Ria's Guest House

Rajiv Gandhi Memorial

by NedHopkins

Rajiv Gandhi, son of Indira and grandson of Jawaharal Nehru, was out of power but headed for a comeback when he was assassinated.

Here, in Sriperumbudur, at the very spot where a fanatic blew herself and Rajiv up, the Indian government has erected an impressive memorial to the martyred leader. (His Italian-born widow, Sonia, is now head of the ruling Congress Party.)

Sriperumbudur is on the main highway between Chennai and Kanchipuram and about half-way between those two cities.

Salads and Sandwiches

by bungi333 about Latitude 13 @ Good Earth

A small little specialty restaurant by the Park. They serve amazing salads and sandwiches. Perfect for light lunch or early dinner. The ambiance is great. A good place for catching up with friends or colleagues on a weekday, or for a quiet brunch on weekends.

Play or Dance recital at Kalakshetra

by abi_maha

This is a nice cultural center in TN, housed in a quiet corner near the beach! Kalakshetra is famous world over for dance, music and other cultural activities. This also houses a brilliant auditorium and it is used to hold a variety of cultural events and shows.

Check the calendar of activities at Kalakshetra and head there to watch a nice play or a bharatanatyam(classical dance of Tamil Nadu) recital.

An unexpectedly happening city

by sanco_3

"Conference and friends"

Chennai has really developed in the last 2 years..... Its really happening... with loads of good shopping malls, restaurants, theme parks and yes historic sites to visit... Avoid visiting Chennai between April and June cos it gets very HOT!!!

Andy's Madras (Chennai)

by AndyIyer

"Andy's Tips"

ANDYýS TIPS

TIP: Find a host family if you can. This can be a wonderful experience since you truly become part of the family while you are there and experience the people, culture and local life from within. Often host families are likely to be vegetarians ý no meat or eggs but milk products are a large part of the local diet. There are many ways to find host families ý VT is just one way there J. A friend of mine was lucky ý she met a wonderful person on her flight there who offered to host her during her stay ý she loved it. Of course, she was being adventurous. I would advice some planning, common sense and caution.

TIP: Drink bottled water for your own safety. Water-borne illnesses are common and easy to catch if you eat at roadside eateries ý they are very tempting and you will feel drawn to an occasional hole-in-the wall tea, juice or lassi (a yoghurt drink) stall for its ýcharacterý. As long as youýve had your shots before going to India and ensure your food is made with bottled or boiled water and drink bottled water (lots of it) during your stay, you are likely to escape unscathed. The cityýs water table is so low that water is brought into the city from far-flung suburbs and satellite towns in tankers. The city has recently introduced a rainwater-harvesting requirement for commercial and residential zones. It is common for bathrooms in most houses to contain buckets and large drums of water stored for daily use.

TIP: High SPF sunscreen is a must for a visit to Chennai. Do not take this lightly. You may suffer from sunstroke if you do not take adequate precaution. I recommend loose-fitting, light-colored, full sleeve shirts and equally loose-fitting light trousers. You are likely to encounter a high level of dust and dirt that will work their way into your clothing, bags, nostrils, mouth and throat.

TIP: Take prepaid taxis at the airport to avoid being hustled. It is common for locals leave alone tourists to get fleeced by taxi or auto rickshaw drivers. They often tamper with their meters to earn higher fares. Auto Rickshaws are 3-wheeled taxis with a single wheel in the front and two in the rear. They typically can carry the driver plus two large or three small persons. Given the chaotic traffic, the propensity of all motorists to weave in and out of traffic and the large city buses and trucks wanting to play chicken with other small vehicles, it can be a traumatic experience for the first-time visitor. You never get used to it, you just resign yourself to your fate! Most hotel staff will give you a good guidance on the fares to different tourist spots in the city. Be sure to ask for information.

TIP: When visiting someone, it is customary to bring something for your host ý some fresh fruit or sweets are usually a good bet.

TIP: Leave your footwear by the front door or otherwise designated place when visiting someoneýs home.

TIP: Carry a footwear bag to put your shoes in when you visit temples ý Strictly no footwear allowed inside ý no matter how hot or rainy it may be. Most temples have stalls outside where you can leave your shoes for a fee and collect them on the way out but a nice pair of shoes may be safer in your own bag.

"Andy's Recommendations"

Recommendations:
While I have eaten at most of the places mentioned in the link below, I want to advice you to make sure you know what you want and what you are eating when you visit these eateries.

I have been to most places listed in the ývisitý list too. Take your patience with you always J.

As for hotels in Chennai - Hotel Woodlands is a low cost, decent option. Nilgiriýs Nest is a step up in both cost and features it sells out fast ý you might want to book early. The Residency is a good 3 star hotel. If you really want to be pampered, Iýd recommend the Taj Coramandel ý a 5 star hotel smack in the middle of the city.

The following links are external websites. Please report any broken links.

Places to Visit:
http://www.imsc.ernet.in/Madras/mad-tour.html
http://www.imsc.ernet.in/Madras/mad-excursion.html

Places to Eat at:
http://www.imsc.ernet.in/Madras/eogc.html

Places to Stay at:
http://www.imsc.ernet.in/~fsttcs99/hotels.html

Current Local Time in Chennai:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=553

Current Currency Conversion Rates:
http://www.xe.com/ucc/ (Indian Rupee or INR)

Chennai Telephones:
http://chennai.bsnl.co.in/index.html (Online Chennai Telephone directory)

Popular Local Daily:
http://www.hinduonnet.com/

Requirements for Registration of Visitors to India:
http://www.indianconsulate-sf.org/news/frro_info.html (For stays longer than 180 days)

General India Information:
http://www.indianconsulate-sf.org/ (Includes Customs & Baggage Information)

General Tamil Nadu Information:
http://www.tn.gov.in/welcometn.htm

Information on Hindu Religion and Culture:
http://www.kamakoti.org/ (Has a lot of Sanskrit words ý take your time reading)

Learn Tamil:
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/plc/tamilweb/tamil.html
http://www.tamil.net/learn-tamil/
http://www.duke.edu/~skc9/tamilclass/links.htm
http://www.tamilschool.com/