Hotels & tours
Our Organizing secretariat, Marundeshwara Enterprises, is in the process of working out special packages at various city hotels around the venue. Details will be put up shortly on this website. Meanwhile they have designed some tours for visitrs to the conference. Details here (will open in new window).
about india & chennai
India is a large, triangular-shaped country in southern Asia, buttressed by the long sweep of the Himalayas in the north and protruding into the Indian Ocean in the south. It is the seventh largest country in the world.
India is one of the few countries in the world where social and religious structures which define the nation's identity remain intact. India is the largest democracy in the word. It is also a land of variety - in geography, flora and fauna. The different kinds of people, their languages, literatures and lifestyles, their various cultures and arts, give India a unique sense of dynamic harmony.
Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the fourth largest city in India. New industries, software parks, educational institutions, and textile manufacturing units have put the city on the international map. Chennais Medical and Health Care industry is recognised all over the country - and in Asia.
Chennai has the second longest beach in the world. The Theosophical Society and Kalakshetra are internationally renowned institutions, nurturing the local cultural heritage. An hours drive away is the famous 7th Century seashore town of Mamallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram).
As modern technology reaches into the fabric of society, there is a change that is inevitably taking place. Classical Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance today display a unique synergy between modernism and traditional values.
Communication facilities are a plenty with email / internet kiosks and pay-telephone booths.
You can change most major foreign currencies and brands of travellers' cheques, at banks and special forex counters in most shopping malls. Visa and Mastercard Credit cards are widely accepted at major stores.
Though there is no official winter in Chennai, the weather is very pleasant from January to March. It gets hot during April-August and the rains start in early November.
Chennai is well connected to the rest of the world with excellent international travel destinations. Lufthansa, British Airways, Singapore Airlines and a host of other airlines fly out of here daily.
General Information
Getting In - Getting Out - Visa is required for most foreign nationals. Kindly consult your local authorities for details.
Participants are requested to make their own transport arrangements on arrival in Chennai, from the airport to the hotels. The taxi fare from the Chennai International Airport to Hotel Taj Connemera (venue) is around US$ 10-12.
Travel Desk will be available at the airport to facilitate arrangements.
Foreign Exchange - Foreign currency may be exchanged and travellers cheques cashed at all money changers located in the city, at the airport, and leading banks.
Participants are advised to bring travellers cheques,
credit cards or cash.
Personal cheques will not be honoured anywhere for
any type of payment; nor can cash be drawn upon presenting personal
cheques.
Hotels and shops will accept master and visa credit cards.
Banking Hours
Most nationalised banks are open Monday to Saturday from
09.00 to 13.00 hours, while most private banks are
open Monday to Friday from 09.00 to 15.00 hours, Saturday
from 09.00 to 13.00 hours. Sundays are holidays for most banks. A number
of ATMs (with VISA & MASTERCARD affiliations) are located all over the
city.
Shopping Hours
Most shopping
malls are open from 11.00 to 20.00 hours and are closed on
Sundays.
Elecrical Current
Line voltage is 220
Volts, 50 cycles. American appliances require an adapter. Most five-star hotels offer
adapters.
Internet/Email
Internet parlours are located at a number of places
and the normal charges are US$ 0.5 or US$ 1 for an
hour.
Restaurants
Restaurants serving Indian food (rice, rotis
(Indian bread) and curries (Indian vegetable dishes)) located in
almost all areas of the city are open from 11.00
to 15.00 hours and again from 19.00 to 23.00 hours. Snack bars serving
sandwiches, pizzas, apart from Indian snacks are open from 11.00 to 23.00
hours.
Weather
Chennai has
a hot and humid climate and the average temperature in
Sep-Oct is about 30 degrees celsius. Due to this, people wear single layer
of clothing, or at the most two in cotton or blends of
cotton.
If you require more information kindly contact the Organizing secretariat
Marundeshwara Enterprises
A2,Shanthi Apartments, 18,
TTK 1ST Cross, Alwarpet, Chennai 600 018, India
Phone: + 91 - 44 -
2435 3079 / + 91 - 44 - 2432 8152
Fax: + 91 - 44 -
24320605
Email: tours@icons-scarf.org
Updates
Awards for Research
Cash prize for the Best original Research work done by Young mental health professionals. More