Ancient temples, vibrant arts, natural wonders and a bustling culinary scene make Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu , one among the foremost popular tourist destinations within the southern fringes of the country. Located on the Coromandel Coast, this busy metropolis was formerly called Madras. From the resplendent classical dance sort of bharatnatyam to the rich flavours of its iconic cuisine and from the lustrous silk sarees traded here to the gorgeous temples and churches, Chennai is that the gatekeeper of South Indian art, culture and traditions. the town is additionally the right base from which trips to other locales in Tamil Nadu can begin .

Alongside heritage, flourish natural and contemporary highlights: sprawling beaches with natural and man-made wonders, a bustling seaport, quirky cafes, a multi-transport system, theme parks, industrial hubs, hi-tech parks and universities. Its population may be a heterogenous mixture of locals, expats and other people from the remainder of India. Chennai is widely referred to as the “Detroit of India”, a moniker it earned due to the high concentration of automobile factories located in and around here.
There are several stories about the origin of the city’s name. Initially, during the Nayakars rule, its name was Madras, which was inspired by Madraspattinam. At that point , it had been a fishing village that was situated to the north of the world that’s now Fort St George. The king of Vijaynagar sold the piece of land to British on which now stands Fort St George, which houses the Secretariat Complex of the govt of Tamil Nadu . it had been British officers who retained the name Madraspattinam. For local populace, it had been more common to call the town Chennapattinam. consistent with another legend, the town was named Chennai in honour of Damal Chennappa Nayakkar, a Nayak ruler. within the year 1996, the govt renamed it to Chennai officially and therefore the name stands even today.