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A Rendezvous With
Madurai |
Madurai,
meaning the "city of nectar" is the oldest and second largest city
of Tamil Nadu. Located on the banks of the Vaigai River, this capital of the
Pandyan rulers is known as the temple city of India for the large number of
temples it houses. The Pandyan king, Kulasekhara had built a magnificent
temple around which he established this lotus shaped city. As per the legend
when city was being named, Lord Shiva blessed the city and its people. As he
blessed the land and its people, divine nectar (Mathuram) was showered on
the city from his matted locks. And henceforth the city was known as
Madhurapuri. The city is well known the plethora of temples and their
exquisite architecture.
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Things You Can Do
in Madurai |
» Sightseeing : Madurai is a temple city, so
those who have religious bent of mind will love this place. There are
numerous temples with excellent architecture, a sight to behold.
» Shopping : Madurai is best-known for its handloom
sarees of excellent quality, brass ware, wood carvings. Handloom House,
Madurai Gallery, Cottage Expo Crafts, Ari Cottage Arts Emporium, Cottage
Industries Exposition Ltd., Alankar Textiles, (Sungudi Sarees) South Avani
Moola St., Ranee Sarees(Sungudi Sarees) are some of the places one should
visit for shopping.
» Eating Out : You will generally find south Indian
dishes like - idlis, dosas, badas, etc. There good number of restaurants in
and around the city.
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Sightseeing in
Madurai |
»
Meenakshi Amman Temple : The Meenakshi Temple is world renown for its
excellent Dravidian Architecture. Meenakshi Temple magnetizes devotees from
all over India and Tourist from all over the world. One can climb to the
southern Gopuram of the temple to get a panoramic view of the city.
» Koodal Azhaar Temple : Koodal Azhagar temple is
dedicated to Lord Vishnu is one of the most ancient temples in Madurai. One
can find Lord Vishnu in various postures here - sitting, standing, reclining
one over the other. The intricate wood carvings in the temple are also worth
seeing.
» Vandiyur Kanmoy Tourist Complex : This is an ideal
picnic spot for the fun lovers. TTDC provides boathouse restaurant services
here.
» The Gandhi Museum : Initially the museum was the
palace of Rani Mangammal. It presents a clear picture of India's history of
Independence movement. This museum also exhibits some little known facts
about Mahatma Gandhi but the real piece of Gandhi Memorabilia is the blood
stained Dhoti, which he was wearing at the time of his assassination.
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Excursion from
Madurai |
Madurai is encircled by beautiful places and if you have time left
on your schedule then make sure to visit them. To mention a few of the
places we have Vaigai dam (70 km), Kodaikanal (121 km), Periyar wildlife
sanctuary, Suruli Falls (123 km) and Palani (118 km). Each of these
destinations are unique and will make your tour extremely fulfilling.
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Most Ideal Time to
Visit Madurai |
The city of Madurai experiences the typical climate of the rest of
the Deccan plateau. The weather here is dry and hot with rains falling
during October- December where the average rainfall is 85 cms. During
Summers, the maximum temperature touches 37.5 C and the minimum comes down
to 26.3 C. in winters, the maximum temperature is 29.6 C and the minimum
temperature is 20.9 C. It is recommended that one should visit Madurai
between the months of September to March.
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Getting There |
»
By Air : Madurai airport is about 11 km form the city centre. Indian
Airlines / Alliance Air & Jet Airways connect Madurai with Chennai and
Mumbai.
» By Trains : Madurai is one of the major railway
junctions of South India. Regular trains connect Madurai to Coimbatore,
Chennai, Rameswaram, Kanyakumari and other towns of South India. The Madurai
Junction Railway Station is within the city center, located at West Veli
Street, only one km from Meenakshi Temple.
» By Road : At the cross roads of NH 7 & NH 45,
Madurai is very well connected by a network of roads and road transport to
all major centres of Tamil Nadu and other centres in its surroundings and
neighboring states. There are private as well state transport buses which
connects Madurai to rest of the state. Some major road distances are Trichy
(130 km), Dindigul (70 km), Coimbatore (227 km), Chennai (484 km), Bangalore
(447 km), Thanjavur (160 km), Kanyakumari (240 km).
» Private Vehicles : You can contact us for this, as
we are well established with an extensive number of luxurious cars and
coaches for the tourists from all over. Make your India tour more
comfortable and hassle free with our car and coach rentals.
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Anchoring in
Madurai |
Madurai
is popularly called as the "city of nectar" and has been a center
of learning and pilgrimage for centuries. Even today Madurai is referred as
the " city of temples" where Meenakshi temple is the most
important of all. People from all across the globe visit the city to capture
its never fading charm and ever persistent grace.
One can reach Madurai via various means of transport. The city is quite
small and the local transportation system will be at your service to take
you in and around the city. There are auto rickshaws with metres at the
service ofthe tourists.
To make your tour luxurious and comfortable we will be at your service with
our fleet of cars and coaches. So what are you waiting for, contact us as
soon as you plan your next trip to Madurai and give us the chance to ensure
that your tour is luxurious and convenient.
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Accommodations |
Being one of the most selected tourist destination, has immense
number of accommodations for the tourists from all around. There are hotels
in all categories ranging from luxury to budget and between.
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A Rendezvous With
Mahabalipuram |
Mahabalipuram
or Mamallapuram with its picturesque location on a rocky terrain between the
beach and a lagoon is an absolute delight to visit. If you visit the place
you will be offered with multifarious options like pristine beaches,
hassle-free sightseeing and out of the world seafood. Mahabalipuram’s
canvas is coloured with features like splendid Arjuna's Penance, the
magnificent Shore Temple and the Varaha Cave. The city of Mamallapuram or
Mahabalipuram, is definitely a marvel to visit as it is the house of
sculpture workshops all around and various artisans thrive on this art here.
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Things You Can Do
in Mahabalipuram |
» Sightseeing : Mahabalipuram is a place of
its own kind. No place on earth can match it. The cites it offers are just
majestic along with the beach, which is the most ideal place to relax after
a hectic and tiring trip of the town.
» Shopping : Mahabalipuram has kept alive ancient
art of stonemasons and sculptures including deities for temples. These
images and statues are very popular among tourists. Decorative items made of
seashells are also liked by tourists .
» Beach Activities : Laze around at the beach front
or stroll along the beach of Mahabalipuram. This is the best place in
Mahabalipuram to relax
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Sightseeing in
Mahabalipuram |
» Arjuna's Penance : It is an enormous
relief made on two huge boulders attempting to depict the entire universe in
stone. It is 27 meters long and 9 meters high and regarded as the world's
largest bas-relief. The cleft in the rock depicts the descent of the Ganga.
Two large elephants and many scenes from the Panchatantra have also been
depicted.
» The Varaha Cave : The cave has small rock-cut
mandapam (hall) where incarnations of Vishnu-Varaha (boar) and Vamana
(dwarf) could be seen. The four panels of the famous Pallava doorkeepers
have been regarded as most impressive.
» Rathas : The rathas are actually regarded as a set
of five temples.The Pancha Pandava Rathas, as they are called, are five in
number. Four of them are carved out of a single rock while the fifth on the
west is carved out from a small rock.
» Shore Temple : The Shore Temple is the most
popular attraction of Mahabalipuram. The magnificent temple has held its
ground in spite of many onslaughts of sea waves. There is a Vishnu temple
sandwiched between two Shiva temples. On either side of it the sea spreads
infinitely. The compound wall of the temple has charming sculptures of
Nandi- the bull Mahabalipuram's close proximity to Chennai also results in
the place getting huge number of tourists
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Excursion from
Mahabalipuram |
Mahabalipuram
is a part of the Golden Triangle circuit of South India along with Chennai
and Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram is 65 km away, the Crocodile Bank is 14 km away
and Muttukadu 21 km away and if time permits, they are worth a visit.
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Most Ideal Time to
Visit Mahabalipuram |
The climate of Mahabalipuram remains hot and sultry throughout the
year with a maximum temperature of 35°C and a minimum of 19°C. The
region experiences heavy rainfalls during monsoons. The best time to visit
this place is during October to March.
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Sightseeing in
Mahabalipuram |
» By Air : The air landing facility nearest
to Mahabalipuram is Chennai at a distance of 58 kms. Chennai is an
international airport well connected to all national and many international
destinations.
» By Rail : The nearest railway stations are
Chengalpattu (29 kms) and Chennai (58 kms). Tourists planning a visit to
Mahabalipuram can easily come to Chennai from any important town and city of
India.
» By Road : There are regular buses to Mahabalipuram
from Chennai and other districts of Tamil Nadu.
» Private Vehicles : You can contact us for this, as
we are well established with an extensive number of luxurious cars and
coaches for the tourists from all over. Make your India tour more
comfortable and hassle free with our car and coach rentals.
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Anchoring in
Mahabalipuram |
The
thought of Mahabalipuram fills one mind with alluring pictures of
breathtaking beaches, ancient temples and splendid caves. People from all
across the world come here to witness the rare charisma of the place and
never leave the chance to taste the delicious seafood available here.
Mahabalipuram lies at a distance of 38 kms from Chennai, the most ideal
base point for the tourists. People who wish to visit the place can reach
Chennai via air or rails and hire a taxi or a bus from there to reach
Mahabalipuram. Its proximity to Chennai, makes it easily accessible from any
part of the country by any means of transport. Once you reach the city, you
can move around via the local public transport. There are auto rickshaws,
taxis available for the same. If you are looking for more convenience and
luxury then book with us before at the time you plan your tour. We offer a
wide range of cars and coaches and will not leave any stone unturned to make
your tour comfortable and one to be remembered forever.
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Accommodations |
Mahabalipuram has good accommodation facilities in all
categories.Temple Bay Ashok in the 3-star category is Mahabalipuram's best
hotel. Many tourists also prefer to stay in nearby Chennai.
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