An easy, practical and in-sequence itinerary planner I have travelled the length and breadth of India, and am truly proud of its rich and varied heritage. I am amazed by the tradition and values, the people, festivals, celebrations and the changing landscape. Have you wondered if it's possible to travel across India completely? Most foreigners arriving in India, land in Delhi and then travel the Golden Triangle route first- which is a good decision incase you have limited time at hand and want to make the most of it. The Golden Triangle- Delhi, Agra and Jaipur includes the much hyped Taj Mahal which invariably is part of a tourist's bucket list. This blog on the other hand- is a sequential strategy and detailed 'been there done that' itinerary plan starting from Mumbai. I am sure as we go through this Journey you will understand India better. My experiences are based from the perspective of a - digital nomad, budget backpacker and from a local standpoint. Each Itinerar...
Iconic sites and a beach picnic: 1 Day Chennai City self-tour
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"I know this street it's 10 mins from here. Let's go take a look" said Ramani, as we walked towards Luz church. We had planned a day out and it was certainly going to be exciting. We had even packed a picnic lunch hoping to spend some quality time at Marina beach.
Tip~ Kindly follow the sequence in google maps to make your tour easy.
Also known as 'Our Lady of the Light' shrine, this small church is a piece of treasure. The well-polished pews and altar in teak look as good as gold to this day. Interestingly the church was built by the Portuguese in 1516~ the first Europeans who arrived in Madras even before the British.
Kapaleeshwar is a 7th CE ancient Shiva temple in typical Dravidian style architecture and an important temple of TamilNadu. The intricately carved gopuram is a beauty. Shiva is worshipped as Kapaleeshwar and witnessing the aarti here is truly a profound experience. The temple tank is large but we found it closed.
Kapaleeshwar temple, Mylapore CHENNAI
Aarti timings are from 5.30 am to 10 pm. The temple is closed during afternoons and opens at 4.30 pm again in the evening.
SANTHOME CATHEDRAL BASILICA, Mylapore
This striking Cathedral in white is in honor of St.Thomas the Apostle whose tomb (crypt) is placed in a chapel just behind the main church. SANTHOME CATHEDRAL BASILICA is unique as being one of the 3 churches in the world built at the burial site of an apostle of Christ. The other two are St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican which is the burial site of St.Peter and Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Spain which houses the grave of St.James.
Santhome Basilica, Mylapore CHENNAI
When did Christianity come to India and who brought it: the story of St.Thomas the Apostle.. Read more
Thereafter, St.Thomas left Kerala and moved to Chennai in order to spread the word of Christ, but found resistance among the locals. He was martyred in 72 AD at St.Thomas mount, about 12km away from this place.
MARINA BEACH
The drive from Santhome Basilica church northward will pass through Chennai lighthouse until you reach Marina beach. This 12km long beach right in the metropolis, reminds me of the west coast beach stretch of Mumbai. A place where city dwellers can roll up their pants and let the seawater wash away the stress of a busy day. During evenings and weekends, Marina is a sea of people who spend their time with horse rides, games and snacking at the multiple food joints here.
An evening at Marina beach Chennai
It was almost evening and time for a break. The sound of the seawaves helped us relax, so we laid out a mat for a picnic on the beach.
Just north of Marina beach is Dr. MGR MEMORIAL that has a nice landscaped garden where one can spend some time.
And that brings to an end a perfect day in Chennai. Hope you enjoyed this blog. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Bye for now!
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