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Archive for the ‘States of South India’ Category

Kodai Lake
Located at a distance of 3 Kilometers from the main bus stand of the city, the Kodai Lake falls at the geographical location of 10º14′ North Latitude and 77º28 East Longitude. Much of its present glamor owes to Vera Levinge. He transformed the marshy lakeside into a spectacular lake by strengthening its banks and bringing beautiful boats from Tuticorin. Situated at an altitude of 2285 Meters, the Kodai Lake of Kodaikanal has a star like shape if seen from a height. The Kodai Lake covers an area of almost 60 acres. One can trek or drive along the beautiful lake, which is bordered by a well maintained road. Several wonderful hotels surround the lake.

Bryant Park
Bryant Park, seen on the lake’s eastern side, is another important botanical park that must not be missed by tourists visiting Kodaikanal as it houses plenty of different varieties of flowers, rafts as well as hybrids.

A British forest officer by the name Bryant was the one who landscaped this park in the year 1980 and hence it is named after him. This is the place where the annual vegetable and flower show is held during the month of May and is the most visited place by many during the summer months. A glasshouse in the park contains wide varieties of flowers, ferns and other ornamental plants.

Pillar Rocks
Situated at a distance of about 8 km from the Kodai Lake, Pillar Rocks are three large boulders which vertically measure upto a height of about 122 m.  It is 8 km from the lake. The rocks offer breathtaking views of the surrounding forests and plains. There is a small garden with lovely, colourful flowers.

At the bottom of the pillars are shady woods that make for a wonderful picnic spot. The scooped out chamber between the two pillar rocks is called Devil’s kitchen.

Ooty, the Queen be seated in this heavenly abode remained undiscovered to the great southern dynasties and it took the British to explore it in the early 1800s. They were, however, not the first friends of this land as a tribe called Todas had been living there long before the British came, claiming that the Nilgiris had been their home since time immemorial. The British constructed the first railway line in the area and made it the summer capital of the Chennai Presidency.

A haven for nature lovers, adventure enthusiasts, honeymooners and bollywood directors, Ooty is a hill station with something for all. Ooty or Udhagamandalam is one of those jewels in Tamil Nadu’s crown that attracts a huge number of tourists. Ooty is surrounded by four majestic hills-Doddabetta, Snowdon, Elk Hill and Club Hill.

The nearest airport to Ooty is Coimbatore at a distance of 105 kms. Ooty is connected by train services also. The Blue Mountain Express connects Ooty to Mettupalayam located at a distance of 47 kms. Ooty could be accessed from most of the towns and cities of neighbouring Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Arriving in Kodai town, one is enticed by orchards of pear trees with their graceful branches silhouetted in artistic curves against the evening sky like stark Zen etchings. Extensively visited by tourists and yet very serene, the beauty of virgin nature could be best witnessed in the breathtakingly beautiful hill station of Kodaikanal. Situated 2133 m above the sea level in Tamil Nadu, the magnificent hill station was developed by American missionaries in 1845. Buildings with gabled roof dot the skyline. Broken fragments of light from the setting sun are caught and kindled in the wind-rippled water appearing like a myriad lamp floating on the lake. Soon, as though on cue, lights start twinkling all over the hillside, and even the stars pick up the message, and heaven and earth are a riot of light, as though beaming messages of goodwill to each other.

The name Kodaikanal means the “gift of the forest”. Situated in the state of Tamil Nadu, among the Palani Hills, Kodaikanal is one of the unexplored destinations of southern India. With its intoxicating air, breathtaking scenery and serenity that you can hardly find in any other hill station, Kodaikanal is an ideal summer resort for the travel buffs of the southern plains.

The airport nearest to Kodaikanal is Madurai at a distance of 120 kms.There are frequent flights to most other Indian towns and cities. The nearest railhead is Kodai Road Railway Station at a distance of 80 kms from the place. Kodaikanal is connected by road with most of Tamil Nadu and nearby states. Being a popular hill station, bus services to Kodaikanal from other parts of the state are timely and very convenient.

Rameshwaram is significant for the Hindus as a pilgrimage to Benaras is incomplete without a Pilgrimage to Rameshwaram. Both the Vaishnavites and Shaivites visit this pilgrimage which is known as the Benares of the south. The presiding deity is the Linga Of Sri Ranganatha, which happens to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of India. Rameshwaram is also popularly referred to as the ‘Benaras of the south’. In order to attain Moksha it is believed that the visit to Rameshwaram is mandatory.

Rameshwaram is a happening holiday spot too.The religious island is spread in an area of 61.8 square kilometers and happens to be in the shape of a conch. The Ramanatha Swamy Temple occupies major area of Rameshwaram. The masterpiece of Dravidian architecture boasts of the largest temple corridor in India. Different rulers built the Ramanatha Swamy Temple over a period of time starting from the 12th century. The temple comprises of twenty-two wells where the taste of the water of each well is different from the other. The waters of the wells are believed to possess medicinal properties.

» Air link : The religious land of Rameshwaram is well connected with the other major cities of India. The nearest airport at Madurai is 163 kilometers away, takes care of the air travel of people from across the globe.

» Rail & Road link : The rail and road network connects Rameshwaram with Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Thanjavur and other important cities. The two kilometer long Indira Gandhi Bridge connects the island of Rameshwaram with the mainland of Mandapam. For traveling in town you may opt for hiring jeeps, auto rickshaws and even cycle rickshaws.

Sri Meenakshi – Sundareswarar Temple
Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple dates to around 100 AD and it was expanded during the reign of Thirumalai Nayak (1623-55). Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple contains 12 gopurams and the main four gopurams are having nine storeys each. These four tall gopurams (towers) over the entrance gates is renowned for its sculptures and paintings. The southern tower is the tallest, a height of 170 ft with 1511 sudhai figures, and was built in 16th century. The oldest tower is the 13th century eastern gopuram, a height of 161 ft with 1011 sudhai figures, built by Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan. The western tower with a height 163 ft and 1124 sudhai figures and the northern tower is having a height of 160 ft. The main feature of the temple lies in the Ayiramkal Mandapam or the Hall of Thousand Pillars. The specialty of the pillars is that each one is adorned with high, ornate, bold sculptures and the view of these pillars from any angle appears to be in a straight line. There are musical pillars carved out of stones in the outermost corridors. Each pillar produces different musical note when it is tapped. The temple is open to devotees between 05:00 and 12:30 hrs and again between 16:00 and 21:30 hrs. It is at a walkable distance from the Madurai railway station.

Thirupparankundram Temple
The Thirupparankundram Temple is one of the most commonly visited places of interest in Madurai. This temple is of special interest to those who are hardcore devotees of the Hindu religion. It is situated at the top of a hill. It is located at a distance of about 8 km towards the south of the railway junction of Madurai. One can view a shrine dedicated to goddess Durga in this cave temple. The two images of Subramanya and Ganesh are placed on either sides of the Durga image.
There are a number of shrines in the temple. Some of the most prominent shrines are dedicated to Ganapathy, Shiva, Vishnu and Durgai. The entrance of the temple is marked by as many as 48 pillars. These pillars are decorated with intricate carvings. The mandapa that is located at the entrance has pillars that are identified with the Nayaka period.

Alagar Koil
Alagar Koil is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is situated at a distance of 21 km from Madurai, on foot of Alagar hills, amongst the natural beauty of the woods. Here, Lord Vishnu resides as Azhgar, brother of Meenakshi. A huge crowd of devotees is seen here in the month of April/May when Chithirai Festival is celebrated. The temple also contain some beautiful carvings and makes the visit rewarding. Palamudirsolai, one of the six abodes of Lord Subramaniya is located atop the Hill. The splendid main tower at the entrance is believed to have been built by the Pandyan Kings. According to the historical background of the place, Malayadhwaja Pandyan, son of Kulasekhara Pandyan, was the earliest known monarch to patronize the temple. Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan beautified the ‘vimana’ of the shrine with gold plates. After the Pandya rule, the Nayakas patronized the deity.

Introduction
Madurai or the “city of nectar” is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil Nadu. This city is located on Vaigai River and was the capital of Pandyan rulers till the 14th century. The Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a gorgeous temple around which he created a lotus shaped city. Mythology says when city was being named; Lord Shiva blessed the city and its people. On the auspicious occasion some Divine nectar (“Madhu”) fell from the matted locks of Shiva and hence the city was named “Madhurapuri”. This sacred town of south attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors from India as well as abroad.

Architecture
Madurai is built around the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. Concentric rectangular streets surround the temple, symbolizing the structure of the cosmos. The entire city is laid out in the shape of the lotus. Some of these rectangular streets are named after Tamil months. The six major rectangular streets around Meenakshi temple are Aadi, Chithirai, Aavani Moola, Maasi, Maarat and Veli streets.

Climate
The climate of Madurai is warm. The temperature seldom comes below 20° C even during the winters. The rainfall is very frequent and spread throughout the year, just like the flow of pilgrims and tourists is the same during the year.

How To Reach
Air : Madurai has its own airport and there are flights, which connect the city with Chennai, Tiruchirappalli. The airline services have at least one flight daily from Madurai to Chennai. From there one can take flight to anywhere in India.

Rail : Madurai has one of the major railway junctions of South India. It is connected with the all the major tourist as well as religious places in Tamil Nadu. Though there are not many trains, which connect the city with major cities of India such as, Madurai is easily accessible from any part of the nation.

Road : There are good motorable roads, which connect this, second largest city of Tamil Nadu with other parts of the state as well as other places in India. Madurai has five bus stands, which cater to the needs of the people.

Location : Nagarjuna Sagar
Famous For : Tallest Masonry Dam In The World
Ideal Time To Visit : October To February

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is certainly the pride of India, since it is the tallest masonry dam in the world. This colossal dam supplies water for irrigation purposes to the districts like Nalgonda, Prakasam, Khammam and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh. Named after the Buddhist monk ‘Nagarjuna’, the dam actually separates the Guntur and Nalgonda districts. Owing to its confounding height of 124 meters, Nagarjunasagar Dam can store up to 11, 472 million cubic meters in its reservoir.

Apart from these achievements, the dam also has been known for being one of the earliest irrigation and hydro-electric projects in India. Built across the Krishna River, it boasts of one of the largest networks of canal systems in the world. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam is located at a distance of 160 kms from Guntur and 150 km from Hyderabad. Considering the tourism prospects, a lake has been developed just behind the dam, which is acclaimed to be the third largest man-made lake in the world.

The Rock Fort Temple
The Rock Fort temple complex in Tiruchirappalli is a collection of three temples – the Manikka Vinayakar temple at the foot of the hill, the Uchhi Pillayar Koyil at the top of the hill and the Taayumaanavar Koyil (Shivastalam) on the hill. This Shivastalam is a rock cut temple on a hill and is the most prominent landmark in Tiruchirappalli that can be reached by a flight of steps on the way to the famous Ucchi Pillayar temple. The name rock fort comes from the fact that the place was used for military fortification first by the Vijayanagar emperors and later by the British during the Carnatic wars.

Sri Ranganathaswami Temple
Located 7-km from Trichy is Srirangam, the abode of the Supreme Lord, Sri Ranganatha, the reclining form of Lord Vishnu. The Ranganathaswamy temple is the first and foremost among the 108 Divya Desams, the holy abodes of Lord Vishnu. The temple sprawls over an area of about 156 acres (6,31,000 sq m), making it one of the largest temples in India. A total of seven concentric walls enclose the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple and the total length of these walls is 32,592 enclosed by 21 Gopurams (towers). The temple amazes us with its astounding architecture and sculptural beauty. The “hall of 1000 pillars” (actually 953) is a fine example of a planned theatre-like structure and opposite to it, “Sesha Mandap”, with its intricacy in sculpture, is a delight.

Tiruvanaikkaval or Jambukeswara Temple
Situated 2-km east of Srirangam, this beautiful Shiva temple steals the show from the larger Ranganathaswami temple due to its excellent architectural design. The temple is named after the elephant, which is believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva here. Installed under an ancient Jambu tree, the lingam is partially submerged by water and meant to represent God incarnate as Water. The Jambukeshwara temple, not less than 2 km from Shrirangam is yet another awe-inspiring tourist attraction. The infrastructure of the temple is excellent and praiseworthy. There are 7 Gopurams and 5 concentric circular concrete walls, leaving the visitors completely absorbed in its magnificence.

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Temple
GangaikondaCholapuram is located in Udayarpalayam Taluk (also spelt as Taluka) of Perambalur district, at a distance of 100-km from Trichy. Rajendra I, a Chola ruler established GangaikondaCholapuram as his capital city and built a magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The architecture of this temple is an exhibition of intricate carvings on the hard southern granite stones, discarding the earlier Chola and Pallava style of subtlety and simplicity. Few sculptures found here are as great as the sculptures found in any other Chola temples. The walls tell us stories of many victories of the warrior king, the land donations made during the period, kings ascending to thrones etc.