Crocodile Bank

The Chennai Crocodile Bank is located 42-km from Chennai (Madras). The Crocodile Bank is about 35 km south of Chennai (Madras) city on the lovely East Coast Highway, on the way to Mamallapuram. Coming from Chennai, it is about 5 km beyond Kovalam and 14 km before Mamallapuram. The Crocodile Bank is spread over an area of 3.2 hectares and has been accomplished with an aim to protect and conserve the endangered reptiles such as Crocodiles, Alligators, etc.

The Chennai Crocodile Bank was established in 1976 by herpetologist Romulus Whitaker. The bank has successfully produced more than 6,000 crocodiles. In the bank, there's also a snake farm where anti - venom is produced. Various species of Indian and African Crocodiles and Alligators are kept here in open pools. The extracting of snake venom is a great attraction to the visitors and it also helps the Irulas, the tribe of snake catchers, to earn a living .

The Chennai Crocodile Bank provides a green bed of lush tropical vegetation. This vegetation is like a shade to the thousands of crocodiles. The major attraction at the Chennai Crocodile Bank is the crocodile conservation center, which is the largest croc-breeding site in India.

The Crocodile Bank in Chennai, has several species of Indian and African crocodiles and alligators. It provides shelter to about 5,000 species of Crocodiles, which are kept in their natural environment in open pools. They can be viewed from a safe distance.

Presently, the bank owns about seven crocodile species including the three Indian types. Some of the Indian species found here are the 3.6 meter long Marsh/Mugger variety which is mostly found in all lowland water systems including the arid State of Rajasthan, the Gharials - four to five meter long with the longest jaw having a pot like nose and the Saltwater Crocodiles - eight meters long and 900 kilogram's in weight considered the largest of reptiles, are found in the andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Sunderbans in West Bengal and in coastal Orissa.



These hated animals are known to perform a significant ecological role. These so called demons help to lift up the genetic quality of prey by selective feeding on the sick, weak and injured fish. The Crocodile Bank, also distributes scientific information gathered from its on-going research projects on the biology of crocodiles. The bank also conducts research on turtles and monitor lizards, these are the crocodile's environmental partners, found in common habitats. In India, there are about 26 species of turtles, many of which are endangered.

The Crocodiles are captivated here for the purpose of breeding and subsequently releasing them in their natural surrounding. These predators are left in the protected sites mostly in the rivers of Chambal, Mahanadi and in Andhra Pradesh. But releasing them in unprotected sites is not feasible. But at Chennai Crocodile Bank these earliest of reptiles are absolutely safe.

Sripuram Golden Temple

The golden temple of Sripuram (Tamil: ஸ்ரீபுரம்) is a Spiritual park situated at the foot of a small range of green hills in a place known as "Malaikodi" in the city of Vellore in Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is at the southern end of the city of Vellore, at Tirumalaikodi.

The salient Feature of Sripuram is the Lakshmi Narayani temple or Mahalakshmi temple whose 'Vimanam’ and ‘Ardha Mandapam’ have been coated with gold both in the interior and exterior.


The temple is located on 20 acres of land and has been constructed by Vellore-based Sri Narayani Peedam, headed by spiritual leader Sri Sakthi Amma also known as Narayani Amma. The temple, covering 55,000 sq ft (5,100 m2), has intricate carvings and sculptures in gold. The lighting is arranged in such a way that the temple glitters even during night. The temple construction was completed in on August 24, 2007.



The Sripuram is the biggest structure made out of gold. Even the Satari, a crown with feet of the lord engraved on it, is made of solid gold weighing 1 kg.

The outer pathway of the temple is made out in the shape of a Star. The walls of the pathway have inscriptions of teachings of Sakthi amma, Gita, Bible, Quran and the Guru Granth Sahib. Only people who believe in one god, but with many names are allowed to enter the temple. All people have to go through the Star shaped pathway to reach the sanctum. The Inner praharam of the temple resembles the circular structure of the Parliament of India.

Madhura Meenakshi Amman

மீனாட்சி அம்மன் கோவில் is an historic Hindu temple located in the holy city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva (in the form of Sundareswarar or Beautiful Lord) and his consort, Goddess Parvati (in the form of Meenakshi). The temple forms the heart and lifeline of the 2500 year old city of Madurai. The complex houses 14 magnificent Gopurams or towers including two golden Gopurams for the main deities, that are elaborately sculptured and painted. The temple is a significant symbol for the Tamil people, and has been mentioned since antiquity in Tamil literature, though the present structure is believed to have been built in 1600. The tallest temple tower is 51.9 metres (170 ft) high




The temple is the geographic and ritual center of the ancient city of Madurai. The temple walls, streets and finally the city walls (ancient) were built around the temple in concentric squares. Ancient Tamil classics mention that the temple was the center of the city and the streets happened to be radiating out like the lotus and its petals. It is one of the few temples in Tamil Nadu to have four entrances facing four directions.
The complex is in around 45 acres (180,000 m2) and the temple is a massive structure measuring 254 by 237 meters. The temple is surrounded by 12 towers, the tallest of which, the famous Southern tower, rises to over 170 ft (52 m) high.

Madhura Meenakshi

So see n enjoy the madurai.

Kanchipuram Temple

Kanchipuram, The City of Temples
One of the most sacred sites in India, Kanchipuram is the seat of the Shankaracharya. The city is situated around 70 kms from Chennai in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Kanchipuram was the capital city of the early Chola kings in the 2nd century BC and a Pallava capital between the 6th and 8th centuries.
Known is the city of thousand temples, it is one of the seven most sacred pilgrim centers for the Hindus. Kanchi has about 126 temples remaining in total and a few more in its outskirts.
Besides its temples, Kanchipuram is also known for its growing hand loom industry. This beautiful small city has many silk weavers residing here from more than 400 years ago. This has made it the best the producer of some of the finest silk sarees in the country. The Kanchipuram silk sarees are exotic pieces of art, woven from pure mulberry silk. Available in a variety of designs, these sarees have blazing colours and are decorated with fine gold thread (zari).

History
The ancient city of temples, Kanchipuram, is one of the most important centers of Hindu religion. It is also one of the most picture perfect towns. It is considered one of India's seven sacred cities and the second holiest city after Varanasi.
It was once the capital city of the Pallavas, Cholas, and the Vijayanagar rulers. Many of the temples situated here are built by the Pallavas and later Cholas.
A few Buddhist stupas remining here indicate the presence of Buddhism in earlier centuaries. The Kanchi Kamakotti Peetham situated here is one of the four seats of Sri Adi Shankaracharya (a great Hindu sage). It has been a center of Tamil learning and culture for centuries and presents the glorious Dravidian heritage of the Vaishnavites (worshippers of Vishnu) and Shaivites (worshippers of Shiva).

Attractions At Kanchipuram
Kanchipuram is a scared pilgrimage with many beautiful temples, the holy town is one of the holiest places in India. The temples found here are grand and majestic. They are very popular among devotees, who flock this temple in huge numbers. Some of the most important temples here are the Ekambaranathar Temple, built by the Pallavas and later reconstructed by the Chola and Vijayanagar kings, that makes excellent trip to Kanchipuram. This temple owns 11 stories and one of the tallest temple towers in South India. It is beautifully decorated with sculptures. Another sacred temple here is the Vaikunta Perumal Temple which dates back to the 8th century. It was built by Nandivarma Pallava. There are scenes from battle carved on the panels encircling the main parikrama of this Vaishnavite temple. These scenes depict the bravory of Pallava kings. Anothere temple, the Varadaraja Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu who is worshipped as Devarajaswamy here. This temple has a 100-pillared hall, built by the Vijayanagar kings presenting the skillfulness of their artists.
Other important temples of the region are the Kailasanathar Temple and the Kamakshi Amman Temple. The Kailasanathar Temple was constructed by the Pallava kings in the 8th century AD. It has a captivating panel portraying Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in the midst of one of their many dance competitions. The architecture of this temple resembles the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram. At the same time the Kamakshi Amman Temple has a grand structure, dedicated to goddess Parvati in her incarnation as Kamakshi, the goddess of Love.

Fairs & Festivals
Kanchipuram, the city of temples celebrates fairs and festivals all round the year. Some important festivals include the Brahmothsavam, Garudothsavam, and Car (rath) festivals, celebrated in the months of January, April, and May respectively.

Reach Kanchipuram
By Air : Chennai (75 kms) is the nearest airport from Kanchipuram. One can take flights for most of the important Indian cities and for abroad from Chennai.
By Rail : Trains for Kanchipuram are available from Chennai, Chengalpattu, Tirupati, and Bangalore.
By Road : Kanchipuram is 75 kms away from Chennai and is well connected by a good network of roads

Thanjavur

Thanjavur is situated halfway between Tiruchirappalli (60km) and the coast. It is 35km southwest of Kumbakonam and 334 km south of Chennai. Thanjavur was the capital city of Chola kingdom from the 9th to the 13th centuries. It is the granary of South India and is known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu. This royal city has a rich and varied heritage for which it is known across the globe. Thanjavur was the center of knowledge and culture which reached its peak between the 10th and 14th centuries, under the reign of the Cholas.
The Chola dynasty was a celebrated dynasty of South India and Sri Lanka. They build many temples in order to mark the their victories over other dynasties. There are more than 70 temples in Thanjavur, the most important being the famous Brihadeeswara Temple.

History
The ancient city of Thanjavur is the center of classical arts and music inspite of the advent of technology era. The performances by the classical musicians, percussionists and the Bharatnatyam dancers never fails to enchant you. Then there is the exquisite Tanjore style of painting, which attracts innumerable tourists. The paintings are developed over multiple layers and are usually centered on the Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
The city of Thanjvur is named after, a demon by the name of Tanjan-an asura. According to the legend the last wish of the demon was that the place should be named after him, which was granted by Sri Anandavalli Amman and Sri Neelamegapperumal.

Attractions At Thanjavur
Thanjavur is famous for its majestic temples, but there are many other attractions present here, which are worth visiting. Among the temples, most important is the Bragatheeswarar temple, also known as the Big Temple of Thanjavur. It was built by Rajaraja Cholan, the Great Chola king. This temple is an ideal example of the grandeur of Indian sculptural architecture. Another important attraction here is the Saraswati Mahal Library. Established around 1700 AD, it has one of the most vital oriental manuscripts collections, in India. Apart from these, a major highlight of the Thanjavur city is the Thanjavur Palace, situated on the east main street. It is a series of large and rambling buildings of fine masonry, built partly by the Nayaks and partly by the Marathas around 1550 AD.
One of the most notable attractions in Thanjavur is Tamil University, established in 1981. Tamil University Museum has a collection of coins and musical instruments. Another attraction here is the Schwartz Church, situated in the palace garden. It was built in 1779 A.D by Rajah Serfoji. At Thanjavur, there are many famous museums having interesting collections of stone sculpture, coins and musical instruments. Among these the Nayak Durbar Hall Art Museum and the Rajaraja Chola Museum are the most important. They contain magnificent collection of Chola Bronzes-all discovered locally.
Last but not the least, the Tanjore Paintings of Thanjavur are famous for their special style of decorating the paintings. They are done both on glass and board. In both types, the figures and the background are richly ornamented with gold leaf and gems. The theme of these paintings are mostly related to Krishna in which he is shown in various poses. But there are also various paintings in temples, of all the other Gods and Saints.

Festivals
About 14 kms from Thanjavur, a Carnatic classical musical festival is celebrated at Thiruvaiyaru in the month of January. It is celebrated in honor of the Carnatic music saint, Thyagaraja.

Reach Thanjavur
By Air : The nearest airport from Thajavur is situated about 65 kms east of Tiruchi. It serves planes from the Middle East, Colombo, Chennai and Madurai. The next closest airport is at Madurai about 200 Kms away. Another airport is Chennai airport about 350 kms away from Thanjavur.

By Train : There is a railway junction in Thanjavur. It is well connected with Tiruchi, Chennai and Nagore.

By Road : Thanjavur is well connected with all the major towns in TamilNadu. It is also connected with Kochi, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and Bangalore in Karnataka.

Ooty

Ooty, The Queen of Hills
Known as the "Queen of hill stations" Udhagamandalam (Ooty), is the capital of Nilgiri district. Ooty is situated at a distance of 105 km from Coimbatore, at an altitude of 7,349 feet above the sea level in the Nilgiris. The temperature ranges from 25 degree Celsius in summers, to chilling cold in winters. Doddabetta is the highest peak of 2623 kms and the height of the hills in the Nilgiri range varies between 2280 and 2290 meters.
Ooty is situated at the meeting point of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, three southern states of India. This lovely hill station was established by the Britishers, in the first half of the 19th century. It also serves as summer headquarters for the government of Madras. Earlier, the area was inhabited by Todas, the tribal people who still live here.

Attractions At Ooty
The beautiful hill station of Ooty, draws quite a good number of tourists from all over the world. The natural beauty of this region is outstanding and memorable. Apart from the natural splendors, Ooty has many more attractions that are worth a visit. Some of the important ones are the Botanical Gardens sprawled over an area of 50-acre. It was established by Marquis of Tweeddale in the year 1848. These gardens lie on the lower slopes of the Doddabetta peak, the highest point in Ooty. Another exotic garden found here is the Rose Gardens, situated about 3 to 4-km away from Charring Cross. They are spread over an area of 10 acres of land with 2000 variety of roses.
There is also a Mini Garden over here along with a children amusement park. Definitely, a worth visiting site. Another famous attraction here is the Ooty Lake, a charming artificial lake. Constructed in 1824 by Mr. John Sullivan, the then Collector of Coimbatore. A noteworthy attraction of Ooty is the St Stephens Church situated in the hilly area on Club Road. It is said to be the oldest church in the Nilgiris. This church was built in the year 1829 and consecrated in 1830. The cemetery close by houses the grave of John Sullivan, the founder of Ooty. Another outstanding attraction here is the Doddabetta peak. It is the highest peak (2623 meters) in the Nilgiris and is situated about 10-km from Ooty, offering a beautiful view of the Nilgiri hill ranges.
Another engrossing attraction here is the Deer park situated at a distance of 1-km from the Lake. It is a worth visiting park. There is also a Government Museum, situated at Mysore Road in Ooty. It owns a wide collection of items of tribal objects, district's ecological details and representative sculptural arts and crafts of Tamil Nadu. It was set up in 1989, with an aim to provide education benefits to the residing and visiting population of Nilgiri district. Another attraction here is the Hindustan Photo Films, one of the major industrial units of the district. It is located about 5-km away from Ooty railway station and is sprawled over an area of over 300 acres, near the Ooty golf-links on the Ooty- Mysore road.

Adventure
The Nilgiris near Ooty are a trekker's delight. Here you can try your hands on adventure sports like Hang-Gliding, Angling and Trekking. A trek can be a thrilling experience, full of excitement and adventure. It will change your way of seeing and enjoying nature.

Festivals
At Ooty, a summer festival is held each year during the month of May in the Botanical Gardens. The Flower Show is the highlight of this festival. There are many Cultural programmes organized for those interested in traditional classical arts. Adventure sports like trekking also forms part of the festival. The annual "Tea and Tourism Festival" celebrated in the month of January is a festival attracting quite a good number of tourists.

Reach Ooty
By Air : The Coimbatore airport, situated around 105 km from Ooty, is the nearest airport.
By Rail : Ooty is on the narrow gauge railway, connected to Mettupalayam (47 km), which is directly connected to Coimbatore and Chennai. The famous toy train connects Ooty with Mettupalayam and Coonoor.
By Road : A good network of roads and national highways connect Ooty with all major towns and cities. There are regular bus services to and from Coimbatore, Trichy, Bangalore, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Mysore, Palghat, Calicut, Tirupati and other important destinations in South India. Ooty is also well connected with major cities of Kerala and Karnataka.

Rameshwaram

The religious island of Rameshwaram is sprawled in an area of 61.8 sq. kms and is in the shape of a conch. The island of Rameshwaram is the island, where Lord Rama's temple is located. Apart from being a major pilgrimage for the Hindus, Rameshwaram is also a popular holiday spot. Tourist often take a holiday trip to this destination to indulge in beach sports activities in Rameshwaram.
Also known as the 'Benaras of the south', Rameshwaram is an important Hindu pilgrimage, infact a pilgrimage without visiting Rameshwaram is not complete. It is said that in order to attain Moksha one must visit Rameshwaram. The presiding deity is the Linga of Sri Ranganatha, which happens to be one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of India.

History
The Hindu mythology says that in the story of Ramayana, Lord Rama performed thanksgiving rituals to Lord Shiva after the battle at Sri Lanka and his triumph over the demon king Ravana. This is the reason why Rameshwaram attracts Vaishnavites (worshippers of Lord Vishnu) and Saivites (worshippers of Lord Shiva) both. The entire area of Rameshwaram is associated with various incidents from the Ramayana. Infact Rameshwaram is one of the most visited pilgrim sites in India.
Attractions At Rameshwaram
Rameshwaram is a destination, which attracts tourists with its history and grandeur. Rameshwaram has some of the most exciting attractions. Some of them include, Ramanatha Swamy Temple and the Agnitriham tank. People coming to visit this temple , ideally take a bath at the Agnitriham. Another significant attraction is the Ramjharoka temple, which houses the imprints of Lord Rama' s feet placed on a chakra. This temple is situated at the highest point of the Island of Rameshwaram, Gandamadana Parvatham, another major tourist attraction. This point is situated at a distance of 5 kms from Rameshwaram.
The entire Rameshwaram is dotted with temples in honor of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. In the south of the island of Rameshwaram is Dhanushkodi, a place that derives its name from the dhanush or bow of Lord Rama. Dhanushkodi is at a distance of 2 kms from the Railway Station and is easily approachable by road from any part of Rameshwaram.
The island of Rameshwaram is a place loved by nature lovers. This island is charming and intoxicating with coral reefs, shimmering sun, sand and sea. The lush greenery all around, makes it a perfect picnic destination. This small island in the Gulf of Mannar is a rejuvenating experience in itself. There's also the Kurusadai Island located in between the mainland and the island in the west. This island is flocked by biologists and the researchers. The Kurusadai island is just 20 kilometers away from Rameshwaram.
Nearby Excursions
Rameshwaram offers many excursion destinations, that definitely are worth visiting. Some of the most popular destinations from Rameshwaram are Erwadi situated around 24 kms from Rameshwaram. It is noted for the tomb of saint Ibrahim Syed Aulia. Ramanathapuram is another important destination nearby Rameshwaram.
The highlight of this ancient town is the Ram Vilas Palace of Sethupati Rajas. Uthirakosamangai, situated 16-km southwest of Ramanathapuram has a well-known Shiva temple. The temple has inspired many Tamil works of devotion. Sethu is situated around 5-km south of this temple which is also the venue of the celebrated temple of Sri Anjaneya. According to the legends this the place where Sri Rama built a bridge to Sri Lanka.
Reach Rameshwaram
By Air : The nearest airport at Madurai is 163 kilometers away, it takes care of the air travel of people from across the globe and within the country.

By Rail : There are two express trains to/from Chennai daily, the Sethu Express, and the Rameswaram Express. Rameshwaram is connected by rail with Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy, Thanjavur and other important cities. The two kilometer long Indira Gandhi Bridge connects the island of Rameshwaram with the mainland of Mandapam.

By Road : Rameshwaram is well connected to all major cities by road. The bus station is two km west of town. Buses run to Madurai four times daily and to Kanyakumari, Trichy and Chennai. There are also a number of buses to Pondicherry, Trichy and Thanjavur via Madurai.