Kerala India Tourism
Kerala with South India Tours
Religious South India
Religious South India
Duration: 12 Days
Places to Visit: Chennai - Kanchipuram -
Mamallapooram - Tiruvannamalai - Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore - Trichy
- Madurai - Trivandrum
Day 1: Chennai
Arrive
Chennai - the gateway to southern India, established in 1639 by the East India
Company, is one of the oldest cities of the country. Assistance and transfer
to hotel.
After lunch at hotel, half day sightseeing tour, visiting Gandhi Memorial, Kala
Kshetra, Mylapore temple and Marine beach. Dinner and overnight will be at hotel.
Day 2: Chennai (Excursion - Tirupathi, 154kms/3.5hours)
After breakfast, proceed to Tirupathi. Lunch at local restaurant Tirupathi is
a temple town known for the famous ancient temple of Lord Venkateswara (Lord
of seven hills or Balaji, as he is affectionately known) on the top of the 860mts
high Tirumala hills. The temple of Lord Venkateswara is not only believed to
be amongst the oldest temples in the country, but also the richest of them all.
Legend has it that Lord Venkateswara borrowed money from the divine treasurer
Kubera for his wedding expenses. He is still paying back this debt, which is
why the pilgrims donate generously to the temple funds. In the evening return
to Chennai for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 3: Chennai/Kanchipuram/Mamallapooram
After breakfast drive to Kanchipuram (76 kms/01.50 hrs) - is the ancient capital
of the Pallavas famous as a city of 1000 Temples and still has 124 shrines.
The first temple dedicated to Shiva was built in the 7th and 8th century and
has paintings on the walls. Temples of Ekambaswara , Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi
and Varadarajaswamy are of interest. Kanchipuram is also famous for its silks.
Lunch at local restaurant and later drive to Mamallapooram and check in at hotel.
Afternoon visit the city - built in 7th century, earlier called Mahabalipuram,
this ancient Pallavas port, is today the sight of several antique sculptural
marvels. In this ancient seaside town, shrines and huge sculptures cutout of
rocks more than 1200 years back during the reign of Pallava Kings in the region
can be seen. The rock carvings depicting mythological episodes - of demons,
Gods and animals in battle and others - are truly poems in stone. The only shore
temple, which remains here, is the spectacular two - spired shrine, unique because
it houses both Lord Shiva and the Lord Vishnu in its sanctum sanctorum. Dinner
and overnight will be at hotel.
Day 4: Mamallapooram/Tiruvannamalai/Pondicherry
After
breakfast drive to Tiruvannamallai (112kms/03hrs)- a pilgrim centre with an
ancient temple of Lord Shiva. After lunch at local restaurant, proceed to Pondicherry
(131kms/ 3.5hrs), 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. Check in, dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 5: Pondicherry
After breakfast drive to visit Aurobindo Ashram, the city of dawn, which is
10kms north of Pondicherry. This ashram promotes Aurobindo ideas in bringing
about a synthesis of Yoga and modern science, so as to unite the spirit and
matter. After lunch at hotel, visit Auroville - a unique experiment in international
living and in creating a new environment where men and women of all nationalities
live together in harmony. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 6: Pondicherry/Chidambaram/Tanjore
After breakfast drive to Chidambaram (65kms/1.5hrs) also called as Thillai,
which has the famous Nataraja temple with the root of the sanctum-sanctorum
covered with golden plates is located in the centre of the town covering an
area of 40 acres. In this temple, postures from the Bharatnatayam form of dance
are depicted in sculpture. Nataraja is Lord Shiva as a cosmic dancer. After
lunch at local restaurant, drive to Thanjavur (104kms/03hrs) enroute visiting
the Brass factory at Kumbakonam. Tanjore once the capital of Chola Kings has
the Brihadeeshwara temple (or the big temple of God). The temple tower rises
to a height of 15mts from a square base of 29 mts and then tapers off, making
a total of 66mts.Checkin, dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 7: Tanjore/Trichy (54kms/02hrs)
After breakfast leave for Trichy, short name of Trichurapalli, situated on the
banks of Kaveri River is a blend of history and tradition as well as pilgrim
centre, it is famous for Ranganath temple at Srirangam. Check in at hotel. After
lunch city tour visiting Rock fort and its temple at a height of over 23mts.
Also visit Srirangam and Jambukeshwar Temple. Dinner and overnight will be at
hotel.
Day 8: Trichy/Madurai (133kms/3.5hrs)
After breakfast proceed to Madurai and check in at hotel. The ancient city of
Madurai, some 2600 years old is laid out in the banks of river Vaigai as a lotus
flower with the Meenakshi temple in the centre. After lunch city tour visiting
- Meenakshi temple, King Tirumala's Palace, Great tank and Gandhi museum. Dinner
and overnight will be at hotel.
Day 9: Madurai (Excursion-Rameshwaram, 154kms/04hrs)
After
breakfast proceed to Rameshwaram- the most sacred temple town of India is an
island hallowed by the epic Ramayana, where Lord Rama is said to have visited
before going into battle of Srilanka. Legend has it that Lord Rama sent Hanuman
to Mount Kailash to bring a Lingam for worship when he set foot after defeating
Ravana. As Hanuman did not return when the auspicious hour was approaching,
Sita made a sand Lingam so that worship could be performed in time, which is
where the present day Ramanatha Swami Temple stands close to sea on the eastern
side of the island. One of the twelve Jyotirlingam shrines is also well known
for its magnificent corridors and the massive sculptured pillars lining them.
Lunch at local restaurant. Return to Madurai for dinner and overnight stay at
hotel.
Day 10: Madurai/Trivandrum (329 kms/08.50
hrs)
After breakfast drive to Trivandrum and check in at hotel. Afternoon at leisure.
Day 11: Trivandrum (Excursion Kanyakumari
- 87 kms/02.00 hrs)
After breakfast proceeds for Kanyakumari - is the land's end of India where
the water of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet. An
important pilgrim centre of India, it is famous for the Amman Temples - a symbol
of unity and sanctity - dedicated to the virgin Goddess, Kanya Kumari. To its
South - East lies the famous Vivekananda Rock Memorial, a blend of all the architectural
styles of India. Lunch at local restaurant. Evening enjoy the beautiful sunset
and later return to Trivandrum. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
Day 12: Trivandrum/ Back Home
After breakfast transfer to airport to connect flight for onward journey. End
of our services.
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at its Best
Kerala with South India
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South India with Goa ---› Kerala
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India ---› South India by Rail
---› Religious South India
---› Journey Through Kerala
---› South India Extensive Tour with
Kerala
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