{{Multiple issues| {{more citations needed|date=May 2018}} {{Tone|date=January 2026}} }} {{Short description|Neighbourhood in Chennai, India}} {{Distinguish|Chennimalai}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}} {{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}} {{Infobox settlement |name = Little Mount |native_name = |native_name_lang = ta |other_name = |settlement_type = [[Neighbourhood]] |image_skyline = |image_alt = |image_caption = |nickname = |image_map = |map_alt = |map_caption = |pushpin_map = Tamil Nadu |pushpin_label_position = |pushpin_map_alt = |pushpin_map_caption = Little Mount, [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]] |coordinates = {{coord|13|01|00|N|80|13|38|E|region:IN|display=inline,title}} |subdivision_type = [[Country]] |subdivision_name = {{flag|India}} |subdivision_type1 = [[States and Territories of India|State]] |subdivision_name1 = [[File: Seal of Tamil Nadu.svg|23x16px|border|alt=Tamil Nadu]] [[Tamil Nadu]] |subdivision_type2 = [[List of districts of India|District]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Chennai district|Chennai]] |established_title = <! -- Established --> |government_type = |government_body = |unit_pref = Metric |area_footnotes = |area_rank = |area_total_km2 = |elevation_footnotes = |elevation_m = 54 |elevation_ft = |population_total = |population_as_of = |population_rank = |population_density_km2 = |demographics_type1 = [[Language]]s |demographics1_title1 = Official |demographics1_info1 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[English language|English]] |demographics1_title2 = Speech |demographics1_info2 = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[English language|English]] |timezone1 = [[Indian Standard Time|IST]] |utc_offset1 = +5:30 |postal_code_type = [[Postal Index Number|PIN]] |postal_code = 600015 |area_code_type = [[Telephone]] code |area_code = +9144xxxxxxxx |registration_plate = |blank1_name_sec1 = Other Neighbourhoods |blank1_info_sec1 = [[Saidapet]], [[Guindy]], [[Kotturpuram]], [[T. Nagar]], [[Mambalam]], [[Kodambakkam]], [[Nandanam]] and [[Nungambakkam]] |blank2_name_sec1 = [[Corporation]] |blank2_info_sec1 = [[Greater Chennai Corporation]] |blank3_name_sec1 = [[District Magistrate|District Collector]] |blank3_info_sec1 = Tmt. M. Aruna,<br />[[Indian Administrative Service|I. A. S.]] |blank4_name_sec1 = [[Lok Sabha|LS]] |blank4_info_sec1 = [[Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency|Chennai South]] |blank5_name_sec1 = [[Vidhan Sabha|VS]] |blank5_info_sec1 = [[Saidapet Assembly constituency|Saidapet]] |blank6_name_sec1 = [[Member of Parliament|MP]] |blank6_info_sec1 = [[Thamizhachi Thangapandian]] |blank7_name_sec1 = [[Member of Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] |blank7_info_sec1 = [[Ma. Subramanian]] |website = |footnotes = }}
'''Chinnamalai''', translated in English as '''Little Mount''',<ref>{{Cite book |author=DK Eyewitness Travel Guide India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TTcnDwAAQBAJ&q=little%2520mount%252C%2520chennai&pg=PT414 |title=DK Eyewitness Travel Guide India |date=2017-09-07 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley Limited |isbn=978-0-241-32624-4 |language=en}}</ref> is a hillock that lies on the bank of [[Adayar River]] in the [[Saidapet]] [[taluk]] of [[Chennai]], [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. Anna Salai, previously called Mount Road, is a long road in Chennai that stretches between Chennai northern side to the southern side at Little Mount.<ref>{{Cite book |author=DK Eyewitness India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BVepDwAAQBAJ&q=little%2520mount%252C%2520chennai&pg=PT802 |title=DK Eyewitness India |date=2019-11-07 |publisher=Dorling Kindersley Limited |isbn=978-0-241-43538-0 |language=en}}</ref> There is a proposed footbridge, which will allow pedestrian access to Little Mount avoiding road traffic; this will be 100 m away from the already existing walkway bridge, and built by the State Highways department of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-12 |title=Little Mount to get twin walkway bridges soon in Tamil Nadu |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/little-mount-to-get-twin-walkway-bridges-soon-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/96158289.cms |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=The Times of India}}</ref>
Little Mount now is a mixed-use residential and commercial area. The neighbourhood houses the IX Metropolitan Magistrates Court (Saidapet). Other Governmental offices located on the periphery of Little Mount include Raj Bhavan (the residence of the governor of Tamil Nadu), the headquarters of the state's Highways Department, and Panagal Maligai, which houses several government offices.
Current developments in and around Little Mount include the New Life Assembly of God (NLAG) Church, Checkers Hotel, [[Lemon Tree Hotel]], and the Temple Steps office complex.
Little Mount is a stop on Line 1 of the Chennai Metro that runs between Washermanpet and the Airport.<ref>{{Cite web |author=The Hindu Bureau |date=2023-08-31 |title=Hundreds of passengers suffer due to disruption in Chennai Metro Rail services |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/hundreds-of-passengers-suffer-due-to-disruption-in-chennai-metro-rail-services/article67254610.ece |access-date=2023-09-11 |website=The Hindu |language=en-IN}}</ref>
== Overview == Little Mount is a small hillock, about 24 m in height, located on the south bank of the [[Adyar River]] near the [[Marmalong Bridge]] in [[Saidapet]].<ref name="Kamath 2000">{{cite book |last1=Kamath |first1=Rina |title=Chennai, Kanchipuram, and Mamallapuram: A Disha Guide |date=2000 |publisher=Orient Longman |location=Chennai |isbn=81-250-1378-4 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bw2vDg2fTrMC&dq=st+thomas+cave+chennai&pg=PA39}}</ref>{{rp|39}} The actual hillock is difficult to make out because of all the surrounding commercial and residential buildings.<!-- Nagy 2016, p. 36 --> Along with the nearby [[St. Thomas Mount]], Little Mount is located on the busy GST Road that runs through southwestern Chennai.<ref name="Nagy 2016">{{cite book |last1=Nagy |first1=Thomas Charles |title=Catholic Shrines in Chennai, India |date=2016 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=9781317169147 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wUrUDAAAQBAJ&dq=little+mount+chennai&pg=PT36 |access-date=23 August 2023}}</ref>{{rp|36}}
There is a cave on Little Mount where, according to tradition, St. Thomas lived for some time as a refuge from persecution.<ref name="Kamath 2000"/>{{rp|39}} Of the three sites in Chennai associated with St. Thomas, Little Mount holds the least religious significance.<ref name="Nagy 2016"/>{{rp|36}} Two churches stand on the hill today.<ref name="Kamath 2000"/>{{rp|39}} One is the old Portuguese-built church dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health, which was built in 1551.<ref name="Nagy 2016"/>{{rp|36}}<ref name="Kamath 2000"/>{{rp|39}} The cave is accessible through this church.<ref name="Nagy 2016"/>{{rp|36}} The other is a newer church built in 1971<ref name="Kamath 2000"/>{{rp|39}} or 1972, replacing the older parish church.<ref name="Nagy 2016"/>{{rp|36}}
== St. Thomas ==
=== Other organizations of the church ===
==== Our Lady of Health School ==== This school was started with the purpose of providing education in English medium for the poor residents of the Little Mount parish. This school has only primary section and after fifth class students usually move on to other schools for continuing their education.
==== Immaculate Conception convent ==== The Immaculate Conception (IC) convent is located behind the church and near the entrance to Holy Land.
==== Missionaries of Charity (Brothers) - Karunai Illam ==== Karunai Illam provides a home for the destitute people who are differently disabled, both mentally and physically. It is run by brothers of [[Missionaries of Charity]]. Missionaries of Charity, Brothers was founded in 1963 by Mother Teresa to do work similar to the Sisters of Missionaries of Charity.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motherteresa.org/layout.html|title=Layout|access-date=17 January 2012|archive-date=11 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150811033145/http://www.motherteresa.org/layout.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==== Ozanam Health Center ==== This health center was started at the initiative of Society of St. Vincent dePaul of Our Lady of Health Church. It was started at a time when common diseases were spreading among the poor people and doctors were difficult to find. It seeks to provide consultation and treatment to poor people for free or at nominal cost.
==== St. Thomas Community Hall ==== A small non-airconditioned community hall was constructed by the Church for use by its parishioners. It is built over two floors and has a very small car park. The first floor can seat about 300 people and the dining ground floor can seat about 100. Cars are often parked outside the facility in the land belonging to Church. It is not available during the Church festival period.
==== Catholic graveyard ==== A graveyard used for burying the dead parishioners is located near the newly constructed meetinghouse of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]].
== New Life Assembly of God == Rev. Dr. David Mohan is the senior pastor of the church. It is one of the biggest Assemblies of God congregation churches in Tamil Nadu, with nearly 55,000 people attending Sunday services in the church. Rev. Dr. Chadwick Samuel, who is the eldest son of Pastor Mohan, serves the English congregation. The church is located across the Saidapet Bridge Junction connecting Rajbhavan Road towards Anna University, Adayar and GST Road Towards Guindy, Kathipara Junction.
== Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints == There a [[meetinghouse]] for [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] is under construction and is built over a property previously owned by Our Lady of Health Church.{{Citation needed|date=August 2013}}
== Areas of Little Mount == Little Mount includes several neighborhoods that were created during different periods. The Arokia Matha Nagar 1st & 2nd Street, LDG road, and Taluk office road are probably the oldest neighborhoods. The Thomas Nagar, Srinagar Colony, Rangarajapuram, Bishop Colony were created much later.
== Eat outs == There are many places to choose from. A landmark lower-middle-class place is Hotel Ashok Bhavan, on the Velacherry road. It serves good vegetarian food. Other places include Hotel Adyar Anantha Bhavan, Wangs Kitchen, French Loaf and Mount Palace. Sri Krishna Sweets near court. A Domino's Pizza outlet is located near the Halda junction. Hotel Ponnusamy has also opened an outlet just opposite the Domino's Pizza. Close by are five star hotels including Park Hyatt and the SRM hotel. There is a Lemon Tree hotel and a Cafe Coffee Day too.
== MTC Bus Depot == [[Metropolitan Transport Corporation (Chennai)|MTC]] set up the Saidapet bus depot on 08-03-74. It operates about 116 buses and services 107 routes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mtcbus.org/ |title=Home |website=mtcbus.org}}</ref>
== Connectivity == Little Mount is well connected by MTC bus services all round the clock. Several buses pass through Little Mount to various parts of city and even distant suburbs. In addition, there are several share autos that operate on short routes passing through Little Mount.
Little Mount is connected by Line 1 of the Chennai Metro which runs from Washermanpet to the Airport. The station is located between Guindy and Saidapet and is the first elevated station when heading towards the Airport.
== Geolocation == {{Geographic location |title = '''Areas of Chennai''' |North = [[Saidapet]] |West = [[Guindy]] |Centre = Little Mount |East = [[Anna University]] |South = [[Raj Bhavan, Chennai|Raj Bhavan]] }}
== See also == * [[Little Mount Shrine]] * [[Parangimalai]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[https://www.littlemountshrine.org/ Shrine of Apostle St Thomas & Our Lady of Health] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603020708/http://littlemountshrine.org/ |date=3 June 2023 }} * [https://www.facebook.com/LittleMountShrine/]
{{Chennai Topics}}
[[Category:Geography of Chennai]] [[Category:Religious buildings and structures completed in 1551]] [[Category:Thomas the Apostle]] [[Category:1551 in India]]