With its distinctive 37 metre tall gopuram, the temple also has several smaller shrines. The serene atmosphere of the Kapaaleshwara temple gains vibrancy during the annual 10-day celebrations with colourful kolams and music, which draws both the devout and tourists in equal numbers. Not far away, is the Parthasarathy temple. Built in 700 AD, it celebrates Lord Krishna as Parthasarathy, the ‘charioteer of Arjuna’. This temple in Triplicane is a legacy of the Pallava dynasty, though it has been renovated by other dynasties. The sakkara pongal (sweet rice) is a favourite prasadam at this Vaishnavaite temple with its vast tank and elaborate temple spire. Further ahead is Fort St. George, which is the seat of power in the State today, housing the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu.   The first British fort in India, Fort St. George was built in 1653 by the British East India Company, and fuelled urban growth by acting as a trading centre. The imposing High Court was built in 1892 near Parry’s Corner. Off the bustling NSC Bose Road, and near the High Court, on Armenian Street, solid large wooden doors lead into the only Armenian Church in India. Called the Armenian Church of Virgin Mary, it is one of the oldest churches in South India. Its long winding stairs take you to a view of the six bells; the largest and heaviest in Chennai. Part of the open area is paved with old Armenian gravestones.

 

 

 

Flourishing under the branches of the 450 year old banyan tree, one of the oldest in India, the Theosophical Society expounds the unity of mankind and a common search for truth.

 

Established in 1851, The Chennai Museum is considered one of the country’s best. This landmark in the Egmore area of the City has several prized possessions including relics from the second century Buddhist sites at Amravathi, and a fine collection of ancient bronzes. The National Art Gallery at Egmore was built in 1906. The building itself is a work of art and a storehouse of India’s legacy - 10th and 13th century bronzes, 16th and 18th century Rajasthani and Mughal paintings, 17th century Deccani paintings and 11th and 12th century Indian handicrafts.

 

Adjacent to St. George’s Cathedral on Cathedral Road are the gardens of The Horticulture Society. Started in 1835, the gardens extend over an area of 22 acres and are a verdant retreat in a bustling city. Valluvar Kottam, not far from The Horticultural Society honours the acclaimed Tamil Poet, Thiruvalluvar, whose classic work of 1330 kurals (couplets) are about 2000 years old. This 1976 building recreates ancient Tamil architecture with the 1330 verse kurals inscribed on panels. The outer structure in stone is a replica of the temple car of Thiruvarur in southern Tamil Nadu. With its ochre reflection in the adjacent pool, this sight is both majestic and heart-warming. Kalakshetra, or Temple of Arts, occupies 100 pristine acres in Thiruvanmiyur. This premier school for dance, music and fine art established in 1936 by Rukmini Devi Arundale, a member of the Theosophical Society, has produced some of the country’s finest dancers and artistes. Its campus, centred around a banyan tree, resonates with creative energy, as India’s rich artistic heritage is passed and reinterpreted in a contemporary context.

 

Strains of Carnatic music meld together at the Music Academy on TTK Road. Established in 1927 to stimulate interest in and encourage Indian music, it holds the highly anticipated Music Festival annually in December, which music lovers refer to the month as Margazhi, or music season. Amir Mahal is the residence of His Highness Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali Azim Jah, the eighth Prince of Arcot, scion of a family that traces its lineage from the Second Caliph of Islam, Hazrath Omar Bin-Khattab. Few residents of present day Chennai know that the land for the construction of the Kapaleeswarar temple tank was donated by his ancestors. The Prince is glad to share the less-known fact that, “Every year, on the 10th day of Mohurram, the Hindus allow the Muslims to dip their panjas (the sacred symbol of the hand) in the waters of the tank.”

Located on sprawling grounds of 14 acres, the 70-room Amir Mahal was built in 1789, and is home to 600 people. Wallajah Road, Chennai’s arterial road adjoining the Chepauk Stadium, is named after one of the most liberal and philanthropic rulers of the Arcot family, Muhammad Ali Wallajah, Nawab of the Carnatic.   The tall minarets of Dargah-e-Hazrath Syed Moosa Shah Qadri Baghdadi, popularly known as the Mount Road Dargah are not only beacons for people of all faiths, they are also a reference for the entire landscape of Mount Road and its environs. Hazrath Syed Moosa Shah Qadri Baghdadi (RA), said to have great healing powers, arrived from Baghdad Shareef in the middle of the 17th century and lived at the site of the Dargah. When he died, he was buried next to his house and here his family raised the Dargah Shareef. The sick from all over the country flock to the Dargah, hoping to be healed.   Among famous worshippers are Oscar winning musician AR Rahman and the Prince of Arcot. Legend has it that when a British engineer ordered the shrine to be demolished for road-widening, blood spurted from the soil at the first attempt at excavation, and his workmen refused to proceed with the work. When the engineer forced them to resume work, he is supposed to have dropped dead the moment trenching began again. The Dargah Shareef, looked after by the descendants of Hazrath Syed Moosa Shah Qadri Baghdadi (RA) from the time his Dargah was raised, is however, only a part of the campus today. Dominating it in recent times has been one of the largest mosques in South India, with a 100 ft tall minaret. The five-storeyed Makkah Masjid, with its five 5000 sq ft halls that can accommodate 5000 worshippers at a time, is a landmark.

St. Mary’s Church houses the earliest register of baptisms, marriages and burials in India.

Spanning 12 km, Marina Beach is India’s longest beach.

 

On the way to Mamallapuram, about 35 km south of Chennai on the scenicEast Coast Highway lies the Crocodile Bank. Run by the legendary herpetologist and conservationist Romulus Whittaker, it houses about 5000 species over 3.2 acres. The crocodile conservation centre is the largest croc-breeding site in India, and has produced more than 6000 crocodiles. On Marina Beach, the second largest beach stretch in a city, Chennai pays homage to its WWII heroes with the Victory War Memorial.

 

Similar in intent to the traditional gurukul, the Cholamandalam Artists Villageis a haven for artists. Only 18 km from Chennai city centre, and easily accessible from Mamallapuram, the sprawling 10 acres were set up in 1964, in what was then abandoned and sparsely populated land. Cholamandalam is both a permanent gallery and an open-air theatre. One can meander through the constantly changing display of stone sculptures and bronzes, and also buy pieces. Or, watch a dance, music or theatrical performance.

 

About nine km from Chennai, Cholamandalam is named after the regional dynasty of kings, the Cholas, who were patrons of the arts. Today, there are small cottages which serve as the residences and studios for artists. Cholamandalam has evolved into a retreat, a community, where artists thrive in a tranquil but invigorating atmosphere.

In the verdant crafts village of Dakshinachitra, the emphatic chime of a dancer’s anklet, or the deep resonance of a conventional drum are echoes of the past that drown out the present. En route to Mamallapuram, 30 km from Chennai, it is located in Chingleput, and was established by art historian Deborah Thiagarajan in 1988, to preserve the artistic legacy of South India. The heritage centre is a microcosm of the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Cast in the mould of a village, Dakshinachitra’s streets are straight out of the 19th century. It presents tradition as a living, tangible experience; in its carefully restored spaces, cultural heritage has contemporary appeal. There are many ways to embark on Dakshinachitra’s cultural odyssey. Visitors purchase and participate in traditional crafts, and are treated to performances by folk artistes. Leather puppet shows and glass blowing techniques are frequently exhibited. Dakshinachitra educates urban and rural children in the arts, and offers an internship diploma in association with the Madras Craft Foundation Institute of Arts Management, to ensure that the wealth of tradition is transferred to the succeeding generations.

 

The breathtaking edifices of Mahabalipuram have braved storms for centuries, welcoming sailors to Indian shores.

 

Poetry in stone and sand, Mamallapuram, 58 km south of Chennai has always been a favourite haunt for locals and tourists. The silvery beaches with their rock-cut sculptures are often called ‘open air museums’. Meaning ‘brave wrestler’ and named in honour of the King Narasimha Varman I, sailors referred to Mamallapuram as Seven Pagodas. First described by British traveller J Goldingham in 1798, the bas relief and rock-cut temples are exquisite examples of seventh and ninth century Pallava art. The Pallavas were great patrons of art and poets; artists and craftsmen thrived in their reign. The tsunami of 2004 uncovered several more animal sculptures in this UNESCO world heritage site. Archaeologists and historians guess that the structures could be the remains of an ancient and once-flourishing port city in the area of this 1200-year-old rock-hewn temple. It is, in many ways, a reflection of the city itself. Chennai is where tradition is sustained through modern interpretation. It is one of those cities that one comes to understand and love deeply by uncovering each layer, which often intersect in its people and places. Centuries old and steeped in a passionately preserved culture, it is a city with a deep, often transcendental, soul.