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SOUTHERN PANORAMA
09 NIGHTS / 10 DAYS
Basic Itinerary: Chennai – Mamallapuram (Kanchipuram) – (Auroville) – Pondicherry – (Chidambaram & Kumbakonam) – Thanjavur – (Trichy) – Madurai –Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary – Cochin
DAY 01: CHENNAI – MAMALLAPURAM 45 kms / 01 Hr.
AM: On arrival in Chennai, proceed with sightseeing tour of Fort St Georges and St Mary’s Church. PM: Leave by surface to Mamallapuram. On arrival, installation & Overnight at hotel.
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) – owes its origins as India’s fourth largest city to the colonial period. Established by Francis Day in 1639 the East India Company’s fort and trading post, known until 1996 as Madras, became the political and economic capital of British territory in South India. Clusters of earlier hamlets were incorporated into the growing city, which despite its rapid growth since Independence in 1947 has retained something of its distinctive character.
DAY 02: MAMALLAPURAM – Kanchipuram - MAMALLAPURAM
Full-day excursion to Kanchipuram (appx 65 km), and on the return, visit Mamallapuram. Overnight in hotel.
Kanchipuram – the temple town of Kanchipuram is one of the seven sacred cities of India. It is also called the ‘Golden City of Temples’. Of the original 1,000 temples, there are about 200 left. Once a proud capital of the Pallavas from the 6th to 8th centuries during which time the best temples were built, it later became the citadel of the Cholas, the Vijayanagar kings, the Muslims and the British. The remains of a few Buddhist ‘stupas’ here also bear testimony that Buddhism also prevailed here for a little while. It has been a centre of Tamil learning and culture for centuries and gives us a clear picture of the glorious Dravidian heritage of the Vaishnavites and Shaivites. Kanchipuram is also the home of the co-operative societies of silk industry.
Mamallapuram – offers a unique combination of a superb group of monuments and several fine beach resorts. This seaport was built by Mahendra Varman of the Pallava dynasty during the 17th century who has given to the world the unique monuments of sculptural panels, monolithic panels, structural architecture and cave temples. The monuments here are hewn out of solid rocks. The Pallava chisels here have breathed life into stones and emphasize the blending of mythological episodes, epic battles, demons, men and animals, creating a pleasing harmony. The most important of these architectural relics are the Five Rathas (chariots), the shore temple, Arjuna’s penance and the Mahishasuramardhini cave.
DAY 03: MAMALLAPURAM – Auroville – PONDICHERRY 145 km / 03 Hrs.
AM: Leave by surface to PONDICHERRY. En route visit Auroville. On arrival, installation in hotel. PM: Sightseeing tour of Aurobindo Ashram and churches. Overnight in hotel Anandha Inn.
Auroville – is the brainchild of The Mother, ‘an experiment in international living where people could live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, politics and nationalities’. Designed by French architect Roger Anger, its opening ceremony on 28 Feb 1968 was attended by the president of India and representatives of 121 countries, who poured the soil of their lands into an urn to symbolise universal oneness. The ‘Matrimandir’ here was designed to be the spiritual and physical centre of Auroville.
Pondicherry – (known in Tamil as Puducherry), the former French colony settled in the early 18th century, is a charming Indian town with few enduring pockets of French culture, and an ashram set beside the sea. Together with the other former French enclaves of Karaikal (Tamil Nadu), Mahe (Kerala) and Yanam (Andhra Pradesh), it now forms the Union Territory of Pondicherry. French was spoken and street names were in French. In 1954 it was voluntarily handed over to the Indian Govt. Pondicherry is believed to be the site of ancient Vedapuri where ‘Agastya muni’ (a sage) had his hermitage in 1500 BC. In the 1st century AD Romans traded from nearby Arikamedu.
DAY 04: PONDICHERRY–Chidambaram – Kumbakonam – THANJAVUR 168 km / 03 ½ Hrs
AM: Leave by surface to THANJAVUR. En route visit the temples at Chidambaram and Kumbakonam. On arrival, installation in hotel. PM: Sightseeing tour of the Brihadishwara temple & Fort. Overnight in hotel.
Chidambaram – ‘All my thoughts on the structure of the world and its movements find a clear exposition in the image of the Lord Nataraja’ – Einstein. The Lord in Chidambaram i.e. Nataraja is believed to have emerged from Sacred Space and performed his cosmic dance here. The presiding deity is the Siva Nateswara in his aspect as the cosmic dancer. Chidambaram is derived from the word ‘Chit Ambaram’, meaning the sky permeated by an atmosphere of intelligence and wisdom. One legend surrounding its construction suggests that it was built by ‘the golden coloured Emperor’, Hiranya Varna Chakravarti, who suffered from leprosy. He came to Chidambaram on a pilgrimage from Kashmir in about 500 AD. After bathing in the temple tank he was reputed to have recovered from the disease, and as a thanks-offering rebuilt and enlarged the temples.
Kumbakonam – named from the legend where Siva was said to have broken a ‘kumbh’ (water pot), that contained the ‘seeds of creation’ after it was brought here by a great flood; the water from the pot is reputed to have filled the Mahamakam Tank.
DAY 05: THANJAVUR – Tiruchirapalli – MADURAI 175 kms / 04 Hrs
AM: Leave by surface to Madurai, via sightseeing tour of Tiruchirapalli. Late PM: On arrival, installation in hotel. Overnight in hotel.
Tiruchirapalli – Trichy’s long history goes back to before the Christian era when it was a Chola citadel. During the 1st millennium AD, both the Pallavas and the Pandyas took power many times before the Cholas regained control in the 10th century. When the Chola empire finally decayed, Trichy came into the realm of the Vijayanagar emperors of Hampi until their defeat in 1565 AD by the forces of the Deccan sultans. The town and its most famous landmark, the Rock Fort Temple, were built by the Nayaks of Madurai. Later in the 18th century Trichy witnessed much of the British-French struggle for supremacy in India. Also, the superb Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple complex at Srirangam, about 3km north of the Rock Fort, is dedicated to Vishnu.
DAY 06: MADURAI
AM: Sightseeing tour of Sri Meenakshi temple, Tirumalai Nayak Palace and Gandhi Museum. PM: At leisure for independent activities. Late evening: Witness the ‘bed-chamber’ ceremony at the Sri Meenakshi Temple.
Overnight in hotel.
Madurai – is one of South India’s oldest cities, and has been a center of learning and pilgrimage for centuries. Its history relates to an era several centuries before Christ. The Pandyan kings ruled from here until the 14th century. The city was successively ruled by the Pandyans, the Cholas and again the Pandyans, until it fell into the hands of invading Muslims. After 70 years of Muslim rule, the Hindu kingdom was re-established by the Vijayanagar rulers. After the decline of Vijayanagar rulers, the Madurai Nayak dynasty (who were subordinates to Vijayanagar rulers) became the supreme masters of Madurai and added to its pomp and splendour. Madurai’s main attraction is the famous Sri Meenakshi Temple in the heart of the old town.
DAY 07: MADURAI – PERIYAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY 165 km / 03 ½ Hrs
AM: Leave by surface for PERIYAR. On arrival, installation in hotel. PM: Boat-cruise on Lake Periyar to watch wildlife. Overnight in hotel.
Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (Kerala) – is South India’s most popular wildlife sanctuary. It encompasses an area of 777 sq km, with a 26 sq km artificial lake, created by the British in 1895. It’s home to bison, antelopes, sambar, wild boar, monkeys, langur, a variety of birds, some 750 elephants and an estimated 35 tigers. Two hour boat trips on the lake are the usual way of touring the sanctuary.
DAY 08: PERIYAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY – COCHIN 180 km / 04 Hrs
AM: Leave by surface to Kottayam. PM: Undertake 3-n-half hours backwater boat-cruise to Alleppey.
Late PM: On arrival, proceed by surface to COCHIN. On arrival, installation in hotel. Overnight in hotel.
DAY 09: COCHIN
AM: Sightseeing tour of Fort Cochin (St Francis Church), Chinese Fishing Netts, Mattancherry Palace and Jewish Synagogue. PM: At leisure for independent activities. Evening: Witness the ‘kathakali’ dance-drama performance at the city theatre. Overnight in hotel.
DAY 10: COCHIN – To onward destination
AM: Departure to onward destination, by flight or by surface.
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