Mahabalipuram/Mamallapuram -- Redefention of architecture

Locality:Mamallupuram (En route to pondicherry)
District: Kanchipuram
Type:Historical
Google map location: Mahabalipuram
Timings for visiting the shore Temple: 9 AM to 5.30 PM
Illumination Timings at shore temple:From sunset to 8 PM
Entry Fee
The fee is around Rs 15 for Indians and Rs 250 for foreigners

History

Mahabalipuram (Tamil: மகாபலிபுரம்) also known as Mamallapuram (Tamil: மாமல்லபுரம்) is a town in Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has an average elevation of 12 metres (39 feet).

Mahabalipuram was a 7th century port city of the South Indian dynasty of the Pallavas around 60 km south from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. It is believed to have been named after the Pallava king Mamalla. It has various historic monuments built largely between the 7th and the 9th century, and has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Trip

On Friday evening we decided to visit mahabalipuram. Even if I was born in Chennai and traveled through ECR many times ..this is was my first visit to shore temple so I was anxious .We four started in 2 bikes from nungumbakkam at 6:30 am and took the scenic ECR ( East Coast Road ), stopping at little beaches along the way.
Tiger Cave


It took around 2 hours for us to reach the tiger wave .They charge 5 rupees for parking in Tiger cave .The name `Tiger's Cave' may conjure up awesome images of tigers living in caves, it is far from it. It gets its name from a cave set apart among the rocks with a crown of carved tiger heads around the temple.

With the maintenance of the cave the responsibility of the Archaeological Survey of India, the space has now been neatly developed with lawns dotted by palm, casuarinas and other trees. The small hillocks and rocks offer a natural excuse for children and adults alike to climb and run around.

An Archaeological Survey of India board at the entrance outlines that the ancient monument is protected and quotes the rules on its preservation from damage. A significant step in maintenance is the presence of a guard who instructs people to throw waste in the bin in his presence. The rock cut cave temple with a Shiva Linga and a Nandi is at a corner of the Tiger's Cave complex, which a few visitors remember to visit. The temple is situated below ground level and hence the top of the rock that forms the roof of the temple is accessible for climbing. Sitting over the roof of the cave temple is a photographer's delight with rocks dotting the foreground, trees in the middle and the Bay of Bengal in the background.

From the Tiger's Cave premises, the beach is also accessible. For those who take a car to get there, besides the Rs.45 paid to and fro at the East Coast Road toll gate and the Rs.10 as car park fee, there is no other payment to be made for entry into the Tiger's Cave.

Arjuns Penance


After traveling for 1 Km we reach the entrance of Mahabalipuram where they charge again 5 rupees for bikes ...then traveling for few kilometers we can visit the Arjuna's penance.Measuring 96 feet long by 43 feet high ,the figure in the bas-relief interprets as Arjuna is standing on one leg performing an austerity Tapas to receive a boon from Shiva as an aid in fighting the Mahabharata war.

Five Rathas

Then we visited the Five Rathas(Pancha Rathas).The five monolithic pyramidal structured shrines are named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi.Each shrine is not assembled from cut rock but carved from one single large piece of stone.After visiting Five Rathas. we decided to go for lunch ..so we had chosen Mamalla hotel...The hotel atmosphere seemed to be fine but the service is disgusting ..the hotel service was very irritating they took around 1 hour to serve our orders.The cost is very expensive ..My advice is to try some other hotel instead of this .

Shore Temple


The Shore Temple (700-728 CE) is so named because it over looks the Bay of Bengal. It is a structural temple, built with blocks of granite, dating from the 8th century AD.Legend has it that six other temples once stood with it (Seven Pagodas).The Shore Temples configuration of the two Shiva shrines with the small Vishnu shrine in between illustrates an attempt to balance the different, competing religious requirements.The shore temple is very beautiful and after 6pm shore temple is Illuminated to give a spectacular sight of the shore temple.

On the way back we went to DELHI ECR Dhabha.....We where able to see emu and carry rabbits .The food was good but the place as not so clean.By 10:00 pm we reached back home .

Sweet chariot cafe - lip smacking

Sweet Chariot Cake Shop and Cafe

Address: 1. 123/124, Ispahani Centre, Nungambakkam, Chennai
2. No. 2, Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai
Locality:Nungumbakkam
Landmark:Ispahani Centre and opposie Anadha bhavan
Type:Pastries and Coffee shop
Google map location:Sweet Chariot
Contact No: 044-28214133 / 28215133
Open: 10 a.m. to 10.30 p.m
website:www.sweetchariot.co.in

The charm in the bright orange colors of the cafe and the sumptuous looking cakes/mousse Guess what ? The answer is Sweet Chariot. The aesthetics, ambiance and the sweets look a feast to the eye .The very sight of mousses, pastries, cakes gets everyone drooling.


They server the best chocolate items that you can get in Chennai.This certainly is the place for all pastry lovers, for all chocolate decorated, cocoa coated sweets. Sweet chariot cafe serves surprisingly good fare burgers, juicy fresh pizzas , rum filled cakes, pastries of all kinds ,have the best chocolate mousse in the city ,hot dogs, doughnuts, tarts, flans, beverages cold coffees, cappuccino, mock-tails, desserts, ice creams and mouth watering brownies, Ratatouille.



The cafe is on two floors and is cozy.Awesome place to throw a birthday party, you can have the top floor all for yourself! The service is not very fast, but it is not very intrusive either. The ambiance is so 'pretty' to be precise, just what a cake cafe should be like.It's a place to get away to feel young again.The Black Forest n Chocolate Mousse rocks in this place which needs a special mention.


The prices are moderate and party orders are also taken. This is the best place to order a birthday cake .The sandwiches may seem costly but are worth the money.The mayonnaise they provide is very tasty . People visiting Isphani center preferring to spend like 100rs can visit Sweet Chariot .The cost is far lesser than coffee day.They have two shops in Nungumbakkam, one in Isphani Center and other opposite Adyar Anadha Bhavan.

I would rate this place 8/10.

Additional Information

• Air conditioned
• Credit card accepted
• Party orders Taken
• Av. cost for two : Rs.150

Gudiyam Caves---Near Poondi(Cavern to prehistoric times )

Gudiyam Caves--Cavern to prehistoric Times

Locality:Gudiyam
Landmark:Poondi reservoir
Type:Adventurous Trip
Google map location:

A 90-kilometer drive from Chennai to Gudiyam village past Poondi a road less traveled brings you to an inaccessible forest of evergreen and deciduous trees .This is where Robert Bruce Foote in 1863, a British geologist, discovered a stone tool - a hand axe, made, used and discarded by the Stone Age man - from a gravel pit in suburban in this place . The discovery, small but momentous, opened up an entire new area of research about the Paleolithic Age in the Tamilnadu region, and pushed back the antiquity of the Tamil man by 1,00,000 years.

We planned on Friday for the trek to this mystic place .On Saturday 9:15 am we 5 started in Ritz car and reached Gudiyam around 10:45am.On the way we took photos of the Poondi reservoir.The place was not polluted after long time I could feel silence and breathe fresh air.


The Gudiyam village is located at 11 km drive from Poondi reservoir.The road is not well maintained but adjustable .You need to consult the locals to find the way through.Most of the people are aware of the caves(kugai in Tamil).Mention kugai(caves) for them to guide you .

Take the road to Nambakkam to reach Goonipalyam. Right direction as shown in the photo.


If you traveling by car then you can park the vehicle at the end of the cement road ,there begins the forest .Jeeps and all terrain vehicle can go 400 meter more ,there is ample space for parking offer a biscuit packet to locals boys they can take care of your vehicle.I feel it is safe to stop the vehicle at the cement road to avoid any puncture.The invisible bike with luck of not being punctured and gutsy heart can go 3 km more inside the terrain.

The adventure begins,The locals in the last village will help you in showing the starting point . The trek for 7 km inside the lonely forest is all yours expect for the few stones painted in white act as route markers. The path for the first few km is big and easy to walk,On approaching near the mountain the pathway is full of pebbles and rocks.Follow the pathway ,dont divert as it is very difficult to trace back the route.Please wear shoes to avoid any ankle twists.

First cave

The walk is around 4 km then you would see the first cave.The right diversion from the pathway lead you to the steps for the first cave . On reaching the first cave you we amazed to see the big rock formation.We reached the cave around 1:30pm and had our lunch (2 slices of bread with Jam).Please clean the place after having your lunch and don't pollute the place with plastic bags.

View Inside the first cave



We could see a path leading upwards near to cave ,we decided to take the path ,the route is slightly steep and full of pebbles(please proceed with caution),Within few meters of walk you can reach the top of the mountain .The view from the top is spectacular and gives the complete map of the area. You will surrounded by greenery,it is worth to take photos.It would be like you are in the center of the forest.The feeling of standing in top of the hill is great. It is easy to climb up but be very cautious while getting down is difficult from the hills as the pebbles are slippery ,avoid if it rains.

From the top of the hill



Then after ample rest we got down from the first cave and proceeded further for another 3 km.The path get narrower and covered with thick bushes .

Second Cave



On nearing the Second cave we could hear the sound of parrots and other birds. The view of this cave was spectacular,The entrance looks like a giant toadstool that has keeled over. And in contrast to the sun-drenched exterior, it is cool within .Look up at the ceiling I bet you will be awed at the sight of massive beehives clinging to the porous & damp roof of the cave.The foul smell of bat can be sensed.




There resides a Amman temple within the cave worshiped by locals.. A kindly Amman deity sits in a framed photo, as other deities and their war-worn steeds stand impressively by. Colorful pieces of cloth are strung on a tall plant. The primordial silence is shattered only by the humming of bees and the querulous twitter of birds.We also spotted a snake skin inside the cave.



After taking lot of photos inside the cave we decided to walk back.This journey was a cavern to the past and away from mechanical,polluted life in Chennai.The walk of 7km was deserving and adventurous.

We walked after on the way back and reached the car at 3:40 am and had our snacks at Akshaya Bhavan in Thiruvallur.The food was tasty and the place was well maintained.


Important Note

• Shoes is compulsory as the pathway is rugged.
• Carry lots of Water (2ltr per person).
• Buy Food for the travel in Thiruvallur.
• No human contact for the 7 km trek
• Avoid plastic bags
• Avoid climbing up the hill during rains.
• Don't disturb the beehive it may prove disastrous
  

Kolkata Mithai Bhavan - Authentic Bengali

Address:Chitra Shopping Inn, No. 9A, Choolaimedu High Road, Chennai – 600 094
Locality:Choolaimedu
Landmark:First left after the Loyola College underpass
Type:Bengali Sweets
Google map location:Kolkata Mithai Bhavan
Contact No: 044-23451297.
Open: 10 a.m. to 10.30 p.m

This sweet shop on Choolaimedu High Road has been specializing in Bengali sweets and savories. A.K. Das, along with wife Kakoli Das and brother Madhusudan Das, has been running the place, with 15 others working as kitchen staff.

The shop serves one of the best Bengali sweets in the city.For sweet tooth persons the menu card is really tantalizing . The shops is famous for there Chitrakut, noukabilash, sita bhog, raj bhog, radha ballavi (served only on Saturdays and Sundays) and Jala Bhara . You get Variety of Bengali Sweets need more than a visit to try all the items .



Do try chum-chum, which is not very sweet yet soft and comes with a shelf life of four hours. Chittaranjan also falls in a similar category. Both chum-chum and chittaranjan are prepared in limited quantity, so make sure you place your order in advance.Rasmalai(Rs10) is the very tasty and cost is cheap compared to other sweet shops

Sandesh is one of the best-selling items on the menu. The steamed milk sweet is available in different shapes – fruits, vegetables, fish (for wedding ceremonies), pond, etc.The sugar, especially that used for preparing Sandesh, is extracted from the khajur plant only in winter. "It has a different flavor, which you will get while relishing our sweets." Around 100 kilos of the sugar is bought, which he sparingly uses to last him a year. Otherwise, around 150 liters of sweets are prepared a day.

There is also a live parotta, chappati and chaat counter in the evening. The place is buzzing with lot of youngsters and Bengali people in the evening . You get varieties of stuffed chapaties and parothas, like gobi, paneer,Mixed vegetable.The paneer is freshly prepared daily.

The Punjabi dish aluparatha gets the lot of people gathering from day till ten in the night.Its awesome being there in the evening whole lot of crowd n lots of people talking different languages

The service is excellent .The shop can occupy around 8 people and there is enough space outside where there are other shops to gorge upon.

Additional Information

• No card accepted
  
• Moderate Cost
• 1kg of sweet 180-250rs
• Worth a Try
• A/C shop

Isphani Center ---CCD and Marybrown

Address:No. 123 & 124, Ispahani Center, Nungambakkam High Road,
Locality:Nungumbakkam
Landmark: Near to The PARK hotel
Type:Hangouts
Google map location:Ispahani center

Ispahani centre is said to be a place where the happening crowd of Chennai hang out. Now, there are much better options for the Chennai crowd but this place still holds a good place in the minds of people - probably because of its prime location (right near Nungambakkam signal) and MOP Vaishnav College next to it .

The Plaza has very few shops when compared with Spencers .

Cafe Coffee Day(CCD)

The Cafe Coffee Day outlet in the Plaza is one of the first outlet for Coffee Day in Chennai,The shops is always buzzing with students from MOP and other colleges.The prices are very expensive and most of the items in the menu card is not available

Marry Brown

Marry Brown famous for its Chicken Foods, French Fries and Burgers. It is wortha TRy but frequent visits make it bored .Kids can enjoy in this place as there toys.

For Women Fashion geeks Designer Ritu Kumar store is located at Ispahani Centre.

For men looking for formal wear, there is the Indigo Nation .
For women looking for fashion jewelry, you can try the Art Karat outlet here as well as Casablanca which also has lovely hand-painted kurtas, hats and more for those into that Aurovillian feel.

Sweet Chariot shop

If you are have a sweet tooth then you’d love Sweet Chariot shop . You get the best of cakes and pastries her.You also get Birthday cakes, speciality cakes and more. The Pizzas are worth
a Try,They are cheaper than PIZZA CORNER .It is home to some of the most mouth-watering pastries in town.
The café is pretty cozy and not huge. Spread onto two floors, it gives you an option to reserve an entire floor for a birthday party or a friendly get-together. As is seen in most bakery and dessert shops, the front counter has an assortment of luscious and mouth-watering cakes, pastries and cookies. The softly lit light orange interiors complemented by black, gel well with the ambiance. The bearers too wear similar colors.
What you pay for a meal for two - Rs.400-600
Anytime between – 11 AM – 11 PM
Phone : 044-42139976 / 42323368

Swarovski

The best crystal shop in Chennai , you can see variety of design crystals and it is beautiful to watch. The lighting in the shop is excellent . The prices are very expensive but the shop is worth a visit for your eyes.

The Singapore Visitors Center also functions from the first floor here. So, you can even find out more about this Land of the Merlion if you already haven't.
Oh, and this is possibly the only mall with a full-fledged gym – Gymania.

Dilip Kapoor’s Hidesign (for all accessories in leather) also has an outlet here, right next to Casablanca, its sister concern.

The Bounce Style Lounge, which can really set you up in some funky hairdos.One of Chennai’s hippest salons has made its home in Isapahani too.

Some of the shops placed are

CASABLANCA READY-MADE GARMENTS
TITANIC READY-MADE GARMENTS
DOCKERS READY-MADE GARMENTS
LIADRO READY-MADE GARMENTS
SWAROVSKI READY-MADE GARMENTS
ACCESENT READY-MADE GARMENTS
ARCHIES GREETINGS & GIFTS LTD. GREETINGS CARDS
CAFE COFFEE DAY COFFEE PUB
OYZTERBAY READY-MADE GARMENTS
SWEET CHARIOT SWEET SHOP
MARRYBROWN RESTAURANT
HIDESIGN READY-MADE GARMENTS
INDIGONATION SHOWROOM
KHAL'S FOOT WORLD SHOE WORLD
VJ'S HOME DINNER DINNER SHOP
GLITTERATI READY-MADE GARMENTS
LEVIS SHOWROOM
CREST JEWELERS PVT. LTD.


And that's about it! So probably not worth visiting unless you are specifically looking at some shopping in one of the above shops or you want to meet someone in a place easy to remember without too much crowd!

Mouthful Restaurant- Chennai

Mouthful - Roasted Lamb and Tandoori

Address:No:12 Raghavaiah Road, T.Nagar , Chennai -17
Phone:91 44 4212 4250
Locality:T.Nagar
Landmark:Opp to Kannadasan Statue on G.N Chetty Road
Cuisine Type:Tandoori & Oriental Foods.

The menu card looks Tantalizing , Lot of dishes for Non-vegetarian and few but enough dishes for vegetarian is all I can describe of the menu Present . There is enough space in the front for around 20 People to wait . The restaurant was crowded by 8 Pm on Sunday but by 10 pm it was empty .The prices are moderate . They have variety of dishes in chicken and Sea Foods.

Chicken Lollipop


The biryani is tasty and spicy . I tried the Grilled Moroccan chicken , it was awesome . they also have various flavours of grilled chicken like Afghan, Lebanese,Moroccan . The chicken fried Rice with chicken lollipop was a nice combination .

Grilled Chicken




The service is very bad . we had to wait nearly 1/2 an hour to get an Table and another 15 minutes for Taking the order .We had to shout even for water and Raitha . The good thing was we got our dishes in 10 minutes and no waiter seen for next 40 minutes to attend us .We had to wait 10 minutes for Raitha .

Naan ,Paratha and Malai Koftha



The food was tasty and awesome .The Masala Kulcha and Malai kofta needs a mention it was one of the best I have had in Chennai .Malai Kofta was sweet and prepared with paneer .The Tandoori chicken and Grilled Chicken have 8 peices for a Full plate and seemed very convincing . The Schezwan Fried Rice was too spicy for being edible .They have variety of Indian Breads ( Kashmiri Naan, panner Naan, Mutton khemma Naan) and Many types of parottas ( Aloo, Pudina, Tandoori and Panner) for vegetarian and for Non vegetarian ( Mutton kothu ,Chicken kothu ,Ceylon Parottas).

On the whole food seems to be great but need to improve on service to retain customers.The ambiance is great . There must be better exhaust system as the smoke swirls in the dinning place . The music played is Pleasant .


I would rate this place 6.5/10.

Additional Information:

• A/C
• Timings:12:15 pm - 11:15 pm
• Card accepted
• Av. cost for two : Rs.250

Vadapalani Murugan Temple

Location: Andavar Koil Street, Vadapalani, Chennai
Main deity: Palani Andavar
Phone: (91) 44 483-6903 or 530-1230
Office hours: 4 pm - 9 pm

Vadapalani Murugan (Andavar) Temple is a highly respected shrine situated at Vadapalani, means North Palani, in Chennai and is worth visiting. The temple enshrines Lord Velayudha (Muruga) as the main presiding deity. The wonderful 4 ft sculpture of the presiding deity is spectacular of all eyes. Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvathi, wife of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha (Son of Shiva and Parvathi) are also worshipped here. Lord Hanuman's image is inscribed in a pillar. Butter offered by the devotees is applied to this Lord Anjaneya and the devotees pray for the fulfillment of their desires. This renowned temple witnesses a large number of weddings, about 7,000 weddings annually, and is famous for bringing people together. This is an important temple to visit.

The entrance of the Vadapalani temple


The moolavar in standing posture resembles the Palani Muruga in every respect. In the inner prakara, there are many niches housing Dakshina Murti, Chandikeswar, Mahalakshmi, et al. It has a spacious hall used for conducting marriages and religious discourses. It is one of the most-frequented Murugan shrines in the city of Chennai.

The entrance to this temple is crowned with a Rajagopuram adorned with several stucco images depicting legends from the Skanda puranam. In front of the temple is the temple tank. The eastern tower rises to a height of 40.8 metres. The 108 bharata natyam dance gestures can be seen on the eastern tower as well.

The Vadapalani Muruga Temple was built about 125 years back and is one of the most frequented Lord Muruga temples in Tamil Nadu.


Festivals:

Skanda Sashti is celebrated here in the month of Aippasi. Other festivals celebrated here include Panguni Uttiram. The Karttikai asterism in each month attracts large crowds.

Other deities:

Arunagirinathar, Chokkanatha, Ganapathi, Kaliamman, Kasi Viswanatha, Kuthuvar, Manikkavachakar, Meenakshi Amman, Six-faced Muruga with Valli and Devanai, Vairavar, Varasiddhi Vinayaga, Virabagudevar, Virabhadra, Visalakshi

History:

According to the sthalapurana, one Muruga devotee by name Annaswami Tambiran with his limited means built a small thatched hut and kept a Murugan painting for his personal worship primarily. During his meditation and worship, he used to experience some divine power entering his body and inspiring him to utter some mysterious things -- whatever he said in his trance was found true. His utterance went by the name of arulvak and relieved people in several ways, like curing diseases and getting jobs, solemnizing marriages, etc.

Once he fell ill suddenly. At the instance of a sadhu, he visited Tiruttani and prayed to Muruga offering a part of his tongue cut with a knife at Balipeeta. On his return, the disease took to flight.

He paid a visit to Palani by foot and had some strange experiences there. He continued his worship in the hut he built, and when he felt his end was nearing he requested a close friend by name Ratnaswami to continue the devotional activities to the painting he was worshipping. Strangely enough, this Ratnaswami too started giving arulvak after building a small shrine and worshiping as promised to his friend.


The money that public gave was put to building purpose. But Ratnaswami also passed away before completing it. Another like mind took the building project with the money he was getting from arulvak just like his predecessors. Unluckily, he too passed away.

Then entered into the arena some humanist philanthropists who metamorphosed that simple hut into a superb spiritual abode. Among the builders, the renowned Saiva Pravakta Kripananda Variyar's name takes first place. Thus emerged this great Muruga kshetra, and now a great temple drawing a steady streams of pilgrims throughout the year.


Daily pujas:

• 5 am: Nadai
• 5:30 am: Palli Arai
• 7 am: Milk Abhishekam
• 10 am: Vibhuti Abhishekam
• 11 am: Santanam Abhishekam
• 12 noon: Uchi Kâla Puja
• 9 pm: Palli Arai Puja

Additional Information

• Be careful with your belongings
• Crowded on Festivals
• Lot of Hotels and Restaurant near by

Napier Bridge - Chennai

Napier Bridge :



One of the famous landmarks in Chennai,The Napier Bridge is also known as the Iron Bridge . The bridge was constructed to honor Lord Napier who became the Governor of Fort St. George , Madras Presidency.This is one of the earliest structures to use RCC (re-enforced concrete).


The Napier bridge is built over the river coocum . The bridge connects the beach with the Fort St George This bridge was built in 1869 across Coovum river by Governor Napier who held this office from 1866 to 1877. What was narrow bridge with Iron Girders this was broadened and built in concrete and was thrown open for General Traffic by Arthur Hope in July 1943. This Bridge bears ample testimony to the Engineering skill of the British.

War Memorial -Chennai

Victory War Memorial (Chennai):

Location: Beach Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

The Victory War Memorial is located to the south of Fort St. George. This memorial is also known as ‘Cupid’s Bow’. A circular rock and marble structure was constructed to commemorate the victory of the allied armies during World War I (1914-1918) and later became the victory war memorial for the World War II (1939-1945) in the memory of those from Chennai presidency who lost their lives serving the nation.Now there are inscriptions of 1948 Kashmir Aggression, 1962 War with China and also the Indo Pak War.

The war memorial is situated after the Napier bridge . The view of the circular building around the memorial can be seen clearly .

Fort St. George -- Secretariat for Tamilnadu.

Location : Island Grounds, Rajaji Salai , Secretariat Chennai-60009
Built By : The British
Google map : Fort St George
Timing : 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.mming : Timing : Saturday to Thursday From 10.00 to17.00 hrs.Saturday to Thursday From 10.00 to17.00 hrs.

Fort St.George is the administrative building of the Government of Tamilnadu. Today its used as a offices of Tamil Nadu Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly.The fort is open to the public however only to a certain area. The main building or the Secretariat is approachable only by government officials and the police. The cannons and the moat which guarded this old building have been left untouched.Fort St. George.


Flag post at Fort St. George, the tallest in India

History:

The fort was completed on April 23, coinciding with St. George’s Day, celebrated in honour of St. George, the patron saint of England. The fort, hence christened Fort St. George faced the sea and a few fishing villages, and soon became the hub of merchant activity. It gave birth to a new settlement area called George Town (historically referred to as Black Town), which grew to envelop the villages and led to the formation of the city of Madras. It also helped establish British influence over the Carnatic region, and keep the kings of Arcot and Srirangapatna, as well as the French forces based at Pondicherry, at bay.


St. George Fort is located on the banks of Bay of Bengal. It was built by the British East India Company in 1640 AD. The fort is believed to be the first establishment of the British in India. It is a military architecture marvel, which was erected as a trading post and later evolved to be the origin of modern Indian Army. The fort is a stronghold with 6 meter high walls that withstood a number of assaults in the 18th century. It briefly passed into the possession of the French from 1746 to 1749, but was restored to the British under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended the War of Austrian Succession.

Situated in the coastal state of Tamil Nadu, this ancient monument is worth watching on your trip to Chennai. St. George Fort holds great historical importance and is looked after by the Archaeological Survey of India.


Buildings inside the fort:

The Church:

St. Mary's Church is the oldest Anglican church in India. It was built in 1678-80 AD. The tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British tombstones in India. This ancient prayer house solemnized the marriages of Robert Clive and Governor Elihu Yale, who later was first benefactor of Yale University in the United States. The church is popularly known as the 'Westminster Abbey of the East'.

Museum:

The Fort Museum exhibits the items of the British rule. This building was completed in 1795 and first housed the office of the Madras Bank. The hall upstairs was the Public Exchange Hall and served as a place for public meetings, lottery drawings and occasionally for entertainment. These relics are the reminder of the British rule in India. The objects on display in the museum are the weapons, coins, medals, uniforms and other artifacts from Britain, France and India dating back to the British period. The original letters written by Clive and Cornwallis make fascinating reading. One set of quaint period uniforms is displayed for viewing, as well. However, the piece de resistance is a large statue of Lord Cornwallis.

Wellesley House

The first floor of the building has the banquet hall, which holds the paintings of the Governor of the Fort and other high officials of the Regime. The cannons of Tipu Sultan decorate the ramparts of the museum. The 14.5 ft statue stands at the entrance near a stairway in the museum. This statue was created by Charles Bank in England and then brought to India. The pedestal of the statue is carved with a scene depicting Tipu Sultan's emissary handing over Tipu's two sons as hostage in lieu of a ransom he was unable to pay to the British. It takes its name from Richard Wellesley, Governor General of India, and brother of the Duke of Wellington.

Garden Opposite Fort St George


The Chennai Corporation has put up an Beautiful Park opposite Fort St George . The place is clean and well Maintained . I have never seen Such beautiful Fountain in Chennai for an Decade , the Park is green and Clean.The Park has ample space for Parking and is maintained very well. You get to see the beauty of the fort from inside . The fountains add beauty to the park.You could easily spend an hour in the park. The park is spacious and lot of people around the fountain to take photos.

Adyar Ananda Bhavan--Pure Ghee sweets

ADYAR ANANDA BHAVAN SWEETS & SNACKS

Address: HO: Muthulakshmi Bhavan ,9, M.G. Road, Shastri Nagar,Chennai - 600 020
Phone: 91- 44 - 23453050, 24469977, 24462324
Locality:Adyar,Mogappair, Mylapore, T-Nagar, Anna-Nagar and many other places
Cuisine Type:North and South Indian, Sweets, Snacks and Chinese

Adyar Anandha Bhavan shortly known as A2B is situated in all important places in Chennai .A2B was started 20 years ago, Now they are the one of the leading Sweet shops in Chennai .The Sweet shops has now added will a small restaurant with moderate cost to serve its customers.Adyar Ananda Bhavan Sweets and Snacks caters to all sections of the public, in India - be it the melting mysorepauk of South or the multi variety sonepapdi of the North or the mouth watering rasagolla of East or the ever green dry fruits of the West .They serve Tandoori,North Indian and South Indian Dishes.

A2b has a wide variety of sweets, I prefer the Badam Milk(Rs30) and Rasmalai(Rs20).They also have Bengali sweets .The sweets shop is always busy , the snacks items like chips ,Murruku are also tasty. The sweets are generally placed at Rs240 per Kg and snacks item at Rs160 per Kg.Whenever I go to Anandha Bhavan I have a piece of Fruit Halwa(per piece Rs15) , this Halwa is made up of all dry fruits.The BadamHalwa(Rs320/Kg) is the costliest sweet .Kaju Katli(Rs240) is an Indian sweet made from cashews, sugar, cardamom powder and ghee.

The Chinese dishes are tasty ,My favorite dish is Chilly Panner (Rs45) with Veg fried Rice(Rs38).They provide different variety of fried rice ,Ginger/garlic fried rice(Rs40),Mushroom fried rice(Rs45),Panner fried rice(Rs45),Shezchwan Fried Rice(Rs45).The also provide same flavor in Noodles instead of rice .The Chinese side dishes are Gobi Manchurian(Rs40) ,The Mushroom/Panner Manchurian(Rs45) are tasty and the quality of Panner is good .Baby corn Pepper fry(Rs45),Golden Fry Baby corn(Rs45) are new delicacy which you can get in Dry as well as Masala. Golden Fry Panner(Rs45),Chilly Gobi(Rs45).

Veg fried rice with Panner Manchurian


I generally dont prefer to have Pizzas(Rs45-55) in Anandha Bhavan as they are small and the it is not tasty,The Sandwiches(Rs30-45) are prepared hot and tasty.The new entrant is the Chilly Porotta (Rs35) it has a different taste and worth a try.

The menu card for Chinese items and Tandoori item differ from each Ananadha Bhavan Shop. You get all the variety in T-nagar and Mylapore shop .The Mylapore branch offers Idlis (Rs15), Plain to Rava Dosas(Rs15-28) , They also have Adai Avial (Rs30) , It an South- Indian delicacy.

The place is clean and well Maintained.The cost of the Chinese and North Indian items is Nominal . It is a nice place to have Hangout with friends . But I always felt the sweets and snacks are expensive,But the cost in same in all sweets shops .The service is good , but the foods takes times to come as it is prepared on order.No complains on taste and quality.

A2B has a branch in Bangalore city(No.344, 7th Block, Koramangala, Bangalore, Near 80ft RD).

I would rate this place 8/10.

Website: http://www.aabsweets.in/

Additional Information

• Pure vegetarian
• Air conditioned
• Credit cards accepted
• Moderate Price -- Rs 100 for 2(For chinese items)
  
• Timings :8:00am to 10:30pm
• Ambiance is peaceful

Spencer Plaza---One Stop Shop for Everything

Spencer Plaza

Google Map:Spencer Plaza
Address: 769,Anna Salai,Tamilnadu 600002
Phone:044 28330088
Landmark:Next to Taj Connemara
Locality: Mount Road
Shopping:Everything in single place.


Spencer Plaza, one of the biggest shopping malls in South Asia, is located on Mount Road (officially known as Anna Salai), and is one of the landmarks of the modern Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India.Spencer Plaza stocks everything ranging from branded clothes and jewelry to bags and trinkets.The mall is well placed and easily accessible. Though crowded it is the best place to shop for so many items that you don't get in the market with ease.
The best part about Spencer is its organized parking.It is best place to Hangout with friends and window shopping .There are three phases to this mall.
Let us Discuss it one by one .

Clothes:



If you are looking for wide variety of clothes then Spencer Plaza is the Place to be . You can buy formal , Casual clothes . You have branded stores such as Sting and Derby in Third Phase,
Pantaloon and Westside in First Phase for both men and women.The mall also has a many shops in various phases for non branded formal and casual wear for men and women.T-Shirts(Rs200), Shirts(Rs300-500) , Formal Pants(Rs 500) and Casual Pants (Rs250-1000). You also get wide variety of designer shirts that are trendy and tight fit.For jeans you have all the brand you can find from LEE, Levis to Normal Jeans(Rs350).
The T-shirts in some shops are not good may tear after 2 to 3 washes , Must be careful of the material.For ladies you can get Tops for around 300 to 400Rs , you must bargain in these shops to reduce the price.I generally don't prefer to buy clothes in Spencer.

Shoes:

Name the brand you have in Spencer there are so many shops to buy for Shoes and Sandals. You have Adidas, Nike and Rebook showroom in 1st floor of Third phase . Bata Shoes shop for Power shoes and sandals are also available in Third Phase.Liberty Shoes direct dealer shop is also present.There is no Action shoe shop in Chennai , you cab get this brands in some shops no direct dealer .You also have shops that sell non branded shoes .

Restaurant:

The Food Mall in Third Phase

You have all kinds of restaurant in Spencer Plaza ,ranging from Indian,Chinese,French,Tibetan and many others.The Food court in 3rd Phase has lot of eateries to satisfy the people who visit the plaza. Pizza hut provides pizza with Pepsi,South Indian Thali at Sangeetha,Naan and north Indian Dishes in Tandoori Express, The Noodle House for people who like Chinese and Cakes in French Loaf.My advice with food court is wait for 5 to 6 menu cards before you order as it gives you lot of options with wide range of prices .You will at last spend about 500rs once you enter this place.

Spencer Plaza has a brand new food outlet, Mo'Town Momos, on the 2nd Floor, near the old food court. They are serving momos - healthy and exotic Tibetan dumplings with a variety of stuffing. Mo'Town Momos are at present serving 5 different varieties of momos - Classic Veg, Classic Chicken, Cheesy Capsicum, Mushroom Sweet Corn, and Mutton. These are very reasonably priced between Rs. 35 for Classic Veg and Rs. 65 for the Mutton. They serve 6 momos per plate - the momos themselves being quite big in size.

The food Mall in First Phase



You also have Saravana Bhavan is situated in 1st Phase and Arun ice cream unlimited in 3 rd phase for ice cream .The best shop to have ice cream in Spencer is this place for around 40Rs. Cookie man situated also provides icecream that are costly but expensive around Rs100 for a scoop ,walking just to right of it you can find a Rajasthani chat store which is always crowded you get tasty dahi Kachori, Bhel poori and other chat items .Sri Mithai Sweets another place to have snacks , You get chola Puri (Rs35) and all variety of north indian sweets .

Books

You have Landmark situated in 3 rd Phase . This is the biggest Landmark in Chennai . you get all the books but discounts are very less.Landmark has lot of books,Toys, Jewelery and some T-shirts . You have ample place to sit and go through the book before you can buy it . You also get movie CD and DVD's .Ceramic items are also available.

Prima's Class Bakers and Confectioner

Prima's Bakery --- Delicious Cakes

Address: 11TH Main Road 2nd Avenue Anna Nagar, Chennai- 600040
Phone: 044-26211318
Locality: Anna Nagar
Landmark:Opposite Santhosh supermarket
Cuisine Type:Cakes,puffs and other bakery items

I always cross through the road thinking this bakery wont be good , But when I inquired from the locals in Annanagar ,They conveyed shop has been there for more than 10 years . So I decided to give a try. Was it worth it.

Ya, the Prima bakery was one the most tasty bakery I have ever visited . The cakes where delicious . You must try the Butterscotch cake (RS25) it was the best for the cost I Paid . The bakery is clean and well maintained . The staffs are very well coordinated and the service is excellent . The also have Pan pizza( Rs15) and PIZZAS. The Pan Pizza is the smaller version of the pizza .They have variety of Tarte (strawberry, blueberry,cashew ,almond) Rs12 each.Tarte are similar to pie's. The cakes range from Rs10 to Rs25, with variety of flavors and topping to mention some in Rs12 range (Pista cake , Strawberry cake,Choco nut cake ,Japanese cake,Vanilla cakes, Chocolate cakes ) .


The Mouche and Blackforest (Rs25) are really worth the try . I also tried the Mango Chocolate cake(Rs25) which was tasting different but good . The Puffs(Rs8) and samosa(Rs5) sell very fast , By 4:00pm all the puffs and somosas are over .The have Apple and Badam slice cakes(Rs12) which I felt where not so good The prices are very nominal .The Chicken Garlic Roll(Rs17) had a different taste that I have never tried.They also sell bread which is prepared daily . Cake orders are also taken.



You also have Murruku(Rs17) ,Seedai(Rs12),Masala Peanut(Rs12),Cup Cakes(Rs12), plum cakes(Rs40) which are in packets for taking home .The snacks item which I bought home where also tasty .The rates of these where are also moderate .

You can also get Brownie and egg less Banana Cake (Rs8) . The Prima's bakery is a budget bakery with quality satisfied.
The bakery can be made bigger for the crowd it attracts and more space for people to eat .There is space in the balcony with chairs provided for people to have the items.

I would rate this place 8.5/10

Additional Information

• No credit card
• Moderate Price -- Rs 100 for 2
• Express Service
• Air conditioned

Nalas Appam Kadai

Nalas Appa Kadai ( Tasty Yummy Appams)

Address: Velachery Tambaram Road,Vijayanagar,Chennai-600042
Phone: 044-28256952
Locality: Velachery
Landmark:Opposite VijayaNagar Bus stand
Cuisine Type:Appam(South Indian Dishes)

The place looks small from outside, sticking in between stores at the Vijayanagar terminus,but don't judge it by this , The service is excellent. For the time I saw waitress in a South Indian Restaurant.

The Appams are the specialty of the place,You can find many varieties of Appam .To mention few are Egg Masala Appam, Chicken Kheema Appam , Mutton Kheema Appam. If you are trying Appam for the first time then order for Plain appam with Coconut milk , As this is the traditional way. The egg masala appam was a true different experience ,It tasted like an omelet on Appam .The egg masala appam with veg chettinad gravy (combo!!!!) was great and filling . I personally didn't like the Chicken Kheema appam as it was not as tasty as normal appam.

The ambiance is good, the place can be made bigger for the amount of crowd it attracts. The service is professional. The items on the menu are mostly non-vegetarian as expected but there were many eggetarian options. I am sure the non-vegetarians will enjoy it even better!!



The open kitchen for appams is another plus point, its so appetizing and tempting when you see the appams being made and taken out to tables. You also get Tandoori items and other dishes but it is not so tasty as Appams , So If going to Nallas try the appams that is the specialty.Juices are available but are costly .The Restaurant can occupy around 20-30 members at time.
A special mention about the service , It is awesome and extremely fast.The Waiter and Waitress are so polite and listen to your suggestion on food, they also suggest the combination for the appams. If you are expat living in Velachery then try Nallas.

I would rate this place 7/10

Additional Information

• Non vegetarian
• Air conditioned
• Credit cards accepted
• Moderate Price -- Rs 250 for 2
• Timings :8:00am to 11:30pm
• Express Service