South India Temple Tour

Morning board the flight from Delhi to Chennai. Meet our representative at Chennai airport who would assist you at the airport and accompany you till the hotel. Checkin into the hotel & relax for a while.

Afternoon proceed for half day sightseeing of Chennai visiting Marina Beach, This 12 km long beach stretch is a mesmerizing juncture of sand and sea which provides breathtaking views of sunrise and sunset. Fort St. George, the first bastion of British power in India & built in the year 1640 AD by the British East India Company. Within the Fort we visit St. Mary's Church, built in the year 1680 & oldest Protestant Church in the East. Fort Museum has 10 galleries & displays armoury, old uniforms, crockery & silverware, coins, palanquins, paintings, letters, old prints, etc. Santhome Cathedral, built in 1504, is said to house the remains of St. Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have visited Madras (Chennai) sometime during 52 AD. National Art Gallery , established in the year 1857, it is undoubtedly one of the country's finest museums. It has sections devoted to geology, archaeology, anthropology, botany, zoology, sculpture & numismatics. Kapaleshwar Temple, located in Mylapore, the arresting architecture of the Kapaleshwar temple is of the Dravidian style. The temple is devoted to Lord Shiva.

Overnight stay at Chennai.

Morning drive towards Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram, one of the seven holy cities in the country. It was a city of learning for both Tamil & Sanskrit and was believed to be visited by Hsuan Tsang. In ancient times it was called Kachi. Once upon a time it had over 1,000 temples, but today there are around a hundred left. It is also known for its silk sarees. We visit Kailasanatha Temple, built in 8th Century AD. It is built in the typical Pallava style, with a pyramidal tower, a pillared hall & vestibule, enclosed by a wall. The temple is famous for exquisite carvings & attracts devotees & tourists alike. There are 58 small shrines situated around the main shrine, as a compound wall. Fresco style paintings adorn the inner walls of the temple. Next we visit Ekambaranatha, ancient temple is dedicated to lord Shiva. The 57 metres high Raj Gopuram is one of the tallest towers in South India. The 3000 year old mango tree inside the temple has 4 branches each yielding different variety of mangoes.

Later a drive to Mahabalipuram and check in the hotel. Rest of the day is free for leisure.

Overnight stay at Mahabalipuram.

Morning after breakfast proceed for a guided tour of Mahabalipuram, visiting Shore Temple, one of the oldest temples in South India. It belongs to the 7th Century AD & is a good example of the first phase of the structure of temples constructed in the Dravidian style. Designed to catch the first rays of the rising sun & to illuminate the waters after dark, the temple ended up with an unusual lay-out. Beach Temples - The most renowned tourist attractions of the town of Mahabalipuram are its beautiful beach temples. The five rathas (chariots) are architectural precursors of the temples of south Indian. The smallest and the simplest is the Draupadi ratha and the largest is the multi-storeyed Dharmaraja ratha scopped from a monolithic rock. These small unfinished shrines ravaged by war and weather are things of undiminished beauty. The Kailasanatha temple, Sri Varadaraja temple, Sri Vaikuntaperumal temple, etc are all amamzing instances of patience, skill and labour. Varaha Cave - The Varaha Cave is a small rock-cut mandapam (hall), that is a faceted and finished gem with four panels of the famous Pallava doorkeepers. Arjuna's Penance - Arjuna's Penance, perhaps the world's largest bas-relief, is an incredible work of art. According to the legend, King Bhagiratha had to bring down to earth the celestial Ganga to purify and redeem the cursed souls of his ancestors. But the torrential river would flood the earth, and so he had to undergo a penance to propitiate Shiva who finally received the flood in his matted locks and let it trickle down. The world's creatures gathered around to watch. The cleft in the rock depicts the descent of Ganga, a theory supported by the ruins of a stone water tank on the hill. Shore Temple - However, it is the Shore Temple that evokes the spell of Mahabalipuram. A three-in-one abode of god-a Vishnu temple sandwiched between two Shiva temples-it is a visual delight, its precincts abounding in architectural masterpieces.

Later in the afternoon drive towards Pondicherry.

Overnight stay in Pondicherry.

After breakfast proceed for full day excursion in and around Pondicherry, earlier known as Puducherry. Puducherry is situated on the eastern sea board of India. Although the French influence is gradually fading, it still retains a few Gallic accents. Visit Auroville City, Sri Aurobindo Ashram, Promedade beach, The Pondicherry Museum, Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Manakula Vinayagar Koil Temple.

Overnight stay in Pondicherry.

On the 5th day of your trip, after having the delicious breakfast you will be driving from Pondicherry to Tanjore.

En-route visit the Divine land of Chidambaram. Chidambaram is dedicated to Lord Nataraja – (Lord Shiva in the form of a Cosmic Dancer – known as Shiva tandava)). It is one of the few temples where Shiva and Vishnu are enshrined under one roof. This ancient temple was built by the Cholas. It is devoted solely to the art of Bharatanatyam and is one of the rare temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than the customary Lingam. Spread over an area of 40 acres with a gopuram on each side, the temple is distinguished by five sabhas or courts. Apart from this, the sacred land of Chidambaram, has many exquisite temples and attractions.

Later we drive to Tanjore, which is known as the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu. Checkin at the hotel and proceed for the sightseeing of the city of Tanjore also known as Thanjavur. See the beautiful Chola temple of Brihadeeshwara. The temple is capped by a monolithic cupola made of a single granite block weighing 80 tons which was taken to the top with the help of a 6 km long ramp- an old technique used by the Egyptians for building pyramids. You will also visit the Palace and its Art Gallery, which contains several granite and bronze statues of the Chola period. Relax in the evening. Overnight at hotel.

Overnight stay in Thanjavur.

After breakfast drive to Madurai. Enroute visit Trichy, Trichy, short name of Tiruchirappalli. Explore Trichy by visiting Srirangam - 5 kms from Trichy, located in an island of Srirangam. Surrounded by the Kaveri water is a 600 acre island town enclosed within the seven walls on the gigantic Sri Ranganathaswamy temple. There are no less than 22 gopurams, one of which is the tallest in India. The 72 m high 13 tiered Gopuram dominates the landscape for miles around. Also visit the Rock Fort: Tirchy's most famous landmark is 83 mt high rock which is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat inland of the city. The most amazing fact about the rock is that it is one of the oldest in the world. The sheer abruptness of its rise is an attention grabber. But the actual centre of attraction is not the fort itself, of which very little remains, but the temple at the summit.

After the sightseeing in Trichy continue your drive to Madurai. Upon arrival checkin into the hotel. Overnight stay in Madurai.

Morning after breakfast proceed to visit the famous Madurai Meenakshi temple, Also known as Meenakshi Amman Temple. It is an ancient and one amongst the most important temples of India. Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple is dedicated to Sundareswar (form of Lord Shiva) and Meenakshi (form of Goddess Parvati). The term "Sundareswar" suggests "the beautiful lord" and "Meenakshi" means "the fish-eyed goddess". As per the Hindu folklore, Madurai is the same city where Lord Sundareswar (Shiva) appeared to marry Goddess Meenakshi (Parvati). Meenakshi Temple is regarded as one of the most sacred places of Parvati, other being Kamakshi at Kanchipuram, Akilandeswari at Thiruvanaikaval and Vishalakshi at Varanasi. Beat some of the stone pillars in the complex with any hard object and feel incredible on hearing sweet metal sounds. The total number of pillars in the temple is a staggering one Thousand. Watch the eveningz Aarti at Meenakshi Temple - 'The highlight of the tour'.

Overnight stay in Madurai.

Morning drive to Rameshwaram, a city of swell and gentle sand dunes, embellished with the delicacy of casurina trees and stark palms. This is a sacred place for Hindus since according to Ramayana, this where Lord Rama worshipped God Shiva to absolve himself of the sin of killing. Later proceed for sightseeing of Rameshwaram – visit Ramanathaswamy Temple, Agnitheertham, Ramjharoka Temple, Dhanushkodi and Adam’s Bridge.

Overnight stay in Rameshwaram.

Today we proceed towards Kanyakumari, Kanyakumari, southernmost tip of the Indian mainland, is also referred as Cape Comorin. This beautiful town of Tamil Nadu is a great art and religious centre. This religious town is also geographically blessed. The meeting point of three major water bodies that are Arabian sea, Indian ocean and bay of Bengal makes it a special tourist destination.

Afternoon visit Visit Suchithram Temple, Devi Kanyakumari Temple, Vivekananda Rock, Gandhi Memorial and Triveni Sangam. Evening watch the most beautiful Sunset of Kanyakumari.

Overnight stay in Kanyakumari.

Morning drive to Trivandrum, Situated on the southwest Kerala coast, Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of lovely Kerala. The name Thiruvananthapuram literally translates to "the abode of the sacred serpent Anantha," and is suggestive of the religious significance of this bustling Kerala destination.

Thiruvananthapuram travel takes you to a wondrous world where tradition meets urbanization and natural beauty with perfect finesse. Thiruvananthapuram lies over seven hills that boast of exotic natural beauty, historic monuments and ancient shrines.

Later start sightseeing tour visiting the Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple, Napier Museum, Chitralayam Arts Gallery, Zoological gardens, Reptile house, Observatory and Kanakakunnu Palace. Return to hotel by early evening. Proceed for the sunset view against the sea - 'an unforgettable view.'

Overnight at Trivandrum.

Morning checkout from hotel and proceed for towards Trivandrum airport to board your flight for your onward journey. Tour Ends.