Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is a window to the modern south as much as it is a wide open archive of ancient legacies. Yet amazingly, for all its modernity, Tamil Nadu retains its old world charm. The blend of the ancient and the new and the picturesque is remarkable. It is the land that has been the rise and fall of many ancient kingdom like, the Cholas, the Pandyas,the Cheras, the pallavas and many others, each leaving behind incredible cultural traesures.

There are the Pallava towns of kancheepuram and mamallapuram famed for its monuments and sculpture now becoming increasingly popular as one of india's finest beach resorts. Chidambaram, Tiruchirappalli, Tanjore, madurai, Kanyakumari, etc. are some of the best known tourist spots in tamil nadu.

Recently UNESCO has declared Brithadiswara temple of Gangaikondacholapuram in Perambalur district and Airavateswara temple of darasuram in Tanjore Dist. "World Heritage monuments" two examples of grandeur and excellence of Chola architecture and sculpture. Belongings to the 11th and 12th centuries, the two examples represent "an outstanding creative achievement in the architectural conception of the pure form of the Dravida type temple, " says the citation adding that they are an "exceptional and the most outstanding testimony to the development of the architecture of the Chola empire and Tamil civilization in southern India." the other temples already included in the Heritage list are the Big Temple of Tanjore(included in 1987) and Mahabalipuram in Kanchipuram dist(in 1984).