Duration: 14Days
/13Nights
Places Covered:Chennai
- Mahabalipuram - Mahabalipuram - Auroville -
Pondicherry - Chidambaram -Thanjavur - Madurai
- Kanyakumari - Kovalam - Trivandrum
Day 01: Arrive Chennai
You arrive in Chennai by international flight. Chennai, home to ancient Dravidian civilization, hardly touched by the invasions from the North, which is often claimed to be the "pure" India. After a traditional 'Swagat' (Welcome) our representative would assist you at the airport and to our hotel for check in and overnight stay.
Day 02: Chennai S/S - Mahabalipuram (65 km/ 1 hr)
Today morning post breakfast we leave for half day sightseeing to Chennai city, touching Fort St. George, San Thome Cathedral and the museums that contain the world's most complete and impressive selection of Chola bronzes and stone sculptures from South India and the Deccan and drive to Mahabalipuram.
Arrive and check in at hotel.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 03: Mahabalipuram
Full day excursion to Kanchipuram (65 km/ 1 hrs - one
way)
After breakfast, Kanchipuram "The Golden City" has about 125 shrines, all of them centuries old, dating back to the early Cholas of 200 B.C. It was successively capital of the Cholas, the Pallavas and the Rayas of Vijayanagara. The height of Kanchi's glory was when it was capital of the far-flung empire of the Pallavas from the 6th to the 8th centuries when Mahabalipuram and Mylapore were its great ports. All that is left are its magnificent temples. Kanchipuram's other claim to fame is its silk, renowned for more than four centuries. A unique system of weavers makes and sells Kanchi saris which are the richest saris in India and certainly the most sought after..
Later drive back to Mahabalipuram.
Evening at leisure
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 04: Mahabalipuram
Half-day excursion to Mahabalipuram
After breakfast, we drive at 1000 hrs for a half-day sightseeing of Mahabalipuram. We cover the Shore Temple: Ravaged by natural forces of sea and wind the Shore Temple is the remaining masterpiece of Pallavas architecture next we visit to Five Rathas: The Five Rathas are sculptured temples carved from solid rock in the shape of Chariots (Rathas). They lie about 200 m south of the main hill and were fashioned out of a smaller hill sloping down from the south and finally visit to Arjuna's Penance - This bas-relief, hailed as one of the major glories of Indian art, is a huge rock canvas with chisel-sketches of the denizens of the triple world of Gods & demi-gods, of humans, birds and animals and of Nagas & nymphs - all fitting harmoniously into the theme of the penance of Arjuna. Evening at leisure
Overnight stay at hotel
Day 05: Mahabalipuram - Auroville - Pondicherry (100 km / 2 hrs)
Morning post breakfast, we drive at 0900 hrs to Auroville, just over the border from Pondicherry in Tamilnadu is the community of Auroville, whose international residents aim to develop a harmonious environment through the implementation of socially useful projects, upon arrival visit to Matrimandir was designed to be the spiritual and physical centre of Auroville. The mediation chamber is lined with white marble and houses a solid crystal (Reputedly the largest in the world) 70 CM in diameter and manufactured by the Zeiss Company in Germany. (The temple is open between 1530-1630 hrs). Next we drive to Pondicherry, the land of Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the serene world of distinct spiritual vibration and thus renowned as Sacred Land.
Upon arrival check-in hotel.
Evening at leisure and
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 06: Pondicherry -Chidambaram -Thanjavur (250 km/ 6 hrs)
After breakfast, we drive at 0800 hrs to Chidambaram; Chidambaram Temple is one of the most ancient and most celebrated shrines in India located in Cuddalore district of Tamilnadu. It is of great religious as well as historic and cultural significance. Chidambaram is associated with Lord Nataraja or Shiva in his "Ananda Tandava" pose (the Cosmic Dance of Bliss) in the cosmic golden hall and the hall of Consciousness ('Chit Sabha'). Further proceed to Thanjavur, upon arrival assistance and check-in hotel.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 07: Thanjavur - Trichy - Madurai (200 km/ 4 hrs)
After breakfast, we drive at 0800 hrs to visit Brihadeshwara temple, also known as the 'Big Temple', built by the Chola emperor Raja Raja I (985-1013 AD). It was the ancient capital of Chola kings. This is the Chola dynasties finest contribution to Dravidian art. This massive temple is 216 feet high topped by a huge monolithic cupola weighing over 80 tones. The architectural wonder of this temple is that the shadow of its cupola never falls on the ground. After that we visit Thanjavur Palace and Museum. In the afternoon at 1300 hrs we drive to Trichy covering Srirangam Temple & Rockfort, Trichy's most famous landmark, which has a Temple, perched on the outcrop of Rock. Srirangam is an ancient and most sacred temple of Vaishnavites and is situated in an island formed by river Cauvery and its tributary Kollidam. The giant 13-storied gopuram (gateway tower) of the temple is seen from several miles away. This huge temple complex, which has 21 gopurams and numerous other interesting religious structures, was built by Pallava, Chola, Pandya and other rulers. Next we drive to Madurai for overnight stay in hotel.
Day 08: Madurai
Madurai also called the "city of nectar" and check-in the hotel. It is one of the oldest cities of India with a history dating back to 6th century B.C. and has been a centre of learning and pilgrimage for centuries. This sacred city attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors from India as well as abroad. Later in the afternoon at 1500 hrs we visit Meenakshi Sundareshwar temple, one of the largest temple complexes in India built between the 16th and 18th centuries by Pandyan rulers. This 'living' temple is an example of Dravidian architecture with gopurams covered from top to bottom in a breathtaking profusion of multicolored images of gods, goddesses, animals, mythical figures etc. There are two shrines, one dedicated to Sundereshwarar (Shiva) and the other to his consort Meenakshi (Parvati). The Hall of 1000 Pillars is the most striking feature in the temple, which was built in 16th century. Apart from the estimated 33 million sculptures there, the temple is absolutely absorbing with the endless rounds of ceremonies, prostration of countless devotees and glittering market stalls. Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 09: Madurai - Kanyakumari (225 km/ 5 hrs)
Morning post breakfast we leave for Kanyakumari, the Southern most point of Indian mainland territory, at the confluence of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. Visits to Vivekananda Rock Memorial and the Temple of Virgin Goddesses await us here. And for the die-hard romantics, this place here, on a full moon evening, offers one of the best sunsets and moon rising simultaneously. Evening at leisure and stay overnight at hotel.
Day 10: Kanyakumari - Kovalam (100 km/ 2 hrs)
Next we head for Kovalam, South of Trivandrum, one of India's best beaches and famous for water sports in Southern India. The day's invested in exploring the unbounded beauty of this place. Overnight stay.
Day 11: Kovalam
Day at leisure to enjoy this splendid beach.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 12: Kovalam - Excursion to Trivandrum
Today we leave for an excursion to Trivandrum, located on the Southwestern tip of India. Famous for its long shorelines with glorious beaches, historic monuments, backwater stretches and a rich cultural heritage, Trivandrum undoubtedly makes an ever-popular destination. We spend half a day here covering Padmanabha Swamy Temple, Shri Chitra Art Gallery and the Museum. Later we drive back to Trivandrum.
Overnight stay.
Day 13: Kovalam
Day at leisure in Kovalam.
Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 14: Kovalam - Trivandrum Depart
Tour concludes. Dpauls Travels thanks you for your patronage and ensures a punctual transfer to the Airport for your onward travel
Heritage
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