 The southern state of Tamil Nadu is the most 'Indian' part of India. The
Aryans never brought their meat-eating influence to the extreme south, so this
is the true home of Indian Vegetarianism. Hindu architecture here is at its most
vigorous.
Tamil Nadu is the home of Dravidian art and culture, characterised best by
the amazingly ornate temples with their soaring towers known as
gopurams. Tamil Nadu offers the traveller excellent value,
particularly in accommodation. Hotel prices are generally lower than they are
further north and standards are often higher.
Tamil Nadu is a state of
unending beaches exquisite craftsmanship, strong culture and enduring tradition.
The waters of the Bay of Bengal kiss the eastern shores. The tip of the
peninsula touches the confluence of the three water bodies ---The Arabian Sea,
The Bay of Bengal and The Indian Ocean. The bordering states are Karnataka,
Kerala and Andhra Pradesh. This shows the influence of the various dynasties
that ruled over the state through the passage of time. The Pallavas, the Cholas,
the Portuguese, the British, the Dutch and the French have left their stamp on
the monuments scattered in the different parts of the state. "Tamil Nadu" is a
Dravidan name that was given to the state after independence. Tamil Nadu is the
home of Dravidian art and culture, characteriese best by the amazingly ornate
temples with their sariung towers known as gopurams.
The land of
majestic, ornate temples, vast beaches and courteous people, its capital city is
Chennai. A trip through Tamil Nadu is very much a temple hop between such places
as kanchipuram, Tiruchirappalli, Thanjavur, Madurai, Kanyakumari and Rameswara.
There are also earlier temples in Tamil Nadu, most notably the ancient shrines
of mahabalipura. Sometime in the future, a special tourist train service similar
in concept ot Rajasthan's Palace on Wheels is planned to operate between many of
these temple towns. In addition, Tamil nadu has an important group of wildlife
reserves, some fine beaches and a number of opleasant hill stations, includint
the well-knowmn Udhagamandalam.
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