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Tamil Nadu is a large state offering
ancient sites, huge temples, a strong and vibrant culture,
wildlife sanctuaries and golden beaches along its Coromandel
Coast. Tamil Nadu is considered to be the cradle of
Dravidian culture, its language and traditions being quite
different to those of northern India. The Tamil culture is
one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world.
CHENNAI (or Madras as it used to be called) is the state
capital of Tamil Nadu and one of India’s largest cities. It
has good links to the rest of the subcontinent and the
international airport is a major hub for the south of India.
Chennai has a good range of hotels and is excellent for
shopping.
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WEATHER CHART : CHENNAI |
| MAX °C |
29 |
31 |
33 |
35 |
38 |
37 |
35 |
35 |
34 |
32 |
29 |
28 |
| MIN °C |
20 |
21 |
23 |
26 |
28 |
28 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
24 |
23 |
21 |
| RAIN mm |
24 |
7 |
15 |
25 |
52 |
53 |
83 |
124 |
118 |
267 |
309 |
139 |
| |
JAN |
FEB |
MAR |
APR |
MAY |
JUNE |
JULY |
AUG |
SEPT |
OCT |
NOV |
DEC |
CORAMANDEL includes the coastal areas south of Chennai.
It offers a range of hotels and wide sandy beaches making it
an excellent base for visiting Chennai and the local ancient
sites. Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallava Kings in
the fourth century and offers visitors a range of temples to
visit. Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) is a World Heritage Site
and its ancient monuments include the famous Shore Temple
and the wonderful rock carvings of Arjuna’s Penance.
Pondicherry is a former French enclave and is administered
as a Union Territory within India.
CENTRAL TAMIL NADU was the heartland of the Chola Empire
and contains a range of ancient cities and temple towns.
These include Chidambaram, Dharasuram, Kumbakonam, Trichy,
the World Heritage site of Tanjore and the huge Sri
Meenakshi Temple at Madurai. From this area you can also
visit the tip of the sub-continent at Kanyakumari (Cape
Comorin).
THE WESTERN GHATS OF TAMIL NADU form the border with
Kerala. National Parks include Indira Gandhi Wildlife
Sanctuary and Mudumalai National Park, which is part of the
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (including Bandipur and Nagarhole
in Karnataka and Wayanad in Kerala). Tamil Nadu also has the
well known hill stations of Kodaikanal, Ooty (Udhagamandalam)
and Coonoor. The Nilgiri Blue Mountain Railway is the famous
narrow-gauge railway that passes through Coonoor on its way
to Ooty and attracts many people to this scenic area.
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