Chennai

Chennai (சென்னை in Tamil), formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fourth largest city. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.45 million (2005), the 367-year-old city is the 41st largest metropolitan area in the world.

History

The region around Chennai has served as an important administrative, military, and economic centre dating back to the 1st century, when it was ruled by several South Indian kingdoms, notably the Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar empires. The town of Mylapore, now part of the metropolis, was once a major port of the Pallava kingdom.

Related Topics:
1st century - South India - Kingdom - Pallava - Chola - Pandya - Vijaynagar - Mylapore

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The apostle St. Thomas is believed to have preached there between the years 52 and 70 AD. When the Portuguese arrived in 1522, they built a port known as San Thomé or São Thomé. The region then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who established themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in 1612. On 22 August 1639, the British East India Company was granted land by the Nayak of Vandavasi as a base for a permanent settlement, believed to be called Madraspatnam. A year later, Fort St George was built, which subsequently became the nucleus around which the colonial city grew. In 1746, Fort St George and Madras were captured by the French under General La Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius, who plundered the town and its outlying villages.

Related Topics:
Apostle - St. Thomas - 52 - 70 - Portuguese - 1522 - Dutch - Pulicat - 1612 - British East India Company - Nayak - Vandavasi - Fort St George - 1746 - French - La Bourdonnais - Governor - Mauritius

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The British regained control of the town in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and subsequently fortified the base to withstand further attacks from the French and Hyder Ali, the Sultan of Mysore. By the late 18th century the British had conquered most of the region around Tamil Nadu and the northern modern-day states of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to establish the Madras Presidency, whose capital was Madras.

Related Topics:
1749 - Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle - Hyder Ali - Sultan - Mysore - 18th century - Andhra Pradesh - Karnataka - Madras Presidency

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Under British rule the city grew into a major urban dwelling and naval base. With the advent of railways in India in the late 18th century, it was connected to the other towns such as Bombay (now known as Mumbai) and Calcutta (since renamed to Kolkata), facilitating communication and trade with the hinterland. It was the only Indian city to be attacked by the Central Powers during World War I, by the German light cruiser SMS Emden. After independence in 1947, the city became the capital of Madras State, which was renamed as Tamil Nadu in 1968.

Related Topics:
Railways in India - 18th century - Bombay - Calcutta - Central Powers - World War I - German - SMS Emden - Independence - 1947 - Madras State - Renamed - 1968

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From 1965 to 1967, Chennai was an important base for the Tamil agitation against the perceived imposition of Hindi. Chennai had witnessed some political violence due to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, after 33 people were killed by a bomb planted by the Tamil Eelam Army at the airport in 1984 and following the assassination of thirteen members of the Sri Lankan separatist group EPRLF, and two Indian civilians by the rival LTTE{{inote|frontline.com|front-1}} in 1991.{{inote|expressindia.com}} Strong measures were taken and the city has not faced any major terrorist activity since then.

Related Topics:
1965 - 1967 - Hindi - Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka - Tamil Eelam Army - 1984 - Sri Lanka - EPRLF - LTTE - 1991

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In 2004 the Indian Ocean tsunami lashed the shores of Chennai, killing many and permanently altering the coastline. Chennai turned 367 on 22 August 2005.

Related Topics:
2004 - Indian Ocean tsunami

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