Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the gateway to the rich and varied culture of the South Indian peninsula. Originally a cluster of fishing hamlets along the Coromandel Coast, the city developed its cohesive shape under the British. Today, it is South India’s commercial and cultural capital, and the fourth largest metropolis in India. The attractions of the city boast some fine specimens of Raj architecture, Christian pilgrimage sites connected with the apostle St. Thomas, superb Chola bronzes at its state museum, and plenty of classical music and dance performances. Chennai’s seashore hosts one of India’s largest urban beaches, stretching for 13 km along the city’s eastern flank and is one of the most beautiful marine promenades in the world.
The nearby, former Pallava capital Kancheepuram, One of India’s seven sacred cities, is chock-full of temples and silks, spun straight from the loom, while on the coast lies lovely Mahabalipuram, a charming town entirely given over to sculpture, ancient and modern, part open-air museum, part contemporary workshop. The seventh century bas-reliefs are some of the world’s largest and most intricate, telling the Indian flood myth, Descent of the Ganga. Nearby masons industriously pile their shacks and yards high with freshly chiselled, fantastical, beautiful deities. And beyond, an inviting curve of sand stretches towards the Bay of Bengal.
