An Interesting Cultural Journey Through the Famous and Colorful Temple Towns of South India

Once you arrive in Chennai early morning, our driver will pick you up. Proceeds towards Mahabalipuram. It is about 60 Km/ 40 miles and takes around 2 hours.

On the way stop at Madras Crocodile Bank Trust – The bank is the first crocodile breeding centre in Asia. The centre is both a registered trust and a recognized zoo.

Once you reach Mahabalipuram you can visit the different monuments, buildings and temples for the rest of the day

Arjuna’s Penance – The Arjuna’s Penance is an enormous rock-cut relief, one of the largest in the whole world. It is also known by the name ‘Descent of the Ganges’ because the structure depicts either or both of these two significant and symbolic events of Hindu mythology; thus making this attraction spot a favourite among historians, scholars, academics as well as tourists who are enthusiastic about the cultural past of India.

Five Rathas – The Five Rathas, also known as Panch Rathas, is a exemplary set of rock temples. These temples are built in the same shape as pagodas, and greatly resemble Buddhist shrines and monasteries. The rathas are associated with the great epic Mahabharata.

In the evening you can visit Mahabalipuram Beach. The beach lies on the shore of Bay of Bengal and comprises of some rock-cut sculptures which are pleasing to the eyes. It is also famous for caves, massive rathas, chariots and temples which offer a great spot for holiday.

Overnight at the hotel.

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Today after breakfast you can visit the rest of the Monuments of Mahabalipuram including:

Shore Temple – It is one of the oldest South Indian temples constructed in the Dravidian style and depicts the royal taste of the Pallava dynasty. The work of the temple has been listed amongst the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Pancha Rathas, which literally means the 5 Chariots is also known as Pandava (The 5 siblings in the epic Mahabharat) Rathas (Chariot). In fact, the Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture.

Krishna’s Butterball, which is also known as Vaan Irai Kal and Krishna’s Gigantic Butterball, is a gigantic granite boulder resting on a short incline in the historical coastal resort town of Mamallapuram. It is a sight worth visiting.

Varaha Cave Temple, which is also known as the Varaha Mandapa, is a rock-cut cave temple located at Mamallapuram. It is part of the hill top village, which is 4 kilometres or 2.5 miles to the north of the main Mahabalipuram sites of rathas and the Shore Temple.

Sthalasayana Perumal Temple, which is also called Thirukadalmallai, is at Mahabalipuram. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Sthalasayana Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Nilamangai Thayar.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Mahabalipuram, Indian Seashell Museum is famous amongst people of all age groups. The museum is forts of its kind in India and the largest one India. On display are around 40,000 kinds of shells along with details about them. 

After breakfast checkout and proceed towards Puducherry. It is about 100 Km/ 60 miles and takes 3 – 4 hours.

On the way you can visit Alampari Fort. The Alamparai Fort exudes a gloomy yet attractive vibe that is irresistible for many. As you walk across the enthralling fort, you’ll find surprising traces of life in the form of shrubs, creepers, bushes and trees even on the walls.

So, it would be almost noon before you reach Pondicherry. Then you can check into a resort.

Then you can visit the the Aurobindo Ashram.

The Sri Aurobindo Ashram was set up with the aim of helping people attain moksha and inner peace. Thousands of tourists from all over the country visit the ashram to experience and achieve spiritual knowledge. The ashram is by far one of the wealthiest ashrams in the world. Also, the ashram does not have any branches and solely exists in Pondicherry.

In the evening, you can take a stroll in the Promenade Beach. It is surely among the best Beaches in Pondicherry for Family getaways. The many seaside cafes, beach shacks and restaurants add to the charm of the beach.

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After breakfast, today you can start your day with a heritage walk.

During the guided heritage walk you will see the different churches and buildings that bear the rich flavor of the erstwhile French connection. Our guide will explain you the historical important and relevance of those structures, something that makes Pondicherry so special and unique.

You can also visit the following places till lunch:

Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus – One of the 21 Basilicas in India and the only one in Pondicherry, this church was set up by the French missionaries in 1908 which was given the status of the Basilica in 2011. The lives of Christ along with the saints of the Catholic Church have been captured in the stained glass panels of the edifice.

Immaculate Conception Cathedral – Dedicated to St. Peters, it is a church of Capuchins and was first served as a small chapel situated outside the government park. In fact, it was the only surviving structure during the British invasion who aimed at mass destruction of buildings and monuments.

After lunch you can visit the Auroville. It is an experimental township where people from across the world of all cultures and traditions come and live together in peace. This place is the epitome of tranquillity.

Matrimandir – It lies In the centre of Auroville in the form of a huge sphere surrounded by twelve petals. The Geodesic dome is covered by golden discs. Inside the central dome is a meditation hall known as the inner chamber – this contains the largest optically-perfect glass globe in the world.

While returning you can take a look at the Auroville Beach – It is popular for beautiful seashells, shallow and crystal clear water, and sun-kissed shores.

After breakfast checkout from the hotel and proceed towards Thanjavur.

Visit Chidambaram Temple enroute – It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nataraja – Shiva as the lord of dance. The temple wall carvings display all the 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra by Bharata Muni, and these postures form a foundation of Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance.

Check in to hotel. After a long driver, you can relax in the evening.

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Get Deals on Cultural Trip to South India with Shore Temple Mahabalipuram, Auroville Pondicherry, Thanjavur Temple (or Tanjore Temple) and Meenakshi Temple Madurai and more.

After breakfast checkout from the hotel and visit a few temples like:

Visit Brihadishvara Temple -The temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Great Living Chola Temples”, along with the Chola dynasty era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple. • Airavateswara Temple – A UNESCO World Heritage site, Airavateswara is smaller but more exquisite amongst the three Great Living Chola temples. The fine Dravidian architecture exhibited at Airavateswara is called Karakkoil – a style inspired by temple chariots used during festival processions.

Ramaswamy Temple – This thanjavur temple features a characteristic Nayak style of temple architecture. A three-tiered gopuram is enclosed within walls. Carved out of a single stone, each of the 64 exquisite pillars depict various scenes from the epic Ramayana.

Post lunch proceed towards Madurai and check in to the hotel. Evening free for leisure.

The distance is about 190 Km or 120 miles and would be covered in 5 to 6 hours.

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Today after breakfast you can visit the following places:

Meenakshi Temple -The historic Meenakshi Amman temple is located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River. Meenakshi Temple is primarily dedicated to Parvati, known as Meenakshi, and her spouse, Shiva. What makes this temple different from the others is the fact that both God and Goddess are worshipped together.

Alagar Koil – The temple is the rest place of Lord Vishnu and is the sacred place for several followers of Lord Vishnu in the region. It is situated in the Alagar hills and is also known as Azhagarkovil. The statue of the lord is made entirely of stone and is a splendid masterpiece created from kallalgar.

Samanar Hills – Located in Keelakuyilkudi village near Madurai, Samanar Hills or Samanar Malai is a beautiful hill rock complex which was originally home to Tamil Jain monks. The hill caves are a popular place of tourism and have elaborate carvings and drawings of the monks, on the interior walls. The spot also has a beautiful lotus temple located in the premises.

Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal – The palace depicts the perfect blend of Dravidian and Rajput styles. After Independence, this palace was declared as a national monument and till date continues to be one of the spectacular monuments of Southern India. The exterior, as well as the interiors of this palace, have been richly adorned. One can notice the excellent stucco work done on the arches and domes of the palace. It showcases an array of architectural wonders ranging from the massive pillars to the over-all daunting structure. There are a total of 248 pillars in this grand palace. Visitors can also enjoy a magnificent sound and light show at Thirumalai Nayakar .

Overnight at the hotel.

Today after breakfast you can leave for Madurai airport. 

Get Deals on Cultural Trip to South India with Shore Temple Mahabalipuram, Auroville Pondicherry, Thanjavur Temple (or Tanjore Temple) and Meenakshi Temple Madurai and more.