Tamil Nadu is bound by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the north and &&&&&&&&Kerala&&&&&&&& in the west. The waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean lap the coastal eastern and southern boundaries respectively. The Point Calimere and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries define the eastern and western tips of the state while on the northern extreme is Pulicat Lake and the southernmost tip is Cape Camorin or Kanniyakumari - the Land's End of India.

With an area of 130,058 sq km and population over 55 million, Tamil Nadu is the 11th largest state in India. The Union Territory of Pondicherry is a small enclave in the district of South Arcot.

Traditionally, the land of Tamils has been divided into 5 major physiographic divisions - the Kurinji or mountainous region, the Mullai or forest region, the Palai or arid region, the Marudham or the fertile plains and the Neidhal or coastal region.

History

The history of the Tamils present an exciting pageant of a powerful civilization whose origin dates back to ancient times. It is clear that the Tamils, who belong to the Dravidian race, were the first major occupants of the country and settled in the northwestern part of India long before the coming of the Indo-Aryans. Excavations have revealed that the features of the people of the Indus Valley Civilization bore a strong resemblance to this race.

However, with the advent of the Aryans, the Dravidians were pushed back into the deep south where they ultimately settled.

The Tamil Sangam, which marks the Golden Age of Tamil literature, is the one major source of knowledge about the administration, art, architecture and economic conditions that existed then.It is not very clear to pinpoint the exact period when the great Tamil Sangam (Academy) flourished, though it can be said with some certainty that two Sangams were held well before the Christian era and the third between 100 and 250 AD. Among some of the greatest compositions of the four centuries of Sangam age are Tiruvalluvar's Thirukkural which consists of 1330 couplets about morality in private and public life combined with some of life's greatest truths, compositions of the saint-poetess Avviayar, Pathupatu or ten Idylls which is a compilation of the work of several authors on philosophy, intermingled with descriptions of the natural world and Ettuthogai or the eight anthologies. Of these, the last is historically the most important as it contains a description of the daily life of the people. This collection of poems is the earliest record of its kind as far as the history of the Tamils is concerned.

Even after the end of the Sangam age, Tamil writers, under the patronage of Royal Dynasties, continued to produce excellent literature like the two Tamil epics Silapathikaram written between 200 - 300 AD by Ilango Adigal, the son of a Chera King, and Manimekalai by Sattanar also written between the 2nd and 3rd century AD. Both contain vivid descriptions of life during their times. Over the ages, the south was to see other great poets like the Nayanars and the Alwars and, later, the poet Kamban who composed the Tamil version of Ramayana.

The Pallavas ruled between the 6th and 8th century AD over a large portion of Tamil Nadu with Kanchipuram as their base. Their reign was marked by battles with the Chalukyas of the north and the Pandyas of the south. Among the greatest Pallava rulers were Mahendravarman-l and his son Narasimhavarman. Among the famous temples built by the Pallavas are the temples of Kanchipuram, the Kapaliswarar and Parthasarathy temples at Chennai, and last but not the least, the magnificent poetry in rock and stone at Mamallapuram. The Chinese traveller Huan Tsu Ang has described Kanchi extensively. 

Chennai

Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu is the fourth largest metropolis in India. Located on a 17 km stretch of the Coramandel coast, the city is trisected by the waterways of Cooum and Adyar and the Buckingham Canal. With a population of 6 million people, Chennai is a vibrant city ever growing, expanding and changing every year.

Popularly regarded as the "Gateway to the South", Chennai presents a culture that is distinctly different from that of northern India. Music, dance and all other art forms of the South are cherished and nurtured in this city, which, though industrialized, continues to be traditional and conventional in many ways.

Chennai is a gracious city that has a clear skyline, long sandy beaches, parks, historic landmarks and tourist infrastructure facilities which make it a convenient entry point or base to start your tour of Tamil Nadu and South India. As far as religion is concerned, history has certainly left its mark on this city, which is believed to have been the place of St. Thomas, in the outskirt of the city. There are a number of churches in Chennai that are connected with the life and times of this apostle. There are also several ancient temples around Chennai, and, within the city itself are two magnificent temples - a temple in Triplicane and another in Mylapore.  

Access

Chennai has an international airport connected by several international airlines while the domestic traffic is handled by Indian Airlines. There are regular flights to several cities around the world from the International Terminal. There are also daily flights to all important centres in India from the Domestic Terminal. There are two major railway stations in Chennai. Chennai Central is the bigger one and connects the city by broad gauge as also broad gauge trains to all major cities and towns of India. The Egmore station is the starting point for both meter gauge and broad gauge trains proceeding to destinations within the state as well as trains to neighbouring Kerala. Chennai is also accessible by road from any part of India.

Air: Kamaraj National and Anna International Airports are situated at Meenambakkam about 20 kms. from city. Can also be reached by suburban train services.

Rail: Chennai is connected by &&&&&&&&rail&&&&&&&& with all major towns and cities in India. Main Railway Stations: Central and Egmore. Central linking north and west and Egmore south.

Road: Chennai is connected by good network of roads with all important places in Tamil Nadu and other parts of India. You may rent a car with private cab owners. Pre-paid taxis and airport coaches are available at airports.

Kanchipuram

Ancient Kanchipuram, the city of thousand temples, is one of the seven most sacred pilgrim centres for the Hindus. There now remain about 126 temples in Kanchi and a few more in its outskirts. The city was the capital of the Early Cholas as far back as the 2nd century BC and a Pallava capital between the 6th and 8th centuries.

Given its illustrious past, it is not surprising that Kanchi was a major seat of Tamil learning as well as an important place of pilgrimage for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus. Today, apart from its temples, this small town is also known for its thriving handloom industry. The silk weavers of Kanchi settled more than 400 years ago and have given it an enviable reputation as the producer of the best silk sarees in the country. Woven from pure mulberry silk, the sarees in dazzling colours are embellished with fine gold thread (zari) and are available in every imaginable design and variety, which can make the job of selection quite challenging.

Temple festivals are held throughout the year and apart from the temple car (ratha) festivals, which are held in January, April and May, there are other days when the idols in the temples are taken out in procession on their respective vahanas or vehicles.

Madurai

Known as the Athens of the East, Madurai, the second largest city in Tamil Nadu is situated on the banks of the river Vaigai. An ancient city, more than 2,500 years old, Madurai is believed to having been built by the Pandyan King Kulasekara in the 6th century BC.

The city is said to have got its name from the drops of nectar (Mathuram) that fell from Shiva's locks when he came to bless its people for constructing a temple for him. Originally named Madhurapuri or the 'land of nectar', the name later got modified to Madurai. From such legendary beginnings, the actual history of Madurai emerges sometime during the 3rd century BC when it was the prosperous Pandyas' then capital which had trading contacts with Greece and Rome.

Apart from a brief period when it fell to the Cholas, Madurai remained with the Pandyas until the decline of the empire. The next major rulers of Madurai were the Vijayanagara kings who won over the territory in 1371. They appointed the Nayaks as governors who, in time, became powerful in their own right. The 200 - year old reign of the Nayaks marks the golden period of Madurai when art, architecture and learning, scaled new heights. In fact, the most beautiful buildings in the city including its most famous landmark, the Meenakshi temple, are Nayak contributions.

But unlike the other temple cities of Tamil Nadu whose fame relies heavily on the fabulous contributions of great empires, Madurai, though undoubtedly known first and foremost for the Meenakshi temple, is very much modern and progressive city.

Thanjavur

Scenically one of the most enchanting districts in the state- Thanjavur lies to the east of Trichy and has the reputation as the Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu. It is not surprising that the great Cholas chose Thanjavur as the location of some of their most magnificent creations, since this now small city once occupied the proud position as their capital and most treasured territory. Though the history of Thanjavur is far older than the Chola period itself, it is during their reign between the 10th and 14th centuries that the city rose to dizzying heights, becoming the centre of Tamil learning and culture. The Tamil University, set up recently is situated here and is devoted to the growth of Tamil literature and language. Today, what reminds of its glorious legacy are the temples of the Cholas, not less than 74 of which are around Thanjavur itself.

One of the best temples in South India, the Brahadeeshwarar temple or the Big Temple built by the greatest Chola emperor Raja Raja Chola, is that dynasty's finest contribution to Dravidan temple architecture. What makes the construction so unique is the diversion from the usual temple building norms of having a tall gopuram (gateway) and a smaller vimanam (the tower over the sanctum). At the Big temple the vimanam soars high while the gopuram remains stunted. The 64.8 mtr tall, 14 tiered pyramid shaped vimanam rises from a square base and is topped by huge monolithic cupolas carved out from an 81.3 tonne block of granite that was installed with the aid of a 6km long inclined plane. The tower is a testimony to the engineering skills of the Chola architects who planned its construction in such a way that the shadow of the cupola never falls on the ground.

In keeping with the physical stature of the temple is the gigantic Mahalingam (A symbol of Lord Shiva) in the shrine and the massive Nandi (Lord Shiva's Bull) at the portals. Measuring 6m in length, 2.6m in breath and 3.7m in height, it is the second largest monolithic Nandi in the country.

Not far from the temple is the Palace, which was built by the Nayakas and renovated by the Marathas. It dates back to the 1550s and houses an art gallery, a library and a hall of music.

The Raja Chola Art Gallery has some fine pieces of stone and bronze sculptures from the 9th and 12th centuries. Over 30,000 Indian and European manuscripts written on palm leaf and paper are preserved in the Saraswathi Mahal Library. The Sangeetha Mahal is an acoustically perfect musical hall that testifies to the skill of its boundaries. East of the palace is the Schwartz Church which was built in 1779 by Raja Serfoji in honour of Revered Schwartz of Denmark.

Chidambaram

Chidambaram is also known as Thillai, since the place was originally a forest of Thillai(Excecaria agallecha) shrubs. It is an important pilgrim centre and a holy place for Saivaites as the famous Nataraja Temple is located here. Dedicated to Lord Nataraja, this ancient temple of the Cholas is unique not only due to the fact that it is devoted solely to the art of Bharatanatyam, but also it is one of the rare temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than the customary Lingam. Spread over an area of 40 acres with a gopuram on each side, the temple is distinguished by five sabhas or courts.

The idol of Nataraja is installed in the Kanaka Sabha, the roof of which is covered with gold Plates. The icon is a stunning piece of sculpture that evokes a sense of continuous movement. Though non-Hindus are not allowed inside the sanctum sanctorum, replicas of this idol are easily available in most handicraft emporia and shops selling art and curio objects.

A shrine to Govindaraja or Lord Vishnu lies adjacent to the main shrine and has a beautiful idol of the lord reclining on Adisesha, the serpent. There are two other shrines, one dedicated to Subramanya and the other to Ganesha. In the courtyard, a large Nandi looks on devotedly at its lord and master through an aperture on the wall.

OOTY

Called the 'Queen of Hill Stations' picturesque, the green Udhagamandalam, better known as Ooty is the most popular hill station in the South. Located in the Western ghats at a height of 2240m, Udhagamandalam is the headquarters of the Nilgiris district where the two ghats meet. Nature has been generous with this region, which is by far the most beautiful in the state. Apart from coffee and tea plantations, trees like conifers, eucalyptus, pine and wattle dot the hillside in Udhagamandalam and its environs. Summer temperature is rarely higher than 25°c with a minimum of 10°c and winters are distinctly cooler with a high of 21°c and a low 5°c. Curiously enough, this slice of paradise remained unknown to the great southern dynasties and it took the British to discover it in the early 1800s. They were, however, not the first inhabitants of this land as a tribe called Todas had been living there long before the British came, claiming that the Nilgiris had been their home since time immemorial. But the credit for modernising Udhagamandalam and making it accessible goes to the British who constructed the first railway line in the area and made it the summer capital of the Madras Presidency.

About Udhagamandalam - Settlement in Udhagamandalam began in 1822 with the construction of the Stone House by John Sullivan, the then Collector of Coimbatore. The bungalow, which is locally called Kal Bangla, is one of the landmarks of Udhagamandalam and is now the Chamber of the Principal of the Government Arts College. Not many years after the construction of the Stone House, several other English cottages with pretty gardens, large bungalows of top officials in the Government, were built. Even today the atmosphere of the Raj lingers in places like the Club where snooker was invented by a subaltern named Neville Chamberlain, the Nilgiri Library with its rare and valuable collection of books on Udhagamandalam and St.Stephen's Church which was Udhagamandalam's first church.

The cemetery near the church has the oldest British tombstones in the town and includes those of John Sullivan's wife and daughter among other prominent personalities.

The Botanical Garden is maintained by the Horticulture Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu and has a very wide variety of plants that include different types of roses, imported shrubs, rare flowering plants, eucalyptus trees, several old trees and even a fossilised tree trunk that is 20 million years old. There is also a beautiful Italian floral garden and for those who simply want to relax, there's always the green carpet of the well-maintained lawns. The "Summer Festival" is held each year during the month of May in the Botanical Garden and is an added attraction for tourists. The Flower Show is the pride of the festival. Cultural programmes are organised for those interested in traditional classical arts. Adventure spots like trekking also form part of the festival.

The artificial Lake, yet another of Sullivan's contributions, has facilities for boating and permission to fish can be obtained from the office of the Assistant Director of Fisheries.

Among the viewpoints around Udhagamandalam are Elk Hill, Green Valley View and Snowden Peak but the most prominent is the Dodabetta Peak, which is the highest point in the district at a height of 2623m. Provided the day is clear, one can see as far as the plains of Coimbatore and the Mysore plateau.

Also for the nature lover are the sprawling 20,000 acres of Wenlock Downs, which was once the scene of the famous Udhagamandalam Hunt. The Gymkhana Club, the factory of the Hindustan Photo Films Company, the Government Sheep Farm and the Golf Course are all in Wenlock Downs. The Government Museum, Mysore Road, Udhagamandalam has tribal objects d'art, district's ecological details and representative sculptural arts and crafts of Tamilnadu.

COONOOR

 Situated at an altitude of 2000 ft and only 17 kms from Udhagamandalam is the first of three hill stations. Coonoor is a small town with an equable climate that has made it popular as a hill resort in its own right. The main attraction is the Sim's Park, a small well-maintained botanical garden that has several varieties of plants not to be found in other hill stations. Viewpoints and picnic spots around Coonoor include Lamb's Rock, Lady Canning's Seat and Dolphin's Nose

KOTAGIRI

 It is 31 kms from Udhagamandalam and is 6503 feet above sea level. Kotagiri is shielded by the Doddabetta ranges, which receive much of its rain from the northwest monsoon. One can enjoy a pleasure ride on roads flanked by green tea beds on either side.