Removals to India – Living in Chennai

A move overseas, especially to a new continent, is an exciting time. It's your chance to immerse yourself in your new culture and make lasting friendships. If you require removals to India, India is known as the land of opportunity.

Although a move abroad can be a worrying time, Greens are specialists in removals to India, so you know you are in good hands. With 40 years' experience in the industry, you can rest assured your move will go smoothly, so you can look forward to your new career challenge and exploring what this fascinating country has to offer.

Our removals to India service is tailored to suit your requirements, from packing services or supply of packing materials, to help with customs requirements and paperwork. Just contact our friendly and experienced team direct on 01449-613053 to find out what we can do for you.

Removals to India - contact us now to discuss your move or click here for a Shipping to India quote.

Removals to Chennai, India: Living in Chennai

Chennai is a coastal city in Southern India and is the country's 6th most populated city, with more than 4.5 million people living here. However, the population is more than double this figure if you include the metropolitan area (which includes the outer regions and suburbs).

It's an extremely busy city; in addition to its inhabitants, Chennai plays host to three million tourists a year, which ranks it among the top 50 most visited cities in the world. Tourists are drawn to the city for several reasons: it forms the gateway to Southern India and it's a cultural hub and the main base of the Tamil film industry (earning the city its nickname Kollywood). In addition to this, Chennai benefits from a world class health system, attracting thousands of health tourists.

In fact, Chennai's outstanding medical facilities are one of the reasons why the city was dubbed 'the most liveable in India' by the Institute of Competitiveness. The Institute also based its findings on Chennai's rapid growth rate. It has a fast growing economy with strengths in IT, the car industry, and outsourcing - with call centres and customer services departments outsourced to various organisations in Chennai. In addition to this, some of the world's leading financial institutions have a base here including: the World Bank, Bank of America, The Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC and Credit Suisse.

Like many cities in India, it is a juxtaposition of rich and poor, with plush, five star hotels and modern shopping centres on one hand and slums on the other. Unfortunately, there are as many as one and a half million people living in the slums of Chennai.

Removals to Chennai, India: Places to Visit

Expats find it easy to get out and about in Chennai as English is widely spoken. Although the main language is Tamil, most people speak English fluently or can at least speak a few words. Generally business is conducted in English and you will find many street signs in English too. This makes it easier in day to day life and when you are out sight-seeing as you will easily find the buildings and monuments of note.

One of the many beautiful buildings to visit is the 7th century Parthasarathy Temple, which is one of the oldest buildings in the city and one of the few dedicated to the god Krishna. The temple is extremely ornate and has many elaborate carvings; it also has two towers, one facing west and the other facing east.

Another fascinating monument is the Kapaleeswarar Temple, which was also built in the 7th century and is a temple of Shiva. Again, it's flamboyant and colourful to look at and, during Friday prayers, the statue of the goddess Karpagambal is adorned with a garland of gold coins.

However, if you want to take time out from marvelling at incredible temples and architecture, there is plenty of chance to do this. Chennai has the world's second largest city beach, Marina Beach, which is just over 8 miles long. It's a place of entertainment too as it hosts several festivals throughout the year including religious festivals, air shows, marathons and other sporting events.

One of the biggest annual festivals held in Chennai is the Madras Music Season, from December to January. Here, hundreds of artists perform and spectators are treated to delights such as music, dance, songs and drama.

In addition to this, if you are moving to Chennai with family, the Arignar Anna Zoological Park, is just under 20 miles out of the city centre and is a popular attraction drawing as many as 2 million visitors a year.

Removals to Chennai, India: Accommodation for Expats

If you are moving to Chennai and your employer is not providing you with accommodation, there are various apartments and houses in and around the city. However, they are generally not to the same standards as those in Mumbai or Delhi.

Something to consider is that air conditioning is not available as standard. As Chennai is very humid, you may want to make a point of asking about air conditioning in your search for a place to live. Another thing to ask about is a back-up generator as, just as in many cities in India, you can expect frequent power cuts.

Removals to Chennai: Out and About in Chennai

If you are moving here, another top tip is to steer clear of driving in Chennai as it's quite literally a hair-raising experience. The city is teaming with traffic, including cars, lorries and auto-rickshaws and many drivers don't pay attention to the signs, so they will just pull out without warning.

Other ways to get out and about are by bus, which is a cheap way to travel, taxi or auto-rickshaw; although if you do take the auto-rickshaw, these are not metered fares so ask for at least two or three different quotes before you ride.

For travel further afield, Chennai Airport is the country's third largest international airport, transporting nearly 13 million passengers a year. It connects all over the world including Europe, the Middle East and the US.

If you require stress free removals to India, contact Greens Removals today for a free quote or telephone us with your queries.

Removals to India - contact us now to discuss your move or click here for a Shipping to India quote.