India

Chennai

Kapaleeswarar Temple

Chennai is the capital of Tamil Nadu and one of the major metropolitan cities of India. We started our tour of South Indian temples with a visit to the famous Kapaleeswarar temple. Built by the Pallava Kings in the 7th century CE, the it is just 3 miles from the Chennai Central railway station and about 6 miles from the Chennai airport. The jaw-dropping architecture of the temple is truly inspirational.Just 1 mile away from the Kapaleeshwarar temple is the Sri Parthasarathy Swami Temple. Built in the 6th century, the Parthasarathy temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. There are numerous festivals, also called utsavams, that happen throughout the year. When in Chennai, you can't miss a visit to Lord Muruga's temple, Sri Vadapalani Andavar Temple. Then there is the iconic Marundheeswarar Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva.&nbsp;

Arrival in Chennai and visiting Chennai's iconic temples

Ekambareswarar Temple - Bhumi Stalam(Sani Stlm)

Varadharaja Perumal Temple

Kanchipuram

The next day, we headed towards Kanchipuram, the temple city, about 45 miles away from Chennai. We started our trip with a visit to the Vaikuntha Perumal Temple, dedicated to the Hindu God Vishnu. This temple covers an area of about 0.5 acres and has an assembly hall that is 2,500 sq. ft. in size. The astonishing thing about this temple is that there are no pillars. The roof of the temple rests on the walls.We also visited the Varadharaja Perumal Temple, Kailasanatha Temple, and Ekambareswara Temple in Kanchipuram. After a visit to these temples, we headed over to Mahabalipuram for an overnight stay. Mahabalipuram is about 42 miles away from Kanchipuram, a drive of about one and a half hours.

Exploring temples in Kanchipuram

Mahabalipuram

Sthalasayana Perumal Temple

Thanjavur

Mahabalipuram is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its numerous temples built during the 7th and 8th centuries. When in Mahabalipuram, we recommend that you visit the Shore temple and the Ganesh temple, which looks like a chariot. The Atiranachanda Cave Temple is one of the oldest in Mahabalipuram and is nothing less than an architectural wonder. We also visited the Five Chariots Temple, dedicated to each of the Pandavas of the Mahabharata, and the Sthalasayana Perumal Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu.We continued our drive to Tanjore (Thanjavur), which is about 109 miles away and took us about 4 to 5 hours.

Paying homage to temples in Mahabalipuram

Gangaikondacholapuram

Kampaheswarar Temple

Madurai

Tanjore or Thanjavur is the center of Tamil learning and culture. We visited the Brihadeshwara temple, the crowning glory of the Chola reign in 1005 AD. We also visited the Temple of Gangaikondacholapuram, Airavatesvara Temple, Ramaswamy Temple, Kampaheswarar Temple and Swetha Vinayagar Temple.From Tanjore, we drove on to Madurai, 71 miles away.

Visiting Tanjore's ancient temples

Rameswaram

The 2000-year-old Meenakshi temple of Madurai is well-known all over the world. Other temples we visited include the Koodal Azhagar Temple, Azhagar Kovil Temple, Tirupparam Kunram Murugan Temple, Vandiyur Mariamman Temple, Narasingam Yoga Narasimha Perumal Temple, and the Sri Mavoottru Velappar Temple.&nbsp;

Ending the tour with Madurai's temples

The southern part of India comprises four major states. Tamil Nadu is one of these four states, replete with many temples and temple towns. With larger-than-life statues and tall and intricately carved spires, the temples of Tamil Nadu in South India will mesmerize you with their grandeur.

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Arrival in Chennai and visiting Chennai's iconic temples

Exploring temples in Kanchipuram

Paying homage to temples in Mahabalipuram

Visiting Tanjore's ancient temples

Ending the tour with Madurai's temples

A Grand Driving Temple Tour of Tamil Nadu in Southern India

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Areas of Travel:

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Budget Range:

Arrival in Chennai and visiting Chennai's iconic temples

Exploring temples in Kanchipuram

Paying homage to temples in Mahabalipuram

Visiting Tanjore's ancient temples

Ending the tour with Madurai's temples