Enchanting Tamil Nadu Program

Duration - 08 Nights / 09 Days
Destination Covered : Rameswaram – Karaikudi – Tanjore – Tranquebar – Pondicherry – Mahaballipuram

Day 01: Leave Chennai
Pick up at Raja hotel in Chennai transfer to Railway station to board train for Rameswaram. Overnight stay on board.

Day 02 : Arrival At Rameswaram
Morning upon arrival meeting assistance at railway station transfer to hotel.

Afternoon sight-seeing of Rameswaram includes -
Agnitheertham: To absolve himself from the killing of Ravana, Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva here at Agnitheertham, situated 100 meters away from the Ramanathaswamy Temple. The water at this place is considered scared and tourists throng here for a holy bath.
Ramjharoka Temple:-This temple is perched at the highest point on the island of Rameswaram, Gandamadana Parvatham, at a distance of 5 km from Rameswaram. The shrine preserves the imprint of Lord Rama's feet placed on a Chakra (wheel).

Dhanushkodi :- Named after Lord Rama's bow ('dhanush"), Dhanushkodi is 8 km away from Rameswaram. All but the Kothandaramaswamy Temple in Dhanushkodi were completely destroyed by the terrible cyclones of 1964. This temple houses graceful idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Hanuman and Vibhishana (brother of Ravana).

Adam's Bridge: This is a chain of reefs, sandbanks and islets that almost connects Sri Lanka with India. It is believed that this is the series of stepping stones used by Hanuman to follow Ravana, in his attempt to rescue Sita. Overnight stay at hotel

Day 03 : Rameswaram / Karaikudi (150 Kms 03 Hrs)
After breakfast drive to Karaikudi. There are three ways to reach there. You can go there by road, train or by air. It is fairly well connected. If you wish to come by road, there are plenty of buses available from Trichy, Madurai, Palani, and other Cities. The trains are also quite convenient. Karaikudu has its own railway station and many trains connect here. For those who would like to come by air there are two airports nearby. The airport at Madurai is 90 kms away.After that the next one is , Trichy about a 100 kms away

Upon arrival check in at hotel, Afternoon half day sight-seeing of Karaikudi.

Kamban Mani Mandapam : It is the residence of the great Tamil poet and literature Kavi Chakravarthy Kamban. The poet has spent a valuable part of his life in this place and hence the Mandapam was built to respect his honour and fame with programs on Tamil Literature held every year in the place.
Pillaiyar Patti Lord Ganesha Temple : Kairaikudi is known all over the country for the rock cut temple of Lord Ganesha. The temple is placed at a distance of 12kms from the city center. Built in the 16th century by the Pandiya kings over the top of a hillock, it holds the image of Karpaga Vinayaka. Along with the image of the Karmapa there is also a Shiva Lingum carved out of a stone by a renowned sculptor by the name of Ekkattur Koon Peruparanaum whose signature is found every where on the sanctum.

Chettinad Museum : This magnificent museum was a large Chettinad house converted into a museum which in today's terms display the traditional jewellery and the decorative clothes of the business class families. Along with them there are also exhibited huge copper water vats and grain bins and other daily used items that reflects the chettiyar families way of living.
Athangudi : The particular place in Karaikudi has gained prominence for the famous Athangudi tiles. The factories are open to the tourists to have an experience of the way in which these terracota tiles are hand made, patterned and dried for use in home decoration.

Meenakshi Temple : The Meenakshi-Sundareswarar temple is an attraction which the tourist never forget to visit on their tour to Karaikudi. Considered one of the most important places of Hindu Pilgrimage, the temple was built in the Dravidian style of architecture. The Gopurams or the gateways and the mandapams, the multi pillared halls are covered from top to the base with different images of the Hindu deities, animals and mythical figures. The temple is also known as Sivan Temple and its shrine was constructed in the year 1872. The most interesting fact about the temple is that it holds 108 statues of Ganapathy Vinayaka.. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 04 : Karaikudi / Tanjore (60 Kms 01 Hrs)
After breakfast drive to Tanjore. Once the stronghold of the Cholas, the city of Tanjore has a host of tourist attractions in Tanjore. Magnificent temples, historical palaces, museums make for the main tourist attractions in Tanjore.

Upon arrival check in at hotel, Afternoon half day sight-seeing of Tanjore.

Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple: The temple is of the biggest tourist attractions in Tanjore, Built in 10th century AD by the Chola King Rajaraja I, the temple has a tall tower over the sanctum sanctorum and a bronze stupa on top.

The Palace: Built around 1550 AD by the Nayaks, the palace is an example of fine work of masonry. The complex has a number of rambling buildings, which include quadrangular courtyard, 190 feet high vimana like building etc. The Palace also has the acoustically perfect ancient music hall.

Royal Museum: The Roayl Museum in the palace complex has a mixed collection like manuscripts, weapons, dresses, utensils, musical instruments used by the Royal Family of Thanjavur.
Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 05 : Tanjore / Tranquebar Via Vellanganni (105 Kms 02 Hrs)
After breakfast drive to Tranquebar. En-route of Vellanganni. Upon arrival check in at hotel afternoon half day sight-seeing of Tranquebar,

The majestic Dansborg Fort, the New Jerusalem Church and the quaint Danish homes off King's Road in Tranquebar are popular sightseeing spots. The first building that welcomes the visitor at the entrance of the town is an old gateway with wooden doors, built by the Danish in 1792. The arch leads to the main street of the town, called King Street. Along this grandly named Road is a memorial at the spot where the Danes landed. A short walk towards the beach brings you to an old dilapidated bungalow,

Danish Governor Bungalow built in 1784 and is interestingly, still the largest building in Tranquebar. Opposite the bungalow is the magnificent Dansborg, the Danish fort, built in 1620. This is a stunning piece of Viking architecture, with enclosing stonewalls and cannons facing the sea. The fort has now been converted into an archaeological museum, a 'must visit' if you are a history buff. A part of the fort is now being converted into a heritage hotel.

Masilamani Nathar temple, built in 1305 by Mahaverma Kulasekara Pandiyan. Though parts of the temple are still intact and in use, the rest has been eroded by the onslaught of time and tide.

The sleepy fishing village of Tranquebar is about 275 km from Chennai and easily accessible by road. Originally known as Tarangambadi - the village owes its name and identity to the Danish colonists who made it one of their major trading posts in the early 17th century because of its strategic location. In 1620 by means of a treaty signed with the local ruler, Raghunath Nayakas, the town was colonized and renamed Tranquebar. By mid-19th century, all Danish settlements were transferred to the British East India Company and Tarangambadi; along with its 13 brass cannons mounted on the ramparts of the fort became British property.

Today you can drive in through a beautiful gate of the majestic King Street, past Lutheran churches and grand bungalows of the Danish Governors' and the British Collector's residence.  The exotic village name, the pretty, whitewashed New Jerusalem Church, the Old Danish bungalows, the fort with its Viking architecture, all add to the charm that is quintessential Tranquebar.
Comfortable accommodation is available at the nearby towns of Chidambaram and Nagipattanam and one can make a day trip here by means of local bus or taxi service. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 06 : Tranquebar / Pondicherry (120 Kms 02 Hrs)
After breakfast drive to Pondicherry – The Union Territory of India is a unique place. It holds its old charm amidst modern developments.

Upon arrival check in at hotel. Afternoon half day sight-seeing of Pondicherry includes -

Matri Mandir at Auroville – located about 10 km from Pondicherry on the Tamilnadu border Auroville boasts of an architectural marvel.

Chunnambar – it is a beach and backwater resort. Located about seven kilometers from Pondicherry Climates on the way to Cuddalore, this place is an exciting picnic spot where fun, sports, calm and beauty all can be enjoyed at the same time. It has boating facilities also at the Boat House. It also features three tree top houses.

Gingee – located about 50 km south east of Madras, it is a very interesting hub of famous forts that were built around 1200 AD.

Tiruvannamalai - it is home to the largest Shiva temple in south India called Ramana Maharshi's ashram. It is situated beside the mountain Arunachala . It is a very popular pilgrimage destination for millions. Here you can also see the famous fossil tree-Tiruvakkadai.

Kumbhakonam – It is a famous place for ancient temples and Maha Makham Tank. Besides, it also houses a temple consecrated to Lord Brahma which is very unique and rare in India. Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 07 : Pondicherry / Mahabalipuram (162 Kms 04 Hrs)
After breakfast drive to Mahabalipuram. Upon arrival check in at hotel.

The south of Chennai, Mahabalipuram (Mammalapuram) is an important tourist place of Tamil Nadu and is most famous for its spectacular monolithic structures. Some of the monuments in Mahabalipuram have also been recognized by the UNESCO and are must see for the tourists on their tour to Mahabalipuram. Besides, Mahabalipuram is quite popular for its sun-kissed beaches that are idyllic retreats for cooling off or taking long strolls in the evening. The tourist attractions in Mahabalipuram carry their individual significance and reflect the historic charm of this place.

Upon arrival check-in at hotel.
Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 08 : In Mahabalipuram
After breakfast morning sight-seeing of Mahabalipuram,

Shore Temple:- This charming temple located on the shore is the most famous among the tourist attractions in Mahabalipuram. It is located between two Shiva temples and is a visual delight recognized for its architectural masterpieces. You will find the attractive sculptures of Nandi the bull while the figure of Vishnu is present in the sanctum.

Pancha Pandava Rathas:- These splendid structures dating back to the 7th century are located in the southern end of Mahabalipuram. These Rathas (chariots) are five in number and carved out of a single rock. Out of these rocks, gigantic stone animals have been carved out including an elephant.

Arjuna's Penance:- It is a massive bas-relief replete with meticulous carvings that include a family of elephants and monkeys. The carvings on the bas-relief are the stories from the legends of India and the Panchatantra . You will also encounter the Krishna Mandapa nearby, which is a bas-relief of enthralling architectural brilliance.

Caves:- The caves in Mahabalipuram are among some of the most sought-after Mahabalipuram tourist attractions. The Varaha cave is one such cave which is actually a rock-cut mandapam (hall) and features two incarnations of Vishnu which are Varaha (boar) and Vamana (dwarf). There is also a seventh century Dharmaraja Cave and consists of three empty shrines. The other caves located here are Mahisasurmardini Cave and Tiger cave.

Krishna's Butterball:
This is a huge natural rock perched on a hillside and the precarious way in which it is balanced simply startles its onlookers. Moreover, Mahabalipuram is also an ideal point for indulging in various adventure activities such as bike trips, boat rides, fishing trips, trekking and wind surfing.
Overnight stay at hotel.

Day 09 : Mahabalipuram / Chennai
Transfer to Chennai airport to board flight for onward Destination.

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