Chennai

FROM ANCIENT TEMPLES TO COLONIAL FORTS AND BUSTLING MARKETS, THE CAPITAL CITY REVEALS ITS RICH HERITAGE SLOWLY-LAYER BY LAYER, FLAVOUR BY FLAVOUR

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Chennai wakes up well before dawn. By the time I reached Marina Beach in the early hours, fishermen were already hauling in their nets, joggers and walkers were hitting their stride, hawkers were setting up their stalls, fortune tellers scanned the crowd for curious clients, and traffic had begun its steady hum along the main road.

For me, Marina Beach isn't really about the ocean, it's about the city. If you want to experience Chennai in its raw, unfiltered form, this is where the story begins. Chennai doesn't reveal itself in a rush. It's not a city you can “do” in a day. It unfolds slowly, layer by layer—a blend of ancient temples, colonial churches, roadside stalls, bold film posters, and strains of Carnatic music wafting through the air, all best savoured with a cup of hot filter coffee.

The Beach Road is a vital artery that threads through Chennai's past and present, connecting neighbourhoods like Parry's and Santhome and weaving together the city’s history, traditions, and daily life. Spanning over 12km, its wide stretch of sandy shoreline is one of the longest urban beaches and a true microcosm of the city.

Chennai carries a quiet sense of timelessness. Though the British-founded settlement of Madras at Fort St. George is just 400 years old, the city has grown to embrace villages over a thousand years old, now seamlessly part of its urban landscape.