Chennai

       The East India Company developed Chennai as one of the major trading centers in India. Chennai has a blend of Dravidian and Gothic architecture in its buildings. The city might have grown but it has never lost its traditional grace and charm. With a population of over 6 million people, Chennai is a vibrant city ever growing, expanding and changing every year.

       Music,dance and all other art forms of the South are cherished and attract sizeable patronage. Chennai is the epitome of tradition, culture and life-style of Southern India. But like the rest of India, Chennai has over the years, developed its share of urban style and modernity.

       Accommodation and transportation are cheap and efficient. As far as religion is concerned, history has certainly left its mark on this city, which is believed to have been the place of St. Thomas, in the outskirt of the city. There are a number of churches in Chennai that are connected with the life and times of this apostle. There are also several ancient temples around Chennai, and, within the city itself are two magnificent temples - a temple in Triplicane and another in Mylapore.  Visit the 4.5 km long Golden Marina beach, one of the longest beaches in the world.

Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu, is situated in the tropical zone of climate. It is due to this reason that the city experiences a hot and humid weather. The city also experiences all the three major seasons of summers, winters and monsoons. However, there is very slight variation amongst all of them. This is due to its location near equator. As a result, Madras city experiences hot climate throughout the year. During the summer months, which are between March and October, the climate is extremely hot.

April and May are the hottest months of the year, with mercury crossing 40o C mark. The scorching heat of the sun is nearly unbearable restricting you to your houses. With a contrast, the places near the sea coast remain warm and humid. The cool breeze during the night time provides respite to the residents from the high temperature. During the monsoons, which means during the months of June to September, Chennai receives ample rainfall.

Monsoon arrives with the advent of the Northeast Monsoon Winds. The rain showers are a delight, as they wash away the heat of the otherwise hot climate. People are seen rejoicing in the rain, with umbrellas in their hands. Moreover, as the city is located near the sea side; it receives moderate rainfall of about 1,300 mm throughout the year. As a result, it is necessary to keep an umbrella handy, as you never know when you might need it.

The winters are very short lived in Chennai. They occur during the months of November to February. This is the most pleasant time of the year, best suited to visit the city. The average temperature of Madras at this time is around 24o C and never falls below 20o C. Winters also receive moderate rainfall, making the weather pleasurable and comfortable to roam around.