Spiritual Tamilnadu

Destination Overview :
Cochin, Munnar, Thekkady, Madurai, Rameshwaram, Kanyakumari

Thekkady in Kerala is a very popular tourist destination renowned for its rainforests, wildlife and spice plantations. The very sound of the word Thekkady conjures up images of a beautiful vast lake, elephants, unending chains of hills and spice-scented plantations. The Periyar forest of Thekkady is one of the finest wildlife reserves in India and spread across the entire district are picturesque plantations and hill towns that hold great opportunities for treks and mountain walks.
The sanctuary is famous for its dense evergreen, moist deciduous forests and savanna grass lands. It is home to herds of elephants, sambar, tigers, gaur, lion-tailed Macaques and Nilgiri Langurs.The Wild Life Sanctuary was declared a Tiger Reserve in 1978. The splendid lake near Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River adds to the charm of the park. The greatest attraction of Periyar are the herds of wild elephants that come down to play in the lake.

Munnar is a destination sprawling of tea and cardamom estates, interspersed with luxuriant forests. Tropical plantations of tea, coffee and cardamom, dense forests & wildlife sanctuaries all teeming with flora and fauna, portray the rich bio-diversity of the region. Of particular interest among the wildlife that abound in Munnar are the Nilgiri Tahrs (Mountain Goats), Langurs and Elephants. Munnar is also famous for the exotic flower – ‘Neelakurinji’, which blooms every 12 years and covers the mountains of Munnar with a glorious carpet of purple.

Kanyakumari is one of the most important tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu. It is famous for its moonrise and sunset. Best time to visit Kanyakumari is in the month of Chitthirai (April – May). We can see the moonrise and sunset in the same hour of full moon days during these months. This sunset and moonrise takes place when the sun and moon are face to face in a straight line along the horizon.

Rameswaram is hallowed by the epic Ramayana. A devout Hindu who visits Varanasi is expected to visit the Rameswaram also for the culmination of his quest for salvation. Rama sanctified this place by worshipping Lord Siva after the war against Ravana. Therefore, it is held sacred by Saivites and Vaishnavites as well.

Much like Varanasi in the north, Madurai is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in India. Situated on the banks of Vaigai river in Tamil Nadu, the city is known for its Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple. Apart from being a pilgrim town, a popular tourist destination, a cultural hotspot and the erstwhile capital of the Pandyan dynasty Madurai is also known for its food, cuisine, architecture, shopping and endearing people.