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Travel Guide » Asia » Chennai
Explore: The World | India
Chennai
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(Tamil Nadu)


South?s Cultural Capital

Rustle of silk, whiff of jasmine, crowded market streets, big malls, and even bigger cutouts of politicians and film stars. Welcome to Chennai, land of the Dravidians! The fourth largest metropolis in India! Forever vibrant, life goes at a sticky bustling pace. Friendly people, steaming idlis and dosas, honking and music blaring auto rickshaws, busy walkways, East Coast Road, beach house parties, the infamous smell of the Coom river. Formerly known as Madras, Chennai captivates everyone who comes her way.
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Getting There
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To Do & See
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Entertainment & Night Life
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Entertainment & Night Life
Entertainment
This is the land where fans build temples for their matinee idols. And fittingly enough, the legendary AVM Studios (Arcot Rd., Vadapalani; Ph.24836700) opens its gates to the public on all days except Sundays and second Saturdays, from 9 am to 6 pm. At any given point of time, there are shootings for a couple of movies/teleserials going on here. Sathyam Cinemas (ph. 28523813), off Anna Salai in Royapettah, Melody, Woods Rd, Royapettah (ph. 28531371) and Mayajaal, ECR (www.mayajaal.com), are few of the best cine-complexes in Chennai. You may visit one if you want to watch movies in Hindi, English or Tamil. You can book your tickets online or order it at your doorstep via phone. The city is Mecca for Carnatic music and Bharata Natyam and there are shows happening everyday. In fact December-January is the 'season', when sabhas (cultural organisations) host a series of music and dance performances, workshops, seminars and lec-dems. But it's possible to catch a concert any time of the year. Some of the leading sabhas are Music Academy (TTK Road, Tel: 28115619,), Narada Gana Sabha (314, T.T.K.Road, Chennai-18, Ph: 24993201 / 24990850), and Kartik Fine Arts (39, New # 16, Bheemanna Garden Street, Chennai Ph: 24997788). Most shows are free, unless mentioned otherwise. So while in Chennai, do check out the local newspapers for details on the shows.
Nightlife
Yes. Chennai has, of late, started sleeping late. The influx of hip-hop culture has encroached upon Chennai's traditional lifestyle. There are many places here today where one may rock on and boogey late into the night. One of the most popular hangouts in the city is the Bike and Barrel (Sri Thyagaraya Nagar Road) Located at the plush Residency Towers; this pub has a lot of memorabilia on its walls. It has hanging bike and barrels for tables. Dublin at the Park Sheraton is an Irish pub, and another happening place in the city. While at the Park Sheraton, you can also check out the Vijay's Sport Cafewhich showcases sports memorabilia. Zara's on the Cathedral Road is another place where the hip and trendy crowd in Chennai vanish into over the weekend. The Cellar (TTK Road) mixes great cocktails, along with beer. Two other popular hangouts are the Leather Bar (The Park, near Gemini Flyover) and Bamboo Bar (Savera Hotel, Radhakrishnan Salai). Speed at Mount Road, Pasha at The Park, and the new EC41 (near VGP Resort on East Coast Road.), with its rain dance and bay-view, are some of the trendiest clubs in the town, all of which are worth a dekko. EC41 is hottest on Saturday evenings.
Kidding around
Chennai seems to have a record number of amusement parks and entertainment centres. MGM Dizzy World is amongst the most sought after. It is about an hour's drive from the city. VGP Universal Kingdom is a water theme park about 30kms away also known for its Golden Beach while Kishkinta (20 km away) has both land and water games. It also boasts of an artificial waterfall. Some 15 km from Mahabalipuram is Tarsha Water Sports Complex, which is open on Fridays from 11 am to 6 pm and from 10 am to 6 pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Just about 5 kms from the city off the East Coast Road, is Kart beat, the heart beat of the yuppies in town. Go racing, feel the squealing tyres, and burnt rubber at this popular escape. Mayajaal, about 18 kms away from the city, on the East Coast Road, is one of the ultimate entertainment complex. It has a pool parlour, a gaming alley with more than 50 different games, shopping areas and six theatres. When you get tired of having fun, walk down to the food court, the food here is wonderful. The huge display screen has a packed audience during cricket matches and other game seasons.
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