Dakshina Chitra

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Dakshina Chitra, East Coast Road, Muttukadu, Chingleput District, Tamil Nadu, India. Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Dakshina Chitra is a unique concept of bringing South India’s cultural traditions all under one roof, Dakshin Chitra is a little out of the city (25 kilometers) but certainly worth your while. Dakshin Chitra actually means “picture of the south” and that’s exactly what you should expect to see. Educational and fun at the same time, this is a center for a complete orientation to Southern India’s four states. You can experience the living traditions, performing arts, music, crafts and architecture on the 10-acre spread. The earthy feel of the structure and its surroundings transport visitors into the cultural milieu. Dakshin Chitra is great for both children and adults as you can try your hand at glass blowing, pottery and traditional games.

Dakshina Chitra Tamil Nadu House

HistoryEdit

Dakshina Chitra is a center for the living traditions of art, folk performing arts, craft and architecture of India with an emphasis on the traditions of South India. A project of the Madras Craft Foundation (MCF), a non-profit organisation. Dakshina Chitra opened to the public in December 1996. The center occupies ten undulating acres overlooking the Bay of Bengal, at Muttukadu, twenty five kilometers south of Chennai, on the East Coast Road to Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu, India. Once we enter the campus, there are four sections : Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka. In each section, we can find houses belonging to the bygone era of the respective state.

Must SeeEdit

Attraction

Visiting TimeEdit

10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

November to February.

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning, Afternoon, Evening.

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

4 to 5 hours

Ticket Required : Yes Edit

Individual National Adult Rs. : Rs.75 per person

Kids Rs. : Rs. 20 per child (5-12 years of age)

Rs. 30 – 75 per student (below 18 years of age with ID card)

Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : Rs. 200 per person

Kids Rs. : Rs. 20 per child (5-12 years of age)

Rs. 30 – 75 per student (below 18 years of age with ID card)

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

Video Camera Rs. : N.A.

Guide Required : No Edit

Approximate cost: N.A.

Dress Code (If Any) : No Edit

Dress Require: N.A.

Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

Palmyra Restaurant ; Green Coconut Resort, 58/1, East Coast Road, Muttukadu. ; Ph/M – 91-44-27472036; +91-44-27472037|+91-44-27472055; +91-9841055600; +91-9841055600 ; Food Serve – Chettinad multi-cuisine.

How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Taxis (locally called “call-taxis” since they must be pre-arranged) are available by phone. Since there are so many listed in thr phone book already and they are mostly reliable we don’t list any. They can be ordered air-conditioned and have digital fare meters, although time-based hire is also possible with some companies. Most companies charge a minimum fare of Indian rupee 100/-(Non-AC)/150/-(AC), which is for 4km (2.4 mile) and for every subsequent kilometre they charge Indian rupee 12/- or 13/-.

Bus : One of Asia’s largest bus stations is in Chennai, the CMBT. There are seven different state owned corporations which drive buses to and from various destinations within South India. There are hourly buses for places like Tirupati, Pondicherry, Coimbatore, Tirunelveli etc. Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses ply throughout the city accessing areas which are not accessed by the suburban trains. These are Government-run and extremely cheap. Chennai has few major termini from where the majority of the buses ply towards the rest of the city. Normally Bus Fare in MTC range from Indian rupee 4 – Indian rupee 50.

Train : Chennai Central (code MAS) and Chennai Egmore (code MS) are the two main long distance train stations. There are daily trains from Chennai to Bengaluru, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Delhi, Cochin, Hyderabad Kolkata and most of the big cities of India. The Egmore station covers most of the places in Tamil Nadu and a few important places outside it. The long trains to Egmore stop at Tambaram and some at Perambur. These two stations serve the suburban areas of Chennai. Prepaid taxis, cabs auto rickshaws are available for hire just outside the station.

Air : The third busiest airport of India is the Chennai International Airport which is located at a distance of 7 km from the main city. Both, international and domestic flights land at different terminals: the international flights arrive at the Anna Terminal whereas the domestic flights at Kamaraj Terminal. These two terminals are located at a distance of only 150 metres from each other. Both the terminals are well connected to the major cities of India and the world, respectively. Within a few rupees you can reach the city, but if you have rather bulky luggage look for other options like the pre-paid taxi booth.

Others : Auto-rickshaw/Tuk-tuk drivers in Chennai do not use meters; some try to overcharge and often drive rashly, but that’s part of the fun of being in Chennai. Share autos have emerged in the recent years as an alternative mode of transport in Chennai. There are four wheelers known as meter taxis, which don’t have a meter and are not taxis. They supplement the existing bus services and sometimes operate on routes based on Must See demand.

Things to CarryEdit

The backpack must contain water bottles and juices. Hats, scarves, sun- screen lotion, umbrellas and sun glasses are a must, when traveling in the city.
Carrying medicines for fever, dysentery and diarrhea is advisable.
Camera and video-cam are the must carry things.