India Travel

Practicalities of Pondicherry in Tamil Nadu

Related Properties from Gurgaon

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.

Practicalities to Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu

Tiruvannamalai is served by regular buses from Vellore, and by eleven daily services from Pondicherry. Coming from the coast, it's easiest to make your way there on one of the numerous buses from Tindivandum. The town bus stand is 2km north of the temple on the main road to Gingee. Haifa kilometre north of there, the railway station is on the line between Tirupati and Madurai, with a daily service in each direction. Amazingly, you can access the internet from Tiruvannamalai, at the Image Computer Centre, 52 Car St (daily 10am-10pm).

Practicalities of Auroville in Tamil Nadu

Auroville lies 10km north of Pondicherry on the main Chennai road; you can also get there via the new coastal highway, turning off at the village of Chinna Mudaliarchavadi. Bus services are frequent along both routes but - as Auroville is so spread out, covering some fifty or so square kilometres - it's best to come with your own transport, at the very least a bike. Most people rent a scooter or motorcycle from Pondicherry and ride up. Alternatively, book on to Tamil Nadu Tourism's daily tour from Pondicherry (depart 2pm, return 5.30pm; Rs52.50). For a pre-visit primer, call in at

Practicalities of Gingee in Tamil Nadu

Gingee is easily accessible by bus from Tiruvannamalai, 37km west, and Pondicherry, 68km southeast. You can either alight at the site itself, 2km west of Gingee town, or, if you intend to spend the night there, dump your bags at the hotel and continue to the ruins by auto-rickshaw. The only accommodation to speak of (and the only dependable place to leave luggage while you visit the fort), is the Shivasand hotel, on MG Road, opposite the main bus stand, whose Vasantham south Indian restaurant is Gingee's classiest place to eat. From the town centre, auto-rickshaws charge Rs80-90 for 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

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,

The northeast of Chennai in Tamil Nadu

Fazed by the fierce heat and air pollution of Chennai, most visitors escape as fast as they can, heading down the Coromandel coast to India's stone-carving capital, Mamallapuram, whose ancient monuments include the famous Shore Temple and a batch of extraordinary rock sculptures. En route, it's well worth jumping off the bus at Dakshina Chitra, a new folk museum 30km south of Chennai, where traditional buildings from across south India have been beautifully reconstructed. Further inland, Kanchipuram is an important pilgrimage and silk-sari-weaving town from where you can loop southwest to Tiruvannamalai, a wonderfully atmospheric temple town clustered at the

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.

Arrival, information and getting around in Tamil Nadu

Numerous daily buses ply to and from Chennai, Thiruvannmalai, Kanchipuram and Pondicherry.The bus stand is in the centre of the village. The nearest railway station, at Chengalpattu (Chingleput), 29km northeast on the bus route to Kanchipuram. is on the main north-south line, but not really a convenient access point. A taxi from Chennai costs around Rs500 (or Rs450 from the airport); book through the tourist office, or the prepaid taxi booth at Chennai airport. Mamallapuram suffers badly from aggressive touting by a small number of hotels. There is a list of accredited hotels on a board at the bus stop -

Pondicherry and Auroville in Tamil Nadu

First impressions of PONDICHERRY, the former capital of French India, can be unpromising. Instead of the leafy boulevards and petanque pitches you night expect, its messy outer suburbs and bus stand are as cluttered and chaotic as any typical Tamil town. Closer to the seafront, however, the atmosphere grows tangibly more Gallic, as the bazaars give way to rows of houses whose shuttered windows and colour washed facades wouldn't look out of place in Montpellier. For anyone familiar with the British colonial imprint, it can induce culture shock to see richly ornamented Catholic churches, French road names and policemen in

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,

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

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

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.

Arrival, information and orientation in Central Tamil Nadu

Trichy's airport, 8km south of the centre, has flights to and from Chennai (daily except Thurs & Sun), Cochin (Tues.Thurs & Sac) and Calicut ("Wed & Sun).The journey into town, by taxi (Rs100) or bus (#7, #28, #59, #63, #122 or #K1) takes less than half an hour; for enquiries and bookings go to Indian Airlines, 4A Dindigul Rd.There are also flights (4 weekly) from Colombo on Air Lanka, based in the Femina hotel. Trichy's main railway station, Trichy Junction - which has given its name to the southern district of town - provides frequent rail links with Chennai, Madurai and

Some history of Tamil Nadu

Since the fourth century BC, Tamil Nadu has been shaped by its majority Dravidian population, a people of uncertain origins and physically quite different from north Indians. Their language developed separately, as did their social organization; the difference between high-caste brahmins and low-caste workers has always been more pronounced here than in the north - caste divisions that continue to dominate the state's political life. The influence of the powerful janapadas, established in the north by the fourth and third centuries BC, extended as far south as the Deccan, but they made few incursions into Dravidadesa (Tamil country). Incorporating what

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

Practicalities to Vedanthangal in Tamil Nadu

Getting to Vedanthangal can present a few problems. The nearest town is Maduranthakam, 8km east, on NH-45 between Chengalpattu and Tindivanam. Head here to wait for the hourly buses to the sanctuary, or catch one of the four daily services from Chengalpattu.Taxis make the journey from Maduranthakam for Rs200-250, but cannot be booked from Vedanthangal. Vcdanthangal's only accommodation is the two-roomed forest lodge near the bus stand, school and chai stall. Rooms, spacious and comfortable with attached bath, have to be booked through the Wildlife Warden, 50, 4th Main Candhi Nagar, Adyar, Chennai - if you turn up on spec, it

Travel details in Central Tamil Nadu

Trains Trains from Egmore; all others from Central. Chennai to: Bangalore (7 daily; 4hr 45min-8hr 10min); Bhubaneswar (7 daily; 20hr 10min-24hr): Calcutta (2-3 daily; 28hr 15min-32hr 50min). Coimbatore (2 daily; 6hr 50min-8hr 55mm); Chengalpattu (5 daily*; Itir); Delhi (3 daily; 29-43hr); Dindigul (5 daily"; 5hr 45min-9hr): Hyderabad (2 daily; 14-15hr); Kanniyakumari (1-2 daily; 15hr45min-17hr 15min): Kochi (5 weekly: 10-13hr); Kodaikanal Road (4 daily*; 9hr); Kumbakonam (3 daily; 7hr 20min); Madurai (5-6 daily*; 8hr-11 hr 20min); Mumbai (3 daily; 24hr 15min-31hr30min); Mysore (2 daily; 4hr 45min-iihr 20min); Pune (3 daily: 2Ohr-25hr 30min); Rameshwaram (2-3 daily*: 14hr 30min-24hr); Salem (10 daily; 4-6hr); Thanjavur

Practicalities of Kanniyakumari in Central Tamil Nadu

Trains from Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and even Jammu - at 86hr, the longest rail journey in India - stop at the railway station in the north of town, 2km from the scafront. From Madurai, the best service is the #6721 Tutkorin Express, which leaves Madurai Junction at 12.30am, and arrives at 6.15am the following morning, just in time for sunrise. You can leave luggage in the generator room behind the ticket office for Rs5 per item. The new and well-organized Tluruvalluvar bus stand, near the lighthouse west of town, is served by regular buses from Thiruvananthapuram, Kovalam, Madurai, Rameshwaram