January 30th, 2009 Exotic Chennai
While Chennai isn’t a tourist mecca like Delhi or Mumbai, this growing India metropolis offers a unique experience for visitors. Formerly known as Madras, Chennai has a rich cultural heritage as well as an expanding technological and industrial base. The city is a center for business outsourcing, IT firms, and the Indian auto industry. In addition to being the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, it is the fourth largest city in India by population.
The sprawling geography of the city is reminiscent of India’s traditional coastal villages: there is no real “city center” and conservative values and traditional dress abound. Some travelers treasure this opportunity to get a feel for village life while staying close to the modern conveniences of an urban center. There are a number of 5-star Chennai hotels and amazing regional food to be enjoyed. Shoppers will love the traditional jewelery, clothing, textiles as well as arts and crafts that the city proudly offers. As the capital of Tamil Nadu, much of the art and culture of Chennai reflects the Tamil heritage of the region.
While there aren’t many major tourist traps, visitors have a number of smaller sites to explore and will enjoy the friendlier population and slower pace than found in most of India’s megacities. Marina Beach is one of the city’s more popular beaches and offers stunning sunset views. The National Art Gallery is a good place to wander for a few hours, as is the rest of the Government Museum Complex and Fort St. George. Or take a trip to the Cholamanda Artists’ Village to see traditional and contemporary regional artists at work.
Chennai boasts an entire National Park within its borders (Guindy National Park) as well as other parks and zoos, a water sports park and beautiful botanical gardens. Chennai is also home to the second largest film industry in all of India: Kollywood. In addition to touring some of the studios, watch out for Tamil film stars hanging out in more trendy restaurants and clubs. In December Chennai hosts the Madras Music Season which is reportedly the largest cultural festival in the world, featuring classical dance, music, and theater performances.
Related posts:
- What to See and Do in Chennai
- Secure Chennai Tennis
- Taxi Driver in Chennai
- The Ancient City of Kolkata
- India’s Bannerghatta National Park