|
Day 01
: Chennai
Arrive Chennai - the
gateway to southern India, meet assist at the airport and transfer to
hotel. Later half day sightseeing tour, visiting Gandhi Memorial, Kala
Kshetra, Mylapore temple and Marine beach. Night stay in Chennai. |
|
Click
Here for Tour Package Booking |
|
Day
02
: Chennai - Tirupathi - Chennai ( By road )
After breakfast, proceed to Tirupathi- 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. Night stay in Chennai. |
|
|
|
Day 03
: Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mamallapooram ( By road )
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.Later drive to
Mamallapooram and transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit the city - built in
7th century, earlier called Mahabalipooram, this ancient Pallava port,
is today the sight of several antique sculptural marvels. In this
ancient seaside town , shrines and huge sculptures cut-out 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. Night stay in Mamallapooram. |
|
|
|
Day
04 : Mamallapooram - Tiruvannamalai - Pondicherry ( By road )
After breakfast drive to Tiruvannamallai(112kms/03hrs)- a pilgrim centre
with an ancient temple of Lord Shiva. Continue drive 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. Night stay in
Pondicherry. |
|
|
|
Day
05
: Pondicherry ( By road )
After breakfast drive to visit Aurbindo Ashram, the city of dawn, which
is 10kms north of Pondicherry. This ashram promotes Aurbindo's 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. Night
stay in Pondicherry. |
|
|
|
Day
06
: Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore ( By road )
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. Natraja is Lord
Shiva as a cosmic dancer. Later drive to Thanjavur (104kms/03hrs)
enroute visiting the Brass factory at Kumbakonam. Tanjore once the
capital of Chola Kings, has the Brahadeswara 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. Night stay in
Tanjore. |
|
|
|
Day
07 :
Tanjore - Trichy ( 54kms / 02hrs by road )
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. Later
city tour visiting Rock fort and its temple at a height of over 23mts.
Also visit Srirangam and Jambukeshwar Temple. Night stay in Trichy. |
|
|
|
Day
08 :
Trichy - Madurai ( 133kms / 3.5hrs by road )
After breakfast proceed to Madurai and transfer to 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.
Afternoon city tour visiting - Meenakshi temple, King Tirumala's Palace,
Great tank and Gandhi museum. Night stay in Madurai. |
|
|
|
Day
09 :
Madurai - Rameshwaram ( 154kms / 04hrs by road )
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 Swamy 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. Return to Madurai and transfer to hotel. Night stay in Madurai. |
|
Click
Here for Tour Package Booking |
|
Day 10
: Madurai - Trivandrum ( 329 kms / 08.50 hrs by road )
After breakfast drive to Trivandrum and transfer to hotel. Evening at
leisure. |
|
|
|
Day 11
: Trivandrum - Kanyakumari ( 87 kms / 02.00 hrs by road )
After breakfast proceed for Kanyakumari - 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 - deidicated 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. Evening
enjoy the beautiful sun set and later return to Trivandrum. Night stay
in Trivandrum. |
|
|
|
Day 12
: Tivandrum - Departure
After breakfast transfer to airport to connect flight for onward
journey. |
|
|
India
will sideswipe you with its size, clamour and diversity but if you
enjoy delving in to convoluted cosmologies and thrive on sensual
overload, then it is one of the most intricate and rewarding dramas
unfolding on earth, and you'll quickly develop an abiding passion
for it.
"If
there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of
living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man
began the dream of existence,