Chennai..the new gateway to India

Tourists used to arrive in Delhi for a trip to Rajasthan and Agra.Some will dare to to take a trip to Kashmir.And will return immediately after.

But, I find that even those who visited Chennai are somewhat apologetic about Chennai and talk of the Marina and the Mahabalipuram alone as the sole point of Tourists' interest.There are incredibly interesting sites in Chennai and around, as I have described here.

But not any more.The Tourist focus is getting shifted to the Southern India because India Down Under is growing faster than the North.This has lead to an increased exposure to the Heritage of the South.Leading to statistics that show that more tourist visit Southern India than the North.

It is quite recently that visits to the Southern India has gained popularity and momentum and that the Budgetonline has come to call this as one of the Top 40 Vacations on earth.Though a look at the itenararies show that the such vacations are reasonably priced, the best way to see Southern India is on your own.Pl buy your air tickets on the internet on your own and arrive at Chennai.

Chennai in December and January has far more Cultural Performances than any other place on the Planet.Not even Broadway and Vienna can claim to hold Thousands of quality performances as they are held in these months at Chennai. Music Performances are predominant.Carnatic Music, Instrumental Music and Hindusthani Music find a prominent place . Dance programmes, Dramas, and Bhajans are also held.Programmes are held from morning till night and season tickets are available.To perform and to be acclaimed by the knowledgeble and judicious audience is the goal of all artistes.Somehow this unique character of Chennai has not been taken to the world.But a visit to Chennai during Music Festivals, as the season is called will be sustaining to the Spirit and Mind.But, try and stay in accomodation in Mylapore so that you can feel of the Culture and the Music Festivals.During your regular morning walks , it would be a pleasant sight to see groups of small boys with tufts going around houses , singing poetry in praise of the Gods.

A visit to the Temples in TamilNadu is a must see.Tall towers call Gopurams reach out to the skies. Infact, this is believed to be an effort of the Gods to reach out to the masses.If you cant visit Temples regularly, paying respects to the Gopurams or praying to the Gopurams are believed to confer blessings on the devotees.Those who visit Chennai take a whirl wind tour of Mahabalipuram (or Mamallapuram)as is confirmed in this link.
http://budgettravelonline.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2006/09/04/AR2006090400512_4.html

On the way to Mahabalipuram, try and visit Dakshinachitra. Click www.dakshinachitra.net and find the timings to plan your visit.
Dakshinachitra is about 45 minutes travel on the east Coast Road.From there it would take another half hour to reach Mamallapuram.There are many info available on the internet on Mahabalipuram, so i will restrain from talking about such places.

From Mahabalipuram , a trip to Pondicherry would be in order.
Pondicherry now called Puduchery is about 90 minutes drive from Mahabalipuram. An erstwhile French colony with streets still displaying French names, this is the French influence on India.People do speak a smatter of French. The Ashram of one of India's brilliant minds, Saint Aurobindo is interned here.Nice city tp pedal around if you can hire a cycle in many shops that would lend one if you pay some advance money.

On your return to Chennai , try to do a little roundabout and reach Vedanthangal Bird sanctuary.Another two hour journey.Lakhs of birds from as far as Siberia visit this sanctuary in Nov-Feb and you wont have seen anything like that.Believed to be one of world's largest Bird sanctuaries.

From Vedanthangal, a visit to Kanchipuram is a Must.Kanchipuram is an hour's drive away and Chennai would be another 75 minutes drive from Kanchipuram.Kanchipuram is considered a Holy City by the Hindus and still, there are residents who won't wear foot wear because that would mean insult to the Bhoomimatha, ie the Goddess of the land. Amazing place with hundreds of Temples , most of them hundreds of years old.There is also a Mutt of the Shankarachariya where most Presidents and Prime Ministers have visited to invoke the blessings of the incumbent Shankarachariya.You need a guide to advise you properly. Queen Elizabeth II visited Kanchipuram during her last visit.

If you can plan a litle more, visit Thiruvannamalai about three hours away from Kanchipuram.Especially in Full Moon, if you can plan much in advance as accomodation is not available then.There is anothe huge temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Then there are ashrams of famed saints like Saint Ramana Maharishi.Many people from abroad can be found here and the shanthi you gain by visiting these ashrams is immeasurable.

I must confess that there are many other hot spots in and around Chennai. The St Thomas Cathedral at Santhome that was built demolishing the famous Kapaleeswara temple, the present Kapaleeshwara Temple in Mylapore,Kalakshetra(http://www.kalakshetra.net/),the Pulicat Lake that plays host birds in a smaller scale than at Vedanthangal,etc.But, extensive details about them are available on the internet.

Vanakkam to Chennai!