Tourist Attractions & Monuments South India

This aquarium was built in 1951. Completely renovated in 2014, it now offers a transparent tunnel with a 360 ° view to admire aquatic fauna. It houses over 100 different species of saltwater and freshwater fish, as well as sharks and turtles.

It was designed in Italian Gothic style by F.W. Stevens. The first train that left left Mumbai - Thane in 1853.

Maps of relief retrace the maritime history of Kerala. A room is devoted to Indian history from the perspective of shipping expeditions. Navigation objects and old cards. Especially for sailing enthusiasts.

Another superb picnic site, renowned for its green environment and beautiful waterfalls.

A beautiful picnic place where the Cauvery River gremlin in a narrow gorge.

A major point of culture, this gallery regularly offers various exhibitions: contemporary, traditional, tribal, folk; concerning photography, ceramics, sculpture, drawing, masks, antiques, painting. She also organizes musical evenings, Indian dance shows and frequent meetings with international writers. Aurodhan is the ambassador of art in all its forms and a privileged welcome.

Auroville has several educational centres for Tamil villagers. New Creation is a primary school for 180 village children, 20 of which are internal.

Youth training centres introduce students to pottery, etc, painting, weaving and metalwork. There are kindergartens and night schools for adults, which follow regular training programs in organic agriculture, water sharing line management and environmental education.

This Bangalore agency offers quality treks of 7 or 8 days. Contact them prior to arrival in Kodaikanal.

Located on the shores of the lake, this small park houses sambar, choral and hares, as well as waterfowl.

The most elegant and best preserved of all former British clubs. The hunting of Ooty, which always uses dogs to pursue kebab, is one of its secret boots. There is a good 18 hole golf course at Wenlock Downs, at the Ooty Shoe golf club. It offers beautiful views over the hills.

On either side of the path leading to the summit, there is an infinite view on the distant plains, tea plantations, the Moyar River, dams and pasture greens. Frequent buses go there from Kotagiri.

Beautiful falls with walking possibilities nearby.

This summit overlooks a deep precipice of several hundred meters and offers a good view of the plains of Coimbatore.

With its dolphin beak form, this rock offers one of the most popular views of the surrounding area. The view is spectacular, especially to observe Sainte-Catherine falls.

It offers a picturesque view of Mysore.

A small Hindu temple is located in the middle of these waterfalls. The vast range of undulating landscapes also offers the pleasure of long walks on quiet roads.

From Bangithappal via Sispara, you can walk to the Silent Valley around Upper Bhavani Lake. Mukurthi National Park is located near the reservoir.

On the Ooty - Mysore road, the site boasts waterfall, meadow meadows and habitat for wildlife and flora. The Pykara dam and its reservoir attract many tourists. Nearby is the Shooting Medu, a site where many Indian films are turned, due to the beauty of the environment.

Covering an area of 510 hectares, the park is home to many varieties of colourful birds, animals and reptiles, as well as an aquarium. Paid safaris in search of the lion are organized in the park.

The road that goes down south from Marina leads to the charming Elliot Beach. The shoreline offers a pleasant expanse, ideal for relaxation and recreation. The modern temple of Astalakshmi and the Velankani church are revered places of worship on these shores. On the beach is the Karl Schmidt Memorial, a monument honouring a European sailor who drowned in 1930 while trying to save a little girl.

The fort dates back to the 17th century and underwent major transformations in the 19th century thanks to the British. Located in the centre of Madikeri, it houses a palace renovated in 1814, which houses the municipality's offices, a chapel transformed into an archaeological museum (open from 10am to 5.30pm, closed on Mondays and the ^2nd Saturday of the month). It offers a beautiful view of Madikeri. It was built by a Kodagu ruler in the 17th century, then rebuilt in granite by Tipu Sultan, ruler of Mysore, and finally occupied by the British from 1834 onwards.

The complex of rock temples of Badami is a site of exceptional beauty which is moreover candidate for a future inscription with the heritage of UNESCO.

Vatipa Nagar, the ancient name of Badami, was the capital of the Chalukiya empire from the 6th to the 7th century. This site consists of a huge artificial reservoir of the^5th century named Agastyatirtha, surrounded by ochre cliffs in which cave temples have been carved in the rock. On the tops of these cliffs are forts intended to watch the surroundings. These monuments are representative of the Chalukiya architectural style. The site has a total of four rock temples: three Hindu and one Jain. The Hindu temples would have been even the first to appear on the Deccan plateau. Two are dedicated to Vishnu and one to Shiva. A fifth cave, of lesser size, would be perhaps dedicated to Buddha... Another temple is located near the artificial lake and also deserves your attention.

Cave n° 1. The access is by a staircase framed by figures of ganas, the dwarfs guardians of Shiva. The porch is supported by 4 columns with bas-reliefs of Shiva dancing. Two stone guardians welcome the visitor. They are dwarapalas (doorkeepers) 1.88 m high. The cave is decorated with numerous sculptures and bas-reliefs, including representations of Laxmi and Parvati surrounding a huge Harihara (half-Vishnu, half-Shiva) of more than 2 meters high. But the most beautiful image is undoubtedly that of Nataraja, or Shiva dancing. He has 18 arms, most of whose hands are in mudra position (symbolic hand representation). Only three of them carry objects, including a trident, a drum and an axe. At Shiva's feet, you will recognize Nandi, his ox, and Ganesh, his son. The ceiling of the cave is also decorated with 5 carved panels. The central panel represents Shesha, the snake who carries on his heads all the planets.

Cave n° 2. This cave dates from the 6th century and is dedicated to the god Vishnu, represented under different avatars. The porch is supported by four rectangular pillars, carved on their upper parts. You can see battle scenes, or others referring to Krishna at his birth and in his youth. The door frame is adorned with an entablature inlaid with gavakshas, the semi-circular forms. On the outer wall, note the beautiful depiction of Vahara (Vishnu's avatar in the form of a boar) saving the earth represented by the goddess Budhevi. Inside, Vishnu is represented as Trivikrama (a dwarf) with one foot on the earth and the other pointing north. Another panel again depicts Vahara saving the earth from the depths of the ocean. This sculpture is made in the center of a circular form. The ceiling is supported by 8 pillars and decorated with bas-reliefs. The top of the wall is decorated with a frieze representing scenes from the mythology of Vishnu or Krishna.

Cave n° 3. The unusual dimensions of this cave make it difficult to imagine the work required for its excavation. 20 meters wide, 21 meters deep and 4.6 meters high, it was necessary to dig the mountain on 15 meters deep! The cave contains many sculptures and bas-reliefs, the most notable of which are on the many pillars that support the weight of the ceiling. Will you find the scene of the Kamasutra representing a couple in an erotic posture? The walls of the cave are decorated with bas-reliefs, many of which depict Vishnu in different forms: Vishnu with 8 arms standing; Vishnu sitting on Shesha, the many-headed snake; Narasimha (half-man, half-lion avatar); Trivikrama armed; or Harihara. The ceilings still show traces of frescoes, which are among the oldest painted frescoes of Indian art known to date.

Cave n° 4. This cave, the most recent of the complex, is dedicated to various figures of Jainism. The porch is supported by 4 pillars with capitals. Parshvanath, the 23rd tirthankar, is depicted standing with his head haloed by a multi-headed snake symbolizing protection and respect. A few steps lead up to the shrine. In the shrine, Mahavira, the 24th tirthankar, rests on his pedestal. Inside the cave, you can admire a beautiful statue of Bahubali, the son of Adinath the^1st tirthankar, snakes coiled along his calves.

Cave n° 5. It is the smallest of the caves and it is almost necessary to make contortions to penetrate there so much the entry is narrow. Inside, a man is represented sitting on a throne and surrounded by bas-reliefs representing people holding fans, a tree, elephants and lions ready to attack. No one knows for sure who this statue represents and interpretations are rife. Some think that it is a statue of Buddha and that the cave would have been then dedicated to Vishnu. Other scientists lean more for a representation of a figure of Jainism. Other archaeologists, finally, emit the hypothesis that it is a king. Unfortunately, the statue has suffered greatly from the ravages of time and part of its face has crumbled.

Bellary Fort is located about 60 kilometres from Hampi. Perched atop Ballari Gudda Mountain, it is also known as Fort Hill. The date of its construction is not yet identified, Vijayanagar period, but in 1769, it was taken from the Nayaka by Hyder Ali and modified with the help of a French engineer, who did not meet the requirements and was hanged. The tomb of the latter is visible at the entrance to the fort.