Mahabalipuram: South Indian Art, History and Culture - Private Tour from Chennai

Hello! Thanks for your interest. My name is Chandan. I am born and raised in Chennai. This is where my ancestors lie, in (hopefully) peaceful eternal slumber and I am as local as local can get! Growing up in a family of academicians and historians, I was drawn to the history and the culture of my land from very early on and have explored most of India with world renowned authorities on Art, Culture and History. I always had a wander lust in me and have spent many a month on the road exploring obscure and not so obscure places. I have led special interest trips for many groups for international travel companies such as Elder hostel and Road Scholar, Intrepid travel. I am currently a free-lance travel consultant and trip lead. The people I have led have found me to be a good travel companion; well versed and knowledgeable, professional, easy going and friendly. I offer real life experiences, where you will get a chance to interact with locals, haggle with merchants the way my mum does when she is out on shopping bouts and so on. My itineraries give space for a lot of serendipity, for chance encounters prove to be most memorable. Indeed, I aim to offer you an experience that you will cherish for a lifetime. I hope to get you intimate and personal with the area visited with lively and fun conversations of the history of the place during site visits. We will travel in comfortable, modern air conditioned vehicles and will discuss how the area came about to its present state, explore its myth, mythology and folklore and understand its importance and role in contemporary local life. I am available 7 days a week including public holidays and you can usually book me at short notice. In addition to the travel programs mentioned, I can customize a program to fit any specific need. I donate 10 percent of what I make directly to a needy family, for I believe that tourism must benefit India's poor. I have a strong command over English, it being the spoken language at my home. In my free time, you'll catch me reading, or listening to rock; bands such as Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, the Pixes, Whitesnake, Dire Straits, Megadeth and a whole lot more. Certified Tourist Guide by the Ministry of Tourism, India. Has basic first aid knowledge. Has a valid driving license.