Famous State of Tamilnadu in india

  By Dhananjai | September 4, 2012 | INDIAN CULTURE

History The Tamilians believe that they are descended from the dark-skinned Indus Valley Dravidians and perhaps pushed southwards to escape the invading Aryans. The hundreds of stone-carved grand temples that dot the landscape were built by the hugely powerful dynasties that ruled this area. The three most powerful families that vied for glory in the 1st to 13th centuries AD were the Cholas, the Pallavas and the Pandyas. After falling briefly to Muslim invaders from the north, the south was re-stabilized as the Vijayanagar Empire who set up a glorious capital city in Hampi, present day Karnataka. Their generals were equally enterprising however and broke away from the rulers to establish their own dynasty. The Nayaks of Madurai did so much for temple architecture and the preservation of ancient carvings and sculptures that to date some visitors can identify with Marco Polo’s exclamation that this was “the most splendid province in the world”. More recently, the Europeans arrived at these shores first to trade and then to rule. Relics of a colonial legacy abound in French Pondicherry, Madras’ Fort St. George, and St. Mary’s Church.

Economy Agriculture is the mainstay of Tamil Nadu’s economy. The state produces sugarcane, groundnut, oilseeds, tea, spices, potato, cotton and bananas. It’s one of India’s most industrialised states with a booming industry in leather and textiles, both which India exports. Other industries include sugar, petrochemicals, railway rolling stock, engineering equipment and high precision tools. The main industrial centre is the capital Chennai (formerly Madras), and the cities of Madurai (textiles) and Coimbatore. Chennai is an important port.

Language The people of Tamil Nadu are mainly Dravidian. The Dravidians were the original inhabitants of the subcontinent in the Indus Valley region. For many reasons, not yet completely clear, they were forced to push southwards and came to live in the region of present day Tamil Nadu. 80% of the population now is Dravidian but there are communities of indigenous tribes. The Toda people who live in the Nilgiri Hills are accomplished silversmiths. Other communities are those of the Irula, Badaga, Kota and Kurumba. Tamilians today are trying to balance the old with the new. While the orthodox old guard still oversees matters of the family and elders must be respected for their age, the younger lot is coming into its own in keeping with modern times. Tamil is spoken all over the state and Tamilians are in fact very proud of their language. They have resisted efforts behind the promotion of Hindi (which has been designated India’s national language) all over India. Many do speak a fair bit of English, albeit a heavily accented version, and so visitors have few problems communicating with the local people.

Religion Most Tamilians are orthodox Hindus. The Brahminical castes of Iyer and Iyengar families continue to practice age-old traditions like not marrying outside the community and strict observance of religious rituals. There are also minority communities of Parsis, Jains, Muslims and Christians found in different parts of the state.

Food Idli, dosa, vada, sambar, uppama! As with all Indian food, a meal centres on a base of rice, or as in the South –Indian case, semolina preparation. Eaten alongside is the South-Indian dal, sour, hot, souped -up with vegetables. The Brahmins are vegetarian, but the rest consume sour-hot fish, mutton and chicken with gusto.

Culture and Crafts There is more to Tamil culture than its trove of temple richness. This is a land of poetry, song and dance. The classical dance form of Bharatnatyam (natya=dance, Bharat=India) is like a coming to life of the temple sculptures. Decked out in shimmering silk, the dancer relies on hand movements, dramatic poses and a range of facial expressions to communicate age old tales of love, longing and rage. The Sangam period around 2AD was the high point in Tamilian literature. The poet Thiruvalluvar wrote thousands of poetic pieces in his work ‘Thirukkal’, and inspired the ‘Sangam Academy’ for poets and other writers. They tested the worth of any work in a unique way: manuscripts would be thrown into the tank in Madurai and only the ones that floated were rescued! The south has its own classical music system. Quite different from the north Indian Hindustani style is south Indian Carnatic music.

Tourist info centres

The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation is the government’s tourism authority for the state. TTDC operates hotels in the middle and lower range, buses and tours, and will provide information on travelling in the State. Almost all the places covered here have a TTDC branch. The main office is in Chennai, near the Central railway Station. It is open everyday from 7 am to 7 pm.
The Government of India tourist office is very helpful. On 154 Anna Salai, Chennai, it’s open Monday to Friday, 9:15 am to 5:45 pm and from 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. Telephone: 044 8269685

How to get there by Air All the larger cities in Tamil Nadu have airports, though most cater only to domestic traffic. Chennai’s Meenambakkam gets international flights and there are flights to Tiruchirapalli from Colombo, Sri Lanka. The other cities with airports are Madurai and Coimbatore. Taxis, city-airport bus shuttles and auto rickshaws are available outside the main terminus.

How to get there by Rail There is no dearth of options if you are travelling by rail. The major railheads are Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli and Coimbatore. There are trains to these cities from all over the country. In most cases it’s possible to catch a connection to the temple towns that figure less prominently on the countrywide network from these cities.

How to get there by Road India has an extensive road network. These roads are hardly wide superhighways with multiple lanes of fast moving traffic but they do go here, there and everywhere and so they do serve the purpose of taking people where they want to go. To go with the extensive road network is the extensive network of buses and taxis, which too (in most cases) go here, there and everywhere. If you are generally in south India i.e. the states of Kerala, Karnataka or Andhra Pradesh, all of which border Tamil Nadu, you can take the road. There are many numbers of state-run buses and privately run coaches to cities in Tamil Nadu. Do keep in mind the distance you’re undertaking to cover; more often than not these journeys are uncomfortable. Hired vehicles are definitely a more comfortable option if you are planning to get to Tamil Nadu by road.

Getting around The roads within Tamil Nadu are generally better than in the rest of India- smoother and better maintained and with better conveniences. Public transport like buses, both State and privately operated, and rail services have a comprehensive network. Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli have airports. It is possible to hire a long distance cab or rent a car or a motorcycle at the cities from where you can explore the rest of this beautiful area at your pleasure and convenience.

Where to Stay in Tamilnadu

Tamil Nadu features a good range of places to stay. The bigger cities likeChennai and Coimbatore and tourist favourites like Ooty and Kodaikannalhave top-end 5-star hotels – with international and national chains providing luxury, comfort and convenience.
Smaller cities and temple towns fall a little short in the luxury accommodation category. However, there are a lot of mid-rung and budget options that are eminently livable. From Railway retiring rooms with dormitory and double room accommodation, and shared-bathroom outfits to ashrams and comfortable 2 or 3-star hotels with room service, cable TV and air-conditioning, Tamil Nadu’s hotels are neat and tidy affairs that are great value for money. The Tamil Nadu Tourism runs excellent low-cost accommodation for tourists with decent rooms and in-house restaurants.
The government also promotes home stays and some pre-approved families provide paying guest accommodations as well. If you are planning to stay about a month or longer, this might be a good option.

Best Time to Visit Tamilnadu

The climate in most of Tamil Nadu is essentially tropical. It is hottest in April, May, June with the mercury going over 40°C. It is coolest in December, January, but not really cold anywhere except in the hills (Ooty, Kodaikkanal, Yercaud) where night temperatures may dip below 5°C. The rains arrive in October and continue till the end of December. The best time to visit is between July-September and January-March: beat the heat, the rains (October-December), and catch the festivals of Pongal (Jan.), classical Carnatic music and Bharatnatyam (Jan), and perhaps Dussehra (Sept).

Climate The climate in most of Tamil Nadu is essentially tropical. It is hottest in April, May, June with the mercury going well over 40°C. It is coolest in December and January, but not really cold anywhere except in the hills (Ooty, Kodaikkanal, Yercaud) where night temperatures may dip below 5° C. The rains arrive in October and continue till the end of December. In the plains, Tamil Nadu as a rule is either hot and humid or hot and dry and never anything in between!

Things to do in Tamilnadu

Tamilnadu is a bustling state that offers many unusual wonders for holiday makers. The state features a fair list of things to do. From exceptional hill stations to historic cities there are plenty of options to explore in Tamilnadu. Enjoy visiting the old monuments in Mamallapuram or pay homage in the Brihadeswarar Temple in Thanjavur. While in Tamilnadu you can’t afford not to visit the capital city, Chennai. This place attracts travellers of all ages and offers a plethora of places to visit that include museums, beaches, temples and zoological parks and much more.
Visit places like Rameshwaram and Kanyakumari that are renowned for their beautiful temples. Enjoy the multicolored sand at the Kanyakumari beach or visit the beautiful hillstation of Ooty to admire its scenic beauty. Visit Madurai that is known for very important temples or simply relax in the beautiful hillstation of Kodaikanal the state of Tamilnadu features an array of interesting holiday destinations.
Wondering what else to do in Tamilnadu? Shop for the popular handcrafted knick-knacks in rosewood, sandalwood, ivory, bronze and silver or buy some rich and heavy silks to take back home for family and friends. Don’t forget to gorge on the mouthwatering Chettinad chicken and idiyappam.