Tamil Nadu is an Indian state, located at southern tip, on the shores of the Bay of Bengal and the deep blue Indian Ocean. Also known as the Land of Tamil, Tamil Nadu is bordered by the adjoining States / Union Territories of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Pondicherry. The state is divided into 26 Districts, smaller divisions and sub-divisions and 17,272 villages. Chennai, the state Capital, is the fourth largest city in the India extends over an area of 174 square Kms.Till the year 1996, Chennai was known as Madras. Chennai is famous for Marina Beach, which is the second longest beach in the world. The history ofthe state goes back to the Dravidians. The four main Dravidian Kingdoms who ruled over this area were the Pallavas, the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Chalukyas. In the 14th century, the invasion of the south by Muslim ruler,resulted a fast retaliatory reaction from the Hindus, who built a new kingdom,with its capital at Vijaynagar.The home of Dravidian Art and Cultureis characterized by the beautiful temples with their high towers known asgopurams.
Society, Art and culture :
The people of the state lead relaxed life style, with deep interest in music, dance and literature. Dance like Bharanatyam and various forms of music like, Carnatic Music are very popular here. The people of the state celebrate festivals such as Navaratri or Dussehra, Deepawali Karthika and Pongal. The Thyagaraja festival, a unique festival of Carnatic music, takes place in January at Thiruvariyar. In the festival one can view the mass performance, in total harmony and rhythm.Handicrafts like the finely carved designs in wood, stone and metal and the exquisitely carved Bronze and Tanjore plate are famous. The principal language of the state is Tamil, in addition several other Indian languages such as Telegu, Malayalam, Hindi are being spoken. The favorite dishes consist of Idly, Dosa and Lentils crispfried on a pan, Vada, Pongal Uppuma. Lunch usually consists of Cooked riceserved with vegetable dishes, Sambar, Chutneys, Rasam and curd.
Attractions in Tamil Nadu :
» Fort St. George - At Fort St. George most of the history of Chennai was written. The most powerful symbol of the British Empire, the Fort has a grey granite exterior with lavish ornamentation and luxury. The Fort housed barracks for the British army, a parade ground, andthe oldest church of Chennai - the St. Mary's Church. The buildings in the Fort, today, house the Secretariats and the Legislative Assembly.
» Mamallapuram - Mamallapuram also known asMahabalipuram is situated 58 Kms south of Chennai. The place is famous forThe Shore Temple, which was built in 7th century during the reign of thePallava King, Rajasimha. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Shiva.The Temple overlooking the Bay of Bengal, was designated as the World Heritage Site, a few years back.
» Marina Beach - The world famous beach extends from Fort St. George to Mahabalipura.The beach offers a spectacular look of the setting sun.
» Kanchipuram - Located at a distance of 70 Kms from Chennai, Kanchipuram is famous as one of India's Seven sacred cities.Known as a center of Tamil learning and culture, Kanchi has a religious background for centuries. Kanchi houses temples of Dravidian era with architectural gems. The finest silk sarees of the county are made here.
» Madurai - Madurai is situated at the banks of Vaigai river. The town is famous for the Meenakshi Temple stays at the center of the town. Madurai has the rich cultural heritage and it has remainan important commercial centre as before as 550 AD. Madurai is also famous for Jasmine Flowers.
» Thanjavur -
Thanjavurlies on the bank of Karveri River, 200 miles south of Chennai. The city is famous for the Brihadeeswara Temple built by Rajaraja Chola, the first sailor King of India. The Brihadeeswara Temple or the Big Temple has beenlisted as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other places to visit are theVijayanagar Fort, a Bell Tower and the Saraswati Mahal Library, which has the collection of 30,000 Indian and European manuscripts written on palm leaf and paper.
» Kodaikanal - Kodaikanal is a popular hill station of the country located at a distance of 120 Kms from Madurai. Set amidst the folds of the Pali hills with wooded slopes, massive rocks, beautiful waterfalls and a lake, the place attracts a large number of tourists.Situated at an altitude of around 2,133 meter the hill station covers an area of 21.45 square Kms. The hill town is renowned for its educational institutions of international standard.
» Tiruchirapalli - Located on the bank of Kaveri river, Tiruchirapalli is the fourth largest city in the state.Tiruchirappali presents a fine blend of history with modernity. The city is famous fro Rock Fort Temple, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and Jambukeshwara Temple. In addition to these temple there are several churches, colleges and missions of 18th century.
» Udhagamandalam - Udhagamandalam much commonly known as Ooty is located at a distance of 105 Kms from Coimbatore. Ooty, the Queen of Hill Stations is one of the most beautiful hill stations in India.Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiri district, stands in theWestern Ghats at an altitude of 7,500ft. The climate of the place is ideal for coffee and tea plantations. In addition trees like conifers, eucalyptus,pine and wattle covers the hill station.
Accessibility :
As Chennai is one of the four metro cities of India, so it is better to reach the capital to reach anywhere around the state. Chennai iswell-connected by Air, Rail and Road link with all the major towns of the country.
» Air - The Airport in Chennai is directly linked by Indian Airlines to Airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Ahmedabad,Bangalore, Goa, Bhubaneswar, Cochin, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Port Blair,Madurai, Pune, Tirupati, Tiruchirapalli, Thiruvananthapuram, Puttaparthy and Vishakapatnam.
» Rail - Chennai railway station falls in main railline and is connected with all the major railway stations of the country.Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Cochin, Coimbatore,Hyderabad, Kodai Road, Lucknow, Madurai, Rameshwaram, Trichy, Tirupati,Thiruvananthapuram and Varanasi.
» Road -
Chennaiis connected by road with all the major towns in India. The distances of Chennai from the different towns are Mumbai 1329 Kms, Bangalore 334 Kms,Hyderabad 669 Kms, Ooty 535 Kms, Kanyakumari 693 Kms, Kanchipuram 71 Kms,Tirupati 143 Kms, Madurai 461 Kms, Mahabalipuram 60 Kms, Pondicherry 162Kms, Rameshwaram 619 Kms, Kodaikanal 498 Kms, Thiruvananthapuram 709 Kms and Thanjavur 334 Kms.
Accomodation :
The state has a large number of hotels ranging from 5 Star category to 2 Star category, which offer accomodation facility to toursits. The hotels of the state provide a comfortable stay to guests.
Best Time to Visit :
The temperature varies highly in Summer and Winter. Summer remains extremely hot, so the best time to visit the state is in winter between November to March.
