Category: Chennai

Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, is one of the most visited cities in India due to its abundance of historic landmarks, cultural attractions, and delicious cuisine. This bustling metropolis on the Coromandel Coast was originally known as Madras. Chennai is the gateway to South Indian art, culture, and traditions, housing as it does the resplendent traditional dance form of Bharatnatyam, the rich flavours of its signature food, the lustrous silk sarees traded here, and the exquisite temples and cathedrals. You can use this city as a jumping-off point for excursions to other parts of Tamil Nadu.

Heritage coexists with a thriving seaport, eccentric cafes, a multi-transport system, theme parks, industrial hubs, hi-tech parks, universities, and expansive beaches dotted with natural and man-made treasures. All walks of life are represented in its population, which includes native-born citizens, foreign workers, and in-migration from other parts of India. Chennai has received the nickname “Detroit of India” due to the large number of automobile assembly plants found in and around the city.

The city’s name has been attributed to a number of different sources. During the time of the Nayakar dynasty, the city was known as Madras; this name was taken from the nearby city of Madraspattinam. To the north of where modern-day Fort St. George stands, there once stood a fishing town. The Secretariat Complex of the Government of Tamil Nadu is located in Fort St. George, on land that was sold to the British by the ruler of Vijaynagar. The name Madraspattinam was kept by the British officers stationed there. The natives typically referred to it as Chennapattinam. Alternatively, the city was supposedly called after a Nayak king named Damal Chennappa Nayakkar. The city was officially renamed Chennai by the government in 1996, and that name has stuck.