Chennai, also known as Madras, the fourth largest city in India and the capital of Tamilnadu. The city sprawls over more than 70 square km. Chennai is located at 13.04° N 80.17° E on the southeast coast of India and in the northeast corner of Tamil Nadu. It is located on a flat coastal plain known as the Eastern Coastal Plains. The city has an average elevation of 6 metres (20 feet), its highest point being 60 m (200 ft). Two rivers meander through Chennai, the Cooum River (or Koovam) in the central region and the Adyar River in the southern region.The population of Chennai is 5.9 million. Many of the Indian languages are spoken in Chennai, though the main language of Chennai is Tamil. For travelers with an interest in the colonial history of India, Chennai has much worth exploring and abundant transport operations make other parts of the country readily accessible.

History
For more than 2000 years the area has been popular with seafarers, spice traders and cloth merchants. The 16th century saw the arrival of the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch. In 1693, the British East India Company established a settlement in the fishing village of Madraspatnam. For St. George was constructed over a period of 15 years and finally completed in 1653. George town grew in the area of the fort and was granted its first municipal charter in 1688 by James II, making it the oldest municipality in India. During the 18th and 19th centuries, French and British traders competed for supremacy in India. In the 19th century, the city became the seat of the Madras presidency, one of the four divisions of British imperial India. After independence, it continue to grow into what is now a significant southern gateway.

Special Events
Carnatic Music & Dance held in mid Dec to mid Jan is the best overview of the classical south Indian music & dance and the Kalakshetra Arts Festival is famous for cultural arts, held in Dec/Jan.

Places Of tourist interest

The Marina Beach: 
Stretching two miles, from the Coovum River's mouth, south of the Fort, till the northern boundaries of the 16th century Portuguese town of San Thome, is this magnificent beach drive and promenade. At the southern end of the Marina is the San Thome basilica, built in 1896. To the east of the road is the Promenade, well-kept gardens and a wide beach which claims to being the world's second longest. At the north end of the beach is Anna Square, the serene resting place of Dr.C.N.Annaduari, who founded a populist party that ushered in anew the ancient glory of Tamil Nadu and the Tamils. His samadhi is marked by a beautiful park, a striking memorial sculpture and crowds pay homage daily.

Sri Kapaleeswar Temple
This ancient Shiva temple is a delightful introduction to Dravidian temple sculpture and architecture. Fragmentary inscriptions date back to 1250 AD, but the present structure is the renovated one which was rebuilt by the Vijayanagara kings in the 16th century. The magnificent 37m tall gopuram is profusely carved. The crowded cosmogeny of Stucco gods, goddesses and saints depict important Puranic legends.

The Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna
The Universal Temple of Sri Ramakrishna located within the premises of the Ramakrishna Mutt in Mylapore is a standing mounument dedicated to Sri Ramakrishna , a symbol of Universal Religion.The temple's architecture blends with the traditional South Indian Temple architecture.

Valluvar Kottam
Valluvar Kottam , the standing memorial to immortal Tamil Poet-Saint Thiruvalluvar 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 39 metre tall chariot. 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 Valluvarkottam is said to be the largest in Asia and can accommodate about 4000 people.