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Kancheepuram 76
kms from Chennai
The Small Temple Town of Kancheepuram, or Kanchi, as
it is Popularly known is one of the Seven sacred cities of the
Hindus. From the 6th to the 8th Centuries, it was....
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Mamallapuram
58 Kms from Chennai
The
Unesco World Heritage Site of Mamallapuram (or Mahabalipuram)
was once a major port city, built in the 7th Century by
the Pallava King, Narasimha Varman I, also known as Mamalla,...
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Tiruvannamalai
- Arunachaleshvara Temple 85 kms from Chennai
One of the most sacred cities of Tamilnadu, this pilgrim
town is the place where shiva is believed to have....
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Tiruthani
Thiruthani is one of the six abodes of Lord Subramanya.
Situated on a hilltop, the temple is accesible by a flight of
365 steps and also by a ghat road. The steps represents number
of days of a year. It is said to be the place where the lord
Muruga married Valli, one of his two consorts. The Karthigai
Festival
is celeberated with great pomp and splendour. |
Tirupathi
Lord
Venkateshwara temple at Tirupati is an important pilgrim centre
for the Hindus. Generally, weekdays are less Crowded..
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Vedanthangal (85
km)
One of the largest bird sanctuaries in India. Its marshy 30-hectare park is visited
by over 1,00,000 migratory birds every year. The majority of these birds can
be seen between November and February. Herons, Darters, Spoonbills, Pelicans,
Sandpipers, White ibis, Cormorants, Blue winged teals and Sans can be seen here
between November and February.
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Muttukadu (36
km)
The backwaters of Muttukadu have been developed by TTDC as a scenic picnic
spot and a centre for water sports. The wind surfing regatta organised in February
every year attracts enthusiasts from all over the world. Training programmes
are held for beginners.
Vellore
Surrounded by a deep artificial moat, the 16th century
Vellor Fort dominates the heart of this town. An impressive example of military
architechture, the
fort has a turbulent history. This formidable structure has with stood many
battles, including an ill - fated mutiny led by the son of Tipu Sultan in 1806
against the British East India Company. Today, part of the fort houses some
government offices, including the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), district
courts within has a small but good collection of historical abjects found in
the area.
The only major structure to survive in the fort is the magnificent Jalakanteshvara
Temple, constructed by the Nayakas, governors of the region under the Vijayanagar
kings, in the mid - 16th century. This Shiva temple is located near the fort's
nothern wall. It is surrounded by a low - lying boundary wall and contains
a tank and subsidiary shrines. In the early 20th century, the temple was used
as a garrison and its linga was removed from the sanctum. This was reinstated
in 1981, after which worship recommenced. In the outer courtyard is the ornate
Kalyana Mandapa. Its pillars are carved with magnificent horses and yali riders.
Vellore is renowned for its prestigious Christian Medical College, set up in
1900 by the American Dr Ida Scudder. This instiution specializes in research
on tropical diseases.
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