Friday, June 14, 2019

What all you can see in Chennai ? Visiting Chennai's Iconic spots in a day!

When I had three of my close buddies from Romania and Phillipines visited us in March this year, I had to plan a bit to show case Chennai to them in the shortest time possible.  This homework not only worked like a charm, but also made me reinvent my own city.  I never would have otherwise done this going around all this places in a day, with a spillover the outskirts the following day.

Discovering Chennai in a day!

Staying closer to Airport, probably, I have taken the best route possible.

1.  Officers Training Academy, St. Thomas Mount ( From outside) and Madras War Cemetry in Butt Road


2.  St. Thomas Mount National Shrine  Church ( Up the St.Thomas Hills) - Chennai City View




3.  Valluvar Kottam 



4.  Madras Literary Society 



5.  Chennai Egmore Museum & National Art Gallery
6.   Museum Theatre




7.  Higginbottams and Pompuhar Showroom  (Mount Road and with LIC)



8.  Lunch at Amilies Poes Garden

Image result for amelies cafe poes garden

9.  Vivekanandar House - ICE House


10.  Madras University - Senate Hall ( Chennai Binnelle was on and hence Senate Hall was open for Public)


11.  Victory War Memorial
12.  Fort St. George and Fort Museum



13.  Chennai Harbour  and Port Trust & Nappier Bridge




14.  Iconic Central Railway Station and Rippon Building 



15.  Anna Samadhi & MGR Memorial ( Now with Jayalalitha Memorial and Kalaignar Memorial)



16.  Marina Beach Water Front -  Labour Statue and Gandhi Statue



17.  Lighthouse  ( We went to the 9th floor for aerial view of the city)



18.  Ramakrishna Mutt Mylapore
19.  Kapaleshwar Temple 



20.  Asthalakshmi Temple and Annai Velankani Church Besant Nagar



21.  Santhome Basillca
22.  Palavakkam Beach




Day 2-  If you have time! ( Little stretching out of the City)

1.  Madhya Kailash Temple Adyar 

Image result for madhya kailash temple

2.  Prestigious IIT Chennai and Rajbhavan Road - Gandhi Mandapam & Guidy National Park/Snake park & Theosophical Society 



3. Dakshin Chitra 



4. Crocodile Bank and VGP Kingdom



5.  Cholamandalam Artistic Village
6.  Kannathur Jaganatha Temple



7.  Muttukadu Lake & Boating




Day 3  - It you still have time left!

1.  Shopping in T. Nagar ( to enjoy the madness) and Sowcarpet (for the best deals and street food)
2.  Loads of malls the city has to offer
3.  Choki Dhanni ( a hard tried replication of Rajasthan)
4.  Queensland - if you enjoy theme parks
5.  MGM and VGP Universal Kingdom ( Klick Art musuem for crazy pictures ) and new Acquarium
6.  Wild Tribe Ranch ( If you love bit of hot day adventures and outdoors)
7.  Lots and Lots of Temples ( Be it any religion of your faith or interest - Chennai is abundant)
8.  Kalaskhetra (If you want to see the traditional dance forms of Tamil Nadu)
9.  Loads of Sabhas that offer Theatre, Drama, Classical and Western Music,  Cultural Programme)
10.  No shortage for Dining and Drinks and Yes, Disco too!
11.  Silent book reading in Iconic Connemera Library or well designed Anna Centenary Library

Enjoy Chennai!  Discover the City that has got lots to offer.   Be it traditions, art, culture,  temples, churches, beaches, food & fun....Chennai is a City to live and enjoy.  It is a city that lives and let's those who embraces it live in peace and harmony.   Chennai is not just a city of buildings and infrastructure, it is a city of inate emotions...absolute humanness and wonderful people.    Love You Chennai...You are always my Madras !  Nalla Madras!