5 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Chennai - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Chennai

Kapaleeshwarar Temple

The painted and decorated towers of this Hindu shrine were once the tallest structures in one of the oldest cities in India.

San Thome Basilica

This Gothic-style church is reputedly built atop the remains of one of Jesus's apostles.

Burma Bazaar

A gray market run by Burmese Indians offers a portal to a forgotten period in history.

Ramanujan Museum

One-room museum dedicated to India's most enigmatic mathematician.

Fort St. George

The first English fort built in India.

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Stories About Chennai

A work in progress: Carved from a single block of wood, the harp-like yazh features a distinctive peacock head.

Meet the Man Recreating Ancient Musical Instruments Lost to Time

Tharun Sekar's creations include the yazh, a harp-like instrument played in India 2,000 years ago.

by Radhika Iyengar

Ravi Pandian and Chandran (right), shopkeepers at Burma Bazaar.

India Meets Myanmar at a Bustling Bazaar in Chennai

Indians who were pushed out of Burma have made this market a multicultural haven.

by Yamuna Matheswaran

At Marina Beach in Chennai, visitors waded into the foam.

How Frothy Waves of Sea Foam Coated the Coast of Chennai

Don't play in the bubbles.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

December 5, 2019

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