Tamilnadu - Gateway to South India

Enjoying a long coastline with a large number of excellent beaches dotted along the shores of the Bay of Bengal is Tamilnadu. Tamilnadu is considered as the Gateway to South India. Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and the former French colony of Pondicherry are its neighbouring states. The river Kaveri sanctifies the land before forming a delta into the Bay of Bengal at Kaverpoopattinam (Poompuhar).

The proximity to the sea established the Tamil country on the maritime map of the world even before the dawn of the Christian era. The enterprising Tamils carried on a prosperous trade with Imperial Rome and with ancient Egypt and Greece. Along with the commercial activity, the fragrance of their ancient civilization and the Dravidian culture also spread to distant lands.

The four centuries of Chola rule, hailed as the age of grandeur in the history of South India, enriched the glory of Tamilnadu in several ways. Magnificient temples came up in multitudes, the most stupendous among them being the Brihadeeshwara temple at Tanjore. The Gopurams(towers), some of the finest examples of Dravidian art, raised the Gods storey upon storey, to accomplish by their sheer beauty, the heights of excellence. It is rightly said of the Cholas that they conceived like giants and finished like jewellers.

The Cholas also made a significant contribution to the art of bronzes. Nataraja, the dancing Shiva at Chidambaram is a classic example of the craftsmanship of the Chola carvers. The Pandyas of Madurai and the Pallavas of Kanchipuram have also made their contributions to the temple heritage of Tamilnadu. The Pandyas built Madurai as the epitome of South Indian temple cities. The Pallava cave temple at Mahabalipuram near Chennai is world-famous for its shore temples.

Tamil language and literature have greater antiquity than most of the Indian languages.The Sangam literature is considered as a landmark in the literary and cultural history of India.Thirukkural, Silappadhikaram and Manimekhalai are among the epic literature in Tamil.

The classical form of Music in South India is Carnatic Music was flowered through ages with Tamilnadu providing right background and patronage. The traditional dance form Bharathanatyam was also evolved in Tamilnadu. The Music Academy at Chennai and a number of cultural organizations in almost every district town offer a wide variety of performances for tourists.

Accommodation facilities are excellent in Tamilnadu. The transport network is very efficient and the food is comparatively inexpensive and good.

Tourist Places

There are many Places of tourist interest in the 30 districts of Tamilnadu, in addition to the magnificient temples, churches and mosques.