There are many who are religious by heart and may want to tour few popular temples in the country. If this is what they have in mind, then South India can indeed be the right place to be. There are plenty of temples dedicated to different gods and goddesses here.
Visit to South India on temple tour
The itinerary generally stars with Chennai, which is Tamil Nadu state’s capital city and also a famous centre of temple architecture and cultural heritage. This region boasts of being the perfect blend of Dravid, Dutch and the Portuguese traditions. At the same time, Kerala honeymoon tour package is also equally interesting, especially with the state of Kerala being popular for its beautiful brackish backwaters!
- Chennai: With the help of a qualified guide, the important tourist spots in the city of Chennai can be covered in half a day. There are several places of interest like St. George Fort, Fort Museum, St. Mary’s Church, Marina Beach, etc. that are of great interest.
- Mahabalipuram: Its old name is Mammalpuram, is regarded to be a port city developed during the 7th century. It is located from Chennai city by just 70km. It has been named after Mammala, the famous Pallava King. There are numerous historic sites that are listed under UNESCO. Pandava Rathas, Arjuna’s Penance, Shore Temple are few of the monolithic temples located here.
- Kanchipuram: This city is well known for its silk sarees and temples. One can explore Kailasanatha Temple, Kamakshi Amman Temple and Ekambaranatha, etc.
- Tanjore: This ancient city is known to have flourished under the Mahrattas and Nayaks kings. It is a haven for those who are religiously minded. It also has served for centuries as Treasure art house. Although small in size, this beautiful city does boast of having exquisite handicrafts such as pith work, art plate, bronze icons, etc. Musical instruments and Thanjavur paintings are popular. Temples like Brihadeshwara are quite popular here. Here, one can come across Chola Fresco paintings and Dravidian art.
- Madurai: This city is an age old one, dating back to 2500 years. It is Tamil Nadu’s oldest city and has attractions like Meenakshi Sundareshwar temple, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple, etc.
- Periyar: It is well known for its serene waterways and divine dense greens as well as wildlife sanctuary. One can come across wild animals like leopards, tigers, antelopes, elephants, bison, wild boar, sambar, monkeys and birds of different species.
- Kumarakom: This place is accessible through a huge Vembanad Lake. The favourite here for nature and bird lovers is the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuar. Teals, cormorants, darters, ducks, night herons, Siberian storks and egrets are the main attractions here.
- Alleppey: This place is enclosed by picturesque backwaters and is a wonderful place to relax as well as relish those authentic seafood delicacies.
- Cochin: Here, one can get to see those wonderful attractions like the Chinese fishing nets and Jewish Town. Kathakali, the popular classical dance is worth watching.
Overall, South India temple tour is indeed quite interesting.