Chennai, also known as Madras, is the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu in India, and is the country's fourth-largest city. Retaining much of its traditional charm, it is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.45 million (2005), the 367 year old city is the gateway to the south, providing many a fascinating vignette of southern heritage. The preferred language of communication amongst the local population is Tamil; however, English is also widely spoken.
Chennai is home to a host of Tamil cultural art forms ranging from dance, literature, sculpture, music and cinema. Tamil Nadu is famous for its hospitality and its deep belief that serving food to others is a service to humanity, so eating-out in its capital city Chennai, is a great experience and provides a glimpse of the unique lifestyle of the city. The staple diet for most of the population is rice. Tiffin items are usually one or more rice based dishes like idly, dosai, pongal, vadai along with coconut chutney and sambar. Tiffin is usually accompanied by hot filter coffee, the signature beverage of the city.
Temperature: Max-40° C and Min-21° C in summer, and Max-30° C and Min-20° C in winter.

Places of Interest :

Fort ST. George: was built in 1640 AD, by the British East India Company under the direct supervision of Francis Day and Andrew Cogon. The fort houses Saint Mary's Church and fort museum. Saint Mary's Church the oldest Anglican Church built in 1680 and the tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India.
Government Museum, or National Art Gallery on Pantheon Road, comprises an interesting archaeological collection and a room holding a significant and superb collection of Chola bronzes. One building has modern works, while the other has historical works.
Marina Beach: It is the second longest beach in the world with a stretch of 4.5 kms (2.5 miles). This stretch is filled with statues of remembrance from our Tamil culture to our great leaders. A walk along the Marina in the evening creates elated feelings.
Mahabalipuram: The internationally recognized heritage monument of our country, personifying the art and culture of the Pallava kings.
Dakshinachitra: A venture of Deborah Thiagarajan and her associates from the Madras Craft Foundation. Dakshinachitra is an amazing place to visit, as various kinds of traditional houses have been transported to Chennai from interior parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and rebuilt here piece by piece.
MGM Dizzy World: Spread over 27 acres, this theme park offers joy rides, food stalls and other games. It features one of the first roller coaster rides of Chennai, and many of the rides offered could make your hair stand on edge.
Mayajaal: 100,000 sq.ft of air-conditioned space. A multitude of activities and entertainment avenues, including movie theatres, bowling alleys, video games parlors, multi-cuisine food courts, and much more.

Reaching Chennai :

By plane  
Chennai has an international airport and is the transport hub of South India. All international flights arrive at the Anna Terminal while the domestic flights arrive at the Kamraj terminal.
By Train  
Chennai is reachable by train from other Indian cities. Chennai Central and Egmore stations are the main hubs for all long-distance trains.
By Bus  
Chennai has one of Asia's largest bus stations, CMBT. Seven different state owned corporations fly buses to and from various destinations within South India. AC/ Non AC coaches are available.
By Car  
Chennai is very well connected by road as well. Five major national highways radiate outward towards Kolkata, Bangalore, Tiruchy / Madurai, Tiruvallur, and Pondicherry.