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Tamil NaduOne of the southernmost states of
the Indian peninsula, Tamil Nadu is
a treasure house of natural
resources, various art forms and
magnificent Dravidian temple
architecture. It contains numerous
hill stations, beaches, temples, ofwhich eight are UNESCO World
Heritage sites.
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Famous For : State / Provinc
Tamil Nadu holds the title of being the most
urbanised state of India and happens to be
the 2nd thrgest contributer to the country's
GDP
. Home to the Tamils since 500 BCE, Tamil
Nadu has a very rich historical heritage. Thisstate has one of the longest continuous
habitations in India, dating back to the
Neanderthal period. Majorly a Hindu
dominated state, Tamil Nadu also has a
significant percent of population following
Christianity, Islam and Jainism. One can find
the largest Hindu temples in the world here,
eg. Srirangam Ranganathanswamy templeand Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple.
As far as the Biodiversity is concerned,
around 2000 species of wildlife are
indigenous to this region, and 1/3 of the
total flora of India can be found here, the
Palmyra tree being the official tree of the
state. An amazing variety of different
biomes (from beaches, eastuaries, scrub
forests to coral reefs, marshes, deciduous
Tamil Nadu Travel Guide - http://www.ixigo.com/travel-guide/tamil-nadu page 1
forests and rain forests), contribute to the
biodiversity. The temperature usually ranges
from semi arid to sub humid.
Pongal, a four day harvest festival, is the
main festival celebrated here. The Carnatic
music, Villuppattu, Bharatnatyam,
Karakettam, and many other art
forms make up a colourful potpourri of
cultural richness to the state. Tamil Nadu is
also home to the second largest filmindustry (Kollywood) in the country, after
Bollywood. The popular Indian sport
Kabaddi is known to be originated here. The
Chettinad cuisine is especially famous for its
spicyness and Ambur region in Tamil Nadu
is quite popular for Biryani. The Nilgiri
Mountain Railway, the Chola temples,
Mahabalipuram are some of the UNESCO
World Heritage sites, worth visiting.
What To
SEE5 Sight s
http://www.ixigo.com/places-to-visit-see-in-tamil-nadu-lp-
1273340
1 Thekkady
Tropical evergreen and deciduous forests,
bamboos, reed banks and savannahs
spread over the 777 sq km of hills, valleys,plains and waterlogged areas that make up
the Reserve. In 2004, the Periyar Foundation
was formed, under which the park
administration and the locals get together to
strengthen conservation efforts. The story
goes that when Lord Wellingtons son killed
a tusker at Periyar in the 1930s, the
erstwhile king of Travancore, Sree ChithiraThirunal Balarama Varma, was so saddened
that he immediately extended protection to
the denizens of the forest.
Talking about the orientation of the place,
there is only one entry point to the Periyar
Tiger Reserve, through the small village of
Thekkady, 5 km from Kumily. You can either
reach it by bus or autorickshaw, both of
which ply between the two villages. The
starting point of the Reserve is the
boathouse, roughly 2 km from the entry
gate. This distance can be either covered on
foot or in a vehicle. All treks, boat rides and
walks begin from this point. Near theboathouse is the Eco-tourism Centre, where
you can sign up for trekking as well as other
activities.
The Pamba River flows on the western side
of the Reserve. The best way of seeing the
Reserve is by taking a boat ride on the
Periyar Lake. All vehicular traffic within thesanctuary ceases from 6 pm to 6 am and,
unless accompanied by a guide, it is unsafe
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to wander around after nightfall. However, it
is pleasant to take a stroll during the day,
when theres a good chance of spottingmany birds, the Malabar giant squirrel and
the Nilgiri langur.
2 Thanjavur
Located in the the southerly state of Tamil
Nadu, Thanjavur, a majestic city located
near the banks of Kaveri River was once the
capital of the mighty Cholas. This was a
kingdom so fertile that it was called the
granary of the South; elephants rather than
oxen thrashed the abundant paddy. Richharvests, a lush country and a full river gave
people the leisure and inclination for the
fine things of life: culture, religion,
architecture and literature.
Even now, the Thanjavur of the Cholas,
Nayaks and Marathas manages to soar
grandly above the dust and crowd of
humdrum modernity. Visitors will be
surprised by glimpses of ancient buildingson almost every street. Even auto drivers
speak knowledgeably about politics and
classical music. This city is home to
Brahadeeswara Temple, an UNESCO World
Heritage Site, built in the 11th Century AD.
There are a number of other ancient
temples and forts in the city too. The city is
recognized worldwide for its antiques andmeticulous handicrafts. Tanjore is also the
birth place of Carnatic music and
Bharathanatyam.
3 Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple
Arulmigu Ramanathaswamy Temple,
Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram,
Tamil Nadu 623526 India
Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple located on the
island town of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu,is one of the four sacred Char Dhams in the
country, the other three being
Jagannath Temple in Puri (Orissa),
Dwarkadheesh Temple in Dwarka (Gujarat)
and theBadrinath temple in Badrinath
(Uttarakhand). The temple gets its name
from Lord Rama because he came here to
worship Lord Shiva.
The Legend
After killing Ravana (a brahmin), Lord Rama
arrived at Rameshwaram from Lanka with
his wife Sita. To expiate the 'kukarma' or
'dosha' of killing a brahmin, he wanted to
worship Lord Shiva. Since there was no
Shivling in Rameshwaram, he sent Hanuman
to get the biggest Shivling from the
Himalayas. Since it took him a long time to
return, Sita made a shivling with mud and
sand that became the original
Rameshwaram shivalingam.
The Temple ComplexThe Primary deity is
Lord Ramanathswamy (Shiva) in the form of
a lingam. There is a second Shivalingam in
the temple, called Vishwalingam, that was
brought by Hanuman. As per Lord Rama's
instructions, the Vishwalingam is
worshipped first. The shrines of
Ramanathswamy and Goddess Vishalakshiare separated by a corridor. There are
separate shrines for numerous gods and
goddesses.
Architecture
Similar to many ancient temples, the
Ramanathaswamy Temple is also
surrounded by a high wall that has
Gopuram (towers) on its eastern and
western sides, and gates on its northern and
southern sides. The interiors are verystriking with long corridors running between
coloumns built on platforms that are 5 ft
high. The Pillars themselves are around 25
to 30 ft high.
An interesting structure in the form of a
chessboard is formed at the junction of the
third corridor and the path leading from the
western
gopuram to the Setumadhava shrine. This
structure is known as
Chokkattan Madapam where all the Utsava
deities are adorned and kept during
festivities and auspicious days. The outer set
of corridors are the longest in the world,with a total of 1212 pillars. The pillars of the
main tower or
rajagopuram are carved with unique
individual compositions.
Temple TanksThe island of Rameshwaram
contains 64 holy water bodies (
theerthas), of which 24 are
considered very important. 22 of thesetirthas are present within the temple. The
largest and the most important one being
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the
Agni Theertham (Bay of Bengal). Bathing in
thesetheerthas is believed to absolve one of all
crime and negativity, thus making this a very
important ritual during the pilgrimage.
4 Sri Rangam Ranga Nathar
Temple
West Uthrai Street, Srirangam,
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Dedicated to Lord Rangnatha, Lord
Vishnu's reclining avataar, Sri Rangam
Ranga Nathar Temple, is one of the most
illustrious temples of South India, rich in
lores and history. Millennia old, the temple,
enclosed by 7 concentric walls, with
21 gopurams (towers), 39 pavilions,
50 shrines, Ayiram kaal mandapam (a hall of
1000 pillars) and several small water bodies
inside the complex that spread out over anarea of 156 acres, is the largest (functioning)
Hindu temple in the world. The beautiful
idol of Lord Ranganatha, Vishnu in eternal
repose, is 21 ft long.
As you enter the complex you are faced
with the 7 prakarams (the concentric walls),
with the outer 2 being lined with shops,
restaurants and flowers stalls where you
can buy the necessary ritual items to payhomage. Non-Hindus can continue their
exploration only until the second prakaram,
but beyond that, inside the gold topped
sanctum sanctorum, you will not be allowed.
Over the sanctum sanctorum, is the Ranga
Vimanam, in the shape of the Om symbol
and plated with gold. Reclining on Adisesha,
the coiled serpent, is Sri Ranganthar and at
his feet sits Rangnayaki. Additionally, inside
the sanctum, you can also see images of
Brahma, Hanuman, Garuda and the symbols
of Vishnu. The temple complex also houses
shrines of the various forms of Vishnu
including Chakkarathazhwar, Narasimha,
Rama and Gopala Krishna.
There are separate shrines for Ranganayaki
and the major saints of the Vaishnava
tradition. When you come across themajestic, granite cut sculptures of rearing
horses trampling the heads of tigers in a
planned theater like structure, you have
entered the Hall of 1000 pillars, which is
really 953 pillars. One wide aisle that runsthrough the center of the hall, intersected
by transepts running across at right angles,
is the path to take to explore the hall.
Built by the once mighty Vijaynagar empire,
the Garuda Madapa located on the south
side of the third enclosure is an addition by
the Nayaks as well as the Sesha Mandap,
where leaping animals are carved onto the
piers at its northern end. Adorned by grand
sculptures and architecture heavily rooted
in Dravidian architectural style, the
sculptures throughout the magnificent,
glorious complex include deities, dancers,
musicians, mythological creatures and
animals and scenes from courtly life.
Dominating the skyline of Tiruchirappalli is
the 236 feet Rajagopuram, the second
tallest temple tower in Asia. The 13- tiered
Rajagopuram was built in 1987 by Ahobila
Mutt and can be seen rearing in the distant
skies for miles around, while the remaining20 gopurams (tower gateway) were built
between the 14th and 17th centuries. The
inscriptions you come across in the temple
belong to the Chola, Pandya, Hoysala and
Vijayanagar dynasties- each having shapedthe destiny of this small city. They range in
the date between 9th and 16th century A.D.
Throughout its history, the temple hasbeen invaded, its idol stolen and has been
the site for military encampments of various
armies- its walls, inscriptions and sculptures
tell a thousand stories from the Vijayanagar
empires golden age. Today, the temple
continues to stand tall proudly and as
majestically as it did eons ago. Throughout
the year various festivals are celebrated in
the temple like Vaikunta Ekadeshi,
Jyestabhisheka, Brahmotsavam,
Rathothsavam (the temple chariot festival)
and many more.
The origin of the Orlov diamond, part of
the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlins
collection, can be traced back to this temple,
where it once served as the eye of the
presiding deity. Among historic diamonds,
this resplendent relic, in the shape andproportion of half a hens egg, is considered
unique as it still retains its original Indian
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rose cut style.
5 Kailasnath temple
Kanchipuram Village, Kanchipuram,
Tamil Nadu, 631501, India
Oldest temple in the ancient town ofKanchipuram, Kailasnath temple is an
incredible architectural splendour built by
the same Pallava king who built
Mamallapuram's Shore Temple,
Narasimhavarman II, in 8th century CE. With
its compounds made of sandstone, the
entire temple is a maze of incredible
carvings of mythological creatures like Yali
and has distinct influences of early
Dravidian architectural pattern.
Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple's walls
are replete with panels showing Nataraja,
the Lord of Dance and an avatar of Shiva, in
various postures. Called the Stone temple of
Kachipettu, Kachipettu Periya Thirukatrali,
by Rajaraja Chola, Kailasnath temple isbelieved to be the architectural inspiration
behind Brihadeeswarar temple in Thanjavur.
Magnificent and stately without beingimperious, Kailasnath temple is
Kanchipuram's crowing glory in its hallmark
understated elegance.
Where To
Eat 5 Placeshttp://www.ixigo.com/foods-in-of-tamil-nadu-lp-1273340
1 The Oasis Restaurant
The Oasis Restaurant, SH 15, Erode,
Tamil Nadu 638003
+91-99448-55155
Oasis Restaurant offers you the perfect
combination of good food at reasonable
prices. In spite of being a popular restaurantin Erode, it maintains a cozy environment
for the customers. The menu offers
authentic Indian, Chinese, tandoori, south
Indian and chettinad delicacies. The oasis
restaurant has air conditioned dining hall
and a garden restaurant a perfect place to
relax with family in the evenings.
2 L'Attitude 49
1st Floor, Grande Bay Resort ,
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
+91-27443060
A fine example of how metropolitanism
seems to be catching up with
Mamallapuram where Pallava dynasty still
reigns in spirit,L'Attitude 49is
one of the few rare places in Mamallapuram
where alcohol is on the menu apart fromits
excellent, wide range of seafood.
If you think you have had enough of seafood
for one trip, then take a break only after you
have indulged in at Latitude 49. While itsmostly seafood on menu, Latitude 49s
distinguishing factor is the range of ways
and styles seafood is prepared. You will find
fishes, prawns, calamari, lobsters and
prawns done in thai, chinese, malaysian and
singaporean style, each as delicious as the
next with a great view of the sea to whet
your appetite even more.
3 Kannappa ChettinaduRestaurant
22-25 Mannarpuram Junction,
Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
The in-house restaurant of Hotel Garden
Gardenia, Kannappa Chettinadu Restaurant,
is one of the best places in town to indulge
in the gastronomic adventure that Chettinad
cuisine is. Elegant interiors with plush
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leather seating and dark wooden furnishing
welcomes you to a volley of flavors and
aroma.
Kannappa chicken Mutton Biryani, Mutton
Chops, Mutton Kheema with Chilli paratha
and Appam on the side are some of the
must try dishes out here. While you couldn't
go wrong with a plate of Idlis and Dosas, do
give paniyaram, karuppatti paniyaram, vellai
paniyaram, paal paniyaram, masalapaniyaram kuzhi paniyaram, kozhakattai-
some of the classic Chettinad vegetarian
dishes, a try. Served with sambhar and
range of tangy chutneys, your meal at
Kannappa Chettinadu Restaurant is bound
to be an unforgettable one.
4 Tava
PT Road, 7 Roads Junction, Opposite
New Hotel Punjab, Kodaikanal,
624101, India
Rs. 30
+91-4542-241153
A wide range of vegetarian dishes spanning
sev puri, gobhi paratha, and a lot more.
Their Sindhi fare is an absolute must-try.
5 That's Y Food
24/49,TV Swamy Road East, RS
Puram, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu,
641002, India
+91-422-4365117
That's Y Food calls out to avid lovers of
Mughlai and North Indian cuisine. Done in
an exotic setting with dim lighting and a cozy
decor, this peppy restaurant in Coimbatore
is a perfect place to relax and unwind after a
long, tiring day of sightseeing or shopping.With an elaborate menu which boasts of
authentic and mouth-watering preparations,
the place is sure to make anyone happy.
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