Chennai (Madras) “Gateway to the South” – the capital of Tamil Nadu – where Dravidian culture reached its zenith – a port of the legendary Coromandel coast with a marvelous tradition of music and dance. The golden sandy beaches merge with the breakers of the Bay of Bengal. One of India’s four metropolises, this city of 5 million people has a pronounced colonial heritage dating back to the 17th century, when first the Portuguese and then the British arrived here.