Adyar (Tamil Nadu)

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This article is about a locality in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. For other uses, see Adyar.

?Adyar Chennai • Tamil Nadu • India
Adyar
Coordinates: 13°00′23″N 80°15′27″E / 13.0063, 80.2574
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
District(s)	Chennai
Planning Agency	CMDA

Coordinates: 13°00′23″N 80°15′27″E / 13.0063, 80.2574 Adyar or Adayar is a large neighborhood south of Chennai (previously Madras) in the state of Tamil Nadu in India.It is one of the greenest areas in Chennai. It is located on the southern banks of the Adyar River which joins into the Adyar Creek now being re-constructed as the Adyar Eco Park/ Adyar Poonga. It is bounded by the Buckingham Canal to the west, Tiruvanmiyur to the south, and Besant Nagar to the east. Adyar includes various sub-localities like Gandhi Nagar, Kasturba Nagar, Nehru Nagar, Indira Nagar, Padmanabha Nagar, Bhaktavatsalam Nagar, Parameshwari Nagar, Jeevaratnam Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Karpagam Garden, etc. Adyar is one of the posh localities in Chennai.The center of the city runs along the Sardar Patel Road, Chennai, between Gandhinagar(north) and Kasturbai Nagar(south).

Adyar is situated on a flat coastal plain, near Adyar river as can be seen in this Landsat 7 map.

A view of Adyar and Adyar estuary

Adyar is noted for housing the Theosophical Society, which provides a calm environment along the south bank of the river for quiet contemplation on comparative religion. The Elliot's beach in nearby Besant Nagar is the nearest point to the sea, and a popular recreation spot.

IIT Madras, one of the top technical institutes in the world and Anna University, one of the best universities in India is situated near Adyar. Adyar is also home to the Central Leather Research Institute, the world's largest leather research institute and the Adyar Cancer Institute.

The main entrance of IIT Madras, showing its logo and its motto.

The locality has developed significantly through the late 1970s and early 1980s as a residential area to accommodate Chennai's sprawl. Since the late 1990s, it has become part of the IT corridor, the name given to the part of southeast Chennai where several IT companies have set up base. It is also home to many birds which primarily flock the Adyar estuary close to the Theosophical Society.

Adyar Estuary and Creek and the Theososphical Society on its southern side has been a haven for migratory and resident birds for years. Although the number has been in decline due to pollution and anthropogenic activities, they still attract hundreds of birds. Even before few years the Theosophical Society has come out with a CD on 'Birds of Adyar', compiled by Trust for Environment Monitoring and Action Initiating. The proposed 'Adyar Poonga' may be a first towards restoring this fragile but vibrant eco-system.

The land rates have gone up tremendously in a short period and is by far the heart of the expensive housing in the town. The modern area of Adyar includes parts of the older villages of Pallipattu, Urur and Thiruvanmiyur. The regions were annexed into the Chennai Corporation in 1977. Gandhi Nagar was planned and developed first. Later it grew to merge with the old village of Thiruvanmiyur.

Adyar has a number of good schools including Bala Vidya Mandir,The Hindu School, Bharath,Sri Sankara School, Sishya, St Johns School and the twin schools of St. Miachael's Academy and St. Patrick's which lie within the same compund. NIFT (National Institite of Fashion Technology) and Tamil Nadu's first IT center TIDEL PARK is very close to Adyar. The Mass Rapid Transit System (Chennai) runs through Adyar and has predominant stations like Kasturbai Nagar, Indira Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur which connects Adyar from Madhya Kalash Circle to Southern parts including Tidel Park and Ascendas through the 6-lane IT corrifor.Adyar has a bus stand which also has service to other towns in Tamilnadu.

Adyar is quite near to Prarthana Cinema Theatre which is the only beach drive in theatre in the world, amusement parks like MGM Dizee world, Little Folks, VGP Golden Beach.Adyar has many hotels like the Rain forest and Esthel,Discotheques and Resorts,food courts like Archana food court near Elliot's beach