The city that for a long long time went by the name of Madras continues to be as hot and fiery as 'Chennai',  what it has been called since 1996. At once the centre of classical dance, classical Karnatic music and a vibrant polity, Chennai is finding its feet as a hip and urban centre where its young drinks-after-dinner executives are as happy as the arts and culture aficionadoes. Back in the 17^th century Madraspatnam was a small fishing village till the British East India Company discovered that here, sitting almost at the southern tip of the peninsula with bay waters quietly lapping at its shores, was a strategic treasure on their hands from where they could sail up, around and out to their other trading posts.  Fort St. George came up in 1640 and a tiny rural idyll began its journey towards urban relevance. Madraspatnam became Madras, the first step in its metamorphosis into Chennai, the nerve centre of southern India.

Madras came to be the administrative capital of the Madras Presidency (the southern zone of the British Empire in India). A successful British campaign against the French saw them all but disappear from the region (barring the enclave in Pondicherry). The British domination of India and its waters started from the shores of Madras, today's Chennai.

Today Chennai is a busy city, somewhat congested and polluted, but colourful as always. Larger than life "heroes" from 70mm celluloid beam out of even larger hoardings and if they can ‘grin and bear it’ so can you. The Tamilians love and revere their screen gods and it shows in their habit of electing them to top governmental posts, whenever one stands for elections.

For state information on History, Governance, Economy, Habitat, Climate and People & Society, see Tamil Nadu.