Luxury tours of Tamil Nadu

ex Chennai

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu. It combines the old Chola culture, the British influences & impressions, with the present day modern bustling city. It is a comparatively modern creation and the city retains much of its cultural charms and traditional aura of the Dravidian lifestyle. Being one of the earliest cities set up by the British, Chennai has marvelous buildings in elaborate Indo – Saracenic style – the Fort St. George, St. Mary’s church etc.

Chennai is the gateway to the rich and varied culture of the South Indian peninsula. Originally a cluster of hamlets along the Coromandel Coast, the city developed its cohesive shape under the British. Today it is South India’s commercial and cultural capital. Chennai today is a dynamic mix of the old and the new, its stately colonial structures and modern high-rises. It contains rich cultural heritage of Tamil literature, music and dance.

Gateway program in Chennai:

Day 1 : Arrive Chennai
Meals Included: None

Arrive Chennai. Meet & Greet at the International Airport by our representative and then transfer to Hotel. Overnight.

Day 2 : Chennai
Meals Included: Breakfast

Morning start city tour with a visit the Fort St George, St. Mary’s Church, St Thomas Cathedral and Government Museum

Fort St George was Britain’s first bastion in India. The nucleus from which the empire grew was established in a banana grove. This was East India Company’s principal settlement until 1774 when Calcutta was declared the seat of the government. The first buildings to be seen on entering the Fort is the neo classical Secretariat and the Legislative Council Chambers with their handsome classical lines –these buildings built between 1694 and 1732 are among the oldest surviving British constructions in India.

St. Mary’s church is located in the compound of Fort St. George only. It is the oldest Anglican Church.

Mylapore’s links with Christianity date to the 1st century AD. According to legend, Saint Thomas, one of the 12 apostles came to India soon after the death of Jesus Christ. The church was built in the 10th century on the burial site of the saint. The present Basilica of Santhome is an impressive Gothic style structure built in 1898 with an ornate interior and, magnificent stained glass windows and a towering steeple.

Visit Government Museum at Chennai. It was founded in 1851 and has a unique collection of Amravati Sculptures & Bronzes, ancient artifacts and archaeological remains of various dynasties of India.
The Museum has four galleries dedicated to (1) Hindu Sculptures (2) Bronze Gallery (3)Amravathi Gallery (4) National Art Gallery.
Museum has various sections related to anthropology, botany, zoology, geology, numismatics and sculptures. There is a special section for Children’s also.

Overnight at Hotel.

Day 3 : Chennai / Next Destination
Meals Included: Breakfast
Transfer to Airport for your flight to next destination.

Chennai Hotel Suggestions:
Standard :
Carlson Country Inn (www.countryinns.com/hotels/in/chennai/)
Hotel Savera ( www.saverahotel.com )

Deluxe :
Rain Tree ( www.raintreehotels.com )
Taj Connemara ( www.tajhotels.com )

Luxury :
Taj Coromandal (www.tajhotels.com )

Airport Hotel :
Le Royal Meridien ( www.leroyalmeridien- chennai.com )
Trident ( www.tridenthotels.com )
 
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CHENNAI OPTIONAL TOURING:
Kalakshetra Dance School in Chennai:
Visit the Kalakshetra Dance School. This pioneering institution for classical dance, music and fine arts established in 1936 was the brain child of Rukmani Devi. At 16 she scandalized conservative society by marrying George Arundale, a 40 year old School Principal. She studies ballet under Anna Pallova and on returning to Chennai she again defied tradition by learning and performing the classical ‘dasi attam’ which was hitherto the domain ot temple dancers. Kalakshetra the “Temple of Art ”was set up for the revival of this dance form. The school is set in a vast 99 acre campus where classical music and dance are taught according to the traditional methods (Sunday closed).

Tamil Nadu is India’s Dravidian heartland. Traditionally protected by distance and the military might of the Southern Deccan kingdoms, this region has, over the centuries been less exposed to northern influences. With the result the powerful dynasties dominating the South – The Cholas, Pallavas & the Pandayas were able to develop their unique image, largely unmolested by marauding invaders.

The most visible legacy is the crop of astounding temples, with their gigantic gopurams or gateway towers. Tamil Nadu can justly be called the “Temple state”. The most famous of being Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur, Trichy Madurai,.

This state has, over the centuries, protected the traditional art forms of Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam dance. The Kalakshetra at Chennai stands as a guardian institution for these art forms and imparts Gurukul based training in these fields.

Must see in Tamil Nadu:
Chennai – The beachlines at Marina & San Thome should not be missed.

Mahabalipuram - famous for its rock cut temples, Kanchipuram – for the Kanchi Kamakshi temple & picking up rich brocaded silk sarees,

Madurai - for the Madurai Meenakshi temple, Thanjavur – The Brihadeshwara temple with its imposing granite Gopuram.

Festivals: The state celebrates a large number of festivals throughout the year. The most famous and colorful of them are Pongal – the harvest festival, The Dance festival at Mamallapuram, Float & Chithrai festival at Madurai, The Navaratri festival and the Music and dance festival at Chennai.

PONGAL, Tamil Nadu (January)
It marks the harvest festivities of the agricultural communities. It is observed for three days in Tamil Nadu. The first day is the Bogi Pongal, which is celebrated as a family festival. Surya Pongal, the second day, is dedicated to the Sun (Surya). Mattu Pongal is the third day, and is also the day when cattle is decorated with ornaments. Pongal (rice cooked in milk and jaggery) is boiled and offered to the Sun on this day. Friends relatives meet and greet each other with great rejoice.

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Include tour of Chennai in your South India tour