India Travel

Eating of Kumbakonam in Central Tamil Nadu

Related Properties from Gurgaon

Eating to Rameshwaram in Central Tamil Nadu

Eating in Rameshwaram is more about survival than delighting the taste buds. Most places serve up fairly unexciting "meals". Arya Bhavan and Kumbakonam, W Car Street. Both places are run by the same family and dish up standard, inexpensive veg “meals”. Ashok Bhavan, W Car Street. Offers cheap, regional varieties of thalis. TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu, near the beach. Gigantic, noisy, high-ceilinged glasshouse near the sea, serving good south Indian snacks and "meals:: - many items on the menu are unavailable, however.

Around Kumbakonam in Central Tamil Nadu

The delta lands around Kumbakonam are scattered with evocative vestiges of the Cholas' golden age, but the most spectacular has to be the crumbling Airavateshwara Temple at Darasuram, 6km southwest. Across the fields to the north, the bronze-casters of Swamimalai constitute a direct living link with the culture that raised this extraordinary edifice, using traditional "lost wax" techniques, unchanged since the time when Darasuram was a thriving medieval town, to create graceful Hindu deities. You can combine the two' sights in an easy half-day trip from Kumbakonam. The route is flat enough to cycle, although you should keep your wits about

Kumbakonam in Central Tamil Nadu

Sandwiched between the Kaveri (Cauvery) and Arasalar rivers is KUMBAKONAM, 74km southwest of Chidambaram and 38km northeast of Thanjavur. Hindus believe this to be the place where a water pot (kumba) of amrita - the ambrosial beverage of immortality - was washed up by a great deluge from atop sacred Mount Meru in the Himalayas. Shiva, who just happened to be passing through in the guise of a wild forest-dwelling hunter, for some reason fired an arrow at the pot, causing it to break. From the shards, he made the lingam that is now enshrined in Kumbareshwara Temple, whose gapuras

Practicalities of Kumbakonam in Central Tamil Nadu

Kumbakonam's small railway station, in the southeast, 2km from the main bazaar, is well served by trains both north and south, and has a left-luggage office (24hr) and decent retiring rooms (Rs100). The hectic Moffussil (local) and Aringannar (long-distance) bus stands are opposite each other in the southeast of town, between the railway station and the Mahamakham tank. All the timetables are in Tamil, but there's a 24-hour enquiry office. Buses leave for Gangaikondacholapuram, Pondicherry, and Thanjavur every five to ten minutes, many via Darasuram. Frequent services run to Chennai, Trichy and several daily to Bangalore.

Gangaikondacholapuram in Central Tamil Nadu

Devised as the centrepiece of a city built by the Chola king Rajendra I to celebrate his conquests, the magnificent Brihadishwara Temple stands in the tiny village of GANGAIKONDACHOLAPURAM. in Trichy District, 35km northeast of Kumbakonam. The tongue-twisting name means "the town of the Chola who took the Ganges". Under Rajendra I, the Chola empire did indeed stretch as far as the great river of the north, an unprecedented achievement for a southern dynasty. Aside from the temple and the rubble remains of Rajendra s palace, 2km east at Tamalikaimedu, nothing of the city remains. Nonetheless, this is among the

Swamimalai in Central Tamil Nadu

SWAMIMALAI, 8km west of Kumbakonam, is revered as one of the six sacred abodes of Lord Murugan, Shiva's son, whom Hindu mythology records became his father's religious teacher (swami) on a hill (malai) here. The site of this epic role reversal now hosts one of the Tamils' holiest shrines, the Swaminatha Temple, crowning the hilltop of the centre of the village, but of more interest to non-Hindus are the hereditary bronze-casters' workshops dotted around the bazaar and the outlying hamlets. Known as sthapathis, Swamimalai's casters still employ the "lost wax" process (madhuchchishtavidhana in Sanskrit) perfected by the Cholas to make the

Central Tamil Nadu: The Chola heartland in Tamil Nadu

Continuing south of Pondicherry along the Coromandel coast, you enter the flat landscape of the Kaveri (aka Cauvery) Delta, a watery world of canals, dams, dykes and rivulets that has been intensively farmed since ancient times. Only a hundred miles in diameter, it forms the verdant rice-bowl core of Tamil Nadu, crossed by more than thirty major rivers and countless streams. The largest of them, die River Kaveri, known in Tamil as Pontri. "The Lady of Gold" (a form of the Mother Goddess), is revered as a conduit of liquid shakti, the primordial female energy that nurtures the millions of farmers

Darasuram in Central Tamil Nadu

The Airavateshwara Temple, built by King Rajaraja II, stands in the village of DARASURAM, an easy five-kilometre bus or cycle ride (on the Thanjavur route) southwest of Kumbakonam. This superb, if little-visited, Chola monument ranks alongside those at Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram; but while the others are grandiose, emphasizing heroism and conquest, this is far smaller, exquisite in proportion and detail and said to have been decorated with nitya-vinoda, "perpetual entertainment", in mind. Shiva is called Airavateshwara here because he was worshipped in this temple by Airavata, the white elephant belonging to the king of the gods, Indra. Darasuram's finest pieces of

Kanniyakumari in Central Tamil Nadu

KANNIYAKUMARI, at the southernmost extremity of India, is almost as compelling for Hindus as Rameshwaram. It is significant, not only for its association with a virgin goddess, Kanya Devi, but also as the meeting point of the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea. Watching the sun rise and set from here is the big attraction, especially on full-moon day in April, when it's possible to see both the setting sun and rising moon on the same horizon. Although Kanniyakumari is in the state of Tamil Nadu, most foreign visitors arrive on day-trips from Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala,

Accommodation of Kumbakonam in Central Tamil Nadu

Kumbakonam is not a major tourist location, and has limited accommodation, with only one upper-range hotel, the Sterling Swamimalai, 10km south-east of town on the outskirts of Swamimalai village. The good news for budget travellers is that most of the inexpensive places are clean and well-maintained. ARR, 21 TSR Big St Fifty large. clean rooms (some a/c), on five floors, all with windows, and TVs on request. Bland, but comfortable enough, with an a/c restaurant and bar. Athityaa Nageshwaram N (Thanjavur) Road. This place was once smart but is now is rather worn and grubby, especially for the price, although the

Tiruchirapalli and around in Central Tamil Nadu

TIRUCHIRAPALLI - more commonly referred to as Trichy - stands in the plains between the Shevaroy and Palani hills, just under 100km north of Madurai. Dominated by the dramatic Rock Fort, it's a sprawling cominerc, centre with a modern feel; the town melt holds little attraction, but pilgrim flock through en route to the spectacular Ranganathaswamy Temple : Srirangam. 6km north. The precise date of Trichy s foundation is uncertain, but though little early architecture remains, it is clear that between 200 and 1000 AD control of the city passed between the Pallavas and Pandyas.

Accommodation to Rameshwaram in Central Tamil Nadu

Apart from the TTDC hotels, accommodation m Rameshwaram is restricted to basic lodges, mostly in the Car streets around the temple. The temple authorities have a range of rooms for pilgrims; ask at the Devasthanam Office, E Car Street. The railway retiring rooms consist of six large double and three triple rooms, generally cleaner (and quieter) than town lodges for the same price, plus a dorm (Rs40). Ctiola Lodge, N Car Stteet, A basic pilgrim place in the quietest of the Car streets. Maharaja's, 7 Middle St, Located next to the temple's west gale. Good clean rooms with attached bathrooms, two

Practicalities of Sabhanayaka Temple in Central Tamil Nadu

Chidambaram revolves around the Sabhanayaka Temple and the busy market area that surrounds it, along North, East, South and West Car streets. Though little more than a country halt, the railway station, 2km southeast of the centre, has good connections both north and south, and boasts retiring rooms and, on platform 1, a post office (Mon-Sat 9am-lpm & 1.30-5pm). Frequent buses from Chennai,Thanjavur, Mamallapprarn, and Madurai pull in at the bus stand, also in the southeast, but nearer the centre, about lkm from the temple. Staff at the TTDC tourist office, next Co TTDC Tamil Nadu hotel on Railway Feeder Road,

Arrival, information and orientation in Central Tamil Nadu

Buses from Chennai, Pondicherry, Madurai and Tiruchirapalli pull in at the long-distance State Bus Stand, opposite the City Bus Stand, in the south of the old town. Other services from Tiruchirapalli, and those to and from local destinations such as Kumbakonam, stop at the New Bus Stand, inconveniently located 4km southwest of the centre, in the middle of nowhere. Rickshaws into town from here cost Rs40-50, or you can jump on one of the efficient "city buses" (Rs2) that shuttle to and from the centre every few minutes. The railway station, just south of the centre, has a new computerized system

Eating to Kanniyakumari in Central Tamil Nadu

Aside from the usual "meals" places and hotel dining rooms, there are a few popular veg and non-veg restaurants in the centre of town, most of them attached to one or another of the hotels. Archana, Maadhini Hotel, E Car Street, An extensive veg and non-veg multi-cuisine menu served inside a well-ventilated dining hall, or alfresco on a sea-facing terrace (evenings only). They also serve the town's best selection of ice creams. Saravana, just north of the Kamari Amman Temple, on the main bazaar. Arguably Kanniyakumari’s best “meals” restaurant, serving all the usual smacks, cold drinks, and thalis at lunchtime, to hoards

Thanjavur in Central Tamil Nadu

One of the busiest commercial towns of the Kaveri delta, THANJAVUR (aka "Tanjore"), 55km east of Tiruchirapalli and 35km southwest of Kumbakonam, is often overlooked by travellers. However, its history and treasures -among them the breathtaking Brihadishwara Temple. Tamil Nadu's most awesome Chola monument -give it a crucial significance to south Indian culture. The home of the world's finest Chola bronze collection, it holds enough of interest to keep any visitors who stay here enthralled for at least a couple of days, and is the most obvious base for trips to nearby Gangaikondacholapuram, Darasuram and Swamimalai. Thanjavur is roughly split in

The Town of Kumbakonam in Central Tamil Nadu

Surmounted by a multicoloured gopura, the east entrance of Kumbakonam's seventeenth-century Kumbareshwara Temple, home of the famous Hngam from where the town derived its name, is approached via a covered market selling a huge assortment of cooking pots, a local speciality, as well as the usualglass bangles and trinkets. At the gateway, you may meet the temple elephant with a painted forehead and necklace of bells. Beyond the flagstaff, a mandana houses a fine collection of silver vahanas, vehicles of the deities, used in festivals, and pancha loham (compound of silver, gold, brass, iron and tin) figures of the 63

Coimbatore in Central Tamil Nadu

Visitors tend only to use the busy industrial city of COIMBATORE as a stopover on the way to Ooty, 90km northwest. Once you've climbed up to your hotel rooftop to admire the blue, cloud-capped haze of the Nilgiris in the west, there's little to do here other than kill time wandering through the nuts-and-bolts bazaars, lined with look a like textile showrooms, "General Traders" and shops selling motor parts.

Little Mount Caves in Tamil Nadu

St Thomas is said to have sought refuge from persecution in the Little Mount Caves, 8km south of the city centre (bus #18A, #18B, or #52C from Anna Salai), now 200m off the road between the Maraimalai Adigal Bridge and the residence of the governor of Tamil Nadu. Entrance to the caves is beside steps leading to a statue of Our Lady of Good Health. Inside, next to a small natural window in the rock, are impressions of what are believed to be St Thomas' handprints, created when he made his escape through this tiny opening. Behind the new circular church

Accommodation and eating to Coimbatore in Central Tamil Nadu

Most of Coimbatore's accommodation is concentrated around the bus stands. The cheapest places line Nehru Street and Shastri Road, but whatever you do avoid the rock-bottom places facing the bus stand it self, which are plagued with traffic noise from around 4am onwards. As for eating, your best bets are the bigger hotels such as the City Tower, whose excellent rooftop restaurant, Cloud 9, serves a top-notch multi-cuisine menu to a predominantly business clientele. The Malabar, on the first floor of the KK Residency, is a less pricey option, popular with visitors from across the Ghats for its quality non-veg Keralan