Chennai, the first city of Tamil Nadu and the present gateway to South India is about 350 years old. Founded at Fort St: George in 1640 AD by Francis Day; an employ of the East India Company, Chennai today is one of the great metropolitan cities of the World, and the fourth largest city in India. 

Chennai was the first British major settlement in India.  In the city, one cannot fail to notice the dominant British influences in the form of old Cathedrals, buildings in the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture and wide tree lined avenues. But Chennai retains a charm characteristic of the typical South Indian heritage and way of living. As a city it continues to maintain the best of South Indian traditions. This is not surprising because the region was an important center of Pallavan culture long before the British came here, the traces of which can be found in the numerous old temples.