Vivekananda Illam Chennai - Monuments of Tamilnadu

Introduction
Showcasing a culture that is blessed with the wisdom of some of the finest souls of India, a tour to Tamil Nadu is perhaps one of the best ways of enriching oneself and getting back in touch with one’s culture. A number of monuments remain all around the city of Chennai or Madras as it was formerly known even today, which project this love of culture to all the visitors on a trip to Chennai. One of these is the Vivekananda Illam Chennai, one of the relics of the city’s deep relationship with Swami Vivekananda, one of the greatest sons of India. Vivekananda Illam in Chennai is a house which was made famous when Swami Vivekananda resided there in February 1897, after his success at the Chicago Parliament of Religions.

Besides its association with Swami Vivekananda, the Vivekananda Illam has a history of its own that dates back to as early as 1842. It was in this year when Mr. Frederic Tudor, the “Ice King” built the house as a storage building for ice. However, the house was later sold to Mr.Biligiri Iyengar, an eminent advocate of the Madras High Court, who renovated the “Ice House” to form a more residential habitat. Renamed as the “Castle Kernan” after the owner’s friend, this circular shaped house soon became one of the leading tourist attractions of Chennai after Swami Vivekananda’s stay at the house.

How To Reach:

• By Air
  Chennai has its own airport which has both domestic as well as international terminuses. The city is also well-connected to a number of other important cities of the world by regular daily flights.
  
  
• By Rail
  Chennai is one of the major railway junctions in India.
  
  
• By Road
  Chennai is well-connected to the other major cities of Southern India by roads which are wide and can be easily traveled on.