Tourist Attractions & Monuments South India

This 34-metre high dam is located on the Vaigai River. It provides water to the Madurai and Dindingul districts. It is a popular picnic spot with beautiful gardens.

Chitradurga Fort is a little-known site for foreign tourists and certainly deserves your interest. The old Chitrakaldurga is huge, with many challenging climbs and descents; allow at least two hours of visit. A small booklet (in English) with a map of the fort and a description of the points of interest is given to you when you purchase your entrance ticket. It may be advisable to take an approved guide for the visit.

The fort was built in stages between the 11th and 13th centuries by the various dynastics who ruled the region, including the Chalukyas and Hoysalas, and later the Nayakas of the Vijayanagar Empire. The Nayakas of Chitradurga participated in the expansion of the fort between the 15th and 18th centuries. The fort was briefly recaptured by Hyder Ali in Chitradurga in 1779 and captured by the British twenty years later, after the defeat of his son Tipu Sultan. The fort includes seven concentric fortifications, a citadel, a palace, warehouses, water tanks, temples and gunpowder millstones. There are 18 temples in the upper fort and a huge temple in the lower fort. The many basins were used to collect rainwater. The landscapes composed of huge rocks, similar to those of Hampi, give the site an undeniable charm. The most adventurous can go to one of the summits to enjoy a breathtaking view of the surroundings.

Karwar Beach is named after the Bengali poet: "Karwar Beach is certainly a good place to understand that the beauty of Nature is not a mirage of imagination, but reflects the joy of the Infinite and thus drives us to get lost. Where the universe itself expresses itself in the magic of its laws, it may not be strange to miss its infinitude; but where the heart is in immediate contact with immensity in the beauty of the smallest of things, is there still room for discussion? »

This park was created in 1987. It was added the Dandeli Sanctuary in 2015 to form the Kali Tiger Reserve, which covers an area of nearly 900 km². Located in the Western Ghats, the terrain is undulating and covered with a thick forest crossed by the Kali River. While the park is home to tigers, elephants and black panthers, they are rarely observed. On the other hand, in summer, due to the scarcity of water points, Indian bison (gaurs), lippus bears (sloth bear), wild boars (wild boar), cap monkeys (macaque cap), langours (langur) or the tiny thin grey loris (grey slender loris) can be observed. The park also includes different species of deer: muntjac de Reeves (muntjac or barking deer), chevrotain (mouse deer), sambar and cerf axis (spotted deer). More than 200 bird species are also recorded, including several hornbill species, the Ceylon podarge (Ceylon frogmouth) and the fairy bluebird.

Located in the white city, this temple also called Vedapureswarar is dedicated to the god Vishnu. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its sanctuaries. It has a gopuram, the temple's entrance tower, with five levels. The temple was originally built by the Cholas in the 11th century and later enlarged by the Pandyas. With its superb Dravidian architecture and colourful colours, it is undoubtedly the most beautiful temple in the city.

This 8th century temple was built by Nandivarma Pallava. The battle scenes exalting the courage of the Pallava are engraved on the panels surrounding the parikrama of this temple. You can also admire statues of Vishnu.

The sculpture museum exhibits more than 3,000 sculptures made by local craftsmen, in wood, metal, brass and cement. However, it is better to admire the sculptures of the historical monuments of Mamallapuram as a priority.

In the Western Ghats, 14 km from Nagercoil and 33 km from Kanyakumari, these waterfalls are appreciated by lovers of great calm as well as trekkers. The beautiful waterfalls are a popular place for picnics. Near the falls, a small temple associated with the wise Agasthiar attracts a large number of religious on the full moon days of Chithirai (April and May). They come to worship the altar after a bath in the falls.

The Auroville site was formerly a remote and impoverished rural sector, surrounded by thirteen villages, with a population of over 40,000. A number of Aurovities have undertaken to «bring this land back to life» with the help of its villagers. After twenty years of hard work, they managed to regenerate the soil through organic farming methods, without using artificial fertilizers or chemicals. The four million trees planted with 2,800 acres have successfully created a lush green belt. Be careful not to stray on the tangled and tortuous trails that only the aurovial foresters really know.

10 km from the city centre, on the road to Dhanushkodi, is the beautiful Sri Kothandarama temple where, according to legend, Vibishana, brother of the demon Ravana who kidnapped Sita, was crowned when he went to Rama. Pilgrims go there at sunset.

Located on the coast, northeast of Port Colachel, this temple is dedicated to the Goddess Amman Bhagavathi. Amman is in the shape of a 3.65 m high ant farm, with five heads, and is believed to continue to grow. The annual Mondaikadu Kodai festivities are celebrated in March for 10 days. The temple, although small, attracts a large crowd of people from the district in addition to a regular flow of pilgrims from Kollam in the state of Kerala. Tamil Nadu Tourism Department organizes a photographic exhibition during the festivities.

On the bus ride from Kodaikanal to Palani, you have a beautiful view of the plains and scattered rock outcrops. The temple of the city of Palani is dedicated to the god Murugan and an electric cable car takes the faithful to the summit, but it takes a while to queue before you can reach it! About 200,000 pilgrims gather there during the Pusam Thai Festival in January.

This large basin (theertham) located in the heart of the city would fill with the water of the Ganges every twelve years. Thousands of pilgrims flocked to bathe there. On a daily basis, water comes from the Cauvery River. The population uses it to perform its ablations, wash and do its laundry.

This museum of the University of the Sacred Heart (a theological seminary), near Shembaganur, is worth a visit. Founded in 1895, it is dedicated to the archaeological remains and the fauna and flora of the region. A Spanish father named Ugarthe helped to enrich the museum's main collections. It should be noted that this museum contains one of the largest orchidoriums in the country, with more than 300 species of orchids. The museum has a collection of pinned butterflies, many stuffed mammals and python or cobra skins over 3 m long. To get there, you have to go down 3 km from Bazaar Road. It's a pleasant excursion. On the other hand, the return, while uphill, is more difficult. You can catch a taxi or bus on the main road back to Kodaikanal.

The Indian National Trust for Art and Culture Heritage has a branch in Pondicherry. It organizes exhibitions on the city's architectural heritage and visits to tourists on demand.

This memorial is dedicated to Tamil Tiruvalluvar, Saint and Poet, whose great work dates back to about 2 000 years. Built in 1976, in Nungambakkam, this huge stone structure, representing a tank fired by two elephants and located in a beautiful park, includes a very expressive statue of the saint. Scenes drawn from the 133 chapters of his famous book, Thirukkural, are carved in stone. The auditorium attached to this complex is one of the largest in Asia.

It is one of the 6 houses of the God Subramanya. Perched on a hill, the temple is accessible by road or by train. 365 steps, which represent the days of the year, leads to the top of the hill. Tiruttani passes to be the place where the god married Valli (one of his two wives). The Fête festival, which takes place in December, is celebrated with splendour.

It is the birthplace of the saint Ramanujar, the father of the Vishishishtadvaita philosophy of Vishnuism, and therefore an important pilgrimage centre for the Vishnuites. It is also the place where Rajiv Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India, was killed in a bomb explosion during a meeting in 1991.

A cave temple, one of the 6 homes of the god Subramaniya. It is here that Lord Muruga married Devayanai, daughter of Indra, after defeating Surapadman. Separate altars are dedicated to Shiva, Ganapathy, Durgai, Vishnu and other gods. At the entrance to the temple are 48 artistically sculpted pillars. Cut into the rock, the temple of Subramaniya is filled with pilgrims on days of worship. Its most secret altar is dug into a solid rock.

This exciting museum retraces the early years of Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna's disciple who participated in the rebirth of Hinduism and tried to reconcile aspirations for social justice with spirituality. He travelled through India as a sanyasin (a stray monk, begging for his food) and came to meditate in Kanyakumari in 1892. Several times a year, the centre organizes yoga classes and spiritual retreats, lasting one or two weeks.

Suchindram bears the imprint of various kingdoms. The Thanumalayan Temple, repository of art treasures belonging to these kingdoms, is famous for its musical columns and its impressive 6 m high statue representing the monkey god Hanuman. The main statue represents Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, the trinity of the Hindu pantheon. Inscriptions dating back to the 9th century have been found in this temple.

The gateway to the Thenmala region. And a superb point of view.

Dedicated to Krishna, this temple contains a magnificent collection of mural paintings. The temple of Durga is adjacent to it.

Located 7 km north of Thalasserry, and 15 km south of Kannur, this 5 km long beach is ideal for a walk or a picnic.

From the palace of the Rajas of Nileshwar on the region, unfortunately there is only an old ruined building.

A popular place for people and tourists. Its children's and adults'amusement park is very visited. It includes Russian rides and mountains as well as a very popular "snow park" of local Indians who have never seen the snow. Folk dance shows are organized. An art centre sells crafts and shellfish objects. The beach is clean and ideal for sunbathing.

This pretty little Orthodox church, inaugurated in 1920, is located in the heart of the city, along a canal. The church celebration takes place on August 15th of each year. A very photogenic place.

A 15th century palace, where the Travancore royal family was born. Today this palace is in ruins and threatens to collapse at any time.