 Joggers
at dawn… Fishing boats putting out to sea… Family groups dipping
their feet in the waves every evening…Children squealing with
delight as they ride horseback…the swirling beam of the lighthouse
at night… Lantern-lit shops selling trinkets, shells and fast-food…
and the soft splash of sea waves. That is what makes Marina
beach more than a mere reprieve from the city's heat.
Between the beach and the road is a promenade created by
Governor Grant-Duff, who gave Marina its name
in 1884. A series of statues line the promenade. The most
impressive of these being the Triumph of Labour by
Debiprasad Roy Choudhry.
Also on the promenade are memorials to former Chief Ministers
of the State - Annadurai and M G Ramachandran.
 On
the other side of the road is the familiar Chennai skyline
- Senate House of Madras University, Chepauk Palace,
Presidency College and Vivekananda Illam (Vivekananda
House).
Despite being one of the longest beaches in the world, Marina
does tend to get crowded on weekends and public holidays.
ELLIOT'S
BEACH
 Located
in Besant Nagar, Elliot's Beach is the preferred destination
for those with a clean atmosphere in mind. This beach, lined
with fast food joints, small stores, and a few shrines, is
a popular hangout for the younger generation today.
Affectionately nicknamed "Bessie", Elliot's Beach plays host
to crowds right through the day. At one end of the beach is
the Church of Our Lady of Health, Madonna, which greets
people of all faiths. There is also the Ashtalakshmi Temple,
dedicated to the eight manifestations of Goddess Mahalakshmi.
The Schmidt Memorial is an immediately recognisable
landmark on this picturesque beach. Four decades ago, Elliot's
beach was the favourite haunt of foreigners seeking a secluded
beach to sun bathe at.
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