From Chennai to Madras and vice versa

Website design By BotEap.comNot many who live in the biggest cities in the country know that Chennai was the first modern city in the history of India. It has a wonderful history, it is strong in its culture and traditions, it is very hospitable and offers warmth to all those who seek shelter in one of the most peaceful cities in the country. Chennai had always attracted cloth merchants, spice traders and seafarers for centuries before the British came to its shores.

Website design By BotEap.comas a commercial port

Website design By BotEap.comIts rich history dates back to around 2,000 years ago, when the region had established trade contacts with Babylonian, Roman, Phoenician, Greek and Chinese traders. It wasn’t long after British merchants set foot in the region that Chennai, then Madrasapattinam, was dubbed the 36th metropolitan city in the world, thanks to British colonization and incredible developments during the 16th century. Madras, as the British called it, was the first British settlement in the country.

Website design By BotEap.comrulers of chennai

Website design By BotEap.comInitially as a group of villages in South India, it was covered with paddy fields and palm trees. The city was ruled by some of the popular dynasties of South India such as the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandiyas and the Vijayanagar Kingdom. Folk temples like Parthasarathy Temple, Kabaleeshwarar Temple and Pallava Harbor are proof that the city existed as early as the 7th century in the region. Ironically, it was the Portuguese who first landed on the shores of Chennai and established the São Tomé named after the Christian Apostle Saint Thomas in memory of whom the Church of Saint Thomas still stands on the city’s beach shores.

Website design By BotEap.commadrasapattinam

Website design By BotEap.comIt wasn’t until the British landed at Madrasapattinam, a fishing village on the Coromandel Coast, in the 16th century and built the East India Company and thus it was christened Madras. Here was established a small settlement and the center of British trade that later became known as Fort St. George. George Town, as it became popularly known, included busy streets where businesses serving the British flourished and became a popular shopping spot for people to buy their wares.

Website design By BotEap.comfrench invasion

Website design By BotEap.comThe settlement was overrun by the French for a short time before the British took it back again. Madras served as a leading urban location and naval base for the British from where they conquered neighboring regions in South India. With the establishment of the railways at the end of the 19th century, Madras became connected with the major cities and places in the country. The entire state of Tamil Nadu was called Madras State just after independence, but was later renamed Tamil Nadu 22 years later.

Website design By BotEap.comChennai renamed

Website design By BotEap.comMadras was the main place when the Tamil anti-Hindi protest took place for 3 years from 1965 to 1967. Madras has also been the center point of political hostility due to the racial conflicts in Sri Lanka and powerful measures were taken such as result of it. . Madras was renamed Chennai in 1996 from its original name Chennapatna, which was the name of the original Indian settlement in the region. To this day, Chennai remains a major gateway to South India.

Website design By BotEap.comsignificant milestones

Website design By BotEap.comPopularly known for its rich culture and tradition, there are many places in Chennai that have both historical and global significance. Marina Beach, which is a major landmark in the city of Chennai, is the second longest beach in the world. The boardwalk along the beach is one of the best in the world. Marina is not the only beach though, there is Covelong Beach and Elliot’s Beach which are also major landmarks on the Coromandel Coast. The Santhome church, named after Santo Tomas, stands on the shore of the Marina and is a distinctive landmark. St. George Fort which stands on the shores of the Bay of Bengal is a marvel of military architecture and is currently the seat of the Legislative Council Chambers of Tamil Nadu.

Website design By BotEap.comChennai Highlights

Website design By BotEap.com· Chennai is popularly known as the Detroit of India as it has a very strong automotive industry that manufactures about 40% of the auto parts for motor vehicles in India.

Website design By BotEap.comVandalur Zoo was originally established in 1855 and is the first public zoo in India and remains the largest in the country.

Website design By BotEap.comThe Anna Centenary Library in the heart of the city is the largest in Asia.

Website design By BotEap.comChennai Cancer Institute was established in the year 1920 and is the oldest cancer hospital in India.

Website design By BotEap.comThe MA Chidambaram Stadium was built in the year 1916 and is one of the oldest cricket stadiums in India.

Website design By BotEap.comChennai Mofussil Bus Terminal (CBMT) in Koyambedu is the largest bus terminal in all of Asia.