Splendours of South India
Alappuzha (Alleppey) /
Bangalore / Chennai (Madras) /
Chidambaram / Cochin (Kochi) /
Coonoor / Coimbatore /
Halebid / Hampi /
Hassan
Venice of the East.
Often called the ‘Venice of the East’ and situated on the Vembanad Lake,
the town commercial centre lives in a maze of canals. Set in the
labyrinth of backwater channels, the town is one of the best gateways to
explore the unspoilt countryside. Though ferries operate regular
services, a country boat is the best mode to experience the backwaters.
Also known as Alleppey, this is centre for backwater cruises in kerala.
The Nehru trophy boat race, most colourful of races is held here on the
second Saturday of August every year.
WHAT TO SEE : AMBALAPUZHA : 14 km from Alappuzha, the Sreekrishna temple
here is an important one. ARTHUNKAL : A pilgrim centre, known for St.
Andrews church set up by Portuguese missionaries. The church is
popularly known as St. Sebastian’s. CHETTIKULANGARA BHAGAVATHY TEMPLE :
The Bhadrakali deity is said to have miraculous powers; main festivity
in February-March is Kettukazhcha. KRISHNAPURAM PALACE : 47 km, at
kayamkulam, on the way to Kollam. The double storeyed palace contains
one of the largest mural panels in Kerala. MANNARSALA : 32 km, near
Haripad, the temple here is an important centre of serpent worship in
kerala. On the day of Ayilyam, (September-October) thousands assemble to
worship the serpent god.
GETTING THERE :
Kochi (66 km) is the major airportand rail head. Alappuzha is also
linked by rail to Kochi.
Alleppey is served by frequent ferries from Kumarakom (2 hrs), Kottyam
(2 1/2 hrs), Quilon (8 hrs) and Kochi (3 1/2 hrs).
A one and a half hour drive from Cochin along the national highway,
close and parallel to the Arabian sea, also brings you to Alleppey.
Silicon Valley of India.
A major industrial and commercial centre, with scientific and research
activity, Bangalore is multifaceted: modern marvels, historical
monuments, bustling shopping plazas, a race course and golf courses.
Called the Silicon valley of India for its growing software, it is also
known as the city of draught beer. Bangalore is the capital city of
Karnataka which harbours the diversity of interests such as the ruins of
Vijaynagar, sculptures of belur and Halebid, mausoleum of Gol Gumbaz at
Bijapur, golden sands of Karavalli, proud hills of kodagu, forests of
Bandipur, Nagarhole and Bannerghatta, and Chikmagalur with its mountains
and coffee plantations, majestic Mysore and the world’s tallest
freestanding monolith of Bahubali at Sravanabelagola.
WHAT TO SEE : CHOWDAIH MEMORIAL HALL : Located near Saukey Tank, this
hall is built in the shape of ‘Pitulu’, a musical instrument in Kerala.
The hall is covered by strings on the roof to give it the look of a
musical instrument. VIDHANA SOUDHA : This imposing edifice built almost
entirely of dressed Bangalore granite is a tribute to temple
architecture. CUBBON PARK : In 1864, Lord Cubbon, the then viceroy of
India, laid out 3000 acres of verdant tranquility. Today it is an oasis
of greenery in the heart of modern Bangalore. VISVESVARAYA INDUSTRIAL &
TECHNOLOGICAL MUSEUM : This museum is a tribute to the brilliance of Sir
M. Visvesvaraya, one of the architects of modern Karnataka. ULSOOR LAKE
: The lake is centrally located, over a space of 1.5 sq. km. Enjoyable
to take a boat ride. OTHER PLACES ON INTEREST : The Bangalore Palace,
Tipu Sultan’s Palace, Iskcon Temple, Lal Bagh Gardens, The Bull Temple
and Sri Gangadhareshwara Temple.
SHOPPING : Karnataka has a rich tradition in handicrafts and silk sarees,
Sandalwood, ivory, brass and rosewood inlay, clay and wooden toys, wood
carving, bidriware and Lambani jewellery are some other specialities
stocked in the emporia in the city.
HOW TO GET THERE :
Road : Connects to all major road
Air : Air services links Bangalore to almost every city in India.
Rail : Bangalore has direct rail connections to Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi,
Ahmedabad and all important places en-route.
Classical, Ancient, Gentle.
You are at the southern tip of India in the state of Tamilnadu, and
Chennai- or Madras as it was better known is its capital city. It is
also the third largest metropolis in India. Planning an itinerary with
Chennai as the gateway will put you in touch with a different face of
India- classical, ancient, gentle. Definitely touched by colonialism but
not ravaged by wars and intensely aware of its roots and traditions.
Chennai itself has largely remained a business city- the automobile
industry, international giants included, has seen advancement in
particular in the last few years. The IT medium has become popular-
internet centers are common.
WHAT TO SEE : KAPALEESWARAR : An ancient Shiva temple, is the biggest
temple in Chennai. A masterpiece of Dravidian architecture, there are
some fragmentary inscriptions dating back to 1250 AD. SRI PARTHASARATHY
TEMPLE : Devoted to Lord Krishna was originally built by the Pallavas in
the 8th century. THE SANTHOME CATHEDRAL CHURCH : Named after St. Thomas,
was built in the 14th and 15th centuries near the beach. LITTLE MOUNT
SHRINE : Place where St.Thomas is said to have lived and preached in a
small cave. FORT St. GEORGE : Built in 1640 AD., the first bastion of
British power in India. The fort is now used by the Tamilnadu
legislative assembly and the Secretariat office. THE SNAKE PARK : Has a
wide variety of reptiles. The next compound is the ‘Childrens Park’
which has a small collection of animals and birds in a big play area for
childrens. OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST : St. Thomas Mount, St. Mary Church,
The Fort Museum, The Theosophical society, Kalakshetra, valluvar Kottam.
SHOPPING : Various handicrafts, Jewellery, Silk sarees etc.
HOW TO GET THERE :
By Air : Madras is served by an international airport. TheAnna
International Terminal and the Kamarajar Domestic Terminal are situated
at Thrisulam17 km from the city centre.
By Rail : Broad gauge train services link the city to New Delhi, Mumbai,
Calcutta, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore,
Lucknow, Guwahati and many other destinations.
The metre gauge train services cater to the south of Madras. Madurai,
Rameshwaram, Tirunelveliand Tuticorin being some of the important
destinations on this network.
Madras Central caters for all broad gauge services and the Madras Egmore
station for all metregauge services. Both the stations are located at
the heart of the city and are easily accessible.
By Road : Connect to all neighbouring districts and to all prominent
destinations insouthern India.
By Sea : Madras is connected by a passenger liner to Port Blair in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Holy Place for devotees of Shiva.
The city is on the Chennai-Trichy route. It is an important pilgrim
centre and a holy place for devotees of Shiva as the famous Nataraja
Temple is located here. It is 232 km. From Chennai and lies on the
Chennai-Tiruchirapalli main line of the Southern Railway.
WHAT TO SEE : THE NATARAJA TEMPLE : Located in centre of the town, the
temple covers an area of 40 acres. It is one of the most ancient temples
of Tamil Nadu. The top roof of the sanctum sanctorum is covered with
gold plates and strings. KALI TEMPLE : The Thillai kali Amman Temple is
at the northern end of the town. It was built by Chola king who ruled
between 1229 A.D. and 1278 A.D.
HOW TO GET THERE :
By Air : Nearest Airport is Trichy
By Rail : It is connected by rail with Trichy, Madurai, Chennai.
By Road : It is well connected with all major towns.
Kerala’s commercial hub.
One of the finest natural harbours on the Arabian Sea coast, kochi
earlier known as Cochin , has been a port of call for foreign traders
from early times. Its cosmopolitan character is reflected in the
buildings and structures representing different regions of the world. A
city of peninsulas and islands, today it is kerala’s commercial hub.
WHAT TO SEE : DUTCH PALACE : Built by the Portuguese and presented to
the Raja of Cochin in 1555. CHINESE FISHING NETS : At the entrance of
kochi harbour, the nets are a fascinating sights. JEWISH SYNAGOGUE :
Built in 1568, the building was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1662 and
rebuilt by the dutch two years later. Scrolls of the old Testament and
copper plates inscribed in Hebrew script are preserved here. St. FRANCIS
CHURCH : The oldest protestant church built by the Portuguese in 1510.
Vasco da Gama, who died in 1524, was buried here. SANTA CRUZ BASILICA :
This Roman Catholic church has beautiful paintings in the ceiling.
WILLINGDON ISLAND : A manmade island from material drudged while
deepening kochi port. There are frequent ferry and bus services from
Ernakulam. The harbour, airport and Railway terminus are located here.
OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST : Gundu Island, Fort Kochi, Koonan Kurishu
Shrine, Dutch cemetery, Bolgatty Island, Shiva Temple, Parikshith
Thampuran Museum, Museum of Kerala History, Hill palace museum.
HOW TO GET THERE :
By Air : Cochin is a major entry point into kerala. Flights operate
daily from Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi and Goa.
By Rail : You can alsoboard a train to Cochin from almost any major city
in India.
By Road : Cochinis 4 1/2 hours from Trivandrum and 5 hours from Calicut.
A quiet hill station.
Situated 1858 metres above sea level, Coonoor is a hill station 13 km.
From Ooty, it nevertheless commands its own brand of loyalists, who
prefer to holiday in the mild climate of this charming, more homely
health resort than in the colder bustling city of Udaghamandalam. Due to
the location of prominent public schools here, a large number of parents
especially from nearby countries are a common sight.
WHAT TO SEE : There are several vantage points around Coonoor from where
the visitor can get an excellent view of the undulating surroundings.
Lamb’s Rock, Lady Canning’s seat and Dolphin’s Nose are some of them.
Besides one can enjoy waterfalls like Law’s falls, Katery Falls and the
Rallia Dam. SIM’S PARK : Is known for its horticultural species and is a
very pleasant place to spend a few hours in.
HOW TO REACH :
Coonoor is a half hour's motorable journey from Ooty. Buses and taxis
are available for the tourists. The mountain train from Mettupalayam to
Ooty passes through Coonoor.
Manchester of South India.
One of the most important cities of Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore is called the
‘Manchester of South India’, and is the third largest city in the state.
The headquarters of the Nilgiri region, its exposure to the Palghat Gap
of the Western ghats gives Coimbatore a salubrious climate. A highly
industrialised city, it is the centre of textile manufacturing in the
state- there are over a hundred mills in and around Coimbatore.
Primarily a business centre, it is also known for the manufacture of
motor pumpsets and various engineering and electronic goods.
WHAT TO SEE : PERUR TEMPLE : Built by karikala Chola is situated 7 km.
From Coimbatore to the west and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. MARUTHAMALAI
TEMPLE : 12 km. From Coimbatore. The presiding deity is called Murugan.
SHOPPING : Textiles are Coimbatore’s speciality.
Cultural heritage of Karnataka.
is 27 kms north-west of Hassan and 17 kms east of Belur. The temples of
Halebid - like those of Belur - bear mute testimony to the rich,
cultural heritage of Karnataka. The Hoysaleswara Temple, dating back to
the 12th century, is astounding for its wealth of sculptural details.
The walls of the temple are covered with an endless variety of gods and
goddesses, animals, birds and dancing girls. Yet no two facets of the
temple are the same. This magnificent temple - guarded by a Nandi Bull -
was never completed, despite 86 years of labour. The Jain basadis nearby
are equally rich in sculptural detail. Belur and Halebid are 222 and 216
kms. from Bangalore, respectively.
Seat of the Vijaynagar empire, though the city was destroyed by
marauders, much remains of those days. The remains are preserved under
the World heritage order.
WHAT TO SEE : VIRUPAKSHA TEMPLE : Devoted to Lord Shiva, presiding deity
of the Vijaynagar rulers. NARSIMHA, SHIVALINGA, GANESHA monoliths.
VITHALA TEMPLE : With its musical pillars and stone chariot. LOTUS MAHAL
: Synthesis of Hindu-Islamic styles. QUEENS BATH : An engineering feat.
HAZAARAMA TEMPLE : A sculptural masterpiece.
ACCESS:
Air: Nearest Airport - Bellary (74 km). Other convenient airports are at
Belgaum (190 km)and Bangalore (350 km).
Rail: Hospet, the nearest railhead (13, km), islinked by rail to
Bangalore, Bijapur, Hubli andGunfakal.
Road: 350 kms from Bangalore.
194 km. from Bangalore is the district headquarters of Hassan. This calm
and peaceful town is a convenient base to visit Sravanabelagola, Belur
and Halebid. They are best done over two days, with an overnight halt at
the Hassan Ashok. You can visit these places from Bangalore and Mysore
too. It is also well connected by road and rail to Bangalore, Mysore and
Mangalore.
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South India Cities
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