Beaches have always attracted me and when I came to know that Chennai is blessed with the second largest beach in the world, I couldn't resist myself and thronged to explore the magical power that the Marina beach beholds. I actually collected many brochures about the beach and as I went through them, I got acquainted with the fact that this beach is a 12-km long stretch, made beautiful by the wonderful face lift given by Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff in the early 1880's, and is a major tourist attraction today.

As I strolled on the beach I found that the beach endorsed many statues of some significant people in India. Statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Tiruvalluvar, Bharathidasan are few to name.

"No doubt, Why this place attracts tourist" I thought. With its natural silver sand and spacious promenade and exotic gardens, the beach attracts tourists visiting Chennai. It has acquired a South Indian aura with vendors hawking wares ranging from shell and glass baubles to kites and fruit juices. The Marina, however, is large enough to accommodate all visitors as well as the hawkers and is often the venue for important state functions.

oh! yes, I visited the Aquarium that lies close to the the Marina beach and has some of the most exotic collection of tropical sea fishes and fresh water fishes. The aquarium gives a chance to have a closer look at the aquatic life. The Ice House, which was used to store ice brought from Great Lakes in North America, is south to the Aquarium and of course the Anna And MGR Samadhis are worth watching. Situated on the beach, the Anna and MGR Samadhis, that are the memorials of the most popular, former Chief ministers of the state, attract good crowd everyday.