India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (167 page)

Emergencies
Police
100.
Fire
101.
(See “Ambulance” above.)

Hospital
Internationally acclaimed
Apollo Hospital
(21 Greams Lane, off Greams Rd.;
044/2829-3333
or -0200) offers the city’s top medical services; it also has a good round-the-clock pharmacy.

Internet
As is the case in other cities, your most reliable bet is to find a
Sify iway
(when in Mylapore, head for the outlet on 59 Dr. Radhakrishnan Rd.; there’s also one at 22 College Rd., Nungambakkam) or
Reliance Web World
(outlets in RAPuram, Anna Salai, Alwarpet, and Nungambakkam).

Police
For emergencies, dial
100.
For traffic police, dial
103.

Post Office
Ask your concierge, host, or receptionist to post small cards and letters (around Rs 15 per stamp). For larger items, use the
General Post Office
on Rajaji Salai, George Town, or the
Head Post Office
on Anna Salai. Better still, call
Fedex
(125 Peters Rd., Royapettah) at
044/2835-0449.

Taxis
See “Getting Around Chennai,” above.

WHAT TO SEE & DO

Unfortunately, the city’s attractions are very spread out, and getting around can be nightmarish; select a few choice sights in one area or get an air-conditioned taxi for the day.

SOUTH CHENNAI
Exploring Marina Beach and the temples and churches of Mylapore, the old heart of Chennai, can be done on foot; to cover the sights further south you’re probably best off hiring a car for the better part of the day; be prepared for traffic.

Presuming you’ve already spent the night in Chennai, get a predawn start by taking in the early morning activities along the 12km (7 1⁄2-mile)
Marina Beach
—if you’re there early enough (around 6am) you can watch the fishing boats being launched. If you’d rather sleep in, save the beach for dusk, when it becomes a colorful pageant of boys playing cricket, families strolling, vendors selling souvenirs, and food carts offering fast-food snacks. Given that it’s the world’s second-longest city beach you might want to concentrate your energies on the best area: the vicinity of Triplicane, along Kamaraj Road, walking towards South Beach Road.

The 8th-century
Parthasarathy Temple
(off Triplicane High Rd., west of South Beach Rd.; daily 7am–noon and 4–8pm) is very near the main drag of Marina Beach; dedicated to Krishna, it is believed to be Chennai’s oldest temple, though extensively renovated by the Vijaynagar kings in the 16th century.

Farther south (this is quite a long walk, but pleasant enough given it’s along South Beach Rd. with views of the beach and sea; if it’s too hot, catch a rickshaw), near the lighthouse, lies Mylapore’s
Basilica of San Thome
(San Thome High Rd., Mylapore; daily 6am–6pm), where the so-called final resting place of Thomas the Apostle has become a neon-lit attraction. Legend has it that St. Thomas, one of Christ’s disciples, was martyred at St. Thomas Mount (see below) after spending the final years of his life preaching on a nearby beach. Stained-glass windows recount the slain saint’s tale, and wooden panels depict Christ’s final days on earth. The interior is also now decked with modern kitsch: bits of tinsel, polystyrene, and a halo of fairy lights.

Near the basilica (1km west) is Chennai’s most impressive temple:
Kapaleshvara
(also spelled Kapaleeshwar/Kapaleswarar; off Kutchery Rd. and Chitrukullan N. St., Mylapore; daily 6am–12:30pm and 4–8:30pm) is a classic example of Dravidian architecture, and the thronging devotees will give you an idea of what Tamil Nadu’s devout worship is all about. The temple is marked by a 36m (118-ft.)
goparum
(gateway) tower adorned with detailed figures and inscriptions dating from
A.D.
1250; if you’re destined for the temples of Tamil Nadu this is a fine foretaste (though by the same token, missable if you’re pushed for time). A hive of activity at the best of time, the place really comes alive during the Arupathumoovar Festival, held usually around 10 days in March. From here you can walk to
Luz Church
(Luz Church Rd.), built by the Portuguese, and said to be the oldest church in Chennai.

If the congestion and chaos of Chennai has you beat, hop in a cab and visit the peaceful 16th-century
Church of our Lady of Expectations
(Senhora da Expectação),
atop
St. Thomas Mount.
Built in 1523 by the Portuguese, the little church provides fine views over the city and is serenely removed from the city’s nonstop commotion. Along the way (or on the way back), spend some time roaming the gardens of the
Theosophical Society
, a sprawling 108 hectares (270 acres) of rambling pathways and shaded by trees including an enormous Banyan tree, said to be 400 years old. The society was founded in 1875 in New York by American Civil War veteran Col. Henry S. Olcott and Russian Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. They based their belief primarily on Hinduism but promoted the equality and truth of all religions. The duo moved it to Chennai in 1882. The international headquarters of the society is still here, in the 1776 Huddlestone mansion, where relief imagery and quotations representing various faiths are on display, and there is an excellent library, though to gain full use of the latter you need to register with the society (E. Adyar;
044/2491-3528,
-7198, or -2904; daily 8:30–10am and 2–4pm).