Southern Splendours

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11 Nights/ 12 Days

(Chennai-2 nights ~ Mahabalipuram-2 nights ~ Pondicherry-1 night ~ Tanjore-1 night ~Trichy-2 Nights ~ Madurai-3 nights ~ Chennai)

Trip Highlights

• Chennai City Tour including St.Mary's Church
• Visit to Mahabalipuram temples including Paandava Rathas
• Explore Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry
• Visit to World Heritage Site of Brihadeeswarar Temple in Tanjore
• Temple visit in Trichy including Ranganathaswami temple
• Marvel at the towering splendour of one of India’s oldest Hindu wonders, the Meenakshi Ammam Temple in Madurai
• Day's excursion to Rameshwaram

DAY 1: ARRIVE CHENNAI

WELCOME TO INDIA – One Nation, countless destinations. The mystique of India, its history of 5000 years, philosophy, religions, fabulous historical monuments and the vibrant commerce and industry of modern India, all add to its bewildering diversity to create a unique and colourful mosaic. Come, enjoy and experience this land of million dreams!!.  

Meeting, greeting and assistance on arrival. You will be met by our representative holding a placard with your name at the 'Meeting Point' outside the immigration and customs hall and transfer to HOTEL.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 2: CHENNAI

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning proceed for sightseeing tour of Chennai. The tour begins from the ‘St. Mary’s Church’, built in 1678 – 80, was the first English Church in Chennai.  The Saint Thomas Cathedral, built in 1504, and then re-built in neo - gothic style in 1893, this Roman Catholic Church is said to house the remains of St. Thomas the Apostle. 

Also visit the visit 13th century Kapaleeshwarar Temple, an ancient Shiva Temple, constructed in pure Dravidian style.  The Sri Parathasarathy Temple (from outside only – Foreigners are not allowed inside), dedicated to Lord Krishna, built in 8th century during the reign of the Pallavas. Other attractions include the National Art Gallery and Museum, which house some beautiful temple friezes, the bronze gallery, archeological section.  Drive past the High Court Building, Fort St. George and the famous film studios.

Come back to the hotel for overnight.

DAY 3: CHENNAI - MAHABALIPURAM

Breakfast at the hotel

After breakfast drive from Chennai to Mahabalipuram  (56 kms/1.5 hours). On arrival check-in at HOTEL

Later visit Mahabalipuram. An ancient coastal port, south of Chennai, world famous for its shore temple, Mahabalipuram was the second capital and sea port of the Pallava Kings of Kanchipuram, the first Tamil dynasty after the fall of the Gupta Empire.  The whole of Mahabalipuram is a fabulous open-air museum of sculptures in living rock, Monolithic shrines scooped out caverns magnificently sculpted within and the world’s biggest Bas relief in rock, are truly wondrous examples of the sculptor’s art. The famous temples of the Rathas , the Penance of Bhagirath, the Shore Temple and the eight Mandapams. (Shallow, rock cut halls) are also located at the beach.

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 4: MAHABALIPURAM – KANCHPURAM - MAHABALIPURAM

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning proceed for sightseeing tour of Kanchipuram (71 km/ 1 hour), the golden city of a thousand temples and one of the seven sacred cities of India.  Its many gopurams can be seen while approaching the city from a long way off.  Kanchipuram was successively the capital of the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Rayas of Vijaynagar.  During the 6th and 7th centuries, some of the best temples here, were built in by the Pallavas.  The city was also a great seat of learning and Sri Sankaracharya, Appan, Siruthonder and the great Buddhist Bhikku, Bodhidharma lived and worked here.  Today, it is known not only for its temples but also for its h and woven silk fabrics. Also visit the VaradarajaPerumal temple, Ekambareshwara temple and Kailasanatha temple. 

Overnight at the hotel.

DAY 5:   MAHABALIPURAM – PONDICHERRY

Breakfast at the hotel.

Drive from Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry (120 kms/2.5 hours).On arrival check-in at the hotel.

Afternoon visit - The most famous landmark is the Auroville Ashram.  Conceived as a tribute to Sri Aurobindo, Auroville is an entirely new concept in education and urban living.  The Aurobindo Ashram is known to the world as the “Centre of Integral Yoga” and was founded by Sri Aurobindo in 1926.

Later you will tour this amazing region of Pondicherry, a former French Colony. Also known as The French Riviera of the East, it mirrors the French influence through its architecture as the city’s plan was based on the French grid pattern. Some of the streets still retain their French names.

Overnight at the hotel

DAY 6:   PONDICHERRY- TANJORE

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning drive from Pondicherry to Tanjore (215 kms/4.5-5 hours) en route visiting Chidambaram; a traditional temple town where Lord Shiva is believed to have performed his cosmic dance, the tandavanritya. Later visit Gangaikondacholapuram to visit the ancient Shiva temple of Tamil Nadu, built in the Chola style. Later explore Kumbakonam, one of the most sacred cities in Tamil Nadu. Your next stop will be at Darasuram to visit the Airavatesvara Temple built in 1146.

After Darsuram continue drive to Tanjore.

On arrival check-in at the hotel

Overnight at the hotel

DAY7:    TANJORE - TRICHY

Breakfast at the hotel

Later proceed for a sightseeing tour of Tanjore where you will visit temples built during the 10th and 14th centuries.  These later became a part of the Vijaynagar Kingdom, which subsequently passed into the hands of the  Marathas and went to the British. The most famous landmark is the Brihadeshwara temple  World heritage monument built between 985 and 1012 AD by the Chola dynasty. This massive temple is 216 feet high and the single spherical stone on top weighs 80 tonnes.

Another main landmark in Thanjavur is the Royal Palace Complex, which is just a short walk from the Big Temple. Its ornate brightly colour-striped xterior is the showstopper here, with members of the royal family still living in some of its quarters. 

Afternoon drive approximately 55 kms, an hour and a half to Trichy, a town set on the banks of the mighty Cauvery River.

Overnight at the hotel

DAY8:    TRICHY

Breakfast at the hotel

After breakfast proceed for sightseeing tour of Trichy.

Visit the famous Rock Fort Temple

The huge rock which is more than one billion years old, encompassed with two temples deploying the rock cut architecture, the icon of the city Tiruchirapalli is the Rock Fort. This has been a mesmerizing tourist attraction which stands 83meters tall. The entire rock is a two storeyed arrangement. The first floor houses a Shiva Temple where the presiding deity is Lord Thayumanava Swamy.

Atop the rock, there is a beautifully constructed temple for Lord Ganesha. One can have the panoramic view of the city and the River Cauvery and the islet Srirangam from the top. The entire complex is under the preservation and maintenance of Archeological Department of India.

Later visit Sri Ranganathaswami temple, which has 49 separate shrines dedicated to Lord and boasts of having one of India’s largest temple complexes.

Afternoon at leisure

Overnight at hotel

DAY 9:   TRICHY –MADURAI VIA CHETTINAD

Breakfast at the hotel

After breakfast, drive to Madurai, which is approx 135 kms / 2.5 hrs journey enroute visit Chettinad, ancestral homeland of the Chettiars. Home to wealthy business tycoons who made their livelihood in Burma during the last century, the area is renowned for its mansions and rich, distinctive cuisine. See these extraordinary homes with their teak pillars and marble detailing.

Post lunch, continue to Madurai, where you check in to your hotel. In the evening, visit Meenakshi Temple to witness a Pooja ceremony, in which an idol of Shiva is carried in a colorful procession accompanied by musicians.

Overnight in Madurai

Overnight at hotel

DAY10: MADURAI

Breakfast at the hotel

This morning proceed for city tour of Madurai. Discover equal parts legend and history as you wander through this ancient Tamil capital. 

Tour starts with visit to the splendid Madurai’s great 17th-century Meenakshi Amman Temple. The largest temple complex in southern India and as significant to the region’s architectural legacy as the Taj Mahal is to northern India, this 15-acre complex, with its thousand-pillared hall and hundreds of gopurams (ornamental towers. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva. While the Goddess is known as Meenakshi in this part of the country, the Lord is known as Sundareswar.

Also visit the Thirumalai Nayak Palace, is a 17th-century palace erected in 1636 AD by King Tirumala Nayaka, a king of Madurai’s Nayaka dynasty who ruled Madurai from 1623–59. This Palace is a classic fusion of Dravadian ad Rajput styles. The building, which can be seen today, was the main Palace, in which the king lived. The original Palace Complex was four times bigger than the present structure. In its heyday, the palace was considered to be one of the wonders of the South.

Afternoon Spend time exploring the markets surrounding the Meenakshi temple

In the evening visit to ‘Tiruparankundram’ a temple dedicated to the Lord Muruga and is famous as one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya

Overnight in Madurai

DAY11: MADURAI-RAMESHWARAM-MADURAI

Breakfast at the hotel

After breakfast proceed for a day-trip to Rameshwaram for darshan at the Rameshwaram temple. A prominent Jyotirlinga of Lord Shiva. If history is to be believed the island and the temple got their names from the event when Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva to gain penance when he was coming from Lanka, after killing Ravana.

Evening return to Madurai

Stay overnight at the hotel

DAY12: MADURAI-CHENNAI

Breakfast at the hotel

Later transfer to the airport in time to board your flight to Chennai.

Met upon arrival in Chennai and transferred to your hotel.

Rest of the day free for shopping

Evening transfer to the international airport in time to board your flight for onward destination

END OF TOUR

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