Destination:
Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mamallapooram - Tiruvannamalai
- Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore - Trichy - Madurai
- Trivandrum
Duration:
11 Nights / 12 Days
DAY 1:
ARRIVE CHENNAI
Met and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy a sightseeing
tour in the afternoon. Overnight at the hotel.
DAY 2:
CHENNAI - TIRUPATI - CHENNAI
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.
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.
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. 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.
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.
Day 8:
Trichy/Madurai(133kms/3.5hrs)
After 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.
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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