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Day 1 arrive Madras  |
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Arrive Madras by international flight. After clearing immigration and customs formalities you are met by a representative from First Tours and transferred to Fisherman’s Cove, a snug resort located on Covelong beach amid whispering casuarina and palm trees.
(Fisherman’s Cove) |
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| Day 2 Madras |
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 Today visit Fort St. George, St. Mary's Church, San Thome Cathedral, Madras High Court, University building and the Government Museum that houses the world's most complete and impressive selection of Chola bronzes and stone sculptures from South India and the Deccan. Return to the hotel en route visiting Dakshinachitra. This living museum has relocated the 18th, 19th and early 20th century houses and re-created village streets and work places providing authentic insights into the domestic architecture, life-styles and culture of the southern Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
(Fisherman’ Cove) |
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| Day 3 Madras / Kanchipuram / Mahabalipuram / Madras |
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This morning drive to Kanchipuram, the erstwhile capital of the Pallava and Chola dynasty. Visit the Ekambareswarar Temple with its thousand pillared hall, Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple and the 8th century Kailasanathar Temple, a prefect example of early Dravidian architecture. After sightseeing proceed to Mahabalipuram. Set in a boulder-strewn landscape on the Bay of Bengal this 7th century city is called to be a sculptor’s delight, which boasts some of India's most sublime rock-cut art. Sightseeing includes visit to the Pallava period cave temples, monolith temple chariots and relief sculptured rock panels.
(Fisherman’s Cove) |
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| Day 4 Madras / Gingee / Pondicherry |
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 After breakfast drive 100 miles to Gingee to visit the remarkable 15th century Gingee fort built by rulers of the Vijayanagar Empire. After sightseeing drive 45 miles southeast of Gingee to Pondicherry. Arrive Pondicherry and check-in to the hotel.
(Hotel De L’Orient) |
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| Day 5 Pondicherry |
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Pondicherry is well known for the Ashram of a revolutionary philosopher Sri Aurobindo. Today visit Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville, the planed “City of Dawn”. Founded in 1968 Auroville was inspired by the Mother, the spiritual successor of Sri Aurobindo. The main temple is the center for meditation at Auroville and is an architectural wonder.
(Hotel De L’Orient) |
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| Day 6 Pondicherry / Chidambaram / Swamimalai (Thanjavur) |
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After breakfast drive 35 miles to Chidambaram to visit the Sabhanayaka Nataraja Temple complex. Unlike most Shiva temples, the icon here is not in the typical form of a linga. Rather the image is of Shiva as Nataraj, which depicts the Lord anthromorphically as the Cosmic Dancer. Chidambaram is one of the Panchabhoota Sthalams, temples built for the 5 elements; space, wind, water, fire and earth. After sightseeing proceed to Swamimalai and check-in to the Sterling Swamimalai, the 100 year old Heritage home with period interiors located in a beautiful coconut grove on the banks of River Cauvery near Thanjavur.
(Sterling Swamimalai) |
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| Day 1 to Day 6 | Day
7 to Day 12 | Day
13 to Day 18 | Day
19 to Day 24 | Day
25 to Day 29 |