Travel to Tamil Nadu

Tamilnadu is a one of the larger states in India, with a diversity of landscapes and tourist attractions. Tamil, its major language, is among the oldest in the world, with a literature dating back over 2000 years.

The best time to travel to Tamilnadu is between October and March, when it’s neither too hot nor too rainy.

This season also witnesses the chief festivals, Pongal, Varsha Purappu, Id-ul-Fitr, Deepavali and Christmas.

Chennai, the capital, has fine examples of British colonial architecture, most notably the Central railway station. It is also the place where St Thomas, the Apostle of Christ, is said to have been martyred. The San Thome Cathedral that commemorates him is a major pilgrimage center.

Two hours from Chennai is the town of Mamallapuram with its fine sculptures and architectural remains. Tamilnadu also has a large number of towering granite temples showcasing awe-inspiring architecture and sculpture, which have survived over a millennium.

The Kapaleeswara Swamy temple, dedicated to the Hindu God Siva in his role as the guardian of crematoria, is located in the heart of Chennai. It has been mentioned in Greek travelers’ accounts dating back over 2000 years.

The Meenakshi temple at Madurai is another of similar vintage. It witnesses a lot of interesting cultural events including the wedding celebrations of Siva and his divine consort Parvati.

Tamil Nadu Travel Guide

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The Brihadeeswara temple of Thanjavur built around 99AD is noteworthy for its 216-foot tall ‘shikharam’ or main tower, on top of which there is a 20 tonne granite dome. The rock that forms this dome was pushed up an 8 mile-long earthen ramp by elephants.

Tamilnadu also has picturesque hill stations like Ooty, Kodaikanal and Yercaud in the Nilgiris (Blue Mountains). One of the charms of visiting Ooty is the 109 year-old narrow gauge hill railway, which affords spectacular views of forests, meadows and tea gardens. The Mudumalai sanctuary, not far from Ooty, is a huge tract of dense forest, home to the elephant, the Indian bison or Gaur, the tiger and the Malabar Giant squirrel.

Maps of Tamil Nadu

District Map Rail Map Road Map Tourist Map

The Vedanthangal bird sanctuary is worthy of a visit in the winter months, when a large number of migratory birds from as far away as Siberia rest there. A good way to round off a trip to Tamilnadu would be to visit Cape Comorin or Kanyakumari, the tip of the Indian peninsula where the waters of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean meet.

All the major towns in Tamilnadu are accessible by rail and bus. It has one of the best road and transport networks in the country. Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore have airports. The services of guides are necessary only at the major temples. It is best to engage travel guides trained and licensed by the Archaeological Survey of India.