Chennai, (formerly Madras) the first city of Tamil Nadu, is a comparatively a new city. The erstwhile villages of Mylapore, Triplicane, Ezhambur (Egmore) etc. all now a part of Chennai, have a recorded historical past centuries older than Chennai. Chennai, the present gateway to the South of India, is itself, however, only about 350 years old.

Chennai, the fourth largest city in India, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. The city has a decidedly colonial charm to it. The place has a fine manifestation of tradition and modernity. Among the many attractions of the city is the Madras Snake Park where over 500 species of snakes and reptiles are on display.

Chennai is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fourth largest metropolitan city. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.60 million (2006), the 368-year-old city is the 36th largest metropolitan area in the world.

The city is a large commercial and industrial centre, and is known for its cultural heritage and temple architecture. Chennai is the automobile capital of India, with a major percentage of the automobile industry having a base there and with a major portion of the nation's vehicles being produced there. Chennai is also referred to as the Detroit of South Asia. It has also become a major center for outsourced jobs from the Western world. The 12-kilometre long Marina Beach forms the city's east coast and is one of the longest beaches in the world. The city is known for its sport venues and hosts India's only ATP tennis event, the Chennai Open.

The name Madras is derived from Madraspatnam, the site chosen by the British East India Company for a permanent settlement in 1639. Another small town, Chennapatnam, lay to the south of it. In due course the two towns were merged, and the term Madras was favoured by the British. However locals used to refer to it as Chennapatnam or Chennapuri. The city was renamed Chennai in August 1996 as the name Madras was perceived to be of Portuguese origin. It is believed that the original Portuguese name is Madre de Sois, named after a Portuguese high authority who was one among the early settlers in 1500. There have been suggestions though that Chennai may not be a Tamil name while Madras may be of Tamil origin. Actually, the word "Chennu" is a South-Central Dravidian word of Telugu Origin, meaning "Beautiful". So, Chennapuri or Chennapatnam means "Beautiful City".

The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre dating back to the 1st century. It has been ruled by South Indian kingdoms, notably the Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar empires. The town of Mylapore, now part of the metropolis, was once a major port of the Pallava kingdom.

When the Portuguese arrived in 1522, they built a port and named it São Tomé, after the Christian apostle St. Thomas, who is believed to have preached there between the years 52 and 70. The region then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who established themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in 1612.

On 22 August 1639, the British East India Company was granted land by the Damerla Venkatadri, Nayak of Vandavasi, as a base for a permanent settlement, believed to be called Madrasemen. A year later, Fort St George was built, which subsequently became the nucleus around which the colonial city grew. In 1746, Fort St George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius, who plundered the town and its outlying villages.

The British regained control of the town in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and subsequently fortified the base to withstand further attacks from the French and Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore. By the late 18th century, the British had conquered most of the region around Tamil Nadu and the northern modern-day states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to establish the Madras Presidency, whose capital was Madras.

Under British rule the city grew into a major urban centre and naval base. With the advent of railways in India in the late 19th century, it was connected to other important cities such as Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) and Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), facilitating communication and trade with the hinterland. It was the only Indian city to be attacked by the Central Powers during World War I, when an oil depot was shelled by the German light cruiser SMS Emden. After independence in 1947, the city became the capital of Madras State, which was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969.

From 1965 to 1967, Chennai was an important base for the Tamil agitation against the imposition of Hindi. Chennai had witnessed some political violence due to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, after 33 people were killed by a bomb planted by the Tamil Eelam Army at the airport in 1984 and following the assassination of thirteen members of the Sri Lankan separatist group EPRLF, and two Indian civilians by the rival LTTE in 1991. Strong measures were taken and the city has not faced any major terrorist activity since then. The city was renamed Chennai in August 1996 as the name Madras was perceived to be of Portuguese origin.

In 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing many and permanently altering the coastline.

13.04° N 80.17° E on the southeast coast of India and in the northeast corner of Tamil Nadu. It is located on a flat coastal plain known as the Eastern Coastal Plains. The city has an average elevation of 6 metres (20 feet), its highest point being 60 m (200 ft). Two rivers meander through Chennai, the Cooum (or Koovam) in the central region and the Adyar in the southern region. Both rivers are heavily polluted with effluents and trash from domestic and commercial sources. The Adyar, which is much less polluted than the Cooum, is de-silted and cleaned periodically by the state government. A protected estuary of the Adyar forms the natural habitat of several species of birds and animals. The Buckingham Canal, 4 km (3 miles) inland, travels parallel to the coast, linking the two rivers. The Otteri Nullah, an east-west stream runs through north Chennai and meets the Buckingham Canal at Basin Bridge.

Several lakes of varying size are located on the western fringes of the city. Red Hills, Sholavaram and Chembarambakkam Lake supply Chennai with potable water. Groundwater sources are mostly brackish. The city's water supply has proved inadequate for its population, and an over-reliance on annual monsoon rains to replenish water reservoirs has compounded problems. There had been some attempts to pipe in water from other sources, such as the Veeranam, a water-rich place in Tamil Nadu or from the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh. Water is a precious commodity in Chennai and this has given rise to private water tankers supplying many areas. Alternative measures such as reverse osmosis and rainwater harvesting have been taken up. Chennai Metrowater has currently finalised a bid to construct a reverse osmosis plant with a capacity of 100 million litres per day (about 15 litres per person per day).

The geology of Chennai comprises of mostly clay, shale and sandstone. The city is classified into three regions based on geology, sandy areas, clayey areas and hard-rock areas. Sandy areas are found along the river banks and the coasts. Clayey regions cover most of the city. Hard rock areas are Guindy, Velachery, Adambakkam and a part of Saidapet. In sandy areas such as Tiruvanmiyur, Adyar, Kottivakkam, Santhome, George Town and the rest of coastal Chennai, rainwater run-off percolates very quickly. In clayey and hard rock areas, rainwater percolates slowly, but it is held by the soil for a longer time. The city's clayey areas include T.Nagar, West Mambalam, Anna Nagar, Kolathur and Virugambakkam.

Marina Beach

This expansive beach is Chennai's most famous tourist attraction. In Chennai, this is one ideal place for a laid back holidays. The beach is thronged through out the year by several thousand tourists, both domestic and international. The composed climate, the whispering sea, the shimmering sun and the soft sand are all that will make you beach holidays perfect.

Kapaleeshwar Temple

This ancient shrine dedicated to Shiva is centrally located and among the area’s most popular landmarks. Lord Siva once pinched off one of the heads of Brahma to arrest his pride. A crestfallen Brahma came to this place, installed a Siva Lingam and did penance. The Lingam is known as Kapaleeswarar. This temple is known for a panacea from many troubles.

National Art Gallery

Tenth century paintings, religious statues and relics occupy one building while the other contains mostly modern works. Located in Egmore, the National Art Gallery is housed in a building built in 1906 in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture. The building itself is a work of art and was originally intended to be the Victoria Memorial and Technical Institute but was made the National Art Gallery in 1951. On exhibition are 10th and 13th century bronzes, 16th and 18th century Rajasthani and Mughal paintings, 17th century Deccani paintings and 11th and 12th century Indian handicrafts.

Fort St. George

Built by the British East India Company in 1640, this walled military structure contains numerous important landmarks. This is one very striking structure of Chennai, a must visit.

By Air

Chennai has domestic as well as international airports. The Kamaraj Domestic Airport and the Anna International Airport are located at Tirusulam, at a distance of 20 km from the city.

By Rail

The city of Chennai is also well connected to all the major cities in India through a wide network of railways. The main railheads are Madras Central and Egmore.

By Road

The city of Chennai is also well connected to all the major cities in Tamil Nadu and other neighboring states through an excellent road network.

Chennai is a Shopper's delight. There are a lot of places and shops worth visiting. Silk sarees are a must buy for any visitor to Chennai. Try the shops at T Nagar for Silk sarees, especially Nalli, Kumaran, etc near Panagal Park. For clothes and other curio items, try the shopping complexes at Spencers Plaza, Alsa Mall or Prince Plaza near Egmore, or in Nungambakkam and T Nagar. For people who love jewelry, T Nagar is the place to be. For Handicrafts, visit the Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan or the Victoria Technical Institute at Anna Salai or the Tamil Nadu State Poompuhar Emporium. Nearby is the famous Burma Bazaar where all sorts of imported goods can be purchased.