4 Days Chennai To Chidambaram-Kumbakonam-Thanjavur-Trichy Tour By Car

Itinerary for Day 1 Chidambaram Local Sigtseeing Tour

About Chidambaram

Chidambaram (Cidambaram) is an important Chola temple site in Tamil Nadu, southern India. Most of the temples at Chidambaram were built in the 12th and 13th centuries CE. The site is dominated by the huge gateway tower of the Nataraja temple but Chidambaram also boasts the first Devi or Amman shrine, the first Surya shrine with the distinctive stone chariot wheels which would adorn many subsequent temples, and the first large Siva Ganga tank. In this respect Chidambaram is something of a transitional site, linking elements of the old and new styles of Indian temple architecture.

DAY 1 PICKUP FROM CHENNAI: Hotel / Airport / Railway Station / Bus Station and proceed to Chidambaram Local Sightseeing places including:

PICHAVARAM

Pichavaram is among the most exquisite places of tourist interest and a scenic spot.The backwaters are interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon River system and offer abundant scope for water sports such as parasailing, rowing and canoeing. The Pichavaram forests not only offer scenic waterscape and backwater cruises but combines the mangrove forests. These are trees permanently rooted in a few feet of water.The mangroves of Pichavaram are considered among the healthiest mangrove forests in the world. Pichavaram consists of a number of small islands interspersing a vast expanse of water and covered with green trees. The area is about 2800 acres and is separated from the sea by sand bars.

NATARAJA TEMPLE

Nataraja Temple located in the centre of the town covers an area of 40 acres. It is one of the ancient temples of Tamil Nadu.The roof of the sanctum sanctorum is covered with gold plates. The presiding deity of the temple is represented by air, one of the five elements of the universe and is known as Akasa Lingam. Dedicated to Lord Nataraja, this ancient temple of the Cholas is unique as it one of Panchabootha sthala in India – and it is one of the rare temples where Shiva is represented by an idol rather than the customary lingam.The Eastern tower rises to a height of 40.8 metres. 108 Bharathanatyam dance gestures can be seen on the eastern tower as well as on the western tower. The northern tower rises to a height of 42.4 meters.

VAITHEESWARAN KOIL

The temple has a five-tiered gopura and large enclosures. Lord Vaitheeswaran is worshipped as Shiva linga in the inner sanctum. The first enclosure around the sanctum has the image of Subramanya, worshipped here as Muthukumara Swamy. The other metal images in the sanctum are of Nataraja, Somaskanda, Angaraka and stone sculptures of Durga, Dakshinamoorthy, Surya and Jatayu. The shrine of Thaiyalnayaki who stands with the medicinal oil to cure the diseases of the devotees is present in the second enclosure facing south. It also has a small shrine to Dhanvantari and Angaraka. The southern gateway from this precinct leads to the temple tank and directly faces the Thaiyalnayaki shrine.

Drop at Chidambaram Hotel / Over Night Stay In Chidambaram End of a Day 1 Chidambaram Local Sightseeing Tour…

Itinerary for Day 2 Kumbakonam Local Sigtseeing Tour

About Kumbakonam

A charming temple town, famous for its ancient Hindu places of worship, Kumbakonam is perched in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu. Pilgrims and tourists who wish to witness the significant temples of India should come here without second thought. A few of them are Nageswaran, Adi Kumbeswarar, Brahma and Kasi Viswanathar.The holy town is also famed for the Kumba Mahamaham held every 12 years. Pilgrims come from all around the world to take a sacred dip in the Mahamaham tank which is deemed to wipe away all the sins committed in the lifetime. Apart from religious importance, the town is also eminent for silk products, electrical goods and prominent educational institutions. Attained much praises on south India tour, Kumbakonam beckons its visitors for a remarkable experience.

DAY 2 PICKUP FROM CHIDAMBARAM: Hotel / After Brakefast Chekout and proceed Kumbakonam Local Sightseeing places including:

ADI KUMBESWARAR TEMPLE

Adi Kumbeswarar is the presiding deity of the temple and the shrine is located in the center. The Linga is broad at the bottom and narrow at the top in the shape of a needle. Kumbeswarar Lingam believed to have been made by Shiva himself when he mixed nectar of immortality and sand. Goddess Manthrapeeteswari Mangalambika is his consort and her shrine is situated to the left of Kumbeswarar shrine. The unique feature of this temple is the 27 star sign and 12 sun shines that are sculptured in a large block of stone. Lord Ganapati, Lord Muruga and Kiratamurti are the other shrines present at this temple. The Mahamaham tank, Potramarai Tirtha, Varuna Tirtha, Kasyapa Tirtha, Chakra Tirtha, Matanga Tirtha and Bhagavad Tirtha are the seven outlying water bodies associated with the temple.

RAMASWAMY TEMPLE

Ramaswamy Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located on the southeastern portion of the Porthamarai Kulam in Kumbakonam.This temple is dedicated to Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Achutha Nayaka of Thanjavur constructed the temple during the 16th century CE. The temple was built in Dravidian architectural style. This temple consists of one Gopuram, one Maha Mandapam and Sanctum Sanctorum. The columns of Maha Mandapam are enriched with some of the famous stone carvings of Vamana Avatharam, Meenakshi Kalyanam and Sugreeva Pattabishekam. The outer Prakaram consists of 219 wall paintings, which explains the series of incidents from the great Epic Ramayana.

SARANGAPANI TEMPLE

The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Sarangam means bow and pani means hand. The deity is having a bow in the hand. Also known as Tiru Kudanthai is the third of the 108 Divya Desams. The Sarangapani Temple is also one of the Pancha Ranga Khestras with the other four being Srirangapatnam, Srirangam, Appalarangam, Parimala Ranganatha Perumal Temple at Mayiladuthurai and Vatarangam at Sirkazhi.The Sarangapani Temple existed during the Pallava period. However, the current structure is attributed to the period of Vikrama Chola (1121 AD onwards) and it was renovated in 16th century during the period of Nayaks.

MAHAMAHAM TANK

Mahamaham Tank is a huge temple tank located in the heart of Kumbakonam town in Tamil Nadu. It is considered to be the foremost and one of the largest temple tanks in Tamil Nadu.The tank covers an area of 6.2 acres and is trapezoidal in shape. The tank is surrounded by 16 small Mandapams (shrines) and has 21 wells inside the tank. Govinda Dikshitar, the chieftain of Ragunatha Nayak of Thanjavur, constructed the sixteen Mandapams and stone steps around this tank. Brahmatheerthesar, Mukunthar, Thalesar, Rishakesar, Umaipakesar, Nairuthesar, Brahmeesar, Gangatheerthesar and Seshtra Paleesar, are the names of deities located in these Mandapams.

DARASURAM AIRAVATHESWAR TEMPLE

Darasuram, a small town 8 Kms away from Kumbakonam is known for the Airavathesvara Temple built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE. This temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site ‘Great Living Chola Temples’.This temple is a storehouse of art and architecture. The vimana is 85 feet high. The front mandapam itself is in the form of a huge chariot drawn by horses. The temple has some exquisite stone carvings. The main deity’s consort Periya Nayaki Amman temple is situated adjacent to Airavateshwarar temple.The legend goes to show that Airavata, the white elephant of Indra, worshipped Lord Siva in this temple; so did also the King of Death, Yama. Inscriptions on the temple walls say that it was known in those days as Raja Rajeswaram and Raja Rajapuram.

DHENUPUREESWARAR TEMPLE – PATTEESWARAM

According to the legend, divine cow Kamadhenu’s daughter Patti is said to have worshipped Lord Shiva here and hence this sthalam is called as Patteeswaram. Sage Viswamitra got the title of Brahma rishi at this Sthalam. Sri Rama is said to have worshipped Shiva at this sthalam to absolve himself of the Chaayadosham which he got by killing Vaali. Shiva is said to have blessed Sambandar by sending through his Shivaganas an umbrella made with pearls (Muthu Pandal), to protect him from the scorching summer sun when he was coming to Patteeswaram. It is said that God Shiva asked Nandi to move aside so that he can see Sambandar while he was coming to this temple to have darshan of Lord Shiva. Hence, the Nandi in this temple is not in a straight line facing the sanctum sanctorum.

Drop at Thanjavur Hotel / Over Night Stay In Thanjavur End of a Day 2 Kubakonam Local Sightseeing Tour…

Itinerary for Day 3 Thanjavur Local Sigtseeing Tour

About Thanjavur

Thanjavur (Tanjavur or Tanjore) is a temple site in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India. Thanjavur was the capital of the great Chola (Cola) king Rajaraja I, and it was he who commissioned the site’s magnificent temple, the Brihadishvara, in the early 11th century CE. Many other temples and shrines were added over the centuries making Thanjavur one of the most important and most visited historical sites in India today.

DAY 3 PICKUP FROM THANJAVUR: Hotel / After Brakefast Chekout and proceed Thanjavur Local Sightseeing places including:

BRIHADEESWARAR TEMPLE

Also known as The Big Temple, Brihadeeswarar temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is famous for its grandeur and beautiful sculptures. The temple consists of an entrance tower followed by the main temple complex spread on a plot of 33,000 sq. ft. The inner part of the temple starts with a large Nandi mandapa which is a 12 foot tall monolithic idol with intricately carved Nandi Mandapa. The main shrine of Brihadeeswarar boasts an amazing structure with a large mandapa followed by an antarala and the sanctum. The 13-tier tower over the sanctum is the prime attraction of the temple which is 216 feet in height built in Dravidian style. The vimana boasts a massive which weighs 80 ton. It is said that a 2 km long ramp was built to carry the Sikhara and place it on the peak. The shadow of Sikhara never falls on the ground.

THANJAVUR PALACE

It was constructed partly by Thanjavur Nayaks around 1550 CE, and expanded by the Marathas. The palace is noted for its huge halls, spacious corridors, observation and arsenal towers, and a shady courtyard. The Palace is a must visit place in Thanjavur to understand the history and lifestyle of its rulers.The entrance to the palace is a large quadrangular courtyard which is encircled by walls with big gateways to the north and the east. The courtyard leads to a many-pillared hall. The Goodagopuram, also known as Bell Tower, an eight storied vimana like building situated on the southern side of the third quadrangle, has a height of 190 ft. It was the palace watch tower and also the armory of the Thanjavur Kings till 1855 AD. Beyond the Goodagopuram lies the six-storied tower called Manimandapam.

THANJAVUR ART GALLERY

The Art Gallery is located within Thanjavur Palace. The gallery houses a treasured collection of bronze icons, stone sculptures and other artifacts, which today stand testimony to that golden age in Tamil history.The gallery is situated in the second part of the palace behind bell tower. The galley consists of Stone sculptures arrange in a hall at the entrance and in the hall towards southern side of the complex near Manimandapam. The bronze sculptures inside the Nayak’s Durbar Hall showcase excellent craftsmanship. Durbar Hall is an excellent structure with beautiful paintings & sculptures on upper part of the walls and the ceiling. The hall also houses a marble sculpture of Raja Serfoji, popular Maratha ruler

THIRUVAIYARU

Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district is situated on the banks of the river Kaveri. Thiruvaaiyaru has an old Shiva temple dedicated to Panchanatheeswar. However, it’s more famous for association with Thyagaraja, the Saint Composer The Panchanatheesvarar Temple dedicated to Shiva sprawls over a 14-acre campus and is both grand and serene. Beyond the temple are lush paddy fields and groves. The temple is about 1 Km from Thiruvaiyaru town centre. Timings – 6 AM to 12 PM and 4-9 PM.Thyagaraja is a composer of Carnatic music, who along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Syama Sastri forms the Trinity of Carnatic. He composed hundreds of devotional songs, most of them in praise of the Hindu god Rama in Telugu language.Near the Shiva temple is the one-roomed house where Tyagaraja composed some of his greatest works. On the banks of river is the samadhi of the saint where music festival takes place annually.

Drop at Trichy Hotel / Over Night Stay In Trichy End of a Day 3 Thanjavur Local Sightseeing Tour…

Itinerary for Day 4 Trichy Local Sigtseeing Tour

About Trichy

The historical city of Tiruchirappalli, popularly known as Trichi, is situated on the banks of the Kaveri River (also Cauvery) in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Lying at a distance of 320 km from Chennai (Madras) and 150 km from Madurai, this Chola Dynasty citadel, known for its profound wisdom of the Sangam Age, still carries the age-old aura about it. The present-day city, with a blend of glorious past and acclaimed divinity through the famous Dravidian temples, stands as a commercial and tourist hub of Tamil Nadu.

DAY 4 PICKUP FROM TRICHY: Hotel / After Brakefast Chekout and proceed Trichy Local Sightseeing places including:

THE ROCK FORT TEMPLE

Pallavas built the initial temple, but the Nayaks made use of its naturally fortified position and designed it as a fort. There are 344 steps carved out of rock lead to the top. The fort complex has witnessed fierce battles between Madurai Nayakas and Bijapur, Carnatic and Maratha forces. The fort played an important part during the Carnatic wars, helping lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. The Rockfort is the most prominent landmark of the city.There are three Hindu temples inside the Rockfort, the Ucchi Pillaiyar Temple, Thayumanavar Temple and the Manikka Vinayakar Temple. The Manikka Vinayakar Temple is located at the foot of the hill, dedicated to Lord Ganesha. Manikka Vinayakar is the patron deity of the Trichy.

THIRUVANAIKOIL / JAMBUKESHWAR TEMPLE

According to Sthala Purana, there were two Siva Ganas by name Malyavan and Pushpadanta. They always quarrel with each other and fight for one thing or other. On top of all in one fight Malyavan cursed Pushpadanta to become an elephant and the latter cursed the former to become a spider. Both the elephant and the spider came to Jambukeshwaram and continued their Shiva worship. The elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted Abhishekam to the lingam under the Jambu tree daily. The spider constructed his web over the lingam to prevent dry leaves from dropping on it and prevent Sunlight directly falling on Shiva.

SRI RANGANATHASWAMY TEMPLE – SRIRANGAM

Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple which is the foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu. The temple is considered the first among 108 prominent Vishnu temples and also one of the popular Tamilnadu tourist places.Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple is one of the most famous temples in South India, constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture. Built across an area of 156 acres, this temple is dedicated to Ranganatha, a reclining form of Hindu deity, Lord Vishnu. This temple lies on an island formed by the twin Rivers Cauvery and Kollidam. Though the temple existing since 2nd century BC, the archaeological inscriptions are available only from the 10th century CE.

MARIAMMAN TEMPLE – SAMAYAPURAM

According to history, King Vijayaraya Chakaravarthi built the present day temple in 17th century. The Goddess Mariamman has enormous powers over curing illnesses and hence, it is a ritual to buy small metallic replicas made with silver or steel of various body parts that need to be cured, and these are deposited in the donation box. Devotees also offer mavilakku, a sweet dish made of jaggery, rice flour and ghee. Persons affected by Chickenpox and Smallpox come to this place, stay here and pray the Goddess for speedy recovery. Abisheka Theertham is sprinkled on them after Pooja.

Drop at Chennai / Hotel / Airport / Railway Station / Bus Station. End of a 4 Days \ Chidambaram – Kumbakonam – Thanjavur – Trichy Local Sightseeing Tour…

Guests are requested to follow the itinerary provided in the 4 Days Chennai To Chidambaram Kumbakonam Thanjavur & Trichy Local Sightseeing tour package. This 4 days Tamilnadu tour package can not be customized, however if guests prefer to visit different set of places in Tamilnadu and around, they can create their own itinerary and request for a custom quote from cab providers.