MAA to T. Nagar (Shopping District)

Chennai's most popular shopping and commercial neighborhood famous for silk sarees and gold jewelry.

T. Nagar is Chennai's — and arguably South India's — most iconic shopping district, a bustling neighborhood where silk saree emporia, gold jewelry stores, and garment shops draw millions of shoppers year-round. The district is anchored by legendary stores like Saravana Stores (a multi-floor mega-store selling everything from clothing to kitchen appliances at competitive prices), Nalli Silks (India's oldest and most famous silk saree shop, established 1928), and Pothys and Kumaran Silks.

Ranganathan Street, the district's main shopping artery, is one of the most densely trafficked commercial streets in Asia, especially during festival seasons like Deepavali (Diwali) when it becomes a sea of shoppers hunting for new clothes and gold — a Tamil tradition. The parallel Usman Road hosts larger showrooms and is slightly less frenzied.

Beyond retail therapy, T. Nagar is home to several important temples, including the Vadapalani Murugan Temple and the Sri Devi Karumariamman Temple. The neighborhood also has excellent South Indian restaurants serving traditional Chettinad cuisine, filter coffee at Saravana Bhavan, and street food stalls offering sundal, murukku, and bajji. The nearby Panagal Park provides a rare green respite in this dense commercial zone.