Tamil Nadu ? A potpourri of culture and festivity
Tamil Nadu is a delightful anachronism. With a rich culture reaching back to the early dawn of history, the land of Temples is also a modern developing state. Tamil Nadu, Jewel of the South, is well known as a tourist destination in India. With a past brimming with superior cultural and artistic achievements, tourists flock to Tamil Nadu mainly for its historical heritage. But there's more? Traveling to Chennai, dashing capital of Tamil Nadu, tourists see a modern city, impressive as well as eminently livable. Besides, Tamil Nadu also has its fair share of great beaches, nature, wildlife, good food, festivals and fun.
History of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu's history reaches back to the earliest annals of pre-Aryan India. The earliest Tamilians were descendents of the Dravidian race and the remnants of their early civilization excavated at Mohanjo Daro and Harappa, in North- Western India testify to a highly developed society and culture. Invading Aryans caused them to retreat further South into Peninsular India in today's Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and of course Tamil Nadu. Here they settled and prospered, practiced statesmanship, built temples, pursued academics, wrote literature, composed music and poetry and gave rise to one of the oldest and most refined cultures of India.
Tamil Nadu - Land of Temples
Over 30, 000 temples have earned Tamil Nadu the sobriquet of "The Land of the Temples". Built over generations, by successive rulers of the Chola, Pallava, Pandya and Chera dynasties, Tamil Nadu's temples nevertheless bear a close resemble to each other in terms of their physical features. The impressive tower over the entrance, or gopuram, the tower over the sanctum or vimanam and the central hall are common features across diverse architectural styles ? a reflection of the highly defined and precise rules governing the building of temples.
Grander and more imposing than their North Indian counterparts, the temples of South India served as more than mere buildings for the worship of the deities housed there. Tamil Nadu's temples were integral to the social fabric of the towns where they stood. Serving as public halls, schools and centers of learning, they played a role in the commemoration of important religious, social and political events. Besides they doubled as granaries, storage rooms and hospitals? From the perspective of tourism, Tamil Nadu's temples served as fountainheads of the spiritual and artistic endeavor of the Tamil people.
Dedicated to important deities of the Hindu Pantheon such as Siva, Vishnu, their consorts Parvati and Lakshmi, as also Vinayak, Subramanya or Muruga, the Gods are worshipped with different names according to legends connected with the origin of the temples: Siva is Ramanathaswamy ? 'He who is worshipped by Rama' at Rameswaram, and Nataraja ? 'Cosmic Dancer' at Chidambaram.
In Tamil Nadu Siva is worshipped as the five elements: Space in Chidambaram, Water in Tiruvanaikkaval, Fire in Tiruvannamalai, Earth in Kanchipuram and Air in Sri Kalahasti (Andhra Pradesh). Vishnu, often referred to in Tamil Nadu as Varadaraja Perumal and Ranganarthaswamy is worshipped as himself, as also through temples dedicated to his incarnations, Rama and Krishna.
Temples devoted to the consorts of the above Gods include the twin temples of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar at Madurai and the Kamakshi temple at Kanchi. Besides, temples dedicated to the elephant headed Ganpati or Ganesh, also known as Vigneswara or Pillayar, his younger brother Subramanya 'Lord of the Mountains' and other lesser deities are also found in Tamil Nadu.
Saivism and Vaishnavism, the two most elemental sects of Hinduism occur in Tamil Nadu, though, as elsewhere in India, this division is becoming more and more fuzzy.
Natural Wonders of Tamil Nadu
Ancient settlers in Tamil Nadu categorized the region into 5 different physiogeographic features: Kurinji or the mountainous region, Mullai or forests, Palai or the arid zone, Marudham or fertile lands and Neidhal or coastal belt.
The Eastern and Western Ghats, ancient hill ranges, meet in Tamil Nadu, bestowing the state with some of the most ravishing hill stations of the South including Ooty, Kodaikanal, Kothagiri and Yercaud.
Denser and enjoying more rain, the Western Ghats are thickly forested besides having tea, coffee and spice plantations. On the other hand, Yercaud, in the comparatively rocky, barren Eastern Ghats also offers fruit orchards and coffee plantations.
Travelers to the Western Ghats can also visit Tamil Nadu's major wildlife sanctuaries including the Mudumalai and Annamalai Wildlife Sanctuaries, home to elephants, gaur, deer monkeys and tigers. On a different note are Tamil Nadu's extensive mangrove forests comprising excellent bird sanctuaries such as Lake Pulicat and Vedanthangal.
Besides boosting Tamil Nadu's tourism, the forests are also home to abundant reserves of medicinal herbs including Cinchona, which gives quinine for treating malaria and eucalyptus whose oil has healing properties. Also, Palmyrah trees grow thickly in Tamil Nadu while rubber is a major crop in parts of Tamil Nadu including Kannyakumari. The Javadhu hills near Vellore yield another highly sought after botanical wonder ? the sandalwood tree.
Tamil Nadu's fertile plains are fed by rivers such as Cauvery, Palar, Pennar, Vaigai and Tamiraparani. The ever flowing Cauvery especially irrigates the Coromandel plains, Tamil Nadu's most fertile plains; its delta in the Thanjavur-Nagapattinam region is the veritable granary of Tamil Nadu! Palai, or the arid desert region of Tamil Nadu is seen primarily in Tirunelveli district.
Tamil Nadu's most enjoyable temptations, undeniably, are the beaches. With an extensive coastline Tamil Nadu was famous amongst travelers even in ancient times for its ports such as Mylapore, Poompuhar and Mamallapuram from where India conducted trade with Rome, Greece and the Far East. Today tourists can enjoy wide uninterrupted beaches such as Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and the most famous ? Marina beach in Chennai. 12 km of unhindered sea and sand, make it the second longest beach the world.
Festivals of Tamil Nadu
With their artistic and aesthetic sensibilities and a robust sense of fun, it is no wonder Tamilians love festivals. Most of these commemorate events from religious mythology or celebrate the seasons.
Pongal: This most popular of festival of Tamil Nadu's festivals celebrates the harvest season. The festivities stretching to three days, the first day is dedicated to the family, the second day to the sun and the third to the moon. Rice cooked in milk and jaggery is prepared and shared, with even the cattle and animals getting their share. Much rejoicing attends this festival, which is also traditionally observed in rural areas with community meals prepared by freshly harvested produce.
Thai Pusam: Held in temples dedicated to Kartikeya or Mariamman, devotees demonstrate their faith by walking over burning coal. This over, much singing and feasting follows.
Kavadi Festival: Inspired by the legend of Idumban who carried two hillocks strung on a pole over his shoulders, devotees of Lord Muruga carry a 'Kavadi' - flower decoration, as they travel up the Palani hills in Tamil Nadu to a temple at the summit.
Float Festival: Commemorating Tamil Nadu's version of Vishnu, Lord Alagar's giving of his sister, the Goddess Meenakshi in marriage to Lord Sundaresa, ornamented statues of the divine couple are taken out on a golden bull from the Meenakshi temple on a full moon night and floated in a tank on a raft with flowers and lamps. Devotees travel along with the procession, dancing and spraying colours
Karthigai Deepam: Beautiful rows of glittering earthen lamps outside every home, and the joyous burst of firecrackers mark Tamil Nadu's Festival of Lights.
Velankanni Festival: Commemorating the shrine of the Virgin Mary, built by grateful Portuguese sailors who miraculously escaped death when their ship was wrecked, this festival is attended by thousands. The church is called the 'Lourdes of the East' on account of miraculous healings experienced by devotees here.
Kanthuri Festival: Dedicated to Quadirwali, a saint who was famous for doing good to people of all faiths, a descendent of the saint is chosen as a peer. On the tenth day Quadirwali's tomb is anointed with sandalwood paste, which is then distributed to share its healing powers.
Taste of Tamil Nadu
No tourist can claim to know Tamil Nadu till he has also tried its cuisine. For the Tamilian carries his gutsy, if refined ingenuity, to food as much as every other facet of his life. Tamil Nadu is predominantly vegetarian ? a reflection of its staunch Hindu faith. While rice, lentils and vegetables are the staple, spices are used to give that unique flavour. Breakfast (tiffin) includes idli (steamed rice cake), dosa (steamed rice pancake), vada (patties made from gram flour) pongal (rice and lentils boiled together and seasoned with cashew, pepper and cumin) and uppma (semolina seasoned with spices). Lunch is usually rice along with vegetables, rasam (a spicy broth) and curd. Non-vegetarians have the option of curries and dishes cooked using chicken, mutton, or fish.
Roozbegh Gazdar Content Writer http://www.traveljini.com seo@traveljini.com
 Google News Updated : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:51:44 GMT Discovery may boost statin safety - BBC News
BBC News - Scientists have pinpointed a gene mutation as a major cause of a rare side effect of the cholesterol-lowering drugs statins. They hope the discovery could lead to a simple test to identify patients at increased risk of myopathy - severe muscle pain and ... Gene May Predict Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Risk, Study Says Genetic Cause of Statin-Related Muscle Pain Found Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:14:24 GMT Christian Bale's lady sidekick: Sibi Bale - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times - Like the Dark Knight/Bruce Wayne, Christian Bale is a real-life man of mystery. Averse to personal publicity, he is well-known for not wanting to discuss his private life. Christian Bale, Wife "Solid" at Knight's Spain Premiere Bale's family feud led to scuffle Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:10:31 GMT Zimbabwe Parties May Sign Unity Deal Soon, Business Day Reports - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Carli Lourens July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's ruling and opposition parties may sign a power-sharing agreement soon as they have already agreed on a wide range of issues, Business Day reported, citing people it didn't identify. Fearsome Zimbabwe militias are afraid Delayed Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Talks Seen Beginning Thursday Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:23:06 GMT Karadzic lived the good life with wine, song - Reuters
Reuters - By Ivana Sekularac BELGRADE (Reuters) - Radovan Karadzic lived the good life while hiding from justice for 11 years: he watched his diet, fell in love and hung out in a small bar where hardliners gathered to sing about his wartime exploits. Video: Karadzic's arrest sparks clashes - 23 Jul 08 Karadzic's secret life enthralls his fellow Serbs Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:05:33 GMT Rapper 50 Cent sues Taco Bell over ad - New York Daily News
New York Daily News - BY THOMAS ZAMBITO The rapper - real name Curtis Jackson - is suing the fast-food chain for using his hip-hop persona to tout its tacos. 50 Cent sues Taco Bell over ad campaign Rapper 50 Cent says Taco Bell stole his endorsement Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:15:09 GMT Favre's heir? With backing from mates, Rodgers waits patiently - USA Today
USA Today - By Matt Ludtke, AP By Larry Weisman, USA TODAY He no longer sounds like a retired player after seemingly passing on the opportunity to lead a talent-laden Packers squad. Video: The Rift Between Favre and the Packers Finding new home for Brett Favre won't be easy Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:06:18 GMT Billionaires Back Antismoking Effort - New York Times
New York Times - Bill Gates and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced their antismoking initiative on Wednesday in New York. By DONALD G. MCNEIL JR Bill Gates and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced on Wednesday that they would spend $500 million to stop ... Video: Gates, Bloomberg Pool Riches to Fight Smoking The $500 million war on smoking Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:23:48 GMT RSS Parser |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... There are many manufacturers of inflatable boats on the market... Read More Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More We recently planted our saskatoon berry trees. I am sure... Read More This truly beautiful country at the southern tip of dark... Read More Eulogised as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Cochin, Kerala's... Read More My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the... Read More Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More Holidays in India, awesome in her size and diversity. This... Read More New experiences make me nervous, and I assume that holds... Read More Hawaii snorkeling is a fun activity available to almost any... Read More Thousands of golfers flock to the Carolinas each spring and... Read More Drive along one of South Africa's scenic strips and you... Read More For the fortunate few, life isn't complete without a backpacking... Read More Touted as one of the world's fifty destinations of a... Read More There are two types of used inflatable boats for sale... Read More WHAT TO FISH AND WHERE: Alaska offers some of the... Read More Camping is a delightful and adventurous way to spend your... Read More An African honeymoon safari is the perfect way to celebrate... Read More We've all heard about whalewatching from boats or shore, and... Read More Romancing History ? A Holiday in RajasthanRajasthan, the name evokes... Read More Rafting through the Grand Canyon is the experience of a... Read More The quaint little balcony was large enough to accommodate two... Read More The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay... Read More Boston is a great destination city for a vacation. There's... Read More There's nothing that will quicken the interest of RVers like... Read More
Adsense
websites
A Review of Inflatable Boat Manufacturers
Holidays in Goa
Finding Adventure In Little Things
Scuba diving in South Africa
Cochin - Cocktails of Cultures
Code of Conduct for Outdoor Enthusiasts
A Torrent of Influences ? Tourism in Goa
Great Indian Holidays
Crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel with an RV
Hawaii Snorkeling - An Underwater Paradise
Book a Golf Package in Myrtle Beach for Golfing Fun and Great Times in the Sun
The Cast of Culture in South Africa
Student Travel ? Backpacking In Europe
Kerala ? Holiday in Gods Own Country
Should You Buy a Used Inflatable Boat?
Alaska Sport Fishing Guide
What You Need to Know About - Camping Vacations
Top Five Honeymoon Safari Destinations In Africa
Dancing With Whales
A Holiday in Rajasthan
River Rafting in the Grand Canyon
Kerala Backwaters - Gently Down the Stream
Bunbury Western Australia
Boston Vacations: Four Ways To Experience Beantown
RV Camping at Casinos
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
The Benefits of One Day Hiking Trips
Do you like to take one day hiking trips? Do... Read More
Its an Alien World in Every River
When you look at a river, what do you see?... Read More
Boston Vacations: Four Ways To Experience Beantown
Boston is a great destination city for a vacation. There's... Read More
Bunbury Western Australia
The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay... Read More
San Francisco Beaches
When you are planning a vacation to Maui or Rio... Read More
Greek Food
A meal in Greece is highlighted with a selection of... Read More
Edible Wild Plants For Backpackers
Knowing a few edible wild plants can make your next... Read More
Hiking in the Forest Knowing When to Slow Down
One morning in mid summer, I headed out for some... Read More
Bird Safaris: Timbavatis Most Desired Plumage
Normally when you think Safari you think Big 5. The... Read More
Cheap Safari in Africa For $70 a Day - Heres How To Do It
You would think that a cheap safari in Africa for... Read More
Bird Watching Life Lists ? Keeping A Record
If you're a birder, you want to keep a list... Read More
Shark Attacks! How Common are They? Where do They Occur?
Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could... Read More
Plymouth Plantation and Mayflower ? Links to Our Past Guide, Part 1
Plimoth Plantation and the Mayflower II ship are major attractions... Read More
Dont Forget that Camping Gear Checklist Before You Leave on that Family Camping Adventure
A camping gear checklist is an important tool to help... Read More
Things to Make Your Gap Year in Africa Easy!
The kind of things you pack when you go on... Read More
How Are Minerals Formed?
HOW ARE MINERALS FORMED?MINERALS are naturally occuring, inorganic solids, with... Read More
Retired LoWs Do Yuma
Yuma, Arizona. In the winter, it's the best town in... Read More
Visiting the Last Paradise on Earth ? Costa Rica
I've been traveling and writing about places I believe others... Read More
Topographic Maps 101
The intricate details on a topographic map can be befuddling,... Read More
Tom Sawyer Day - Floating Down The River
There were four of us on that first Tom Sawyer... Read More
Wildebeest Migration - How To Get The Best Seats In The House
To get the most out of a wildebeest migration safari... Read More
River Rafting in Colorado
The sport of river rafting was practically invented in Colorado.... Read More
The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok ? the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya
The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old... Read More
Bird Watching in the East Usambara Mountains of Tanzania
The Usamabara Mountains are very special mountains, often that tired... Read More
How To Buy a Used RV - Part 1
If you are on a tight budget and can't afford... Read More
Outdoors |