South India Archives - Holiday and Travel Guide to India

Kanchipuram – City of Temples

Kanchipuram is also known by the names Conjeeveram, Kanjeevaram and Kanchi is a small town situated at a distance of 75 km from Chennai in Tamil Nadu. Kanchipuram is famous for the cotton and silk industry and imposing centuries old … Read more

Places to visit and things to do in Kerala

When you think of Kerala, you can think of beaches, back waters, house boats, coconut trees, ayurvedic treatments and massages, festivals, artforms and exotic hill stations. Do you need any more reasons for visiting this nature made beautiful land? Perhaps … Read more

The charms of an old ruined temple in India – Pulicat

Have you noticed that ruined Temples have a charm associated with them – Especially, if a Temple is very old? Today, let us look at one such charming, old and ruined Temple in India – Adi-Narayana Perumal Temple, Pulicat, Tamil Nadu. Does the photo below look like the entrance of a Temple? It sure looks like an entrance alright, but Temples here generally have a Gopuram (Tower) on top of the main entrance doors. Looking at the size of the Temple doors of this Temple, the Gopuram should have been quite huge. But no one knows whether the Gopuram was destroyed in a war, or whether the Temple was constructed with a Gopuram at all! If there was no Gopuram from the beginning, this Temple should be quite unique.

The Finest Dining in Chennai

Chennai was formerly known as Madras, India. The city is over 360 years old, and currently has a population well over 7 million people. Although fast growing, the city maintains a ranking in the top 20 cleanest cities worldwide. With a thriving and vibrant cultural climate and beautiful surroundings, visitors come for the wonderful beach resort accommodations and the stunning coast on the Bay of Bengal. Those visiting also enjoy the amazing diversity of quality cuisine options available within the city of Chennai.

Complete guide to Mysore city

Mysore, locally known as Mysuru was the prominent city of Karnataka prior to Bangalore. This mystical and mythological city derives its name from the buffalo headed demon Mahishasur who is known to have been slain atop the Chamundi Hills by Goddess Chamundeshwari, an avatar of Parvati. The 10 day dussehra festival is organized every year to celebrate this victory of the good over the evil. The city can boast of its rich past given to it generously by the dynasty of the Wodeyars, which has created such an appealing charm about the city that it can enthrall tourists even to this day.

Badami Caves – Rocks with story to tell

Badami, situated in Bagalkot districtof Karnataka, was once capital of mighty Chalukya Empire, but is now famous as tourist destination for its historical monument – The Badami Caves. These caves are considered to be the most spectacularly carved caves found in South India. The four major caves, hewn out of the hill at great height, are temples dedicated to different deities of Hindu and Jain religion. They are considered to be places of utmost importance by the architectures and archaeologists, for the reason that these caves hold significant clues to the styles followed by the south Indian architectures of past. The caves were carved out of the Deccan sandstone that is abundantly available in the area, during the 6th century, under the rule of Chalukya Empire. The color of the Deccan sandstone is believed to have given the place its name, i.e. the color of Badam which means almond in local dialect.

Town of Badami seen from the caves. Source: Andrea Kirkby’s photostream Flickr

Places to visit in Bangalore

Bengaluru, which was earlier known as Bangalore is one of the most sought of exotic tourist destinations in South India. Bengaluru is the capital city of Karnataka and is the blend of ultra modern cosmopolitan culture and the traditional extravaganza. It is known to be the silicon city of India and the capital of information technology or the IT world of the country. It is the house for numerous multinational companies and is also recognised as one of the growing economical cities on the world map. It is also known as the ‘Garden City of India.’