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| SOUTH INDIA TOURS |
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| Bengaluru |
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| In
the year 1120 AD, the Chola
King, Veera Ballalla, ruled
the Deccan plateau or the South
of India. On a hunting trip
in the forest he lost his way.
After a long search he met an
old lady in the forest who offered
him shelter for the night and
served him baked beans for dinner.
To show his gratitude to this
lady for having saved his life,
the King constructed a town
and named it as Benda Kalooru,
which means “Baked Beans”.
Later in 1537, a local chieftain,
Kempe Gowda, helped design this
town and give it its modern
shape. today is a
ultra modern city and the main
hub of the Indian Information
Technology boom with several
IT companies having their headquarters
based here. |
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| Mysore |
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Mysore
was the political capital of
the Wodeyar dynasty, which ruled
the state of Karnataka for some
150 years till the independence
of the country from the British.
These kings were great patrons
of art and culture and Mysore
was the cultural capital of
the South under the rule of
the Wodeyars. The Mysore Palace
is a an architectural marvel
and boasts of a rich collection
of art and craft from around
the world. The Wodeyars made
the Dussehra festival an event
to showcase the rich culture
and heritage of the town. Even
to this date this celebration
of the Dussehra, which is a
10-day celebration during the
month of Oct / Nov, is a spectacular
event to witness.
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| Hassan |
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| 194
kms from is the District
Headquarters of Hassan. This
quiet and peaceful town is a
convenient base to visit Shravanabelagola
– the 17 metre high monolithic
statue of Lord Bahubali. This
is also a “jump off”
point for visiting the ornate
temples at Belur and Halebid.
Hassan offers a wide variety
of accommodations. It is well-connected
by road and rail to ,
Mysore and Mangalore. |
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| Kabini
National Park |
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| Nestled
amidst the Karapur Forest lies
a pristine piece of land that
abounds with nature beckoning
you to explore it. For a wild
exciting holiday, Kabini is
a scenic delight that was once
the hunting lodge of the erstwhile
Mysore Maharajahs. The
steep valleys with rich forests,
spectacular pools and rapids
provide an ideal opportunity
to revive your adventurous spirits.
Wildlife is in plenty and the
Kabini River is a good source
of water for the animals and
birdlife that thrive in this
region. |
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| Hospet |
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| 340
kms from lies Hospet.
Its tourist importance lies
in its proximity to Hampi, the
site of the medieval Vijayanagar
Empire, situated about 13 kms
away. The Tungabhadra Dam here
harnesses the sweet waters of
the Tungabhadra River. At the
base of the dam is a garden
styled along Japanese lines. |
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| Badami |
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Tourist Places |
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| Badami,
the one time capital of the
Chalukyas, is noted for its
several temples dating back
to the 6th and 7th centuries
- some structural & other
ornately cut in the rock-face.
The foundations of Badami, or
Vatapi as it was called, were
laid by Pulakeshin I (535 -
566 AD). His son, Kirtivarman
I, beautified the town with
temples & other buildings.
Badami is in the state of Karnataka
and the starting point for the
itinerary heading south. |
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| Dandeli |
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| Dandeli
is the ideal vacation resort
for those who are in love with
nature. Being a heady mix of
nature, adventure and wildlife,
this city in Uttar Kannada district
of South India is growing in
stature as the leading tourist
destination. Dandeli offers
you much more than the sundry
outings and picnics. The region
offers you the best of adventure
sports, eco-tourism and pilgrimage |
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| Goa |
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Tourist Places |
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| Goa,
on the west coast of India is
a land of swaying palms, miles
of golden sands, lush greenery,
magnificent churches and temples.
Originally a Portugese
settlement, one can still see
the visual and cultural “footprints”
left behind by them in terms
of architecture, food, customs,
language etc. The locals are
known for their easy and “laid
back” lifestyle, food,
music and drink. Tourists from
around the world visit Goa for
the sun and the sand and the
good times!! The Goa Carnival
is held here in Goa and it is
a special time to visit. |
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| Chennai |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Chennai,
the capital city of Tamil Nadu,
is the fourth largest metropolis
in India. Located on a 17 km
stretch of the Coramandel coast,
the city is “trisected”
by the waterways of Cooum and
Adyar and the Buckingham Canal.
With a population of 6 million
people, Chennai is a vibrant
city ever growing, expanding
and changing every year. Today,
it is a bustling metropolis
and an important port for trade
and commerce for entire South
India. |
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| Mahabalipuram |
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| Mahabalipuram
is located about 40 Kms from
Chennai. This small city is
famous for its group of statues,
founded by the Pallava kings
and carved out of rock along
the Coromandel coast in the
7th and 8th centuries. It is
known especially for its “rathas”
(temples in the form of chariots),
mandapas (cave sanctuaries),
giant open-air reliefs such
as the famous 'Descent of the
Ganges', and the temple of Rivage,
with thousands of sculptures
to the glory of Shiva.The place
also boasts of the famous “Shore
Temple” on the beach. |
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| Pondicherry |
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| The
inherent ambience of “Pondy”,
as Pondicherry is fondly called,
becomes most evident in the
oldest part of the town which
flanks the seashore boulevard.
This was a French settlement
before Independence. One can
see Colonial buildings, some
which trace its history back
to the 18th century, lined up
along a grid of straight, clean
streets and housing French institutions,
private homes and businesses.
Pondicherry is also home to
the sprawling premises of the
famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
Mellow colours of cream, yellow,
pink and grey greet the visitor
with flamboyant bougainvillea
bursting over gates and compound
walls of cool courtyards. |
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| Thanjavur |
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| Scenically
one of the most enchanting districts
in the state- Thanjavur lies
to the east of Trichy and has
the reputation of being the
“Rice Bowl” of Tamil
Nadu. It is not surprising that
the great Cholas chose Thanjavur
as the location of some of their
most magnificent creations since
this small city once occupied
the proud position as their
capital and most treasured territory.
Though the history of Thanjavur
is far older than the Chola
period itself, it is during
their reign, between the 10th
and 14th centuries, that the
city rose to dizzying heights,
becoming the centre of Tamil
learning and culture. The Tamil
University, set up recently
is situated here and is devoted
to the growth of Tamil literature
and language. Today, what reminds
of its glorious legacy are the
temples of the Cholas, not less
than 74 of which are around
Thanjavur itself. The famous
Brideshwar Temple is located
here. |
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| Trichy |
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| Tiruchirappalli,
known as “Trichy”
in short, is situated on the
banks of the river Cauvery and
is the fourth largest city in
Tamil Nadu. It was a citadel
of the early Cholas which later
fell to the Pallavas. Trichy
is a fine blend of tradition
and modernity built around the
Rock Fort. Apart from the Fort,
there are several Churches,
Colleges and Missions dating
back to the 1760s. The town
and its fort, were built by
the Nayaks of Madurai. This
city has contributed great Tamil
scholars whose contributions
to the Tamil literature have
been very significant. |
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| Madurai |
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| Known as the “Athens
of the East”, Madurai
is the second largest city
in Tamil Nadu and situated
on the banks of the river
Vaigai. An ancient city, more
than 2,500 years old, Madurai
is believed to having been
built by the Pandyan King
Kulasekara in the 6th century
BC.The city is said to have
got its name from the drops
of nectar (Mathuram) that
fell from Lord Shiva's locks
when he came to bless its
people for constructing a
temple for him. Originally
named Madhurapuri or the 'land
of nectar', the name later
got modified to Madurai. From
such legendary beginnings,
the actual history of Madurai
emerges sometime during the
3rd century BC when it was
the prosperous capital of
the Pandayas and trading would
take place with countries
as far as Greece and Rome. |
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| Thekkady |
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| Lying close
to the plantations in the
rich jungles of Periyar in
Thekkady is one of the world's
most fascinating natural wildlife
reserves - the Periyar Wildlife
Sanctuary. Spread across 777
sq. km, of which 360 sq. km
is thick evergreen forest,
the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary
was declared a Tiger Reserve
in 1978. Noted for its geo-morphological
diversity of wildlife and
scenic beauty, the Reserve
attracts visitors from all
over the world. The splendid
artificial lake formed by
the Mullaperiyar Dam across
the Periyar River adds to
the charm of the park. This
is the only sanctuary in India
where you can have the unique
experience of viewing wildlife
at close quarters from the
safety of a boat on the lake.
The greatest attraction of
Periyar remains the large
herds of wild elephants that
come down to the lake's edge. |
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| Kumarakom |
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| Kumarakom
is a small hamlet of villages
and little islands perched on
the edge of the Vembanad Lake.
The nearby bird sanctuary, spread
across 14 acres, is a favourite
haunt of migratory birds and
an ornithologist's paradise.
Birds include Egrets, Darters,
Herons, Teal, Waterfowl, Cuckoo,
Wild duck and migratory birds
like the Siberian Storks. The
best way to watch the birds
of the Kumarakom sanctuary is
a boat trip in the lake. |
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| Alleppey |
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| The town was founded by Raja
Keshawadasan, the Dewan of
Travancore in 1762. With the
Arabian Sea on the west and
a vast network of lakes, lagoons
and fresh water rivers crisscrossing
it, Alappuzha is a district
of immense natural beauty.
Referred to as the “Venice
of the East” by travellers
from across the world, this
area is also home to diverse
animal and bird life. By virtue
of its proximity to the sea,
the town has always enjoyed
a unique place in the maritime
history of Kerala. |
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| Cochin(Kochi) |
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| Ernakulam
or Cochin is the “green”
commercial capital of Kerala
with one of the finest natural
harbours in the world. From
here, ships set sail for foreign
ports with pepper, seafood,
rubber and coir. From times
immemorial, Arabs, Chinese,
Dutch, British and Portuguese
seafarers followed the sea route
to Cochin and left their impressions
on the town. The harbour is
the nucleus around which Cochin
has grown to become the “Queen
of the Arabian Sea”. Cochin
is also famous for the fact
that Christianity was first
introduced by St. Thomas into
India here. |
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| Hampi |
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| "If
dreams were made out of stone,
it would be Hampi" Saint
Vidyaranya established the seat
of Vijayanagar Empire in 1336
A.D, with the help of his devotee
disciples Hakka and Bukka. The
empire later became famous for
its “golden rule”
and support towards renovation
/ reconstruction of temples
throughout India as well as
impetus to Indian culture, music,
art and literature. The area
is famous for beautiful stone
carvings, temples, public baths
and a complete city that has
been unearthed in this region. |
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| Belgaum |
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| Belgaum,
a charming city nestling in
the foothills of the Western
Ghats is located 502 Kms from
and 125 Kms from Goa.It
is situated 2500 feet above
sea-level. It is district Headquarters,
which borders states of Maharashtra
and Goa. Belgaum got its name
from the Kannda word meaning
“Bamboo Village”.
There are several names for
this place. Marathi people call
it as Belgaon, Kannada people
call Belgavi and South Karnataka
people call it Belagam. |
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| Halebid |
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| Located on the banks of the Yagachi River, Halebid are known for the Hoysala temples, which are world famous for their sculptures and architecture. The twin towns are about 16 km away from each other and the distance between the two can be covered by bus, taxi, auto or even hired bicycle. The cities were the capital of the Hoysala dynasty between the 11th and 14th centuries. The Belur and Halebid temples are cut from soft stone allowing for very intricate carvings on the walls. Among the great temple complexes of South India, they are comparable to the Khajuraho temples of Madhya Pradesh. |
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| Ooty |
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| Called
the 'Queen of Hill Stations'
picturesque and green Ootacumund,
better known as Ooty, is the
most popular hill station in
the South. Located in the Western
ghats at a height of 2240m,
Ooty is the headquarters of
the Nilgiris district where
the two Ghats meet. Apart from
coffee and tea plantations,
trees like conifers, eucalyptus,
pine and wattle dot the hillsides
where summer temperature are
rarely higher than 25°c
and winters are distinctly cooler
with a high of 21°c and
a low 5°c. The British discovered
it in the early 1800s. They
were, however, not the first
inhabitants of this land as
a tribe called Todas had been
living there, claiming that
the Nilgiris has been their
home since time immemorial.
But the credit for modernising
Ooty and making it accessible
goes to the British who constructed
the first railway line in the
area and made it the summer
capital of the Chennai Presidency. |
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| Coimbatore |
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Tourist Places |
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| Coimbatore,
also known as Kovai, is the
second largest city in the state
of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative
headquarters of Coimbatore District.
Known as “Manchester of
Southern India”, it is
also a part of the Kongu Nadu
region of Tamil Nadu. The population
is about 20 lakhs. Situated
on the banks of the Noyyal River,
Coimbatore is known for its
textile mills, factories, engineering
firms, automobile parts manufacturers,
health care facilities etc.
Ooty and Valparai are close
to the city making it a good
tourist attraction. |
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| Periyar |
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Tourist Places |
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| Situated
within the confines of the Western
Ghats in the southern Indian
state of Kerala, Periyar National
Park and Tiger Reserve is an
important place for wildlife
in the South of India. Elephant
is the major attraction in Periyar.
In 1895, the British undertook
water resource management plans
for the area and started work
on a dam and an artificial lake
under the auspices of Col. J.
Pennycuick. The picturesque
lake in the heart of the sanctuary
spans an area of 55 sq km and
the perennial source of water,
which initially led to the submersion
of large tracts of forestland,
slowly attracting wild animals. |
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| Chennai |
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Tourist Places |
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| Chennai,
the capital city of Tamil Nadu,
is the fourth largest metropolis
in India. Located on a 17 km
stretch of the Coramandel coast,
the city is “trisected”
by the waterways of Cooum and
Adyar and the Buckingham Canal.
With a population of 6 million
people, Chennai is a vibrant
city ever growing, expanding
and changing every year. Today,
it is a bustling metropolis
and an important port for trade
and commerce for entire South
India. |
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| Munnar |
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| Munnar
is a town located in the Idduki
district of India's Kerala state,
situated in the South-Western
Ghats of South India. The name
“Munnar” usually
refers to the whole tourist
area of the Idukki District
of which the town forms only
a small part.The name Munnar
is believed to be derived from
the Malayalam words Munu (three)
and Aaru (river) - referring
to the town's strategic location
at the confluence of three rivers.
The area is known for its tea
gardens. |
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| Rameshwaram |
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| Rameswaram
is a town in Ramanathapuram
district in the Indian state
of Tamil Nadu. It is located
on an island separated from
mainland India by the Pamban
Channel and is less than 40
kilometers from the Jaffna Peninsula,
Sri Lanka. Together with Kashi,
it is considered to be one of
the holiest places in India
to Hindus, and part of the “Char
Dham” pilgrimage circuit. |
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| Kanyakumari |
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| Kanyakumari
takes its name from the Kumari
Amman or Kanyakumari Temple,
situated in the town, on the
sea-shore, the very confluence
of the three water-bodies -
Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean
and the Arabian Sea. In his
work on ancient India, Ptolemy
had identified Kanyakumari (Cape
Comorin) along with the Gulf
of Mannar as a centre for pearl
fishery. He also identifies
Korkai, a place to the east
of Kanyakumari as an emporium
of pearl trade,also Travancore
Census 1931 says that Paravars
ruled that Coast and built the
temple for their reverence to
Sea Goddess. |
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| Trichur |
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Tourist Places |
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| Trichur
pronunciation is a city situated
in the central region of the
state of Kerala, India. It is
the headquarters of the trichur
District. It is known as the
'Cultural Capital of Kerala'.
trichur city is built around
a hillock atop which is the
Vadakkumnathan temple which
has Shiva as the presiding deity.
It is the cultural and spiritual
centre of Kerala, offering an
array of festivals, historical
and natural sights as well as
religious experiences. |
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| Kovalam |
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| Kovalam
is a beach town on the Arabian
Sea in Kerala, a state in South
India. It is located around
13 km from downtown Thiruvananthapuram
(Trivandrum). Kovalam has three
crescent-shaped beaches separated
by rocky outcroppings. Shallow
waters stretching for hundreds
of metres are ideal for swimming
and lines with the ever present
Kerala landmark – the
coconut trees. |
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| Vainganaum |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| It
is a very ideal tourist spot
surrounded by the greenery of
tea gardens, beautiful meadows,
deep puzzling valleys and dales.
The enchanting hill station
dotted with tea gardens will
soon be one of India's foremost
eco-tourism projects.All the
trekking enthusiasts will enjoy
climbing this 1100 metres tall
hill. This tourist place also
has to offer Thangal Para, the
Indo-Swiss Project and Kurisumala
Ashram. Welcome to a land which
would make you come back again
and again. So that you could
rejuvenate yourself and cherish
memories of this enchantingly
beautiful land. |
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| Chikmanglur |
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| Chikmanglur
(also known as Chickmagalur)
is a town located in Chikmanglur
district in the Indian state
of Karnataka. Located in the
foothills of Mullayanagiri range
the town is known for its coffee
and tea estates.The nearest
airport to this town is Bajpe
airport of Mangalore. Chikmangluru
literally translates into "The
town of the younger daughter"
in the native Kannada language.
The town is said to have been
given as a dowry to the younger
daughter of Rukmangada, the
legendary chief of Sakkaraypatna
and hence the name. About 5
km from Chikmangluru there
is a town called Hiremagalur
which means "The town of
the elder daughter". |
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| Pattadakal |
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Tourist Places |
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| Pattadakal,
in Karnataka, represents the
high point of an eclectic art
which, in the 7th and 8th centuries
under the Chalukya dynasty,
achieved a harmonious blend
of architectural forms from
northern and southern India.
An impressive series of nine
Hindu temples, as well as a
Jain sanctuary, can be seen
there. One masterpiece from
the group stands out –
the Temple of Virupaksha, built
c. 740 by Queen Lokamahadevi
to commemorate her husband's
victory over the kings from
the South. |
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| Alhole |
| Preferred Hotels |
Tourist Places |
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| Once
the capital of the early Chalukyan
dynasty (6th to 8th centuries),
Aihole is a picturesque village
on the banks of the Malaprabha
River. Variously called Ayyavole
& Aryapura in the inscriptions,
Aihole is historically famous
as the cradle of Hindu temple
architecture. There are about
125 temples divided into 22
groups scattered all over the
villages and nearby fields.
Most of these temples were built
between the 6th & 8th centuries
and some even earlier. |
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| Mumbai |
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Tourist Places |
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| Mumbai,
previously known as Mumbai,
is a large metropolitan city
of India and also the commercial
capital of the country. The
main Stock Exchange is located
here as well as the film industry
which is now popularly known
as “Bollywood”.
The city has an ancient past
connected to the British who
have left behind some excellent
architectural marvels including
the Crawford Market and the
Victoria Terminus.The city runs
lengthwise along the edge of
the Arabian Sea and the main
road is called Marine Drive.
All it up at night, it is popularly
known as the “Queen’s
Necklace”. |
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