Chennai is a large east coast city in Southern India. It has a fantastic history that, like many cities in India, is inseparably intertwined with its colonial past. It is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Chennai was called Madras until it was officially renamed in 1996, returning to its pre-colonial roots.
Today, Chennai is famous as the cultural capital of South India. It serves as a major automotive and tech hub and is home to iconic landmarks like Marina Beach.
If you check out my video below, I spend some time exploring this history-rich city and tasting some of the food on Marina Beach. As the second-longest urban beach in the world, it is a major gathering spot for locals and tourists alike. Spending the early evening on the beach is a wonderful way to soak up some of the local culture.