South India Religious
Tour
Duration: 11 Nights /
12 Days
Places Covered: Chennai - Kanchipuram -
Mamallapooram - Tiruvannamalai - Pondicherry - Chidambaram - Tanjore
- Trichy - Madurai - Trivandrum
Day 1: Chennai
Arrive Chennai - the gateway to southern India, established in 1639
by the East India Company, is one of the oldest cities of the
country. Assistance and transfer to hotel.
After lunch at hotel, half day sightseeing tour, visiting Gandhi
Memorial, Kala Kshetra, Mylapore temple and Marine beach. Dinner and
overnite at hotel.
Day 2: Chennai (Excursion - Tirupathi,154kms/3.5hours)
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: Trivandrum/ Back Home
After breakfast transfer to airport to connect flight for onward
journey. End of our services.
