Facing the Bay of Bengal, Tamil Nadu’s state capital is among the country’s largest cities and an important gateway to south India for tourism – especially the health sector – and business. In the early 17th-century the region comprised a clutch of modest fishing villages and hamlets. To further secure its lucrative spice trade, the East India Company sought out a potential port that was also relatively close to the Strait of Malacca, a vital shipping lane between peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra. The company settled here, built Fort St. George – the first British fortress in India – in 1644, and the settlement gradually evolved from trading port to naval base and administrative centre. Today it’s a dense sprawling metropolis somewhat tempered by a huge sandy beach. Its significant economic clout ranges from tech and IT to healthcare and automobiles. For tourists its usually seen as more of a gateway than a destination in its own right though there’s enough here to occupy a day or two’s sightseeing before moving on. 50Km south of the city, Mahabalipuram (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is an obvious day excursion.
Day Itinerary
Flight TBA
Arrives Chennai TBA Hrs
On arrival you will be met and transferred to the hotel for check in.
Rest of the day is at leisure.
Overnight: Taj Club House
The Taj Club House is located on Clubhouse Road, off the historic Mount Road. This 5 star esablishment is an ideal venue for travellers and tourists. It is within walking distance to nearby attractions such as Spencer Plaza, Express Avenue and the LIC Building.
The accommodation structure is spread over 7 floors with 220 well-appointed rooms and suites. The Taj Club House offers guests thoughtful amenities to enjoy within a personal space creating a comfortable environment.
Day 2: Chennai – Mahabalipuram
Sixty kilometers south of Chennai and facing the Bay of Bengal, the seaside town of Mahabalipuram is a living testament to a stone-carving tradition dating back to the 6th- to 9th-century Pallava dynasty. Today dozens of rustic-looking workshops produce a vast array of sculpture ranging from diminutive statues to large monoliths. Their themes are mostly religious with depictions of Hinduism’s principal deities and myths but here and there you might spot outliers such as a life-size Diana, Princess of Wales. Despite the large sandy beach and numerous low-key restaurants and diners, the town doesn’t quite feel like a fully-fledged beach resort.
The real draw for visitors is a striking collection of ancient temples, shrines, friezes and rathas (temple ‘chariots’ typically used to transport idols in processions) all elaborately carved from granite boulders and facades that form part of the town’s picturesque rocky backdrop. These monuments are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Created by the Pallavas when the town was a major port, it remains uncertain whether they were mainly designed to be active places of worship or rather as an extravagant showcase for the local sculptors’ skills and technique which eventually spread into Indochina. Of all the town’s monuments, the celebrated Shore Temple was most likely an active temple at least in the early centuries of its existence.
Day Itinerary
Breakfast is at the hotel.
After breakfast you will be taken for half day tour of Chennai which includes orientation drive of the High court and Parry’s corner, Marina beach Kapaleeshwarar temple and San Thome Cathedral Basilica.
Activities
Drive past Fort St. George
Marina Beach
San Thome Cathedral
Kapaleeshwarar Temple
Fort St. George
Fort St George is the name of the first English (later British) fortress in India, founded in 1644 at the coastal city of Madras, the modern city of Chennai. The construction of the fort provided the impetus for further settlements and trading activity, in what was originally an uninhabited land. Thus, it is a feasible contention to say that the city evolved around the fortress. The fort currently houses the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and other official buildings. The fort is one of the 163 notified areas (megalithic sites) in the state of Tamil Nadu.
San Thome Cathedral
San Thome Church, also known as St. Thomas Cathedral Basilica and National Shrine of Saint Thomas, is a Roman Catholic minor basilica in Santhome, in the city of Chennai, This church has the status of a minor basilica, originally the old church was built in the 16th century by Portuguese explorers and rebuilt again with the status of cathedral by the British in 1893.
Marina Beach
Marina Beach, covered with glittering golden sand and a clear strip of blue sea, is among the most magnificent beaches in India. Sited at Kamarajar Salai Road, at a distance of 3 km from the capital city of Tamil Nadu, it is said to be the second longest beach in the world, extending to a length of 13 km from St. George Fort to Mahabalipuram.
Kapaleeshwarar Temple
One of the sacred shrines in Tamil Nadu is Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Temple in Mylapore, in Chennai City.It is a Siva Temple, and the name of the Lord is ARULMIGU KAPALEESWARAR. The name of the Goddess is ARULMIGU KARPAGAMBAL. It is a loverly temple with a Stately Spire or ‘Gopuram’ as it is called. There is a big tank on its West. The temple and the tank are surrounded by Broad streets on the four sides. The view of the temple and the tank is picturesque. The Legend Behind The Temple. The name Mylapore is derived from the legend that the Goddess Uma worshipped Siva in the form of a peacock (or mayil in Tamil). One can see a representation of this legend on stone in a small Shrine under a Punnai tree in the Courtyard of the temple.
Later you would be driven to Mahabalipuram [Approx 60 Kms – 1 1/2 Hrs]
On arrival you will check in at your hotel.
Overnight: Welcom Kences Beach
Whether visiting Chennai for business or leisure, guests are assured of a great stay at Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort. Conveniently located on the East Coast Road, the hotel is minutes away from Shore Temple and offers easy access to the beach. Guests can settle into comfortably designed rooms and suites with complimentary Wi-Fi, pillowtop beds, private balconies and flat-screen TVs. The upgraded suites offer refreshing plunge pools. Guests can begin or end the day in Mahabalipuram at Petals, which offers an all-day buffet and a la carte dining, or stop by Nectar – The Lounge Bar for a drink and a bite to eat.
Day 3: Mahabalipuram – Puducherry
Set by the Bay of Bengal nearly a hundred miles south of Chennai, capital of Tamil Nadu state, Puducherry was among the first places in southern India that saw early colonial powers gain a foothold. First came the Portuguese in the 1520s followed by the Danes and the Dutch. But it was France that really made its mark in 1674 with the beginnings of a French-style settlement that grew into a town – the heart and largest of Puducherry’s four separate and unconnected districts. Their rivalry with the British saw ‘Pondy’ (as it’s sometimes referred to affectionately) seized briefly several times but essentially France retained control until 1954. Yet, uniquely in India, a subtle French flavour endures in its architecture, tree-lined streets and cuisine.
Day Itinerary
Breakfast is at the hotel.
After breakfast you will visit the Shore Temple, Arjuna’s Penance and Pancha Rathas
Activities
The Shore Temple
Arjuna’s Penance
Pancha Rathas
The Shore Temple
It is believed that there were seven magnificent temples what are known as the seven pagodas, built near the sea share. But the lonely survivor is the shore temples. It was originally constructed during the 7th century and later it was Narasimha Varman II, (Rajasimha) completed the skilled work in his rule. This is one of the oldest of the south Indian Temples which were structural temples constructed in the nature Dravidian style. This shore temple has gained popularity and tourists gather here because it has been listed among the world heritage sites of the UNESCO.
Arjuna’s Penance
Located in Mahabalipuram, India, Arjuna’s Penance is a magnificent monument to Mahabalipuram. This monument stems back to the seventeenth century and stands at the height of approximately 43 feet. It is said that this structure cannot be fully enjoyed if it is seen in photographs and that standing before it is an experience of its own.
Pancha Rathas
Located in Mahabalipuram, India, Pancha Rathas is a monument complex. The five monuments found in the complex each resemble a chariot and are carved over a long stone of granite which is placed in a north-south direction at a small incline.
Later you would be driven to Pondicherry [Approx 92 Kms – 02 Hrs]
On arrival check in at your hotel.
Overnight: The Promenade Pondicherry
At the heart of the town’s ancient “French Quarter”. While interiors are ultra-modern with its clean minimalist design, the outside is colonial French. The Promenade’s beautifully landscaped porch overlooking the sea is a great place to spend a relaxed evening. The fascinating Balinese motif lounge pool and the in-room reflexology and spa massages make it the perfect place to spend a blissful getaway.
Day 4: Puducherry
Day Itinerary
Breakfast is at the hotel
After breakfast you will be taken for half day tour of the city.
Activities
Auroville
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Auroville
Located in Puducherry, India, Auroville is a community that was born on the 28 February 1968. Its founder created the Auroville Charter which consists of four main ideas, underpinning her vision for Auroville. When Auroville came into being, All India Radio (AIR) broadcast the charter live in 16 languages. Aurovilians apply the ideas of the Auroville Charter in their daily life, in policy-development, and decisions, big and small. The charter thus forms an omnipresent referent that silently guides the people who choose to live and work for Auroville.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram
Located in Puducherry, India, Sri Aurobindo Ashram has grown from a small group into a large community. The focus of community life is the Ashram main building which consists of blocks of houses which are adjoined. This is also where Sri Aurobindo and the Mother lived for most of their lives.
Day 5: Puducherry– Chennai & Depart Chennai
Day Itinerary
Breakfast is at the hotel
After the breakfast you will be transferred to the Chennai airport [150 Kms : 3 1/2 Hrs] for your onward flight
Flight TBA
Departs Chennai TBA Hrs
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NOTE:-
The distances and time taken for the travel is approximation only this will differ based on the traffic conditions and other unforeseen circumstances.
Non – Hindus are not allowed inside the main inner sanctum of live temples.
