Fort
St. George
Fort St. George was the first British fortress
in India.
The construction of the fort at Chennai
saw a spurt in settlements and construction
activity around the place. The later day
Madras/Chennai city evolved around the same
fort. Fort St. George has the distinction
of being the oldest English fort on the
East Coast of India. Constructed between
1640 and 1653 and subsequently reconstructed
in the year 1783, Fort St. George was once
a town, complete with named streets, alleys
and roads. Since Fort St. George was completed
on April 23rd, coinciding with St. George's
Day; the fort was christened Fort St. George,
which soon became the hub of merchant activity.
The fort led to the development of a new
settlement called George Town. Over a period
of time Fort St. George helped the British
to extend their influence over the Carnatic
region.
It is interesting to note that many historical
personalities like Thomas Pitt, Elihu Yale,
Robert Clive and Lord Cornwallis either
lived in or frequently visited the Fort
during the British period. The fort was
thus a home away from home for many British
officials of the East India Company. To
keep the outsiders away, a moat was built
around the fort and the British christened
the area inside the moat as "the White
Town".
Valluvar Kottam
Valluvar Kottam is a memorial to the great
Tamil poet-saint Tiruvalluvar, who wrote
the famous Thirukkural. This monument was
constructed in 1976. The memorial is shaped
like a temple chariot and is the replica
of the temple chariot in Thiruvarur. The
temple chariot has been installed with a
life-size statue of Thiruvalluvar. The Valluvar
Kottam is one of the modern day landmarks
of the Chennai city.
All the 133 chapters of Tiruvalluvar's famous
work, Thirukkural, have been depicted in
bas-relief in the front hall corridors of
the chariot. The Valluvar Kottam has an
auditorium also, which is said to be the
largest in Asia and can house about 4000
people. The Valluvar Kottam is a modern
memorial to the great Tamil poet who represents
the glorious culture of the Tamils. Over
3,000 blocks of stone were used to create
this memorial to Tamil culture.
Birla Planetarium
Part of the Periyar Science and Technology
Centre at Kotturpuram, this is a voyage
of discovery for both the young and the
old. This air-conditioned modern planetarium
with a seating capacity of 236 brings to
life celestial phenomenons that are replete
with special effects. It also conducts courses
in astronomy and night-sky observations
for public on every second Saturday of the
month.
Government
Museum
The Government Museum is worth visiting
in Chennai. The museum has a marvelous archaeological
section that is classified along major South
Indian dynasties namely Chola, Vijaynagara,
Hoysala and Chalukya. The bronze gallery
has a superb collection of Chola Art. You
can also visit the National Art Gallery
that is situated in its vicinity. The place
boasts off some of the most fascinating
array of Mughal, Rajasthani and Deccan artworks.
Kalakshetra
Rukmini Devi founded this center of excellence
for dance, music, and craft in the year
1936. Situated at Thiruvanmiyur, Kalakshetra
has produced many fine exponents of the
Bharatnatyam and other Carnatic dance tradition.
It follows the traditional Gurukul system
of education, where students from across
the globe study art amidst the fresh air,
large trees and the chirping of birds.
Lalit
Kala Akademy
The South Indian center of Lalit Kala Akademy
is located on Gream's Road. Among other
things, the place has a very decent collection
of Paintings and Artifacts produced by the
local artists. Equal importance has also
been given to the collection of literature,
especially the vernacular ones.
Theosophical
Society
Founded by Madame H.P. Blavatsky and Col.
H.S. Olcott in 1875, Theosophical society
is located on a vast expanse of clearing
on the banks of the Adyar estuary. The place
provides a retreat from the madding crowd.
The Adyar Banyan tree, Library and Theosophical
Research centers are some of the things
worth seeing. |
major
port and the commercial hub of South India
and thus it became a metropolitan city and
emerged as fourth largest city in the country.
Chennai is a coastal city with the second
largest beach in the world. It is a city
of courtesy, charm and culture. Temples
and Forts, Churches and Beaches, Mosques,
Parks and Monuments are all a part of this
wonderful city. 