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ABOUT TAMIL
NADU
Tamil Nadu, the traditional home of the
Dravidian culture is located South-East of India.
Tamil
Nadu has 33 river basins. Prominent among them are the
Cauvery, Palar, Vaigai, and Tamaraparani. 44% of the land is
under cultivation and 17% under forest cover. On the whole
the state covers an area of 1,30,058 Sq.Kms. It is located
on the coast. Tamil Nadu is a state of unending beaches,
exquisite craftsmanship, strong culture and enduring
traditions. The waters of the "Bay of Bengal" kiss the
eastern shores in the state. The tip of the peninsula
touches the confluence of three water bodies - The Arabian
Sea, The Bay of Bengal and The Indian Ocean. The bordering
states are Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.
The
influence of the various dynasties and occupying forces that
ruled the state can be seen in its various forms. The
Pallavas, the Cholas, the Portuguese, the British, the Dutch
and the French have left their impression in different parts
of the state. "Tamil Nadu" is a Dravidian name that was
given to the state after independence. Dravidian culture is
reflected in the dances, the music, and the handicrafts.
The influx of the Aryans from the north drove the Dravidians
to the southern part of the country. During the Muslim
invasion, the Hindu kings of the south formed the famous
Vijayanagar Empire. It became the stronghold of the
Dravidian culture. The present state of Tamil Nadu was a
part of that great empire. The rich culture of the
Dravidians not only survives but also thrives in the various
customs still prevalent. Festivals here are always combined
with some significant, sacred activity.
Today,
Tamil Nadu is the most industrialised state in Southern
India. It is also one of the most sought after tourist
destination in the country.
Tamil is the official language of the state. Apart from
English, Telugu, Malayalam and Hindi and widely spoken. The
climate varies from area to area in the state. It is
tropical in the western region and moderate in the coastal
zones.
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MAMALLAPURAM
Located 60km
from Chennai, Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram was the second
capital and seaport of Pallavas. The seaport was built by
Mahendravarman during the 7th century AD. The Pallava
chisels breathed life into stones. The sculptures in
Mamallapuram emphasize on blending mythology, epics and day
today life of the people. The most important of the
architectural relics are the shore temple, the five
chariots, Arjuna's penance and the Mahishasuramardhini
temple.
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Mamallapuram
can be reached by road that runs along the coast. Regular
buses operate from Chennai. Chennai is the nearest airport.
Various types of accommodation are available in plenty. But
during weekends and seasons, hotels will be fully booked.
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KANCHIPURAM
This city of thousand
temples is situated about 76km from Che nnai on the Chennai
-Bangalore highway. It was the capital of Pallavas during
6th - 8th centuries and during this period the best temples
were built. Later it became the citadel of Cholas, the
Vijayanagar kings, the Muslims and the British. Kanchipuram
is one of the seven sacred cities of India. Kanchipuram is
also famous for its pure silk fabrics woven from pure
mulberry. The city can be reached by rail and road from
different places of the state. The nearest airport is
Chennai.
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CHENNAI
A city of
Contrasts and diversities, Chennai is the forth-largest city
in India. Known wor ld wide as Madras until recently, the
city was renamed Chennai, evolved from the age-old name, Chennapattinam.
Chennai is a
coastal city with the second largest beach in the world. The
climate is hot and humid. But the breeze blowing from the
sea makes the climate bearable. In the summer the
temperature reaches up to 42 degree C (month of May). The
winter (Dec.- Feb.) is slightly less hot than the summer. Mansoon falls in Sept. - Nov. Chennai is the Capital of
Tamil Nadu.
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TANJAVUR
Tanjavur town
is the headquarters of Tanjavur district. It is situated on
the eastern coast of central Tamil Nadu. This ancient city's
history goes way back to the Sangham Age. Between 10th and
14th century this Chola capital reached the zenith of its
glory. Thanjavur has about 75 temples and the most famous of
them all is the Brihadeswarar temple.
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THIRUCHIRAPALLI
This city of
ancient history before the Christian Era is 319km from
Chennai. Located on the banks of River Kaveri,
Thiruchirapalli is the headquarters of the district. It was
a Chola citadel during the Sangham age. Though the Cheras,
Cholas, Pallavas, Pandyas, Chalukyas and Vijayanagar Empire
contributed to the monuments of Trichi, the Nayaks of
Madurai built most of them. The city is connected with other
parts of the state by rail, road and air.
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MADURAI
Madurai is one
of the ancient cities of the world. Its history goes several
centuries before Christ. Tamil and Greek documents record
its existence from 4th century BC. The city is situated on
the banks of River Vaigai. The Pandyans ruled Madurai until
10th century AD. This was the g olden era of Tamil culture,
literature and learning. Then Madurai changed hands with
Cholas, Pandyas, Muslim rulers, Vijayanagar rulers and
finally the Madurai Nayaks under whom Madurai became the
cultural center of Tamils. Madurai is situated about 472km
from Chennai. One can reach Madurai by road, rail or air.
Flights from Chennai, Bangalore and Trichy connect Madurai
by air.
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KANYAKUMARI
Kanyakumari is
the southern most extreme of the country. The district
headquarters is Nagercoil. Nagercoil is about 700km from
Chennai. The nearest airport is Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala,
60km away. N agercoil is connected to other parts of the
state with rail and roads. Kanyakumari is the land's end of
peninsular India. It is in Kanyakumari where the three seas
namely the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Bay of
Bengal meet. On the full moon day, one can watch the sunset
and the moonrise simultaneously.
COIMBATORE
Coimbatore is
situated at the foot of the Nilgiri Hills in the Western
Tamil Nadu. It is a highly industrialized city known as the
Manchester of South India because of its production of
textiles. One can arrive in Coimbatore by road, rail or air.
Coimbatore is a major rail junction. Many trains operate
daily to major towns of the state from here. Accommodations
of different ranges are also available in and around the
town.
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