Chennai
Chennai or "Madras", as it used to be known, is the state capital of Tamil Nadu. The British established themselves here in the 1600s and there are many monuments in the city referring back to the colonial era. The town, back then called Chennapattnam, which developed around the British fort, became an important center for international trade and regional politics.
Today, living in Chennai has become a multiethnic and multicultural experience.
Chennai and chennaivaasis!
There are approximately 9 million people currently living in the Chennai metropolitan area. This makes it the fourth most populous city in all of India. Most of the local residents are Tamils, but there are also significant minorities of other demographic groups from other parts of India. E.g. Telugu people, Malayalees, Bengalis, Punjabi, and Anglo-Indians.
Most of the population thus considers Tamil to be their official language, with Telugu in a distant second place. If you are an English speaker, though, living in Chennai should not be a problem. This is another lingua franca in the city, especially among white-collar workers, and most people can speak at least a few words.
As far as religion is concerned, you will find some Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Jews, living in Chennai, but the vast majority of the population is Hindu. They take their religion very seriously — hundreds of religious establishments are scattered across the city.
This also means that there are plenty of festivals throughout the year, and everyone is encouraged to participate!
Work culture in Chennai
Chennai has a fairly diverse urban economy. Its main sectors are the software- and financial services, the automobile- and healthcare industries, as well as hardware manufacturing. Industrial output forms the third largest contribution to the Indian national GDP. Chennai is home to various large-scale Indian companies, as well as numerous international ones.
Chennai contributes a considerable percentage of India’s leather export, with the local apparel and accessories industries. It is home to the Tamil film industry, known as “Kollywood”, providing a livelihood to a lot of people.
Chennai contributes a considerable percentage of India’s leather export, with the local apparel and accessories industries. It is home to the Tamil film industry, known as “Kollywood”, providing a livelihood to a lot of people.
About a third of India’s entire automotive industry is based in or around Chennai. It is therefore not surprising that plenty of international automobile companies have manufacturing plants in the city. Hyundai, Renault, Ford, BMW, and Mitsubishi are just a couple. Chennai’s manufacturing sector also produces vehicles for the Indian Army — at the Heavy Vehicles Factory — and passenger coaches for Indian Railways. These factories provide employment for numerous people in Chennai.
International software companies have established themselves in Tidel Park and in the “IT corridor” along Old Mahabalipuram Road. For some of these businesses, Chennai is their largest base in India. Regarding its contribution to India’s IT sector in general, the city is second only to Bangalore. ICT companies are the main generators of high-skill jobs.
Chennai has its own computerized stock exchange (the Madras Stock Exchange) and hosts an impressive amount of world banks, including Standard Chartered Bank, Bank of America, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, ING Group, and Allianz.
Chennai’s port, which handles mostly industrial cargo, plays a vital role in India’s international trade. There are thousands of people working in Chennai who are involved in the thriving economy of the port area. Chennai also has a second satellite port — Egmore Port — which mainly ships cargo like coal, iron ore, and petroleum.
Life is a beach!
One very enjoyable aspect of living in Chennai is the scenery, in particular its two main beaches, Marina Beach and Elliot’s Beach
Marina Beach is the largest urban beach in India, and one of the longest in Asia. The drive along the beach, which runs the length of Chennai, is recommended for its numerous monuments. The beach itself is lined with street sellers, hawkers, joggers, and entertainers, and is usually packed with people trying to escape the city.
Try to make it to the Sunday morning fish market on Marina Beach. Shopping amongst the locals and trying to bargain like one will give you an excellent taste of what living in Chennai encompasses.
“Chennai is not just a city, but an experience; it is a metropolitan with a heart. The new age high rises form a pretty skyline across the sea side but Chennai’s soul remains in those old temples and churches scattered throughout the city. There’s an old world charm to it which refuses to be overshadowed.” -Akansha
Chennai has the second largest heritage buildings in India. One of your first stops will probably be Fort St. George. Built in 1640 by the East India Company, this is believed to be the first British establishment in India. In the fort you can find St. Mary’s Church, one of the oldest surviving churches built by the British. The Ripon building, The Madras High Court, The railway station, is few architectural marvels.
Mahabalipuram
Mahabalipuram, situated about 60 km south of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, is an ancient port town known for its stone carvings and stone temples. Built largely between the 7th and the 9th centuries, the port city of Pallavas has been classified as UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Temples are an inevitable part of Indian culture and most Chennaites visit temple at least once a week. Chennai houses old and famous temples. Some of them are Kapaleeshwarar temple at Mylapore, Vadapalani Murugan Temple, Parathasarathy Temple, Ashtalakshmi Temple, Thiruneermalai Vishnu Temple, etc. Visit them to understand Tamil culture, tradition and Dravidian architecture.
The 'Thousand Lights Mosque' is a multi-domed mosque in Anna Salai. This is one of the largest mosques in the country and is a revered place of worship for Muslims. It was built by Nawab Umdat-ul-Umrah in 1810. The Mosque attracts number of tourists and is primarily popular for a number of reasons, such as its name, its architecture and its historical and religious importance.
Parry’s Corner is one of the oldest localities of Chennai city which has many landmarks and business establishments. One can easily say that this place has the wholesale showrooms of everything you use to live on this planet. It has flower market, textile wholesales, all home needs wholesales, Electrical and surgical equipments, hardwires, eateries and the list goes on. One distinct thing about this place is, there is almost a dedicated street for each and everything we could buy.
ECR : All that Chennai needs
Rides, Resorts, Adventure Sports, Nature Trails, Pondy!!
The East Coast Road called as ECR Road is a scenic 2-lane road that runs parallel to the east coast (Bay of Bengal Ocean). This road starts at Thiruvanmiyur and currently ends at Cuddalore via Pudhucherry(Pondy). Enjoy the refreshing sea breeze with a bike ride or a car ride on this road. Visit Dakshinchitra to explore and learn lives of artisans. Bring out the wild side in you by doing Scuba diving, Paragliding, off roading and more or choose to relax with bird watching at Muttukkad or by visiting the Crocodile Bank.
Katcheris and Bharatanatyams
Every year during the Tamil month of Marghazhi(December-January), Carnatic music katcheris are organized in various places in the city. Visit the prestigious dance and music school “Kalakshetra” which strives to impart to the young the true spirit of Art, devoid of vulgarity and commercialism.
Koyambedu Market
Koyambedu is a very busy locality in Chennai which houses Asia’s largest bus terminal ( CMBT) and the wholesale food market. Vegetables and other food grains produced across the country reaches this wholesale market for distribution to the city and suburban areas.
Ranganathan Street
Ranganathan Street is a crowded busy street in T.Nagar which houses some of the city’s bigger textile outlets like Saravana stores, JayaChandran, Pothys (nearby) etc. A visit to Chennai will not be complete for anyone without shopping in this place. This street is always crowded regardless the occasion and it is a challenge to shop during festival times.
If after seeing the city you feel like experiencing something more natural, try the Arignar Anna Zoological Park or the Guindy National Park
