Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Namaste & welcome to incredible Republic of India - one of the friendliest countries on earth, combining glorious architecture with a warm-hearted welcome.

With its sumptuous mix of traditions, spiritual beliefs, festivals, architecture & landscapes, your memories of India will blaze bright long after you have left its shores.

Arrive in the dynamic & vibrant city Chennai denoted as the ‘soul of South India’.  Its role is as keeper of South Indian artistic, religious & culinary traditions.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? - Chennai International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be met by a Journeys representative who will ensure your comfort and transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in and also discuss the program for the next few days.

Arrive at the hotel & Check-in.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Chennai (formerly Madras) popularly regarded as the Gateway to the South, is the capital city of Tamil Nadu. The 400 sq km conglomerate of urban villages & diverse neighbourhoods making up Tamil Nadu's capital will pleasantly surprise you. Its role is as keeper of South Indian artistic, religious & culinary traditions.

The city grew up around the English settlement of Fort St. George & gradually absorbed the surrounding towns and villages. However, despite the strong British influence, Chennai has retained its traditional Tamil heritage and effectively blended it to create a unique synthesis of cultures. Retaining much of its traditional charm, this 350 year old city provides many a fascinating vignettes of southern heritage. In Chennai, you would find a modern metropolis with a clear skyline, long sandy beaches, parks and historic landmarks. It is a fascinating city with its ancient temples & unique culture and a marvelous tradition of music & dance. It is a city where the landscape of the past lives easily with recent history.

Among Chennai’s greatest assets are its people, infectiously enthusiastic about their hometown; they won’t hit you with a lot of hustle & hassle. Recent years have thrown in a new layer of cosmopolitan glamour: luxe hotels, sparkling boutiques, quirky cafes, smart contemporary restaurants & a sprinkling of swanky bars & clubs.

With its sweltering southern heat, roaring traffic & lack of outstanding sights, Chennai has often been seen as the dowdier sibling among India’s four biggest cities. But it is well worth poking around the museums, exploring the temples, savouring deliciously authentic South Indian delicacies or taking a sunset saunter along Marina Beach.

Balance of the day free to relax or for optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make the arrangements).

Overnight.     

Morning, check-out & meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 08.00 am and proceed for a sightseeing tour of the city.

You will visit the first Government-sponsored Museum in the country that opened here in 1851. Its collection of Bronzes & Buddhist antiques is among the best. Especially impressive are the Arms gallery, its pre-historic collection, its philatelic collection, its antique jewellery & the musical instruments collection. Stop by at the National Art Gallery, Fort St George and drive along the Marina Beach, St. Mary's Church, Wellesley House & Mylapore Temple.

Later, depart for Mahabalipuram to see two of the finest examples of ancient South Indian architecture - Kanchipuram & Mahabalipuram.

Enroute, you will stop in the Temple town of Kanchipuram. 

Along with Chennai and Mahabalipuram, Kanchipuram forms the famous Golden Triangle of the Coromandel Coast. This spectacular temple city is one of the seven sacred cities of India. It was, successively, capital of the kingdoms of the Pallavas, Cholas & rajas of Vijayanagar. The temples & gopurams are exquisite reminders of the beauty of Dravidian architecture, from the freshness and simplicity of the Pallavas' 7^th century Kailasanatha Temple through to the Vijayanagar Empire's 16^th century Ekambareshwara Temple. The latter covers nine hectares, has a 59-metre-high gopuram, a 1000-pillared hall & a sacred mango tree said to be 3500 years old. Kanchipuram is also famous because of the wonderful craftsmanship of the Kanchi weavers, the makers of what is perhaps the finest silk fabric recognized for its gorgeous silk sarees all over the world.

Continue on to Mahabalipuram.

South of Chennai, Mahabalipuram is a world apart from that city's hustle & bustle. This unspoiled seaside village on the Bay of Bengal has miles of beaches, fine Indian seafood, exceptional art & intricately carved stone temples. The Pallava dynasty of Southern India, one of the major lines of kings to rule in India after the Gupta period, made this lovely seaside village their second capital. Today, the shore temple, the largest bas-relief in the world called Arjuna's Penance and the famous & beautiful mandapams has made this town famous. The carved carved scene depicts Arjuna, a mythical Indian hero, doing penance to the Lord Shiva. Surrounding Arjuna is a multitude of images, including snakes coiled in battle, jesters with drums & elephants in procession. 

Check-in at the hotel on arrival. 

Morning, meet the Tour-guide at 09.00 am and proceed for a 4 hour tour of Mahabalipuram.

Start with a visit to the Shore Temple, which symbolises the heights of Pallava architecture and the maritime ambitions of the Pallava kings. Visit Arunja’s Penance, a relief carving on the face of a huge rock which depicts animals, deities and other semi divine creatures as well as fables from the Hindu Panchatantra books.

Also visit the Five Rathas. Carved from single pieces of rock, the Five Rathas are low-laying monoliths that huddle in more ancient subtlety than grandeur. Each temple is dedicated to a Hindu god and named for one of the Pandavas, the five hero-brothers of the epic Mahabharata, plus their common wife, Draupadi.

Return to the hotel by afternoon.

Morning, depart for Pondicherry.

The small union territory of Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry; generally known as ‘Pondy’) was under French rule until 1954 & was the largest French colony in India. It is also known as The French Riviera of the East (La Côte d'Azur de l'Est).

The city has a long and interesting history of trade & war. There is a strong French influence in the city, especially in the old quarters, with Rues & Boulevards lined with Mediterranean style houses & bakeries, although the city remains very much Indian. French is still understood & some people here still speak French (& English with French accents) and the whole city makes for rather pleasant mix of East & West.

If you have spent some time in Tamil Nadu or other parts of India & approached Pondicherry by land, you will very likely experience a mild culture shock on discovering French architecture & restaurants serving steak & good wine. Hotels, restaurants & ‘lifestyle’ shops sell a seductive vision of the French-subcontinental aesthetic, enhanced by Gallic creative types and Indian artists & designers. Thus Pondy’s vibe: less faded colonial-era ville, more bohemian-chic, New Age meets Old World hang-out on the international travel trail. Enjoy fabulous shopping, French food (hello steak!), beer (au revoir Tamil Nadu alcohol taxes), and plenty of yoga & meditation.

Pondicherry is very much a city with a dual personality: crossing from East to West of the central canal reveals two cities with very different characters. The older 'French' part of town (where you will probably spend most of your time) is full of quiet, clean streets, lined with bougainvillea-draped colonial-style townhouses numbered in an almost logical manner. Newer Pondy is typically, hectically South Indian.

The internationally famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram & its offshoot just north of town, Auroville, draw large numbers of spiritually minded visitors.

Check-in on arrival & relax.

In the afternoon, proceed for a 4 hour city tour visiting the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. The Ashram was founded by the philosopher-saint Sri Aurobindo in 1926 to put into practice his ideals of a peaceful community. Its spiritual tenets represent a synthesis of yoga & modern science. You can also try some serious meditation at Auroville or enjoy a Bharatanatyam performance.

Also visit the Pondicherry Museum & see the Sacred Heart Church with its Gothic architecture & stained glass windows. Walk along the sea front to view the architecture, a legacy of the French, who governed this town until 1957.

Return to the hotel.

Balance of the day free to relax or for optional activities (we would be happy to offer suggestions & make the arrangements).

Inspired by the mix of Indian & French cultures, cultural activities abound here. You can attend Indian Dance classes (Bollywood & Bharata Natyam) and also exotic international dances like Ballet, Tango or Hip Hop. There is also the possibility to attend an Indian cooking class, Circus classes or Kalari Payat (ancient martial art from Kerala), Singing Bollywood classes or Voice Yoga to improve your voice technics. Or just while away the evening at the Rocky Beach.

Early morning, depart for Tanjore (aka Thanjavur) - called a city of temples, enroute visiting Trichy.

Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) considered as the geographic centre of Tamil Nadu, is an ancient city famous for its beauty of architectural monuments & culture. Universally called Trichy or Tiruchi, it isn’t just a travel junction, it also mixes up a heaving bazaar with some major temples.

It has a long history dating back to the centuries before the Christian era when it was a Chola citadel. Trichy may have been a capital of the early Cholas in the 3^rd century BC. It passed through the hands of the Pallavas, medieval Cholas, Pandyas, Delhi Sultanate & Vijayanagars before the Madurai Nayaks brought it to prominence, making it a capital in the 17^th century & building its famous Rock Fort Temple. The city & its Fort, as they stand today, were built by the Nayaks.

It is one of the main centers around which the wars of the Carnatic were fought in the 18^th century during the British-French struggle for supremacy in India. Under British control, it became an important railway hub known as Trichinopoly. It is a huge, crowded, busy city but Trichy has a strong character & with a long history, a way of overturning first impressions

Explore the city including its most famous landmark, the spectacular Rock Fort Temple perched on a massive rocky outcrop which rises abruptly from the plain to tower over the old city. The 83m high Rock Fort is the only outcrop in the otherwise flat land of the city.  344 steps hewn out of rock lead to the top where there are inscriptions dating back to the 3^rd century B.C. The Fort played an important part during the Carnatic wars & according to an inscription, mainly contributed to lay the foundations of the British Empire in India. 

Continue your drive to Tanjore.

Check-in on arrival & relax.

Here are the ochre foundation blocks of perhaps the most remarkable civilisation of Dravidian history, one of the few kingdoms to expand Hinduism beyond India, a bedrock for aesthetic styles that spread from Madurai to the Mekong. Thanjavur was the capital city of Chola kingdom from the 9^th to the 13^th centuries. A dizzying historical legacy was forged from Thanjavur - capital of the great Chola empire during its heyday. Thanjavur was the center of knowledge & culture which reached its peak between the 10^th - 14^th centuries, under the reign of the Cholas. There are more than 70 temples in Thanjavur, the most important being the famous Brihadeshwara Temple. Today Thanjavur is a crowded, hectic, modern Indian town - but the past is still very much present. It is also the granary of South India & is known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu.

Thanjavur is also the center of classical arts & music inspite of the advent of technology era. The performances by the classical musicians, percussionists & the Bharatnatyam dancers never fail to enchant. 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 & Goddesses.

Later in the afternoon, meet the Tour-guide & proceed for a 4 hour experience to explore the city.

First stop will be the fascinating UNESCO listed Brihadeshwara Temple built between 1003 & 1010 by Raja Raja I (‘king of kings’). The outer fortifications were put up by Thanjavur's later Nayak & British regimes. Every day thousands of people worship at the Cholas' grand Brihadishwara Temple.

You enter through a Nayak gate, followed by two original gopurams with elaborate stucco sculptures. You might find the temple elephant under one of the gopurams. Several shrines are dotted around the extensive grassy areas of the walled temple compound, including one of India’s largest statues of Nandi (Shiva’s sacred bull), facing the main temple building. Cut from a single rock & framed by slim pillars, this 16^th century Nayak creation is 6m long.

A long, columned assembly hall leads to the central shrine with its 4m-high Shiva lingam, beneath the superb 61m-high vimana (tower). The assembly hall's southern steps are flanked by two huge dvarapalas (temple guardians). Many graceful deity images stand in niches around the vimana's lower outer levels, including Shiva emerging from the lingam (beside the southern steps); Shiva as the beggar Bhikshatana (first image, south side); Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer (west end of south wall); Harihara (half Shiva, half Vishnu) on the west wall; & Ardhanarishvara (Shiva as half-man, half-woman), leaning on Nandi, on the north side. Between the deity images are panels showing classical dance poses. On the vimana's upper east side is a later Maratha-period Shiva within three arches.

The compound also contains an interpretation centre along the south wall and in the colonnade along the west & north walls, hundreds more linga. Both west & north walls are lined with exquisite lime-plaster Chola frescoes, for years buried under later Nayak-era murals. North of the temple compound, but still within the outer fortifications, are 18^th century neoclassical Schwartz's Church & a park containing the Sivaganga tank.

Continue on to Thanjavur Palace, a mixed bag of ruin & renovation, superb art & random royal paraphernalia.

The maze-like complex was constructed partly by the Nayaks who took over Thanjavur in 1535 & partly by a local Maratha dynasty that ruled from 1676 to 1855. Seven different sections of the palace can be visited but the important ones are the Saraswati Mahal Library Museum & the Art Gallery. There is an interesting hourly audiovisual display highlighting Thanjavur’s sights, history & traditions in the attached cinema room

Maharaja Serfoji Memorial Hall commemorates the enlightened Maratha scholar-king Serfoji II (1798 -1832), with a better collection overlooking a once-splendid, now crumbling courtyard;  Mahratta Dharbar Hall is where Maratha rulers gave audience in a grand but faded pavilion adorned with colourful murals (including their own portraits behind the dais) & sturdy pillars topped by arches filled with gods.

Royal Palace Museum contains a small miscellany of sculptures, weaponry, elephant bells & rajas’ headgears.  Perhaps Serfoji II’s greatest contribution to posterity, this is testimony both to the 19^th century obsession with knowledge accumulation & to an eclectic mind that collected prints of Chinese torture methods, Audubon-style paintings of Indian flora & fauna, world atlases, dictionaries & rare medieval books. Serfoji amassed more than 65,000 books & 50,000 palm-leaf paper manuscripts in Indian & European languages, though most aren’t displayed.

Art Gallery, set around the Nayak Palace courtyard behind the bell tower, contains a collection of superb, mainly Chola, bronzes & stone carvings; its main room, the 1600 Nayak Durbar Hall, has a statue of Serfoji II. From the courtyard, steps lead part of the way up a large gopuram-like tower to a whale skeleton that washed up in Tranquebar.

Return to the hotel.

Morning, depart for Madurai.

Chennai may be the capital of Tamil Nadu, but Madurai claims its soul. Another temple city of South India & the second largest city of the state of Tamil Nadu.

Madurai is Tamil-born & Tamil-rooted, one of the oldest cities in India, a metropolis that traded with ancient Rome & was a great capital long before Chennai was even dreamed of. Situated on the banks of river Vaigai, it derives its name from the divine nectar (Madhu) that was showered from the locks of Lord Shiva according to a popular legend. The city has a rich cultural heritage which it has inherited from the great Tamil era, which is more than 2500 years old.

Once the capital of the great Pandya kings, Madurai was an important cultural & commercial center even as early as 550 AD. Today, Madurai is a well-known producer of some of the finest textiles in India and some of the best harvests of jasmine flowers. The city is also mentioned in Megasthenes' Indica. He was an ancient Greek diplomat & envoy to India in the 3^rd century BC, who wrote praises about this temple city. Madurai's glory reached its peak, during the reign of the Cholas & then during the Pandyas' regime in the 13^th century.

Madurai, perhaps appropriately given its age, captures many of India’s glaring dichotomies: a centre dominated by a medieval temple & an economy increasingly driven by IT, all overlaid with the hustle, energy & excitement of a big Indian city and slotted into a much more manageable package than Chennai’s sprawl.

It is famous for its temples, especially for the celebrated Meenakshi Amman Temple, a dazzling maze-like structure ranking among India's greatest temples.

Check-in on arrival.

Afternoon, meet the Tour-guide & proceed for a 4 hour visit to explore the ladmarks.

Visit Sri Meenakshi Amman Temple - a riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture synonymous with the Sri Meenakshi, the consort of Lord Shiva. The gopurams that surround the temple are known for their stuccowork.

The colourful abode of the triple-breasted warrior goddess Meenakshi (‘fish-eyed’ - an epithet for perfect eyes in classical Tamil poetry) is generally considered to be the peak of South Indian temple architecture, as vital to this region's aesthetic heritage as the Taj Mahal to North India.

The existing 17^th century temple was mostly built during the reign of Tirumalai Nayak, but its origins go back 2000 years to when Madurai was a Pandyan capital. A 6-hectare complex with 12 tall gopurams, encrusted with a staggering array of gods, goddesses, demons & heroes (1511 on the 55m high south gopuram alone).

According to legend, the beautiful Meenakshi (a reincarnation of Parvati) was born with three breasts & this prophecy: her superfluous breast would melt away when she met her husband. This happened when she met Shiva & took her place as his consort.

The four streets surrounding the temple are pedestrian-only. Temple dress codes & security are airport-strict: no shoulders or legs (of either gender) may be exposed & no bags or cameras are allowed inside (but you can use phone cameras).

Despite this, the temple has a happier atmosphere than some of Tamil Nadu's more solemn shrines &  is adorned with especially vibrant ceiling & wall paintings.

Some areas are off limits to non-Hindus. However, anyone can wander round the Golden Lotus Tank, where a small pavilion jutting out at the western end has ceiling murals depicting Sundareswarar & Meenakshi's marriage.

Leave the temple via a hall of flower sellers & the arch-ceilinged Ashta Shakti Mandapa - lined with relief carvings of the goddess' eight attributes & displaying the loveliest of all the temple's elaborately painted ceilings, this is actually the temple entrance for most worshippers.

Also visit the Gandhi Museum dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi’s life & work, which is housed in the 300-year-old Mangammal Palace. It has a collection of Gandhi’s personal memorabilia, books and letters, a fine exhibition of South Indian village industries, handicrafts and a huge open-air theatre.

Take a peek at Thirumalai Nayak Palace a gracious building, built in 1636 in the Indo Mughal style, famous for its 15 domes & arches are adorned with stucco work. Its Celestial Pavilion, an arcaded octagonal structure, is curiously constructed in brick & mortar without any supporting rafters.

Return to the hotel.

Every evening at 9.00 pm, a frenetic, incense-clouded procession carries a bronze icon of Sundareswarar (Shiva) to to the bed chamber of Parvati (Meenakshi's shrine) to spend the night. The procession is accompanied by religious prayer & temple music. visitors can follow along. If you want to, you can revisit the Temple (on your own) to attend the ceremony.

In time, transfer to the airport for the short flight to Chennai.

Meeting on arrival & transfer to the hotel.

Check-in & relax.

Alas, this wonderful experience comes to an end. Time to say good-bye to incredible India  & go home. But, we sure hope that you may want to discover a bit more of this multi-ethnic kaleidoscope that 1.2 billion people call home, on your next visit.

Check-out of the hotel by 12:00 noon (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of hotel facilities & to leave the luggage at the Bell Desk). 

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? -Chennai International Airport for your onward journey.  B

***        End of Services      ***