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South India Festivals Tours

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Duration : 16 Nights / 17 Days
Destinations Covered : Chennai - Kanchipuram - Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) - Thiruvannamalai – Puducherry (Pondicherry) - Chidambaram - Tiruchirapalli (Trichy) - Thanjavur (Tanjore) - Karaikudi - Madurai - Rameshwaram - Madurai - Palani - Periyar - Alappuzha (Alleppey)- Kochi (Cochin)

Day 01 : Arrival at Chennai Festivals of South India

You will be accorded a warm welcome on your arrival at Chennai International Airport on the first day of your South India Festivals tour by the representatives of India Tourism Travel. You will be assisted in your boarding & lodging at a hotel in the city center. Your overnight stay will be in Chennai.

Day 02 : Chennai – Kanchipuram – Mahabalipuram / 150 Km – 04 Hrs Drive
After having your hearty breakfast, you would depart to Kanchipuram this day, which is one of the most sacred places in India. The city of Kanchipuram is famous all over the world for its magnificent temples and finest silk saris. It is a favorite destination for those interested in shopping of the finest silk saris and viewing the traditions, culture, temples and other religious activities of the region. Visit Kamakshi Amman temple which is dedicated to Goddess Parvathi. It was originally built by Pallavas in the 7th century but was rebuilt and expanded further by the Chola rulers in the 14th century. The temple houses the Shankaracharya shrine, the ancient Hindu religious guru who is credited for the spread of Hinduism in all parts of India. Our next destination of the day would be the Vaikuntha Perumal temple which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and was originally built in the 7th century.

The temple is unique as it has sculptures of Lord Vishnu in various postures. You would find the Lord in sitting, standing and reclining positions everywhere in the temple. Our next destination would be to a silk weaving cottage, the place for traditional silk making. This is the chief profession of the locals. The specialty of this traditional silk production site is that it is done manually and no modern devices or equipments are used for the production of silk by the workers. Only traditional equipments are used for making stunningly beautiful products. The fabrics are decorated with designs of temples, peacocks, flowers and epical characters belonging to the Ramayana and Mahabharata era. Later in the evening, we will depart for Mahabalipuram. Your overnight stay will be in a hotel in Mahabalipuram.

Day 03 : Mahabalipuram [Dance Festival] (Dance festival will be organized during December/ January only)
Mahabalipuram Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which was built by the Pallava king Narashimha Varman I. There is much for you to see here such as caves, monolithic shrines, temples and giant bas-reliefs which are testimonies of great Pallava art. Shore Temple is the prime attraction of Mahabalipuram which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. This grand temple was constructed by King Mamalla. Out of the three shrines, two were built later by Mamalla’s successor Narashimha Varman II. They are dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple has survived the wrath of time as well as other climatic conditions. We will also see the huge Five Rathas which are believed to be the five chariots of Pandavas of Mahabharata epic. The largest among these five rathas is the Dharmaraja Yudhishthir ratha. A massive bas-relief is also situated nearby depicting Arjuna the warrior, some mythological animals, gods and demigods.

After having the enriching tour of the temples, you could visit the traditional shops and buy some curios to take back home as souvenirs. You could also buy products made of sea shells such as hangers, makeup items for women, and beautiful paintings with little narratives. Enjoy some water sports and leisure moments at the lovely Mahabalipuram Beach. (they can visit this dance festival during Dec/ Jan only)As part of your South India festivals tour, you would also visit Mahabalipuram Dance Festivals in the evening where you would see the performance of classical dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Odissi and Kathakali among others. It is an open air show conducted on a stage built in the 13th century. Your overnight stay will be at Mahabalipuram.

Day 04 : Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry – Chidambaram / 190 Km – 4 ½ Hrs Drive South India Festivals Tours

On the fourth day of our South India festivals tour, we will drive down the East Coast Road to Pondicherry. Influence of French architecture, culture and traditions is very much visible in the city everywhere and also on the lifestyle of its residents. This town has played an important role in India’s freedom movement as several freedom fighters had marched on its streets and carried out their other political activities. Visit Aurobindo Ashram, the residence of Sri Aurobindo, a freedom fighter turned saint and his devotee Mother Mirra Alfassa Richard, popularly known as Maa or the Mother. The Ashram consists of several buildings in which students live modestly as per the teachings of Sri Aurobindo. They fulfill their requirements by doing various tasks in the Ashram premises.

Thereafter, we will visit the 17th century Church of Sacred Heart of Jesus which has beautiful stained glass windows depicting the life and times of Jesus Christ. We will also visit Pondicherry Museum during the day which has a wonderful collection of artifacts belonging to the French rule. The rooms here are arranged in traditional French style which are ornamented with fine marbles, beautiful paintings, antique clocks and stained mirrors. The museum has rich collection of brass, bronze and stone arts belonging to the Chola and Pallava dynasties.

We will also pay a visit to the beautiful Auroville City, an international township also known as the ”City of Dawn”, which was founded by The Mother Mirra. It is now home to many foreign nationals, who decided to stay back here after realizing the great ideals of the life taught by Sri Aurobindo. Residents belonging to more than 50 countries of the world live here in perfect peace and harmony with one another. It has a spherical marble chamber with crystal placed on it which reflects sun’s rays. Later on drive to Chidambaram and check in at a comfortable hotel. Enjoy your rest and sumptuous dinner in the hotel on this leg of your South India festivals tour.

There are no 03 Star/ 04 Star hotels in Chidambaram. Only a couple of budget hotels are there to stay and they are very average

Day 05 : Chidambaram – Gangaikondacholapuram –Darasuram - Trichy / 200 Km -05 Hrs Drive

In the morning visit the Natarajar Temple built in the 9th century by the Cholas. It has remarkable hut-like chamber with gold- plated roof, a huge Ganga tank and 4 colorful Gopurams. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. At this place the world famous traditional dance festival, “Natiyanjali” is held every year during Maha Sivarathiri. The event is organized inside a large hall in the temple that attracts lots of tourists from all over the world who are eager to learn the traditions and customs of Tamil Nadu. Our next destinations of the day would be Gangaikondacholapuram Temple, which is supervised by the UNESCO world heritage team. The meaning of the city’s name is “The City of Chola Who Took the Ganges”. The Brihadeeshwara temple located in Gangaikondacholapuram is the greatest attraction for the tourists to the town.

Another nearby attraction is Airavateshwara temple situated at Darasuram which is beautifully carved and is counted among the oldest temples of the town. It is an excellent example of the Chola temple art and architecture. Later on we will visit Tiruchirapalli or Trichy which is renowned for its clay toys and beautiful sculptures, beautiful diamonds and glass bangles and other conventional accessories. We will visit the renowned Rock Fort temple which is built over a rock which is millions of years old. One must go up more than 400 steps to reach to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. While ascending to the top, you will see many small temples, ancient sculptures and beautiful art pieces that will keep you engaged and also ward off your weariness. You overnight stay will be in a hotel in Tiruchirapalli.

Day 06 : Trichy – Tanjore [Bhoghi Festival) / 65 Km – 01 Hr Drive (Boghi festival falls on 13 0r 14 January every year)
Festivals In South India

We will begin our sixth day’s itinerary of South India festivals tour with a visit to Sri Ranganatha Swamy temple located at Srirangam. The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Vishnu. The historic temple is situated on the banks of river Kollidakarai. It is a serene place to visit. After our sightseeing of this historic temple, we will move for Thanjavur (Tanjore), also known as the “The Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu”. The city was initially ruled by the Cholas and then by Nayakas and Marathas. There is the 1000 years old Brihadeeshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site. It was built by Raja Raja Chola I. it is carved out of a single block of granite and also has the gigantic Nandi bull weighing 25 tons positioned near the chamber.

Our next destination would be the Royal Palace, which was built by the Nayaka rulers as their royal residence. It was later renovated and beautified further by Marathas. Outside the palace is situated a 7 storey Observation Tower and Durbar Hall constructed in the year 1684. Durbar Hall is known for its beautiful architecture and has a number of paintings on walls and also has well decorated pillars and ceilings. The place complex also houses Raja Raja Museum, Art Gallery and Saraswathi Mahal Library. The museum displays antiques, vessels and other objects used by the royal family, medieval era coins and weapons made of iron and other metals. Compilations of old manuscripts can also be seen in the library.
Bhoghi:
It is a festival celebrated everywhere in Tamilnadu and several other parts of India. The festival is celebrated for four days in which people burn the rugs and other redundant things of their households. The festival (Pongal festival) symbolizes new life for the Tamil people. The main deity worshipped during the festival is Lord Indran, the God of Clouds and Rain. Traditional rituals and celebrations of the festivals vary to some extent from one place to another. A bonfire is lit at night to burn the discarded material and houses are renovated, white washed and cleaned well. It is widely believed that all worries, difficulties, unhappiness, problems, confusions and sins are also burnt away when people burn their rags.

Day 07 : Tanjore – Karaikudi / 100 Km – 02 Hrs Drive (Pongal)
Pongal:
Pongal is the most widely celebrated festival of Tamil Nadu and the entire South India. You will travel to one of the exclusive destinations (Karaikudi) where you can get glimpses of tradition and culture of South India and also taste the delicacies and cuisines, commonly captioned as: The Land of Chettiyars. Pongal is the most important festival of the South Indian people as it is the “Harvest and Thanks Giving Festival” for the Sun God. People wear new clothes and use fresh mud pots and sugarcane delicacies for the festival. This day is celebrated to show gratitude to the Sun God for the great and healthy produce and the proceeds gained through it.

It is an utmost important festival because agriculture is the main livelihood in India. This event is most respectable among people and sweets are distributed to strengthen the bond with relatives and friends. Both kids and grown-ups wear traditional but new costumes. Delicacies of different flavors are eaten during the festive season. The town is rightly famous for the variety of dishes and delicacies that you can relish here. All this gives a magnificent and vivid experience to the travelers. Some hotels at Karaikkudi offer cooking demonstration classes where the chef describes how to prepare the recipe. You can try this at your home and recall the memories of your South India festivals tour. Thereafter, we will visit the Chettinadu Mansion and the Bangala, which has now been turned into a hotel. The antique furniture, marble work, architectural style and beautiful carvings make it the hotel unique. Your overnight stay will be at a heritage hotel in Karaikudi.

Day 08 : Karaikudi – Madurai / 100 Km – 02 Hrs Drive (Mattu (Cow) Pongal)
A couple of hours drive will take you to Madurai, “The Temple City” located on the banks of river Vaigai. It has most illustrious collection of temples which reflect the Tamil culture, architecture, culture and traditions. You can take part in Mattu Pongal (or Cow Pongal) festival and spend the day in understanding the rituals and festivities. Do not forget to enjoy the traditional festival delicacies. On this leg of your South India festivals tour you will stay overnight at Madurai.
Mattu Pongal and Bull Taming function:
Matttu Pongal is celebrated as thanks giving to cows for their great help in ploughing the land and irrigation. On this day the cow is fed its favorite fodder, sugarcanes and also the tasty Sakkara Pongal. One cannot afford to miss the event. Cows are bathed and their horns are painted in multi-color hues on the day and the animal is treated with great affection.

At noon you can watch the traditional and spectacular “Jalli Kattu” or the Bull Taming show at Alanganallur. Young individuals participate in the event and try to tame the bull. It is organized on the third day of Pongal celebration. The festival reflects the love of the people for their animals. A combination of love and courage could be witnessed at Jalli Kattu which is traditional festival of Tamilnadu.

Day 09: Madurai – Rameshwaram {Kaanum Pongal) / 180 Kms – 04 Hrs Drive
On the ninth day of our South India festival tour, we will head off to Rameswaram, the sacred place of Hindus. It is at the end of South India, off the Gulf of Mannar. This place is supposed to be visited by Lord Rama. It attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. There is a Jyotirlinga here as well. The Ramanathaswamy temple here is the prime attraction for tourists which has 22 holy wells where visitors offer prayers and offerings to their ancestors to make their souls rest in peace. Next great wonder and attraction here is the Pamban Bridge or Indira Gandhi Bridge. It is 7 km long and connects the island to mainland. All modes of transport such as train and ships pass through the bridge. Travelling by train is especially a mesmerizing experience as visitors could practically feel sea drops and cool fresh breeze crossing across. Your overnight stay will be at a Rameshwaram resort.

Day 10 : Rameshwaram (Kaanum Pongal)
On the last day of Pongal events, Kaanum Pongal is celebrated to respect ancestors and aged persons. Young people receive blessings from the older generation and they give them sweets or money in return. The celebration continues as people throng the beaches and other important places. A number of functions and cultural shows are organized to mark the ending of the ceremonies. It is definitely a life time experience participating in the Pongal celebrations. These cultural events include giant wheel games, slow cycling, lemon on the spoon game, relay events, cracking of pots, dance and singing shows.

Day 11 : Rameshwaram – Madurai / 180 Km – 03 ½ Hrs Drive
On the eleventh day of our South India festivals tour, we will drive back to Madurai and visit the Meenakshi Sundareshwara temple that was built by the Pandyas in the 7th century. It displays 12 massive Gopurams. The huge monument attracts thousands of tourists each year, a substantial number of them being foreign tourists. A visit to the famous and magnificent Thousand Pillared Hall is truly an enthralling experience. There are marvelously adorned columns which were built in the 16th century. Now the hall houses a museum called Thirumalai Nayak palace. This museum has bronze and metallic images and other beautiful images carved on stones. You can take a stroll around in the nearby areas and streets and enjoy the local environment, lifestyle and traditions.

You can also visit the market and have a look at the traditional items at the shops. You can buy and take home some of these conventional items as memoirs of your visit. Do taste the traditional local delicacies here. Among the number of local food items, “Jigarthanda” and Halwa are most famous and popular among visitors and tourists. “Jigarthanda” is a healthy drink which is made out of milk, flavored ice-cream and sea weeds. It is a true delight and a treat to your senses. Another one, the Halwa, is a sweet delicacy which is made with wheat, sugar and ghee. Relax and stay overnight in your hotel at Madurai.

Day 12 : Madurai (Float Festival) -during January on a full moon day
This day we will enjoy the Float Festival of Madurai. The event is celebrated at the huge Mariamman Teppakualm Tank. It is situated 5 km east of the internationally famed and sacred Meenakshi Temple of the city. You would see beautiful images of Goddess Meenakshi dressed in precious jewelry. Other deities are brought from Meenakshi temple to the Tank in the form of a huge procession. Later, they are floated on raft which is decorated and ornamented with flowers and lights. You will stay overnight in Madurai.

Day 13 : Madurai – Palani (Thai Poosam) / 130 Km – 03 Hrs Drive (it falls in the month of Jan/ Feb every year)
Today you will visit the Palani Dhandayuthabani temple which is famous for the “Thai Poosam” festival. Celebrations take place inside the temple where devotees perform various acts depicting high level of devotion. Some of these acts which they perform to prove their devotion include piercing their chests and backs with needles and hooks. There are others who engage in fire-walking also. Later relax and stay overnight in Palani. Only a budget hotel is there to stay and it is an average hotel.

Day 14 : Palani – Periyar /190 Km- 04-05 Hrs Drive
During this leg of our South India festivals tour we will visit Periyar. It is also known by the name of Thekkady locally. The topography of the region is rich in natural vegetation. We will visit the Periyar National Park which is a dense and evergreen forest and is a delight for the nature lovers. Here tourists can observe animals in their natural surroundings and habitats. Stunning diversity of flora and fauna is sure to amaze you. Added to all this is the spice plantation which adds up to this splendidly beautiful place. You can see a number of wild animals moving around, wandering and engaged in their usual and natural activities. It is the ultimate destination for the nature lovers and animal lovers. Here you would see the perfect amalgamation of flora and fauna. You can do many activities here such as nature walk, elephant ride, spice and plantations tour, trekking and much more. (If you can stay two nights in Periyar, then you can do Jeep safari (a full day activity- 05.30 am to 05.30 pm); Generally if you want to do more activities in Periyar, stay for minimum 2 nights is recommended

Later in the evening you can engage in spice shopping wherein you get diverse, clean, unpolluted spices at cheap rates. Some of the items include cardamom, almonds, eucalyptus oil, cashew nuts, bamboo rice, coffee beans and a number of Ayurvedic oils for massages which remove deficiencies of body and give new vigor and vitality to your body. Your stay overnight will be in Periyar

Day 15 : Periyar – Alleppey / 180 Km – 4 ½ Hrs Drive
This day, we will leave for Alleppey, the exotic town famous for its backwaters. The serene backwaters present a unique charm to the tourists. For enjoying these backwaters, you can check in at houseboats which are customarily known as the Kettuvallams. These houseboats or floating cottages as they can be called are made without using any metal. The whole process of making these boats is natural. These houseboats are unique to this part of the town which are made out of jack wood planks and joined by coir ropes. They are then coated with black resin which is a product yielded during the boiling of cashew nut shells. The true excitement and thrill lies in cruising on these houseboats and spending the day on board them. Thrilling would be it for the vacationer to stay at these floating cottages which are not visible anywhere else in India.

Upon checking in at the houseboat you can rest, relax and enjoy sightseeing of the awe inspiring natural surroundings from the front deck of the houseboat. You would see the local lifestyle very closely while riding on these floating cottages. You could see the locals, the fishermen engaged in their routine work like farming, fishing and coir making among others. You would also see small canopy like boats floating around and selling basic commodities, vegetables and fish etc. Kuttanadu is the region where crops are cultivated below the sea level. It is perhaps the only place in the world where farming is done below the sea level. Kerala holds the pride of being the leader in managing this type of farming in India. For lunch you will be offered a traditional Kerala food by the crew, where coconut, fish and spices will be the chief components. You can also ask the crew to provide you fishing rods and you can attempt fishing yourself. Then it’s time to experience and enjoy the uniqueness of spending the night in a houseboat or floating cottage.

Day 16: Alleppey – Kochi / 75 Km – 02 Hrs Drive Pongal Festival 2012

Drive to Kochi which was a colonial centre for trade and commerce. Kochi offers many old and new charms for the visitors. It is a place where voyagers coveted the fine ivory, gold and silver jewelry, perfumes and sandalwood to sell them into the European markets. Next, you will visit India’s first European church viz. the St. Francis church which was built in 1503 by the Portuguese traders and settlers. Here, regular services are performed during the week in two languages that are English and the regional language, Malayalam.

Next destination which you will be visiting is Jewish Synagogue (closed on Fridays, Saturdays and on Jewish holidays) which was originally built in the year 1568 and was later damaged by cannon fire in 1662 during a Portuguese raid. A concise description of the Old Testament can be seen on the walls of the church. We will also visit Mattancherry Palace (closed on Fridays), also known as the Dutch Palace, which was initially built by the Portuguese, but later taken over by the Dutch. The mural paintings portray lots of central scenes from the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. These attractions are located on the Jew street where you will also have the opportunity to view and shop the antique carved wooden furniture, jewelries, brass and bronze vessels used in ancient times and a lot more.

You can take some of the finest and memorable gifts that can be presented to your loved ones. In the evening you will visit Chinese fishing nets, which are supposed to be brought by Kublai Khan, the famous Chinese ruler. The local fisherman still use the fishing nets which are spread across large areas of Cochin. Later in the evening get ready to enjoy the iconic dance form of Kerala, the “Kathakali”. The literal meaning of the word is “story play”. Performers here are dressed in traditional costumes and painted elaborately by the makeup artists with natural colors, especially on the face. These colors are made out of vegetables and other natural products. During the show the gestures of the performers, costumes and body movements are explained by someone through the means of background voice. Play back music is run in the background all through. At night, enjoy your luscious dinner in your hotel and have a sound sleep.

Day 16: Alleppey – Kochi / 75 Km – 02 Hrs Drive
This will be the last day of your South India Festival tour. On this day you would be moved to the airport as per your flight schedule by the representatives of India Tourism Travel. Fly back to your home with sweet memories of your South India festivals tour.
Tags : Festivals In South India, Pongal Festival 2012, Dance festival, Sakkara Pongal

South India Festivals Tours ends with sweet memories!!