PLACES TO VISIT, IN & AROUND CHENNAI
KALAKSHETRA:
Kalakshetra or 'Temple of Art',was founded in 1936 by danseuse Rukmini Devi
Arundale to revive interest in Bharatanatyam which is the classical dance form
of the state of Tamil Nadu. Run on the ancient gurukulam system, this
institution is devoted to classical dance, music and traditional textile designs
and weaving.
The Craft Education and Research Center of Kalakshetra is
famous for reviving traditional South Indian saree patterns and colors in silk
and cotton. It has an extraordinary theater, where in the month of December
Kalakshetra holds its annual ballet festival. Throughout the year Kalakshetra
conducts music recital and dance performances in different parts of Chennai.
More…
DAKSHINCHITRA:
Dakshinchitra, situated on the scenic East Coast Road, is an hours’ drive from
Hotel Taj Coromandel. Dakshinchitra, roughly translated in the context,
means “picture of South India”. A trip down Dakshinchitra takes you back to
traditional home architecture from Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.
Dakshinchitra is a typical village space, filled with exhibitions and workshops
of the arts, crafts and performing artists of Southern India. Started in 1982
by Deborah Thyagarajan with the objective to revive, preserve and promote
the arts and crafts of Southern India, it also serves as heritage education
for visitors from outside Southern India.
As soon as you reach
Dakshinchitra, you are shown an 18-minute orientation video, which gives an
idea as to what the place is all about. A sudden peace and quiet fills one’s
heart once a person begins the trek down this 10-acre land, accompanied by
different cultural experiences unique to each Southern Indian state. More…
KAPALEESHWAR TEMPLE
This is an 8th century Pallava temple. The temple ‘Gopuram’ (tower) is
characteristic of the Dravidian style of architecture. Dedicated to Lord Shiva,
this temple has some beautiful sculptures, among which the bronze idols of 63
Saivite Saints (Nayanmars), which adorn the outer courtyard, are rare
specimens.
Also in the courtyard under the old Punnai tree there is a
spectacular image of a peacock (Mayil) worshipping Lord Siva. More...
MAHABALIPURAM
Mamallapuram was its original name. It was changed in course of time to
Mahabalipuram. Now, the wheel has come full circle and this little sea-side
town, lying about 60 kms to the south of Chennai is once again known as
Mamallapuram to the world.
The word Mamalla means great wrestler and is a reference to the Pallava king
Narasimhavarman – I, to whom the title was given. King Mahendravarman of
the Pallava dynasty originally built the town, but it was during
Narasimhavarman’s reign that it achieved prominence as a seaport.
Mamallapuram was the second capital of the Pallava dynasty, which ruled from
Kancheepuram.
MAHABALIPURAM (contd…):
The Pallavas commissioned a guild of artistes to sculpt mythological themes on
the rocks at Mamallapuram. For the excellent rock sculptures and
architectural wonders on this 8 – Sq km spot have put it on the world map.
These marvels of Mamallapuram embody Pallava art during the 6th to the 8th
Century A.D. The spectacular shore temple (depicted in the outer front
cover) built by Mamalla for Lord Vishnu perched dramatically near the sea has
survived the ravages of time and erosion. This is also a UN heritage site. In
the village center is the famous bas-relief Arjuna’s penance carved on an
immense rock with natural vertical cleft, symbolizing the Ganges. The three
cave temples on the southwest, and the Ganesha Ratha add to the spectacular
sight. More…
SANTHOME CHURCH:
Located at the southern end of the Marina Beach, derives its name from St.
Thomas, an apostle of Christ, who is believed to have come to Chennai,
sometime during 52 AD. It is believed that St. Thomas the apostle was killed
on St. Thomas mount in 78 AD and was interned in Santhome were a church
was built. In 1606, the church was rebuilt as a cathedral and in 1896 it was
made a Basilica. The beautiful tainted glass windows at the Basilica portray
the story of St. Thomas and the central Hall has 14 wooden plaques depicting
the last days of Jesus Christ. In the cathedral is a 3 feet high statue of the
Virgin Mary, which is believed to have been brought from Portugal in 1543. It
is the only church built on the tomb of an apostle, the other being St. Peter’s
Basilica in Rome. More…
FORT St. GEORGE
It was in 1639 that Francis Day and Andrew Cogan, agents for the English
East India Company, acquired a strip of land on lease from the Vijayanagar
King. They built the Fort St.George, to set up a factory that served as a
nucleus for British settlements that began to be formed The fort was
completed on April 23rd, 1644coinciding with St. George's Day, celebrated in
honour of St. George, the patron saint of England. The fort, hence christened
Fort St. George faced the sea and a few fishing villages, and soon became the
hub of merchant activity. The fort is a stronghold with 6-meter high walls
that withstood a number of assaults in the 18th century. It briefly passed
into the possession of the French from 1746 to 1749, but was restored to the
British under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended the War of Austrian
Succession.
FORT St. GEORGE
(contd…):
Today Fort St. George serves as the Secretariat building (where the Tamil
Nadu Legislative Assembly is now housed). Across the colonnades and columns
of Fort St. George, the history of the British East India Company can be
read by the discerning. Fort St. George also houses a museum, which brings to
life the British colonial legacy of Chennai. Clive House, where British
campaigner Robert Clive once lived, is also part of St. George fort. The Fort
St. George also houses the southern office of the Archaeological Survey of
India, which possesses a splendid collection of books. The church of St.
Mary’s, consecrated on October 28th, 1680, which is still in good condition
within the fort, was the first church built by the British east of Suez. The
tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India. This
ancient prayer house solemnised the marriages of Robert Clive and Governor
Elihu Yale, who later founded the Yale University in the USA. More…
THOUSAND LIGHTS
MOSQUE
This is a beautiful cream-colored, multi-domed mosque with walls
bearing recently painted sayings from the Holy Koran. It stands at
the junction of Mount Road and Peters Road in an area known as
Ayiramvilakku (Thousand Lights), which derives its name from the
ancient practice of profusely lighting this triangular wedge of
hallowed Muslim buildings. Nawab Umdat-ul-Umrah constructed the
original mosque here in 1800 for the assemblage of Shias during
Muharram mourning. More…
CENTRAL RAILWAY
STATION
Chennai Central is the home of the Southern Railway and the most important
rail hub in South India. Trains from here connect the city to other states of
India, while trains to other parts of Tamil Nadu are catered to by the Chennai
Egmore station. Chennai Central is the main hub for the Chennai suburban
railway. The building of the railway station, one of the landmarks of Chennai,
was designed by the famous architect Henry Irwin. More…
VALLUVAR KOTTAM
Opened in 1976 in memory of the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar, Valluvar
Kottam is a massive auditorium, constructed on reclaimed land from an
unused lake filled with the city's garbage and debris. The auditorium can
seat up to 4000 people.
All 1330 verses of the poet's epic - the Thirukkural, are inscribed on the
granite pillars that surround the auditorium. The auditorium itself is not
supported by any pillars!
There is a 101-feet high temple chariot structure with a life-size image
of the poet in it. The base of the chariot shows in bas-relief the 133
chapters of the Thirukkural. Over 3000 blocks of stone were used to
create this memorial to Tamil culture. More...