Madras, the fourth largest city in India, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu. The city has a decidedly colonial charm to it. The place has a fine manifestation of tradition and modernity. Among the many attractions of the city is the Madras Snake Park where over 500 species of snakes and reptiles are on display.
Madras is well connected by air, rail, and road with important destinations in India. Located on the eastern side of Madras is St George, which is on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. You will have to hire either auto-rickshaws or taxis. Buses also connect this architectural grandeur with other parts of the city.

Chennai has domestic as well as international airports. The Kamaraj Domestic Airport and the Anna International Airport are located at Tirusulam, at a distance of 20 km from the city.

Chennai is also well connected to all the major cities in India through a wide network of railways. The main railheads are Madras Central and Egmore.

Chennaipattinam was a popular trading center for spices and clothes for more than 2000 years. The Portuguese and Dutch arrived in the 16th century followed by the British and French. In 1639 the British East India Company established a settlement in the fishing village of Madraspattnam that they leased from the local Nayaks. In Madraspattnam they started the construction of Fort St. George. George Town grew in the area of fort and neighboring villages ultimately becoming the oldest Municipality of India in 1668. During the 17th and 18th centuries Europeans competed for supremacy in India and Britain became the ultimate gainer. Under the command of Robert Clive, the British launched a campaign against French, a series of war known as the Carnatic Wars. Finally the French were forced to withdraw to Pondicherry.

Chennai being a metropolitan city offers large variety of things that you can buy from here including brass, stone, wood and ivory carvings, leather bags . You can look for leaf and palmyra-fiber handicrafts from Tirunellveli, metal works from Tanjavur, bronze and brass castings and traditional jewellery from Kumbakonam, stone carvings from Mamallapuram and silks from Kanchipuram here.