Things to Do in Chennai

Reminiscent of the Mayan ruins in Central America, a complex of stone temples are all that remain of the eighth century Pallava dynasty along the coast two hours south of Chennai. Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram’s (Mamallapuram) most iconic landmark, consists of two intricately carved towers standing watch over the Bay of Bengal. With shrines dedicated to Shiva and Vishnu, the temple is considered one of the oldest in India. The nearby Panch Pandava Rathas, five stone shrines each carved from a single piece of rock, clearly display the astounding talent of the ancient stonemasons who built them.

Besides the monolithic stone shrines and temples, the town of Mahabalipuram gives travelers a sun-and-sand escape from the clamor of nearby Chennai. Get an early start to tour the stone monuments in the morning before the heat and domestic tourists descend; and spend your afternoon lazing on the wide, sandy beach and snacking on freshly prepared seafood at a beachside restaurant.

Government Museum is a bit of a misnomer, as the complex of 6 structures and 46 galleries houses Chennai’s best collection of scientific and artistic artifacts. This includes the most impressive collection of Pallava and Chola bronze sculptures (dating back to the 10th and 13th centuries) anywhere in the world. The Chola Nataraj depicts the god Shiva dancing in a circle of cosmic fire. Some of the displays and informational placards are a bit dated, but for those with even a mild interest in Indian art, the Government museum is certainly worth a stop.

Come in the morning when the museum opens to avoid the tour bus crowds. Take some time to walk the grounds and take in the detail of the structures themselves, particularly the recently renovated Museum Theatre. Several sculptures and old cannons can be found scattered between and around the main buildings. If you time your visit right, you can catch a performance in the Museum Theatre.

Kanchipuram, the old capital city of the Pallava Dynasty in Tamil Nadu, is one of seven holy pilgrimage sites for Hindus. The Pallava, Chola and Pandyan Dynasties all occupied the area, each trying to outdo the others with bigger and better shrines, and the result is a fascinating study in Dravidian architectural development from the eighth century onward.

The nickname ‘Golden City of 1,000 Temples’ is well earned, and travelers who make the 45-mile (72-kilometer) trek from Chennai will be rewarded with a veritable treasure trove of Shaivite and Vaishnavite temples. The most notable, the Devarajaswami Temple dedicated to Vishnu, includes a 96-pillar marriage hall and a huge chain carved from stone.

Most of the temples open in the morning and again during the late afternoon and evening hours, but the cooler morning hours are typically a much more pleasant time to visit. For a memorable photo opportunity, give a rupee or two to one of the temple elephants. After passing your donation to the handler, the elephant will offer you a blessing by touching your head with its trunk.

The heritage village of Dakshinachitra, meaning ‘A Picture of the South,' was established to help preserve the folk art and cultural traditions of southern India, particularly from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Artisans trained in traditional techniques work in the 17 heritage houses and village tableaus within the 10 acres (four hectares) of rural land just south of Chennai. Many of the pots, baskets, woven silk pieces, puppets and stone carvings you see being made can be purchased directly from the artists or in the gift shop; and items from these artists are both authentic and of high quality. Dancers, musicians, traditional fortune tellers and puppeteers all perform throughout the day in the open-air venue.

The Dakshinachitra grounds house a South Indian restaurant and a small guesthouse with both private rooms and dormitories. While a few hours should be sufficient to see all the sights, a night’s stay makes for a nice escape from the busy city center, particularly if you’re traveling with children. Despite the sometimes heavy traffic on the way from Chennai, the well-maintained cultural center is well worth a visit.

The British East India Company constructed their first fortress in India in 1640 along a strip of sand on lease from the Raja, allowing them a foothold for expansion in India. The 20-foot (6-meter) thick outer walls surround a complex of white colonial structures, known historically as ‘White City,’ including St Mary’s, the oldest Anglican church in Asia.

Until recently, Fort St George housed the Tamil Nadu Secretariat & Legislative Assembly, and the Fort Museum remains open to the public and is now housed within an old East India Company exchange. The museum’s collection displays portraits, paintings, photographs, British governmental uniforms and East India Company porcelain, among other Raj relics.

Pay attention to the signage when visiting the compound, as several areas and buildings are closed to the public. If you want to avoid crowds at the security check, set aside a few hours on a Sunday morning for your visit.

According to legend, St Thomas, a disciple of Christ, lived out the remainder of his days in a rocky cave, known as Little Mount (Chinnamalai). A small opening near the cave is supposedly the tunnel exit that St Thomas escaped from when fleeing from his assailants. He fled to St Thomas Mount (Parangi Malai), just under 2 miles (3 kilometers) away from Little Mount, where he was later martyred while praying on top of the hill in 72 AD.

Today, Little Mount is home to a Portuguese church dating back to 1551, as well as a small alter to St Thomas in the rocky cave opening and a palm print believed by some to be left by Thomas himself as he fled. Reaching the Church of Our Lady of Expectation, built in 1523 on St Thomas Mount, requires climbing 135 steps with the Stations of the Cross along the way. A stone cross that was excavated by the Portuguese in 1547 was inlaid into the wall of the church’s altar.

Near the San Thome Cathedral in the Tamil Nadu capital of Chennai sits the Kapaleeshwar Temple (spelled Kapaleeshwarar or Kapaleshwar too). The most impressive temple in the city by far, Kapaleeshwar honors the god Shiva with shrines dedicated to many other deities in the South Indian pantheon.

The working temple offers a good example of classical Dravidian architecture, with a stepped pyramid design blanketed in colorful statues of gods, demons, warriors and royalty. The detailing makes the temple exterior busy to the point where you don't quite know where to rest your eyes, but the structure is quite photogenic.

You're likely to see many more devotees than tourists at the temple, so you'll get a realistic insight into what modern temple worship looks like, particularly during the weekly Friday worship services. To avoid the crowds, show up at 6am when the temple first opens. If you want to see the temple at its most festive, plan your trip to coincide with the Arupathumoovar Festival in early March.

Sometimes called the French Riviera of the East, the seaside town of Pondicherry operates at a slower pace than nearly any other Indian city. The small city was the largest French colony in India, and since the French only left in 1954, the town has retained much of its colonial flavor.

Practically everything worth seeing in Pondicherry exists within walking distance in the grid of streets and alleyways of the French Quarter; where whitewashed villas, colonial churches and gardens overflowing with bougainvillea are interspersed with quaint little French cafes. Cross over the Grand Canal and you’ll find yourself transported to a typical Tamil village.

The French-influenced local cuisine and variety of accommodation, both reasonably priced, make Pondicherry worthy of an overnight getaway from Chennai. For the spiritually minded traveler, the Sri Aurobindo Ashram teaches yoga and meditation to the ever-changing contingent of expats who come to Pondicherry and end up staying longer than anticipated.

Known alternately as Besant Nagar Beach, or “Bessie” for short, Elliot's Beach sits at the south end of the Marina Beach shore. A former expatriate enclave during Chennai’s colonial era, today, the beach attracts a crowd of twenty somethings, as well as families looking to avoid the crowds at the more popular Marina Beach.

While you won't find water sports along this stretch of sand, what you will find are beautiful ocean views and several architectural landmarks, including Ashtalakshmi Temple and Velankanni Church, as well as an array of snack stalls and restaurants serving authentic South Indian cuisine. Another interesting landmark, the Karl Schmidt Memorial, honors a Dutch sailor who died while saving a swimmer from drowning.