Tamilnadu Tourism

State Capital:	Chennai
Location:	Stretches from 8.5° N to 13.35° N and 76.15° E and 80.20° E longitude.
Neighboring States:	Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka to the North, Kerala and Karnataka extending to the West, Bay Of Bengal to the East, and Indian ocean to the South.
Area:	130, 058 sq. km.
Population:	62,110,839 (according to the 2001 census)
Regional Language:	Tamil
Climate:	Tropical.
Seasons:	Summer - March to May, Winter - November to February, and Monsoon - (North-East) October to December.
Physiography:	Kurinji (Mountainous Region), Mullai (Forest Region), Palai (Arid Region), Marudham (Fertile Plains) and Neidhal (Coastal Region).

A tourist's paradise, Tamil Nadu has a glorious culture, rich history and though it is a land of tradition and religion, it is also in step with the modern developments and achievements. Blue beaches and clear skies lend their own ethereal charm to the state as one explores the Marina beach and other beaches of the state. The legendary and magnificent temples, exemplary in their own accord, are the first attraction of the tourists who come here as a pilgrim or merely as a casual tourist to appreciate the beauty of the rock-cut art and sculptures of these temples. Tamils are believed to be the descendants of the Dravidian race, the first major occupants of the country that settled in the northwestern India long before the advent of the Aryans. However, Aryans pushed them to the south. The Pallavas ruled between the state between the 6th and the 8th century with Kanchipuram as their capital. The famous temples built by them include the temples of Kanchipuram, the Kapaliswarar and Parthasarathy temples at Chennai and the bas-reliefs of Mamallapuram.

6th century Chinese traveler Huan Tsu Ang described Kanchipuram as a major centre of learning. The Cholas were also great administrators and builders. Metal casting and bronze figures evolved into perfection during their times as evident in the beautiful sculpture of the Cosmic Dancer at Chidambaram. One can witness the metal artistry today at Thanjavur or Tanjore. Meenakshi Temple at Madurai has become the religious icon of the state and is said to be the place where Goddess Meenakshi, was born to the Pandya King Malayatwasan and his Queen Kachanamala. There are more than 30,000 temples in Tamil Nadu built by various dynasties. Most of them share the 'gopuram' or the imposing tower over the entrance, the 'vimanam', which is the tower over the sanctum and the spacious halls and corridors. With a number of flourishing industries, Tamil Nadu occupies third place in the Industrial map of India.

Spotlights:
Tamil Nadu has rich and varied forests and 5 national parks and 17 wildlife sanctuaries in total. These include the famous wildlife sanctuaries such as Anamalai or Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary, Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Kalakadu Wildlife Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary, Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary and the Viralimalai Sanctuary. However, the most preferred of all are the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, the Snake Park and the Crocodile Bank at Chennai. There are some famous Pallava Temples to see such as the Shore Temple at Mamallapuram, the Kailashanatha Temple at Kanchipuram, the Vaikuntha Perumal Temple at Kanchipuram and the Talagiriswara Temple at Kanchipuram.

Prominent Chola temples include the Brihadishwara temple at Thanjavur, Brihadishwara temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram and Kampaharesvara temple at Thirubuvanam. The Ranganatha temple at Srirangam is remarkable too. Mahabalipuram's famous bas-relief known as Arjuna's Penance, Thirumalai Nayak Mahal at Madurai, Padmanabhampuram Palace with a maze of 108 rooms artistically and opulently decorated and the Rock Fort temple at Tiruchirappalli are also worth not missing.