Capital of
Tamilnadu : Chennai
Cradle Of :
South Indian Temple Architecture
Official
State Language : Tamil |
Tourism in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is bounded by Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh in the north and Kerala in
the west. The eastern and western tips of
the Tamilnadu are defined by the Point
Calimere and Mudumalai wildlife sanctuaries
while the northern extreme is Pulicat lake
and the southernmost tip is Kanyakumari, the
land's end. Tamil Nadu is principally washed
by the Cauvery, originating in Coorg in
neighbouring Karnataka . Chennai, the
capital of Tamil Nadu is known for its
beautiful beach resorts.
Tamil Nadu - A Temple State Tamil Nadu, the
cradle of south Indian temple architecture,
is a living museum of styles that originated
in the 7th century and matured in the huge
temple complexes studded with towering
gateways-"Gopurams"-that soar above the
markets of almost every town. Mahabalipuram,
Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Kumbakonam,
Rameswaram, Palani, Srirangam, Tiruttani and
Kanyakumari are some of the famous pilgrim
centres in Tamil Nadu. The famous Meenakshi
temple of Madurai is a must see.
The Nilgiri
Panorama
In the west of the state, where the hill
stations of Kodaikanal and Ooty are the
premier travel attractions, sylvan hills
offer mountain views and a network of trails
winds through forests and tea and coffee
plantations. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, a
vast spread of deciduous forest in Tamilnadu
dominated by teak, offers a good chance of
spotting elephants and dholes, wild
pack-hunting Dogs, Tigers and Leopards.
Annamalai Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, closer to
Kodaikanal in the Palani hills, is better
known for its Lion-tailed Macaques (black-maned
Monkeys). The wetlands of the coast provide
perfect resting places for migratory birds,
whose numbers soar during the winter monsoon
at Vedathangal, near Chennai, and Point
Calimere.
History of
Tamilnadu
Tamil Nadu was ruled by three major
dynasties-the Cholas in the east, the
Pandyas in the central area and Cheras in
the west. This was during the Sangam Age-the
classical period of Tamil literature-that
continued for some 300 years after the birth
of Christ. The Pallava dynasty was
influential particularly in the 7th and 8th
centuries, the testimonies to which are the
monuments at Mamallapuram.
In the 13th century, with threats of Muslim
invasions from the north, the southern Hindu
dynasties combined and the empire of
Vijaynagar (also spelt as Vijayanagar),
which covered all of South India, became
firmly established. However, by the 17th
century, due to the disintegration of the
Vijaynagar Empire, various small rulers like
the Nayaks ruled southern India.
By the middle of the 18th century, there
were frequent conflicts between the British,
French, Danes, and Dutch due to their
interest in these areas. The British were
finally victorious, while small pocketed
areas including Pondicherry and Karaikal
remained under French control. Under the
British rule, most of south India was
integrated into the region called the Madras
Presidency. In 1956, the Madras Presidency
was disbanded and Tamil Nadu was
established.
An Agro-Based Land
- Tamilnadu
Although Tamil Nadu is one of the most
urbanized states of India, it is still a
rural land; agriculture is the mainstay of
life for about three-quarters of the rural
population. The principal food crops are
rice, maize, Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, and pulses.
The cash crops include cotton, sugarcane,
oilseeds, coffee, tea rubber, and chillies.
The major industries of Tamil Nadu include
cotton textiles, chemicals, fertilizers,
paper and paper products, printing and
allied industries, diesel engines,
automobiles and parts, cement, sugar, iron
and steel, and railway wagon and coaches.
The state of Tamilnadu is the largest
textiles producer in India and an important
exporter of leather and leather products,
cotton piece goods, tea, coffee, spices,
tobacco, etc.
There are a number of hydel power stations
in Tamil Nadu. The atomic power plant is
located at Kalpakkam, in the Chengalpattu
MGR district.
Tamil Nadu is rich in handicrafts; notable
among them are hand loomed silk, metal
icons, leather work, Kalamkari (hand-painted
fabric, using natural dyes), brass, bronze,
and copper wares, and carved wood, palm
leaf, and cane articles. For the best Chola
bronzes and a glimpse of the magnificent
paintings that flourished under Maratha
rajas in the 18th century, travellers should
head for Thanjavur.
Capital of
Tamilnadu
Chennai (formerly, Madras), the largest city
in South India and the fourth largest city
in the country, is located on the Coromandel
Coast. The city's British lineage is evident
in the various cathedrals, buildings in
Indo-Saracenic style of architecture, wide
tree lined avenues but there is no denying
its traditional Tamil Hindu culture either.
This is not surprising because this region
had remained a centre of Pallavan culture
long before the British came here.
The varied aspects of traditional South
Indian culture existing alongside the
lifestyle of a modern city complete with its
plush hotels, restaurants offering a range
of continental to typical South Indian
cuisine, long and uncrowded stretches of
beaches, modern shopping malls, cinema
halls, etc.
The People
Tamil, the official state language, is
spoken by most of the people. The main
religions in Tamil Nadu are Hinduism,
Christianity, Islam, and Jainism. There is
an established caste system, and the
traditional differentiations here are a lot
more pronounced than in many other parts of
the country. The Brahmin community in
Tamilnadu is very pious and people normally
have a white mark on the forehead to signify
caste.
Performing Arts in
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is synonymous with the Indian
musical maestro of the 18th century,
Thyagaraja. The land of Carnatic music,
Tamil Nadu, is the birthplace of many other
music legends as well. The main instruments
used are the Violin, Wooden flute, 'Veena',
'Gottuvadayam', 'Mridangam' (also spelt as
Mridanga), 'Nadaswaram' and 'Ghatam'.
Bharatanatyam, one of India's major
classical dance forms, and Carnatic music
are both widely practiced. Painting and
sculpture, however, are less developed,
although there are schools that teach the
art of sculpture in stone and bronze. Tamil
literature rapidly adapted to the Western
literary forms of the novel and the short
story. Since the 1940s, cinema has become
the most popular form of mass entertainment.
There are both touring and permanent cinema
theatres; and sentimental and spectacular
films, often featuring light music and
dancing, are produced by the film studios
situated largely around Chennai.
Festivals of
Tamilnadu
The main festival of Tamilnadu is Pongal,
which is a harvest festival celebrated in
the month of January. Feasting, music and
dance mark this festival. "Karthigai Deepam"
and "Varushapirapu" (Tamil New Year's Day)
are also celebrated on a grand scale.
Several temple festivals are held throughout
the Tamilnadu, of which The Mahamagam
festival celebrated once in 12 years at
Kumbakonam, Meenakshi Kalyanam festival at
Madurai, Natyanjali Dance Festival at
Chidambaram are the famous ones.
Climate of
Tamilnadu
The climate of Tamil Nadu is essentially
tropical. The temperature in summer seldom
43º C and in winter seldom falls below 18º
C. The lowest temperatures are recorded
during December and January, and the highest
in April to June. The average annual
rainfall, falling mainly between October and
December, ranges between 25 and 75 inches.
The most precipitation falls in the Nilgiris
and other hill areas.
Population of
Tamilnadu : 55,638,318
Tourism Offices in
Tamil Nadu :
Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation
25, Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai
Mylapore, Chennai - 600004
do not mention telephone numbers and faxes.
Government Of India Tourist Office
154, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002
Time: 9.25 to 17.45 hrs.
India Tourism Development Corporation
29, Victoria Crescent C-in-C Rd, Chennai -
600 105 Time: 6.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m On
Sundays till 2.00 p.m State Information
Centre Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai - 600 002
Time : 10.00 a.m. to 5.45 p.m Tamil Nadu
Government Tourist Office Local Library
Authority (LLA) Buildings
735, Anna Salai, Chennai - 600 002
Time :10.00 a.m. to 5.45 p.m.
Tourist Information Centres
Government of Tamil Nadu
Kamaraj Domestic Airport Terminal
Tourist Information Centre Government of
Tamil Nadu
Anna International Airport Terminal
Tourist Information Centre
Central Railway Station (Gate No. 2)
Chennai - 600 003
Tourist Information Centre
Egmore Rly Station, Chennai - 600 008
TTDC (Tamilnadu Tourism Development
Corporation) Sales Counter
4, EVR Periyar High Road
Park Town, Chennai - 600 003
|
French
Español
Italiano
Deutsch
Português
India
Travel Guide / States / Tamil Nadu Travel Guide
