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PRIME ATTRACTIONS ::
Fort
St. George:
The British East India Company under the direct
supervision of Francis Day and Andrew Cogon
built Fort St. George in 1640 AD. The fort houses
St. Mary's Church and fort museum. St. Mary's
Church is the oldest Anglican Church in India
built in 1680 and the tombstones in its courtyard
are the oldest British tombstones in India.
This ancient prayer house solemnized the marriages
of Robert Clive and Governor Elinu-Yale, who
later founded the Yale University in the States.
Today the fort is used by the state legislative
assembly and as the secretarial offices of the
Tamil Nadu government.
The flagstaff at Fort St. George
is still the tallest in India. South of the
Fort is the War Memorial, a graceful monument
built in 1939 in memory of the warriors who
sacrificed their lives during the First World
War. The Island Grounds, the biggest lung space
in the city is situated on an island formed
by the river Cooum. This ground is the eventful
venue of Trade and the Tourist Fairs held periodically
which are seasonal attractions. The High Court
with the decorative domes and corridors reminiscent
of Indo/Saracenic architecture and the adjacent
Parry's corner are the important landmarks of
Chennai.
Fort
Museum:
This museum contains many relics pertaining
to the tenure of the East India Company and
British India. It has a collection of contemporary
paintings as well as the rare exhibits of weapons,
uniforms, coins, costumes, medals and some other
artifacts dating back to the British period.
Kapaleeswarar
Temple:
The biggest temple in the city, it is dedicated
to Lord Shiva. The temple contains inscriptions
dating back to the 13th century AD, and is a
fine specimen of the Dravidian style of architecture.
The 37-metre gopuram is especially noteworthy
for its intricate carvings that depict stories
from Hindu mythology.
Sri
Parthasarathi Temple:
The temple built in the 8th century is dedicated
to Lord Krishna. It was built under the patronage
of the Pallavas. It houses the idols of the
five avataras of Sri Vishnu and has a small
temple shrine dedicated to Vishnu's consort,
called as Vedavalli Ammai in the native language
of the region.
Santhome
Cathedral:
San Thome at the southern end of Marina derives
its name from St Thomas, the apostle of Christ
who is believed to have come to Madras sometime
during 52 AD. He was killed on St Thomas Mount
just outside the city in 78 AD and was interned
in San Thome beach where a church was later
built. Several years later, another church was
built further inland and his mortal remains
were transferred from the old church to the
new one. In 1606 the church was rebuilt as a
cathedral and in 1896 it was made a basilica.
The beautiful stained glass window at the basilica
portrays the story of St Thomas and the central
hall has 14 wooden plaques depicting scenes
from the last days of Christ. In the cathedral
is a 3 ft high statue of Virgin Mary, which
is believed to have been brought from Portugal
in 1543.
The
Snake Park and Children's Park:
The snake park attracts visitors of all ages
as it houses a variety of Indian snakes and
reptiles, which can be viewed from close quarters.
Adjacent to the snake park is a children's park,
which has a large playing ground and a good
collection of birds and animals.
The
Marina Beach:
Lining the east of the city is the famous Marina
Beach. Supposed to be the second longest beach
in the world, it is 12 km long. The beach can
be ideally visited in the early mornings or
in the late evenings when the area becomes a
virtual fair ground with food stalls and other
entertainments.
The
Theosophical Society:
The world headquarters of the Theosophical Society,
formed to facilitate and encourage the study
of comparative religion, philosophy and science
is situated in beautiful sylvan settings in
Adyar. The society was founded by Madame Blavatsky
and Col. Olott in USA, and later moved to Adyar
in 1882. Apart from shrines of all faiths and
the peaceful Garden of Remembrance, there is
a 95-year old library which has a very good
collection of rare Oriental manuscripts written
on palm leaves and parchment.
Kalakshetra:
In Thiruvanmiyur, beyond Elliot's beach, is
Kalakshetra or 'Temple of Art'. It was founded
in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale to train, encourage
and revive interest in Bharatanatyam, which
is the classical dance form of the state and
also textile designing and weaving. This institution
is among the finest of its kind in the country
and is run on the ancient gurukulam system.
Throughout the year Kalakshetra conducts music
recital and dance performances in different
parts of Chennai.
Birla
Planetarium:
The Birla Planetarium at Kotturpuram, between
Adyar and Guindy, is the most modern planetarium
in the country. It houses a fully computerized
projector to depict the skies. Adjoining the
planetarium is a Periyar Science and Technology
Museum, which will be of interest to students
and other science scholars.
National
Art Gallery and Government Museum:
The museums situated in the heart of the city
at Egmore were founded in 1857. It houses various
sections on archaeology, geology, anthropology,
numismatics, botany and zoology. There is also
a fine collection of sculpture and armory in
the museum.
Anna
Square:
The mortal remains of Dr. C.N. Annadurai, former
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was buried at the
Anna Square, which is at the northern end of
Marina Beach. Situated about 30 km from the
city, the Anna zoological park is spread over
an area of 510 hectares. Its main attractions
are safari parks, a nocturnal animal house,
an Aquarium, Natural Museum and many others.
Valluvar
Kottam:
The memorial to the poet-saint Tiruvalluvar
is shaped like a temple chariot and is, in fact,
the replica of the temple chariot in Thiruvarur.
A life-size statue of the saint has been installed
in the chariot, which is 33m tall. The 133 chapters
of his famous work Thirukkural have been depicted
in bas-relief in the front hall corridors of
the chariot. The auditorium at Valluvar Kottam
is said to be the largest in Asia and can accommodate
about 4000 people. It stands as a modern memorial
to the great poet who represents the glorious
culture of the Tamils.
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