CHIDAMBARAM - KUMBAKONAM - THANJAVUR - MADURAI - KANYAKUMARI - RAMESWARAM - TRICHY - MAHABALIPURAM - KANCHIPURAM IN 9 DAYS (FROM CHENNAI)

About Thillai Nataraja Temple

History of Thillai Nataraja Temple

About Vaitheeswaran Koil Temple

History of Vaitheeswaran Koil Temple

At a distance of 2.5 km from Kumbakonam Railway Station, Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in the center of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. This temple is considered to be the 26th Paadal Petra Sthalam in the Chola kingdom that spread south of the River Cauvery, and among the must include places in Kumbakonam tour packages

Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, also known as Thirukudamooku, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It was built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century CE and was renovated by Govinda Dikshitar, the Chieftain of Achutha Nayakar of Thanjavur in the 16th century AD. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

According to mythology, when the world was facing destruction due to the devastating tsunami, Lord Brahma approached Lord Shiva to know from where he had to restart creation. Lord Shiva suggested that Brahma .....

At a distance of 2 km from Kumbakonam Railway Station, Ramaswamy Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located on the southeastern portion of the Porthamarai Kulam in Kumbakonam.

This temple is dedicated to Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Achutha Nayaka of Thanjavur constructed the temple during the 16th century CE. The temple was built in Dravidian architectural style. This temple consists of one Gopuram, one Maha Mandapam and Sanctum Sanctorum. The columns of Maha Mandapam are enriched with some of the famous stone carvings of Vamana Avatharam, Meenakshi Kalyanam and Sugreeva Pattabishekam. The outer Prakaram consists of 219 wall paintings, which explains the series of incidents from the great Epic Ramayana.

This temple, known as the southern Ayodhya, is unique as Rama and Sita are in a Pattabishekam posture-Coronation scene. Lakshmana stands next to Rama, holding a bow and arrows; they are flanked by Bharatha holding an Umbrella and Shatrughna holding a fan. This .....

At a distance of 2 km from Kumbakonam Railway Station and 500 m from Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Sarangapani Temple is a Hindu temple situated in Kumbakonam.

The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Sarangam means bow and pani means hand. The deity is having a bow in the hand. Also known as Tiru Kudanthai is the third of the 108 Divya Desams. The Sarangapani Temple is also one of the Pancha Ranga Khestras with the other four being Srirangapatnam, Srirangam, Appalarangam, Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple at Mayiladuthurai and Vatarangam at Sirkazhi.

The Sarangapani Temple existed during the Pallava period. However, the current structure is attributed to the period of Vikrama Chola (1121 AD onwards) and it was renovated in 16th century during the period of Nayaks.

Sarangapani Temple is the biggest Vishnu temple in Kumbakonam. It is of great religious significance and considered to be second only to the Srirangam Temple in Trichy. The temple boasts of 5 prakaras and a holy .....

At a distance of 1 km from Kumbakonam Railway Station, Mahamaham Tank is a huge temple tank located in the heart of Kumbakonam town in Tamil Nadu. It is considered to be the foremost and one of the largest temple tanks in Tamil Nadu, and among the must-visit Kumbakonam tourist places.

The tank covers an area of 6.2 acres and is trapezoidal in shape. The tank is surrounded by 16 small Mandapams (shrines) and has 21 wells inside the tank. Govinda Dikshitar, the chieftain of Ragunatha Nayak of Thanjavur, constructed the sixteen Mandapams and stone steps around this tank. Brahmatheerthesar, Mukunthar, Thalesar, Rishakesar, Umaipakesar, Nairuthesar, Brahmeesar, Gangatheerthesar, and Seshtra Paleesar, are the names of deities located in these Mandapams. It is one of the most prominent places to visit as part of Kumbakonam trip.

There are 21 wells .....

At a distance of 8 km from Kumbakonam, and 34 km from Thanjavur, Darasuram Airavathesvara Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located at Darasuram town near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Tamilnadu, and among the best places to visit as part of Kumbakonam tour.

Airavatesvara Temple in Darasuram is deicated to Lord Shiva. A UNESCO world heritage site, it is a part of the popular trio known as the Great Living Chola Temple along with Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur and the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Airavatesvara Temple was built by the Chola King Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE. It is amongst the eighteen medieval era Hindu temples in the Kumbakonam area. The shrine displays the Vaishnavism and Shaktism legs of Hinduism, and the traditional Nayanars- the Bhakti saints of Shaivism.

According .....

At a distance of 8 km from Kumbakonam, Patteeswaram is famous for the Sri Durga Shrine and a Shiva Temple called Sri Dhenupureeswarar or Thenupureeswarar Temple.

Dhenupureeswarar Temple is fairly a big temple and is dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. This temple has 5 tall gopurams and 3 prakarams. The sanctum sanctorum of the main deity Thenupureeswarar is located in the central mandapam of the first prakarams. There are shrines for Chandikeswarar, Natarajar and Sun god. To the north of the main sanctum sanctorum is the shrine for the female deity Sri Gnanambikai.

According to the legend, divine cow Kamadhenu's daughter Patti is said to have worshipped Lord Shiva here and hence this sthalam is called as Patteeswaram. Sage Viswamitra got the title of Brahma rishi at this Sthalam. Sri Rama is said to have worshipped Shiva at this sthalam to absolve himself of the Chaayadosham which he got by killing Vaali. Shiva is said to have blessed Sambandar by sending through his Shivaganas .....

About Brihadeeswarar Temple

History .....

At a distance of 2 km from Thanjavur Railway Station, and 1.5 km from Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur Palace is a wonderful historical structure in the town of Thanjavur. It is one of the famous Thanjavur tourist places.

Also known as Maratha Palace or Nayak Palace, it was the official residence of the Maratha rulers from 1674 to 1855. It was constructed partly by Thanjavur Nayaks around 1550 CE and expanded by the Marathas. The palace is noted for its huge halls, spacious corridors, observation and arsenal towers, and a shady courtyard. This palace is a must-visit place for history buffs to understand the history and lifestyle of its rulers as part of Thanjavur tour.

The entrance to the palace is a large quadrangular courtyard which is encircled by walls with big gateways to the north and the east. The courtyard leads to a many-pillared hall. .....

At a distance of 2 km from Thanjavur Junction Railway Station & 0.5 km from Old Bus Station, the Art Gallery is located within Thanjavur Palace. The gallery houses a treasured collection of bronze icons, stone sculptures and other artifacts, which today stand testimony to that golden age in Tamil history.

The gallery is situated in the second part of the palace behind bell tower. The galley consists of Stone sculptures arrange in a hall at the entrance and in the hall towards southern side of the complex near Manimandapam. The bronze sculptures inside the Nayak's Durbar Hall showcase excellent craftsmanship. Durbar Hall is an excellent structure with beautiful paintings & sculptures on upper part of the walls and the ceiling. The hall also houses a marble sculpture of Raja Serfoji, popular Maratha ruler.

The examples of art that we see today at this gallery are the finest. Most of the pieces belong to Chola period between the 9th and the 13th centuries AD, to the post-Chola .....

About Thiruvaiyaru

About Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple

At a distance of 3 km from Madurai Junction Railway Station and 1 km from Meenakshi Temple, Thirumalai Nayak Mahal is an ancient palace situated in Madurai. It is one of the popular places of heritage in Tamilnadu, and among the major Madurai tourist places.

Thirumalai Nayak Mahal was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style by Thirumalai Nayak in the year 1636. After Independence, this palace was declared as a national monument and to date continues to be one of the spectacular monuments of Southern India. It is one of the must include places in Madurai packages. The original palace complex was four times bigger than the present structure. The palace was designed by an Italian architect.

The main palace is divided into two parts, Swargavilasa and Rangavilasa and only the Swargavilasa is survived today. .....

At a distance of 1 km from Madurai Junction Railway Station & 1.5 km Meenakshi Temple, The Koodal Alagar Temple, also known as Arulmigu Koodalazhagar Thirukoil, is another important temple in Madurai and among prime sightseeing to be included in your Madurai Trip. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, this temple is believed to be older than the Meenakshi temple. It is one of the important places to visit in Madurai.

A unique feature of this temple is the three different postures of the same God. The three figures of Vishnu are in standing, sitting and reclining postures. These three figures of the deity are known by three different names. The most venerated of the three figures is Lord Vishnu in the seated posture. The seated Lord Vishnu is locally known as Lord Koodal Alagar from whom the temple derives its name. The reclining idol is known as Sri Ranganatha. Sri .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Kanyakumari Bus Station & 1.5 km from Kanyakumari Railway Station, Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a memorial located on a small island off Kanyakumari. It is one of the picturesque Kanyakumari places to visit.

Vivekananda Rock Memorial was built in 1970 in honor of Swami Vivekananda on one of the two adjacent rocks projecting out of the Lakshadweep Sea. This is the site where Vivekananda attained enlightenment. Below the statue was mentioned the year of death of Swamiji and the 'probable' dates when Swamiji attained Samadhi on the rock. Vivekananda's Rock also holds religious significance to the locals. It is believed that Goddess Devi Kumari blessed the rock while performing austerity.

The memorial consists of two main structures, the Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam. The Shripada Mandapam has a study hall and a museum, where you can explore Vivekananda's .....

At a distance of 1.5 kms from Kanyakumari Bus Station & 1.5 km from Kanyakumari Railway Station (situated on Vivekananda Rock), Thiruvalluvar Statue is dedicated to the greatest Tamil poet, philosopher and saint - Thiruvalluvar.

The pedestal of the statue is of 38 feet height and the statue over it is 95 feet tall with a grand total of 133 feet for the entire sculpture. The 3 tier pedestal known as Atharapeedam is surrounded by an artistic Mandapa with 38 feet height. To help the tourists to worship the holy feet of Thiruvalluvar 140 steps are constructed inside the Mandapa.

The view from this point is quite breathtaking! It is a very entertaining and enlightening piece of work and inspires one to lead a very principled and moral life.

Visting Hours are 8 AM To 4 PM. The ticket fare is 20/- for boat transfer.

Vivekananda Memorial is also located on the adjacent island.

At a distance of 1 km from Kanyakumari Bus Station & 1 km from Kanyakumari Railway Station, the Kumari Amman Temple is an ancient temple situated in Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu. It is one of the popular places of pilgrimage in Tamilnadu, and among the top places to visit in Kanyakumari.

The temple is dedicated to Devi Kanya Kumari, an adolescent girl child form of Goddess Parvati. The diety is also known as Shree Baala Bhadra or Shree Baala. Kanyakumari Temple is one of the 51 Shakti Peethams. It is believed that the right shoulder and (back) spine area of Sati's corpse fell here creating the presence of kundalini Sakthi in the region. Sage Parashurama is said to have performed the consecration of the temple. This is one of the prime places to visit as part of Kanyakumari tour packages.

The .....

At a distance of 1 km from Kanyakumari Bus Station & 1 km from Kanyakumari Railway Station (situated at the entrance of Beach Road), The Gandhi Memorial completed in 1956 is built in the memory of the Father of the Nation.

An urn of Mahatma Gandhi was kept here for public to pay homage before immersion. Mahatma Gandhi visited Kanyakumari twice in 1925 and 1937. In 1948 his ashes were immersed in the sea waters in Kanyakumari. In commemoration of this event a beautiful monument has been constructed here. It's central shape is 79 feet high representing the age of the Mahatma at that time. The sun at Mid day on 2nd October would fall on the peedam through a hole in the roof.

Visting Hours 7 AM To 7 PM, entrance is Free.

At a distance of 2 km from Rameshwaram Railway Station (just 100 meters away from east entrance of Rameshwaram Temple), Agnitheertham is said to be the place where Rama worshipped Lord Shiva to wash off his sins of killing Ravana. It is one of the prime place to visit on a Rameshwaram trip.

It is a sacred place and piligrims believe that taking a bath in Bay of Bengal at Agniteertham will washout one's sins of life time. It is visited by the followers of Lord Shiva as well as Vishnu, whose incarnation was lord Rama.

The sea here is very calm and ideal for bathing.

About Ramanatha Swamy Temple

At a distance of 18 km from Rameswaram, Dhanushkodi, Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the must-include places in Rameswaram heritage packages.

Dhanushkodi is located at the southern tip of Pamban Island, separated from the mainland by the Palk Strait, approximately 24 kilometers west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The town was entirely devastated by the Rameswaram cyclone in 1964 and has remained uninhabited since that disaster. The only remnant of the cyclone is the Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple. Following the storm, the Government declared the town as Ghost town and unfit for living. Although devoid of inhabitants, Dhanushkodi continues to attract tourists due to its significant historical and mythological associations.

The name Dhanushkodi translates to 'Tip of the Bow'. The location known as 'Arichal Munai' marks the convergence of the Indian .....

About Rock Fort Temple

About Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple

About Thiruvanaikoi l/ Jambukeshwar Temple

History of Thiruvanaikoil / Jambukeshwar Temple

At a distance of 2 km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, the Shore Temple is an ancient temple situated on the shore of Bay of Bengal in Mahabalipuram. It is one of the most photographed monuments of heritage in India, and among the must-visit Mahabalipuram tourist places.

Shore Temple was built in the 7tcentury CE by Pallavas during the reign of Narasimhavarman. It is one of the oldest temples in South India constructed in the Dravidian style and depicts the royal taste of the Pallava dynasty. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'. It is one of the must include places in Mahabalipuram trip.

Shore Temple is a structural temple built with blocks of granite. It is so named because it overlooks the Bay of Bengal. The Shore Temple .....

At a distance of 1 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station (situated in East Raja Street), the Sculpture Museum is famous for its elaborate collection of sculptures and images of god and goddesses of Hindu mythology. There are more than 3,000 sculptures can be found in this museum. All the sculptures bear the historic significance and the tales of the by-gone days. In the display of the museum there are sculptures made of wood, metal, brass and cement. There are creations of ancient artists to the contemporary ones.

Not only Hindu mythology but the Buddhists sculptures and images too, exist in the temple town. The monolithic statues, the Rathas (chariots), sculptured relief and their miniature can be seen in the museum.

Timings: 10 AM to 5 PM on all days

At a distance of 0.5 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station (on Mada Koil Street), Arjuna's Penance or Bhagiratha's Penace is the name of a massive open air bas-relief monolith dating from the 7th century CE. Measuring 96 feet long by 43 feet high, the bas-relief is also known as The Descent of Ganga. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

In one interpretation, a figure in the bas-relief who is standing on one leg is said to be Arjuna performing an austerity Tapas to receive a boon from Shiva as an aid in fighting the Mahabharata war.

The bas relief is situated on a rock with a cleft. Figures within the cleft are said to represent the River Ganges and Shiva. This provides the basis for an alternative interpretation, rather than Arjuna, the figure performing austerities is said to be Bhagiratha.

At a distance of 0.5 Kms around Mahabalipuram Bus Station, there are 14 rock-cut carves and Mandapams in and around Mamallapuram. Mythological scenes are depicted on these architectures. These caves have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

Following three are important Mandapams:

1) Krishna Mandapam - This is the biggest among the Mandapams and is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The sculptures inside this Mandapam beautifully picturize the myth of Lord Krishna during his brave and energetic adulthood.

2) Mahishasuramardhini Mandapam - The battle between goddess Durga and the buffalo headed demon, Mahishasura is beautifully inscribed.

3) Varaha Mandapam - the side walls have large sculptured panels depicting Vishnu as Varaha, the boar, holding up Bhudevi, the earth goddess.

At a distance of nearly 0.5 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, Ganesh Ratha Temple is located towards the north of the Arjuna's Penance. It is a temple carved out from a rock to resemble a chariot and is built in Dravidian style of temple architecture. It was once dedicated to Lord Shiva. But when the original lingam was removed, the temple came to be known as the temple of Lord Ganesh.

It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

At a distance of 0.5 Km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station (on Mada Koil Street), Krishna's Butter Ball is a huge boulder near the Ganesha Ratha. It rests precariously on a narrow rock base. Legend has it that several Pallava Kings attempted to move it, but all the kings and their elephants could not shift the boulder even by an inch.

At a distance of 1.5 Kms from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) - five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. It has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of 'Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram'.

An interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled - each of these is carved from one single large piece of stone.

The Pancha Rathas shrines were carved during the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son Narasimhavarman I. Each temple is a monolith, carved whole from a rock outcropping of pink granite.

At a distance of 2 km from Mahabalipuram Bus Station, the golden sandy Mamallapuram Beach is a serene beach situated near the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. It is identified as the one of the most pristine beaches in Tamilnadu, and among the must-visit places during your Mahabalipuram tour.

Lies on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, the Mahabalipuram Beach is a picturesque place bounded by the shimmering sea and rolling hills. The beach stretches for about 20 km and comprises some rock-cut sculptures which are pleasing to the eyes. It is a perfect place to relax and give yourself a break from the hustle-bustle of city life. This is one of the famous Mahabalipuram places to visit for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts as well.

This charming beach is one of the perfect places .....

About Kamakshi Amman Temple

History of Kamakshi .....

About Sri Ekambarnathar Temple

History of Sri Ekambarnathar Temple

About Kailasanathar Temple

History of Kailasanathar Temple

About Varadarajaswami Temple

History of Varadarajaswami .....

About Vaikunta Perumal Temple