Thanjavur Full Info

Thanjavur is 55 km east of Tiruchirappalli. It is the highly fertile delta of the Cavery River and the capital of the Cholas during their supremacy.

Regional anchorage!

» Air ways : Thanjavur is easily accessible from other cities of India. In terms of air transport the Tiruchirapalli airport that is 58 kms away from Thanjavur is the nearest.

» Rail ways : Thanjavur is directly connected with Trichy, Madurai, Nagore, and Madras by rail. The excellent road network links Thanjavur with the major towns in Tamil Nadu and the neighboring states of Kerala and Karnataka. Get going to the terrific destination of Thanjavur!

The magnetic pull of the city!

» Sri Bragadeeswarar Temple Built by the great Chola King, Rajaraja.1 in the 10th century AD is an outstanding example of Chola architecture.

» The Palace The Palace near the temple is a vast building of masonry built partly by the Nayaks around 1550 AD and partly by the Marathas.

» Art Gallery In the Palace there are a number of granite and bronze statues of the Chola period. Timings 9 am to 1 pm, 2.pm to 6 pm.

» Saraswathi Mahal Library In another section of the palace is a library where over 30,000 palm leaves and paper manuscripts in Indian and European languages are preserved Timings 10 am to 1 pmand 1.30pm to 5.30pm.

» Hall of Music Also in the Palace is the acoustically perfect ancient music hall.

» Royal Museum Located in the palace complex, this museum has mixed collections like manuscripts, weapon dresses, Utensils, Musical instruments used by the Royal Family of Thanjavur. Timings 9 am to 6 pm.

» Schwartz Church Built in 1779 AD by Rajah Serfoji in token of his affection for the Rev. C.V.Schwartz of the Danish Mission.(In the Palace Garden).

» Sivaganga Tank Near the Palace is this tank known for its sweet water.

» Rajagopala Beerangi A very big Beerangi is there in Thanjavur East Kothalam (ramport)of the Fort. The place is called 'Beerangi Medu'. It has been remarked as "Dasmedu". Once upon a time that place was used as a Bell announcement stage.

» Sharja Madi It is located in the Palace complex. It is opened for Tourists. One can have panaromic view of Thanjavur city. The wooden Sculptures are inside the Sharja Madi. Timings 10am to 1pm and 2 pmto 5pm.

» Rajarajan Mani Mandapam During the 8th World Tamil Conference this Mandapam was built. It is having a small garden with Children's-play materials. Timings 10 am to 8 pm.

» Rajarajan Museum Raja Rajan Museum is functioning for the benefit of the Tourists. Located in the Main mandapam ground floor, it is under the control of the State Archaeological Department. Timings 10 am to 5 pm.

» Tholkappiyar Sadukkam During the 8th World Tamil Conference, this Sadukkam(Square) was built. One can have a panaromic view of Thanjavur Town from the Tower. Timings 9 am to 7 pm.

» Mariamman Temple (Punnai Nallur) This Temple located 6 kms. away from Thanjavur is dedicated to Goddess Mariamman. It is one of the local temples in Thanjavur which attracts Domestic Tourists.

Kanyakumari Full Info

Kanyakumari is the southernmost point of peninsular India and the meeting point of three oceans-the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Besides its importance as a Hindu pilgrim center, it is famous for its beautiful views of sunrise and sunset over the waters. The multicolored sand is a unique feature of the beach here.

Connectivity:

» Through air : The nearest airport is at Trivandrum (80 km). It is directly connected with Bangalore, Bombay, Cochin, Delhi, Goa, and Madras by regular flights.

» Via railways : Kanyakumari is connected to Trivandrum, Delhi, and Bombay by broad-gauge railway network. Tirunelvelli (80 km) is the other nearest railway junction and can be reached by road via Nagarkoil (19 km).

» By roads : Kanyakumari is connected by road to Trivandrum (86 km), Nagarkoil (19 km), Tirunelvelli (91 km), Tiruchendur (89 km), Tuticorin (129 km), Rameshwaram (300 km), Courtallam (130 km), Madurai (242 km), Thekkady (358 km), Kodaikanal (362 km), Palani (370 km), Ootacamund (576 km), Cochin (309 km), and Coimbatore (478 km).

On the sands of Kanyakumari.....footprints of divinity!

The presiding deity of the temple of Kanyakumari is Parasakthi as a virgin Goddess in meditative mood. The life-like image of Devi with a smiling face is a combination of innocence, purity and beauty. Smeared with sandal paste, decked with different varieties of valuable ornaments and decorated with beautiful garlands of flowers. She creates a sense of devotion and "peace that passeth understanding" in the mind of every worshipper. There is one version that Adi Sankara composed Soundaryalahari after seeing the sunrise, sunset and moon rise on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Chithrai at Kanya kumari praising the virgin Goddess. The beauty of Devi Kanyakumari reflects in the opening lines of his divine work.

Kanyakumari : The epitome of attractions!

» Kanyakumari : The epitome of attractions! Kanyakumari Temple: The temple overlooks the shoreline. It is dedicated to Parvati as Devi Kanya, the Virgin Goddess who did penance to obtain the hand of Lord Shiva. The deity, Devi Kanyakumari is' the protector of India's shores' has an exceptionally brilliant diamond on her nose ring which is supposed to shine out to sea. The temple opens from 0430 to 1130 and from 1730 to 2030. Non-Hindus are not allowed into the sanctuary.

» Gandhi Mandapam : Not far from the Kumari Amman Temple is the Gandhi Mandapam, constructed at the spot where the urn containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi was kept for public view before a portion of its contents was immersed in the three seas. It resembles an Oriyan temple and was designed so that on Gandhiji's birthday (2nd October), the sun's rays fall on the place where his ashes were kept.

» Vivekananda Memorial : It is about 500 meters away from mainland. This memorial stands on one of two rocks separated by about 70 meters. It was built in 1970. This memorial is dedicated to Swami Vivekananda, the greatest social reformer. Swamy Vivekananda was supposed to have medicated on the rock where the memorial stands today. A meditation hall is also attached with the memorial. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India. It houses a statue of Vivekananda. The divine foot print 'Pada Parai' of Devi is also seen here. Ferry service is available to reach the memorial. It opens from Wednesday to Monday. Tuesday is holiday. It opens from 0700 to 1100 and from 1400 to 1700.

» Suchindram Temple : Just 13 kms. from Kanniyakumari, Suchindram has a temple dedicated to a deity who is the representation of the combined forces of Siva, Vishnu and Brahma. It is one of the few temples in the country where the Trinities are worshipped. The temple has a beautiful gopuram, musical pillars and an excellent statue of the Hanuman, apart from a valuable collection of art from different periods.

» Padmanabhapuram Palace :

The Padmanabhapuram Palace in Kanyakumari district, located about 15 km from Nagercoil has the rare distinction of being one of the most ancient monuments in South India. Known for its strategic planning and military architecture, the palace was the seat of power for the Travancore emperors till 1790, when the capital was shifted to Thiruvananthapuram by Karthika Thirunal Maharaja, popularly known as Dharma Raja. Its main attraction is its sheer aesthetic beauty, innovative designs and time tested wooden carvings.

Rameshwaram Full Info

Rameshwaram is an island- of Lord Rama's temple at Tamil Nadu is a terrific destination. Along with being a major pilgrimage for the Hindus, Rameshwaram is a happening holiday spot too.The religious island is spread in an area of 61.8 square kilometers and happens to be in the shape of a conch. The Ramanatha Swamy Temple occupies major area of Rameshwaram. The masterpiece of Dravidian architecture boasts of the largest temple corridor in India. Different rulers built the Ramanatha Swamy Temple over a period of time starting from the 12th century. The temple comprises of twenty-two wells where the taste of the water of each well is different from the other. The waters of the wells are believed to possess medicinal properties.

Links :

» Air link : The religious land of Rameshwaram is well connected with the other major cities of India. The nearest airport at Madurai is 163 kilometers away, takes care of the air travel of people from across the globe.

» Rail & Road link : The rail and road network connects Rameshwaram with Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Thanjavur and other important cities. The two kilometer long Indira Gandhi Bridge connects the island of Rameshwaram with the mainland of Mandapam. For traveling in town you may opt for hiring jeeps, auto rickshaws and even cycle rickshaws.

The legend bestowed upon the land !
Rameshwaram is where Lord Rama rested and prayed after his triumph over the demon king Ravan. A sacred site for both Vaishnavites and Shaivities, no Hindu pilgrimage is complete without a visit to this holy city. The island of Rameshwaram is one of the most venerable temple towns in India without a visit to which, the pilgrimage of a devout Hindu is not complete. According to the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama(an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the protector), rested here before and after his battles with Ravana, the demon king, in Sri Lanka, just 24 kilometers away.

Magnetic pull of the town!
» Ramanathaswamy Temple :

A fine example of late Dravidian architecture, this temple is most renowned for its magnificent corridors lined with massive sculptured pillars, noted for their elaborate design, style and rich carving. Legend has it that Rama sanctified this place by worshipping Siva here after the battle of Sri Lanka. Construction of the temple began in the 12th century AD and additions were made over the centuries by various rulers, so that today its gopuram is 53 m high. Only Hindus may enter the inner sanctum.

» Kothandaraswamy Temple & Dhanushkodi :

Twelve km from town, this temple was the only structure to survive the 1964 cyclone which washed the rest of the village away. Legend states that Vibishana, brother of Sita's kidnapper Ravana, surrendered to Rama at this spot.

» Adam's Bridge :

Adam's Bridge is the name given to the chain of reefs, sandbanks and islets that almost connects Sri Lanka with India. According to legend, this is the series of stepping stones used by Hanuman to follow Ravana, in his bid to rescue Sita.

» Beach :

Dhanushkodi is the best. Closer to town, try the one in front of the Hotel Tamil Nadu. Most of the time you'll have it to yourself as the pilgrims prefer to do their auspicious wading at Agni Theertham, the seashore closest to the temple.

» Gandhamadana Parvatam :

The stepped mandapam or hall, about a mile and a half west of the Ramanathaswamy Temple offers an excellent view of the countryside. There is a footprint here believed to be of Lord Rama.