A trip to Chennai cannot be complete without understanding its rich heritage. The art and cultural activities in Chennai will give you an insight into the city's history, traditions, and artwork. While visiting the cultural attractions in Chennai would prove to be informative, attending its artsy events will leave you entertained. From cultural performances to historical monuments that give you a glimpse of the past, take a look at this list to know Chennai better. Include these in attractions in your itinerary for Chennai and have a great vacation.
Top Places for Art and Cultural Activities in Chennai
Check the list of top places for art and culture in Chennai:
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Kapaleeshwarar Temple
(1888 Votes)The hot and humid climate of Chennai can be overwhelming sometimes, only for you to find solace in its earthy, cool temples, that also some savoury feasts at noon and sometimes evening. The Kapaleeshwar temple is one such temple, along with being the most celebrated ones in the city. Essentially a Shiva Temple, this Chennai attraction is a 7th century CE construction with characteristics of th...Read more -
Shirdi Sai Baba Temple
(734 Votes)One of the most popular temples in India, dedicated to the Indian saint Sai Baba the Shirdi Sai Baba temple is one of the celebrated temples. The saint who lead an ascetic life, preached the importance of realization of the self. This particular temple is a 1952 construction by a devotee. It also functions as the headquarters of the All India Sai Samaj. On Thursdays, the temple has special bha...Read more -
Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam
(2654 Votes)One of the nation’s most celebrated temples, Thirumalai Thirupathi Devasthanam is devoted to Lord Balaji. Lord Balaji or Venkateswara is an incarnation of Vishnu. The name Venkateswara is derived from two words Venkat which is a hill in the South India and also means “destroyer of sins” along with eswara that means Lord. You can perform various sevas or services here, along w...Read more -
Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple
(3200 Votes)As you begin to explore Chennai, you will realize that there are several temples sprawling across the city. Each having its unique significance as per the Hindu religion is no short of an enlightening visit. The Sri Parthasarathy Temple is this beautiful temple dating back to the 8th century, initiated by the Pallava dynasty. Dedicated to the Lord Krishna this temple belongs to the Hindu tradi...Read more -
San Thome Church
(2757 Votes)One of the very few Gothic churches in Chennai, the San Thome Church with its unique location is one of the most important attractions of Chennai. The church is set picturesquely on the mortal remains of one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. The church derives its name from Saint Thomas, who came to India A.D.52 and died in A.D.72. The significance of the church amplifies further with it...Read more -
Vadapalani Murugan Temple
(195 Votes)Perched in Chennai’s neighbourhood of Vadapalani, which is famous for its film sets, the Vadapalani Murugan Temple is one of the most significant places of pilgrimage in India. Dedicated to Lord Muruga or the Karthikeya, which is the Hindu God of war, this temple is becoming more popular owing to its patronage of cinema stars. The temples beauty lies in the fact that it was built more th...Read more -
Chennai most buzzing and culturally eclectic neighbourhood, Mylapore also happens to be one of the oldest residential parts of the city. This where most of the famous temples of Chennai lie; Kapaleeswarar Temple, Ramakrishna Math, Adi Kesava Perumal Temple, and the Sri Vedantha Desikar Devasthanam/Sri Srinivasar Koil along with the beautiful church Luz Church and the basilica of San Thome. The...Read more
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Kalikambal Temple
(84 Votes)The Kalikambal Temple is a temple dedicated to not just one, but two lords. It is here that the idols of Shri Kaligambal (Kamakshi) and Lord Kamadeswarar are worshipped. With an already picturesque location at the Parry's corner in Old: George Town, this temple with its characteristic Dravidian architecture is breath-taking to say the least. As per history, the temple had a different location ...Read more -
Anjaneya Temple
(62 Votes)One of the most and very few of the temples dedicated to the Lord Hanuman, the Viswaroopa Adhivyadhihara Sri Bhaktha Anjaneyaswami Temple is home to 32- feet idol of the monkey God. The beauty of this idol lies in the fact that it is sculpted out of a single granite stone. This idol was consecrated in the year 1995 after being constructed in 1989. Along with the idol what draws visitors to the...Read more -
Iskcon Temple Chennai
(135 Votes)A religious institution popular not just in India but the whole of world, the ISKCON temple stands for International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It is also popular as the Hare Krishna movement, that essentially belongs to the Gaudiya-Vaishnava sampradaya. It is one of the Indian tradition derived out of the Vedic or Hindu culture. The institution delivers prayers by the chants of “...Read more -
St. Thomas Mount National Shrine
(345 Votes)Sitting pretty in Chennai’s neighbourhood of Guindy, the St Thomas Mount is this gorgeous little tiny hillock. The church has significance that relate to Syria. There are traces of the Syrian Christian’s church here with regard to St. Thomas the Apostle. The entire area has this characteristic vibe to it, given its being as one of the Chennai areas, that were highly populated by the...Read more -
Arulmigu Marundeeswarar Temple
(1245 Votes)A Lord Shiva temple, the Marundeeswarar temple is a major draw of visitors owing to its cultural and religious significance, along with a beautiful location, adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. It’s being as one among the “275 Paadal Petra Sthalams” holds high importance relating to the 7th-8th century. In the 11th century the dynasty of the Chola rulers further expanded it, with v...Read more -
Ashtalakshmi Temple
(4276 Votes)Dedicated to the Indian deity of wealth, the AshtalakshmiKovil is a beautiful burst of colour upon the golden sands of Elliot’s Beach. It was the brain child of Sri ChandrashekarendraSaraswatiswamigal of KanchiMut. Whether you want to pray or just enjoy a moment of peach, the temple is the perfect place to spend a few tranquil minutes by the beach. Imagine walking with the sand in between...Read more -
The Anna Centenary Library
(4756 Votes)Named after former Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai, the Anna Centenary Library is an established state library and one of the biggest in Asia, spanning over almost 8 acres of land. The library was opened in 2010 and accommodates approximately 1.2 million books and can hold 1,250 people. The library run on sophisticated technology, with a section for the visually impaired that contains talking bo...Read more -
Kamakshi Amman Temple
(44 Votes)Dedicated to the universal mother goddess, Kamakshi who is also a form of Tripura Sundari or Parvati, the Kamakshi Amman Temple is perched in one of the most historic towns of Tamil Nadu, Kanchipuram. Other popular temples, form the same institution include The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai and the Akilandeswari temple in Thiruvanaikaval near Tiruchirappalli. You can head here to witness four poo...Read more