Tamil Nadu – Where Culture Meets Nature
The land of affluent Tamils, Tamil Nadu is a wonderful destination to discover, which is quite amazingly caressed by the Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, all at the same time. Nature was in its playful mood while creating the land and the man also complemented Nature’s creation by erecting some stupendous artistic edifices. Studded with numerous wonderful temples fringed at almost every corner of the state, Tamil Nadu is also called ‘temple state’. From the food to vista and from the clothing to culture, Tamil Nadu is a different zone altogether.
Tamil Nadu Culture and Tradition
Tamil people have succeeded to maintain the aboriginal tradition of art and culture that flourished here thousand years ago and are now proud of their treasure, which has turned out to be a priceless jewel. Be it the drawing of Kolam (a decorative design made on floor using rice powder) or the classy postures of Bharat Natyam Dance, Tamil Nadu is extremely rich with its art form and heritage. The rich tradition of Tamil Nadu is also visible in its very exquisite form of Dravidian Music. Tamil literature is another feather in the cap of Tamil cultural cap that has taken the name of the region even further. From the saint Tiruvalluvar to recent Jayakanthan, Tamil Nadu is rich with its literary treasures.
Tamil Nadu People
No wonder, it’s the Tamil people that dominate the demographic chart of Tamil Nadu. Women here are adorned with flower garlands dangling from their hair and traditional silk sarees while men are comfortable in lungi (A long piece of cloth used as clothing) and shirt. Hinduism is the principal religion here and literacy rate is quite high 73.45 %.
Tamil Nadu Cuisine
In main course, Tamil people love to eat rice experimenting it with a number of curries that include sambar (lentil based vegetable soup), rasam (tamarind or tomato juice with vegetables), dry curry, kootu (semi-solid vegetable and lentil dish) and thayir (curd). The use of curry leaves and coconut oil is the main characteristic of Tamil dishes that gives its very special aroma. But the dishes that carry the region’s fame all across the globe are dosai and idli, consumed mainly in breakfast. Coffee is the main beverage in Tamil Nadu and there lies a special art to prepare and serve it, which you must discover in your Tamil Nadu tour.
Tamil Nadu Climate
Surrounded by water in two sides, Tamil Nadu flaunts a tropical climate with not-too-hot-not-too-cold temperature round the year. The state experiences the hottest weather in April and May when mercury rises till 40°C. The winter strikes the region in between November-February when the plains remain moderately hot with minimum temperature falling till 20°C but in the hilly regions the mercury may drop till 5°C. The interesting aspect of Tamil Nadu climate is that it experiences rain twice a year – first in the months of June-September and from October-December. November to February is the best time to visit Tamil Nadu.
Getting There
By Air: Chennai has an international airport operating flight services to almost all major parts of the world. The domestic part of the airport connects Chennai with all the major cities of India including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Ahmedabad.
By Rail: There are regular train services available to connect Chennai with all major cities of the country. There are also Suburban Electric trains service available that runs from Beach station to Tambaram and from Central to Gummidipoondi and Arakonam.
By Road: The metro city Chennai is the gateway to the south India and is connected by excellent roads to all parts of the south.
By Sea: There is a good ship service available from Chennai to Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Tamil Nadu Attractions
The sate is full of innumerable attractions that need to be explored. Let’s take a virtual ride through the state and count on its treasure.
Historic Temples
Also known as the temple state, Tamil Nadu is full with countless numbers of exquisite temples with their towering wonders – known as ‘gopurams’. Developed way back in the 7th century, theses unique artistry of temples has made Tamil Nadu a living museum and every bit of it deserves worth visiting. While Meenakshi temple of Madurai is the most famous amongst the all, Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Chidambaram, Rameswaram, Palani and Kanyakumari are some of the major destinations that are rich with arrays of excellent temples.
Tranquil Beaches
Blessed with a long coastline, Tamil Nadu enjoys the presence of some spectacular beaches. You may have some of the most memorable relaxing moments while strolling in the surfed golden beaches of Tamil Nadu. Be it the famous Marina Beach of Chennai city or Mahabalipuram Beach or the temple studded Rameshwaram Beach, Tamil Nadu has numerous options to steal your senses. Covelong, Pulicut, Muttukkadu and Sadurangapatinam are some of the other beach attractions of the state. Kanyakumari is another destination, which is worth a hundred visits where three water bodies Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea mingle with each other narrating a unique creation of the nature.
Hill Stations
It’s the magical Nilgiri Hills that dominate the entire western region of the state giving birth to some breathtakingly beautiful hill stations. Kodaikanal and Ooty are the most famous two destinations where the nature seems to be bloomed the maximum. Ubiquitous greenery of the coffee plantation, blue mountains and mist clad peaks are all that make a perfect holiday trip for you in the state.
Quite naturally, the wild animals also have made this land their favourite abode. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Annamalai Sanctuary are as famous for their fauna as for their floral splendour. So, while on a trip to the hill stations in Tamil Nadu, you may also expect some evergreen memories of wild interactions.
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