Our Trips - Cultural Tours - Chola Temples

Season : September to April
Best Time : November to March
Duration : 10 Days

The ancient dynasties of the Chola, Pallavas and Pandyas have left their distinct imprint in South India by way of magnificent temple architecture. The culture dates back to 2nd BC in the ancient town of Trichy a chola citadel and despite the inroads of modern technology, the way of life, religion and culture has remained unchanged. The shore temples of Mahabalipuram have with stood the ranges of time. The Pallavas, succeeded by the Chola and Vijayanagar Kings, have left behind a legacy of exquisitely carved temples at Kancheepuram and one can see the evolution of Dravidian temple architecture.

Day 01
Arrive Chennai (Madras). Transfer to hotel. At leisure on Marina Beach.

Day 02
Breakfast. Tour of Fort St. George, St. Mary’s Church, Basilica of San Thhome Catehdaral , Kapaleeswarar Temple, Parthasarathy Temple, National Art Gallery.

Day 03
Breakfast. Transfer to airport for flight to Madurai. Transfer to hotel Afternoon tour of Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple with numerous Mandapas decorated with exquisite sculptures, a set of pillars that emit musical notes when tapped, a throusand pillared hall which forms a temple museum, the Tirumalai Nayak Palace and Vadiyar Mariamman Tank. Overnight at hotel.

Day 04
Breakfast drive to Trichy ( Tiruchirapalli) 128 kms. Transfer to hotel. Afternoon visit the rock Fort built on a rock formation over 84 mts high.

Day 05
Breakfast. Visit Vinayaka Temple, Tayumanaswamy Temple and Jambukeswar Shiva Temple at Tiruvanaikkaval.

Day 06
Breakfast drive to Thanjavur ( Tanjore 54 kms). Once a great capital of the Cholas, Raja Raja Chola erected the most spectacular Brahadeeswarar Temple ( UNESCO declared World Heritage Site) with a 66.5 mts high tower over the main sanctum.

Day 07
Breakfast. Drive to pondicherry 177 km enroute visit Chidambaram with one of the oldest and most magnificent of Chola temple, a 100 year of Shiva Temple, with tall gopurams 49 mts high, elegant mandapas, a thousand pillared hall with carved granite pillars, the Nritya Sabha ( dance auditorium) designed as a chariot with the roof of the main shrine plated with gold. Chidabarams also known for the prestigious Annamali University. Pondicherry at leisure on the beach.

Day 08
Breakfast visit to Sri Aurobindo Ashram at Auroville, conceptualised as an International City by his devoted legacy of the French still lingers with road names, the uniform of the city’s police, force, French cuisine etc.

Day 09
Breakfast. Drive to Mamallapuram ( Mahabalipuram 90 km) A perfect gem of Pallava Art 6th to 8th AD with vast sandy beaches lined with casurina trees. Visit the nine cave temples scooped out of huge rock formation representing the earliest stages in the evolution of Dravidian temple architecture. Pancha Pandava Rathas ( Chariots ) Arjuna’s Penance a fascinating bar rilief carved on the face of a immence rock 27 mts long 9 mts wide, the shore Temple which has stood the ranges of waves and wind, the shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva catches the first rays of the rising sun.

Day 10
Breakfast. Drive to Chennai ( 64 km) via tour of the temples at Kancheepuram. Between the 6th and 8th century AD Kancheepuram was breat capital of Pllava Kings. Later succeed by the Chola and Vijayanagar Kings, have all left a legacy of magnificent temple. One of the seven sacred cities of pilgrimage in India. Kancheepuram is a centre for handloom silk textile. On arrival Chennai transfer to airport for onward flight connect to onward journey.

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