Chennai Beach (Marina)

Written By: Suhas on May 28, 2009 2 Comments

Marina Beach in Chennai is a major Tourist attraction. This Chennai Beach is the second largest beach in a city and is 437 meters wide. Marina Beach begins near Fort St. George in the north to Besant Nagar in the south, spanning a distance of about 12 km.

This famous Chennai Beach includes the Besant Nagar Beach and the Elliot’s Beach. In those days, Marina Beach used to be known for its pristine beauty and rich ecosystems. However, the beach and the water has become polluted, since the middle of the 20th century.In recent years, many voluntary organizations have taken up the task of cleaning up the Marina Beach and protecting the ecosystem.Particular efforts include protection of Olive Ridley turtle nests along the Neelangarai section of the beach. Despite these problems however, a visit to the Marina is a sine qua non for any tourist coming to Chennai.

The entire stretch of the Chennai Beach Road called Kamarajar Salai, has numerous statues and monuments that have come up over the years along the beach.The beach is a major tourist attraction is popular for its shopsand food stalls. The memorials and statues, morning walk, joggers’ track, lovers’ spot, aquarium, etc., make it a hangout for people of all ages.

The Vivekananda House (formerly known as the Ice House), faces the Marina Beach, where the great Swami Vivekananda stayed for nine days in 1897. The Vivekananda House hosts Art/Painting exhibits about the life and mission of Swami Vivekananda, the ideologies of the Hindu Religion, etc. which form an attraction.

Historical buildings, Monuments and Institutions on the Chennai Beach – Marina:

You may also find memorials of M. G. Ramachandran and C. N. Annadurai, former Chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and statues of legendary people including

Robert Caldwell
Constanzo Beschi (Veerama Munivar)
Truimph of Labour Statue
Kannagi
Subramaniya Barathiyar
Subhash Chandra Bose
George Uglow Pope
Thiruvalluvar
Dr. Annie Besant
Kavignar Bharathidasan
Actor Sivaji Ganesan
Mahatma Gandhi
Kamarajar
M. G. Ramachandran

Apart from the statues of legendary people mentioned above, you may find the following Historical buildings, Monuments and Institutions along the stretch of the Marina Beach.