Grand Tamil Nadu Odyssey: 14 Days of Heritage, Spirituality & Scenic Beauty

Itinerary

DETAILED ITINERARY:

Day 1
Chennai Arrival

On arrival at Chennai International Airport, you will be met and transferred to Hotel. Check in at the Hotel. Standard check-in time- 1400hrs, early check-in subject to availability. Day at Leisure or free with chosen activities. Overnight stay in Hotel in Chennai.
Formerly known as Madras, Chennai is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu in the southern part of India. Located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal, Chennai is as dynamic as it is immersed in tradition. This ‘capital of the south’ is one among the four metropolitan siblings of India, having a rich cultural history that perfectly balances with its metropolis lifestyle.

Day 2
Chennai

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, proceed for a city tour of Chennai. Visit Fort St. George Museum & Church, National Art Gallery, Kapaleeswara Temple, Valluvar Kottam Temple, Vadapalani Sri Murugan temple, if time permits, Sri Parthasarathi Temple in Thiruvallikeni. Later, spend some time at Marina Beach. Overnight stay in Hotel in Chennai.

Day 3
Puducherry

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, check out & proceed to Puducherry, stopping at Mahabalipuram’s Shore Temple. Built during the 7th century, Shore Temple is one of the oldest South Indian temples constructed in the Dravidian style and depicts the royal taste of the Pallava dynasty. The work of the temple has been listed among the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Five Rathas (Chariots): The Five Rathas, also known as Panch Rathas, is an exemplary set of rock temples. They are excellent examples of the evolution of Dravidian-style architecture. The Rathas are associated with the great epic Mahabharata.

Arjuna’s Penance: The Arjuna’s Penance is an enormous rock-cut relief, one of the largest in the whole world. It is also known by the name ‘Descent of the Ganges’ because the structure depicts either or both of these two significant and symbolic events of Hindu mythology.

Later, continue your travel to Puducherry. Pondicherry or Pondy, officially known as Puducherry, is a Union Territory. This former French colony is a perfect amalgamation of traditional Indian sensibilities and French architecture, making it a dreamy escape that offers the best of both worlds.

On arrival, check in at the Hotel. Rest of the day at Leisure. Overnight stay in Hotel in Pondicherry.

Day 4
Puducherry

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, get ready to explore Puducherry.

Visit Arikamedu, an ancient Roman trade center, the ruins that carried the remnants of the Roman trade in India. Located at the mouth of the river Ariyankuppam, its name has been taken from the Tamil word- ‘Arikanmedu,’ which means ‘eroding mount.’ This port town was occupied by the people of Rome, Cholas, and French. It has been prevalent as a famous port town ever since the old Roman times.

Visit Auroville: conceived as the ‘Universal Town’: Auroville is one of those towns that appear to come to life right out of fiction. In the union territory of Pondicherry, this township runs on the principles of peace, harmony, sustainable living, and ‘divine consciousness,’ which were the philosophy of the Mother of Sri Aurobindo Society, Mira Alfassa. You may also visit Aurobindo Ashram to experience and achieve spiritual knowledge, which is named after its creator- Sri Aurobindo Ghosh. Visit Bharathi Park & Botanical Garden.

Later, spend the evening at Promenade Beach: Pondicherry Beach is a different kind of beach with less sand and more rocks. Overnight stay in Hotel at Puducherry.

Day 5
Thanjavur

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, check out from the hotel and proceed to Thanjavur, Tanjore, which is known as the city of temples. Thanjavur has a lot of cultural value and is known for its famous Tanjore paintings, antiques and handicrafts, textiles and saris, its Carnatic music and musical instruments, and, of course, the temples. Thanjavur enjoys a rich historical heritage and holds a very important position in the molding of ancient as well as modern South Indian civilization.

On arrival, complete the check-in formalities and spend the rest of the day leisurely. Overnight stay in Hotel at Thanjavur.

Day 6
Transfer to Trichy

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, a city tour of Tanjore. Visit Brahadeshwara Temple: The biggest attraction of Thanjavur, an architectural marvel built during the reign of the Great Chola emperor, Raja Chola. The shrine itself is a 216-foot structure. The sanctum is dotted with paintings from the Chola and Nayak periods. The statue of Nand, the Bull, welcomes at the entrance.

Also, visit Vijayanagar Fort & Royal Palace, a mixed bag of ruin and renovation, superb art, and random royal paraphernalia. Later, travel to Trichy (Tiruchirapalli). On Arrival, check-in at the Hotel for an overnight stay.

Day 7
Trichy

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, a sightseeing tour of Trichy, including the Rock Fort- a fort and temple complex erected on a rock, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple or Tiruvarangam – a temple dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Lord Vishnu and Jambukeshwara Temple- a dedicated to Lord Shiva, this temple is one of the Pancha Bhootha Lingas and a Jala (water) Linga. Later, return to the Hotel. Rest of the day at Leisure or free to visit Rockfort Uchchipillayar Temple on your own. Overnight stay in Hotel in Trichy.

Day 8
Trichy – Palani – Madurai

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, proceed to explore the Madurai Heritage Tour. En route, stop, if time permits, to visit Palani temple (Arupadai Veedu of lord Muruga). Continue your drive to Madurai. On Arrival, check in at the Hotel. Later, in the evening, visit the well-known temples and other attractions, including the Meenakshi Amman, Temple-located on the southern bank of river Vaigai, it is dedicated to Goddess Parvati, known as Meenakshi and her consort, Lord Shiva, known as Sundareswarar, Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam (Great Tank), and the Palace of Thirumalai Nayak- a classic fusion of Dravidian, Islamic styles, it was erected during the 17th century. Overnight stay in Hotel in Madurai.

Day 9
Madurai – Kanyakumari
Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, proceed to Kanyakumari. On Arrival, check in at the Hotel.

Later, visit Kumari Amman Temple, Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial, Thiruvalluvar Statue. Enjoy the sunset view in the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean. Evening at Leisure or free with chosen activities. Evening, return to the Hotel for an overnight stay in Kanyakumari.

Day 10
Kanyakumari – Tiruchendhur – Rameswaram

After breakfast, start your drive to have a holy dip in Rameswaram en route, stop at Arupadai Veed, and visit Tiruchendhur temple (Arupadai Veedu of lord Muruga). Continue your drive to Rameswaram. On Arrival, check in at the Hotel in Rameshwaram.

Rameswaram is a town on Pamban Island in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It’s known for Ramanathaswamy Temple, a Hindu pilgrimage site with ornate corridors, huge sculpted pillars, and sacred water tanks. In the evening, we visit Sri Ramanathaswami temple and have in the waters of Agni Theertham, off the beach east of the temple. A dip in 22 holy wells is for internal purification from one’s sin. Gandamadana Parvatham is a hill with island views. A chakra (wheel) here is said to bear an imprint of Lord Rama’s feet. Overnight stay in a hotel in Rameswaram.

Day 11
Rameswaram – Kumbakonam

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, proceed to Kumbakonam. On Arrival, visit Darasuram (UNESCO Heritage site) / Thingaloor “Chandran” Temple (Navagraha Temple), Swamimalai temple (Arupadai Veedu of lord Muruga), Alangudi “Guru” Temple (Navagraha Temple), Thirunageswaram “Raaghu” Temple (Navagraha Temple), Suriyanar Kovil “Sun” Temple (Navagraha Temple), Kanjanoor “Sukran” Temple (Navagraha Temple). Later, check in at the Hotel. Rest of the day at Leisure. Overnight stay in Hotel in Kumbakonam.

Day 12
Kumbakonam – Chidambaram – Tiruvannamalai

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, proceed to Tiruvannamalai, en-route visit to Chidambaram. Chidambaram is very popular as the place that is home to one of the most ancient temples, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Also known as Thillai, this town was formerly a part of the forest area of the region. Chidambaram is a well-known religious site. The architectural beauties sprinkled all around the landscape of the town. The most important Nataraja Temple, dedicated to Lord Natraj, the dancing form of Lord Shiva, was renovated by the Pallava and the Chola rulers. It is believed that Aragalur Udaya Iraratevan Ponparappinan was the one who brought major modifications to the temple in 1213 AD. The idol of the Lord placed in the temple is an extremely beautiful one. Later, if time permits, visit Thillai Kali Amman Temple and Tarangambadi, the erstwhile Danish settlement of Tarangamadi, which is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the region but is in a dilapidated state now. Constructed way back during the 17th century, probably in 1620 AD, this fort has been home to some Dutch officials of the top rank.
Continue your drive to Tiruvannamalai. On Arrival, check in at the Hotel. Evening at Leisure. Overnight stay in Hotel in Tiruvannamalai.

Day 13:
Tiruvannamalai – Kanchipuram – Chennai

Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, proceed to Chennai, en-route stop at Arupadai Veedu and Tiruttani temple (Arupadai Veedu of lord Muruga). Continue your drive to Kanchipuram.

Kanchipuram, the city, holds great religious importance and is revered as the ‘golden city of thousands of temples’ and is well known for its intricate designs and traditional architecture. Some of the important holy shrines in Kanchipuram are Kailasanathar temple (with Dravidian styles of construction), Ekambaranatha temple (biggest temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva), Vaikunda Perumal temple (Lord Vishnu as the main deity), Kanchi Kamakshi temple (worship of Goddess Parvati) and Devrajaswami temple (with a notable marriage hall, the temple is established in the memory of Lord Vishnu and his companion Devi Laxmi). Later, drive to Chennai. On Arrival, check in at the Hotel. Rest of the day at Leisure. Overnight stay in Hotel in Chennai.

Day 14
Departure from Chennai
Breakfast is taken at the Hotel. Later, transfer to Chennai International Airport to connect your flight, as per your flight schedule, back home!
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