Tamil Nadu constitutes the south-eastern extremity of the Indian peninsula. Chennai is the capital city of the State, besides being an important district. The district city is the most peaceful and green metropolis in India and serves as the gateway of the culture of South India. Chennai, a cosmopolitan city playing an important role in the historical, cultural and intellectual development of India, representing still the distinct components of the highest form of Dravidian civilisation. In addition, it holds out an interesting fare of South Indian architecture, music, dance, drama, sculpture and other arts and crafts. With a vast population of about six million people, Chennai is a city that is growing, expanding and changing vigorously.

Chennai is situated on the north-east end of Tamil Nadu on the coast of Bay of Bengal. It stretches nearly 25.60 kms, along the Bay coast from Thiruvanmiyur in the south to Thiruvottiyur in the north and runs inland in a rugged semi-circular fashion. It is bounded on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the remaining three sides by Chengalpattu and Thiruvallur Districts.

Chennai is a low-lying area and the land surface is almost flat like a pancake. The even topography of the land throughout the district renders sub-divisions into natural regions rather difficult. It rises slightly as the distance from the sea-shore increases but the average elevation of the city is not more than 22' above mean seal-level, while most of the localities are just at sea-level and drainage in such areas remains a serious problem. From very early times, Chennai was known for its pleasant scenery and was said to be a town open to sky and full of garden of mangoes, coconuts, guavas, oranges, etc.

The city is intersected by two languid streams, the Cooum and the Adyar. Cooum runs through the heart of the city and enters the sea in-between the university buildings and the Fort. St. George underneath the Napier Bridge, while the latter wends its way through the southern part of the city and enters the sea near Adyar. These two rivers are almost stagnant and do not carry enough water except during rainy seasons. Cooum river starts from Kesavaram Anicut in Kesavaram village built across Kortaliyar river. The surplus from Cooum tank joins this course at about 8 kms. lower down and this point is actually the head of Cooum river which is located at 48 kms. west of Chennai. The river receives a sizeable quantity of sewage from its neighbourhood for disposal. Though the river Adyar can be traced to a point near Guduvancheri village, it assumes the appearance of a stream only after it receives the surplus water from the Chembarambakkam tank as wells as the drainage of the areas in the south-west of Chennai. The river has no commercial importance, but the fishermen in the neighbourhood make their living by fishing in the river.

Capital City of Tamilnadu, it is both the commercial and cultural capital of South India. Export oriented zone promoting Textiles, Leather, Chemicals etc.,

Chennai the fourth largest city in india, Infact, Chennai is an age-old name, Chennapatinam, dug-up, dusted and set on pedestal again! Chennai,widely known as Madras till 1996.

The first British warehouse came up in 1639 when the British acquired the sandy beach from the local nayaks on lease. It was called Madraspatinam then.

Triplicane was rented from the Sultan of Golconda in 1676. The Fort House, which housed the Governor and his council were added in the 17th century, the Assembly Hall in 1910and the secretariate in 1925.

Until Independence, Madras was the capital of what in British times was called the Madras Presidency, comprising nearly the whole of South India, including the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada speaking areas.

"Madraspatnam" was selected by early English merchants of the East India Company as a site for the settlement.

Chennai was the first British 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 Chennai, one can find history written in every name.

Chennai, previously called Madras, is comparatively a new city, about 350 years old. The erstwhile villages of Mylapore, Triplicane, Ezhambur (Egmore), etc., all now a part of Chennai, have a recorded historical past centuries older than Chennai.

It is the gateway to Southern India ,It was developed after 1639 when the British East India Company established a fort and trading post at the small fishing village of Chennai. It is the capital city of Tamilnadu state. This coastal center of trade has drawn traffic from all over the world for centuries and maintains a cosmopolitan quality as well as a Tamil air.

The blue waters of Bay of Bengal mingle with the golden sands at the beaches of Chennai. Chennai attained a significant place during the British Rule. It is one of the four metropolitan cities of India. Chennai has a lot to offer to tourists in the form of ancient temples and Museums, Churches and forts built during the British rule.

It presents a culture that is distinct from that of the northern part of India and is famous for its traditional yet modern outlook. Chennai is a city where the traditional and the modern blend in life everywhere.

From traditional vegetarian fare to fast foods, from nine-yard saris to the latest in fashion, from ancient temple architecture to modern high-rise - with Indo-Saracenic and Victorian as stops along the way - from classical music and dance to discos throbbing to heady beats, Chennai has them all and many more vivid contrasts that are a pleasant surprise.

People in Chennai are deep rooted in their cultural moorings and traditions.

The local Tamils are a majority but you will find a fair sprinkling of people from almost all the other states of india.

Take a busride to the 'Town' and you will feel at home if you are Hindi-speaking person: or to the north Chennai where you will hear the sing-song sweetness of Telugu. Bengali, Gujarathi and the inevitable Malayalam also brush past your ears.

Being situated at the tropical zone, Chennai normally has a very hot and humid climate. The best time to visit this city is the winter season.

Winter and summer temperature does not vary much as it rains frequently through the year May is the hottest month (42degree C) when you wont need much clothing, what little you wear can be flimsy cottons. Winters are not less hot than the summers, Monsoons - September, October, November - are wet with intermittent showers.

The upper crust of the society live in full style, frequenting five-star hotels and gymkhana while the slum-dwellers live in near poverty. Yet, for a willing pair of hands, ther is always something to do in chennai.

Hotels come in a wide variety - you will find in many of them modern comforts enhanced by ancient tradition.

A visit to Chennai to see the graceful people of glorious land will surely help the visitor to carry home this imprint of indian heritage.

Shops are thousands in numbers, Though specific areas like Parry's Corner, Pondy Bazar, Burma Bazar etc. For a very modest amount you can take Tamil Nadu home with you.