Tamil Nadu is one of the most fascinating states in India. Once ruled by the Pallavas, Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas, Tamil Nadu boasts a rich culture and an opulent heritage. On the one hand, the state is a treasure trove of Dravidian architectural style characterized by the Gopurams such as the Brihadishvara Temple, Kailasanatha Temple, and the Shore Temples of Mahabalipuram. On the other, Tamil Nadu speaks one of the oldest classical languages and its culture is shaped by Bharatnatyam, one of the classical Indian dance forms, as well as its own system of music.
Tamil Nadu is also a gold mine for nature enthusiasts thanks to its National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries such as Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and Anamalai National Park. You will also find picturesque hill stations in Tamil Nadu such as Kodaikanal, Ooty, Coonoor, Yelagiri, Kotagiri, and Meghamalai. Moreover, it has some of the key pilgrimage centres of Hinduism such as Kanchipuram, Rameswaram, Madurai, and Chidambaram. All in all, there is something for everyone in Tamil Nadu.
However, being one of the largest states in India, it is quite impossible to cover the entire length and breadth of Tamil Nadu in one go. For this trip, our prime objective was to explore the Great Living Chola Temples as well as Kanchipuram. It took us 6 full days to cover these parts. Here is our Tamil Nadu itinerary for 6 days. You can modify this Tamil Nadu itinerary as per your consideration.
Table of Contents
Day 1: Landing in Chennai and heading straight to Kanchipuram
Heavy rain welcomed us as soon as we landed in Chennai. We waited till the rain stopped and then started our drive to Kanchipuram.
The distance of 72 km is covered roughly in two hours. However, the rain marred our tempo. Roads were waterlogged, and traffic moved at a snail’s pace. Finally, it took us over four hours to reach an almost sleepy Kanchipuram. All the shops were shut, and it seemed we would go to bed with hungry stomachs. Thankfully, our accommodation’s in-house restaurant was barely open. Though the kitchen was done for the day, the staff served us a hot, delicious dinner. Finally, we called it a day.
Day 2: Exploring the ‘City of Thousand Temples’
The second day in Tamil Nadu started with exploring the temple town of Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram is fondly revered as the ‘City of Thousand Temples’. At the end of every road here, you will surely come across a temple.
A bit of Kanchipuram’s history will be handy here. Kanchipuram was once the illustrious capital of the Pallava kingdom. Founded by Simhavishnu, the Pallava dynasty spread its wings under formidable kings such as Mahendravarmana I, Narasimhavarmana I, and Narasimhavarmana II.
In addition, Kanchipuram is also regarded as one of the holiest cities in Hinduism. Located on the banks of Vegavathi and Palar rivers, Kanchipuram is one of the ‘Sapta Puri’ or seven sacred places in Vaishnavism. Also, Kanchipuram is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas where the navel of Goddess Sati had fallen.
Although there is no dearth of temples in Kanchipuram, make sure not to miss the following four temples:
Ekambaresvara Temple:
The word ‘Ekambaresvara’ literally translates to the ‘Lord of a Mango Tree’. It is said that Shiva and Uma married beneath a mango tree here. A shrine for the tree, believed to be 3500 years old, marked the site of this heavenly event.
The Ekambaresvara Temple is one of the most important temples in Tamil Nadu. The Siva linga here is part of the cluster of ‘Panchabhuta Lingas’.
The Ekambaresvara Temple is also the largest in Kanchipuram and its Gopura is one of the tallest in South India.
Kailasanatha Temple:
Dedicated to Siva, the Kailasanatha Temple was commissioned by Narasimhavarmana II Rajasimha. Construction was set in 685 CE and completed in 705 CE.
The Kailasanatha Temple is the oldest structure in Kanchipuram. It was the first of its kind and eventually became a trendsetter for other similar temples in southern India.
The sculptures on the outer walls of the Kailasanatha Temple are monumental in scale and represent the most refined artistic excellence in the corpus of Pallava art.
Vaikuntha Perumal Temple:
Regarded as one of the 108 ‘Divya Desam’ of Vishnu, it is the second oldest extant temple in Kanchipuram after the Kailasanatha Temple.
Built by Pallava king Nandivarmana II, the temple’s sanctum is divided into three sanctuaries which house Vishnu in three distinct postures – seated on the ground floor (available to devotees for ‘darsana’), lying on the first floor (visible to devotees only on Ekadashi), and standing on the second floor (inaccessible to devotees).
Kamakshi Amman Temple:
The Kamakshi Amman Temple is certainly the soul of Kanchipuram. It is dedicated to Kamakshi (literally means ‘One with the Loving Eyes), who is considered one of the 10 Mahavidyas as well as one of the principal manifestations of the Adi Shakti.
It is also one of 51 Shakti Peethas. It is believed that Sati’s navel had fallen here.
You can also visit the Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Trilokinath Temple, Chitragupta Swamy Temple, Sathyanathesvar Temple, and Ulagalanatha Temple.
Later in the afternoon, we left Kanchipuram to go to Chennai.
Day 3: Off to Thanjavur
In the first half of the third day, I took a solo trip to the Government Museum of Chennai. One of the largest museums in India, it has countless galleries displaying spectacular archaeological and anthropological specimens, coins, Chola bronze statues, Raja Ravi Verma’s paintings, and so on.
Later, we started for Thanjavur. It was a long trip and we covered a distance of around 340 km. We reached Thanjavur at night.
Day 4: The Big Temple of Thanjavur and Airavatesvara Temple of Darasuram
A trip to Tamil Nadu surely remains incomplete without paying a visit to the stunning Brihadisvara Temple. With its vimana literally touching the sky, this resplendent temple is regarded as an icon of the Tamil Dravida style of temple architecture. It was built by Rajaraja the Great and served as a symbol of the Chola imperial power.
The Brihadisvara Temple is also known as Rajarajesvaram (named after its illustrious author) and Thanjai Periya Kovil or Tanjore’s Big Temple. Dedicated to Siva, the construction began in 1003 CE and was completed in 1010 CE.
The Brihadisvara Temple is regarded as the epitome of the Dravida style of temple architecture. It is also one of the largest Hindu temples in India. Built in granite, it is a ‘Madakkoil’ type of temple, where a large temple is constructed upon a raised platform.
No wonder, UNESCO recognised the brilliance of the Brihadisvara Temple and listed it under the World Heritage Sites in 1987 along with the Brihadisvara Temple of Gangaikonda Cholapuram and Airavatesvara Temple of Darasasuram. The trio is called the Great Living Chola Temples.
Post-lunch, we first visited the Archaeological Museum of Thanjavur followed by Saraswati Mahal Library and Maratha Durbar Hall of Thanjavur Palace.
We left Thanjavur and reached Darasuram in the afternoon. Darasuram, a small village, is famous for the Airavatesvara Temple. The Airavatesvara Temple was built by Rajaraja II, and its construction was completed in 1166 CE. According to local belief, Indra’s white elephant, Airavata, recovered his pristine white colour after taking a dip in the sacred tank of this temple. Hence, the temple was named after Airavata, the heavenly elephant.
The temple is dedicated to Lord Siva. It is a ‘Karakkoil’ type of temple, where the shrine is modelled after chariots. It is conceived as the chariot of Tripurantaka, with wheels, hubs, and spokes carved in relief, and drawn by caparisoned horses. The walls of this spectacular temple are laced with fantastic specimens of Chola sculpture.
After sunset, we started for Tranquebar and reached there at night.
Day 5: Exploring the land of singing waves
Tranquebar, originally called Tharangambadi, was the first Danish colonial possession in India. Situated on the Coromandel coastline of Tamil Nadu, Tranquebar is a heady cocktail of tranquil sea and postcard-esque colonial structures.
Along with the stunning beach, Tranquebar boasts a host of remnants of its colonial past which were built by the Danish colonists. The attractions are located within a small radius and you can easily cover them by foot. We covered the following places:
- The arched gateway to Tranquebar.
- New Jerusalem Church.
- Zion Church.
- Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg Memorial.
- The Dansborg Fort.
- Governor’s Bungalow.
- Tranquebar Maritime Museum.
- Sri Masilamani Nathar Temple.
- Ziegenbalg Press.
- Tranquebar Mission Landing Plaque.
- Tranquebar Beach.
Day 6: Exploring Chennai
On our last day in Tamil Nadu, we explored the capital city of Chennai. Chennai has a plethora of attractions, and it’s nearly impossible to visit each of them in a day. So, we made a to-do list and went to the following places:
Kapaleeshwarar Temple: Situated in the bustling Mylapore area, this temple was built by the Pallavas for worshipping Lord Siva and boasts spectacular Gopurams.
Parthasarathi Temple: Built by Pallava king Narasimhavarmana, here Vishnu is worshipped as the charioteer of Arjuna.
Shri Ashtalakshmi Temple: Another important temple of Chennai, it is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and her eight principal forms, Ashtalakshmi.
Marundeeswarar Temple: Dedicated to Lord Siva, this temple was glorified in the verses of the Nayanar poets.
San Thome Church: This spectacular church is designated as a minor basilica and was constructed by the Portuguese in 1523 CE.
Edward Eliot’s Beach: Less crowded than the more popular Marina Beach, it is perfect for watching the sunset while enjoying the potato swirls.
We wrapped our day by relishing the famous Dindigul Biryani of Thalappakatti Restaurant.
Important FAQs:
How can I reach Tamil Nadu?
By air: Chennai has an international airport. It is well-connected with every major city in India.
By train: You can reach Chennai from Kolkata through 12841 Coromandel Express, 12504 Humsafar Express, and 12839 Chennai Mail; from New Delhi through 12622 Tamil Nadu Express and 12616 Grand Trunk Express; from Mumbai through 22157 Chennai Egmore SF Express and 12163 Chennai Central SF Express; from Bengaluru 12028 Shatabdi Express, 20663 Vande Bharat Express, and 12610 Chennai Central SF Express.
Where can I stay in Tamil Nadu?
In Kanchipuram: Shree Shakti Residence,Hotel SSK Grand, Regency Kanchipuram.
In Thanjavur: Svatma Heritage.
In Tranquebar: Neemrana’s Bungalow on the Beach.
In Chennai: Holiday Inn Express, Ibis Chennai.
Where to eat in Tamil Nadu?
In Kanchipuram: Nithya Amritam, Saravana Bhavan, Guhaas Restaurant.
In Thanjavur: Thillana, Ariya Bhavan, Pattukottai Kamachi Mess, Thatha Patai Bhojanam.
In Tranquebar: The in-house restaurant of The Bungalow on the Beach.
In Chennai: Annalakshmi Restaurant, East Coast at Madras Square, The Flying Elephant.
