Nestled in the Kanchipuram district of Tamil Nadu, close to the bustling city of Chennai, is the sleepy hollow of Chengalpattu. This unassuming little town is best known to tourists as a transit stop on the way to other more popular destinations such as Mamallapuram and the Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary. However, delve a little deeper and you will find that Chengalpattu itself is a calming force, replete with natural beauty and ancient temples, telling tales of many mighty kingdoms and the wars they fought.
Kolavai Lake in Chengalpattu has been, and continues to be the region’s strongest draw. Centuries ago, the Vijayanagar kings and, subsequently the French colonizers, set up base in Chengalpattu, as the lake and the surrounding swampy, marshlands proved to be a strategic position. Today, though the lake is half its size as a result of unrestricted urbanization and industrialization, it still offers spectacular views, balmy breeze, and a serene environ for tourists looking to disconnect.
Even if it is for just a day, Chengalpattu deserves a stopover; if nothing else, you’ll discover a part of India you’ve never experienced before.
The Kolavai Lake in Chengalpattu is undoubtedly the lifeline of the region, not just for tourism purposes, but for agricultural and practical reasons too. The Kolavai Lake never goes dry, not even in the summer, and it even provides water to parts of Chennai. Despite progress and urbanization in the region, the lake still provides a calm spot for those looking to get away from the chaos of the city.
Chengalpattu is also known for a number of beautiful, ancient, traditional Tamil temples, including the Thirumani Murugan Temple, the Shiva Temple, and the Puli Pakkam Temple, which are worth visiting.
Local state-transport buses are the most common way to travel in Chengalpattu. Alternatively, you can hire a car from Chennai and drive down to the region.
On a daily basis there are approximately 332 flights that operate at Chennai International Airport.IndiGo, SpiceJet and Air India are the most popular airline brands that fly frequently to this airport.
Besides flying you can also reach Chengalpattu through train.Chengalpattuis one of the most popular train stations in Chengalpattu.On an average about 99 trains pass through Chengalpattu on a daily basis.Chennai to Chengalpattu, Viluppuram to Chengalpattu, Tiruchirappalli to Chengalpattuare some of the most popular routes to Chengalpattu with 195, 77, 65 trains weekly respectively.
By road Chengalpattu is surrounded by Maduranthakam, Tambaram, Kancheepuram which are 14.59 km, 18.58 km, 21.1 km away respectively. These places are ideal spots for people to plan their short weekend break.