Current Time in Chennai
About Chennai
Chennai is located in India, in the Northern Hemisphere, and is a major city with a population of around 4,681,087. It runs on Asia/Kolkata time, currently UTC+5:30 relative to UTC. Chennai does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so this offset stays fixed year-round.
- CountryIndia
- Population4,681,087
- Latitude13.0878°
- Longitude80.2785°
- Time zoneAsia/Kolkata
- Current UTC offsetUTC+5:30
- Daylight Saving TimeNot observed
Sunrise & Sunset in Chennai Today
For Sunday, October 11, 2026, calculated from Chennai's own coordinates.
Sunrise
Sunset
Daylight
Seasons in Chennai
Approximate dates — the exact moment a season begins shifts by about a day from year to year.
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
Top Places to Visit in Chennai
Marina Beach
Marina Beach stretches roughly 13 kilometers along Chennai's Bay of Bengal coastline, making it one of the longest urban beaches in the world and a defining feature of the city's identity. Statues of prominent Tamil literary and political figures line the promenade, and the beach draws large crowds at both sunrise and sunset, when the shifting light over the water and the cooler temperatures make it most comfortable to walk. Street food vendors selling sundal, murukku and other local snacks are a fixture along the sand, and the beach's northern end connects to Fort St. George, making the two an easy pairing on foot. Swimming is generally discouraged given the strong undertow, so most visitors treat it as a place for walking, people-watching and catching the sea breeze rather than a swimming beach in the conventional sense.
From Chennai International Airport, take the Chennai Metro Blue Line to a connecting interchange, transfer toward the Green Line, and ride toward Chennai Central, then a short taxi or auto-rickshaw to Marina Beach.
Chennai Central Railway Station connects to the Chennai Metro Green Line; take a short taxi or auto-rickshaw from either the station or a nearby metro stop to Marina Beach.
From Chennai's major bus terminals (CMBT, Koyambedu), take the Chennai Metro toward the city center, then a taxi or auto-rickshaw to Marina Beach.
Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Kapaleeshwarar Temple, in the Mylapore neighborhood, is one of Chennai's oldest and most significant Hindu temples, dedicated to Lord Shiva and dating in its current form to around the 7th century, though earlier structures on the site are believed to predate Portuguese colonial disruption in the 16th century. Its towering gopuram, a multi-tiered gateway tower densely covered in painted sculptures depicting Hindu deities and mythological scenes, exemplifies classic Dravidian temple architecture and remains one of the most photographed structures in the city. The temple's tank, used for ceremonial purposes and periodic festivals, sits within the temple complex, and the surrounding Mylapore neighborhood, one of Chennai's oldest residential areas, retains a distinctly traditional character with narrow streets and small shops selling flowers, religious items and South Indian snacks. Visiting during the morning or evening aarti (prayer ceremony) offers the most immersive experience of the temple's active devotional life.
From Chennai International Airport, take the Chennai Metro Blue Line to a connecting interchange and continue by taxi or auto-rickshaw to Mylapore, as the temple isn't directly on the current metro network.
From Chennai Central Railway Station, take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to Mylapore and Kapaleeshwarar Temple, roughly 20-25 minutes.
From Chennai's major bus terminals, take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to Mylapore and the temple.
Fort St. George
Fort St. George, built in 1644, was the first English fortress in India and the nucleus around which the city of Madras, and eventually modern Chennai, grew under British colonial administration. Today the fort houses the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Secretariat, meaning access to parts of the complex is restricted, but the Fort Museum, occupying one of the original colonial buildings, displays artifacts, portraits, weaponry and documents tracing the fort's role in British India's early expansion. St. Mary's Church, within the fort grounds and consecrated in 1680, is the oldest Anglican church in India and the oldest surviving British building in the country, having survived numerous conflicts over the centuries. The fort sits directly beside Marina Beach, making the two an easy combined visit, and its flagstaff, at over 46 meters, remains one of the tallest in the country.
From Chennai International Airport, take the Chennai Metro Blue Line to a connecting interchange, transfer toward the Green Line, and ride toward the High Court/Fort area, then a short walk or auto-rickshaw.
Chennai Central Railway Station is a short taxi or auto-rickshaw ride from Fort St. George.
From Chennai's major bus terminals, take the Chennai Metro toward the city center, then a taxi or auto-rickshaw to Fort St. George.
San Thome Basilica
San Thome Basilica is one of only three churches in the world built directly over the tomb of one of Jesus's twelve apostles, in this case Saint Thomas, who according to Christian tradition brought Christianity to India and was martyred near Chennai around 72 AD. The current neo-Gothic structure, completed in 1896 by Portuguese colonists on the site of earlier churches, features soaring white spires and stained glass, and its crypt allows visitors to see the area associated with the apostle's original burial site. The basilica draws pilgrims of multiple Christian denominations as well as visitors interested in its historical and architectural significance, and its coastal location near Marina Beach places it within an easy walk of several of Chennai's other major sites. Pope John Paul II visited the basilica in 1986, further cementing its status as one of the most significant Christian pilgrimage sites in South Asia.
From Chennai International Airport, take the Chennai Metro Blue Line to a connecting interchange and continue by taxi or auto-rickshaw to San Thome, near Mylapore.
From Chennai Central Railway Station, take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to San Thome Basilica, roughly 20-25 minutes.
From Chennai's major bus terminals, take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to San Thome Basilica.
Government Museum, Egmore
The Government Museum in Egmore, established in 1851, is one of the oldest museums in India and holds one of the country's most significant collections of South Indian bronze sculpture, particularly Chola-era Nataraja figures depicting Shiva as the cosmic dancer, considered among the finest examples of the form anywhere. Beyond the bronze gallery, the museum's holdings span archaeology, numismatics, natural history and an extensive collection of Amaravati sculptures, marble reliefs from a significant Buddhist stupa site in Andhra Pradesh. The complex includes a separate National Art Gallery, housed in a striking red Indo-Saracenic building, displaying Rajput and Mughal miniature paintings alongside other South Asian art. Given the breadth of the collection spread across multiple connected buildings, most visitors find a half day reasonable to see the highlights rather than attempting the entire museum complex in one visit.
From Chennai International Airport, take the Chennai Metro Blue Line to a connecting interchange, transfer toward the Green Line, and ride to Egmore station, a short walk from the museum.
Chennai Central Railway Station connects via the Chennai Metro Green Line to Egmore station, right by the museum, or a short taxi ride.
From Chennai's major bus terminals, take the Chennai Metro toward Egmore station, near the museum.
India National Holidays
2026
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Republic Day | Mon, Jan 26 |
| Holi | Tue, Mar 3 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Sat, Mar 21 |
| Ram Navami | Thu, Mar 26 |
| Mahavir Jayanti | Tue, Mar 31 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 3 |
| Buddha Purnima | Fri, May 1 |
| Independence Day | Sat, Aug 15 |
| Gandhi Jayanti | Fri, Oct 2 |
| Dussehra | Tue, Oct 20 |
| Diwali | Sun, Nov 8 |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 |
2027
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Republic Day | Tue, Jan 26 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Tue, Mar 9 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Mar 26 |
| Independence Day | Sun, Aug 15 |
| Gandhi Jayanti | Sat, Oct 2 |
| Christmas Day | Sat, Dec 25 |
2028
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Republic Day | Wed, Jan 26 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Sat, Feb 26 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 14 |
| Independence Day | Tue, Aug 15 |
| Gandhi Jayanti | Mon, Oct 2 |
| Christmas Day | Mon, Dec 25 |
2029
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Republic Day | Fri, Jan 26 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Wed, Feb 14 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Mar 30 |
| Independence Day | Wed, Aug 15 |
| Gandhi Jayanti | Tue, Oct 2 |
| Christmas Day | Tue, Dec 25 |
2030
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Republic Day | Sat, Jan 26 |
| Eid al-Fitr | Mon, Feb 4 |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 19 |
| Independence Day | Thu, Aug 15 |
| Gandhi Jayanti | Wed, Oct 2 |
| Christmas Day | Wed, Dec 25 |
Daylight Saving Time
Chennai does not observe Daylight Saving Time. The UTC offset stays fixed at UTC+5:30 year-round.
Time Difference from Top 10 US Cities
Time Difference from Top 10 Cities Worldwide
Frequently Asked Questions About Time in Chennai
What time zone is Chennai in?
Chennai, India uses the Asia/Kolkata time zone. It is currently on IST (UTC+5:30). The live local time is shown at the top of this page.
Does Chennai observe Daylight Saving Time?
No. Chennai does not observe Daylight Saving Time, so it stays on UTC+5:30 all year round and never changes its clocks.
What time is sunrise and sunset in Chennai today?
The sun rises at 5:58 AM and sets at 5:52 PM in Chennai today, giving 11h 53m of daylight.
What is the time difference between Chennai and New York City?
New York City is 9 hours and 30 minutes behind Chennai right now. The full comparison against other major cities is in the tables above.
What is the UTC offset for Chennai?
Chennai is currently UTC+5:30. This offset is fixed and does not change during the year.