Nagapattinam Tourism
Location: Eastern Coast, about 350 Km. Nagapattinam is located 320 kilometers from Chennai, the capital of Tamilnadu and 145 kilometers east, from Tiruchirappalli, and a central place of the state. Nagapattinam district is quite unique and has a big cultural and historical significance. The main occupation in the town of Nagapattinam is fishing. Nagapattinam has great significance in Buddhism as well. Nagapattinam is mentioned as Padarithitha in ancient Buddhist literature. Nagapattinam is known for its hot summers and warm winters, owing to its unique position by the sea.
Nagore
Durga of Hazarat meeras sultan syed shahabdul hameed
Nagore is a small town in Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Although religious centre for muslims, the Durga of Hazarat meeras sultan syed shahabdul hameed popularly known as Hazarat mian is visited by people of all faiths. The 14-day Kandhuri Urs (also spelled Kandoori or Kandhoori) festival, dedicated to the saint, is held there annually. It is 6 Kms from Nagappattinam.Velankanni Church
Vailankanni Church Festival
Located just 14 kms away from the town of Nagapattinam, this beautiful village and a hamlet on the sandy shores of the Bay of Bengal. Velankanni can be traced to the mid-16th century and is attributed to three miracles: the apparition of Mary and the Christ Child to a slumbering shepherd boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the rescue of Portuguese sailors from a violent sea storm. The church is the replica of the Basilica of Our Lady of Health at Velankanni. People belonging to different faiths gather here to pray for the health and happiness of their loved ones as it is believed that one will get the same blessings in this shrine of Virgin Mary as he gets in Velankanni. There is also a shrine of 'lady of sorrow' where in the sorrowing Mother is depicted carrying infant Jesus in her hand. A museum is situated opposite to the Basilica. The museum has a very rich variety of exhibits.
How to Reach Velankanni
By Air
Nearest airport is Tiruchirappali that is 165 kilometers. It is well connected to rest of India
By Rail
Nearest railway station is Nagapattinam that is near about 12 kilometers. Nagapattinam in turn is well connected to all major cities in India via Chennai and Tiruchirapalli.
By Road
Velankanni is connected to all the major towns and cities in and around Tamilnadu. Regular bus services are available to Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, Kanyakumari, Thanjavur and Pondicherry etc.Ettukkudi
Lord Muruga
Ettukkudi, 30 km from Nagapattinam. The name ‘Ettukkudi’ is derived from the Etti trees which dominated this area. Muruga Temple is located at Ettukkudi which is 23 kilometers from Tiruvarur on the Thanjavur-Nagapattinam route. The devotees are welcomed by the 'Kandan Valaivu' or Kandan arch. The other entrance leads one to the Ammaiappan Soundara Nayakar sannidhi. During the Krithikai star of every month (Tamil month), Singaravelavar or Murugan goes in procession around the place. Every year, on Chitra Pournami, for ten days, devotees throng this place to lift kavadis. Paal kavadi, Panneer kavadi, Chandana kavadi, Sarkarai kavadi, Pushpa kavadi, Vibhuti kavadi, Ilaneer kavadi, Panchamirtha kavadi and the like are of great significance. The kavadi dancers follow the rhythm of the drums and enter into a hypnotic daze. Ettukkudi Kavadi Festival is a famous festival celebrated during the months of April-May.TRANQUEBAR(Tharangambadi)
Danish Port
Tranquebar is 35 Kilometres north of Nagappattinam abutting the Bay of Bengal. The Danes landed at this place in 1620 AD. It was already a pre-existing village, when the Danes landed. This is borne out by the temple on the seashore , which is crumbling now due to the sea ingress. Maravarama Sundarapandian, a later Pandya King, constructed this temple called the Masilamani Natha temple in 1305 AD. The Danes constructed fortifications on the coast at Tranquebar. This was the only busy trade centre on the Coromandal coast for the Danes. This fort was a busy trade centre till 1845 AD when the Danes handed over the fort to the English. It was used as a Public Works Department Travellers Bungalow for government servants and colonials till 1977 AD. This fort was declared as a protected monument by the Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamilnadu in 1977 AD. Built in 1620 exists to exhibit Danish architecture. The fort is now under the control of TamilNadu Archeological Department, houses an archaeological Museum. This museum is open on all days except Friday.
Other places of Interest at Danish Port
Zion's Church
Town Gateway
Masilamani Nathar Temple
Danish Governor Bungalow
How to reach
Bus facilities are available to this place from Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Poompuhar, Sirkali and Chidambaram. Kodiakkarai
Kodiakkarai, located around 55 kms away from the main town of Nagapattinam is one of the best places for excursions from Nagapattinam. Also called Point Calimere, this beautiful town is home to a wildlife sanctuary, where you can see nature in its purest form.
Madurai Tourism
Madurai or the "city of nectar" is the oldest and second largest city of Tamil Nadu, with a cultural heritage dating back to 2,500 years. Madurai reached the heights of glory during the time of the Cholas and then during the Pandyas' regime in the 13th century. The city has been an important commercial center and has conducted trade as far as Rome and Greece since as early as 550 C.ESri Meenakshi - Sundareswarar Temple
This is a twin temple. The temple in the southern side is dedicated to Sri Meenakshi the consort of lord Sundareswarar (Shiva) and the other to lord Sundareswarar. There are four entrance for the temple in the North West South and East sides of the temple. The temple is usually open between 5.00am and 12.30pm and again between 4.00pm and 8.30 pm. The original temple was built by Kulasekara Pandya, but the entire credit for making the temple as splendid as it is today goes to Tirumalai Nayak who brought back glory to this magnificent structure.Thirumalai Nayak Palace
This palace complex was constructed in the Indo-Saracen style by Thirumalai Nayakar in 1636. It is a national monument and is now under the care of the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department. The palace of Tirumalai Nayak is about 1 km away from the Sri Meenakshi - Sundareswarar Temple. The mahal is designed in such a way that the people visiting this mahal is also benefitted by receiving the blessings of the God perumal. There’s daily sound and light show in English at 6.45 pm and in Tamil at 8.15 pm. This half an hour show extols the virtues of King Thirumalai, particularly his passion for arts, his victories in battle and his love for his subjects.
Timings: 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m 2.00 p.m.and 5.00 p.m.
Tickets for the show: Adults Rs.10/-- Children Rs.5/-
Madurai Gandhi Museum
This museum is one of the rare living memorials of "The Father of India" and has an elaborate historical account of India's struggle for independence.Mariamman Teppakulam
It is actually a big temple tank, which is situated quite close to another important tourist attraction of the city called the Meenakshi temple. The distance between the Meenakshi Temple and the Mariamman Teppakulam is only 5 km. Mariamman Teppakulam is famous for the celebrations of the Float festival, which is celebrated in the Tamil month of Thai. The festival commemorates the birthday of King Thirumalai Nayak. During this festival, which is organized between the months of January and February, not only the Mariamman Teppakulam but also the entire city of Madurai has a festive look.
St. Mary’s Cathedral
St. Mary’s Cathedral in Madurai is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madurai. One of the oldest Roman Catholic church situated at 2 km South East of Madurai Railway station and only 200 meters from the Thirumalai Nayak Mahal.Annamalai and Nagamalai
Annamalai and Nagamalai are two striking rock formations, and home to ascetics of the Jain and Hindu faiths. The treasure trove, in the form of Jain caves, stone and rock carvings and the stone beds of monks, has not been fully exploited to attract tourists to the city. While the Archaelogical Survey of India has managed to safeguard the rock carvings in Nagamalai, located on the outskirts of the city, precious Jain caves have been lost in nearby Samanar Malai, due to the impact of indiscriminate quarrying. Nagamalai, as a relic of the Jain culture in this region, holds immense potential as a popular tourist destination.Manalur
20 kms from the place of Madurai, Manalur, important travel attraction came to the limelight by the chance. Discovery of the 13th century idol of Lord Krishna in his child form along with Bikshadanur. The discovery has thrown light on the fact that Manalur was a historical important place in the older times. On the side of the Vaiger river, innumerable brick kilns and sand quarries are today seen which once boast of being the capital of the Pandyas in the early history. The place was also famous during the rule of later Pandyas. A detailed excavation at Manalur may help unravel many mysteries connected with Pandya kings.Kudal Azhagar Koil
Koodal Azhagar Koil is one of the 108 Divyadesams of the Vaishnavites, the idols of Vishnu and Lakshmi are huge and beautiful. Most of the students do their regular prayer here as hayagrivar is the one who brought the epic fallen into water back to the earth. he temple finds mention in Sangam literature dating back to 2000 years. This is one of the temple found in center of city. The temple is situated in Madurai district of Tamilnadu. It is close to the main bus stop and also the famous Meenakshi temple. Madurai is well connected by trains, buses and flights with major cities.
Nearest station and airport: Madurai
Krishnagiri Tourism
The district was earlier known as Ariyalur District. One of the most industrialized places in India, Hosur, is located in this district. Mango is cultivated as the main crop and its considered as the birth place for Mangoes. The major crop of Krishnagiri district with 300.17 km² of cultivation is mango. Krishnagiri is the venue for this famous Mango Festival, celebrated on the last 3 days of June.
Krishnagiri Town
National Highways passing through the district are:
NH-7 (Kanyakumari-Kashmir)
NH-46 (Chennai-Bangalore)
NH-66 (Pondicherry-Bangalore)
NH-207 (Sarjapur-Bagalur-Hosur)
NH-219 (Krishnagiri-Kuppam)
The nearest railway Junction is Jolarpet (60 km) and the nearest railway station is Rayakottai (30 km).
The nearest Airport is at Bangalore Airport (120 km)Hosur Tourism
It is on the border of Tamil Nadu adjoining Karnataka (Bangalore). This place attracts tourists and is ornamented with a lot of temples.Hosur Industrial Area
Krishnagiri Dam
Built in between the years 1955-57, this dam is a good picnic spot located 10 km from Hosur. It is in between Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri. Krishnagiri Dam constructed across the Thenpennar is a major tourist attraction in Krishnagiri District.Krishnagiri Government Museum
Government Museum, set up in 1993 situated on Gandhi Salai in Krishnagiri. The museum houses exhibits from various subjects such as Archeology, Anthropology, Botany, Zoology, Geography, etc. It is not only a place of tourism but also a center of education. This museum collects the monuments, Classifies and preserves them to conduct research on it's historical worthiness.
The museum is open on all days from 9:30 to 17:00 hrs except Fridays, second Saturdays and national holidays.Arulmigu Maragathambigai Chandra Choodeswarar Temple
The Arulmigu Maragathambigai Chandra Choodeswarar Temple is located in Hosur on National Highway 7 and most of the pilgrims come from Karnataka. This temple stands on a hillock. A guest house is also functioning under the control of Tamil Nadu tourism which is very near to the hillock.Thally - Little England
Thally, also called Little England since the British days, is situated around 25 km from Hosur in Krishnagiri District. It is situated in the land of valleys and cliffs. The major tourist spots are a 15th century fort, built by Palayakarar and a temple for Venugopala Swami. The Chariot Festival is a major celebration here, held in the month of May every year, which is the best time to visit this place. Car festival is held during the month of May every year. Thousands of devotees visit during this festival.Kelevarapalli Dam
Construction of this project was completed in 1995 AD. Tourists from adjoining state often visit this place on holidays.Rayakottah
Rayakottah is a hill fort, situated 30 km from Hosur. The fort is a protected monument.Mallachandram
It is located 19 km from krishnagiri and 4 km from samalpallam. In Mallachandram more than 100 Dolmens are identified in the Moral Pari. Four types of dolmens in this single place.
Karur Tourism
Karur is an ancient city of Tamil Nadu. Karur has a very long history and has been sung by various sangam poets. Karur is one of the oldest towns in Tamil Nadu and has played a very significant role in the history and culture of the Tamils. The city is famous for its cottage industries. The geographical location of the district is in such a way that, it is bounded by Namakkal District in the north, the Dindigul District in the south, the Tiruchirappalli District on the east and Erode District on the west.
Government Museum Karur
The Museum was opened to the public in 2000. The specimens include bronze items, metal-ware objects, musical instruments, coins, rocks and minerals, fossils, botanical specimens, molluscan shells, and other marine specimens. The museum is still maintained as a spot of memory to the ancestors who ruled and lived here.
Mariyamman Temple Karur
This is the one important & most sacred - powerful temple in the karur district. Every year in May First Week Famous Mariamman Festival is celebrated, over 20 Lakhs People from all over the world come to karur to celebrate and worship Mariamman the one of the Powerful amman in South India. It is the second largest amman workship place in tamil nadu.
Kalyana Venkattaramasami temple
Kalyana Venkattaramasami Temple, located at Thanthoni around 5 km from Karur. The shrine of the Lord is situated on a raised portion of a hillock. The temple is also known as Then (south) Tirupathi.
Velayuthampalayam
The beautiful & very old (2500 years) hill temple for lord muruga is here. It is in Kaveri river bank.
Kanyakumari Tourism
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. Bounded by Tirunelveli district in the north and northeast, by Kerala state in the northwest and confluence of Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean in the west and south.Kanyakumari Town
Kanyakumari Temple
The Kanyakumari temple is an ancient one and has been mentioned in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Sangam works Manimekalai and Puranaanooru. The black stone image of Kanyakumari in the sanctum bearing a garland is an enchanting one. The main entrance to the temple is through the northern gate though the deity is facing east. The eastern entrance is kept closed except on special occasions when the deity is taken out for ceremonial bath. There are a total of 11 theerthams associated with the temple in the ocean surrounding the area.
Main Festivals and Opening Times
1. The Vaisakha festival
2. The Kalabham festival
3. The destruction of Baanasuran
The temple is open to the public from 4.30 AM to 11.45 AM and 5.30 PM to 8.45 PM
Gandhi Mandapam
Gandhi Memorial is another place to visit in Kanyakumari. It resembles an Oriyan temple and was designed so that on Gandhiji's birthday, the sun's rays fall on the place where his ashes were kept. Gandhi Mandapam is built near the famous Anna University. t is an important tourist spot that is favored by many people who come to visit India and its monuments that depict its rich cultural heritage.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Vivekananda Rock Memorial is a sacred monument and popular tourist attraction in Kanyakumari. It is about 500 meters away from mainland. The design of the mandapa incorporates different styles of temple architecture from all over India in 1970. This memorial is on two rocky islands projecting from the sea about 400 m offshore. The Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda came here in 1892. The memorial consists of two main structures, the Vivekananda Mandapam and the Shripada Mandapam. Poompuhar Shipping Corporation is operating frequent ferry service to this rock.
Suchindram Temple
Suchindram Temple Just 13 kms. from Kanniyakumari. 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. Inside the temple is the Lingam, representing the three Gods. Two festivals are celebrated in the Suchindram temple.
1. Markhazi festival
2. Chiththirai
Padmanabhapuram Palace
It is about 20 km from Nagercoil, and about 50 kilometers from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It is situated at Thucklai, on the way to Kanyakumari. The palace complex was constructed around 1601 A.D by Iravi Varma Kulasekhara Perumal who ruled Travancore between 1592 A.D. and 1609 A.D. This palace was once the capital of the State of Travancore. Padmanabhapuram palace cover an area of around 7 acres. The palace has its main entrance from the west. There is an audience hall on the upper level of the two storeyed building with circular wooden columns and angled timber screens to let in light and air.
Kanchipuram Tourism
Kanchipuram, Kanchi, or Kancheepuram is a district is in the northeast of Tamil Nadu, adjacent to the Bay of Bengal. Kanchipuram or the City of Thousand Temples is one of the oldest temple towns of India. The temple city of Kanchipuram is one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage sites in India and seat to the Shankaracharya. You can spend the entire day visiting the temples in the city. The most important of the temples is the Ekambareswarar temple that was built by the Pallavas. The climate of Kanchipuram is tropical with an almost uniform temperature throughout the year.
Muttukadu
Muttukadu it is located at a distance of 80 km from Kanchipuram and 36 km from Chennai. The main attraction of Muttukadu is the windsurfing regatta, which is organized in February every year, Backwaters and Handicraft Village and Dakshinchitra. Boating and wind surfing are two major activities that are widely promoted here.
Vedanthangal
Vedanthangal it is one of the major Water Bird Sanctuaries in India, 48 km from Kanchipuram. The sanctuary gets its name from a nearby village and is only 75 Km from Chennai. The birds can be viewed from the bank or from the watch tower. Still Vedanthangal continues to be a paradise for bird watchers, especially during the winter season, when birds in a myriad of colours and kinds descend on the lake in hordes.
Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram 60 kms, South of Chennai, nestling on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. This is one of the main tourist places in kanchipuram. The monuments of Mamallapuram are excellent specimen of Dravidian temple architecture and Pallava art. Open on all weekdays from sunrise to sunset. Entry fee for those above 12 yrs. : Rs.5.00. Free entry on Fridays. Best time to visit December & January.
Covelong Beach
This is a small fishing village 40 km from Chennai on the Mahabalipuram road. Covelong Beach is one of the finest beaches on the coast of Coromandel. he beach provides a plethora of water sport activities, like wind surfing, swimming, etc. The ancient Catholic Church is a must visit place on the beach. 
Dakshina Chitra
DakshinaChitra is a center for the living traditions of art, folk performing arts, craft and architecture of India. The place forms one of the best folk museums of Tamil Nadu. The place stands on the East Coast Road, on the way to Mammalapuram. They have 200 to 250 daily visitors during the week days and 600 to 800 people during the weekends.Children below 5 years of age are allowed free entry. Five to 12 year olds have to pay Rs. 15, 12-18 year olds need to shell out Rs. 25, adults Rs. 50 and foreign nationals Rs. 175.
Dakshinachitra,
Muttukkadu, East Coast Road
Chingleput District - 600118.
044-27472603, 27472783
10 AM - 6 PM (Closed on Tuesdays)
The Crocodile Bank
Just 14 km from Mamallapuram is this crocodile breeding center. At this center, about 5000 crocodiles of 6 different species, alligators & other reptiles are bred in captivity, kept in open, marshy enclosures
Kodiakkarai, located around 55 kms away from the main town of Nagapattinam is one of the best places for excursions from Nagapattinam. Also called Point Calimere, this beautiful town is home to a wildlife sanctuary, where you can see nature in its purest form.
