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Places to See in Chennai
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Places to see in chennai |
Marina
Beach:
Location:
The second longest beach in the world,
the Marina Beach, runs from Fort St. George in the north to
Besant Nagar in the south, a 12 Km shoreline in the city of
Chennai along the Bay of Bengal. The beach is primarily a
sandy beach. Activities: The major attractions/activities
around the beach other than the beach itself are the beach
side shops which bring a spark for the women folk and kids
with numerous household items, decorations, wall hangings
made of shells and stones, jewellery, toys, etc. There are
many notable structures and statues from the tourism
perspective. It is also an ideal spot for a morning walk or
jog, an ideal lovers' spot, one of the best places for kids
to play in the water. The beach is known for its steady
waves. Bathing/swimming is banned in the beach though there
are a few who do so illegally
Attractions:
The road
running parallel to the beach is considerably wide and has
a lot of interest towards tourism.
Notable
structures:
A significant stretch of the beach
road is adorned with stone statues and other historical
sculptures. To name a few are the statues of the great,
world renowned freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi, the
legendary - Kannagi, the great Tamil poet and philosopher -
Thiruvalluvar, statue of the world famous Dr Annie Besant,
status of GU Pope, the statue of Labour which stands as a
symbol of the hard work of the people. Recently, a statue
of the great actor Sivaji Ganesan has been raised.
Memorials of the former Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu,
Kamarajar and M G Ramachandran who are still remembered by
the people of the state are also present.
Artificial
waterfalls:
To add to the enthusiasm of the
children and the visitors, the Tamil Nadu Government
introduced the artificial Marina Waterfalls with light
features in September 2005.
Historical
institutions and monuments:
There are also quite a few government
institutions and historical buildings from the British rule
along the beach road. To name a few:
* Vivekananda House
* University of Madras
* Presidency College
* Queen Mary's College
* Police Headquarters
* Public Works Department
* Lady Wellington School
Elliotīs
beach:
Also popularly known as the Besant
Nagar Beach, this is extension of the Marina on the south
end. It has the Velankanni church at one end which attracts
a large number of pilgrims. Also situated close by is the
Ashtalakshmi temple which has primarily the 8 goddesses or
the 8 versions of the lord Amman.
Mamallapuram Or
Mahabalipuram:
One of the major
tourist spots of Chennai is the Mahabalipuram or
Mamallapuram which is located about 60 Km away from
Chennai. The place gains its significance from the rocky
beach and the monuments that date back to the Pallava reign
of the 7th-8th centuries. Some of the must-see monuments
are the Arjuna's penace which is probably the world's
largest sculpted base-relief, the five Rathas or the
chariot, the shore temple, the Krishna temple - one of the
oldest temples, the light house from where one can get a
stunning view of the surrounding areas. The famous
Mahabalipuram dance festival which is usually in the months
of January/February attracts many a visitors and
participants from different parts of the country. There are
numerous resorts, restaurants and hotels to stay and relax
and enjoy the beauty of the rocky beach and the monuments.
There is an entry fee for the visitors.
Tiger Caves:
An apt picnic spot,
the Tiger Caves serve as a great retreat for the nature
lovers and is situated about 5 Km from Mahabalipuram in the
Saluvankuppam region. The crown of carved tiger heads on a
cave around the temple which sets it apart from the rest of
the rocks and hence the name Tiger caves. The cave, the
beach, the well maintained lawn with palm, casuarinas and
other trees make the place an ideal and a must-see
destination on the way from Mahabalipuram. The
Archaeological Survey of India takes the responsibility of
its maintenance.
Covelong Beach:
The covelong beach
is a beautiful, calm beach between Chennai and
Mahabalipuram. The small fishing village surrounding it,
the swaying palm trees and the serene atmosphere makes it
one of most popular beaches on the coramandel coast. A
canal separates the beach from the mainland.
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