Tambaram is a city located within the Chennai Metropolitan Area in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.

[6] The earliest mention of Tambaram dates back to the 13th century when the word 'Taamapuram' was inscribed on the walls around the sanctum sanctorum at Marundeeswarar temple in Tirukachur village, near Chengalpattu.

[8] On 13 May 1863, Robert Bruce Foote, a British geologist with the Geological Survey of India (GSI), discovered a hand axe belonging to the Lower Palaeolithic Age at Pallavaram (Pallavapuram).

[10] The oldest locality in the city, Pallavapuram, existed during the reign of Pallava king Mahendravarman I (600–630 CE).

[12][13] During the Carnatic wars in the late 17th century, the city was an entrenchment camp for the British East India Company.

During the 17th century, Pallavaram neighborhood of the city remained dependent upon the Portuguese colony of San Thome.

[21][22] Following a supreme court ruling to conduct rural local body elections by October 2021, the village panchayats elections for Pozhichalur, Cowl Bazaar, Tirusulam, Moovarasampattu, Kovilambakkam, Nanmangalam, Medavakkam, Vengaivasal, Perumbakkam, Sithalapakkam, Ottiyambakkam, Madurambakkam, Agaramthen, Thiruvancheri, Mudichur of the St.Thomas Mount panchayat union were held.

[25] In January 2025, Agaramthen, Medavakkam, Kovilambakkam, Cowl Bazaar, Mudichur, Urapakkam, Vandalur, Vengadamangalam, Perumbakkam, Nanmangalam, Pozhichalur, Tirusulam, Ottiyambakkam, Thiruvanchery, Vengaivasal, Madurapakkam, Moovarasampattu and Sithalapakkam village panchayats will be merged with Tambaram city.

Tambaram lies on the thermal equator and is also coastal, which prevents extreme variation in seasonal temperature.

The hottest part of the year is late May and early June, known locally as Agni Nakshatram ("fiery star") or as Kathiri Veyyil, with maximum temperatures around 38–42 °C (100–108 °F).

[24] The mayor is the head of the city government, but the role is largely ceremonial as executive powers are vested in the corporation commissioner.

[24] At the present, the corporation is governed by Secular Progressive Alliance which collectively holds 54 out of 70 seats in the council.

[35][36] In September 2021, the government revealed its plans of reforming the Greater Chennai City Police and setting up two new commissionerates in Tambaram and Avadi.

Subsequently, Director General of Police (DGP) M. Ravi was deputed as special officer to form the Commissionerate.

[42][43] When established, Tambaram City Municipal Corporation was estimated to earn ₹ 3 billion in revenue approximately through local bodies connected to it.

Spread over an area of 265 acres (109 hectares),[49] MEPZ SEZ is a multi-product zone housing 117 functional units.

[49] IT companies housed in the zone include Cognizant Technology Solutions, Computer Sciences Corporation, CSS and HTC Global Services among others.

[52] The garbhagriha, which is Sanskrit equivalent of sanctum sanctorum,[53] houses the primary deity Dhenupureeswara in linga form.

[52] The main garbhagriha is apsidal in shape and this is a characteristic feature of Shiva Temples built during Chola Period.

The South Line connects Tambaram with seven major interchange stations out of the eight in Chennai Suburban Railway Network.

The longest circular train in India runs through Tambaram, connecting the City with Chennai Beach, Egmore, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram, Takkolam, Arakkonam Junction, Tiruvallur, Avadi, Ambattur, Vyasarpadi Jeeva, Washermanpet and Royapuram.