Formerly known as Madras, Chennai began as a collection of villages, which were transformed by the arrival of the British East India Company who built a factory and created a trading port here in 1693. The British developed it as a major naval base and an urban trading centre - by the start of the 20th century Madras was a vital administrative hub for the region.
In recent years, as part of an independent India, Chennai has developed significantly and has achieved significant economic growth. The city has been able to support this growth thanks to its favourable infrastructure and the availability of space into which the city can grow.
Today Chennai is India's fourth-largest city, home to a fascinating collection of colonial buildings, beautiful temples, monuments, churches and street markets, as well as a beautiful sandy beach, one of the longest in the world.
During this truly unforgettable tour of southern India, we visit the cities, temples and tea plantations of the Tamil Nadu region before heading to Kerala. We explore the captivating city of Kochi, relax on Kerala's beaches and cruise through the backwaters of Vambanad Lake.
… see more16 days from £2,595 pp
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By Lorna Heatley
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India has to be one of the most colourful countries in the world. From the vibrant celebration clothes worn by both men and women, decorated in extraordinary amounts of beadwork and mirrors.
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By Lorna Heatley
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70 years ago, on the 15th of August 1947 India became the country that we know and love today. Following the departure of the British after nearly 200 years of what is known as the ‘British Raj’ (or ‘British Rule’), India suffered a period of turmoil, with Pakistan off from India, but it has since risen to become one of the main superpowers of the modern world.
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A firm handshake and a broad smile; his name was David (a member of Kerala’s Christian community who make up 20% of the population here), and with this and this alone, he welcomed me aboard his giant Chinese fishing net. Here a team of six lowered the netting over 250 times a day into the estuary below, which just a few short metres away transformed into the Arabian Sea.
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By Sukie Chapman
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See the country united by colour on luxury train tours in India. In this blog we celebrate yellow, colour of the sun, and it’s warming, healing qualities.
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A wonderfully organised experience that we thoroughly enjoyed