Temples and TamilNadu

Start point atA - Chennai International Airport (MAA)Grand Southern Trunk Road,Chennai, TN

End point atU - Chennai International Airport (MAA)Grand Southern Trunk Road,Chennai, TN

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Day : 1 - Mahabalipuram

Halt B1 - Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -54 Kms.

Activities - Visit Mahabalipuram Shore Temple

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual,Cultural / History.

Halt C2 - White Town, Puducherry, India
Distance from days start -160 Kms.

Activities - Walk in Sea Promenade and French Quarters

Factors at the Halt include : Beach,Cultural / History.

On Day 1 from Chennai airport we shall head south on the OMR road towards Mahabalipuram which is only about 1 and half hours drive from the Chennai Airport. Mahabalipuram is famous as a tourist destination for its beach as well as popular for historical and religious reason because of its temples. The temples and monuments are built by the Pallava dynasty in the 7th and 8th centuries. The seafront Shore Temple comprises 3 ornate granite shrines. Krishna’s Butter Ball is a massive boulder balanced on a small hill near the Ganesha Ratha stone temple. After exploring the Shore temples and the region later on in the afternoon we shall head further south to Pondicherry which is hardly 2 hours drive from Mahabalipuram through the East Coast road which runs through the coastal region. Pondicherry was a French colonial settlement in India until 1954, and is now a Union Territory town bounded by Tamil Nadu. Its French legacy is preserved in its French Quarter, with tree-lined streets, mustard-colored colonial villas and chic boutiques. A seaside promenade runs along the Bay of Bengal and passes several statues, including a 4m-high Gandhi Memorial. The town especially the French Quaters is best explored by walking but in any case we shall do a little city tour as we approach the city before we check into our hotel in the French Quarters itself.

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East Coast road views
Shore temple Mahabalipuram
Shore temple Mahabalipuram
Shore temple Mahabalipuram
Pondicherry Promenade
Pondicherry French Quarters
Pondicherry French Quarters

Day : 2 - Auroville and Puducherry

Halt D1 - Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -8 Kms.

Activities - Visit Maitrimandir at Auroville Village

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual,Cultural / History.

Halt E2 - White Town, Puducherry, India
Distance from days start -0 Kms.

Activities - Boating to Paradise Island

Factors at the Halt include : Beach.

On Day 2 we shall set out to visit Auroville, an experimental township in Pondicherry. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother") and designed by architect Roger Anger. As stated in Alfassas first public message in 1965, Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony, above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville is to realize human unity. As a tourist we can visit the campus of Auroville and the Matrimandir, which was conceived by Alfassa as "a symbol of the Divine's answer to man's aspiration for perfection". Silence is maintained inside the Matrimandir to ensure the tranquility of the space, and the entire area surrounding the Matrimandir is called the Peace area. Inside the Matrimandir, a spiraling ramp leads upwards to an air-conditioned chamber of polished white marble referred to as "a place to find ones consciousness". By afternoon we can head to the Boat club and go on a boat ride to Paradise Island and back. The evening can be spend by exploring the cafes and promenade in the French quarters area.

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MaitriMandir
MaitriMandir
Auroville Campus
Auroville Campus
Chunnambar Boat house
Boating in backwaters
Paradise Island beach
Pondicherry Promenade Walk

Day : 3 - Chidambaram and Thanjavur

Halt F1 - Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -60 Kms.

Activities - Visit Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

Halt G2 - Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -147 Kms.

Activities - Visit Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual,Cultural / History.

On Day 3 after setting out from Pondicherry, our first visit is Nataraja Temple, at Chidambaram which is about 1.5 hours drive from Pondicherry. It is dedicated to Nataraja – Shiva as the lord of dance. The temple has ancient roots and a Shiva shrine existed at the site when the town was known as Thillai. Chidambaram, the name of the city and the temple literally means "atmosphere of wisdom" or "clothed in thought", the temple architecture symbolizes the connection between the arts and spirituality, creative activity and the divine The temple wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni, and these postures form a foundation of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance. The present temple was built in the 10th century when Chidambaram was the capital of the Chola dynasty, making it one of the oldest surviving active temple complexes in South India. After its 10th-century consecration by the Cholas who considered Nataraja as their family deity, the temple has been damaged, repaired, renovated and expanded through the 2nd millennium. Most of the temple's surviving plan, architecture and structure is from the late 12th and early 13th centuries, with later additions in similar style. After visiting Chidambaram we shall set out on a 3 hour drive to reach the historic city of Thanjavur. Thanjavur is world famous because of the Brihadishvara temple. Brihadishvara temple, is dedicated to Shiva located in South bank of Cauvery river and It is one of the largest South Indian temples and an exemplary example of a fully realized Tamil architecture. Built by Tamil king Raja Raja Chola I between 1003 and 1010 AD, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The original monuments of this 11th-century temple were built around a moat. It included gopura, the main temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes, and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism, but also of Vaishnavism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. The temple now stands amidst fortified walls that were added after the 16th century. Built out of granite, the vimana tower above the shrine is one of the tallest in South India. The temple has a massive colonnaded prakara (corridor) and one of the largest Shiva lingas in India. After the temple visit we shall spend the night in this historic city of Thanjavur.

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Nataraja Temple Chidambaram
Nataraja Temple Chidambaram
Nataraja Temple interiors
Brihadeshwara temple complex, Thanjavur
Brihadeshwara temple, Thanjavur
Brihadeshwara temple, Thanjavur
Brihadeshwara temple, Thanjavur
Cravings in Brihadeshwara temple

Day : 4 - Chettinad and Rameshwaram

Halt H1 - Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -166 Kms.

Activities - Visit Ramanathaswamy temple, Pamban Bridge, Visit Dhanushkodi, Visit Ramasethu

Factors at the Halt include : Beach,Spiritual.

Halt I2 - Kanadukathan, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -78 Kms.

Activities - Chettinad Palaces and Village Tour

Factors at the Halt include : Cultural / History.

On day 4, from Thanjavur we shall head to the Chettinad region and stop over at the KanaduKathan village. At Kanadukathan we will do a circuit tour of the ancient palaces and mansions of the Chettinad region. The full splendor of the Chettinad mansions can be enjoyed by the travelers as we drive through the neatly laid out grid lanes of the KanaduKathan village. The entire afternoon can be spend exploring the Chettinad mansions. After that we will drive to Rameshwaram, which is just a 2 hour drive. In Rameshwaram, we shall visit the Ramanathaswamy temple. The Temple is dedicated to the god Shiva. After visiting the temple we shall go on a thrilling drive through the sea to the Dhanushkodi island and see the Ramasethu strait there. In Dhanushkodi we can also explore the remains of the old town which had been washed away by the Tsunami. There are lots of activities and sight seeing to be done around Rameshwaram, for which we have the full day there. We will spend the night in Rameshwaram in a hotel that overlooks the beautiful Bay Of Bengal sea.

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Brihadeshwara temple, Thanjavur
Chettinad Mansions
Streets of Chettinad
Palaces of Chettinad
The Mansions
Ramanathaswamy temple, Rameshwaram
The Pamban bridge, Rameshwaram
The ruins of Dhanushkodi village
The road through the sea to Dhanushkodi
Dhanushkodi End point
The Rama Sethu
Ramanathaswamy temple, Rameshwaram
The outer corridors of Rameshwaram temple is the longest in the world.
The corridors of Rameshwaram temple

Day : 5 - Madurais splendour

Halt K2 - Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple Road, Dharmathupatti, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -154 Kms.

Activities - Visit Madurai Meenakshi Temple

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

On day 5 we head to Madurai city to visit the famous Madurai Meenakshi temple. Madurai is a 3 hour drive from Rameshwaram. Meenakshi Temple is located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai. Madurai is also the third largest city in Tamil Nadu. It is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareshwar, a form of Shiva. The temple is at the center of the ancient temple city of Madurai and it is mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature, with the goddess temple mentioned in 6th-century-CE texts. The temple is famous for its beautiful corridors and carvings. After visiting the temple we shall head on another long 3 hour drive the the beautiful hill station of Kodaikanal. Kodaikanale is set at an altitude of 2150 meters above sea level and it is the second highest popular hill station in South India after Ootty. We hope to reach Kodai by 5-6 PM. On the way we will come across Silver Cascade waterfalls and other beautiful hill vistas. The ascend to Kodai from the plains is a long 40 km drive which alone should take us more than an hour. Kodai can get cold to very cold even during summer months and during winter months expect the temperatures to loom around 5-8 degrees celsius, due to which it will be wise to carry some warm clothing with you. Once in Kodai we shall check into our resort where you can relax after the long drive.

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Madurai Meenakshi temple complex
Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple
Madurai Meenakshi temple complex
A closer look at the temple
The temple interiors
Kodaikanal Town
Kodaikanal Town
Kodaikanal views
Kodai
Silver Cascade Water falls

Day : 6 - A tour of Kodaikanal

Halt L1 - Kodaikanal Hill Station, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -0 Kms.

Activities - Boating at Kodai Lake, Visit Coakers Walk

Factors at the Halt include : Forests,Hills.

On Day 6 we shall do less of driving and enjoy the views around Kodaikanal in a more relaxed manner. Notable experiences being visting 4 waterfalls around Kodaikanal, taking as walk in Kodais star attraction, Coakers walk and boating in Kodais beautiful lake.

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Coakers Walk
Kodaikanal lake
Boating in Kodai lake
Sights around Kodai
Pambar Waterfalls
Sights around Kodai
Sights around Kodai
Bear Shola Falls
Beautiful views and meadows
Kodai views

Day : 7 - Palani and Trichy

Halt M1 - Palani Temple, Palani Temple Steps, Giri Veethi, Palani, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -45 Kms.

Activities - Visit Palani Murugan Temple, Ropeway / Winch Train ride to Murugan Temple

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

Halt N2 - Trichy, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -292 Kms.

Activities - Visit Rock Fort Temple, Visit Srirangam Temple

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual,Cultural / History.

On Day 7 we descend the Palani hills from Kodai and reach the temple town of Palani. In Palani, we will visit the Murugan temple in Palani, where there is an interesting train that rides on a winch to the top of the hill to reach the temple. You can take the Ropeway or Cable car also to reach the top of the hill to reach the temple. From Palani we head to Trichy, the fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu, where we shall visit the famous ShreeRangam temple and the Rock fort temple. The Srirangam temple is dedicated to God Maha Vishnu and it is massive as it occupies an area of 155 acres (63 ha) with 81 shrines, 21 towers, 39 pavilions, and many water tanks integrated into the complex making it the world's largest functioning Hindu temple. The temple town is a significant archaeological and epigraphical site, providing a historic window into the early and mid medieval South Indian society and culture. Tiruchirappalli Rockfort,, is a historic fortification and temple complex built on an ancient rock. It is located in the city of Tiruchirappalli, on the banks of river Kaveri. It is constructed on an 83 metres (272 ft) high rock.There are two Hindu temples inside, the Ucchi Pillayar Temple, Rockfort and the Thayumanaswami Temple, Rockfort. After visiting both the temple complexes we can check into our hotel in Trichy city for a much required rest for the night.

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Palani Murugan temple
The winch train ride to Palani temple
The Rock Fort temple, Trichy
Sreerangam temple, Trichy
Aerial view of Srirangam temple complex

Day : 8 - Last day of Tamil temples

Halt O1 - Thiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -163 Kms.

Activities - Visit Arunachaleshwara temple, Thiruvannamalai

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

Halt P2 - Virudhachalam, Tamil Nadu, India
Distance from days start -105 Kms.

Activities - Visit Virudhgagireeshwarar Temple, Virudhachalam

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

Day 8 will be our last day of visiting the temples in Tamil Nadu state. From Trichy city we shall go on a 2 hour drive to Virudhachalam. At Virudhachalam we shall visit the famous Shiva temple of Vriddhagiriswarar. After that we shall head northwards to visit the Thiruvannamalai temple. Arunachalesvara Temple or Thiruvannamalai temple, is dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at the base of Arunachala hill in the town of Thiruvannamalai. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and specifically the element of fire, or Agni. The temple complex covers 10 hectares, and is one of the largest in India.[4] It houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The tallest is the eastern tower, with 11 stories and a height of 66 metres (217 ft), making it one of the tallest temple towers in India. The temple complex houses many halls; the most notable is the thousand-pillared hall built during the Vijayanagar period. The present masonry structure was built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century. After visiting Thiruvannamail we shall head to Vellore city which is about 2 hours drive northwards. We shall retire for the night in Vellore city.

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Virudhachalam Temple
Virudhachalam Temple
Virudhachalam Temple complex
Virudhachalam Temple
Thiruvannamalai Temple Complex
Thiruvannamalai Temple
Thiruvannamalai Temple
Thiruvannamalai Temple interiors
Vellore city
Vellore Fort
Vellore Fort
Vellore Fort
Jalakanteshwar temple in Vellore Fort
Jalakanteshwar temple in Vellore Fort

Day : 9 - The Tirupati temple

Halt R1 - Tirupati temple, Royal Nagar, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, India
Distance from days start -84 Kms.

Activities - Visit Tirupati Temple

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

Halt S2 - Kalahasti, Srikalahasti, Andhra Pradesh, India
Distance from days start -110 Kms.

Activities - Visit Srikalahasteeswara temple, Kalahasti

Factors at the Halt include : Spiritual.

On Day 9 we will drive from Vellore further north for about 2.5 hours to reach the state of Andhra Pradesh and onto the most famous, most popular and the most visited temple in the whole of India and in the whole world,The Tirupati Venkateswara Temple. It is situated in the hill town of Tirumala at Tirupati in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. The temple is set on top of hill and the drive up to the temple is a fascinating experience by itself. The temple is dedicated to Venkateswara, a form of Vishnu, who is believed to have appeared here to save mankind from trials and troubles of Kali Yuga. The temple is also known by other names including Tirumala Temple, Tirupati Temple, Tirupati Balaji Temple. In most cases it is practically impossible to visit the shrine even on waiting the whole day, but we shall keep our plans open and hope to visit the shrine in a maximum of 2 hours time so as to move on to our next temple destination, Kalahasthi which is just an hours drive further to Tirupati. Srikalahasti Temple is one of the most famous Shiva temples in South India, and is said to be the site where Kannappa was ready to offer both his eyes to cover blood flowing from the Siva linga before the Siva stopped him and granted him moksha. After visiting Kalahasthi temple we shall retire for the night in a hotel Kalahasthi town itself.

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The entrance to the Tirumala hills
The hill and the temple
Tirupati temple
Tirupati temple
Tirupati temple
Tirupati temple at night
SriKalahasthi Temple
SriKalahasthi Temple
SriKalahasthi Temple
SriKalahasthi Temple in the evening

Day : 10 - Chennai City Tour

On Day 10 we shall set out from Kalahasthi, back to Chennai city which is about 120 Kms and three hours drive. We should be able to reach Chennai before lunch time so that we have enough time to do a little city tour of Chennai city before going to your hotel. Chennai is the 3rd largest city of India and it is the largest among all South Indian cities. It is also called the Detroit of India owing to the large no of Automobile manufacturing plants operating out of the city. Chennai is a very modern city and it can boast of having one among the best infrastructure among all other Indian cities including the wide roads, Metro service, Suburban train service, etc. In Chennai main points of interest to drive and view would include, Marina Beach, Anna Salai, Poonamalee high road, etc.

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Chennai City Scapes
Chennai City Scapes
Chennai City Scapes
Chennai City Scapes
Chennai Marina Beach

Day : 11 - The last day of the trip

On the last day of the trip, we can do some food explorations of Chennai as Chennai is famous for South Indian delicacies. Until it is time for your return flights home, you can do shopping and do more tour of the city.