South India Cultural Tour

Our Office representative will meet and assist you upon your arrival at the Chennai airport & transfer to the Hotel.

In the afternoon, proceed for city tour of Chennai visiting Museum (Closed on Fridays and holidays). Drive through the flower and fruit market, High Court, Fort Museum, Marina Beach, San Thome Cathedral and Snake Park.

Relax in the evening.

Overnight will be at Chennai.

Breakfast will be at hotel.

Proceed for Kanchipuram by surface. En-route visit a few important temples and reach by afternoon.

Kanchipuram:

Kanchipuram

Kanchipuram is a small rural town about 75 km from Chennai (Madras) in the state of Tamilnadu. It also serves as the district head quarters for the Chengalpattu district. Its economy is entirely dependent on tourism and the well established handloom industry. Silk sarees manufactured here are one of the best in the entire world. Is one of the India’s seven sacred cities it was the historical Capital of the Pal lavas. This city is also a world renowned for the gorgeous hand woven silk. Saris of myriad rich colors, noted for their shine, finish and matchless beauty. The Exquisite silk saris are woven from the pure mulberry silk in contrasting colors and have an enviable reputation for lustre, durability and finish.

Enjoy the sightseeing of major temples.

Vaikuntha Perumal Temple:
this is the one of the important Vishnu temple built by The Pallava king in the 7th century AD.

Kailasanatha Temple:
built in the 8th century this temple is noted for architecture and Sculptures. There are 58 small shrines are situated around the main shrine as well as the Compound wall paintings of fresco style adorn the inner walls of the shrines.

Ekambareswara Temple:
another ancient temple of the city dedicated to Siva. The 57 meters high Rajagopuram {tower} is one of the tallest in south India. The 2500-year-old mango tree inside the temple has 4 branches each yields different varieties of mangoes. This temple has five spacious corridors {prakkaram} and a thousand pillar halls.

Varadharaja Temple:
is massive and impressive edifice. The hundred-pillar hall Erected during the vijayanagara period in this temple is noted for its exquisite sculptures. The ornamental rings carved out of a single stone in a chain at the four corners are special Features of the hall.

Kamashi Amman Temples:
this is one of the three holy places of sakthi worship in India the other tow are Madurai and Varanasi.

Proceed to Mahabalipuram and check in at hotel.

A few miles south of Chennai, at Mahabalipuram, on the sandy shores of the Bay of Bengal, a beautiful group of rock-cut monuments evokes the past. Seventh-century carvings of the Pallava dynasty include a series of freestanding boulders carved to resemble small temples and animals.Rock – cut caves and a masterful stone bas-relief are nearby. The 'Penance of Arjuna' relief, cut on twohuge rocks, shows scores of figures of deities, people and animals including, according to oneinterpretation, the emaciated figure of Arjuna, the great warrior of the Mahabharata, standing on one leg and doing penance, praying to Lord Shiva for the strength to destroy his enemies. Sadhus of today perform this exact act of sacrificial devotion. On the adjacent beach stands one of South India's oldest temples, the Shore Temple, its foundations washed for twelve centuries by the frothy sea.

Check in at the hotel and enjoy stay at a beach resort.

Overnight will be at Mahabalipuram.

Enjoy breakfast at the resort, Enjoy visit to the following places:

CAVES:
There are nine rock-cut temples. The Mahishasuramardhini cave, depicting the goddess fighting a demon on one side and Lord Vishnu's cosmic sleep on the other, is a particularly remarkable one.

KRISHNA MANDAPAM:
A bas-relief, notable for its realistic representation. The panel relates to one of the stories of Lord Krishna.

ARJUNA’S PENANCE:
This is the world's largest bas relief measuring 27m X 9m. This huge whale-backed rock contains figures of gods, demigods, men, beasts, birds and almost all of the entire creation. And, this is easily the pride of Mamallapuram.

THE FIVE RATHAS:
There are the five monolithic temples, each created in a different style. They are also known as the Pancha Pandava Rathas – and four out of the five rathas are supposed to have been carved out of a single rock.

THE SHORE TEMPLE:
This is one of the oldest temples. Unique about this temple is the fact that it houses shrines for both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. This belongs to theearly 8th century AD and it is a classic example of the first phase of structural temples constructed in pure Dravidian style.

Drive to Pondicherry which carries a strong whiff of the French presence in India. This erstwhile French colony on the east coast of South India merged with the rest of the country in 1954. Legend says that Pondicherry is the place where St. Agasthaya settled down.

French dreams of an Indian Empire began and ended in Pondicherry. But in the scattered territories of the Union Territory of Pondicherry there remains what little there is left of the French influence in India and that makes the territory, especially its headquarters, Pondicherry, unique, something quite different from the rest of India.

Enjoy the old world town in the evening, Overnight stay will be at the heritage hotel.

Tanjore

Breakfast will be at the hotel. Drive to visit the Aurobindo Ashram.

Aurobindo Ashram is also known as “the city of dawn”. The place is 10 km north of Pondicherry. This ashram promotes Shri Aurbindo's ideas in bringing about a synthesis of Yoga and modern science, so as to unite the spirit and matter. Auroville - a unique experiment in international living and in creating a new environment where men and women of all nationalities live together in harmony.

Later on proceed to Tanjore also known as Thanjavur (The rice bowl of TAMIL NADU) Proceed for sight seeing of Tanjore. Visit the famous Chola Temple of Brihadeeshwara – A WORLD HERITAGE MONUMENT. Its bronze and handicrafts make Tanjore one of the highlights of the tour to South India. The majesty of the palaces and art gallery attached to the temple is really awe-inspiring. It is also famous for the silk.

Stay overnight at Tanjore.

Proceed to Trichy after breakfast.

Visit the ancient temples dedicated to Lord Ganapathi, 434 steps cut out into the rock side and interspersed with shrines, lead to the temple. Visit SRIRANGAM, a massive temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu sprawled on a Island in CAUVERY RIVER which contains within its walls a Bazaar (TRADITIONAL MARKET OF INDIA) as well. Gaze up at the twenty-one magnificent towers of the temple surrounded by seven walls.

Overnight stay will be at Tanjore.

Breakfast will be at hotel.

Drive to Madurai by surface and en route visit Karaikudi (Chettinad). This area is famous for the beautifully architectured houses and walking the streets feels like being in an open air art gallery.

One of South India's great temple towns, Madurai is synonymous with the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old. Madurai was an important cultural and commercial centre even as early as 550 AD It was the Capital city for the great Pandyas kings.

Madurai’s Main attraction is the Famous Sri Meenakshi Amman temple a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture with Gopurams carved from top to bottom in a breathtaking profusion of multicolored images of Gods. Tamil & Greek documents record the existence of Madurai from the 4th Century BC. The city was known to the Greeks through Magathenes who was their ambassador to the court of Chandraguptha Mauriya. This city was popular in trade especially in spices. It was also the site the Sangam the academy of the Tamil Poets. And Madurai is the centre of all the cities and Madurai is famous for the cotton Sungudi Saris.

Check into the hotel. Relax at the hotel,

Sri Meenakshi Amman temple:
dated back to 2000 Years back and designed in 1560 by Vishwanatha Nayaka and built during the reign of Tirumalai Nayaka. The Temple occupies an area of six hectares. There are 12 temple towers (Gopurams). The outer towers are the landmarks of Madurai.

Thousand Pillar Museum:
Located inside the temple and has a variety of collections.

Gandhi Museum:
The Gandhi Memorial Museum is one of the distinct places to be visited in Madurai. This Museum is one of the rare living memorials of "The Father of India". The Museum is set in relaxing grounds and has a clear historical account of India’s struggle for Independence.

The Vishnu Temple:

Vishnu Temple

There is a Vishnu Shrine called Kudal Algar (Kudal is the former names this town) and it is said that Lord Vishnu came down to this place to give away Meenakshi to God Sundareshwara. The vimana or the tower of the god in the temple is of a very fine workmanship and is known as the Ashtanga Vimana. The Marriage of the Meenakshi is to have been celebrated on the day of Panguni Uttram generally occurring on the Full moon day of the month of Panguni (March – April). And is a very important Event in this place.

Thirumalai Nayak Palace: This Palace was built in 1636 by King Thirumalai Nayak with the help of an Italian Architect. The building we see today was the main Palace where the King lived. The original Palace Complex was four times bigger than the present structure. This palace consisted mainly of two parts, namely Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa. In these two parts, there are royal residence, theatre, shrine, apartments, armoury, palanquin place, royal bandstand, quarters, pond and garden. King Thirumalai Nayak celebrated festivals like Sceptre festival, Navarathri, Chithirai festival, Masi festival and the Float festival. He conducted daily dance and music performances in the palace. This palace was destroyed by his grandson Chokkanatha Nayak and the valuables were transferred to other places. During the British rule, in 1822, Lord Napier made several renovation works. Then the palace was utilized to house some officials of the judiciary and district administration. After independence, this palace was declared as a national monument and is now under the care of the Tamilnadu Archaeological Department.

After sightseeing tour transfer to hotel check in hotel and relax, Overnight will be at Madurai.

Early morning proceed to Kumarakom. Reach and visit the Bird Sanctuary. Proceed to the Vembanand Lake.

The backwaters of Kerala are a unique product of Kerala and are found nowhere else in the world. Backwaters are a network of lakes, canals and estuaries and deltas of forty-four rivers that drain into the Arabian Sea. The backwaters of Kerala are a self supporting Eco-system teeming with aquatic life. The canals connect the villages together and are still used for local transport. Over 900 km of this labyrinthine water world is navigable.

Check into a traditional houseboat of Kerala Style and go on a leisurely backwater cruise along the lake on a thatched houseboat. The houseboat with all modern comforts lets you discover the countryside at your own pace. You will have lunch, dinner and breakfast in the Houseboat. A ride on the houseboat is a fabulous way to explore the fascinating beauty of the backwaters.

Cruise through the backwaters to Alleppey. Overnight will be at Houseboat.

Disembark the boat at the reception of the backwater resort at Alleppey.

Alappuzha is famous for its boat races, houseboats, coir products, fish and lakes. Alappuzha remains prominent on the tourist trial of Kerala as one of the major centres for backwater boat trips. "Kuttanad" in Alappuzha is one of few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. Kuttanad is a land of lush paddy fields and is called the 'Rice Bowl' of Kerala. Kuttanad stretches for 75 Km sandwiched between the sea and the hills.

Check in at the resort. This resort is one of the finest one in Alleppey Here you can enjoy the lively villages and backwaters.

Overnight will be at Alleppy.

After breakfast proceed to Kochi (Cochin).

The eventful history of this city began when a major flood in AD 1341 threw open the estuary at Kochi, till then a land locked region, turning it into one of the finest natural harbors in the world. Kochi thus became a haven for seafaring visitors from all over the world and became the first European town-ship in India when the Portuguese settled here in the 15th century.

The Dutch wrested Fort Kochi from the Portuguese in AD 1663 and later in the last phase of the colonial saga, the British took over, the town in 1795. During 1660's, Fort Kochi peaked in stature as a prime commercial centre and its fame spread far and wide - variously as a rich trade centre, a major military base, a vibrant cultural hub, a great ship building centre, a centre for Christianity and so on. Today, centuries later, the city is home to nearly thirteen communities.

Enjoy the KATHAKALI DANCE PRESENTATION in the evening. Over night stay at hotel.

Morning after breakfast proceeds for Ooty. As soon as you enter this zone, you would find greenery spread on the landscape. The green plantations are tea plantations and they spread a peculiar fragnance in the air. Just halt few minutes and you would be easily able to depict the vast difference from the plains. Especially in temperature, as it is situated at a higher altitude. The cool breeze tends to create a romantic ambiance which one needs to feel and absorb. Slowly as your car, take twist and turns on the mountainous terrain, you would recogonize and accept that Ooty is indeed a best hill station to explore. Your rooms would be booked in a good deluxe hotel . On your arrival, you would be given a warm welcome by the hotel staff. They would serve you a warm cup of tea or coffee on your arrival. After unpacking your baggage, we would visit Botanical gardens, which is 2kms from the town centre. Founded in 1847, these botanical gardens are perfect place for nature lovers. Then just in order to break some monotony, we would do boating at the Ooty Lake, in fact you can try angling as well. Amidst the natural beauty, it serves the purpose for adventure lovers.

Later in the evening, we would return back to our hotel. If you want you can engage yourself in some leisure activities which could be like walking or visiting a market nearby. The food would be served on time and you would get the best kind of hospitality that you would like to have on your,

Overnight stay at hotel,

This would be your second day in Ooty and you would have plethora of attractions to watch. After breakfast, we would leave for our our sightseeing expedition. We have planned your tour in such a way that you don’t miss out any tourist spot in Ooty.

The first one on our Ooty travel would be Kodanadu's View Point, which is 16 kms from Kotagiru. Then we would also visit Kalhatty Waterfalls which is about 13 kms from Ooty. The other tourist spot which we would be exploring would include Doddabetta.

Evening drive to Mysore by road, on arrival check in hotel and relax,

Over night stay in the resort.

After breakfast, we would set out for Bangalore. You don't have to worry about the rooms as you would be provided best of hotel accommodation. We would set out for our city tor which would include exploration of Vidhan Soudha, Government buildings and Gola temple. Post lunch we would be exploring Bangalore markets.

Evening transfer to airport to catch flight for onward destination with sweet memories of tour to India with TNS Travel Pvt Ltd.