87-479: Thiruverkadu ( Tamil: [திருவேற்காடு] ; literally 'a forest of holy herbs and roots') is a Western suburb of Chennai , Tamil Nadu . It comes under Thiruvallur district administration. It is famous for its Devi Karumariamman Temple . There is also Vedapureeswarar Temple in Thiruverkadu, where Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi are seen in their wedding pose inside the sanctum sanctorum. As of 2011,
174-651: A tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing 206 people in Chennai and permanently altering the coastline. The 2015 Chennai Floods submerged major portions of the city, killing 269 people and resulting in damages of ₹ 86.4 billion (US$ 1 billion). Chennai is located on the southeastern coast of India in the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu on a flat coastal plain known as the Eastern Coastal Plains with an average elevation of 6.7 m (22 ft) and highest point at 60 m (200 ft). Chennai's soil
261-452: A banana leaf. Eating on a banana leaf is an old custom and imparts a unique flavour to the food and is considered healthy. Idly and dosa are popular breakfast dishes. Chennai has an active street food culture and various cuisine options for dining including North Indian , Chinese and continental . The influx of industries in the early 21st century also bought distinct cuisines from other countries such as Japanese and Korean to
348-660: A classical dance form that originated in Tamil Nadu and is the oldest dance in India. Cultural centres in the city include Kalakshetra and Government Music College. Chennai is also home to some choirs, who during the Christmas season stage various carol performances across the city in Tamil and English. Chennai is home to many museums, galleries, and other institutions that engage in arts research and are major tourist attractions. Established in
435-475: A combination of various folk music, is sung mainly in the working-class area of North Chennai. Chennai Sangamam , an art festival showcasing various arts of South India is held every year. Chennai has been featured in UNESCO Creative Cities Network list since October 2017 for its old musical tradition. Chennai has a diverse theatre scene and is a prominent centre for Bharata Natyam ,
522-509: A dry-summer tropical wet and dry climate which is designated As under the Köppen climate classification . The city lies on the thermal equator and as it is also located on the coast, there is no extreme variation in seasonal temperature. The hottest time of the year is from April to June with an average temperature of 35–40 °C (95–104 °F). The highest recorded temperature was 45 °C (113 °F) on 31 May 2003. The coldest time of
609-424: A grade III Municipality with 28.50 Sq. km in extent. This town consists of seven revenue villages namely Thiruverkadu, Sundarasozhapuram, Koladi, Perumalagaram, Ayanambakkam, Veeraragavapuram and Numbal. The town is divided into 18 wards. Thiruverkadu town is located at a distance of 16 km west of Chennai City. This lies on Chennai - Bangalore National Highway Road and Chennai Thirupathi Trunk road. It
696-532: A house. There are about 1,131 slums in the city housing more than 300,000 households. The city is governed by the Greater Chennai Corporation (formerly "Corporation of Madras"), which was established on 29 September 1688. It is the oldest surviving municipal corporation in India and the second oldest surviving corporation in the world. In 2011, the jurisdiction of the Chennai Corporation
783-976: Is a division of the Tamil Nadu Police , the administrative control of which lies with the Home ministry of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) is responsible for the traffic management in the city. The metropolitan suburbs are policed by the Chennai Metropolitan Police , headed by the Chennai Police Commissionerate , and the outer district areas of the CMDA are policed by respective police departments of Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu and Ranipet districts. As of 2021 , Greater Chennai had 135 police stations across four zones with 20,000 police personnel. As of 2021 ,
870-540: Is a major centre for music, art and dance in India. The city is called the Cultural Capital of South India. Madras Music Season , initiated by Madras Music Academy in 1927, is celebrated every year during the month of December and features performances of traditional Carnatic music by artists from the city. Madras University introduced a course of music, as part of the Bachelor of Arts curriculum in 1930. Gaana ,
957-446: Is about 120 cm (47 in). The highest annual rainfall recorded was 257 cm (101 in) in 2005. Prevailing winds in Chennai are usually southwesterly between April and October and northeasterly during the rest of the year. The city relies on the annual monsoon rains to replenish water reservoirs. Cyclones and depressions are common features during the season. Water inundation and flooding happen in low-lying areas during
SECTION 10
#17330856147141044-616: Is among the largest small-scale industrial estates in the country. Chennai contributes more than 50 per cent of India's leather exports. Chennai is a major electronics hardware exporter. The city is home to the Madras Stock Exchange , India's third-largest by trading volume behind the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India . Madras Bank, the first European-style banking system in India,
1131-461: Is among the major information technology (IT) hubs of India. Tidel Park established in 2000 was amongst the first and largest IT parks in Asia. The presence of SEZs and government policies have contributed to the growth of the sector which has attracted foreign investments and job seekers from other parts of the country. In the 2020s, the city has become a major provider of SaaS and has been dubbed
1218-527: Is amongst the top export districts in the country with more than US$ 2563 billion in exports. The city has a permanent exhibition complex Chennai Trade Centre at Nandambakkam . The city hosts the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet , a business summit organized by the Government of Tamil Nadu. With about 62% of the population classified as affluent with less than 1% asset-poor, Chennai has the fifth highest number of millionaires. Chennai
1305-560: Is characterized by a mix of regional and national political parties. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Self-Respect Movement , spearheaded by Theagaroya Chetty and E. V. Ramaswamy emerged in Madras. Congress dominated the political scene post Independence in the 1950s and 1960s under C. Rajagopalachari and later K. Kamaraj . The Anti-Hindi agitations led to the rise of Dravidian parties with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) forming
1392-401: Is devoted to Lord Sri Devi Karumariamman Temple and Lord Siva Temple. This Temple on each new moon day attract a large number of people from all around. It is the nucleus for the development of this town and present development pattern has emerged from a small village at the beginning of 50 years. Thiruverkadu town was constituted as a Municipality from 2004 onwards, Thiruverkadu is functioning as
1479-436: Is estimated to be around 64.06 km (24.73 sq mi) with 121 recorded species belonging to 94 genera and 42 families. Major species include Copper pod , Indian beech , Gulmohar , Raintree , Neem , and Tropical Almond . The city's marine and inland water bodies house a number of fresh water and salt water fishes, and marine organisms. Chennai had many lakes spread across the city, but urbanization has led to
1566-609: Is governed by Municipality of Thiruverkadu, coming under the Thiruvallur district . Thiruverkadu is selection grade Municipality. Thiruverkadu Municipality includes area of Thiruverkadu, Sundarasozhapuram, Koladi, Perumalagaram, Ayanambakkam, Veeraragavapuram and Numbal. Thiruverkadu Municipality is situated in the West Chennai of Tamil Nadu in Thiruvallur District. This town is surrounded with infrastructural facilities and it
1653-708: Is located in West Sivan Koil Street, offering diploma courses in paramedics courses. Vadapalani is known for its health care infrastructure, with several major hospitals having their facility in the neighbourhood. SRM Institute of Medical Science (SIMS), Vijaya Hospital, Vijaya Health Centre, Sooriya Hospital, Rajiv Scans, Akash Institute of fertility & Research, Vasan Eyecare, Best Hospital, Vadapalani Multi-Speciality Hospital, Medall healthcare private limited (Precision Diagnostics), and P&G Nursing Home are prominent medical centres located in Vadapalani. Fortis Malar
1740-486: Is located on Arcot Road. The mall comprises a total of 14,72,000 sq.ft of floor space including 6 levels of retail space and 13 levels of parking space. Along with Kodambakkam , Vadapalani is well known for its film studios and other cine infrastructure. The Vijaya Vauhini Studios , Vikram Studios are located in the neighbourhood, whereas the Prasad Colour Lab and Prasad Studios , Efx Studios, and AVM Studio are in
1827-654: Is mostly clay , shale and sandstone . Clay underlies most of the city with sandy areas found along the river banks and coasts where rainwater runoff percolates quickly through the soil. Certain areas in South Chennai have a hard rock surface. As of 2018, the city had a green cover of 14.9 per cent, with a per capita green cover of 8.5 square metres against the World Health Organization recommendation of nine square metres. As of 2017 , water bodies cover an estimated 3.2 km (1.2 sq mi) area of
SECTION 20
#17330856147141914-763: Is near to visit Chennai Metropolitan Bus Terminal. The town's police comes directly under Chennai Metropolitan Police departments(Now comes under Avadi). RTO : Thiruverkadu comes under RTO-Poonamallee (TN-12). Previously it was under Tiruvallur RTO (TN20). Thiruverkadu is easily accessible from most parts of the city by bus. The Thiruverkadu bus terminus provides services to T.Nagar , Tambaram , Vadapalani , Iyapantangal, Ambattur Industrial Estate, Villivakkam , Perambur , Vallalar Nagar, Thiruvotriyur , Broadway, Anna square, Mangadu , Velachery , Avadi . Via Thiruverkadu Chennai Chennai ( / ˈ tʃ ɛ n aɪ / ; Tamil: [ˈt͡ɕenːaɪ̯] , ISO : Ceṉṉai ), formerly known as Madras ,
2001-427: Is situated 13 9” North latitude and 79 55” E longitude. The present extent of this town is 10.75 km. According to 2011 census , Tiruverkadu had a population of 62,824 with a sex-ratio of 977 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of 7,189 were under the age of six, constituting 3,617 males and 3,572 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 22.86% and 0.37% of
2088-488: Is situated in Seismic Zone III , indicating a moderate risk of damage from earthquakes . Owing to the tectonic zone the city falls in, the city is considered a potential geothermal energy site. The crust has old granite rocks dating back nearly a billion years indicating volcanic activities in the past with expected temperatures of 200–300 °C (392–572 °F) at 4–5 km (2.5–3.1 mi) depth. Chennai has
2175-865: Is situated in Gangappa Street and is the oldest school in the area. There are several schools located in the nearby areas such as Velankanni Matric Higher Secondary School and Kendra Vidyalaya in Ashok Nagar , Avichi Higher Secondary School in Virugambakkam , General Cariappa Higher Secondary School and Child Fruit Matriculation School and Ramalinga Mission Middle School (Tamil Medium) (established in 1952) at Gangappa Street in Saligramam . Many children from Vadapalani do their schooling in these neighbouring areas. SRM Institute of Science and Technology has established one of its campus at Vadapalani in 2009. Apollo Medskills
2262-688: Is spread across five constituencies. It elects 28 MLAs to the state legislature. Being the capital of the Madras Province that covered a large area of the Deccan region, Chennai remained the centre of politics during the British colonial era. Chennai is the birthplace of the idea of the Indian National Congress , which was founded by the members of the Theosophical Society movement based on
2349-578: Is the capital and largest city of Tamil Nadu , the southernmost state of India . It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal . According to the 2011 Indian census , Chennai is the sixth-most populous city in India and forms the fourth-most populous urban agglomeration . Incorporated in 1688, the Greater Chennai Corporation is the oldest municipal corporation in India and
2436-540: Is the base for Tamil cinema , nicknamed Kollywood, alluding to the neighbourhood of Kodambakkam where several film studios are located. The history of cinema in South India started in 1897 when a European exhibitor first screened a selection of silent short films at the Victoria Public Hall in the city. Swamikannu Vincent purchased a film projector and erected tents for screening films which became popular in
2523-591: The AVANI , headquartered in Chennai manufactures Armoured fighting vehicles , Main battle tanks , tank engines and armoured clothing for the use of the Indian Armed Forces . ISRO , the premier Indian space agency primarily responsible for performing tasks related to space exploration operates research facilities in the city. Chennai is the third-most visited city in India by international tourists according to Euromonitor. Medical tourism forms an important part of
2610-654: The Chennai Central and Chennai Egmore railway stations. The Santhome Church , which was originally built by the Portuguese in 1523 and is believed to house the remains of the apostle St. Thomas , was rebuilt in 1893, in neo-Gothic style. By the early 20th century, the art deco made its entry upon the city's urban landscape with buildings in George Town including the United India building (presently housing LIC ) and
2697-663: The Chepauk Palace designed by Paul Benfield amongst the first Indo-Saracenic buildings in India. Other buildings in the city from the era designed in this style of architecture include Fort St. George (1640), Amir Mahal (1798), Government Museum (1854), Senate House of the University of Madras (1879), Victoria Public Hall (1886), Madras High Court (1892), Bharat Insurance Building (1897), Ripon Building (1913), College of Engineering (1920) and Southern Railway headquarters (1921). Gothic revival-style buildings include
Tiruverkadu - Misplaced Pages Continue
2784-543: The Globalization and World Cities Research Network , Chennai is amongst the most integrated with the global economy, classified as a beta-city . As of 2023 , Chennai metropolitan area had an estimated GDP of $ 143.9 billion, ranking it among the most productive metro areas in India. Chennai has a diversified industrial base anchored by different sectors including automobiles , software services , hardware , healthcare and financial services . As of 2021 , Chennai
2871-557: The Government of Tamil Nadu officially changed the name from Madras to Chennai. The name "Madras" continues to be used occasionally for the city as well as for places or things named after the city in the past. Stone Age implements have been found near Pallavaram in Chennai and according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Pallavaram was a megalithic cultural establishment, and pre-historic communities resided in
2958-622: The Hindu temples consisted of large mantapas with gate-pyramids called gopurams in quadrangular enclosures that surround the temple. The Gopuram, a monumental tower usually ornate at the entrance of the temple forms a prominent feature of Koils and whose origins can be traced back to the Pallavas who built the group of monuments in Mamallapuram . The associated Agraharam architecture, which consists of traditional row houses can still be seen in
3045-600: The Madras Presidency with Madras as the capital. The city became a major naval base and became the central administrative centre for the British in South India. The city was the baseline for the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India , which was started on 10 April 1802. With the advent of railways in India in the 19th century, the city was connected to other major cities such as Bombay and Calcutta , promoting increased communication and trade with
3132-582: The Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and strengthened the town's fortress wall to withstand further attacks from the French and Hyder Ali , the king of Mysore . They resisted a French siege attempt in 1759. In 1769, the city was threatened by Hyder Ali during the First Anglo-Mysore War with the Treaty of Madras ending the conflict. By the 18th century, the British had conquered most of the region and established
3219-432: The hinterland . After India gained its independence in 1947, the city became the capital of Madras State , the predecessor of the current state of Tamil Nadu. The city was the location of the hunger strike and death of Potti Sreeramulu which resulted in the formation of Andhra State in 1953 and eventually the re-organization of Indian states based on linguistic boundaries in 1956. In 1965, agitations against
3306-427: The imposition of Hindi and in support of continuing English as a medium of communication arose which marked a major shift in the political dynamics of the city and eventually led to English being retained as an official language of India alongside Hindi. On 17 July 1996, the city was officially renamed from Madras to Chennai, in line with then a nationwide trend to using less Anglicised names. On 26 December 2004,
3393-549: The south zonal office of the Reserve Bank of India , the country's central bank, along with its zonal training centre and staff College, one of the two colleges run by the bank. The city also houses a permanent back office of the World Bank . About 400 financial industry businesses are headquartered in the city. DRDO , India's premier defence research agency operates various facilities in Chennai. Heavy Vehicles Factory of
3480-478: The weather radar at the Chennai Port prohibited the construction of buildings taller than 60 m around a radius of 10 km till 2009. This resulted in the central business district expanding horizontally, unlike other metropolitan cities, while the peripheral regions began experiencing vertical growth with the construction of taller buildings with the tallest building at 161 metres (528 ft). Chennai
3567-467: The "SaaS Capital of India". The automotive industry in Chennai accounts for more than 35% of India's overall automotive components and automobile output, earning the nickname " Detroit of India ". A large number of automotive companies have their manufacturing bases in the city. Integral Coach Factory in Chennai manufactures railway coaches and other rolling stock for Indian Railways . Ambattur Industrial Estate housing various manufacturing units
Tiruverkadu - Misplaced Pages Continue
3654-626: The 15th century CE. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 and built a port named São Tomé after the Christian apostle, St. Thomas , who is believed to have preached in the area between 52 and 70 CE. In 1612, the Dutch established themselves near Pulicat , north of Chennai. On 20 August 1639, Francis Day of the British East India Company along with the Nayak of Kalahasti Chennappa Nayaka met with
3741-500: The Adyar, Cooum and Kosathaliyar rivers, and the Buckingham canal are heavily polluted with effluents and waste from domestic and commercial sources. The encroachment of urban development on wetlands has hampered the sustainability of water bodies and was a major contributor to the floods in 2015 and 2023 and water scarcity crisis in 2019 . The Chennai River Restoration Trust set up by
3828-637: The Buckingham Canal at Basin Bridge . The groundwater table in Chennai is at 4–5 m (13–16 ft) below ground level on average and is replenished mainly by rainwater. Of the 24.87 km (15.45 mi) coastline of the city, 3.08 km (1.91 mi) experiences erosion, with sand accretion along the shoreline at the Marina beach and the area between the Ennore Port and Kosasthalaiyar river . Chennai
3915-674: The Burma Shell building (presently the Chennai House), both built in the 1930s, and the Dare House built in 1940 examples of this architecture. After Independence , the city witnessed a rise in the Modernism and the completion of the LIC Building in 1959, the tallest building in the country at that time marked the transition from lime-and-brick construction to concrete columns. The presence of
4002-550: The Tamil originally spoken by the native people of the city. Korean , Japanese , French , Mandarin Chinese , German and Spanish are spoken by foreign expatriates residing in the city. Chennai is home to a diverse population of ethno-religious communities. As per census of 2011, Chennai's population was majority Hindu (80.73%) with 9.45% Muslim , 7.72% Christian , 1.27% others and 0.83% with no religion or not indicating any religious preference. Tamils form majority of
4089-474: The Vadapalani temple with their offerings. Palaniandavar (Lord Muruga) is said to shower devotees with his blessings just the same as in Palani Murugan Temple . With the presence of this famous temple, since the late 19th century, the area developed into a metropolitan socio-economic hub of attraction and became a part of Chennai city. The Forum Vijaya Mall, the biggest mall in the neighbourhood,
4176-534: The Vijayanager Emperor Peda Venkata Raya at Chandragiri and obtained a grant for land on the Coromandel coast on which the company could build a factory and warehouse for their trading activities. On 22 August, he secured the grant for a strip of land about 9.7 km (6 mi) long and 1.6 km (1 mi) inland in return for a yearly sum of five hundred lakh pagodas . The region
4263-403: The adjacent Saligramam area. The residence of several actors are located in Vadapalani. Saraswati Vidyalaya, established in 1956, is one of the oldest schools. JRK School developed by Kandhuvati Shanthakumari, a resident, JRM, Karthikeyan Matriculation, Vadapalani Senior Secondary School are some of the important schools in Vadapalani. Ramalinga Mission Middle School, which is established in 1952,
4350-472: The adjoining suburbs constitutes the Chennai Metropolitan Area , the 35th-largest urban area in the world by population and one of the largest metropolitan economies of India. Chennai has the fifth-largest urban economy and the third-largest expatriate population in India. As a gateway to South India, Chennai is among the most-visited Indian cities ranking 36th among the most-visited cities in
4437-561: The areas surrounding the temples. Chennai has the second highest number of heritage buildings in the country. With the Mugals influence in mediaeval times and the British later, the city saw a rise in a blend of Hindu , Islamic and Gothic revival styles, resulting in the distinct Indo-Saracenic architecture. The architecture for several institutions followed the Indo-Saracenic style with
SECTION 50
#17330856147144524-476: The city houses the state executive and legislative headquarters primarily in the secretariat buildings in Fort St George. Madras High Court is the highest judicial authority in the state, whose jurisdiction extends across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry . The Greater Chennai Police (GCP) is the primary law enforcement agency in the city and is headed by a commissioner of police . The Greater Chennai Police
4611-538: The city through 27 water distribution stations. The city receives 530 million litres per day (mld) of water from Krishna River through Telugu Ganga project and 180 mld of water from the Veeranam lake project. 100 million litres of treated water per day is produced from the Minjur desalination plant, the country's largest seawater desalination plant. Chennai is predicted to face a deficit of 713 mld of water by 2026 as
4698-492: The city to 426 km (164 sq mi), the Chennai Municipal Corporation was renamed as Greater Chennai Corporation and the population including the new city limits as per the 2011 census was 6,748,026. As of 2019 , 40 per cent of the 1.788 million families in the city live below the poverty line . As of 2017 , the city had 2.2 million households, with 40 per cent of the residents not owning
4785-488: The city's economy with more than 40% of total medical tourists visiting India making it to Chennai. The city's water supply and sewage treatment are managed by the Chennai MetroWater Supply and Sewage Board . Water is drawn from Red Hills Lake and Chembarambakkam Lake , the major water reservoirs in the city and treated at water treatment plants located at Kilpauk , Puzhal , Chembarambakkam and supplied to
4872-439: The city. Chennai was the only South Asian city to be ranked among National Geographic 's "Top 10 food cities" in 2015. The economy of Chennai consistently exceeded national average growth rates due to reform-oriented economic policies in the 1970s. With the presence of two major ports, an international airport, and a converging road and rail networks, Chennai is often referred to as the "Gateway of South India". According to
4959-681: The city. Two major rivers flow through Chennai, the Cooum River (or Koovam ) through the centre and the Adyar River to the south. A section of the Buckingham Canal built in 1877-78, runs parallel to the Bay of Bengal coast, linking the two rivers. Kosasthalaiyar River traverses through the northern fringes of the city before draining into the Bay of Bengal, at Ennore Creek . The Otteri Nullah , an east–west stream, runs through north Chennai and meets
5046-445: The country. With the history of Chennai dating back centuries, the architecture of Chennai ranges in a wide chronology. The oldest buildings in the city date from the 6th to 8th centuries CE, which include the Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore and the Parthasarathy Temple in Triplicane , built in the Dravidian architecture encompassing various styles developed during the reigns of different empires. In Dravidian architecture ,
5133-411: The crime rate in the city was 101.2 per hundred thousand people. In 2009, Madras Central Prison , the major prison and one of the oldest in India was demolished with the prisoners moved to the newly constructed Puzhal Central Prison . While the major part of the city falls under three parliamentary constituencies ( Chennai North , Chennai Central and Chennai South ), the Chennai metropolitan area
5220-407: The demand is projected at 2,248 mld and supply estimated at 1,535 mld. The city's sewer system was designed in 1910, with some modifications in 1958. Vadapalani Vadapalani is a neighbourhood in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu , India . It is known for its film studios , the Vadapalani Andavar Temple , and Vengeeswarar Temples which are important pilgrimage centres. Situated in
5307-444: The early 18th century, the Government Museum and the National Art Gallery are amongst the oldest in the country. The museum inside the premises of Fort St. George maintains a collection of objects of the British era. The museum is managed by the Archaeological Survey of India and has in its possession, the first Flag of India hoisted at Fort St George after the declaration of India's Independence on 15 August 1947 . Chennai
SECTION 60
#17330856147145394-517: The early 20th century. Keechaka Vadham , the first film in South India was produced in the city and released in 1917. Gemini and Vijaya Vauhini studios were established in the 1940s, amongst the largest and earliest in the country. Chennai hosts many major film studios, including AVM Productions , the oldest surviving studio in India. Chennai cuisine is predominantly South Indian with rice as its base. Most local restaurants still retain their rural flavour, with many restaurants serving food over
5481-429: The first British fortress in India. The city was made the winter capital of the Madras Presidency , a colonial province of the British Raj in the Indian subcontinent . After India gained independence in 1947, Madras continued as the capital city of the Madras State and present-day Tamil Nadu. The city was officially renamed as Chennai in 1996. The city is coterminous with Chennai district , which together with
5568-553: The first government under C. N. Annadurai in 1967. In 1972, a split in the DMK resulted in the formation of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) led by M. G. Ramachandran . The two Dravidian parties continue to dominate electoral politics, the national parties usually aligning as junior partners to the two major Dravidian parties. Many film personalities became politicians and later chief ministers, including C. N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi , M. G. Ramachandran, Janaki Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa . Tamil is
5655-402: The government of Tamil Nadu is working on the restoration of the Adyar River. The Environmentalist Foundation of India is a volunteering group working towards wildlife conservation and habitat restoration. A resident of Chennai is called a Chennaite . According to 2011 census , the city had a population of 4,646,732, within an area of 174 km (67 sq mi). Post expansion of
5742-428: The idea conceived in a private meeting after a Theosophical convention held in the city in December 1884. The city has hosted yearly conferences of the Congress seven times, playing a major part in the Indian independence movement . Chennai is also the birthplace of regional political parties such as the South Indian Welfare Association in 1916 which later became the Justice Party and Dravidar Kazhagam . Politics
5829-464: The language spoken by most of Chennai's population; English is largely spoken by white-collar workers . As per the 2011 census, Tamil is the most spoken language with 3,640,389 (78.3%) of speakers followed by Telugu (432,295), Urdu (198,505), Hindi (159,474) and Malayalam (104,994). Madras Bashai is a variety of the Tamil spoken by people in the city. It originated with words introduced from other languages such as English and Telugu on
5916-487: The monsoon and winter. The southern stretch of Chennai's coast from Tiruvanmiyur to Neelangarai are favoured by the endangered olive ridley sea turtles to lay eggs every winter. Guindy National Park is a protected area within the city limits and wildlife conservation and research activities take place at Arignar Anna Zoological Park . Madras Crocodile Bank Trust is a herpetology research station, located 40 km (25 mi) south of Chennai. The city's tree cover
6003-418: The name was in August 1639 in a sale deed to Francis Day of the East India Company. A land grant was given to the Chennakesava Perumal Temple in Chennapatanam later in 1646, which some scholars argue to be the first use of the name. The name Madras is of native origin, and has been shown to have been in use before the British established a presence in India. A Vijayanagara-era inscription found in 2015
6090-400: The planning and development of the Chennai Metropolitan Area , which is spread over an area of 1,189 km (459 sq mi), covering the Chennai district and parts of Tiruvallur , Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu districts. The metropolitan area consists of four municipal corporations , 12 municipalities and other smaller panchayats . As the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu,
6177-482: The population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 74.35%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. The town had a total of 15,863 households. There were a total of 25,245 workers, comprising 138 cultivators, 210 main agricultural labourers, 628 in house hold industries, 21,770 other workers, 2,499 marginal workers, 57 marginal cultivators, 81 marginal agricultural labourers, 156 marginal workers in household industries and 2,205 other marginal workers. As per
6264-412: The population with minorities including Telugus , Marwaris , Gujaratis , Parsis , Sindhis , Odias , Goans , Kannadigas , Anglo-Indians , Bengalis , Punjabis , and Malayalees . The city also has a significant expatriate population. As of 2001 , out of the 2,937,000 migrants in the city, 61.5% were from other parts of the state, 33.8% were from rest of India and 3.7% were from outside
6351-531: The region. Pallavas of Kanchi became independent rulers of the region from 3rd to 9th century CE and the areas of Mahabalipuram and Pallavaram were built during the reign of Mahendravarman I . In 879, Pallavas were defeated by the Later Cholas led by Aditya I and Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan later brought the region under the Pandya rule in 1264. The region came under the influence of Vijayanagara Empire in
6438-637: The religious census of 2011, Tiruverkadu (M + OG) had 93.17% Hindus , 1.36% Muslims , 4.98% Christians , 0.04% Sikhs , 0.05% Buddhists , 0.04% Jains , 0.33% following other religions and 0.03% following no religion or did not indicate any religious preference. The town is located 2 km from Chennai-Bangalore highway NH4 and 1.5 km from Avadi - Poonamalle road SH55. The town is 10 km from Chennai Metropolitan Bus Terminus CMBT. Nearby towns include Avadi, Porur, Kattupakkam, Iyyapantangal, Kumananchavadi, Karayanchavadi, Poonamalle, Paruthipattu, Ayapakkam, Ambattur, Vaangaram and Maduravoyal. Thiruverkadu
6525-467: The season with significant flooding in 2015 and 2023 . </ref> A protected estuary on the Adyar River forms a natural habitat for several species of birds and animals. Chennai is also a popular city for birding with more than 130 recorded species of birds have been recorded in the city. Marshy wetlands such as Pallikaranai and inland lakes also host a number of migratory birds during
6612-490: The second oldest in the world after London . Historically, the region was part of the Chola , Pandya , Pallava and Vijayanagara kingdoms during various eras. The coastal land which then contained the fishing village Madrasapattinam, was purchased by the British East India Company from the Nayak ruler Chennapa Nayaka in the 17th century. The British garrison established the Madras city and port and built Fort St. George ,
6699-467: The settlement. The region around Chennai was an important administrative, military, and economic centre for many centuries. During the 1st century CE , Tamil poet named Thiruvalluvar lived in the town of Mylapore , a neighbourhood of present-day Chennai. The region was part of Tondaimandalam which was ruled by the Early Cholas in the 2nd century CE by subduing Kurumbas , the original inhabitants of
6786-466: The shrinkage of water bodies and wetlands. The water bodies have shrunk from an estimated 12.6 km (4.9 sq mi) in 1893 to 3.2 km (1.2 sq mi) in 2017. The number of wetlands in the city has decreased from 650 in 1970 to 27 in 2015. Nearly half of the native plant species in the city's wetlands have disappeared with only 25 per cent of the erstwhile area covered with aquatic plants still viable. The major water bodies including
6873-411: The town had a population of 62,289. It is a town with rich cultural heritage and also a fast-growing areas in the city. Thiruverkadu Selection Grade Municipal town in Thiruvallur District is Located at a very close proximity to Chennai mega city. This town possesses the appearance and Character similar to many of the town in Tamil Nadu which bears the seal of Religion. The famous temple in this town
6960-455: The western part of Chennai, Vadapalani is an important bus terminus on Arcot Road . Vadapalani is one of the busiest and densely populated areas in Chennai. The name Vada-Palani means North Palani . This place is famous for its Palani Andavar Temple , dedicated to Lord Murugan , built in the late 19th century. It is said that people who cannot undertake the pilgrimage to the Palani can visit
7047-607: The world in 2019. Ranked as a beta-level city in the Global Cities Index , Chennai regularly features among the best cities to live in India and is amongst the safest cities in India. Chennai is a major centre for medical tourism and is termed "India's health capital". Chennai houses a major portion of India's automobile industry, hence the name " Detroit of India". It was the only South Asian city to be ranked among National Geographic 's "Top 10 food cities" in 2015 and ranked ninth on Lonely Planet 's best cosmopolitan cities in
7134-701: The world. In October 2017, Chennai was added to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) list. It is a major film production centre and home to the Tamil-language film industry . The name Chennai was derived from the name of Chennappa Nayaka , a Nayak ruler who served as a general under Venkata Raya of the Vijayanagara Empire from whom the British East India Company acquired the town in 1639. The first official use of
7221-476: The year is in December–January, with average temperature of 19–25 °C (66–77 °F) and the lowest recorded temperature of 13.9 °C (57.0 °F) on 11 December 1895 and 29 January 1905. Chennai receives most of its rainfall from the northeast monsoon between October and December while smaller amounts of rain come from the southwest monsoon between June and September. The average annual rainfall
7308-402: Was dated to the year 1367 and mentions the port of Mādarasanpattanam, along with other small ports on the east coast, and it was theorized that the aforementioned port is the fishing port of Royapuram . Madras might have been derived from Madraspattinam, a fishing village north of Fort St. George but it is uncertain whether the name was in use before the arrival of Europeans. In July 1996,
7395-469: Was established on 21 June 1683 followed by first commercial banks such as Bank of Hindustan (1770) and General Bank of India (1786). Bank of Madras merged with two other presidency banks to form Imperial Bank of India in 1921 which in 1955 became the State Bank of India , the largest bank in India. Chennai is the headquarters of nationalized banks Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank . Chennai hosts
7482-400: Was expanded from 174 km (67 sq mi) to an area of 426 km (164 sq mi), divided into three regions North, South and Central covering 200 wards . The corporation is headed by a mayor , elected by the councillors , who are elected through a popular vote by the residents. The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) is the nodal agency responsible for
7569-560: Was then formerly a fishing village known as "Madraspatnam". A year later, the company built Fort St. George , the first major English settlement in India, which became the nucleus of the growing colonial city and urban Chennai. In 1746, Fort St. George and the town were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais , the Governor of Mauritius , who plundered the town and its outlying villages. The British regained control in 1749 through
#713286