for the fiscally constrained people, the spot is better known to the strata who thrive on blaring music and sizzling lights on the dance floor.

Ispahani Centre

Reserved for the richer lot, the jubilant appearance and the posh interiors of Ispahani centre provides space for a good hangout with the group of friends. The parking lot is the favorite of many as it is spacious and offers a breezy evening out in the open grounds.

Besant Nagar Beach
 

The famous beach line that comes just next to Marina beach is the Besant Nagar beach which is far more improvised and cleanlier than the former. Despite its relatively lower grounds, the beach is posh with the usual games and eateries around.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

COLLEGES

IIT Chennai
The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, is one of the leading institutes of national importance in higher technological education and in basic and applied research. The Institute was formally inaugurated in 1959 by Prof. Humayun Kabir, Union Minister for Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs. The IIT system has seven Institutes of Technology located at Kharagpur, Mumbai, Chennai, Kanpur, Delhi , Guwahati and Roorkee.

Loyola College
Loyola College was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1925, with the primary objective of providing University education in a Christian atmosphere for deserving students, especially those belonging to the Catholic Community. Although this college is meant primarily for Catholics, it admits other students irrespective of caste and creed.

The Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR)
IFMR is a leading business school with a strong focus on finance. The Institute has an excellent faculty with high scholastic and project consultancy achievements. With a large number of renowned companies visiting the campus every year, IFMR has a very good placement record.

IFMR offers a 2-year fulltime program - Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management, a 1-year fulltime program - Post Graduate Program in Advanced Finance and a 3-year part time program – Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management. IFMR also conducts Management Development Programs for executives.
Madras Medical College
One of the premier medical institutes, it was the untiring inspired efforts of Sir Edward Winter who was the agent of the company that materialised in the first British Hospital at Madras. The college came into existence from 1st of October 1850 and till date it is considered as one of the best medical institutes of India.


SCHOOLS

In the wake of globalization, India is also gearing up to meet the world standards in every field. Since a nation's progress depends on the youth of the country, keeping them up-to-date with international standards has become very important. Almost all the major cities have quite a good number of international schools where children are given education which would help them to keep pace with the global requirements. Take a look at all the top international schools in Chennai to get some idea about what's best suited for your child.

Believing that each child should have the opportunity to experience the joy of discovery and develop a love of learning, the Vael's Billabong High International School , one of the most popular international schools in Chennai has come up with a unique teaching experience. The school's curriculum ensures that it reaches beyond the I.C.S.E boundaries, so well-qualified and experienced teachers have been appointed to take care of the children who are given all the facilities which include: state-of-the-art science lab, art lab, well-stocked library, indoor auditorium, fully air-conditioned class-rooms, medical room, indoor gym and international standard swimming pool. Since healthy minds need healthy bodies, the students take part in a lot of sports like tennis, basketball, swimming, martial arts, western dance, bharathanatyam apart from playing chess, key-board and Indian vocal classical music. There are after-school activities like personality development, arts & crafts, theatre activities, brain development (SIP Academy), animation, puppetry along with special in-house counseling and education for children who need special attention.

To satisfy the aspirations of ambitious parents who want their children to to study under the curriculum and examination of the London University, the British International Higher Secondary School was established in the year 2005 in Chennai. The school was set up with the objective to give all children every opportunity to develop physically, academically and artistically along with a sense of virtue and strong values. The British International School has received accreditation from the famous Edexcel International, London University which gives students 'A' level qualification thereby facilitating easy entrance to all national universities as well as universities abroad. Each student is assessed on daily tests so that the teacher gets a regular feedback on the students and they are also required to take Career Aptitude tests to help determine the natural inclination of the students.

Established in the year 1995, the American International School is a non-profit, co-educational day school governed by a 7-member board of directors. The school offers a a college-preparatory program, leading to a U.S. High School Diploma curriculum which is taught by local, international as well as US hired faculty at the fully air-conditioned class-rooms with most study materials being imported from the U.S. The American International School boasts of a state-of-the-art air-conditioned Sports Hall which include indoor soccer, a fitness room, a full-size basketball arena, badminton and volleyball courts while the sport activities is completed with a 25-meter swimming pool, an outdoor basketball court, running tracks and soccer pitch. The school also has an annual musical production, art fair and sports exchange program with other international schools in the region.

With more and more students aspiring to go to college abroad, international schools are what they look out for.

HEALTHCARE FACILITY in chennai

“Chennai is emerging as a health-care destination across the world. However, the airport need not have world-class health facilities on its premises. It would suffice to provide first aid to patients in need who are coming from abroad for treatment and also provide necessary facilities for smooth shifting of the patients to the hospitals of their choice. Establishment of a hospital on the airport premises is not a solution. Further, outsourcing paramedical personnel is not a panacea for extending first aid in times of emergency.”
“Further, the medical services are supported by the Department of Fire, who are not only trained in fire and rescue operations, but also in first aid to provide emergency medical aid in the event of any aircraft emergency.
“AAI has established a well-equipped medical inspection (MI) room at the terminal with well-qualified doctors/professionals, including paramedical staff to take care of any emergency on the airport premises.
Special surgeons for individual organs supported by reconstructive and plastic surgeons of repute provide treatment for head and neck cancer, breast cancer and malignancies. Facilities offered include simulation work stations to ensure high precision and safety during treatment at eh 18 MV linear accelerator or telecobalt machines, brachy therapy and 3-D planning systems.
Healthcare BPO/KPO firm, Omega Healthcare Management Services, have opened their state of the art facility in Chennai. The new spans nearly 45,000 sq ft and can accommodate 2,100 employees in multiple shifts.

Currently, Omega Healthcare employs a total of 2,600 people of which 1,900 are located in Bangalore and 700 in Chennai. The company is expanding rapidly in Chennai and plans to hire an additional 1,400 employees by July 2010, bringing the total Omega team to 4,000.

“This is a very important milestone for us to establish a scalable infrastructure in Chennai and allow us to harness the incredible talent available here,” Gopi Natarajan, Co-Founder & CEO, Omega Healthcare said in a statement.

Anurag Mehta, Co-Founder & Executive VP of Omega Healthcare said, “The US healthcare sector is relatively immune to recessions and our expansion plans are in line with the growth that this industry continues to offer.”

Employees hired in the Chennai campus of Omega Healthcare will work on medical coding, accounts receivable management and data entry into various client application systems. Graduates and post graduates in the life sciences area including doctors, dentists, nurses, and physical therapists will be hired for medical coding. Graduates with excellent communication and typing skills will be hired for the other functions.

PLACES OF WORSHIP

People of all religions co-exist in Chennai city. Over a period of time, all religious communities have developed and built their places of worship in different parts of Chennai/Madras. Major religious places of worship at Chennai are temples, churches, Mosques and Dargahs. Lets have a quick look at different religious places of Chennai.

Temples in Chennai 

Temples are the places of worship of the Hindus. Since Hindus form a large part of the population of Chennai, it is but natural that of all the religious places of Chennai, temples are largest in number. Many of the temples of Chennai/Madras city are so popular that thousands of devotees throng them to pray and worship everyday. Lets have a quick glance of temples of Chennai city.

  

Churches in Chennai

 

 Chennai also holds the distinction of being home to a huge number of famous churches. A huge number of Christians reside in Chennai ever since the colonial period and therefore there are a large number of Churches here. The churches are known for their sanctity as well as their beauty. Some of the churches are extremely beautiful and have been built with unique architectural concepts
In Chennai city, there are many beautiful and magnificent churches, built over a period of time. Some of the important churches of Chennai/Madras are Anderson Church, Andrew's Kink, Christ Church, Chinnamalai Church, Santhome Cathedral Basilica and St. George's Cathedral.

Mosques
Mosques are the places for the worship of the Muslims. The Chennai/Madras city is inhabited by quite a number of Muslims and over a period of time many Mosques developed in the Chennai city. There are many important Mosques in Chennai city. Makka Masjid is one of he important mosques in Chennai city. It can accommodate hundreds of worshippers at a time. Masjid Mamoor is another important mosque, sacred to Muslims of Mannady area in Chennai. It was first built in 18th century. The Grand Mosque, in Red Stone, was built by Nawab Wallajah and is an important Mosque of Chennai. Thousand Lights Mosque is situated in the heart of Chennai city. This is a beautiful cream-colored, multi-domed mosque with walls bearing recently- painted sayings from the Holy Koran.

Dargahs
Dargah is a Muslim shrine, the grave of a Muslim ascetic, where devotees burn incense and pray. Many of these Dargahs in Chennai are venerated and visited by people of different faiths. Some of the famous Dargahs of Chennai/Madras city are Anna Salai Dargah, Hazrat Baba Dargah, Mohammad Ismail Sahib, Qadri Baba Dargah and Thameem Ansari baba Dargah.

chennai's CUISINE

Chennai is noted for its delectable South Indian cuisine, so distinct from North Indian cuisine but equally famous and much sought after everywhere. From the idli, vada, and idiyappam to uppuma and dosa, Chennai provides delicious variety for the taste buds. There are numerous vegetarian restaurants in Chennai serving simple meals where a thali lunch is served on a banana leaf to sumptuous spreads in the big hotels. One can also savour non-vegetarian Chettinad cuisine that is a specialty in Tamil Nadu and will be a delight for those who like hot and spicy non-vegetarian food. This type of food has several variations of fish, mutton, and chicken dishes of which the Chettinad Pepper Chicken is special.

Tamil Nadu, especially Chennai, is famous for its filter coffee as most Tamils have a subtle contempt for instant coffee. The making of filter coffee is almost a ritual, for the coffee beans have to be first roasted and then ground. The powder is put into a filter set and boiling hot water is added to prepare the decoction and allowed to set for about 15 minutes. The decoction is then added to milk with sugar to taste. The final drink is poured from one container to another in rapid succession to make the ideal frothy cup of filter coffee.


As Chennai is still a city absorbed in Tamil culture & tradition, the tradition reflects in the food of the Chennaites. Rice being the major staple food of the South Indians, Chennai is no exception. Riceforms an important ingredient of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lunch or meals consist of cooked rice served with an array of vegetable dishes, sambar, chutneys, rasam and curd (yogurt). For a non-vegetarian lunch, curries or dishes cooked with mutton, chicken or fish is included. The meals are incomplete without crisp papads or appalam. Breakfast or tiffin includes idly, dosai and lentils crisp fried on a pan, vada (deep fried doughnuts made from a batter of lentils), pongal (a mish mash of rice and lentils boiled together and seasoned with ghee, cashew nuts, pepper and cummin seed), uppuma (cooked semolina seasoned in oil with mustard, pepper, cummin seed and dry lentils.) There are several variations of the dishes mentioned above which are eaten with coconut chutney, sambar (seasoned lentil broth) and mulaga podi (a powdered mix of several dried lentils eaten with oil).

The Chennai cuisine has a variety of recipes. The menus are usually influenced by the menu of different people who have moved into Chennai from different parts of Tamil Nadu. Each ingredient in a dish has some medicinal value associated with it. On festival occasions, even today the traditional Chennai lunch is served on a banana leaf. It is an ancient Tamilian belief that the banana leaf has the ability to take away untraceable amounts of toxins in the food we eat.

The Chennaites also do not mind experimenting with their taste buds occasionally. The upcoming pizza centers and fast food joint explain it. Spices are added to give a distinctive taste. The Tamil style of Mughlai food can be savoured in the biriyanis and paya. The later is a kind of spiced trotters broth and is eaten with either parathas or appam.

/-/ISTORY OF CHENNAI

Chennai, formerly called Madras, has been present since times immemorial. Whatever is known about the capital city of Tamil Nadu, presently serves as the history of the modern city. Originally Chennai was a cluster of villages, perched amidst paddy fields, bordered by palm trees. The Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Vijaynagar Empire, all the popular dynasties of South India, have had an influence over the city. The origin of the metropolitan city started in 1639, when Francis Day and Andrew Cogan, two merchants of the East India Company, started a factory-cum-trading post here.

A settlement was built to serve as the control centre and it was completed on 23 Apr' 1640, St George's Day and was named as St George's Fort. The native town, officially called George Town, was established outside the ramparts of the Fort. George Town had several crowded lanes and each lane dealt in special trade, serving the British colonists. The Colonial decree made connections with the villages, together with the settlement at San Thome that was established by the Portuguese in the 16th century.

The 7th century Pallava Port, Kapalesvara Temple and Parthasarathi Temple are standing testimony to the fact that Chennai had been present since ages. In 1746, Chennai, along with Fort St George, came under the sway of the French, who ransacked the town and the nearby villages. The British again got command over Chennai in 1749, attributable to the Treaty of Aix-la-Chappell. They fortified the area so that this time no pirate could conquer it. By the late 18th century, they were able to overpower most of the region around Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and founded the Madras Presidency.

During the British rule, Chennai went under drastic changes, to become a prominent city, with strong naval base. With the introduction of railways in the late 19th century, Chennai got linked with other important cities like Mumbai and Kolkata. Facilities of trade and communication in the city boosted, connecting it with the hinterland too. Chennai was the only city of India that was attacked during the World War.

When India became independent in 1947, Chennai city was declared as the capital of Madras State, which was later renamed as Tamil Nadu in 1968. In 1997, the Government of Tamil Nadu officially changed the name of Madras to Chennai. However, it is the colonial rule which developed Chennai into a major commercial center. In the present day, George Town houses most of the pioneer business headquarters, while the State Government has its nerve center in the Fort St George.

FASHION WORLD OF THE CHENNAI CITY

There has been over the past two years, a dramatic change in the clothing habits of the typical conventional Chennai is. Where formerly every festival demanded a new sari and blouse for the women, today’s option is for the ubiquitous salwar-kameez or even the versatile jeans. There is, however, something charmingly appealing about the south Indian woman who knuckles down to the rites of tradition. Freshly, bathed at dawn, with the subtle perfume of sandalwood paste and jasmine lingering on her skin, she knots a towel around her head to support her wet hair and dons the new clothes before puja commences. After she rubs down her long tresses, she prepares a grid of hot coal over which she sprinkles sambrani (license). She covers it with a small basket, lies down on the floor with her head on it, spreading her hair over the basket, so that the sweet fumes permeate through her hair, softly drying it as no modern hair dryer ever will. It is a moment arrested in pure luxury as she closes her eyes to relax before the flurry takes over. Smelling even more sweetly, she ties her hair into a loose knot to commence the whirlpool of rituals which are in effect social events for the family and community.

Going back to the yen for no conventional clothes, boutiques in Chennai have never had it so good. Saris are relegated to the background, to be taken out only during religious ceremonies and weddings. The salwar-kameez-dupatta ensemble is here to stay, judging from the innumerable little shops and boutiques which have sprung up in Chennai to cater to the whims of the Chennai women. Even tradition bound stores like Nalli and Radha Silks, which specialized in Kancheevaram pattu saris, do not wish to be left behind in the race to stock ready-to-wear garments.

We prefer it for its comfort remarks one teeny bopper. When you are running around the whole day getting in and out of buses, the salwar is as comfortable as pants, even better. Who wants to wear a flapping five and one half inches and worry if it looks right? Also, the salwar suit scores high in terms of traditional chic, pipes in another young lady. No one can accuse us of aping the West and wearing immodest figure hugging cloths. The market offers beautiful traditional kameezes and when teamed with a matching dupatta, it is even more modest than a sari.

Emboldened and encouraged by their daughters, mothers are often seen at specialty stores. I plan to make just one salwar kameez to wear at home, they venture shyly. It is a question of their getting used to it and, once broken in, there is no question of turning back ever. Much to the horror of disapproving relatives, even young grandmothers have ready excuses. You know how it is with small babies at home-a kameez messed up is a hundred times better than a spoil sari.

Curiously enough, men in dapper suits have had enough of stuffy coasts, and tight collars. Even though, at any formal evening, the western suit (full sleeved shirt, coat an trousers) is more acceptable, the middle-aged men are not averse to Indian clothes, with the younger men shyly taking the cue from them. The soft creamy silk waishtis with small sari borders, teamed with silk jubbas are dignified costumes for weddings. Haunted by the fear that the waistline will slip off, the youngsters opt for achkans or the kurta pajama. Why, I am told that in the Bombay disco scene it is groovy to wear dhotis and kurtas teamed with dramatic waistcoats!

Designed for Indian summers, the Indian clothes like the sari and dhoti afford free air circulation but in the name of fashion one tends to compromise and squeeze oneself into the tightest of garments, provided they are well cut and smart. With hand looms again being pushed to the forefront of fashion, there should be a shift in the fashion scene-perhaps tailored saris and dhotis will dominate, provided they offer the same measure of comfort as other ready-to-wear garments.

chennai brings you BACK to the HISTORICAL PLACES

While you are holidaying in Chennai, make sure to take some time off and visit the places around. There arze ancient temple towns like Mahabalipuram and Tirupati (in Andhra Pradesh), traditional townships and villages that specialise in crafts like Kanchipuram, and golden beaches like Covelong.You will also find beach resorts and amusement parks dotting the coastline beginning from Chennai.

Mahabalipuram (58 kms.):
Just out of Chennai, roughly 55 km away, is the world-famous town of Mahabalipuram. The Pallava dynasty of Southern India, one of the major lines of kings to rule in India after the Gupta period, made this lovely seaside village their second capital. The place blossomed under the creative forces of that time between the fifth and eighth centuries. Today, the shore temple, the largest bas-relief in the world called Arjuna's Penance and the famous and beautiful mandapams has made this town world famous. Almost 5km north of Mamallapuram in the village of Salavankuppam, the tiger cave is a rock cut shrine dating from 7th century. Dedicated to Durga, it has a small mandapam featuring a crown of carved yali heads. Another 14 km from here lies Tirukkalikundram a pilgrim centre with a hilltop temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Covelong (48kms):
Replete with historical monuments such as forts, churches, mosques, and a lovely beach, Covelong is a place where you can experience the history of Tamil Nadu as a whole. If you are in Chennai, do not miss a visit to this place. The remains of the Fort have now been converted into a luxury beach resort that offers facilities for windsurfing and swimming.

Kanchipuram (75 kms.):
Along with Chennai and Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram forms the famous Golden Triangle of the Coromandel Coast. Almost all tourists visit Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram finds place on the global map because of the wonderful craftsmanship of the Kanchi weavers, the makers of what is perhaps the finest silk fabric in the world. This spectacular temple city is one of the seven sacred cities of India. It was, successively, capital of the kingdoms of the Pallavas, Cholas and rajas of Vijayanagar. The temples and gopurams are exquisite reminders of the beauty of Dravidian architecture, from the freshness and simplicity of the Pallavas' 7th-century Kailasanatha Temple through to the Vijayanagar Empire's 16th-century Ekambareshwara Temple. The latter covers nine hectares, has a 59-metre-high gopuram, a 1000-pillared hall and a sacred mango tree said to be 3500 years old. Kanchipuram is also famous for its hand-woven silk fabrics.

Tirupati (152km):
Situated in the Chittoor district in southern Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati is the abode of the legendary Lord of the Seven Hills. Tirupati is one of the most famous shrines in the country where worship of the Lord has been carried out for over thirteen centuries. Even today, Tirupati draws enormous crowds throughout the year. The main attractions are the Pratima Mandapam, with the statue of Sri Krishnadevaraya; Tulabharam, the scales upon which materials for offerings are weighed; the Tirumalanayaka Mandapam, replete with beautiful carvings; and Dhwajastambham, and others. Tirupati is situated at a distance of around 152 km from Chennai and well connected.

Muttukadu (16 kms):
The backwaters of Muttukadu have been developed by the Tamilnadu Tourism Development Corporation to serve as a scenic picnic spot and a water sports centre. In February every year, a windsurfing regatta is organised in Muttukadu.Competitions in windsurfing and other water sports are held. Training and demonstration programmes are organized for youth.

Crocodile Bank (44 kms.):
Not far from Mamallapuram, Romulus Whittaker runs this crocodile breeding and research centre. Here several species of Indian and African crocodiles and alligators are bred in captivity. The reptiles are kept in their natural habitat in open pools and can be viewed from safe proximity. This farm breeds crocodile to augment the crocodile population of the wildlife sanctuaries.

Vedanthangal (85 kms.):
Vedanthangal is one of the largest bird sanctuaries in India. It is a marshy, 30 hectare park with lake visited by over 1,00,000 migratory birds every year. The majority of these birds can be seen between November and February. The 4variety of birds include Herons, Darters, Spoonbills, Pelicans, Sandpipers, White Ibis and Cormorants, Blue winged teals and Swans.

V.G.P Golden Beach Resort (30km):
This beach resort is popular not just with the people of the city, but also with tourists. There is an entertainment arcade for children and for adults. There are folk dance performances apart from an Art Center that sells handicrafts and articles made out of seashells. The beach is clean and ideal for sunbathing. This is a cleverly planned beach resort geared to entertain the visitor with sculptured vignettes from the past, folk dances and ethnic seafood cuisine. The V.G.P. Art Center, a part of the resort complex, sells merchandise ranging, from seashells to rural handicrafts.

Vandalur:
Spread over an area of 1,265 acres, the Anna Zoological Park at Vandalur is the largest in South Asia with a rich variety of different species of mammals, reptiles and birds. The animals roam in natural surroundings with a special enclosure for nocturnal creatures. The coast road from Chennai to Mamallapuram is dotted with beach resorts, recreational areas and artist's communities.

Cholamandal Artist's Village:
Located 18 km south of Chennai. Contemporary art, sculpture, batik and craft flourish in this little palm-studded sea-rimmed artists' commune started in 1966. Artists and sculptors live and work here and also exhibit and sell their work. Its open-air auditorium is also the venue of avant-garde theatre, poetry-reading and dance recitals. It has a gallery with fine contemporary paintings and sculptures.

Dakshinachitra:
Located 12 km south of Cholamandal, a reasonably new place presented by the Chennai Crafts Foundation as a showpiece of different living styles in the South. You can admire traditional arts from Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka and AndhraPradesh. Contains recreations of Brahmin, Chettinad, potters, a basket weaver's, a silk weaver's houses along with live representations of their craft. Similarly the Kerala section has a Syrian Christian house, a Menon house etc. Very authentic since the dwellings were actually bought from their places of origin and replanted here. There is an accompanying audio-visual presentation and a little gift shop. Very well done and definitely worth a visit.

Pulicat (54 km):
Site of an Old Dutch settlement dating back to 1609, today, Pulicat is a picnic spot famed for its lake. There are amenities for swimming, fishing, and windsurfing. History-buffs can wander around the ancient Dutch cemetery with its well-preserved tombstones.

MGM Dizee World (20 km):
An amusement park complete with Roller Coasters and Water Slides and Giant Catherine Wheels - fun place for kids.

Madurai:
One of the oldest towns in South India is the abode of goddess Meenakshi, the consort of Lord Sundereswarar (Shiva). Legend has it, that when a Pandya king founded the town of Madurai some thousands of years ago, Lord Shiva was present. Moreover, the nectar falling off his hair gave the town its name of Madurai or city of nectar

Tiruchirapalli:
The famous Rock Fort is precariously perched atop a massive outcrop of rock that rises abruptly out of the flat surrounding plain. Set in the middle of the town on the bank of the river Cauvery, it is visible for miles around and it. A citadel of the Chola kings in the Sangam period (2 BC to 2 AD) the Rock Fort has had a long and chequered history.

Thanjavur:
Just 58 km away lays Thanjavur, once the capital of the Chola Empire referred to as the "Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu". Nearly a thousand years ago around the 11th century, Thanjavur was the capital of a powerful dynasty, the imperial Cholas whose empire extended beyond South India and Sri Lanka to the kingdoms of South-East Asia.The Chola kings used their wealth to encourage arts and craft and built innumerable temples and shrines to ornament their land.

Palani:
Palani, a pilgrim spot atop a hill dedicated to Lord Subramanium, is easily accessible.

Pondicherry (157km):
Lying 162 km south of Chennai, this town has an imminent French influence. It is here the famous philosopher Sri Aurobindo once lived. For sight seeing, interesting places include churches, museum, beach, the Aurobindo ashram, and Auroville.

Close by lies Chidambaram, an ancient Chola temple with a gilded roof, tall gopurams and a thousand pillared halls. This is the most venerated shrine of Lord Shiva represented here as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer.

Point Calimere wildlife sanctuary lies close by.

The mangrove forests of Pichavaram, an ideal spot for boating, fishing and water sports is also nearby.

Rameswaram:
Rameswaram lies 176 km from Madurai. This conch shaped island in the Gulf of Mannar is a holy spot for Hindus. The magnificent Ramanathaswamy temple is well known for its longest corridors in the country, extending over a length of 1220 m long with its marvelous carved pillars. Those who visit here bathe in the sacred waters of Agaitheertam, a stretch of Clam Sea near the temple.

Vellore (145km):
Famous for Fort and Vijaynagar temple. It is also world renowned for CMC hospital-a leader in research and health care recognised as one of the finest hospitals in South India.Vellore Fort was built in 16th century but occupied by British in 1760.The small government museum inside the fort complex contains sculptures dating back to Pallava and Chola times. The Jalakanteshwara Temple is a gem of Vijaynagar architecture built about 1566.Within the temple; the pillared mandapam is famous for yali and other mythical creatures. Large statues of Ganesh grace the entrance and mandapam.

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Chennai is the largest city in Tamil Nadu and is located on the southeastern coast of India. The city was formerly known as Madras and was established by the British. They developed it into a significant urban center and naval base. Around 20th century, Chennai became an important administrative headquarter and the capital of Madras Presidency. The growth and expansion of British Empire led to development of the city. It has been endowed with the rich heritage of art and culture.

It is for this reason that Chennai is also called as the 'Gateway to South India'. The city been blessed with the wealth of arts and literature. It is famous for its various cultural events, showcasing the performing arts such as Dance, Music and Drama at its best. Tamil literature is very rich in content and preaches ancient morals and values. Chennai is also popular for the glitz and glamor of Kollywood, the 'Tamil film industry'. Many Tamil films have won acclaim in the international film festivals and have brought fame to India.

Today, the city has gone through a tremendous change and is developing rapidly. There are a number of industries here such as automobile, technology, hardware manufacturing, and health care industries. The Automobile industry in Madras is one of the leading industries in the country. It is also the second largest exporter of Information Technology, after Bangalore. Apart from this, the city is a leading player in the fields of education and sports. There are a number of reputed educational institutions and stadiums here which mark the significance of the two in Chennai.