An air-conditioned city, a garden city, the Silicon Valley of India, the
fastest developing city in the world, these are some of the attributes used
to describe this beautiful city which has a lot to offer you.
Chennai the gracious capital city of Tamil Nadu is the fourth largest metropolis
in India. Located on a 17km stretch of the Coramandel coast, the city is
trisected by the waterways of Cooum and Adyar and the Buckingham Canal.
Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, along with its twin city Secunderabad
has over 400 years of history. Hyderabad is a heady mixture of heritage,
traditionally hospitality and a thriving software revolution. A revolution
that has already attracted Microsoft to set its only overseas base here.
Surrounded by Majestic Hills and the plains bordered by colourful sea-shores,
fringed with coconut trees and paddy fields, here and there are few elevated
patches of red cliffs with undulating valleys and plains between the mountainous
terrain and the sea - coast, so closely interwoven with Temples and Churches
and other edifices lies the district, 'Kanyakumari'.
Madurai, probably over 2500 years old, is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu.
Its origin and name emerge from a misty and lovely legend. In a forest near
a lotus pond, Indra, King of Gods, Worshipped Lord Siva as a Swayambu Lingam.
Mysore is more than palaces, parks and temples … the exotic fragrance
of Mysore Jasmine… the melodious strains of the Veena… the rich
aroma of filter coffee… traditional carvings on fragrant sandalwood,
rosewood and ivory … the rustle of rich silks … delicious Nanjangud
bananas … Hot 'N' Spicy Bisi-bele-hulianna … mouthwatering Mysore
Pak, a traditional sweetmeat … It is a gourmet's delight and a Shopper's
paradise.
Ootacamund or Udhagamandalam, which stands 7,349 feet above sea level in
the Nilgiris, is known as the Queen of southern hill resorts of India. Ooty,
as it is popularly known, spreads over 36 square miles, and the temperature
ranges from 25 degree celsius in summers, to near freezing in winters.
Rameswaram, a small island in the Gulf of Mannar, is a major pilgrim centre
.It is connected to the mainland by road and rail bridges. Rameswaram is
holy, because Sri Rama, on his return from Sri Lanka, offered his thanks
to Lord Shiva and performed pooja to wash away his sins which he got by
killing Demon King, Ravana.
The abode of the 'Kaliyuga' deity Lord Venkateswara, popularly known as Balaji, Tirupati has for centuries remained a destination divine and this feeling grows on one as one goes round the various temples and spots of natural beauty surrounding this major town.
The land of the golden beaches was just over half a century ao a small fishing
village. One would be amazed at the manner in which this port city with
a natural harbour developed into one of the fastest growing cities in Asia.
The city was once the heartland of Telugu culture. The capital of the Kakatiya
rulers. Warangal today contains some of the best forms of architecute, especially
in temples.
Kanchipuram is known as one of India's Seven Sacred cities. Kanchipuram
was, one of India's seven sacred cities. Kanchipuram was the historical
capital of the Pallavas. It was under the Pallavas from 6th to 8th century
A.D and later became the citadel of Cholas, Vijayanagar Kings, the Muslim
and the British. It has been a centre of Tamil learning, cultural and religious
background for centuries.
Globally renown for its shore temples, Mahabalipuram was the second capital
of the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram. 58 kilometres from Madras on the Bay
of Bengal, this tiny sea - side village of Mahabalipuram, is set in a boulder
- strewn landscape. Tourists are drawn to this place by its miles of unspoiled
beach and rock-cut art. The sculpture, here, is particularly interesting
because it shows scenes of day-to- day life, in contrast with the rest of
the state of Tamil Nadu, where the carvings generally depict gods and goddesses.
Situated on the Coromandel coast, about 160 kms south of Chennai, lies the
Union Territory of Pondicherry. The French ruled this territory for 300
years, and today, it stands as a living monument of the French culture in
India. It is bound on the east by the Bay of Bengal and on the other three
sides by the South Arcot District of Tamil Nadu. About 150 kilometres south
of Pondicherry, on the east coast, lies Karaikal, while Mahe is situated
on the Malabar coast. Yanam is situated in the adjoining East Godavari district
of Andhra Pradesh.
Tiruchirappalli, situated on the banks of the river Cauvery is the fourth
largest city in Tamil Nadu. It was a citadel of the early Cholas which later
fell to the Pallavas. Trichy is a fine blend of tradition and modernity
built around the Rock Fort. Apart from the Fort, there are several Churches,
Colleges and Missions dating back to the 1760s. The town and its fort, now
in Trichy were built by the Nayaks of Madurai. This city has given great
Tamil scholars whose contributions to the Tamil literature have been very
significant.
Saint Vidyaranya established the seat of Vijayanagara empire in 1336 A.D,
with the help of his devotee disciples Hakka and Bukka. The empire later
became famous for its support towards renovation/reconstruction of temples
through out India. It also became renowned for re-establishment of Indian
culture, its support for music, art and literature.
Following the first war of Independence in 1857, the East India Company
was accused of mismanagement, and Bombay reverted to the British crown.
With the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, and the opening of
the Suez Canal in 1869, exports, specially cotton, from Bombay became a
major part of the colonial economy.
For a period of over one hundred years the district of Pune has been a bastion
of the all-powerful Maratha empire. Pune District is marked by numerous
awesome land and sea forts, a testimony to Raja Shivaji's daring exploits.
Later, Pune was handed over to the Peshwa family, whose Maratha power rose
to be a major political force. In 1818, Pune was taken over by the East
India Company.
Situated about 200 kms. from Mumbai, Nashik stands on the banks of the holy
river Godavari. It has a personality of its own due to its mythological,
historical, social and cultural importance. It is also the site for the
triennial Kumbh Mela, held every 12 years. It is known for best quality
Grapes. Temples and ghats on the banks of Godavari have made Nashik one
of the holiest places for Hindus all over the World.
