Madras, the capital of Tamil Nadu is also its principal harbour and has one of the finest beaches in Asia. It was founded at Fort St. George in 1640 A.D. by Francis Day of the East India Company. 

Madras is the centre of the Hindu tradition of Bharata Natyam (classical dancing) the art of temple sculpture also comes from this part of the country, and gives expression to both the devoutness and the artistic skills of the Tamil people. Madras is the home of the ancient Dravidian civilisation, one of the oldest articulate cultures in the world. It is a city where the landscape of the past lives easily with more recent history. This busy, efficient metropolis is a good centre to plan a journey over South India. Make use of the international and domestic airport and the massive network of trains and buses. 

The friendliness, sincerity and colourfulness of the people can slowly be absorbed while taking a stroll over the sandy stretch of beach known as the Marina, or visiting Fort St. George, built by the British East India Company. So many of the street names reflect the city’s long association with other cultures; China Bazar Road, Armenian Street, Portuguese Church Street for instance. In 78 AD, the Apostle St Thomas was martyred in the city, but the Christian faith now finds graceful expression in the many churches, particularly the San Thome Cathedral. View the whole panorama from the Madras lighthouse, or experience the culture from ground level in the temples, art galleries or museums. 

Head off in any direction from Madras – even east, across the Bay of Bengal by boat or plane to Port Blair in the Andaman Islands; a paradise archipelago, lush and forested, home of some of the most exotic plant-life in the world. The crystal clear waters shimmer with tropical fish, and the islands are famous for their corals and water-sports facilities. North of Madras is the large state of Andhra Pradesh, rich in archeological and architectural treasures. The capital, Hyderabad, was once the seat of the fabled Nizams.

Climate (deg C) : Summer- Max. 37, Min. 22.1; Winter- Max. 32, Min. 19.8. Season : Throughout the year (Preferably October to March). STD Code : 044. 


Air : Madras is directly linked by Indian Airlines to Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Goa, Bombay, Bhubaneshwar, Calcutta, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Port Blair, Madurai, Pune, Tirupati, Tiruchirapalli, Trivandrum, Puttaparthy, Vishakhapatnam and to Colombo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore. East West Airlines also connects Madras with Bombay

Rail: Madras is connected by rail with Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kodai Road, Lucknow, Madurai, Mangalore, Ooty ( via Mettupalayam ), Rameshwaram, Trichy, Tirupati Trivandrum and Varanasi. 

Road: Madras is connected by road with all the major towns in India. Some of the road-distances from Madras are Bombay 1329 kms, Bangalore 334 kms, Hyderabad 669 kms, Kanyakumari 693 kms, Madurai 461 kms, Mahabalipuram 60 kms, Pondicherry 162 kms, Rameshwaram 619 kms, Kanchipuram 71 kms, Tirupati 143 kms, Ooty 535 kms, Kodaikanal 498 kms, Trivandrum 709 kms, and Thanjavur 334 kms. 

Places of Interest: 

Fort St. George & St. Mary's Church, Gandhi Mandapam, High Court, Anna Square, Kapaleeswara Temple, Light House, Marina Beach & Aquarium, Parthasarathy Temple, San Thom Cathedral, Snake Park, Theosophical Society, Valluvar Kottam, Ripon Buildings and War Memorial Fort Museum (0900-1700 hrs. Closed on fridays).and Govt. Museum & Art Gallery (0800-1700 hrs. Closed on fridays). 

Excursion: 

Covelong 38 kms, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary 85 kms, Pulicat 61 kms, Kanchipuram 71 kms, Ennore Beach 18 kms, Muttukudu 30 kms, Red Hills 14 kms, Mahabalipuram 61 kms, Cholamandal Artists Village 20 kms, Elliots Beach 11 kms, Crocodile Bank 42 kms, Pundi Reservoir 60 kms, Thirukkalikundram 80 kms, Anna Zoological Park (Vandalur) kms.