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Archive for the ‘Tamil Nadu’ Category

Duration : 07 Night/08 Days
Destination Covered : Ooty – Kodaikanal – Munnar

Day 01 : – Ooty -You are greeted on arrival from Kolkata at Coimbatore Airport/Railway station by South India Honeymoon Packages representative and transfer to Ooty (Travel time – 03.5 hrs). Later proceed for sight seeing which include Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake, Ooty Town Shopping, Doddabetta Peak. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 02 : Ooty – Today you will proceed to Coonoor to look from close quarters the Tea Gardens, Rose Garden, Sim’s Park, Avalanche, Dolphin’s nose, Ketty Valley, Koddandu Point, Lambs Park. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 03 : Kodaikanal – After early morning breakfast proceed to Kodaikanal (Travel time – 06.5 hrs) enroute visit Palani Temples. Reach Kodaikanal & settle down in Hotel. Evening free for leisure. Overnight stay at hotel

Day 04 : Kodaikanal – The full day is free. You may choose to visit the Kodaikanal Lake, spread over an area of 60 acres and surrounded by wooded slopes. The attractive walk around the lake takes between one and a half hours. Additionally, you have the option of boating or fishing. Later visit Cocker’s Walk, Golf Links, Green Valley View, Pillar Rocks, Silver Cascade Falls, Bear Shola Falls. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 05 : Munnar – Today morning after breakfast drive to Munnar hills (travel time – 5 hrs ) On the way to Munnar you can see tea gardens spread like a green carpet over hundreds of kilometers, lust green hills, a place so difficult to describe, very low population too far from pollution, most of the covered by Tata tea. On arrival check in to the Hotel and Evening stroll through the tea estates. Overnight in the hotel

Day 06 : Munnar – Today you can go for sightseeing Munnar which includes the Raja Malai, a top peak of Munnar where you can see Neel Thar (mountain goats), Muttupetty dam, you can also enjoy boating in the Lake (optional). Overnight at hotel

Day 07 : Houseboat – Today morning after breakfast drive to Alleppey (Travel time 5 hours) , Water locked place is endowed with immense natural beauty and array of rivers, canals and lakes ideal for boat cruise. On arrival check in to a traditional Kerala style Houseboat and cruise through the backwater. Overnight stay in the Houseboat – A/c Deluxe.Then cruise through the backwaters and stay overnight in Houseboat – A/c Deluxe

Day 08 : Departure – Morning after breakfast transfer to Cochin Airport or Railway Station (02 hours drive) for the onward Journey. End of South India honeymoon packages from Kolkata with sweet memories.

Introduction

The Sri Meenakshi Sundareswara temple and Madurai city originated together. According to tradition, Indra once committed sin when he killed a demon, who was then performing penance. He could find no relief from remorse in his own kingdom. He came down to earth. While passing through a forest of Kadamba trees in Pandya land, he felt relieved of his burden. His servitors told him that there was a Shivalinga under a Kadamba tree and beside a lake. Certain that it was the Linga that had helped him; he worshipped it and built a small temple around it. It is believed that it is this Linga, which is till under worship in the Madurai temple. The shrine is called the “Indra Vimana”.

Once Dhananjaya, a merchant of Manavur, where the Pandyas had arrived after the second deluge in Kumari Kandam, having been overtaken by nightfall in Kadamba forest, spent the night in the Indra Vimana. When next morning he woke up, he was surprised to see signs of worship. Thinking that it must be the work of the Devas, he told the Pandya, Kulasekhara, in Manavur, of this. Meanwhile Lord Shiva had instructed Pandya in a dream to build a temple and a city at the spot Dhananjaya would indicate. Kulasekhara did so. Thus originated the temple and city.

How To Go

Air
Madurai is connected by air with Mumbai and Chennai. Madurai airport is 10-km away from the city.

Rail
Madurai has direct rail connections to Bangalore, Coimbatore, Kollam, Chennai, Rameshwaram, Thanjavur, Tiruchirappalli, Tirunelveli, Tirupathi and Tuticorin.

Road
There are excellent roads connecting Madurai to all parts of South India. Madurai city has 5 Major Bus Stands- Periyar Bus Stand, Anna Bus Stand, Palanganatham Bus Stand, Arapalayam Bus Stand, Mattuthavani Bus Stand. From Madurai town buses, suburban buses, taxis, auto rickshaws and cycle rickshaws are available to reach the temple.

Things To Know

Paranjothi Munivar wrote the Tiruviayadal Puranam in the sixteenth century. It is regarded as the temple’s Sthalapurana. An earlier work adds a few celestial sports not included in the latter. These are, or rather were painted on the walls around the Golden Lily Tank. Some of the painted wooden panels are in the Temple Museum.

The earliest references available to any structure in this temple is a hymn of Sambhandar’s, in the seventh century, which refers to the “Kapali Madil”. The present inner walls of the Lords shrine bear this name today. In the early times the entire temple must have been confined to the area between these walls, and the structures must have been of brick and mortar.

In the 14th century an invasion by Malik Kafur damaged the temple. In the same century Madurai was under Muslim rule for nearly fifty years. The temple authorities closed the sanctum, covered up the Linga, and set up another in the Ardhamandapa. When the city was liberated, the sanctum was opened, and, tradition says the flower garlands and the sandalwood paste placed on the Linga were as fresh as on the first day, and two oil lamps were still burning.

Kanyakumari is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu. At times it is also called ‘Cape Comorin’. It lies at the southern-most tip of the Indian Peninsula, which is also the geographical end of the Indian mainland. Tamil and Malayalam are the predominant languages here.

The town lies at the point where the Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Mannar and the Indian Ocean merge with each other. Towards its north and the east lies the Tirunelveli District, while the state of Kerela is located towards its west and northwest. Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala is at a distance of about 85 km from this place.

Kanyakumari is a town and a well known Hindu pilgrimage site in Tamil Nadu. It is also popularly known as Cape Camorin and located at the edge of Indian Peninsula. This place is at a distance of around 86 km from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. Kanyakumari is named after the Kanyakumari Temple dedicated to Kumari Amman. This temple is among the popular Kanyakumari tourist attractions. Being the point of intersection for the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, Kanyakumari is an important place on the tourist map of India.

Tourist Attractions In Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari Temple

A Shakti Peetha (place of worship where the pieces of Goddess Durga’s body fell during the Tandav), this temple is dedicated to Parvati, a virgin incarnation of Goddess Durga who wanted to marry Lord Shiva. Devi Kanya Kumari or Kumari Amman is the principal temple deity. According to legends, Shiva did not turn up on the wedding day as promised and the feast remained incomplete with grains turning to stones. The temple has the black stone image of the virgin deity with a diamond nose ring glittering in the dark chambers.

Our Lady of Ransom Church

An important attraction in the Kanyakumari town, this church is first of its kind here. In the 15th century it had a thatched roof, now it reflects Gothic style of architecture with the sea forming an excellent backdrop. On the central tower of this church is the gold cross.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial

A ferry service from the shore will take you the place where Swami Vivekananda sat on a long meditation. Built on the rock in 1970, amidst the sea, is the memorial that comprises a meditation hall. The Shripada Mandapam has a museum and a study hall as well. Few feet away from this rock, is the statue of Tamil poet Thiruvallur.

Padmanabhapuram Palace

Located 15 km from Nagercoil, Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kanyakumari is one of the most well known monuments in South India. Explore this architectural marvel on a tour to Kanyakumari. Being at the centre of the political power of Travancore Empire, the strategic planning and military architecture of this palace is amongst the most well known in south India. It enjoyed being in the limelight till the the capital was moved to Thiruvananthapuram by Karthika Thirunal Maharaja, popularly known as Dharma Raja. The major highlight to be seen here are the aesthetic beauty, novel designs and wooden carvings that have stood the ravages of time.

The resort is essentially an amusement park located close to Chennai’s city center. The resort comprises of some lush green parks that are lined up with some wonderful trees. VGP Golden Beach Resort offers a nice place as egress from the techno life. Well paved side walks, parks and the shades of the trees provide a natural climate that is quite refreshing. The resort hosts a number of activities for fun and frolic. The popular rides and games at the resort include go-kart, dashing car, water chute, super trooper, giant wheel, aero-ship, jumping frog, children’s merry go round, super jet, break dance, dragons belly, jungle safari, roller coaster and many other.

The rides like go-kart, dashing car and water chute form the speciality of the resort. One can see the jubilant faces of people of all ages in these rides. For children super trooper and giant wheel is one thing not to be missed.

The resort also provides for various contemporary, cultural and folk shows. The discotheque at the Ecstasy Land, which forms an integrated complex, can be seen rolling and rumbling with youth. Other features of the Ecstasy Land include an open air seating stage, banquet and conference halls, bar and a private beach.

The resort houses a number of food courts. The Rain Forest restaurant is very popular restaurant within the resort premises. The restaurant and other food courts serve a variety of continental and popular food dishes.

Kodaikanal located amidst the folds of the verdant Pali hills is one of the most popular serene hill stations in India, which mesmerises any visitor. With her wooded slopes, mighty rocks, enhancing waterfalls and a beautiful lake, Kodaikanal India is a charming hill station.

Kodai is situated at an altitude of about 2,133-m high and covers an area of 21.45-sq-km. The hill town is renowned for its educational institutions of international repute. Other than the fascinating places to visit in Kodaikanal, the pride of Kodaikanal is the ‘Kurinji-flower’, which blossoms once in 12 years. The hill-plantain fruits and plums are known for their freshness and taste.

How To Get There

By Road
Kodaikanal is connected by road with Chennai (520-km), Ooty (264-km), Trichy (197-km), Coimbatore (175-km), Kumili (160-km), and Madurai(120-km). Regular bus services are available from Madurai, Palani, Kodaikanal Road, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Kumuli (Thekkady) and Coimbatore. Additional buses ply during the season. Taxis and vans are available for local transportation. There are no auto-rickshaws in Kodaikanal.

By Air
The nearest airport is at Madurai (120 km from Kodaikanal).

By Rail
The nearest railway stations are the Kodai Road Railway Station (80-km) and the Palani Railway Station (64-km).

Fairs & Festivals

There are several beautiful hill stations in Tamil Nadu. With the Summer Festivals, the hills are even hospitable to welcome the visitors. The summer festival is held in the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’, the evergreen Ooty; the exquisite Kodaikanal or the salubrious heights of Yercaud. Cultural programs, adventure sports, boat races, flower and fruit shows add to the splendour of the festival.

Places To Visit

Kodaikanal Lake

Half kilo meter from the bus stand, is an artificial, roughly star-shaped (60 acres) lake built in 1863. It is recognized as Kodaikanal’s most popular geographic landmark and tourist attraction. Rowboats and pedalos can be hired at the Kodaikanal Boat Club with its main entrance near the only five-star hotel in Kodaikanal, The Carlton. Horses and bicycles can be hired beside the lake for short periods. The 5 kilometers path that skirts the periphery of this lovely lake is a favorite walk for the locals and tourists alike.

Coaker’s Walk

Half km from the bus-stand, constructed by Lt.Coaker in 1872, is a 1 kilometers paved pedestrian path running along the edge of steep slopes on the southern side of Kodai. The walk, winding around Mount Nebo, starts in front of the Van Allen hospital, running parallel to the Van Allen Hospital Road and joins the main road beside St.Peter’s Church, providing a stunning panoramic view of the plains. On a clear day one can view as far as Dolphin’s Nose in south, the valley of the Pambar River in the southeast, Periyakulam town and even the city of Madurai. A fascinating rare phenomenon called Brocken spectra can be witnessed, when a person can see his shadow on the clouds with a rainbow halo. This occurs when the sun is behind the viewer and clouds and mist are to the front. There is an observatory with a telescope halfway along the walk. Entrance fee to the walkway is nominal and it is open all year.

Pillar Rock

Three Boulders stand shoulder to shoulder vertically measuring to a height of about 122 meters (400 feet), providing a beautiful view. It is 8 Kms from the lake. It has a mini garden with lovely flowers. In the shadows of the pillars are shady woods that invite picnickers. The chamber between the two pillars is called Devil’s kitchen.

Dolphin’s Nose

8 kilometers from the bus stand, is flat rock projecting over a breathtaking chasm 2,000 m deep. It is an undisturbed area 1 kilometer down a very steep rocky trail beginning soon after Pambar Bridge. Orange juice vendors along the trail offer a welcome rest stop. Beautiful views of steep rocky escarpments rising from the plains can be seen. The old village of Vellagavi can be reached through a rugged bridle path here. A short paved walkway leads from the road here to Pambar falls (which is also locally addressed as ‘Liril Falls’ after the famous Liril Soap Advertisement filming in 1985).

The most popular hill station in state of Tamil Nadu, Ooty features sublime beauty and amazing peaks. Though it is not much different from a hill station in India, there are distinct tourist places in Ooty making it an interesting place of visit. You have the peaks, lakes, botanical gardens, and cultural attractions in Ooty making sightseeing tours a thrilling experience. Popularly known as the Nilgiri hills, tourism in Ooty revolves around the mountain ranges, valleys, and manmade attractions. The well-kept botanical gardens are laid on acres overlooking the western ghat and the Himalayas. Tea is an important produce of the region. A lot of livelihood of the place depends on the tea harvest and processing units. Ooty is next in line to Darjeeling as sought after tea tourism center of India.

Places To Visit

Botanical Garden

Located inside the limits of Ooty, it is the most famous tourist attraction in Ooty. This garden was laid out in 1848 and is currently maintained by the Horticulture department of Tamil Nadu. There is a beautiful green lawn where one can realx with friends and family. There are trees collected from different parts of the world. Shrubs and hedges are cut to resemble animals and look really beautiful. During the month of May, there is an annual summer festival inside the Garden where there are flower shows and various cultural programs that showcase the talent of the locals people. I have been to this place during summer and winter and I found the place beautiful in both the seasons but it was very crowded during summers and there was too much of noise inside the garden, which you hardly expect in such a place.

Boat House

One can get a first glimpse of this beautiful lake and surrounding hills from the toy train just before arriving at Ooty station. One can see Children park before reaching this place. This is maintained by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation. Other than boating there is a Vegetarian restaurant, 3D simulation theater, Tora tora, Children amusement, Gift shop, floating snack bar, mini train, chat corner, dashing car ride ( ticket Rs 25 for 4 minutes ride ), 3D video games, Nilgiri product shop, Nursery etc.

Ooty Lake

This 2 KMs long OOty lake has become another major tourist attraction. One can go for boat riding, both pedal and motor boats and it starts from morning 8 and is there till 6 in the evening. During the month of May there are boat races that have become a major crowd puller. Adjacent to lake there are a lot of the other places of interest for tourist that have come up. To mention few – Toy train ride, 3-D shows, Tora-tora ride, Car rides (something similar to go-carting). Outside lake there are ponnies available for rides. The Ooty Lake is located behind the railway station ( 1-2KMs from the station). Best thing to do would be park the car in the railway station, though parking is available near the lake) and walk to the lake ( along the lake) and enjoy the view and on the way back take a ponny ride till the parking.

History

Chennai (Madras) is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu. The district is located in the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal and is one of the four largest metropolitan cities in India. The city was originally known as Madras Patnam and was located in the Tondaimandalam Province. We at Toursitplacesinindia.com provide you with all that you want to known about the Indian city of Chennai (Madras).

The city of Chennai covers a total area of about 174 square km with a total population of about 4343645. The city has a large number of tourist destinations which includes temples and other places of interest in and around the city. Important temples in the city include the Kapaleeswarer Temple at Mylapore, Parthasarathy temple at Triplicane, Vadapalini Andavar Temple at Vadapalini, Shrine Velankanni and Shri Devi Astha lakshmi temple. The festivals are mainly based on the agricultural activities and according to the position of the stars and planets. Pongal, celebrated in the month of January, is the most important festival of Chennai. Being a cosmopolitan city, almost all the religious festivals are celebrated here.

Best Season, Climate, and Clothing

The mighty Bay of Bengal borders Chennai has bordering to the east, whereas the state of Andhra Pradesh is on its northwestern part. Since it is located at the tropical zone, Chennai usually has a very hot and humid climate. Winter season would be the best time to visit this city owing to pleasant climatic conditions. Due to the frequent rains, there is no much variation in the temperature all the year round. Cotton clothing is best for a tropical city like Chennai.

Places to Visit

Chennai city is fully loaded with some interesting and amusing places. The metropolitan city houses all sorts of attractions, be it famous South Indian Temples, museums, monuments, parks, beaches or picnic spots. There is no dearth of attractions as such. The accredited mega city does not give any chance for a complaint to a globe trotter. And to add some spice, as is South known for, the place has a number of industrial and commercial hubs.

The popular places of interest in Chennai are the much crafted temples. These famous South Indian temples witness a great number of visitors every year. Next in line are the monuments, most of them built during the British occupancy. The monuments withhold the beauty of the past and some rich memories associated with them. The diverse wildlife of Chennai is featured by several parks and breeding centres. Beaches, likewise, pour in some more life in the city.

Marina Beach

Lining the east of the city is the famous Marina beach, at Kamarajar Road, 3 Km away from Madras. This is supposed to be the second longest beach in the World and runs to a length of 12 Km. On the beach there is the Anna Park, named after the founder of D.M.K (Dravida Munnetta Kazhakam) Anna durai and the tomb of M.G. Ramachandran who was a film star and the charismatic Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Sri Kapaleswarar Temple

Known as a panacea from many troubles, Sri Kapaleswarar Temple is situated near Kutchery Road, Mylapore. Built in the13th century, this ancient Siva temple is a delightful introduction to Dravidian temple sculpture and architecture. The magnificent 37 meter tall gopuram is one of the main attractions of this temple. The crowded cosmogony of Stucco gods, goddesses and saints depict important Puranic legends. The ‘Punnai’ tree in the temple courtyard is one of the oldest trees in Chennai and shades a small shrine depicting the legend that gave Mylapore its name. The goddess Parvati, in the form of a peacock, is shown worshipping Shiva, represented by the traditional Lingam. Parvati is worshipped in this temple as ‘Karpagambal’.

Snake Park

It is located at Sardar Vallabbai Patel Road within the area of the Guindy National Park. Visit : Wednesday to Monday from 0830 to 1730. Tuesday holiday. There are more than 40 species of common snakes of India ranging from the dark deadly ‘King Cobra’, ‘Banded’ Krait’ to Puff adders’, vipers, pythons and alligators. The crocodiles, chameleons, monitor lizards and tortoises can also be seen in their natural setting.

Tiruchirappalli now called Trichy is situated on the banks of the Cauvery river. Trichy, the fourth largest city in the state was a citadel of the early Cholas which later fell to the Pallavas. But the Pallavas never really managed to retain control of this strategic city and lost it to the Pandyas several times.

Tiruchirappalli is known for its Rock Fort and its temple at a height of over 83 metres. Other renowned temples are, the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (Srirangam), Siva temple at Tiruvanaikkaval and the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple.

History Of Tiruchirappalli

Tiruchi itself has a long history dating back to the centuries before the Christian era when it was a Chola citadel. During the first millennium AD, it changed hands between the Pallavas and Pandyas many times before being taken by the Cholas in the 10th century AD. When the Chola Empire finally declined, Tiruchi passed into the hands of the Vijayanagar kings of Hampi and remained with them until their defeat, in 1565 AD by the forces of the Deccan Sultans.

The city and its fort, as they stand today, were built by the Nayaks of Madurai. It was one of the main centers around which the wars of the Carnatic were fought in the 18th century during the British-French struggle for supremacy in India.

Places To visit

The Rock Fort Temple:

The temple is dedicated to the Lord Vinayaka. The temple is a land mark of the city and it is situated on the Shores of the Kaveri River, at an attitude of 83 meter from the sea level. To reach such great height the rock cut into 347 steps, which leads to the temple. Start your Trichy tour from this temple will give you the right start.

Thayumanaswamy Temple:

This temple is dedicated to the Lord Shiva, it is situated halfway of the top of Rock Fort temple. The temple has a 100 pillar hall and a vimana covered with gold.

Sri Ranganathaswamy:

this temple is situated 6 km from the Trichy city, at Srirangam. This temple is the most revered shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu in south India, and it has a largest temple complex in the world. The temple is replete with excellent carvings and numerous shrines dedicated to various Gods.

Gangaikondacholapuram, Tirumayam, ST. Johns Church, Sittannavasal Kodumbalur, and Samayapuram Mariamman Temple are some other tourist sites in Trichy.