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Religious South India Tour
Duration :
11 Nights / 12 Days
Places to Visit :
Chennai - Kanchipuram -
Mamallapooram - Tiruvannamalai - Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore
- Trichy - Madurai - Trivandrum
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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 overnite 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 overnite stay. |
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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
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. Dinner
and overnite at hotel.
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Day 4: Mamallapooram/Tiruvannamalai/Pondicherry
After breakfast drive to Tiruvannamallai(112kms/03hrs)- a
pilgrim centre with an ancient templ e
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. Checkin ,dinner and overnite at
hotel.
Day 5: Pondicherry
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. Dinner
and overnite at hotel.
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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. Natraja 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 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.Checkin, dinner and overnite 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. Checkin 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
overnite at hotel.
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Day 8: Trichy/Madurai(133kms/3.5hrs)
Afte r
breakfast proceed to Madurai and checkin 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
overnite 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 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. Lunch at local restaurant.
Return to Madurai for dinner and overnite stay at hotel.
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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 proceed 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
- 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. Lunch at local
restaurant. Evening enjoy the beautiful sun set and later return
to Trivandrum. Dinner and overnite at hotel.
Day 12: Tivandrum/ Back
Home
After breakfast transfer to airport to connect flight for onward
journey. End of our services.
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