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 |
NORTH: KANCHIPURAM
Ekambareswara Temple
WEST: OOTY (Udgagamandalam), Capital of Nilgris
Pykara Falls: Ooty
Botanical Gardens: Ooty
KODAIKANAL:
Berijam Lake |
WEST CENTRAL: PALANI
Palani Murugan Temple
SOUTH CENTRAL: COIMBATORE
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
SOUTH: KANYAKUMARI
Vivekananda Memorial |
Tiruvalluvar Statue |
SOUTHEAST: RAMESHWARAM
Ramanatha Swamy Temple |
THANJAVOOR:
Brihadeswara Temple
SOUTH CENTRAL: MADURAI
Meenakshi Temple, Tower 1 |
NORTH CENTRAL: THIRUVANNAMALAI
Shiva-Parvati Temple
EAST: CHIDAMBARAM
Kali Temple
CHENNAI: Capital City
Rippon Building |
Tidel Park, in Taramani
NORTHEAST Cont: CHENNAI
Chennai Central Station
Govt. Museum, Egmore |
CHENNAI Cont.
Kapaleeswarar Temple |
NORTHEAST: Cont. MAMALLAPURAM (Mahabalipuram)
Mamallapuram: Rock Art
Mamallapuram: Rock art at Shore Temple
Shore Temple
Bharata Natyam
BHARATA NATYAM
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) | |
State bird | Emerald Dove (Chalcophaps indica) | |
State flower | Gloriosa Lily (Gloriosa superba) | |
State tree | Palm Tree (Borassus flabellifer) | |
Song | தமிழ் தாய் வாழ்த்து | |
Sport | Kabaddi | |
Dance | Bharata Natyam | |
State 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