Vellore district

Vellore district

Muthu Mandapam

Muthu Mandapam is also called the 'Pearl Palace'. This is a memorial, which is built around the tombstone of the last Kandy Tamil ruler, Vikramraja Singh. It is situated just steps away from Vellore town towards north and is built on the bed of River Palar. The memorial is on a major alteration plan and is said that it will be added with a Children park, an aquarium and a lot more.

 

Government Museum

The Government Museum is situated besides the main bus stand in Lakshmanaswamy Town Hall. The museum is under the watch of Department of Museums. This might be the most unusual museum that you will ever see. It has in its collection, artifacts from many fields like anthropology, art, archeology, pre-history, botany, geology. Except for government holidays, the museum is open on all days from 9a.m to 12 noon and from 2 p.m. to 5p.m.

 

Amirthi Zoological Park

Amirthi zoological park is situated under the Javadu Hills of Tellaiacross Amirthi river which is 25 kms away from vellore. It also is atourism spot. This zoo logical park was started in the year 1967October. The area of the park is 25 hectares and one can findbeautiful water falls. There are also different kinds of birds andanimals. Swings, Seesaw etc., are there for children to play.Numerous kinds of herbal plants and trees and sandal wood treesalso grow here. There are 2 rest houses and five members can stayis one dormitory. There is a meditating hall where one can have fullconcentration and be in serenity. The inflow of tourists is more only during the holidays. This zoological park has been recognized recently and so the state Government has taken initiative to develop this area. The entrance fees is only Rs 2/- per head, for cycles Rs.3/- for van Rs.5/- for motor cyclesRs.2/- . The Government earns Rs.6000/- per month and Rs.72,000/- per year by this entrance fees. The tribal people reside in this area. There is a range office at Amirthi headed by the forest ranger, Mr.Deendayalan at present 2001.) There is also a hill tribe society at Nimmiyambattu near Amirthi. The main aim is to give employment opportunities to the hill tribals in that area.
Animals and Birds in Amirthi Zoological Park
1. SPOTTED DEER - 22	10. WILD CAT - 1
2. HEDGEHOG - 1	11. EAGLE - 2
3. FOX - 4	12. DUCK - 3
4. REASON MONKEY - 2	13. PIGEON - 14
5. RED HEADED PARROT - 13	14. WILD PARROT - 3
6. LOVE BIRDS - 18	15. RABBIT - 2
7. TORTOISE - 15	16. PYTHON - 2
8. PEACOCK - 5	17. MONGOOSE - 1
9. CROCODILE - 3

 

Javadu Hills

Jamanamarathur, 40 Km from Polur, is the main village in Javadu hills, which is famous for its sandalwood and fruit bearing trees. Its altitude varies from 300 to 1,000 m

 

Jalagampaari Falls

Jalagampaari waterfalls situated 17-km from Tirupattur in Vellore district is a fine picnic spot. There is a Murugan temple beside the waterfalls, where the deity is in the form of VEL (a kind of spear). The Murugan temple attracts tourists throughout the year.

 

Elagiri Hills

An isolated, attractive picnic spot in the Eastern Ghats is the Elagiri Hills, at an elevation of about 1000 meters. A salubrious climate; scenic surroundings and a quaint Murugan temple are some of the attractions of this place. These hills are an ideal location for a weekend where one could organize one day or two days' trekking

 

Virinjipuram

This magnificent temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is famous for its devotees who throng here with ardent belief that a dream on the last Sunday of Karthigai month will reveal of their fortune of being blessed with an offspring. The Lion-faced Simmakulam tank is considered to be very sacred.

 

Thiruvannamalai

 

The temple town of Thiruvannamalai, 85 Km south of Vellore, is an important Shaivite town. Though Hindus seek god in the form idol, it is also their strong belief that god is also in the form of Light or Flame. These symbolic ideals are represented in Thiruvannamalai. The sculptures in the pillars and the idol lingam are very huge and enticing that they make one wonder at the artistic spirit of those artisans. The Deepam Festival in the month of Karthigai (November) is very popular and it attracts devotees in large numbers.

NEAR BY CITIES

Chennai - 122-km Bangalore - 206-km Kanchipuram - 61-km (Temples City, Kamakshi and Eswar Temples) Thiruttani - 31-km Thiruvannamalai - 76-km (Well known Eswar Temple and Girivalam )

 

  Getting There

By Air

Banglore in the state of Karnataka is the nearest airport around 103 km away. Flights from all over the country come to Banglore everyday.

By Rail

Katpadi railway junction is the nearest station to Vellore, most of the trains passing through here, have a 2-minute halt.

By Road

It takes around 2.5 hrs from Chennai and around 3.5 hrs from Banglore to reach here. There are regular transport buses that come here from Chennai and Banglore apart from other main cities of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Tirunelveli district

Tirunelveli district

Swamy Nellaiappar Temple & Kanthimathi Ambal Temple
The temple of Nellaiappar and Kanthimathi is situated in the centre of the town and at a distance of 2 km. from the Railway station. The very name of the town, Tirunelveli which was known in the past as Then Pandyanagaram is a part of the town which has developed around the temple of Nellaiyappar.

Courtallam

60 kms away from Tirunelveli town, at the foot of the Pothigai Hills lies the curative Courtallam. It is the summer resort of 1000 of middle class people who could not afford an Ooty or Kodaikanal.

Papanasam



42 kms away from Tirunelveli town, on the western slopes of the Pothigai Hills, there is a holy place called Papanasam. Legend has it that Siva and Parvathi appeared before Agasthiyar at a spot near the Papanasam falls.

Krishnapuram
About 13 km away is Krishnapuram. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Some breathtakingly beautiful life size sculptures carved with great intricacy adorn the temple.

Kalakkadu Wild Life Sanctuary

This Sanctuary located 47 kms away is a naturalist’s delight. Tigers, panthers, Jackals and wild dogs can be seen roaming in this hilly forest. Lion-tailed macaquse can be spotted here.

Srivaikuntam
Srivaikuntam, 27 kms away from Tirunelveli, is one of the Nava Tirupathis visited and commemorated in song by the great saint Nammazhwar. It is famous for the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Its lofty tower and the Tiruvenkata Mudaliyar mandapam rich with sculptures of yazhis, elephants and warriors are worth seeing.

Sankarankovil
56 kms away is Sankarankovil. This unique temple is dedicated to Sankaranarayana who is the combined manifestation of Siva and Vishnu. There are two other shrines dedicated to Siva and Parvathi. Twice a year, the sun rays fall on the pedestal of the temple.

Kasi Viswanthar Temple
The Visvanathar Temple and the Tenkasi town were constructed by King Parakrama Pandya, who styled himself as Jatilavarman Tribhuvana Chakravarthi Arikesarideva Ponnin Permal, Parakrama Pandyan in his inscriptions.

Mundanthurai wild life sanctuary
Situated 55 kms away from Tirunelveli, these sanctuary fonts an area of 567 sqkms.This sanctuary is a Project Tiger area, so one might well be rewarded with a glimpse of this magnificent beast. Trekking is allowed with prior permission from the forest department.


Birds Sanctuary at Koonthankulam

A tiny village in the far south, Koonthankulam in Nanguneri Taluk of Tirunelveli District is emerging as a new favourite of the migratory birds. It is just 38 Kms. away from Tirunelveli and is in the nearby Nanguneri Taluk. It may soon be catapulted into the list of popular water bird sanctuaries in the country.

Manjolai - Hill Station

Manjolai is 57 km away from Tirunelveli and is at an elevation of 1162 sq. metre. There are many tea plantations in and around this place. Bombay Burma Tea estate is famous one in this area. About 4000 people are working in these tea plantations. Manjolai is noteworthy for the climate, scenery and calm atmosphere.

Tiruchendur
48 kms away from Tirunelveli is Tiruchendur, one of the 6 abodes of Lord Muruga. Situated on the shore of the Bay of Bengal Sea, the temple draws a perennial stream of devotees. For more info about

Tiruchirapalli district

Government Museum:
40 km from Trichy, the museum is located near the Pudukkottai station and houses rare and interesting collections of objects related to Geology, Zoology, Paintings, Anthropology, Epigraphy and Historical Records. However, it remains closed on Mondays.

Viralimalai Sanctuary:
A small town near Tiruchirappalli, it known for the spectacular Murugan temple and enchanting Peacock Sanctuary, where one can see a large number of wild peacocks roaming around. If you are lucky, you may also see them dancing.

Kudumianmalai:
25 km from Trichy, Kudumianmalai temple is dedicated to Lord Sikhagireeswara and has beautiful sculptures and a thousand pillar hall within the temple.

Rock Fort Temple:
The Rock Fort temple complex houses three temples - the Manikka Vinayakar temple at the foot of the hill, the Uchhi Pillayar Koyil at the top of the hill and the Taayumaanavar Koyil (Shivastalam) on the hill.

Sri Ranganathaswami Temple:
7 km from Trichy, Srirangam is said to be the abode of Lord Sri Ranganatha, the reclining form of Lord Vishnu. The temple of Ranganatha is said to be the largest in India.

Tiruvanaikkaval or Jambukeswara Temple:
Just 2 km from Srirangam, this beautiful Shiva temple overshadows the larger Ranganathaswami temple due to its excellent architectural design. It is named after the elephant believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva here.

Thoothukudi district

Navathirupathi

The cluster of 9 Sacred Srivaishnava Temples located near Tiruchendur are known as Navathirupathis. They are 1)Srivaikuntam, 2)Thenthirupperai, 3)Thiru Puliankudi, 4)Thiru Kurugoor, 5)Thiru Kulanthai, 6)Thiru Koloor, 7)Twin Tirupati-1, 8)Twin Tirupati-2, 9)Thiru Varagunamangai.

Ayyanar Sunai

It is located 10 Kms from Tiruchendur. A natural water spring in the desert near Ayyanar Temple attracts local tourists.

Kulasekara Patnam

The Mutharamman temple is located 20 Kms from Tiruchendur (Thoothukudi Dist) is known for the popular Dasara festival where folk dance artists from all over the state participate in the festival. More than 1500000 devotees gather together and celebrate Navarathiri in this village. This coastal village used to be a port in its earlier days. This place has other two famous temples including Katchiappar temple and Chidarambeswar temple.

Manapad

It is located 18 Kms. from Tiruchendur. It is on the sea-shore at the Bay of Bengal. An ancient Roman Catholic Church is here where the Cross is said to have been brought from Jerusalem, This Church is also associated with St. Xavier, the famous missionary from West. Since there are other small Churches here in this place, it is called as “Chinna Jerusalem” (Small Jerusalem).

Panchalankurichi

It is located 58 Kms from Tiruchendur. From here the great warrior “Veerapandiya Kattabomman” raised his voice against the British regime in the 17th Century A.D. The fort was converted as a memorial by the Govt. of Tamil Nadu in 1974. Sri Devi Jakkammal Temple, the hereditary Goddess of Kattabomman, is located near the fort. The cemetery of British soldiers are seen near the fort. Within the memorial Hal!, there are beautiful paintings on the walls depicting the heroic deeds of the saga.

Pabanasam Falls

It is located 95 Kms from Tiruchendur. There is a falls where Shiva and Parvathi appear befor the great saint “Agasthiya”. Hence the falls is popularly called as Agasthiyar Falls.

Manimutharu

Manimuthar Falls is a natural water falls flowing through out the year situated above the Manimuthar dam. Really it is an adventorous feeling, if people drive there by bike. The falls near by has a pond which has a depth of 90 feet. It is really a picturesqe place. It is just in 90kms from Tiruchendur.

Courtallam Falls

Courtallam, the 'Spa of the south', is located 110 Kms from Tiruchendur. Courtallam is the most famous tourist spot in the district. The natural water falls, pleasant weather and intermittent drizzling really gives an unusual charm to the visitors. The rapturous scene of the falls gets heightened by cool breeze. Usually, the season is in between May to September. The water falls down in eight places with varying force depends on the height of the cliff. 1)Main Falls, 2)Small Falls (Sitraruvi) 3)Five Falls 4)VIP Falls or (Palathotta Falls) 5)Tiger Falls 6)old Courtallam Falls 7)SenbahaDevi Falls 8)Honey Falls (thean aruvi)

Suchindram

The only shrine dedicated to TRINITY is Thanumalaya's at Suchindram 70 Kms from Kanyakumari. The name Thanumalayan denotes the combination of the Trimurthis Sthanu is a synonym for Siva, Mal for Vishn and Ayan for Brahma. It is believed that the top, middle and base of the Linga in the temple represent Siva, Vishnu and Brahma respectively. Tradition goes that Indra was purified at this place and hence the Suchindram. Suchi means Purity.

Kanyakumari

It is located 85 Kms from Tiruchendur. It is a paradise for both the nature-lover and landscape-photographer. A unique feature of Kanyakumari district is that it has all kinds of natural eco-systems. Thus, one can see beaches, mountain valleys, evergreen forests in the deep interior, rubber and clove plantations on the highlands, etc. - all in a 50 km radius of Nagercoil

Thirparappu Falls

Thirparappu falls is a natural beauty spot attracts many tourists. It is located at a distance of 100 kms. from Tiruchendur. There is a lord shiva temple. The lord after destroying the yagam of dhaxan as virabhadra murthi has taken abode over here. This temple is one in the shivalaya ottam temples. This temple is situated in a very scenic background as the kodhaiyaru rivers makes a fall near the temple.

Padmanabhapuram Palace

Padmanabhapuram Palace Capital of Travancore until 1798 A.D. It is an ancient seat of Travancore rulers, situated at a distance of 90 Kms from Tiruchendur. There is a palace inside the fort which covers an area of 6 acres. On display in this palace are many antiquities, including the armory of the royal families.

Kaalikesam

Kaalikesam is a beautiful place to visit. It is located at a distance of 100 kms from Tiruchendur. It's a very good picnic spot.

Vattakottai

This small 18th century fort overlooking the sea is worn visiting. It is located at a distance of 90 kms from Tiruchendur. The sea is not rough and suitable for bath.Overlooking the sea, it is a circular serene tourist spot. It is a beautiful picnic spot and an ideal spot for relaxing with abundant coconut trees.

Thiruvarur district

Thiruvarur District in Tamil Nadu was formed on 1st January 1997. It is famous for ancient temples situated in the Kudavasal, Mannargudi, Nannilam, Needamangalam, Thiruthuraipooni and Valangaiman talukas.

Some of the main temples in these talukas are the Sri Svarnakaliamman Temple, Sri Veeramaakaaliyamman Temple, Sandhuveli Mariamman Kovil and Panchamuga Anjaneya Temple. Other famous temples include the Sri Pasupathiswarar Kovil, Arulmigu Thiyagaraja Swamy Temple and Arulmigu Subramania Swamy Temple.

Sri Thyagarajaswamy Temple is the prime attraction of the district which is devoted to Lord Somaskandar. The temple is popular for the Azhazhi Ther Festival and Kumbabishekam. The Saraswati Temple in Kuthanur Village and Muttupettai’s Jambavanodai Lagoon are other important attractions in the region.

Thiruvarur District is popular for temples like the Guru Dakshinamoorthy Swamy Temple, Venugopal Perumal Kovil, Thirukannamangai Saraswathi Amman Thirukovil and Poonthottam Souriraja Perumal Kovil. The Kuruvi Rameswaran Temple at Kekkarai, Thiruvarur Subramaniya Swamy Thirukovil at Sikkal and Seri Murugan Temple at Engan are situated near Thiruvarur.

The Vaduvoor Bird Sanctuary, Sivan Temple at Alangudi and Jambavanodai Dharga in Thiruthuraipoondi Taluka are other prominent attractions of the district. The district is also known for the Sri Mangala Saneeswarar Temple, Arulmigu Viswanatha Swamy Thiurkoil, Sri Muneeswaran Temple, Sengamala Thayar Temple and Kadenthethi Iyyanar Temple.

Other important pilgrimage spots in Thiruvarur include the Mariamman Alayam Temple, Vinayagar and Muneeswaran Temple, Ayyapa Temple and Arul Megu Sri Santhaguna Mariamman Kovil Temple.