TAMIL NADU: PLACES TO VISIT

Tamil Nadu is the Southern most state in India, to the East of Kerala state. It is peppered with numerous Hindu temples, the most renowned of these being the Madurai Meenakshi in Madurai and the Brihadeeswara Temple (or "Periya Kovil") in …… Tamil Nadu is also the land of the exquisite classical Indian dance form called Bharatanatyam.

TAMIL NADU STATS:

TOTAL AREA: 130,058 Sq.Km (50,216 Sq. Mi) Rank: 11th
POPULATION (2011): 72,147,030 Rank: 6th
CAPITAL CITY: Chennai  
LARGEST CITY: Chennai  
LITERACY RATE: 90.3%  
HDI: 0.570 Rank: 6th
Official Language(s): Tamil  
GOVT. WEBSITE: www.tn.gov.in  

 

map 2
NORTH: KANCHIPURAM

 

Ekambareswara Temple
Ekambareswara Temple

WEST:  OOTY (Udgagamandalam), Capital of Nilgris
WEST: OOTY (Udgagamandalam), Capital of Nilgris

Pykara Falls: Ooty
Pykara Falls: Ooty

  Botanical Gardens: Ooty
Botanical Gardens: Ooty


KODAIKANAL:

Berijam Lake
Berijam Lake
map

 

WEST CENTRAL: PALANI

Palani Murugan Temple
Palani Murugan Temple

SOUTH CENTRAL: COIMBATORE

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

SOUTH: KANYAKUMARI

map

Vivekananda Memorial
Vivekananda Memorial
Tiruvalluvar Statue
Tiruvalluvar Statue

  Gandhi Mandapam

 

SOUTHEAST: RAMESHWARAM

 

map   Ramanatha Swamy Temple
Ramanatha Swamy Temple

 

THANJAVOOR:

 Brihadeswara Temple
Brihadeswara Temple

SOUTH CENTRAL: MADURAI

map Meenakshi Temple, Tower 1
Meenakshi Temple, Tower 1

 

NORTH CENTRAL: THIRUVANNAMALAI

Shiva-Parvati Temple
Shiva-Parvati Temple

EAST: CHIDAMBARAM

Kali Temple
Kali Temple

CHENNAI: Capital City

map Rippon Building
Rippon Building

 

 Tidel Park, in Taramani
Tidel Park, in Taramani

NORTHEAST Cont: CHENNAI

Chennai Central Station
Chennai Central Station

map Govt. Museum, Egmore
Govt. Museum, Egmore

CHENNAI Cont.

map Kapaleeswarar Temple
Kapaleeswarar Temple

 

NORTHEAST: Cont. MAMALLAPURAM (Mahabalipuram)

Mamallapuram: Rock Art
Mamallapuram: Rock Art

Mamallapuram: Rock art at Shore Temple
Mamallapuram: Rock art at Shore Temple

Shore Temple
Shore Temple

Bharata Natyam
Bharata Natyam

BHARATA NATYAM
BHARATA NATYAM

Tamil Nadu is also the land of Carnatic Music
Tamil Nadu is also the land of Carnatic Music

 

FESTIVALS

Pongal:

(Mid-January)

Coinciding with Makara Sankranti elsewhere, this is a four-day harvest festival, in mid-January. The event starts with cleaning up, destroying old clothes, followed by the main day of Surya Pongal on the second day, and Mattu Pongal on the third, offering gratitude to the cattle. The following day is Jallikattu, a bull-taming contest, and the final day, Kaanum Pongal, meaning ‘to view’.

Tamils celebrate several other festivals (described earlier) like Deepavali, Ayudha Pooja, Saraswathi Pooja (Dasara), Sri Krishna Jayanthi, Vinayaka Chathurthi, along with the other religious festivals like Christmas and Muharram.

 

Thyagaraja Aradhana:

This is an annual music festival observed in the states of Tamil Nadu, primarily in Tiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district of Tamilnadu, and Andhra Pradesh, the place where Thyagaraja attained Samadhi (day of demise). The Aradhana (praising, revering) is observed on Pushya Bahula Panchami day, where the musicians render the saint's Pancharatna Kritis (five-star compositions).

The event is celebrated in several places all over the world organizing classical music events where hundreds of professionals to students in music performance, reciting the saint’s compositions.


 

 

STATE SYMBOLS: (COURTESY WIKIPEDIA)

State animal Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiritragus hylocrius) nilgiri Tahr
State bird Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) emerald dove
State flower Gloriosa Lily (Gloriosa superba) gloriosa lily
State tree Palm Tree (Borassus flabellifer) palm tree
Song தமிழ் தாய் வாழ்த்து  
Sport Kabaddi sport
Dance Bharata Natyam dance
State Seal   seal

 

TOURIST INFORMATION:

CONTACT: email: www.tamilnadutourism.org
Phone 91 44 25383333, 25389857
Fax: 91 44 25381567

 

 

TAMIL NADU CUISINE

                                                                                         SIGNATURE DISHES OF TAMIL NADU

                                                            

 

                                                                          

 

                                                                                        TYPICAL TAMIL NADU LUNCH
                                                                                         SERVED ON BANANA LEAF

 

       

        A TAMIL NADU THALI

 

                                                                         

                                                                         MASALA DOSA

                                  

                                                                    SPINACH PAKODA

 

VEN PONGAL

 

                                                                                    

                                                                                   PALKATTI CHETTINAD

                                                                                  Chettinad Masala

 

KANCHIPURAM IDLIS

 

                                                                             

                                                                             UTHAPPAM

 

BRINJAL SAMBAR

 

                                                                                              

                                                                                             RAVA DOSA

 

MEDHU VADA

 

                                                                                                        

                                                                                                        TAMIL SAMAYAL CURRY

 

MUTTON BIRIYANI

 

                                                                         

                                                                        COCONUT CHUTNEY