 HOST
CITY
Chennai (formerly called Madras) is the fourth
largest city in India and the capital of Tamilnadu. The city originated
from a small village called Madrasapattinam situated a few miles
from Mylapore (home of the peacocks). In 1639, the British East
India Company, a company of traders, established a fort and trading
post at this small fishing village and gradually annexed the whole
country. Chennai has a Municipal Corporation which is over 300 years
old.
Chennai is also the home to the 120 year old Madras SPCA; The Animal
Welfare Board of India; the Madras Pinjrapole (a home for old cattle)
and home, since 1959, to the group that was formally registered
in 1964 as the Blue Cross of India, the proponents of the spay/neuter
and release programme for street dogs which was called the Animal
Birth Control (or ABC) programme to indicate that control of the
street dog population is as simple as ABC!
Among must-see places in the city are the Fort Museum; the Madras
Museum; Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore and Sri Parthasarathy Temple
in Triplicane; Santhome Cathedral and St. Thomas Mount; and the
Marina Beach.
Kanchipuram is 70 kms from Chennai and Mahabalipuram is
60 kms away. Both are world heritage sites. The shore temple at
Mahabalipuram has withstood the pounding waves of the Bay of Bengal
since the eighth century as well as the tsunami of 2004. After the
tsunami, yet another temple that had formerly lain submerged is
visible.
The Rajagopuram of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, Srirangam, Tirucirapalli
soars through 13 tiers to 236 feet (75 meters) and is the tallest
temple tower in Asia – taller than Angkor Wat.
Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
click here for images of Chennai, India
More information can be obtained from the web at:
www.mapsofindia.com
www.tourismindia.com
www.indiatravelog.com
www.tourismindiaonline.com
www.indias-best.com
AfA2007@gmail.com |
