One Day Chennai Local Sighseeing Tour By Car

ASHTALAKSHMI TEMPLE: The Ashtalakshmi Temple complex is built to worship eight avatars of Goddess Lakshmi namely Wealth, Success, Prosperity, Bravery, Courage, Knowledge, Food and Offspring. It was built when Sri Maha Periyaval or the Sage of Kanchi Mutt, Sri Chandrasekara Saraswati Swamigal had wished for it to be constructed. The followers willingly agreed and laid the foundation with utmost devotion. Goddess Lakshmi is known for granting Ashtama Siddhi and Astha Iswaryam which mean eightfold achievements and wealth respectively.

ELLOT’S BEACH: The beach is often visited by travellers for sunbathing, relaxing and visiting the famous ancient monuments nearby. It is usually less crowded than the famous Marina Beach and hence, preferred by the travellers. During the evening hours, one can spot various youngsters roaming around the beach as this beach offers the perfect retreat, away from the city life of metropolitan.

ARIGNAR ANNA ZOOLOGICAL PARK: Housing as many as 138 different species of organisms, this destination is every nature lover’s paradise. Arinagar Anna Zoological Park is home to a variety of animals such as Himalayan brown bear, lion, tiger, elephant and Indian civit cat. The zoo also has a reptile house which houses various species of reptiles including the king cobra, python, viper any much more. In addition to this, they have a small built-in Jurassic park which just adds on to the excitement. Elephant joy rides, children’s park and an education centre are amongst the other special features of the park.

VIVEKANANDA HOUSE: Built way back in 1877 or much earlier, the two-story house is a chef d’oeuvre of Victorian architecture with its distinctive designs of sunburst and saddleback roofs. The bedroom where Vivekananda spent six weeks is now a safe haven for all those who want to meditate and attain inner peace. When here, you can see the table at which he dined, placed beautifully downstairs near the fireplace. Devotees can stroll through the kitchen where he cooked his simple food, the parlor where he spoke and the garden where he frequently played with the children. These materiallistic reminders of the life of Swami Vivekananda breath a new life into the eminent yet simple principles for which he stood all along his life.

SANTHOME CATHEDRAL BASILICA: The cathedral, near Chennai beach, got its name from St Thomas, the apostle of Jesus Christ. A museum is located in the grounds nearby. It was designed in Neo-Gothic style, favoured by British architects in the late 19th century. The main attraction of the museum is a 16th century map of South Asia. Santhome Cathedral is one of the prominent attractions in Chennai. People with Christian faith visits this place and attend the Mass.

DAKSHINACHITRA MUSEUM: The museum has its vision and mission to promote the cultures of South Indian states by making them more engaging and enjoyable for its viewers. It is a project of Madras Craft Foundation which is an NGO that was opened to the public on 14th December 1996. The heritage museum is home to 4,220 artefacts and 1,000,000 pictures. Visiting here will give you an in-depth knowledge of south Indian heritage. You are going to leave with the most magnificent treasures of learning.

KAPALEESWARAR TEMPLE: Kapaleeshwarar temple is a holy shrine of Shiva in Mylapore, Chennai. Originally built by the mighty Pallavas, Portuguese explorers destroyed the temple and rebuilt it in around the 16th century once again by the Vijayanagar kings. A visit to this temple will be an experience enriched with a glimpse into Tamil religious culture and the lovely architectural combination of the two styles – Dravidian and Vijaynagari, complete with towering Gopurams. There is also a sacred tank on the western side.