Chennai, the largest city in southern India located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Benga . Chennai was the site of the first settlement of the East India Company. It was founded in 1639, on a piece of land given by the Raja of Chandragiri, the last representative of the Vijayanagar rulers of Hampi. Over the past three and a half centuries, the small fishing village has grown into a bustling metropolis which is especially known for its spaciousness which is lacking in other Indian cities, This characteristic is exemplified by the long esplanade called the Marina and which is lined by impressive buildings which remind the casual visitor of the long and inseparable association the city has had with the British. In the city, one cannot fail to notice the dominant British influences in the form of old cathedrals, buildings in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, wide tree lined avenues. However, though the English legacy is undeniable, Chennai has continued to be a center, which has blended the foreign influence with the traditional Tamil-Hindu culture. As a city it continues to maintain the best of south Indian traditions. This is not surprising because the region was an important center of Pallavan culture long before the British came here and the traces of which are to be found in the numerous old temple The city base to peep into the varied aspects of traditional south Indian culture and life styles which inter- mingle with the modern city complete with its plush hotels and restaurants- offering a range of continental and typical, south Indian cuisine, long and uncrowned stretches of beaches, modern shopping centers which offer traditional handicrafts, textiles and much more peculiar to this part of India.

Chennai (formerly Madras ) has the Bay of Bengal bordering its east, while the state of Andhra Pradesh is on its northwest. It has the famous district of Tamilnadu, Kanchipuram, on its south and the states of Kerala and Karnataka on its western side. Being situated at the tropical zone, Chennai normally has a very hot and humid climate. The best time to visit this city is the winter season. Winter and summer temperature does not vary much as it rains frequently through the year.