In Pursuit of Heaven

With a glorious past, a vibrant culture, a rich tapestry of history, a nature's paradise of blue beaches and clear skies, it is an ideal tourist haven for one and all. To please you eyes this destination offers several unique and mesmerising tourist attractions.

Before beginning let’s familiarise ourselves with some of the aspects of the state. Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu is the fourth largest city in India and also exhibits a perfect blend of ancient and modern culture. Tamil Nadu has a glorious ancient history that dates back over 6,000 years. While in Tamil Nadu, a majority of people love to visit the famous water bodies of the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Kanyakumari.Tamil Nadu essentially enjoys tropical weather throughout the year. 

There are 21 daily flights from Delhi to Chennai and the flight duration is about 2 hours 45 minutes. Chennai is the central-point of travelling whilst travelling to all other parts of the state which can be explored by road or the suburban railway network. 

Chennai is the gateway to South India. The city's main attractions are its beaches, temples, museums, galleries, Old Portuguese style churches, and amusement parks.

Marina Beach- It lies on the eastern side of the city, bordering the Bay of Bengal. It is one of the most renowned beaches of Tamil Nadu. It is the longest beach in India and also the second longest beach in the world. Here, one can experience the most captivating view of scenic beauty and the life of its marine locals.

Covelong Beach- It is situated at a distance of 40 km from the capital city. It is one of the most captivating and beautiful beaches. Here, one can engage in adventurous water sports like swimming and windsurfing. Don’t forget to soak in the beach shacks beneath the cool shade of the palm trees.

Elliot's Beach- Elliot's beach is located on the eastern coast of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the cleanest beaches in the capital city and is lined with several cafes and restaurants. This beach is also famous as the night beach, as it is the most preferred spot for youngsters to gather and enjoy in the evening.

Armenian Church- It is one of the oldest churches of the Indian subcontinent.With mesmerizing architecture and such a divine aura, its worth to witness in person. It is famous for its belfry of six. 

Sri MahaPrathyangira Devi Temple- It falls on the coastline of the Bay of Bengal. The Temple sits on the banks of the Buckingham Canal. This is a magnificent temple built in honour of the goddess- Shri MahaPrathyangira Devi. She is considered to have powers that repel influences generated by witchcraft, and is said to have the power to punish Adharma.

 It is located at an altitude of 1,110.6 metres above mean sea level and is one of the most popular hill stations of Tamil Nadu. The Yelagiri village is surrounded by orchards, rose-gardens, and lush green valleys. Travel by the winding Ghat-road that has 14 hairpin bends to reach the Yelagiri hilltop. The ride offers panoramic breath-taking views of the hills and its surroundings. The seventh bend is significant, since it offers a panoramic view of the slopes of the mountain and the luxuriant green forests. The highest point in Yelagiri is the Swamimalai Hill, standing tall at 4,338 ft and a popular destination for trekkers and tourists alike.

The name ‘Kodaikanal’ literally translates to‘Gift of the Forest’, but more commonly known as a Princess of Hill stations. Its meadows, long stretch of forests, wood slopes, mighty rocks, bowers and creeks charm the tourists in magical way.Kodaikanal is famous for the kurinji – flowers that blossom once in twelve years. It is a favourite among honeymooners. This charming place is one of the most visited tourist destinations which offers its visitors an array of activities like boat rides, nature walks, hiking, trekking and rock-climbing. The ‘Kodai Lake’ is a perfect picnic spot for those on a Kodaikanal tour. There’s Coaker's Walk which never seems to become old and stale. One of the biggest attraction of a Kodaikanal tour, one can enjoy some of the breath taking views whilst taking the Coaker's Walk.

It is located 72 km from Chennai. Kanchipuram is a destination for  pilgrims with almost 1000 temples. It is considered as one of the seven most holy towns of its kind in the country. It is believed that a visit to this town bestows salvation. This is also called as Kanchi or the Temple Town. The main land lays on the northern bank of the Holy River ‘Vegavahi’- a tributary of River Pallar. It is a sacred destination for Buddhists, Jains and Hindus too. It is also famous for hand woven silk sarees.

It is truly referred to as ‘The Queen of Hill Stations’. Picturesque and 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 for the Nilgiri district, where the two ghat- ranges meet. Nature has been generous with this region, which is by far the most beautiful in the state. Apart from lush coffee and tea pla­ntations, trees like conifers, eucalyptus, pine and wattle dot the hillside in Udhagamandalam and its environs. Ooty with smaller hill stations of Coonoor - 19 kms and Kothagiri- 31 kmsare the two other scenic hill stations of this district. Nilgiri is India's first biosphere. It has been declared as one of the 14 'hotspots' of the world because of its unique bio-diversity. Nilgiri truly presents itself as a kaleidoscope of visual treats and guarantees a soul stirring experience.

 

Tamil Nadu is an important part of South India and home to a potpourri of vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian cuisines. It is famous for its exclusive food culture and traditional range of cuisine, which is more commonly referred to as the ‘South Indian cuisine’. The common vegetarian cuisine is Idli, sambar, vada, dosa, upma, rasam, kottu, buttermilk, chutney and curry. The non-vegetarian meal comprises of curry-based dishes of chicken, mutton or fish.

The South Indian cuisine culture also has a whole array of different dishes such as ‘Parota’- made of maida with kothu, ‘Puliyodarai’- also known as ‘Puliyogare’, ‘Thayirsadam’, ‘Thogayal’, ‘Appam’, ‘Pongal’,’ Aviyal’ etc. The famous sweet dishes of Tamil Nadu are Payasam, Kesari, Sweet Pongal, etc. which form a major part of the South-Indian cuisine.Whereas, among the Non-Vegetarians- The famous ‘Chettinadstyle -Pepper Chicken’ is very popular and is one of the best dishes of the city.

Tamil Nadu is a storehouse of exuberant and famous hand embroidered sarees of various materials and patterns. Almost each district in Tamil Nadu has their own distinctive style of sarees, which can range from cotton to the most glamorous silks. Chennai is known worldwide for its silk, embroidered sarees, hand-woven garments and other handicraft items. ‘Poompuhar’, the Tamil Nadu Emporium and the ‘Khadi GramodyogBhawan’ have their shops in all major cities of the state and the coutry as well. These two agencies extensively promote the handicraft items of Tamil Nadu. They sell exquisite handicrafts of the state and make it available to a wider berth of buyers. Mahabalipuram is quite popular with people who are fond of collecting fine pieces of sculptures. It is also known for its ancient arts and crafts including carved sculptures of Hindu deities, exquisite woodcarvings and jewellery. 

There are three distinct times of rainfall in Tamil Nadu- the southwest monsoon from the months of June to September characterised by heavy southwest winds; the northeast monsoons from the months of October to December, characterised by northeast winds; and the dry season from the months of January to May, namely.

The most convenient way of reaching Tamil Nadu is by air and the most important airport is located in the capital city Chennai. The airport servesdomestic as well as international airlines with ample number of flights in and out of the state on a regular basis.

Tamil Nadu is easily accessible by railways and the two important railway stations of the state are ‘Chennai Central’ and the ‘Egmore Station.’

Tamil Nadu flaunts an excellent road network and is well-connected by the services of private and government buses.