Regional Grand Lodge of Southern India Annual Investiture Meet & Golden Jubilee Celebration of Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of India and Regional Grand Mark Lodge of Southern India 6 - 8 March 2015, Chennai Places to Visit in Chennai Marina Beach is a natural urban beach in Chennai, along the Bay of Bengal, part of the Indian Ocean. The beach runs from near Fort St. George in the north to Besant Nagar in the south, a distance of 13 km making it the longest natural urban beach in the country and the world's second longest. MARINA BEACH Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram is It is around 60 km south from the city of Chennai. It is an ancient historic town and was a bustling seaport during the time of Periplus (1st century CE) and Ptolemy (140 CE). Ancient Indian traders who went to countries of South East Asia sailed from the seaport of Mahabalipuram. The temples of Mamallapuram, portraying events described in the Mahabharata, were built largely during the reigns of Narasimhavarman and his successor Rajasimhavarman and showcase the movement from rockcut architecture to structural building. The sculptures are excellent examples of Pallava art. MAMALLAPURAM Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a temple of Shiva located in Mylapore. The form of Shiva's wife Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal (from Tamil, "Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree"). The temple was built around the 7th century CE in Dravidian architecture. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Kapaleeshwarar and Karpagambal being the most prominent. The original temple was built on the sea shore but was destroyed by the Portuguese. The present masonry structure was built 1.5km away from the original location by the Tuluva dynasty (1491–1570 CE) of theVijayanagara Empire. KAPALEESWARAR TEMPLE Places to Visit in Chennai Built in 1892, the Madras High Court building is classic example of the Indo-Saracenic architecture. This historic building has beautiful domes including a grand central cupola which was once the Madras Harbour light house. MADRAS HIGH COURT Valluvar Kottam is a popular monument in Chennai, India which is dedicated to the classical Tamil poet, philosopher and saint Thiruvalluvar. The monument was constructed in 1976 in the memory of Thiruvalluvar, who wrote his famous Thirukkural about 2,000 years ago. All the 133 chapters of the Thirukkural which include 1330 verses are inscribed on bas-relief in the front hall corridors. The construction of Valluvar Kottam is like a temple chariot, and it is a replica of the temple chariot in Thiruvarur. A life-size statue of the Thiruvalluvar has been installed in the 39-m-high chariot. VALLUVAR KOTTAM Fort St George (or historically, White Town) is the name of the first English (later British) fortress in India, founded in 1644 at the coastal city of Madras, the modern city of Chennai. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land. Thus, it is a feasible contention to say that the city evolved around the fortress. The fort currently houses the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly. The Fort Museum exhibits many items of the period of English and later British rule. A visit to the Museum is a must for all Masons as we can see portraits of personalities after whom many Lodges have been named. FORT ST GEORGE Best Wishes from The Worshipful Master, Wardens & Brethren of Lodge Asoka No.93 Centenary Year 2014 - 2015