Getting To Know - Chennai

Table Of Contents

Moving around in Chennai ..............................................................................................2

Geography.....................................................................................................................2
General Information......................................................................................................2
How to get there ...........................................................................................................3
The Language.....................................................................................................................4
Greetings In Tamil .......................................................................................................5
Enquiry In Tamil ..........................................................................................................5

General Words & Phrases In Tamil ..............................................................................5

Directions In Tamil ......................................................................................................6
Do and Don’ts.....................................................................................................................6
Eating out Guide to Chennai............................................................................................7
Fast Food Places..................................................................................................15
A Tour of Madras.............................................................................................................17
FORT ST. GEORGE ..................................................................................................17
HIGH COURT COMPLEX .......................................................................................18
GEORGE TOWN.......................................................................................................18
CORPORATION COMPLEX....................................................................................19
PANTHEON COMPLEX...........................................................................................19
GOVERNMENT MUSEUM (Pantheon Road)..........................................................19
NATIONAL ART GALLERY....................................................................................20
KODAMBAKKAM ...................................................................................................20
THE THOMAN TRADITION...................................................................................20
GUINDY NATIONAL PARK....................................................................................21
KALAKSHETRA.......................................................................................................21
GOVERNMENT ESTATE.........................................................................................23
THE MARINA...........................................................................................................23
OTHER BUILDINGS.................................................................................................24
Excursions from Madras.................................................................................................24
Mamallapuram (58 km)..............................................................................................24
Pulicat (54 km)............................................................................................................25
Cholamandalam Artists' Village (28 km)....................................................................25
Kovalam (43 km)........................................................................................................25
V.G.P. Golden Beach Resort (30 km).........................................................................25
MGM Dizee World (20 km).......................................................................................25
Dakshina Chitra (immediately next to Dizee World)..................................................25
Crocodile Bank (31 km).............................................................................................26
Kancheepuram (75 km)..............................................................................................26
Maps..................................................................................................................................27
Districts of Tamilnadu.........................................................................................27
Map of Chennai...................................................................................................28
....................................................................................................................................29

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 Getting To Know - Chennai

Moving around in Chennai

Geography
Chennai is located near the 13th north parallel and 80 degree longitude. The city stretches
its 19 km length along the Coromandel coast and extends inland about 9 km at its widest.
Its irregular shape covers about 172 sq km. It is a fairly low-lying strip of land, its highest
point being only 60 m above sea level.

Chennai is trisected by two east-flowing rivers that traverse its width. The Cooum river
almost divides the city into half and the Adyar river divides the southern half of the city
into two. The historic buckingham canal runs nearly parallel to the coast almost through
the entire length of the city.

The city has somewhat ungenerously described as having three seasons - hot, hotter and
hottest. Indeed, except for four pleasant months, November to February, the weather is
uniformly hot and humid.... May is the hottest season with the mercury sometimes
touching 42 C and the mean temperature about 33 C. December and January are the
coolest months with a mean temperature of 24 C. Howerver, the cool sea breeze (which
sets in shortly after 3 PM daily) makes even the warmest of evenings bearable. But
venturing out in between noon and 3 PM during April-August is best avoided.

The Chennai monsoon is from October to mid-December - and in a good year (from the
point of view of water-short citizens) the rain on some days during this period can be
quite heavy.

General Information
Chennai, (formerly Madras) the first city of Tamil Nadu, is a comparatively new city. The
erstwhile villages of Mylapore, Triplicane, Ezhambur (Egmore) etc. all now a part of
Chennai, have a recorded historical past centuries older than Chennai. Chennai, the
present gateway to the South of India, is itself, however, only about 350 years old..
"Madrassis are zealous gaurdians of Tamil culture which they regard as inherently
superior to the hybridized cultures further north. They have, for instance, been among the
most vociferous opponents of Hindi being made the national language, and Chennai is the
film Center of tamil Nadu - even the State Chief Minister, Jayalalita*, is an ex-movie
star."
- Quoted from Lonely Planet, travel guide
to India.

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 Getting To Know - Chennai

Particularly charming features of Chennai are its allegiance to ancient traditions, no

matter how modernised it has become, and its willingness to spread out further rather
than develop into a multi-storey concrete jungle. The result is a widespread city still open
to skies; a green, airy city with several vestiges of its rural past; a city that adheres to the
liesurely tempo of life of a world of yesterday; a city whose values of another day still
survive midst of the humdrum bustle of today; a city that still retains the charm, culture
and courtesies of the ages.

How to get there

Many major international airlines have regular direct flights to Chennai. These include:
Air India, British Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air Lanka and Malasia
Airlines. Almost all other international airlines have direct flights to either Delhi or
Bombay to which Chennai is well connected by air, rail and road. Indian Airlines has
daily flights from Chennai to Bombay and Delhi and most International Airlines will
arrange the domestic flight booking with Indian Airlines to Chennai, if you decide to
catch their flights to either Bombay or Delhi.

Chennai is connected to all major cities in India by air and its rail and road network make
the tiniest village easily accessible by comfortable trains and deluxe buses. Airline
resrevations from Chennai can be made at large travel agencies and the respective airlines
offices.

Indian Airlines, 19 Marshall's Road, Chennai 600 008.

Tel: 8555209 8554285 8554749 8592671

Air India, 19 Marshall's Road, Chennai 600 008.

Tel:8554747 (Reservation) 8555013 8552768

Rail reservations can be made at Chennai Central Stations, from 06:30 hrs.
to 20:30 hrs. on weekdays and from 07:30 hrs. to 13:00 hrs. on Sundays.

Bus reservations can be made at Thiruvalluvar Transport Corporation,

Express Bus Stand, Esplanade, Chennai. Tel: 561835, 561836.

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 Getting To Know - Chennai
Eye Opener
Orientation:
Chennai is, where you can touch the air, taste the rain when the monsoons come,
and smell the drenching scent of jasmine everywhere. This is the land where graceful
women in sarees wake early to clean their courtyards with cow dung, and draw
kolams on them--intricate designs with rice flour--while the rest of their families are
still asleep. This is the land where every action, from set tiny a wedding date to
moving a household, is governed by omens, astrologers, and auspicious hours.

Folks:
Although it is the country's fourth largest city, with a cosmopolitan mix of Hindus,
Muslims, Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, and Buddhists, it remains more conservative
than New Delhi, Bombay, or Calcutta.

While a teenager from Bombay may strum a guitar and attend rock concerts,
teenagers in Madras still learn native music from a guru and attend classical Carnatic
concerts.

Women in New Delhi may go to work in westernstyle suits, but the women in Madras
still prefer to wear starched cotton sarees. Men in Calcutta may relax at a local club
sipping vodka, but the Madrasi prefers his strong south Indian coffee, boiled with
milk and flavored with chicory.

Customs:
As the rest of India races to modernize and westernize, this southern metropolis
clings fiercely to its cultural roots and ancient customs.

Chennai - A Holiday Destination?:

With a population of 5.7 million, Madras stretches eight miles along the Coramandel
coast of the Bay of Bengal. In such a large city with such an ancient history (it was
first settled 5,000 years ago by indigenous people called Dravidians) there is enough
to do for a month.But a week's stay makes a good introduction, even if you take it at
a leisurely pace. Walk the main roads, talk to the people (most speak English), spend
an afternoon or two at a bazaar, visit a temple with traditional Hindu sculptures, go
to the beach in the evening as all Madrasis do.

The Language
The Tamil have the oldest cultivated Dravidian language, and their rich literary
tradition extends back to the early Christian era. Tamil is one of the five ancient
languages, which still retains its originality. This language has the unique distinction
of being spoken (to a certain extent) in almost 60 countries. Though it is difficult to
trace the origin of the language, ancient literature attributes its origin far beyond
Cape Comorin. The dialects of the language have been categorised into five -
Kumari, Madurai, Chettiar, Kungu, Thanjai and Chennai Tamil. The differentiation
exists as a spoken language, but follows a uniform rule when writing. Another aspect
is that it is the only South Indian language that is spoken even outside the Dravidian

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 Getting To Know - Chennai
culture.

Learn a few basic tamil phrases now!

Greetings In Tamil
Hello Vanakkam
Thank You Very Much Unnaku Migavum Nanri
Goodbye Nalladu, Varugiren
How Are You ? Neengal Eppadi Irukirergal ?
Fine Thank You Nalam, Nanri
Welcome Nalvaravu
I Love Chennai Naan Chennaiaye Verumbugiren
Chennai Is Beautiful Chennai Azhagagha Ulladu
Hearty Congratulations Manadhara Vaazhthukiren
You Are Beautiful! Neengal Azhaghaga Irukireegal

Enquiry In Tamil
What Is Your Name ? Ungal Peyar Enna?
How Do I Go There? Naan Eppadi Anghu Selven?
How Much Is This? Idu Enna Vilai?
Where Is Your House? Ungaludhaya Veedu Engu Irukiradu?
Where Is The Nearest Police Station ? Kaaval Nilayam Arugil Engu Irukiradu?

Where Can I Go Shopping ? Naan Porutkal Vaanga Engu Selvadu?

Can You Help Me ?
How Is Your Health Now ?
What Are You Doing ?
Would You Join Me For Lunch Today ?
How Do I Go To The Airport ?
What Are The Tourists Spots Around ?
Where Shall We Meet ?
When Was This Built ?
Was There A Call For Me?
Where Can I Make A Phone Call
My Name Is....
I Am A (Profession)
Happy To Meet You
Yes
No
Neengal Ennaku Udavi Seyveergala?
Ungaludaya Udal Nalam Ippo Ebbide Irikidde?
Neengal Enna Seigireergal?
Neengal Enraiku Ennudan Madhya Unavu Sappida
Varuveergala?
Naan Eppadi Vimana Nilayathirku Selvadu?
Sutru Vattarathil Payanigal Sutrula Idangal Enna
Irrukiradhu?
Naam Engu Sandhikalam?
Idhu Eppodhu Kattiyadhu?
Ennaku Edavadu Azhaipu Erukirada?
Naan Tholai Pesiyil Pesa Engu Pogalam?
Ennudaya Peyar ..
Naan Oru ..(Profession)..
Unnai Sandhithadil Maghilchi
Amaam
Illai

General Words & Phrases In Tamil

Please Thayavu Saidu
Sorry Varundukiren
I Will Come Back Naan Thirumbi Varuven
I Want It Ennaku Adhu Vendum
I Don't Want It Naan Idhai Virumbavillai
This Is Good Yidhu Nanraga Ulladhu

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 Getting To Know - Chennai
Let Us Go
Come Tomorrow
Get Me A Glass Of Water
I Want To Try Again
Can I Have The Tariff Card Please
I'ii Meet You At 6.00 In The Evening
Please Translate This Into English
Please Wait Until I Am Back
The Weather Is Pleasant Here
Drive Slowly
Pack These Things
How Much Time Will It Take?
What Is The Cost Of This?
How Soon?
How Much?
Naam Selvom
Naalai Varavum
Ennaku Thannir Kondu Vaa
Naan Marupadi Muyarchi Seyya Virumbugiren
Ennaku Tariff Card Tharuveergala?
Naan Maalai Aru Manikku Ungalai Sandipen
Edhai Angilathil Mathungal
Thayavu Saidu Naan Thirubum Varai Kaathu Irukavum
Engu Vaanilai Midamaga Irukiradu
Meduvaga Ottu
Porutkalai Kattu
Etharku Evvalavu Neram Edukkum?
Yidhan Vilai Enna?
Evvalavu Sekaram?
Evvalavu?

Directions In Tamil
I Want To Go To... Naan ...(Place) Sella Virumbugiren
I Have Lost My Way Naan En Vazhiye Thavari Vitten
Straight Ahead Neragha Sellavum
Go To The Left Idadhu Pakkam Sellavum
Go To The Right Valadhu Pakkam Sellavum
Opposite Ethir Pakkam Sellavum

Do and Don’ts
Language
Good news for visitors - you don't need to speak in Tamil to manage your
way through Chennai. English will do just fine. And in case you know any
other language like Hindi, we still recommend you stick to English.

Clothing
The city is hot and humid. So put away those suits, sweaters and scarves. Chennai
has little use for them. We suggest light cottons instead.

Traffic
Traffic in the city has, of late, turned unruly. So, if you are motoring down the
streets, don't be surprised if pedestrians dart across without warning or motorists
overtake from the wrong side.

Public Transport
If you are looking at economical public transport, the In-city Bus service and the
suburban Trains will prove ideal. But here again, this is only as long as you avoid the
morning and evening rush hours.

Autorickshaws
Be warned - autorickshaw drivers here will demand more than the metered rate
without batting an eyelid. At all times enter the autorickshaw only after you and the
driver are in agreement as to what the fare should be (metered rate, a fixed sum or
metered rate plus a few rupees extra). As much as possible, it is always better to
hail a moving and vacant autorickshaw, than to try and pick one from a stand.

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Drinking Water
Unless you are at a well-run restaurant or hotel, avoid drinking water other than that
from sealed water bottles (mineral water).

Eating out Guide to Chennai

There was a time when eating out in Chennai (when it was still Madras) meant
the local Udipi hotel, or, if you were a carnivore, the local 'Military Hotel'. Times
have changed and now Chennai boasts of a large collection of restaurants in
different flavours, price ranges and ambience. What follows is a necessarily
subjective overview of some of the hot spots of Chennai for eating out.

All restaurants in Film City near the Institute have disappeared (in fact so has
Film City) so your nearest bet is Adyar.

If you can get out of the campus, then Sardar Patel Road in Adyar boasts of quite
a few eating places to suit most pockets. Kwality Riviera and Aditya are two
restaurants offering generic North Indian/Punjabi fare. In addition Aditya also has
a bar. Dinner for two will set you back about Rs. 250. For vegetarians and those
who like a taste of the South, Adyar has some good south Indian vegetarian
places. Khana Khazana in Kasturba Nagar (take a right at the Ceebros traffic
light and go about half a km) used to be a good place for standard South Indian
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 Getting To Know - Chennai
fare like thalis and idlis and dosas and vadas. But now, it retains its name but not
its cuisine. Its changed ownership and now offers a strange mix of Chettinad,
Hong Kong/Chinese/Singapore/Punjabi cuisine (all vegetarian) along with a
minuscule selection of the old stuff i.e idlis and dosas - but the quality ain't the
same and you don't get filter coffee. Why can't these people leave well alone?
The food quality is variable and the prices will set you back about Rs. 150-200 for
two. Adyar Woodlands at Adyar junction has some of the best Rava idlis and
idlis in this part of town but their A/C 'Hall' is dark, dingy and pretty depressing.
Don't go there if you are fussy about ambience. However, you can't beat their
idlis and coffee and now with the effective demise of Chutney, is the only place in
this part of Adyar to offer good wholesome South Indian vegetarian food and
snacks and coffee. A similar place is Vasanta Bhavan on Lattice Bridge Road
which I am told serves decent South Indian snacks and coffee. No personal
experience though.

First Main Road, Gandhi Nagar, Adyar, just behind the Bus Terminus there used
to be a Malaysian/Singapore place Rasa Sayang which was pleasantly different
and reasonably priced. This has now turned into Ming Court and serves mostly
Chinese food though some of the earlier dishes are available. Their entrees are
typically 100 to 120 bucks. Their Lapsa soup priced at Rs 140 is a broth of fish,
egg, sprouts and is a meal in itself. A typical dinner comes to about Rs 130-150
per person. During weekday lunches, there is an executive lunch for Rs. 99
which is a steal. The mysterious part of this restaurant is that the more than half
a dozen times I have gone there, there has never been more than one more
occupied table. Wonder how they survive!

On Lattice Bridge Road (also known by its acronym LB Road - most auto-
rickshaw drivers know only the acronym!), opposite IMCOPS are two restaurants
- Usilampatti serving chettinad style food and above it Jus' Parathas serving
every possible type of stuffed paratha. Food at the former tends to be extremely
spicy and hot unless you order their stews. You can't beat Jus' Parathas for
originality (everything from cheese to scallion to radishes they stuff) and they
come with Chole, Dal Makhni and Raita so one dish (around Rs. 60) is a meal in
itself. Unfortunately, for a fuss pot like me, the stuffings are too spicy and they are
stuffed in like into a Pita Bread. I believe stuffed parathas in the Indian tradition
should be stuffed before rolling out not after. But most people seem to like the
place (what do they know, anyway) so I guess I am in a minority!

If you are now ready to venture further afield, a whole new world of restaurants
awaits you. Dhaba Express on Cenotaph Road (after you come down the
Kotturpuram flyover) has a good vegetarian lunch buffet which is great value for
money at Rs. 51. (You can order non vegetarian dishes separately). It has a large
number of items, and while they don't have interesting vegetables (mostly brinjal,
potatoes, koftas, couple of salads), they are reasonably made and not, for once,
overspiced and there are rustic wooden benches and tables where you can sit in
the open air. They also have a restaurant which is reasonable but somewhat

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pricey. The buffet is immensely popular with the office going crowd so it gets
quite crowded at lunch on weekdays but there is sufficient seating.

The largest number of restaurants though, in terms of density, is on TTK Road

(known earlier as Mowbrays Road). About half a kilometer from Park Sheraton
Hotel, on TTK Road itself is a new Thai restaurant called Benjarong (Five
Colours - Pancharanga). The food is great and authentic Thai since they fly in
most of their ingredients, the interior decoration is lovely, and the tables have
vases with real orchids. The culinary aspect is overseen by a father and daughter
team from Thailand and you will frequently see her in the evening cutting up fruits
in beautiful shapes and designs. Portions are reasonable, and a meal for two
with soup and dessert comes to around Rs. 700. Try their unusual desserts like
Tim Tub Siam - Ruby Water Chestnuts in Coconut Milk. One of the best mid-
range restaurants in Chennai today.

Along TTK Road, opposite Sankara Hall is a whole slew of restaurants of all
varieties and varying quality. Kabul professes to be the place for North West
Frontier food but actually is one of those generic kabab and roti places. Pandiya
Nadu, (metamorphosed from Panjim) as its name suggests, offers Chettinad
cuisine like so many others and the quantities are abysmal. Duchess claims to
serve so-called 'Continental' food and is a place best avoided by people from the
Continent, and in fact elsewhere! Further along TTK Road on the left is a
relatively new place The Big Apple, originally called Stop at Sam's which offers
a rather pleasant selection of Indian, Chinese and Continental food of various
types. The food and ambience are generically good, though not exceptional (an
adjective that can be applied only rarely to Chennai Restaurants) and its also a
good place to make a quick lunch of one of their large sandwich platters. They
also have Quiches and Moussakas but the few times I have been there, these
have not been available. Also ever since the transition from Stop at Sam's to Big
Apple the food quality has definitely deteriorated.

TTK Road crosses a major Road of Chennai at the Music Academy crossing - its
called Radhakrishnan Salai on the right and Cathedral Road on the left. On the
left as you get onto Cathedral Road right at the corner is a multiplex of 4
restaurants (the West has multiplex theatres, Chennai has multiplex restaurant
complexes). Baahar (now renamed Roomalli) is (no prizes for guessing) an
open air place offering generic North Indian and Mughlai fare - the food has
remained at a fairly decent level for many years and costs about Rs. 250 for two.
They will occassionally agree to serve you beer in steel tumblers. Nizam serves
(or rather claims to serve) the famed cuisine of Hyderabad but tends to fall flat on
its face quite often! Palki has nice decor and absolutely ghastly food. Amravati
offers Andhra cuisine and is a typical banana leaf place with mediocre food.

As you go further up Cathedral Road on the right are three restaurants - Don
Pepe, Copper Chimney and China Town. The first serves Mexican and
Spanish food along with some 'Euro-Mex" combos. Its good value for money and

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their platters are very nice - typical platters are around Rs. 150 and with a salad
shared by two, makes for a satisfying meal. Try their Chicken and Avocado
Salad. They have maintained their standards for quite some time now. Their
Mousse is laced with gelatine and is consequently too stiff. They have recently
added 'American' food to their repertoire (did I hear someone say 'What's that?')
which means stuff like roast rack of lamb, clam chowder, baked sea bass and so
on. However they spoil it by serving prawns instead of clams in the chowder and
the only fish they (or, for that matter, any restaurant in Chennai) seem to have
heard of is Seer (Banjaram) - so the variety of fish in the menu is quite limited.
Their Spanish/Mexican is still the better bet, I think. (If you live near Anna Nagar,
a 'xerox' copy of this place is Picasso with an almost identical menu - not
surprising since its run by the same people.) Copper Chimney offers again
generic North Indian/Mughlai food - good but somewhat overpriced like its cousin
in Mumbai. China Town is a reasonably good Chinese restaurant. In both these
restaurants, be prepared to shell out around Rs. 350-400 or more for two.

If instead of turning left onto Cathedral Road you turned right onto
Radhakrishnan Salai then within about a kilometer, there are again a whole host
of restaurants. The New Woodlands hotel on the left is something of an
institution here and serves excellent South Indian thalis and the usual run of
dosas, idli, vadas and so on. Again, typical of a place of this kind. it also serves
excellent South Indian filter coffee. The Savera hotel on the left has Minar which
serves Mughlai food and is highly overpriced. The Piano is a multi-cuisine
restaurant - always a danger in Chennai since it frequently implies a lack of
understanding on the part of the cooks of any of the cuisines. Piano has its share
of Chinese, Continental and Indian dishes. Its continental fare smacks, as with
many restaurants in India, of the Raj era with its collection of Chicken a la Kiev,
Chicken a la King and so on. Unfortunately the fare is on the heavy side, much of
it laced with garlic, cream, mayonnaise used with a heavy hand. The sea food
salad, which could easily be made light and tasty is doused with huge amounts of
mayonnaise making it cloyingly heavy. The a la Kiev has the butter reeking of
garlic. Overall the place has good potential but is spoiled by the lack of a light
and sensitive approach to spices and fat. About Rs. 450 at least, for food without
alcohol. Malgudi in the same hotel serves food from the four Southern states
and is better than similar restaurants elsewhere. However its not cheap and a
meal without alcohol can cost anything between Rs. 300-400. Leaving Savera
behind and moving on, we reach the Karaikudi complex. This has three main
restaurants. Karaikudi provides good Chettinad food from the region of
Karaikudi in Southern Tamil Nadu. For those of you who think eating non-
vegetarian Indian food outside means Tandoori Chicken, kababs and naans, this
is the place to try for something different. The food and ambience are refreshingly
different and definitely worth a visit - about Rs. 250 for two. A popular item
amongst most of our visitors in the Quail (Kadai) roast. Shogun is a generic
Chinese place but also has a sprinkling of Thai, Singapore, and Malaysian
cuisines. Coastline is a pure fish place - a bit cramped but their fish is fresh and
their fish salad and Malabar Fish Curry are worth trying. They have recently

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expanded their bill of fare and have a fairly large variety of sea food. Their mixed
sea food platter is quite nice but very expensive - the full platter varies in cost
depending on availability - the last time we were there it was Rs. 1500 and
enough to be shared among 3 people. They also have large crabs but again
these are very expensive. All these places are in the same price range otherwise
for the standard items.

On the right hand side, facing the Karaikudi complex (almost!) is Saravana
Bhavan Fast Foods. Saravana Bhavan is something of an institution in Madras
and specialises in Thalis and other fast food items. Regrettably, my personal
opinion in this matter is somewhat contrary to that of the general public - I think
these Saravana Bhavan chain of restaurants is highly over-rated and there are
numerous other places in Madras serving better Thalis and Idlis and dosas.

On one of the main arterial roads of Chennai called Nungambakkam High Road
(recently renamed Mahatma Gandhi Salai but nobody, least of all auto drivers,
will know that name) there are a few restaurants which are reasonable. Opal Inn,
which is part of Hotel Ranjith is an old haunt for all types of cuisine - Indian,
Continental, Chinese. The food is unremarkable but if you are in that region and
want a reasonable place to grab a bite, you could try it. Ranjith Hotel roof top
boasts a kabab place which is very good and, unusual for Madras, serves beer.
Further up is Cascade - a Chinese place which again offers some South Eastern
cuisine like Sapo and Satay. Not too authentic though - they tend to substitute
lemon for lemon grass - but if, like most Chennai residents, you don't know the
difference, then its not a bad place to eat. The food, after all, doesn't taste bad!
Their Steam Boat, in fact, is rather good and is a good satisfying meal for two.
There is now a copy of Cascade in Besant Nagar so you might want to try that
since its closer to the institute. Nungambakkam also boasts (?) of Pizza Hut in
Chennai in the Gee Gee complex along with one in Kasturbai Nagar, Adyar, and
has its 'desi' version too - Pizza Corner .

Facing the famed bookstore of Chennai, Landmark, (on Nungambakkam High

Road) on the other side of the road is the new 3 storeyed snazzy Ispahani
shopping Centre. Here there are two placing for eating. Marrybrown, a fast food
place reviewed further down, and in the basement VJ's Diner. This one has a
very ambitious menu - everything from Gyros to Chimichangas, Sea Food Bisque
to Mergez sausages (a kind of north African sausage) and many other so-called
'Latin-American' items. Unfortunately, their enthusiasm far exceeds their skills.
They usually have just one soup (the time we went it was Potato and Leek - nice
but not the most exciting of culinary discoveries). None of their Latin-American
stuff was available and their Gyro turned out to be Chicken (!!) grilled and served
in a paratha like object (no, not a Pita) with lettuce and tomato! However I did
manage to get a Mergez burger once. They also have some Indian food and
sandwiches so not a bad place to stop over if you are shopping in the
Nungambakkam area. Around Rs.200 for two. If you go further up
Nungambakkam High Road where it merges Valluvar Kottam Road towards

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Egmore, there is the Red E Food Court - a food court as its name suggests,
offering a variety of cuisine like Thai, Mexican, Indian etc. Reasonable value for
money and for some reason, kids love the place.

On Thyagaraja Road (Pondy Bazar Road) just after turning in from Mount Road
is the GRT Grand Days hotel (a part of the Days Inn group in the US). This has
good value for money restaurants and also a decent buffet for about Rs. 250.
The Copper Point serves Indian food including the not-so-common South Indian
dishes like Fish Moilee and the like. About Rs. 250-300 per person. The Oriental
Pearl serves Thai and Chinese food in the same price range and has a fairly
wide variety of items. A small sprinkling of other South-East Asian dishes from
Malaysia, Japan etc., are on the menu but are sometimes not available. A nice
starter is their Chicken Satay. Good value for money and though not cheap, far
lower than five star places.

Here is a sprinkling of a few other places you could try in Besant Nagar near the
beach (called Elliot's beach). Eden restaurant near the Besant Nagar bus
terminus is a pleasant pure vegetarian place which serves a wide variety of North
Indian and baked (continental?) items - some quite interesting. For example, they
have the vegetarian version of Spaghetti and Meat Balls by substituting Soya
Nugget balls for the meat balls. They get full marks for novelty though not all their
dishes are a resounding success. Close to Eden is a small place called Bella
Ciao serving (no marks for guessing) Italian cuisine. Its actually run by a Italian
couple and has the usual run of Ravioli, Fettucini, and the like. Its good for a
change but the prices are inflated, the portions tiny (4 small slices of garlic bread
costs Rs.25!) and its definitely not value for money. Its also extremely cramped
and its not pleasant to have your elbow continuously dig into another diner's ribs
(or worse, vice versa!). You get Italian wine but then, I wouldn't want to have
mediocre Italian wine at their prices! They of course serve Italian coffee
(Espresso, Cappucino and so on) but its made very light and watery and the
coffee is not of the highest quality. (For such things go to Coffee? mentioned
below). Their Tira Misu is quite disappointing. I have noticed however that
different people have different reactions to Bella Ciao so I would suggest trying it
once and deciding for yourself. (Update: This place has now moved to
Thiruvanmiyur). Close by is also the new dandified 'avatar' of Sri Krishna Vilas
called Vishranti which offers good South Indian Thalis, Dosas and Idlis and other
such snack items at reasonable prices. Worth a visit if you want a nice place to
sit and good South Indian vegetarian food and excellent filter coffee.

Another place nearby, close to Eden is the oddly named Jelly Belly - its like a
Delicatessen serving vegetarian snacks and desserts (why does Chennai have
so many vegetarian 'yuppie' places?). They have grilled toasts, club sandwiches
(what's a vegetarian club sandwich?) and a fair selection of strawberry, chocolate
and other mousses. Its run by the same family that runs Eden and, if you don't
mind the absence of animal protein, they do it quite well. There is also a Chinese
place nearby called Canton Beach Palms - serving the usual Chinese menu

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available in so many places. The place is nice and airy and prices are about Rs.
150 per person.

A few other places are worth mentioning. Cake Walk in Besant Nagar is a bakery
next to Vishranti and has very nice pastries and Tira Misu. (Avoid their Mousse -
much too gelatinous). And just above is Sage and Onion which as its name
suggest has the standard collection of Continental food - from Chicken
Cacciatore to Lamb Chops in Mint Sauce. However the food and ambience are
rather pleasant though nothing exceptional. I would suggest coming down the
stairs to have your dessert at Cake Walk (its part of the same establishment). In
the same general area and on the same road is Cascade which is a 'branch' of
the one in Nungambakkam and Lotus Pond specialising in the 'Balti Cuisine' of
England - to my knowledge, a non-existent category of cuisine, developed
entirely in England from a mish mash of Indian curry places.

Right on Elliot's beach is a food court called Planet Yumm containing Dominoes
Pizza, Sangeetha Bhavan, Wang's Kitchen, Haveli, and Cafe Coffee Day. There
is also a nice children's play area and it's pleasant to visit in the evenings and sit
outside with the sea close by.

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On Ambujambal Street in Alwarpet is a restaurant in an old style bungalow with a
very pleasant setting called Bay Leaf. Run by a Punjabi-Bengali couple, it has a
combination of Punjabi and Bengali items on the menu and they have a pleasant
place to sit in the verandha. Most things are well made and they have a take out
and delivery called 'Wish-a-dish'. Their speciality is supposed to be Lucknowi
biryani and various kebab items and kathi rolls. Its easy to find - if you are taking
the usual shortcut from Alwarpet junction to Cathedral Road via the Russian
Cultural Centre, you will see it on your right, at the corner of one of the cross
roads, near the Onkyo showroom - at the corner of Kasuri Ranga Road and
Ambujambal Street. Typically Rs. 300 for two which is very reasonable for the
quality and quantity of food. Even though the food is 'North Indian', its a far cry
from the overspiced, heavy and oily food that is passed off as Punjabi-Mughlai
cuisine nowadays, virtually everywhere, and particularly in Chennai which doesn't
know any better.

There is a place which deserves star billing, though its a trifle expensive. This is
the Great Kabab Factory at the Hotel Radisson on GST Road on the way to the
airport (just before Trident). This has a fixed menu of 5 types of kababs (2
chicken, 2 mutton, one fish) which are served freshly made at your table with a
selection of speciality breads (Sheermal, Bakarkhani Roti, Kulcha..). Their
Galauti Kabab is a delight and is made with literally melt in the mouth mutton
mince. You are allowed second servings for each though I doubt you will have
space for them. They also serve, at the end, two types of Dal, vegetables and a
wonderful Chicken or Mutton Biryani but most of the time I have had no space
left for any of this. The bad news is that it costs Rs. 440 per head which is steep
but, IMHO, worth it.

Finally one should mention a new Lebanese place called Cedars in Kotturpuram
near the ICICI bank counter. Nice ambience, good food (they make their own
Kabooz - a kind of Pita) and have lots of different kinds of Kebabs. Try their
appetisers like Hummus. The place is not as good as the old Whistle Stop but it
at least something different. Alas, no Falafel though! About Rs 300-350 per
person. Five Star Places: I can't afford most 5-star places so this list will
necessarily be very selective. The Dakshin at Park Sheraton serves cuisine of
the four southern states. The Peshawari at the Chola Sheraton serves North
West Frontier food and is very good; however you better go there with a fat
wallet, or plastic money (with no worries of paying the bill when it comes) or with
green-backs which automatically give you a 50:1 advantage! The Raintree at the
Connemara serves Chettinad food under a huge raintree and is also worth a visit.
The buffets at the Chola Sheraton at the Mercara and Sagari are of course worth
the money if you are a large eater - they typically cost around Rs. 400. But watch
out - all these 5-star places slap a 20% tax on your bill which can be a substantial
increase in your expense.

A new place on Greenways Road near Pizza Time called Coffee? is a coffee
parlour inspired, no doubt, by Starbucks and offers other than the usual

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vegetarian snack items, a wide variety of coffees from around the world - Thai,
Italian, Colombian, Turkish - you name it. All of them cost Rs. 30 and its a
popular hangout for the (very) young yuppie crowd - on the whole a nice and
cheerful place (if you are not too conscious of your grey hairs) run by a couple of
very friendly young guys. They even have a few books and tank tops on display
and sale!! In the same vein, there is a very yuppie joint called Qwicky's in T.
Nagar on G. N. Chetty Road. Coming from Panagal Park, pass the Vani Mahal
Circle and its almost immediately on your right. They have numerous brands of
coffee and snacks and is a favourite hang out for college kids. If you are on the
wrong side of 30, you are going to feel like a grandfather, in there!! There is now
a Qwicky's in Adyar, not far from the Bata shop at Adyar Circle.

Ice Cream parlours: These are becoming really popular in Chennai. The closest
to the Institute is the one above Adyar Bakery on Sardar Patel Road called
Shakes and Cream - very nice and reasonably priced - though their interior
decorator should be fired! On the other side on First Main Road, Gandhi Nagar,
near the Bata showroom is Baskin Robbins which is also good but with the
Fatherland connection, feels justified in charging high prices. There is Chill Thrill
in Kasturbai Nagar opposite Khana Khazana Restaurant (mentioned above).
There is another in Besant Nagar which is supposed to be good but since I have
never been there, I have forgotten the name! Baskin Robbins at Adyar Circle is
best avoided - the prices are high and the ice cream is not very good.

Finally, last but not the least, Hotel Runs (don't take the name seriously) is a
Kerala Muslim 'Irani' like restaurant which has the cheapest, good Tandoori items
- a half chicken Tandoori costs about Rs. 50. But perhaps, if you are finicky about
where you eat, you should ask them to pack the food...

Fast Food Places

There are suddenly a lot of fast food places in Chennai. In Adyar itself, there's
Pizza Corner at the start of LB Road, with bad pizza but I believe with some
specials which include bottomless Pepsi, Pizza Hut (yes, the original) with nice
ordinary and pan pizza, a salad bar, spaghetti and so on but fairly high prices for
a fast food joint - around Rs. 300 for two. However they occassionally have
special deals advertised in newspapers and those are good value for money. Its
located along Kamaraj Avenue wherein you turn right from Sardar Patel Road at
the Ceebros Arcade on the Kasturba Nagar side. Further down is Domino's (yes,
again the original) whose pizzas are far better than those of the home grown
variety and, in fact, better than Domino's own pizzas in the US!! Also cheaper
than Pizza Hut (a regular with 3 toppings is Rs. 79) and you can order them from
the Institute (1-600-111-123 toll free). There is also a Pizza Hut in the Gee Gee
Emerald complex on Nungambakkam High Road where also, opposite the
Landmark bookstore is the Ispahani shopping complex. This has MarryBrown a
Kentucky Fried Chicken clone from Malaysia, I am told, but its chicken burgers
and fried chicken are even worse than KFC's. Their french fries are like

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matchsticks. Even McDonald's would be better. They have now expanded their
menu with a Kareemeen Burger but I don't know if it makes any difference.
Seems popular with the young crowd though! However just above on the first
floor is the Coffee Day coffee parlour - good coffee, nice ambience and a
pleasant view from the large glass plate windows. Not much to eat though and
the noise, both from the chattering yuppies and the loud music can get on your
nerves.

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A Tour of Madras
Introduction
The Gateway to the South, Madras, the first city of Tamil Nadu, is a comparatively new
city. The erstwhile villages of Mylapore, Triplicane, Ezhambur (Egmore) etc., all now a
part of Madras, have a recorded historical past centuries older than Madras. The present
city of Madras is itself, however, only about 350 years old. The quest of an East India
Company factor, Francis Day, for cheaper cloth and more peaceful surroundings led to
the founding of Madras in 1639. The city of today, one of the great metropolises of the
world, and the fourth largest city in India, grew from the fort Day and his superior
Andrew Cogan built on a narrow spit of no-man's land that Day's dubash Beri Thimanna
negotiated with the local governor of the Vijayanagar Empire. The approximately 5
square kilometre sand strip Day was granted has now grown into a city of about 170 sq.
kms. with a population of 3.25 million. Madras was Britain's first major settlement in
India and it was here that many who went on to build the Empire first learnt their trade.
As a consequence, the city is replete with much that is of significance in British Indian
history. But the much older settlements have stories to tell too, and so the city is an
amalgam of ancient and more modern history. Everywhere one goes in Madras, one can
find history written in every name. Particularly charming features of Madras are its
allegiance to ancient traditions, no matter how modernised it has become, and its
willingness to spread out further rather than develop into a multi-storey concrete jungle.
The result is a widespread city still open to the skies; a green, airy city with several
vestiges of its rural past; a city that adheres to the leisurely tempo of the life of a world of
yesterday; a city whose values of another day still survive midst the humdrum bustle of
today; a city that still retains the charm, culture and courtesies of the ages.

In this gracious, spacious city there is much to see. A suggested tour round the city is best
completed by following this route: Fort St. George, High Court Complex, George Town,
Corporation Complex, Patheon Complex, Valluvar Kottam, Kodambakkam, St. Thomas
Mount, Guindy National Park, Kalakshetra, Elliot's Beach, Theosophical Society, the
Shrines of Mylapore & Triplicane Government Estate, the Marina and Anna Salai.

FORT ST. GEORGE

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The fort that grew into a metropolis. The building of the nucleus of this fort in 1640 was
the first step towards the founding of Madras - and an Empire. The fort itself growing
over the year and is one of the finest examples in India of British military construction.
Within its solid walls and sturdy gates is much that is historic. Clive's Corner, in the
house where Robert Clive lived, commemorates the Empire-builder who first learnt his
trade here. St. Mary's Church, consecrated in
1680 and the oldest Protestant Church in the East,
contains several antiquities, not the least being the Fort St. George
oldest British tombstones in India and memories of
weddings in which Clive and Elihu Yale (benefactor of America's famed Yale University),
Arthur Wellesley (who became Wellington) and Warren Hastings participated. Wellesley
House is where Wellesley lived on his first active military duty. The Legislature and
Secretariat of the Tamil Nadu government are built around a core that was Fort House,
the home of the first governors of Madras. And the Fort Museum, once a building that
housed Madras's first lighthouse, first commercial bank and first `club', is now a well-
kept repository of tangible memories of Early Madras.

HIGH COURT COMPLEX

On the site of Fort St. George's first Indian town has come up the splendid Indo-Saracenic
buildings of the High Court and the Law College. Near the College was an ancient
British cemetery; all that is now left of it here is a couple of tombs, including one of
David, son of Elihu Yale. Near the High Court building is the city's second lighthouse
tower and the highest point in the Court building once housed the third lighthouse.

GEORGE TOWN
This rabbit's warren of straight and narrow, criss-crossing streets is the Indian town that
developed as Fort St. George grew. Today, it is the commercial heart of the city, throbbing
with life from dawn to dusk, its streets packed with crowds of traders , buyers and their
employees. After dusk, the true citizens of George Town, those in mansions atop
dilapidated shops or in the more traditional 18th Century homes in the northern reaches,
take over. And George Town becomes a vibrant town within a city. Rajaji Salai (North
Beach Road) separates George Town from the Harbour and, along one side of it, starting
with the earliest British commercial house, Parry's, are several of the major commercial
institutions in Madras and many a building of 18th and 19th century architectural
splendour. Bentinck's Building, the Collectorate, is one of them; once it was the home of
the city's first Supreme Court. The northern limits of George Town are marked by Old
Jail Road and Clive Battery, the old town walls still visible in parts. The western
boundary of George Town is Wall Tax Road, commemorating another boundary wall -
and an ill-fated tax - that is no more.

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CORPORATION COMPLEX
One of the most beautiful of the more modern British constructions in Madras is Ripon
Building, home of the Madras Corporation, the oldest municipality in India. This
splendid domed vision in white, built in 1913, is part of a large municipal complex that
includes parks and gardens, Nehru Stadium, Victoria Public Hall, a public meeting place
out of the gaslight era, and Moore market, a fascinating shopper's paradise that is part of
the ethos of Madras. Not far away are the College of Arts and Crafts, which has a nice
permanent exhibition, and the imposing stone headquarters of the Southern Railway.

PANTHEON COMPLEX
Once British Society in Madras used to meet in the Pantheon. Its 18th century buildings
and grounds have since then developed into the Connemara Library, one of the
country's beautiful building of Jaipuri-Mughal architecture, the Government Museum
with its fabulous collection of bronzes and the Museum Theatre, a quaint theatre that is
another building out of the gaslight era.

GOVERNMENT MUSEUM (Pantheon

Road)
Established in 1857, it is undoubtedly one of the country's finest museums. It has sections
devoted to geology, archeology, anthropology, botany, zoology, sculpture and
numismatics. Its most prized posessions are the relics from 2nd century AD Buddhist site
of Amaravati and the prehistoric antiques of South India. The
sculpture gallery has exquisite carvings of the Hindu,
Buddhist and Jain faiths, an interesting collection of wood Government Museum
carvings from processional temple chariots and also a fine
collection of South Indian musical instruments and jewellery. The bronze gallery, the
country's finest, has superb ancient icons and modern bronzes, including the famous
bronze Natraja and the beautiful set of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman.
Timings: 08.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs. Closed on Fridays and national holidays.

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NATIONAL ART National Art Gallery

GALLERY
Fine collection of old paintings. On display are 10th and 13th century bronzes, 16th-18th
century Rajsthani and Mughal paintings, 17th century Deccani paintings and 11th and
12th century Indian handicrafts. The collection is housed in a beautiful Mughal style
building with an exquisitely wrought pink sand-stone facade.
Timings: 0800 to 1700 hrs. Closed on Fridays and national holidays.

V ALLUVAR K OTTAM
A unique bit of modern building in the city is the huge auditorium that draws its
inspiration from the great temple builders of Tamil Nadu's past. Built in 1976, the
imposing merhorial to the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar is a replica of the famed temple
chariot of Thiruvaroor, and succeeds in evoking the beauty of the
centuries-old masterpiece. The lifesize statue of the saint
Thiruvalluvar is seated in the 33 m tall chariot. The lower portion
of the chariot has bas-relief sculptures depicting the 133 chapters of the sacred
'Thirukkural'. The Valluvar Kottam auditorium seats 4000 and claims to have Asia's
largest seating capacity. The lovely, terraced roof garden has two large pools.

KODAMBAKKAM
India produces the largest number of films in the world annually and more than half of
them are in the four southern languages, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada.
Kodambakkam is the `Hollywood' of India's south, its High Road lined with film studios,
with many a star living not far away.

THE THOMAN TRADITION

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South India's links with Christianity go back almost to the times of Jesus. One of the
Disciples, Thomas Dydimus (`Doubting Thomas'), is believed to have preached the
gospel on both southern coasts and spent his last year in the villages near what became
Madras. Little Mount, where Thomas is said to have lived, has an old Portuguese shrine,
a newer church that could only be described as `mod', a spring with miraculous properties
and some `imprints' of the saint. It is said that Thomas used to walk from here to the
beach at San Thome daily to preach and when he was killed on St. Thomas Mount, just
outside City limits, he was buried on the beach. He was later reinterred a little inland, on
the site where later churches rose, the latest of the San Thome Basilica, in whose crypt
are some relics of the saint. On his way back to the two Mounts, it is said that he used to
rest at a spot near Mylapore on which a Portuguese later built Descanco Church. The
church atop St. Thomas Mount is a major Roman Catholic pilgrim centre, the Church of
the Madonna of the Mount having a `Bleeding Cross' and a painting believed to have
been done by St. Luke.

GUINDY NATIONAL PARK

Once this was all part of Governor's Estate, now it is fragmented and the major part is a
thickly forested game sanctuary where the spotted deer and the black buck roam and a
wealth of smaller fauna thrive. This is the country's only wild life sanctuary within a
city's limits. Raj Bhavan, the governor's mansion, occupies one end of the park, and at
the other is the beautiful forest-girt campus of Madras's famous Indian Institute of
Technology, one of Asia's foremost educational institutions. In between and edging the
road, are a famous Cancer Institute, a Children's Park with its own mini-zoo and mini-
railway, a Snake Park rich in reptiles, and Memorials to Gandhiji, Rajagopalachari the
first Indian Governor-General, and Kamaraj, a major Tamil national leader. Opposite the
park are the Anna University of Technology, whose nucleus was the oldest technical
school in the East, and the Central Leather Research Institute. To the east of the park
as well as at the back of it sprawls the campus of the Central Institutes of Technology.
Not far away is one of the country's finest Race-courses.

KALAKSHETRA
December-January is a splendid time to be in Madras, for it is the music festival season,
when there are concerts of classical Carnatic music (and now Hindustani as well) and
recitals of classical Bharata Natyam everywhere. But year round, Kalakshetra, an
internationally renowned teaching institute, reverberates with classical music and dance.
Founded by that unique exponent and innovator of classical dance, Rukmini Devi
Arundale, its dance dramas are spectacular, its song and dance pristine. And its Kala
Mandalam is an auditorium of unique traditional architecture. Handicrafts are also

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taught here. Not far away is Cholamandalam, a cooperative artists' colony where
modern art and open air theatre thrive.

E LLIOT'S B EACH
Until not so long ago, the City's bathing beach it is now another `lung' of Madras, popular
with a crowd less in love with the water. Pleasant, safe for swimming, ideal for lazy
lounging and picnicking. A stone memorial to a Danish sailor, Karl Schmidt, who lost his
life rescuing a drowning swimmer, is a landmark.
About a kilometer to the north of the Elliot's beach is a nice, clean and quiet stretch of the
beach, behind the Theosophical Society headquarters. Here, the river Adyar meets the
sea. This place can be of interest to bird-watchers - a variety of birds like egrets, pond-
herons and flamingoes are seen here.
To the south are the new shrines of the City, the Ashtalakshmi Temple - the
country's newest shore temple to the eight forms of the goddess Lakshmi - a Ganesh
Temple and the Velankanni Church said to have the same miraculous attributes as
the mother shrine in the south.

T HEOSOPHICAL S OCIETY
In the vast Besant Gardens, now unfortunately being abbreviated due to the exigencies of
the times, are the World Headquarters of the Theosophical movement founded by
Madame Blavatsky and Col. Olcott. The Headquarters Building is a superb old mansion
with a vast hall where silence is revered. In the
grounds of the Society are a huge old Banyan
Tree, believed to be the second largest in India, Huge old Banyan tree, Besant Gardens, Adyar
shrines of all faiths, a serene Garden of
Remembrance and a fine Library with a superb collection of old Eastern manuscripts.

H ALLOWED S HRINES
In a city full of places of all faiths, some are more hallowed than others. Of these, some
date to the Madras Age that began in 1639, others go back centuries to Pallava times. In
ancient Mylapore, known to Ptolemy as the great port of Maillarpha, is the famed
Kapaleeswarar Temple. The present temple, built on the site of the ancient shrine
dedicated to Lord Shiva, is at least 300 years old and has one of the most striking
gopurams (towers) in South India. Not far away is the Vaishnava Parthasarathy Temp le
a splendid Pallava creation of the 8th century. In George Town are the earliest temples of
the Madras Era - the twin Chenna Kesava - Chenna Mallikeswarar Temples are the
first temples of the modern city, and not much newer are the Kandaswamy Temple, the
Kapaleeswarar Temple and the Ekambareswarar Temple nearby. More modern Hindu
shrines include the Vadapalani Andavar Temple and the temples of Mambalam.
Older than the temples of George Town is the
Roman Catholic Portuguese Church nearby,
perhaps the first church in British India. Other Kapaleeswarar Temple at Mylapore
churches of George Town with a 300-year-old

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history but with reconstructed building are Armenian Church and St. Mary's Co-
Cathedral. Luz Church in Mylapore, however, has a history going back to the first
Protuguese settlement in San Thome. Once the British were established in Madras, they
built some fine churches with towering steeples, like St. George's Cathedral and St.
Andrew's Kirk, both with several fine monuments. The Big Mosque, associated with the
Wallajah Nawabs, is the finest mosque in Madras, but the new Thousand Lights
Mosque brings modern architectural splendour to mosque-building. Mint Street has
several old jain temples, but in GNC Road there is the new Shantinath Temple that is
strikingly beautiful.

GOVERNMENT ESTATE
It's heart is erstwhile Government House, used as the governor's mansion from the time
the British governors moved out of the Fort till their Indian successors moved into the
smaller country mansion in Guindy in the post-Independence age. With the move, t his
splendid mansion in the heart of the city has become a legislators' hostel. Rajaji Hall is
the stately Banqueting Hall that the second Lord Clive built as an adjunct to Government
House. Gandhi Illam, a little corner of these vast grounds, is a small museum
commemorating the Father of the Nation.

THE MARINA
Stretching two miles, from the mouth of the Cooum River south of the Fort, till the
northern boundaries of the 16th centurey Portuguese town of San Thome, is this
magnificent beach drive and promenade. To the
east of the road is the promenade, well-kept
gardens and a wide beach with claims to being the Marina Beach
world's second largest. At the north end of the
beach is Anna Square, the serene resting place of Dr C N Annadurai, who founded a
populist party that ushered in anew the ancient glory of Tamil and the Tamils. His

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Samadhi is marked by a beautiful park, a striking memorial sculpture and daily crowds
paying homage. At the other end of the beach is the new lighthouse. In between, sentinels
on the promenade, are several statues of Tamil scholars and two splendid bits of sculpture
- the Victory of Labour and Mahatma Gandhi. Madras's Aquarium is also on this
beach. Across the road are several important buildings of Madras. The University
campus has Indo-Saracenic of the 1930s blending with perhaps one of the country's
finest buildings in this hybrid style, Senate House, built by one of the founders of the
modern version of this school of architecture. R F Chisholm, in mid-19th century.
Chrisholm's PWD buildings front striking Chepauk Palace, once the home of the
Nawabs of the Carnatic, but now government offices whose exteriors still reflect Nawabi
splendour. Presidency College, another Chisholm masterpiece, was the nucleus of the
125-year-old University of Madras. Vivekananda House, now a hostel, was once a
storehouse for imported ice, then home of Swami Vivekananda when he visited Madras.
The long and impressive Office of the Director-general of Police, another 19th century
construction, was built as the City's first Masonic hall.

OTHER BUILDINGS
In addition to the several buildings mentioned earlier, Madras has several fine example of
British-Indian architecture of the 18th and 19th centuries. These include Amir Mahal,
where the descendants of the Nawabs of Carnatic live, Moubray's House where the
Madras Club functions and its first building now in Express Estate, the GPO and
adjacent State Bank buildings, Doveton House that is part of the Women's Christian
College campus, the Madras Literaty Society's building and several stately old homes.

Excursions from Madras

Mamallapuram (58 km)
Also known as Mahabalipuram, this ancient sea port was built by Emperor
Mahendravarman Pallava in the 7th century. From here ships left for countries in
south-east Asia and the Mediterranian carrying not only traders but people who
emigrated to countries like Indonesia, Thailand and Combodia. Over the passage
of time Mamallapuram ceased to function as
a port but its glory lived on in its finished and
unfinished temples and monuments. Time Sunrise at the shore temple of Mahabalipuram
and natural forces have wrought changes
onthe solid rock surface of these monuments but each sculpture and image still
succeeds in conveying a message of beauty and harmony. Mamallapuram bears
testimony and pays tribute to its Pallava artists and to the culture of South India.
Among the places of interest are Arjuna's Penance, Krishna Mandapa,

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Mahishasuramardini Cave, Mandapams, Pancha Rathas, Shore Temple and
Varaha Mandapa.

Pulicat (54 km)

This is the site of an old Dutch settlement dating back to 1609. Today, Pulicat is a
picnic spot famed for its lake. There are amenities of sort for swimming, fishing,
and windsurfing. History-buffs can wander around the ancient Dutch cemetery
with its well-preserved tombstones.

Cholamandalam Artists' Village (28 km)

Contemporary art, sculpture, batik and craft flourish in this little palm-studded
sea-rimmed artists' commune that was 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.

Kovalam (43 km)

A picturesque fishing village en route to Mamallapuram. It has an idyllic, golden
beach and a charming luxury hotel beach resort that's been ingeniously
integrated with the remains of a fort. The resort offers delicious sea food and
facilities' for such watersport as swimming and windsurfing. The ruins of the old
fort, an ancient Catholic church and a mosque make interesting viewing.

V.G.P. Golden Beach Resort (30 km)

This is a cleverly planned beach resort geared to entertain the visitor with
sculptured vignettes from the past, folk dances and ethnic sea food cuisine. Its
unique stretch of spotlessly clean golden sand is a warm invitation to sun-bathers
and the surf beckons the seabather. The V.G.P. Art Centre, a part of the resort
complex, sells merchandise ranging, from sea shells to rural handicrafts. Pretty
tacky and tastelessly done!

MGM Dizee World (20 km)

An amusement park complete with Roller Coasters and Water Slides and Giant
Catherine Wheels - fun place for kids.

Dakshina Chitra (immediately next to Dizee World)

A reasonably new place presented by the Madras Crafts Foundation as a show
piece of different living styles in the South. Contains recreations of Brahmin,

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Chettinad, a 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.

Crocodile Bank (31 km)

Several species of Indian and African crocodiles and alligators bred in captivity
are kept here in open pools. Visitors can view the reptiles from close but safe
proximity. There is also a small snake farm here that conducts demonstrations of
venom extraction.

Kancheepuram (75 km)

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 they left behind 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. The best way to see the temples is to hire a bicycle or a cycle-
rickshaw driver for the day and have plenty of baksheesh ready for the temple
guides, shoe-minders and riff-raff who will relish your arrival.

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Maps
Districts of Tamilnadu

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Map of Chennai

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