The Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore was built by the Pallava kings in the 7th century

Chennai (ெசன்னை in Tamil), formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fourth largest city. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.60 million (2006), the 368-year-old city is the 36th largest metropolitan area in the world. Image File history File links Kapaleeshwar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai sri varadarajan www. ... Image File history File links Kapaleeshwar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai sri varadarajan www. ... The temple along with the tank The Kapaleeshwarar temple is a Hindu temple located in Chennai, India. ... The Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore was built by the Pallava kings in the 7th century Mylapore is the oldest area within Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. ... Pallava, were a South Indian dynasty who established their capital at Kanchipuram in the 4th cent. ... // Overview Events The Roman-Persian Wars end. ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ... India is subdivided into twenty-eight states, six union territories and the National Capital Territory. ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... The Coromandel Coast is the name given to the southeastern coast of the Indian peninsula. ... A map showing the location of the Bay of Bengal. ... A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large city and its adjacent zone of influence, or of several neighboring cities or towns and adjoining areas, with one or more large cities serving as its hub or hubs. ...

Chennai boasts of a long history from ancient South Indian empires through colonialism to its evolution in the 20th century as a services and manufacturing hub. For other senses of this word, see history (disambiguation). ... A map of South India, its rivers, regions and water bodies. ... It has been suggested that Corporate colonialism be merged into this article or section. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the...

Ancient Times

The region served as an important administrative, military, and economic center as far back as the 1st century. Records indicate that the ancient province of Tondaimandalam had its capital and military headquarters at Puzhal, which today is a small village on the northwest fringe of Chennai. The 1st century was that century which lasted from 1 to 100. ...

It is hypothesized that the apostle St. Thomas had immigrated to India in 52 to preach the teachings of Jesus, and he preached from on top of a hillock in the southwest part of the city. He was later said to be assassinated around the year 70. The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek απόστολος apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Jude Thomas. ... For other uses, see number 52. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s - 70s - 80s 90s 100s 110s 120s Years: 65 66 67 68 69 - 70 - 71 72 73 74 75 Events The building of the Colosseum starts (approximate date). ...

Over the centuries many rulers ruled over the region as the South Indian empires grew stronger. The Pallavas who were the most prominent built several large temples in and around Chennai, which include the Kapaleeshwarar temple at Mylapore and the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram. A map of South India, its rivers, regions and water bodies. ... Pallava, were a South Indian dynasty who established their capital at Kanchipuram in the 4th cent. ... The Akshardham Hindu temple (mandir), Delhi, India, 2005 The Ecclesia, the Rosicrucian healing temple, Oceanside, California, United States, 1920 The Salt Lake Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2003 St. ... The temple along with the tank The Kapaleeshwarar temple is a Hindu temple located in Chennai, India. ... The Kapaleeshwarar temple in Mylapore was built by the Pallava kings in the 7th century Mylapore is the oldest area within Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. ... Mahabalipuram (also known as Mamallapuram) is 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. ...

Early European settlers

Modern Chennai had its origins as a colonial city and its initial growth was closely tied to its importance as an artificial harbour and trading centre. When the Portuguese arrived in 1522, they built a port and named it São Tomé, after the Christian apostle St. Thomas, who is believed to have preached there between the years 52 and 70. The region then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who established themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in 1612. In general, the word colonial means of or relating to a colony. In United States history, the term Colonial is used to refer to the period before US independence. ... São Tomé (population 53,300 in 2003) is the capital city of São Tomé and Príncipe and is by far the nations largest town. ... A Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. ... The Twelve Apostles (in Koine Greek απόστολος apostolos [1], someone sent forth/sent out, an emissary) were probably Galilean Jewish men (10 names are Aramaic, 4 names are Greek) chosen from among the disciples, who were sent forth by Jesus of Nazareth to preach the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Jude Thomas. ... For other uses, see number 52. ... Centuries: 1st century BC - 1st century - 2nd century Decades: 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s - 70s - 80s 90s 100s 110s 120s Years: 65 66 67 68 69 - 70 - 71 72 73 74 75 Events The building of the Colosseum starts (approximate date). ... Pulicat is a town which lies in the Tiruvallur District, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. ...

Arrival of the British

A plan of the Fort St. George and surrounding settlements

By 1612, the Dutch established themselves in Pulicat to the north. In the seventeenth century when the British East India Company decided to build a factory on the east coast they selected Armagaon (Durgarazpatnam), a village around 35 miles North of Pulicat, as the site in 1626. The calico cloth from the local area, which was in high demand, was of poor quality and not suitable for export to Europe. The British soon realized that the Armagaon was not a good port and it was unsuitable for trade purposes. Francis Day, one of the officers of the company, who was then a Member of the Masulipatam Council and the Chief of the Armagaon Factory, made a voyage of exploration in 1637 down the coast as far as Pondicherry with a view to choose a site for a new settlement. At that time the Coromandel Coast was ruled by the Rajah of Chandragiri who was a descendant of the famous Rajas of Vijayanagar Empire. Under the Rajah, local chiefs or governors known as Nayaks, ruled over the different districts. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1199x1219, 351 KB) Summary Map of Fort St George, Chennai, India Licensing This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1199x1219, 351 KB) Summary Map of Fort St George, Chennai, India Licensing This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus... Events January 20 - Mathias becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ... Pulicat is a town which lies in the Tiruvallur District, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favour trade privileges in India. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Vijayanagara empire was based in the Deccan, in peninsular and southern India, from 1336 onwards. ...

Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu, local governor of the Vijayanagar Empire and Nayak of Wandiwash ruled the coastal part of the region, from Pulicat to the Portuguese settlement of San Thome. He had his head-quarters at Wandiwash and his brother Ayyappa Nayakudu resided at Poonamallee, a few miles to the west of Madras, and looked after the affairs of the coast. Beri Timmanna dubash Chetti(Interpreter)of Francis Day was a close friend of damarla Ayyappa Nayakudu. Beri Thimmanna migrated in the early 17th century to Chennai from Palacole, near Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. Ayyappa Nayakudu persuaded his brother to lease out the sandy strip to Francis Day and promised him trade benefits, army protection, and Persian horses in return. Francis Day wrote to his Headquarters at Masulipatam for permission to inspect the proposed site at Madraspatnam and examine the possibilities of trade there. Madraspatnam seemed favorable during the inspection and the calicos woven at Madraspatnam were much cheaper than those at Armagaon. The Vijayanagara empire was based in the Deccan, in peninsular and southern India, from 1336 onwards. ... Vandavasi or Wandiwash is a city in Tamil Nadu state of India. ... Pulicat is a town which lies in the Tiruvallur District, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. ... Vandavasi or Wandiwash is a city in Tamil Nadu state of India. ... Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ... Machilipatnam, also known as Masulipatnam or Bandar or Masula (for short among Finnish mission workers ), is a city on the southeastern or Coromandel Coast of India. ... Andhra Pradesh : (ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్; Āndhra Prādesh), is a state in South India. ... Machilipatnam, also known as Masulipatnam or Bandar, is a city on the southeastern or Coromandel Coast of India. ...

On 22 August 1639, Francis Day secured the Grant by the Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu, Nayak of Wandiwash giving over to the British East India Company a three-mile long strip of land, a fishing village called Madraspatnam, copies of which were endorsed by Andrew Cogan, the Chief of the Masulipatam Factory, and are even now preserved. The Grant was for a period of two years and empowered them to build a fort and castle on an approximate 5 square kilometre sand strip. Vandavasi or Wandiwash is a city in Tamil Nadu state of India. ... The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favour trade privileges in India. ... Machilipatnam, also known as Masulipatnam or Bandar, is a city on the southeastern or Coromandel Coast of India. ...

The English Factors at Masulipatam were satisfied with Francis Day. They requested Francis Day and the Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu to wait until the sanction of the superior English Presidency of Bantam (in Java) could be obtained for their action. The main difficulty, among the English those days, was lack of money. In February 1640, Francis Day and Andrew Cogan accompanied by a few factors and writers, a garrison of about 25 European soldiers and a few other European artificers, besides a Hindu powder-maker by name Naga Battan, proceeded to Madras and started the English factory. They reached Madraspatnam on February 20, 1640; and this date is important because it marks the first actual settlement of the English at the place. Machilipatnam, also known as Masulipatnam or Bandar, is a city on the southeastern or Coromandel Coast of India. ... Bantam may mean: American Bantam, a series of compact cars produced between 1937 and 1941 Bantam (chicken), a small (or miniaturized) domestic fowl Bantam (military), british army jargon (first world war) for men below the minimum height for enlistment Bantam (city), a city in Indonesia Bantam, Connecticut Bantam, a New... The term Java can refer to: In geography: Java (island), Indonesia, the most populous island in the world Javanese language, a language widely spoken on the island of Java Java coffee, a variety of coffee plant which originated on the island of Java, or a slang word for coffee Java... Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ...

An old 18 century painting of Fort St George.

Francis Day, his dubash (Interpreter) Beri Thimmanna Chetti and their superior Andrew Cogan can be considered as the founders of Chennai, then Madras. They began construction of the Fort St George on 23 April 1940 and houses for their residance. This area came to be known as 'White Town'. When Indians came to live near it, this gave rise to another settlement. The Company called the new place 'Black Town', as the Indians here met its needs of cloth and indigo. Image File history File links Fort_St. ... Image File history File links Fort_St. ... Fort St George is the name of the first British fortress in India, built in 1644 at the coastal city of Madras (modern city of Chennai. ...

The grant signed between Damarla Venkatapadri and the British had to be authenticated or confirmed from the Raja of Chandragiri - Venkatapathy Rayulu.The Raja , Venkatapathy Rayulu was succeeded by his nephew Sri Rangarayulu in 1942. Sir Francis Day was succeeded by Thomas Ivy. The grant expired. So, Thomas Ivy sent Factor Greenhill on a misson to Chandragiri to meet the new Raja and get the grant renewed. A new grant was issued in 1642 copies of which are still available. It is dated October - November 1645. This new grant signed in 1645 empowered the English to administer justice and gave them an additional piece of land known as the Narimedu (Jackal-ground) which lay to the west of the village of Madraspatnam. All the 3 grants are said to be engraved on gold plates that don't exist now. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

The Fort St George became the nucleus around which the city grew. The Fort still stands today, and a part of it is used to house the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the Office of the Chief Minister. Elihu Yale, after whom Yale University is named, was British governor of Madras for five years. Part of the fortune that he amassed in Madras as part of the colonial administration became the financial foundation for Yale University. Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... This article is about the term as used within the Commonwealth of Nations; there is also an Legislative Assembly in Oregon and there used to be a Legislative Assembly in France during the French Revolution. ... A Chief Minister is the elected Head of Government of a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British overseas territory that has attained self-government. ... Elihu Yale Elihu Yale, (April 5, 1649 – July 8, 1721), was the first benefactor of Yale University. ... Yale redirects here. ...

1750s to 1947

In 1746, Fort St George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, who used to be the Governor of Mauritius. The French are then described to have plundered the village of Chepauk and demolished Blacktown, the locality across from the port where all the dockyard labourers used to live ^[1]. // Events Catharine de Ricci (born 1522) canonized. ... Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais (comte de La Bourdonnais) (Saint-Malo, 11 February 1699 – Paris, 10 November 1753) was a French naval officer and administrator, in the service of the French East India Company. ... HI A governor is also, a monkey who is smart and can fly like a penguin is a device that regulates the speed of a machine. ... Chepauk is a locality in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. ...

The city of Madras in 1909

The British regained control in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle. They then strengthened and expanded Fort St George over the next thirty years to bear subsequent attacks, the strongest of which came from the French (1759, under Thomas Arthur, Comte de Lally), and Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore (1767). The 1783 version of Fort St George is what still stands today. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x1253, 341 KB)Map of the city of Madras (Chennai) in 1909. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x1253, 341 KB)Map of the city of Madras (Chennai) in 1909. ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Events While in debtors prison, John Cleland writes Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure). ... There were two Treaties of Aix-la-Chapelle. ... 1759 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Thomas Arthur, comte de Lally, baron de Tollendal (January, 1702 - 1766), French general, was born at Romans, Dauphin, being the son of Sir Gerard OLally, an Irish Jacobite who married a French lady of noble family, from whom the son inherited his titles. ... Hyder Ali or Haidar Ali (c. ... A sultan (Arabic: سلطان) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ... Mysore (Kannada: ಮೈಸೂರು) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. ... 1767 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

The British were in complete control of the city, after a decade's feud with the French, they expanded the city by encompassing the neighbouring villages of Triplicane, Egmore, Purasawalkam and Chetput to form the city of Chennapatnam, as it was called by locals then. Triplicane, situated about 1/2 a km away from the sea coast (of Bay of Bengal) and the Fort St George, is currently one of the oldest central business districts of Chennai, South India. ... Egmore is one of the busiest central business districts of Chennai, South India. ...

In the latter half of the 18th century, Madras became an important English naval base, and the administrative centre of the growing British dominions in southern India. The British fought with various European powers, notably the French at Vandavasi (Wandiwash) in 1760, where de Lally was defeated by Sir Eyre Coote, and the Danish at Tharangambadi (Tranquebar). The British eventually dominated, driving the French, the Dutch and the Danes away entirely, and reducing the French dominions in India to four tiny coastal enclaves. The British also fought four wars with the Kingdom of Mysore under Hyder Ali and later his son Tipu Sultan, which led to their eventual domination of India's south. Madras was the capital of the Madras Presidency, also called Madras Province. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... Vandavasi or Wandiwash is a city in Tamil Nadu state of India. ... Vandavasi or Wandiwash is a city in Tamil Nadu state of India. ... 1760 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Sir Eyre Coote (1726 - April 28, 1783), was a British soldier. ... Tranquebar, 1600. ... Tranquebar, 1600. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The United States detonated an atomic bomb over Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, effectively ending World War II. The bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima (on August 6) immediately killed between 100,000 and 200,000 people and are the only instances nuclear weapons have ever been used in war. ... Flag of former princely state of Mysore. ... Hyder Ali or Haidar Ali (c. ... A potrait of Tipu Sultan by Edward Orme (1774 -1822). ... Madras Presidency, also known as Madras Province and known officially as Presidency of Fort St. ...

A view of the now busy Mount Road, nearly a century back

The development of a harbour in Madras led the city to become an important centre for trade between India and Europe in the eighteenth century. In 1788, Thomas Parry arrived in Madras as a free merchant and he set up one of the oldest mercantile companies in the city and one of the oldest in the country (EID Parry). John Binny came to Madras in 1797 and he established the textile comapy Binny & Co in 1814. Spencer's started as a small business in 1864 and went on to become the biggest department stores in Asia at the time. The original building which housed Spencer & Co. was burnt down in a fire in 1983 and the present structure houses one of the largest shopping malls in India, Spencer Plaza. Other prominent companies in the city included Gordon Woodroffe, Best & Crompton, Higginbothams, Hoe & Co and P. Orr & Sons. Image File history File links Gautham File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Gautham File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... Thomas Parry (1768-1824), a Welshman, who realizing the potentials of business and commerce in India, came to Chennai, South India in late 1780s, He set up a modest business of piece goods and banking on 17th July 1788. ... EID Parry (India) Limited is a public company, headquartered in Chennai, South India, with a continuous history of business activities of more than 200 years, and with many firsts to its credit which include manufacturing of fertilizers (1906) first time in the Indian subcontinent. ... David Spencer Limited (commonly known as Spencers) operated a department store chain in the province of British Columbia, Canada during the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. ... 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, Tamilnadu state, India. ...

Madras was the capital of the Madras Presidency and thus became home to important commercial organisations. The Madras Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1836 by Fredrick Adam, Governor of the Madras Presidency (the second oldest Chamber of Commerce in the country). The Madras Trades Association was established in 1856 and The Madras Stock Exchange in 1920. Madras Presidency, also known as Madras Province and known officially as Presidency of Fort St. ... The Madras Stock Exchange is a stock exchange in Chennai, India (formerly Madras). ...

Post-independence

After India became independent, the city became the administrative and legislative capital of Madras State which was renamed as Tamil Nadu in 1968. Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... Ever since the British left India in 1947, many streets, places and buildings throughout India were assigned new Indian names. Tamil Nadu was no exception to this trend. ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

During the reorganisation of states in India on linguistic lines, in 1953, Telugu speakers wanted Madras as the capital of Andhra Pradesh and coined the slogan "Madras Manade" (Madras is ours) before Tirupati was included in Andhra Pradesh. The dispute arose as the city had come to be inhabited by both Tamil and Telegu speaking people. Earlier, Panagal Raja, Chief Minister of Madras Presidency in early 1920s had suggested that the Cooum river be the boundary between the Tamil and Telegu administrative areas. In 1953, the political and administrative dominance of Tamils, both at the Union and State levels ensured that Madras was not transferred to the new state of Andhra Pradesh though the city was geographically part of the Andhra region. With time, migration of Tamil speaking people from other parts of Tamil Nadu to the state capital increased the percentage of Tamil speaking population. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Andhra Pradesh : (ఆంధ్ర ప్రదేశ్; Āndhra Prādesh), is a state in South India. ... Madras Presidency, also known as Madras Province and known officially as Presidency of Fort St. ... Cooum is one of the rivers of Chennai, India. ... The Tamil people are an ethnic group from South Asia with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ...

Mount Road in the 1950s

Today, though a cosmopolitan city, the majority of residents in Chennai are native Tamilians. There are also a sizeable native Telegu, Anglo Indian and migrant Malayalee communities in the city. As the city is an important administrative and commercial centre, many communities like Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati and Marwari communities and people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar migrated to the city and have contibuted to its cosmopolitan nature. Today, Chennai also has a growing expatriate population especially from the United States, Europe and East Asia who work in the industries and IT centres. Image File history File links Oldmtroad. ... Image File history File links Oldmtroad. ... The Tamil people are an ethnic group from South Asia with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ... ... Anglo-Indians like Patience Cooper, were some of the first actresses in Indian films. ... Malayalee is the Malayalam word used to denote a person belonging to Kerala. ... The Bengali people are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group from South Asia with a history going back more than two millennia. ... Punjabi (also Panjabi; in Gurmukhī, Panjābī in Shāhmukhī) is the language of the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. ... Gujarati can mean two distinct things: The Gujarati language is a language spoken in India and Pakistan, mostly in and around the Gujarat state. ... Birthplace of Marwari Clans Marwaris are an elite group of Indo-Aryan people from Marwar region of Rajasthan in India. ... Uttar Pradesh (Hindi: उत्तर प्रदेश, Urdu: اتر پردیش), also popularly known by its abbreviation UP, is the most populous and fifth largest state in the Union of India. ... For other uses, see Bihar (disambiguation). ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... Geographic scope of East Asia East Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms. ... [[[[[[Information technology]]]]]] (IT) or Information and communication(s) technology (ICT) (also Infocomm, esp. ...

From 1965 to 1967, the city was an important base for the Tamil agitation against the perceived imposition of Hindi, and witnessed sporadic rioting. Chennai witnessed further political violence due to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, with 33 people killed by a bomb planted by the Tamil Eelam Army at the airport in 1984, and assassination of thirteen members of the EPRLF and two Indian civilians by the rival LTTE in 1991 ^[2], ^[3]. In the same year, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in Sriperumbudur, a small town close to Chennai, whilst campaigning in Tamil Nadu, by Thenmuli Rajaratnam A.K.A Dhanu. Dhanu is widely believed to be have been a LTTE member. In 1996, the Government of Tamil Nadu renamed the city from "Madras" to "Chennai" by DMK Government. The 2004 tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai killing many and permanently altering the coastline. 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Hindi (हिन्दी hind), an Indo-European language spoken mainly in North, Central, and West India, is the official language of the Indian Union. ... The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is an ongoing conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Sri Lankan Tamils on the island-nation of Sri Lanka. ... The Tamil Eelam Army is a Tamil separatist group in Sri Lanka. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front was a Tamil separatist group in Sri Lanka. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rajiv Ratna Gandhi (राजीव गान्धी) (20 August 1944 – 21 May 1991), the eldest son of Indira and Feroze Gandhi, was the 6th Prime Minister of India (and the 3rd from their family) from his mothers death on 31 October 1984 until his resignation on 2 December 1989 following a general election... Sriperumbudur, located in close proximity to Chennai, is a town in Kanchipuram district of Tamilnadu, India. ... Thenmuli Rajaratnam was the assassin who killed Rajiv Gandhi, herself, and 16 others in a suicide bombing on May 21, 1991, in the Indian town of Sriperumbudur, near Madras. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ... -1...

Modern Chennai is a large commercial and industrial centre, and is known for its cultural heritage and temple architecture. Chennai is the automobile capital of India, with around forty percent of the automobile industry having a base there and with a major portion of the nation's vehicles being produced there. Chennai is also referred as the Detroit of South Asia. It is a major manufacturing centre. Chennai has also become a major center for outsourced IT and financial services from the Western world. Cultural heritage (often just termed heritage) consists of a nations historic buildings, collections, monuments, etc. ... Karl Benzs Velo model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race An automobile is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... South Asia or Southern Asia is a southern geopolitical region of the Asian continent comprising territories on and in proximity to the Indian subcontinent. ...

City Name

The name Madras is derived from Madraspatnam, the site chosen by the British East India Company for a permanent settlement in 1639. The region is called by different names as madrapupatnam, madras kuppam, madraspatnam, and madirazpatnam by locals. Another small town, Chennapatnam, lay to the south of it. This place was named so by Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu, Nayak of Wandiwash in remembrance of his father Damarla Chennappa Nayakudu. He was the local governor for the last Raja of Chandragiri, Sri Ranga Raya VI of Vijayanagara Empire. The first Grant of Damarla Venkatadri Nayakudu makes mention of the village of Madraspatnam. In all records of the times, a difference is made between the original village of Madraspatnam and the new town growing round the Fort. Thus it is probable that the village of Madraspatnam existed under that name, prior to the English settlement of 1639-40 and the site of Chennapatnam was that of modern Fort St. George. The original village of Madraspatnam lay to the north of the site of the Fort and within a few years of the founding of Fort St. George the new town which grew up round the Fort was commonly known to the Indians as Chennapatnam, either in deference to the wishes of Damarla Venkatadri or because the site originally bore that name. The intervening space between the northern Madraspatnam and the Southern Chennapatnam came to be built over rapidly so that the two villages became virtually one town. The English preferred to call the two united towns by the name of Madraspatnam with which they had become familiar with while the Indians chose to give it the name of Chennapatnam. In course of time the exact original locations of Madraspatnam and Channapatnam came to be confused. Madras was regarded as the site of the Fort and Chennapatnam as the Indian town to the north. The British East India Company, sometimes referred to as John Company, was a joint-stock company which was granted an English Royal Charter by Elizabeth I on December 31, 1600, with the intent to favour trade privileges in India. ... Vandavasi or Wandiwash is a city in Tamil Nadu state of India. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The Vijayanagara empire was based in the Deccan, in peninsular and southern India, from 1336 onwards. ...

Some believe that the British favoured the name Madras while the locals called it Chennapatnam or Chennapuri. The word Chenna is a Dravidian word and seems to have originated from a Telugu word Chennu meaning beautiful. The city was renamed Chennai in August 1996 as the name Madras was perceived to be of Portuguese origin. It is believed that the original Portuguese name is Madre de Sois, named after a Portuguese high authority who was one among the early settlers in 1500. There have also been suggestions though that Chennai may not be a Tamil name while Madras may be of Tamil origin. Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ... Dravidian may refer to: Dravidian languages, including the Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada languages spoken especially in southern India and Sri Lanka. ... Telugu may refer to: TELUGU PORTAL Telugu language Telugu script Telugu people This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ... Chennai (சென்னை in Tamil), formerly known as Madras , is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is Indias fourth largest metropolitan city. ... Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ... Chennai (சென்னை in Tamil), formerly known as Madras , is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is Indias fourth largest metropolitan city. ... Tamil may refer to: Tamil language, one of the Dravidian languages primarily spoken in the South ASIA Tamil script, primarily used to write the Tamil language Tamil people The phrase Tamil country is used sometimes to refer to the regions with a significant population of Tamil-speaking people. ... Madras refers to: the Indian city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras, the former Indian state, now known as Tamil Nadu (Plural of Madra): Ancient people of Iranian affinites, who lived in northwest Panjab in the Uttarapatha division of ancient India. ... Tamil may refer to: Tamil language, one of the Dravidian languages primarily spoken in the South ASIA Tamil script, primarily used to write the Tamil language Tamil people The phrase Tamil country is used sometimes to refer to the regions with a significant population of Tamil-speaking people. ...

External Links

• History of Madras
• Photos of Madras