Info on Tamil Nadu

keshav · Nov 3rd, 2003, 18:03

I am going to Tamil Nadu. My first stop will be Chennai. The other places I have to visit are Kumbakonam, Swami Malai, Tiruvelluvar. How far are these places form Chennai and from each other?

Other than Chennai, can someone suggest accomodation in the other places. Budget is around Rs.1000.00 per day.

Are there any places of interest on the way? BTW, I will be driving. Please suggest the best routes keeping in mind the road conditions.

Thanks.

steven_ber · Nov 3rd, 2003, 23:07

Kumbakonam is 255 km. south, south west of Chennai; Swami Malai is about 8 km. west of Kumbakonam.

I cannot find any information about Tiruvelluvar, is it spelt correctly?

Do you have any other information about the place?

keshav · Nov 4th, 2003, 00:00

Thanx Steven. Any other places of interest on the way? I will check about Tiruvelluvar and seek your suggession again.

Thanks once again

bijapuri · Nov 4th, 2003, 01:01

Tamil Nadu is arguably the state most endowed with huge, thriving temples. So many there are! Check out a guidebook to find the ones near where you're going. Almost all TN temples are working ones, so if you dress and behave modestly, you will probably be allowed inside. By all means take puja!

Tomi · Nov 4th, 2003, 02:43

Near Kumbakonam be sure to visit Dharasuram temple, a few kilometers southwest, actually a suburb. It is as beautiful as Thanjavur, but smaller, and this past January it was getting a face lift and the techniques used included rolling columns on logs, like the pyramids, and numerous women carrying cement on their heads up and down ladders. Delightful, and should still be going on. You also get a pretty little Parvathi temple next door to the main Shiva temple.

The main N-S shopping street in Kumbakonam was one of the highlights of my stay in the Kauvery delta region; very friendly, unspoiled, not a tourist around, lots of quaint shops and street vendors. Runs west of the central temple of town (said temple to be skipped), north of the main E-W artery that crosses the town. Hotels in Kumbakonam were all bad, neglected and indolent (I changed twice in search of either quality or friendliness and neither seemed available, sorry).

DO NOT stay in Swamimalai, in fact I would skip that ugly, oppressive, tout-filled town. My guess is that the plush hotel near there has ruined the peace for other travelers.

If you do go, I recommend the walk from Swamimalai to Dharasuram, several miles of country road bordered by houses and huts, the people both curious and friendly.

For driving, I want to warn you about the Nelles map. Around Kumbakonam and the Coromandel coast the roads shown on the map are randomly drawn and bear little connection to the actual roads. Yes, very dishonest mapmaking.

More on the coast: skip the bird sancturay at Kodikkarai, unless you want to see a few painted storks; there's little there unless you have a vivid imagination and could turn it into an end-of-the-world locale. I did love Poompohar's fishing village, liked Velanganni (the only official appearance of the Virgin in India, lots of Christian pilgrims), Tranquebar for its desolate setting, Karaikal as a poor man's Pondicherry (a few beautiful streets, but not much in the way of sights) and, if you have the stomach for cloying beggars who run after you with claw-like hands, Vellore, the Muslim holy place is interesting. Of the coastal places Velanganni is the place to stay.

Nov 3rd, 2003, 18:03	#1
keshav Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 60	Info on Tamil Nadu I am going to Tamil Nadu. My first stop will be Chennai. The other places I have to visit are Kumbakonam, Swami Malai, Tiruvelluvar. How far are these places form Chennai and from each other? Other than Chennai, can someone suggest accomodation in the other places. Budget is around Rs.1000.00 per day. Are there any places of interest on the way? BTW, I will be driving. Please suggest the best routes keeping in mind the road conditions. Thanks.

Nov 3rd, 2003, 23:07	#2
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 9,147	Kumbakonam is 255 km. south, south west of Chennai; Swami Malai is about 8 km. west of Kumbakonam. I cannot find any information about Tiruvelluvar, is it spelt correctly? Do you have any other information about the place? __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Nov 4th, 2003, 01:01	#4
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,598	Tamil Nadu is arguably the state most endowed with huge, thriving temples. So many there are! Check out a guidebook to find the ones near where you're going. Almost all TN temples are working ones, so if you dress and behave modestly, you will probably be allowed inside. By all means take puja! __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

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Nov 4th, 2003, 00:00	#3
keshav Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 60	Thanx Steven. Any other places of interest on the way? I will check about Tiruvelluvar and seek your suggession again. Thanks once again

Nov 4th, 2003, 02:43	#5
Tomi Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Cambridge, MA, USA Posts: 448	Near Kumbakonam be sure to visit Dharasuram temple, a few kilometers southwest, actually a suburb. It is as beautiful as Thanjavur, but smaller, and this past January it was getting a face lift and the techniques used included rolling columns on logs, like the pyramids, and numerous women carrying cement on their heads up and down ladders. Delightful, and should still be going on. You also get a pretty little Parvathi temple next door to the main Shiva temple. The main N-S shopping street in Kumbakonam was one of the highlights of my stay in the Kauvery delta region; very friendly, unspoiled, not a tourist around, lots of quaint shops and street vendors. Runs west of the central temple of town (said temple to be skipped), north of the main E-W artery that crosses the town. Hotels in Kumbakonam were all bad, neglected and indolent (I changed twice in search of either quality or friendliness and neither seemed available, sorry). DO NOT stay in Swamimalai, in fact I would skip that ugly, oppressive, tout-filled town. My guess is that the plush hotel near there has ruined the peace for other travelers. If you do go, I recommend the walk from Swamimalai to Dharasuram, several miles of country road bordered by houses and huts, the people both curious and friendly. For driving, I want to warn you about the Nelles map. Around Kumbakonam and the Coromandel coast the roads shown on the map are randomly drawn and bear little connection to the actual roads. Yes, very dishonest mapmaking. More on the coast: skip the bird sancturay at Kodikkarai, unless you want to see a few painted storks; there's little there unless you have a vivid imagination and could turn it into an end-of-the-world locale. I did love Poompohar's fishing village, liked Velanganni (the only official appearance of the Virgin in India, lots of Christian pilgrims), Tranquebar for its desolate setting, Karaikal as a poor man's Pondicherry (a few beautiful streets, but not much in the way of sights) and, if you have the stomach for cloying beggars who run after you with claw-like hands, Vellore, the Muslim holy place is interesting. Of the coastal places Velanganni is the place to stay.

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