Kanchipuram
%044 / POP 165,000
Kanchipuram, 80km southwest of Chennai, was capital of the Pallava dynasty during the 6th to 8th centuries, when the Pallavas created the great stone monuments of Mamallapuram. Today a typically hectic modern Indian town, it’s famous for its numerous important and vibrant temples (and their colourful festivals), some dating from Pallava, Chola or Vijayanagar times. It’s also known for its high-quality silk saris, woven on hand looms by thousands of families in the town and nearby villages. Silk and sari shops are strung along Gandhi Rd, southeast of the centre, though their wares are generally no cheaper than at Chennai silk shops.
Kanchipuram is easily visited in a day trip from Mamallapuram or Chennai, but it’s worth seeing some of the temples after dark.
1Sights
All temples have free admission, though you may have to pay small amounts for shoe-keeping and/or cameras. Ignore claims that there’s an entrance fee for non-Hindus.
Ekambareshwara TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Ekambaranathar Temple; Ekambaranathar Sannidhi St; phone-camera/camera/video ₹10/20/100; 
h6am-12.30pm & 4-8.30pm)
Of South India’s five Shiva temples associated with each of the five elements, this 12-hectare precinct is the shrine of earth. You enter beneath the 59m-high, unpainted south gopuram, whose lively carvings were chiselled in 1509 under Vijayanagar rule. Inside, a columned hall leads left into the central compound, which Nandi faces from the right. The inner sanctum (Hindus only) contains a lingam made of earth and a mirror chamber where the central Shiva image is reflected in endless repetition.
Kamakshi Amman TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Kamakshi Amman Sannidhi St; h5.30am-noon & 4-8pm)
This imposing temple, dedicated to Kamakshi/Parvati, is one of India’s most important places of shakti (female energy/deities) worship, said to mark the spot where Parvati’s midriff fell to earth. It’s thought to have been founded by the Pallavas. The entire main building, with its gold-topped sanctuary, is off limits to non-Hindus, but the compound itself is beautiful, including a square tank with a shrine in the middle. It’s wonderfully lit at night, making that the best time to visit.
Vaikunta Perumal TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Vaikundaperumal Koil St; h6am-noon & 4-8pm)
This 1200-year-old Vishnu temple is a Pallava creation. The passage around the central shrine has lion pillars and a wealth of weathered but extremely detailed wall panels, some depicting historical events. The main shrine, uniquely spread over three levels and with jumping yalis (mythical lion creatures) on the exterior, contains images of Vishnu standing, sitting, reclining and riding his preferred mount, Garuda (half-eagle, half-man). It’s well worth seeing.
Varadaraja Perumal TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(Devarajaswami Temple; off Kanchipuram-Chengalpattu Rd, Little Kanchipuram; 100-pillared hall ₹1, camera/video ₹5/100; h7.30am-12.30pm & 3.30-8pm)
This enormous 11th-century Chola-built temple in southeast Kanchipuram is dedicated to Vishnu. Non-Hindus cannot enter the central compound, but the artistic highlight is the 16th-century ‘100-pillared’ marriage hall, just inside the (main) western entrance. Its pillars (actually 96) are superbly carved with animals, monsters, warriors and several erotic sculptures. Yalis frame its inner southern steps and at its corners hang four stone chains, each carved from a single rock.
Every 40 years the temple tank is drained, revealing a huge wooden statue of Vishnu that is worshipped for 48 days. After 2019’s showing, the next is due in 2059.
Kailasanatha TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(SVN Pillai St; h6am-6.30pm, inner sanctum 6am-noon & 4-6.30pm)
Kanchipuram’s oldest temple is small, interesting mainly for its stonework. Dedicated to Shiva, it was built in the 8th century by Pallava king Narasimhavarman II (Rajasimha), who also created Mamallapuram’s Shore Temple. Quieter than other temples in town, it has – sadly – been heavily restored, as the remaining older, eroded reliefs are much more evocative than the repaired ones.
TTours
RIDECULTURAL
(Rural Institute for Development Education; %044-27268223; www.rideindia.org; 48 Periyar Nagar, Little Kanchipuram; half-day tours incl lunch ₹1000)
Kanchipuram’s famous silk-weaving industry has traditionally depended heavily on child labour. This long-standing NGO helps reduce the industry’s child-labour numbers, from over 40,000 in 1997 to under 4000 by 2007 (its own estimates), and empower the rural poor, especially women. It also runs some interesting tours that provide insights into the lives of people working in the industry.
4Sleeping & Eating
RIDEGUESTHOUSE$
(Rural Institute for Development Education; %044-27268223; www.rideindia.org; 48 Periyar Nagar, Little Kanchipuram; per person ₹1000; 
a)
This NGO offers simple, clean rooms at its base in a residential area, 5km southeast of central Kanchipuram. If things are quiet, the friendly owners put you up in their own colourful home next door. Home-cooked breakfast (₹150), lunch (₹250) and dinner (₹250) available. Book a day ahead. It’s signposted 1km east of the Varadaraja Perumal Temple.
GRT RegencyHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %044-27225250; www.grthotels.com; 487 Gandhi Rd; r incl breakfast ₹2800; a
W)
The cleanest, comfiest and most stylish rooms in Kanchi, with marble floors, tea/coffee makers and glass-partitioned showers. The GRT’s smart-ish Dakshin (map Google map; mains ₹260-660; h7am-11pm; W) restaurant is overpriced, but offers a lengthy multicuisine menu of breakfast omelettes, South Indian favourites and tasty tandoori. Book online for discounts.
SSK GrandHOTEL$$
(%9443221774; www.hotelsskgrand.com; 70 Nellukara St; d incl breakfast ₹2230; aW)
This brand new hotel has good-sized rooms with thick mattresses, couches, tea kettles and glassed-in showers. With online discounts that can knock ₹700 off the price, it’s the best value in town.
Hotel Saravana BhavanSOUTH INDIAN$
(map Google map; %044-27226877; www.saravanabhavan.com; 66 Nellukara St; mains ₹80-250, meals ₹100-160; h6am-10.30pm)
A reliably good pure-veg restaurant with delicious dosa, a few North Indian surprises, a welcome air-con hall and thalis on the 1st floor. There’s another (scruffier) branch (%044-27222505; 504 Gandhi Rd; mains ₹80-250, meals ₹100-160; h6am-10.30pm) just west of Gandhi Rd.
8Getting There & Away
Suburban trains to Kanchipuram (₹25, 2½ hours) leave Chennai’s Egmore station (platform 10 or 11) roughly hourly from 4.30am to 8.30pm.
BUSES FROM KANCHIPURAM
| DESTINATION | FARE (₹) | TIME (HR) | DEPARTURES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | 65-80 | 2 | every 10min 3.30am-10.30pm |
| Mamallapuram | 56 | 2 | 5.30am, 9.30am, 10.50am, 2.55pm, 4pm, 8pm |
| Puducherry (Pondicherry) | 72 | 3 | hourly 5.45am-9.20pm |
| Tiruvannamalai | 110 | 3 | every 30min 5.10am-9.30pm |
| Vellore | 50 | 2 | every 30min 3.30am-11pm |
8Getting Around
Bicycle hire is available at stalls (Kamarajar St; per day ₹50; h7.30am-8pm) outside the bus stand.
An autorickshaw for a half-day tour of the five main temples (around ₹500) will inevitably involve stopping at a silk shop.
Tiruvannamalai
%04175 / POP 145,280
There are temple towns, there are mountain towns, and then there are temple-mountain towns where God appears as a phallus of fire. Welcome to Tiruvannamalai, one of Tamil Nadu’s holiest destinations.
Set below boulder-strewn Mt Arunachala, this is one of South India’s five ‘elemental’ cities of Shiva; here the god is worshipped in his fire incarnation as Arunachaleshwar. At every full moon, ‘Tiru’ swells with thousands of pilgrims who circumnavigate Arunachala’s base in a purifying ritual known as Girivalam; at any time you’ll see Shaivite priests, sadhus (spiritual men) and devotees gathered around the Arunachaleshwar Temple.
Tiru’s reputation for strong spiritual energies has produced numerous ashrams, and the town now attracts ever-growing numbers of spiritual-minded travellers.
1Sights
oArunachaleshwar TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(Annamalaiyar Temple; www.arunachaleswarartemple.tnhrce.in; h5.30am-12.30pm & 3.30-9.30pm)
This 10-hectare temple is one of India’s largest. Its oldest parts date to the 9th century, but the site was a place of worship long before that. Four huge, unpainted white gopurams mark the entrances; the main, 17th-century eastern one rises 13 storeys (an astonishing 66m), its sculpted passageway depicting dancers, dwarves and elephants. During festivals the Arunachaleshwar is awash with golden flames and the scent of burning ghee, as befits the fire incarnation of Shiva, Destroyer of the Universe.
Mt ArunachalaMOUNTAIN
This 800m-high extinct volcano dominates Tiruvannamalai – and local conceptions of the element of fire, which supposedly finds its sacred abode in Arunachala’s heart. Devout barefoot pilgrims make the 14km (four-hour) circumambulation of the mountain, stopping at eight famous linga, especially on full-moon and festival days. The inner path is closed for the foreseeable future, but it’s possible to circle around on the main road, or climb the hill past two caves where Sri Ramana Maharshi lived and meditated (1899–1922).
The hot ascent to the top opens up superb views of Tiruvannamalai, and takes five or six hours round trip: start early and take water. An unsigned path across the road from the northwest corner of the Arunachaleshwar Temple leads the way up past homes and the two caves, Virupaksha (about 20 minutes up) and Skandasramam (30 minutes). Women are advised not to hike alone, and it’s suggested that no one go up after dark due to ‘too many drunk boys’. Note that the trail to the top closes a month or two before the Deepam festival, but the caves remain accessible.
If you aren’t that devoted, buy a Giri-pradakshina map (₹15) from the bookshop at Sri Ramana Ashram, hire a bicycle from a shop on the roadside 200m east of the ashram (per day ₹40) and ride around. Or make an autorickshaw circuit for about ₹400 (up to double at busy times).
2Activities
Yoga, meditation and ayurveda sessions are advertised everywhere in the main ashram area.
Sri Ramana AshramMEDITATION
(Sri Ramanasramam; %04175-237200; www.sriramanamaharshi.org; Chengam Rd; h5am-9pm)
This tranquil ashram, 2km southwest of Tiruvannamalai centre amid green, peacock-filled grounds, draws devotees of Sri Ramana Maharshi, one of the first Hindu gurus to gain an international following; he died here in 1950 after half a century in contemplation. Visitors can meditate and attend daily pujas (prayers) and chantings, mostly in the samadhi hall (closed 12.30pm to 2pm), where the guru’s body is enshrined.
Arunachala Animal SanctuaryVOLUNTEERING
(%9442246108; www.arunachalasanctuary.com; Chengam Rd; h9am-5.30pm) 
S
Aimed at sterilisation, castration, rabies control, rehoming and affordable treatments, this nonprofit sanctuary, at the western end of Tiruvannamalai’s ashram area, provides shelter to over 200 homeless and/or injured dogs, plus a few cats. Travellers may be able to help with bathing, feeding, applying creams or simply playing with the animals – it’s best to show up after 10.30am. Prepare to be deeply moved.
4Sleeping & Eating
Rainbow Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%04175-236408, 9443886408; rainbowguesthousetiru@gmail.com; 27/28 Lakshmanan Nagar, Perumbakkam Rd; s/d ₹600/1250; W)
A great-value, spick-and-span spot 800m southwest off Chengam Rd. Beyond the psychedelic exterior, wood-carved doors reveal simple, immaculate, fan-cooled rooms with hot water and tiled floors. Doubles are almost like suites: huge, some with small kitchens. Staff are gracious, cane chairs dangle along corridors and there are fantastic Mt Arunachala views from the spartan rooftop terrace.
Arunaalaya ResidencyHOTEL$
(%8098083062; www.arunaalaya.com; 120 Seshatri Mada St; r ₹800, with AC ₹1960-3080; a)
Though slightly overpriced if you want AC, Arunaalaya offers large, cool, clean-ish marble-floored rooms with colourful walls around two small garden patios, up a lane north off Chengam Rd. The non-AC rooms are good value. ‘
Sunshine Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$$
(%04175-235335; www.sunshineguesthouseindia.com; 5 Annamalai Nagar, Perumbakkam Rd; s/d ₹1625/2350; aW)
In a blissfully quiet spot 1km southwest of the main ashram area, this colourful guesthouse is fronted by gardens. Singles feel flimsy, like cheap mobile homes. Doubles are huge with plenty of character, each styled after a Hindu god; they have printed sheets, sequinned fabrics, cane swing-chairs and in-room water filters. Book way ahead for November-to-March dates.
Hotel ArunachalaHOTEL$$
(Arunachala Inn; %04175-228300; www.hotelarunachala.com; 5 Vada Sannathi St; r ₹950, with AC s ₹1500, d ₹1680-2750; a)
Right next to the Arunachaleshwar Temple’s east entrance, Hotel Arunachala is clean and decent with pretensions to luxury in the marblesque floors, ugly furniture, keen management and lobby fish pond. Standard rooms feel halfway conceived; deluxe rooms are much better. Downstairs, pure-veg Hotel Sri Arul Jothi (dishes ₹40-80; h5.30am-10.30pm) provides good South Indian dishes (thalis ₹80 to ₹120).
Shanti CaféCAFE$
(www.facebook.com/shanticafetiru; 115A Chengam Rd; dishes ₹60-200, drinks ₹30-90; h8.30am-8.30pm; W)
This popular and relaxed cafe with floor-cushion seating, up a lane off Chengam Rd, serves wonderful croissants, cakes, baguettes, pancakes, juices, coffees, teas, breakfasts and Indian meals with an extra-healthy twist. Omelettes are a good choice. It’s run by a delightful team and there’s an internet cafe (www.shantionline.com; per hour ₹25; h8.30am-1.30pm & 3-7pm Mon-Sat) downstairs.
oDreaming TreeCAFE$$
(%8870057753; www.dreamingtree.in; Ramana Nagar; mains ₹250-290; h8.30am-10pm) S
Super-chilled Dreaming Tree dishes out huge portions of exquisite, health-focused veg fare, prepped with mostly organic ingredients, on a breezy thatched rooftop loaded with low-slung purple-cushioned booths. Expect fabulous ‘hippie salads’ and tofu stir-fries, luscious breakfasts, and all kinds of cakes, juices, lassis, lemonades and organic coffees. Signs lead the way (500m) across the road from Sri Ramana Ashram.
Tasty CaféCAFE$$
(Lakshmanan Nagar, Perumbakkam Rd; mains ₹100-240; h7am-10pm)
In a peaceful, shady courtyard of plastic chairs and wooden tables, friendly Tasty Café does well-prepared Indian and continental food, including pizza, pasta, pancakes and salads. It’s 700m southwest off Chengam Rd. Try the daily specials.
GINGEE FORT
With three separate hilltop citadels and a 6km perimeter of cliffs and thick walls, the ruins of enormous Gingee Fort (%04145-222072; Gingee; Indian/foreigner ₹25/300; h8am-5pm) rise out of the Tamil plain, 37km east of Tiruvannamalai, like castles misplaced by the Lord of the Rings. It was constructed mainly in the 16th century by the Vijayanagars and was later occupied by the Marathas, Mughals, French and British, then abandoned in the 19th century. The fort’s sheer scale, dramatic beauty and peaceful setting make it a very worthwhile stop.
Today, few foreigners make it here, but Gingee is popular with domestic tourists for its starring role in various films. The main road linking Tiruvannamalai and Puducherry cuts between the fortified hills, just west of Gingee town. Of the three citadels, the easiest to reach, Krishnagiri, rises north of the road. To the south are the highest of the three, Rajagiri, and the most distant and least interesting, Chakklidurg (which you can’t climb). Ticket offices (with maps) are at the foot of Krishnagiri and Rajagiri.
Gingee is on the Tiruvannamalai–Puducherry bus route, with buses from Tiruvannamalai (₹37, one hour) every 10 minutes. Hop off at the fort to save a trip back out from Gingee town. A taxi between Tiruvannamalai and Puducherry with a two- to three-hour stop at Gingee costs around ₹3000.
7Shopping
Shantimalai Handicrafts Development SocietyARTS & CRAFTS
(www.smhds.org; 83/1 Chengam Rd; h9am-7pm Mon-Sat)
Beautiful bedspreads, bags, incense, candles, oils, bangles, scarves and cards, all made by local village women.
8Getting There & Away
The bus stand (Polur Rd) is 800m north of the Arunachaleshwar Temple, and a ₹50 to ₹60 autorickshaw ride from the main ashram area. For Chennai, the best options are the hourly Ultra Deluxe services.
BUSES FROM TIRUVANNAMALAI
| Destination | Fare (₹) | Time (hr) | Departures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | 120-140 | 5 | every 10min |
| Kanchipuram | 63 | 3 | hourly |
| Puducherry (Pondicherry) | 63 | 3 | hourly |
| Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) | 123 | 5 | every 45min |
| Vellore | 37-50 | 2½ | every 10min |
8Getting Around
Bike hire (per hour/day ₹10/40) is available opposite Sri Ramana Ashram, in the southwest part of town.
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
%0413 / POP 1.3 MILLION
The union territory of Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry; generally known as ‘Pondy’) was under French rule until 1954. Some people here still speak French (and English with French accents). Hotels, restaurants and ‘lifestyle’ shops sell a seductive vision of the French-subcontinental aesthetic, enhanced by Gallic creative types and Indian artists and designers. The internationally famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram and its offshoot just north of town, Auroville, draw large numbers of spiritually minded visitors. Thus Pondy’s vibe: less faded colonial-era ville, more bohemian-chic, New Age–meets–Old World hang-out on the international travel trail.
The older ‘French’ part of town (where you’ll 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.
Enjoy fabulous shopping, French food (bonjour steak!), beer (au revoir Tamil Nadu alcohol taxes), and plenty of yoga and meditation.
Puducherry (Pondicherry)
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
6Drinking & Nightlife
7Shopping
1Sights
SeafrontWATERFRONT
(map Google map; Goubert Ave)
Pondy is a seaside town, but that doesn’t make it a beach destination; the city’s sand is a thin strip of dirty brown that slurps into a seawall of jagged rocks. But Goubert Ave (Beach Rd) is a killer stroll, especially at dawn and dusk when half the town takes a romantic wander. In a stroke of genius, authorities have banned traffic here from 6pm to 7.30am.
Sri Aurobindo AshramASHRAM
(map Google map; %0413-2233649; www.sriaurobindoashram.org; Marine St; h8am-noon & 2-6pm) 
F
Founded in 1926 by Sri Aurobindo and a French-born woman, ‘the Mother’, this famous spiritual community has about 2000 members in its many departments. Aurobindo’s teachings focus on ‘integral yoga’ that sees devotees work in the world, rather than retreat from it. Visits to the main, grey-walled ashram building are cursory: you see the flower-festooned samadhi of Aurobindo and the Mother, then the bookshop. Ashram-accommodation guests can access other areas and activities. Evening meditation around the samadhi is for everyone.
There are daily weekday ashram tours (per person ₹50), which begin at 8.30am with a film about Sri Aurobindo and the Mother and include visits to various ashram workshops where you can see batik work, hand-printing on saris, handloom weaving and more; enquire online (www.sriaurobindoautocare.com) or at the ashram’s Bureau Central.
Puducherry MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; http://art.puducherry.gov.in/museum.html; St Louis St; Indian/foreigner ₹10/50; h9am-6.30pm Tue-Sun)
Goodness knows how this converted late-18th-century villa keeps its artefacts from disintegrating, considering there’s a whole floor of French-era furniture sitting in the South Indian humidity. On the ground floor look especially for Chola, Vijayanagar and Nayak bronzes, and pieces of ancient Greek and Spanish pottery and amphorae (storage vessels) excavated from Arikamedu, a once-major trading port just south of Puducherry. Upstairs is Governor Dupleix’ bed.
Institut Français de PondichéryLIBRARY
(map Google map; %0413-2231616; www.ifpindia.org; 11 St Louis St; ₹100; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri)
Sri Manakula Vinayagar TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; www.manakulavinayagartemple.com; Manakula Vinayagar Koil St; h5.45am-12.30pm & 4-9.30pm)
Pondy may have more churches than most Indian towns, but the Hindu faith still reigns supreme. Pilgrims, tourists and the curious get a head pat from the temple elephant at this centuries-old temple dedicated to Ganesh, which contains around 40 skilfully painted friezes.
TAMIL NADU TEMPLES
Tamil Nadu is home to some of India’s most spectacular temple architecture and sculpture, and few parts of the country are as fervent in their worship of the Hindu gods. Its 5000-odd shrines are constantly abuzz with worshippers flocking in for puja (offering or prayer), and colourful temple festivals abound. More Tamil temples are dedicated to the various forms of Shiva than to any other deity, including his depiction as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, who dances in a ring of fire with two of his four hands holding the flame of destruction and the drum of creation. Tamils also have a soft spot for Shiva’s peacock-riding son Murugan (also Kartikeya or Skanda), who is intricately associated with their cultural identity.
The special significance of many Tamil temples makes them goals of countless Hindu pilgrims from all over India. The Pancha Sabhai Sthalangal are the five temples where Shiva is believed to have performed his cosmic dance (chief among them Chidambaram). Then there’s the Pancha Bootha Sthalangal, the five temples where Shiva is worshipped as one of the five elements: Tiruvannamalai’s Arunachaleshwar Temple, fire; Kanchipuram’s Ekambareshwara Temple, earth; Chidambaram’s Nataraja Temple, space; Trichy’s Sri Jambukeshwara Temple, water; and, in Andhra Pradesh, Sri Kalahasteeswara Temple (www.srikalahasthitemple.com; off Sannidhi Rd; h5.30am-9pm), air. Each of Kumbakonam’s nine Navagraha temples is the abode of one of the nine celestial bodies of Hindu astronomy – key sites given the importance of astrology in Hindu faith. Architecturally, Brihadishwara Temple in Thanjavur is a priceless gem.
Typical Tamil temple design features tall layered entrance towers (gopurams), encrusted with often colourfully painted sculptures of gods and demons; halls of richly carved columns (mandapas); a sacred water tank; and a series of compounds (prakarams), one within the next, with the innermost containing the central sanctum where the temple’s main deity resides. The earliest Tamil temples were small rock-cut shrines; the first free-standing temples were built in the 8th century AD; gopurams first appeared around the 12th century.
Admission to most temples is free, but non-Hindus are often not allowed inside inner sanctums. At other temples priests may invite you in and in no time you are doing puja, having an auspicious tilak mark daubed on your forehead and being hassled for a donation.
Temple touts can be a nuisance, but there are also many excellent guides; use your judgment and be on the lookout for badge-wearing official guides.
A South Indian Journey by Michael Wood and Southern India: A Guide to Monuments, Sites & Museums by George Michell are great reads if you’re interested in Tamil temple culture. TempleNet (www.templenet.com) is one of the best online resources.
1French Quarter
Pocketed away just behind the seafront is a series of cobbled bougainvillea-wrapped streets and white-and-mustard buildings in various states of romantic déshabillé, otherwise known as Puducherry’s French Quarter. A do-it-yourself heritage walk could start at the French consulate, near the north end of Goubert Ave, the seafront promenade. Head south, passing the 1836 lighthouse (Goubert Ave), then turn inland to shady, landscaped Bharathi Park (map Google map; Compagnie St; h6am-7pm) F. The neoclassical governor’s residence, Raj Nivas (map Google map; Rangapillai St), faces the park’s north side. Return to the seafront at the Gandhi Memorial (map Google map; Goubert Ave), wander south past Notre Dame des Anges (map Google map; Dumas St; h6-10am & 4-7pm) church, and then potter south through the ‘white town’ – Dumas, Romain Rolland, Suffren and Labourdonnais Sts. Towards the southern end of Dumas St, pop in to the beautiful École Française d’Extrême-Orient (map Google map; www.efeo.fr; 16-19 Dumas St; h8.30am-noon & 2-5.30pm Mon-Fri) F, with its extensive library of Indology.
A lot of restoration has been happening in this area: if you’re interested in Pondy’s architectural heritage, check out INTACH Pondicherry (www.intachpondicherry.org). The tourist office website (www.pondytourism.in) details heritage walks.
PUDUCHERRY’S CATHEDRALS
Pondy hosts one of India’s best collections of over-the-top cathedrals. Merci, French missionaries. Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Mission St; h6am-noon & 3-7pm), completed in 1791, is a sky-blue, hot-yellow and cloud-white typically Jesuit edifice in a Goa-like Portuguese style. The brown-and-white grandiosity of the Sacred Heart Basilica (map Google map; Subbaiah Salai; h5.30am-1pm & 6-8pm) is set off by beautifully restored stained glass and a Gothic sense of proportion. The twin towers and dome of the mellow-pink-and-yellow Notre Dame des Anges, built in the 1850s, look sublime in the late-afternoon light. Its smooth limestone interior was made using eggshell plaster; in the square opposite, there’s a Joan of Arc statue.
2Activities
Yoganjali NatyalayamYOGA
(%0413-2241561; www.icyer.com; 25 II Cross, Iyyanar Nagar; h9am-6pm)
One-on-one, 10-lesson introductory yoga courses (₹7000) at the central-Pondy branch of the renowned International Centre for Yoga Education & Research. Contact the office at least a day before you’d like to begin.
Kallialay Surf SchoolSURFING
(%9442992874; www.surfschoolindia.com; Serenity Beach, Tandriankuppam; 1hr private classes ₹1800, board rental per 90min ₹400; hhours vary)
Surfing continues to soar in popularity along Tamil Nadu’s coast, and this long-standing, well-equipped, Spanish-run school, 5km north of Puducherry, offers everything from beginner sessions to intensive two-week courses.
La CasitaCULTURAL PROGRAMS
(www.lacasitaindia.com; 147 Eshwaran Koil St; classes ₹250-350; h11am-3.30pm & 5.30-9pm Tue-Sun)
A fun-filled Latino-inspired arts centre offering drop-in (and longer-term) yoga and Bollywood classes, along with tango, salsa, capoeira and Zumba. There’s also a cosy rooftop travellers’ cafe.
CCourses
SitaCULTURAL PROGRAMS
(map Google map; %0413-4200718; www.pondicherry-arts.com; 22 Candappa Moudaliar St; classes ₹300-1200; h9am-1pm & 3-7pm Mon-Sat)
This energetic Franco-Indian cultural centre runs a host of activities, open to visitors (even for a single session): Indian cooking, bharatanatyam or Bollywood dance, kolam making, mehndi (henna ‘tattoos’), yoga, pilates, ayurveda and sari ‘workshops’, plus brilliant cycling and photography tours.
International Centre for Yoga Education & ResearchYOGA
(Ananda Ashram; %0413-2622902; www.icyer.com; 16A Mettu St, Chinnamudaliarchavady, Kottukuppam; h10am-2pm)
Rigorous six-month yoga-teacher-trainings are offered at Ananda Ashram, north of town, from October to March; fill out the application on the website and submit it well in advance.
TTours
StorytrailsWALKING
(%7339147770; www.storytrails.in; 551 Kamaraj Salai, 1st fl; tours per person ₹1100-6000; h7am-6.30pm)
Chennai-born Storytrails runs terrific story-themed jaunts through the French Quarter – the perfect walking introduction to Pondy’s historical and architectural delights.
4Sleeping
If you’ve been saving for a splurge, this is the place: Puducherry’s lodgings are as good as South India gets. Local heritage houses combine colonial-era romanticism with modern comfort and chic French-inspired styling, and there are some beautifully updated properties. Most of these rooms would cost five times as much in Europe. Book ahead for weekends, when some places raise prices.
Park Guest HouseASHRAM GUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; %0413-2233644; parkgh@sriaurobindoashram.org; 1 Goubert Ave; r with/without AC ₹1500/950; a)
Pondy’s most sought-after ashram guesthouse, thanks to its wonderful seafront position, with the best-value air-con rooms around but no advance bookings. All front rooms face the sea and have a porch or balcony. There’s a garden for yoga or meditation, plus vegetarian buffet lunches (₹150) and bicycle hire (per day ₹60).
International Guest HouseASHRAM GUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; INGH; %0413-233669; ingh@aurosociety.org; 47 NSC Bose St; s ₹450, d ₹550-700, s/d with AC ₹750/1680; a)
The sparse, spotless rooms here, adorned with a single photo of the Mother, make for good-value ashram lodgings. It’s very popular: book three weeks ahead.
Kailash Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$
(map Google map; %0413-2224485; http://kailashguesthouse.in; 43 Vysial St; s/d ₹1100/1500, with AC ₹1250/1750; a)
Good-value Kailash has simple, superclean rooms with well-mosquito-proofed windows, friendly management and a covered top-floor terrace. The lobby is a comfy but classy communal area. One of the best budget options in town.
oLes HibiscusGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map; %0413-2227480, 9442066763; www.leshibiscus.in; 49 Suffren St; incl breakfast s ₹2000-2750, d ₹2250-3300; a
iW)
Mango-yellow Les Hibiscus has just a handful of fabulous high-ceilinged rooms with antique beds, coffee makers and a mix of quaint Indian art and old Pondy photos, at astoundingly reasonable prices. (The top-floor single room is a great deal.) The whole place is immaculately styled, fresh breakfasts are fantastic and management is genuinely friendly and helpful. Book well ahead.
Patricia Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$$
(%0413-2335130; http://patriciaguesthouse.wordpress.com; 20/28 Francois Martin St; r ₹3300-4500; aW)
A hot-orange (unsigned) heritage home has been lovingly transformed into a unique, relaxed, colour-bursting retreat in the northern French Quarter. Each of the seven rooms (some with separate bathrooms) surprises with individual character, and all are packed with South Indian art, printed fabrics and vibrant paintwork. The upper-floor ‘cottage’ opens on to its own thatched-roof terrace. Breakfast available (₹200).
GratitudeGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map; %0413-2226029; www.gratitudeheritage.in; 52 Romain Rolland St; r incl breakfast ₹3540-7080; aW)
A wonderfully tranquil 19th-century house (no shoes, no TVs, no children), sun-yellow Gratitude has been delightfully restored. Nine individually styled rooms sprawl across two floors around a tropically shaded courtyard; a couple of them could use another dose of refurbishment, so look at a few if you can. There’s a roof terrace for yoga and massages. Breakfast is delicious.
Coloniale Heritage Guest HouseGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map; %0413-2224720; http://colonialeheritage.com; 54 Romain Rolland St; r incl breakfast ₹2950-4700; aW)
This leafy colonial-era haven with six comfy rooms (some up steep stairs) is crammed with character thanks to the owner’s impressive collection of gem-studded Thanjavur paintings, Ravi Varma lithographs and other 19th- and 20th-century South Indian art. One room has a swing, another its own balcony. Breakfast is laid out in the sunken garden-side patio.
Hotel de PondichéryHERITAGE HOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0413-2227409; www.hoteldepondicherry.com; 38 Dumas St; incl breakfast s ₹2500, d ₹3000-5000; aW)
A colourful heritage spot with 14 comfy, quiet and spacious rooms, some sporting semi-open bathrooms, most with splashes of original modern art. A few are beginning to show some wear and tear, but most are in great shape. The excellent restaurant, Le Club, takes up the charming front courtyard and staff are lovely.
Red LotusBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$
(%8870344334; www.redlotuspondicherry.com; 48-58 Nehru St; r ₹2465; aW)
Behind the flaming-red doors of a revamped merchant house, this glossy oriental-inspired guesthouse overlooks a busy street in the thick of Pondy’s bazaar area. Cheery staff lead you to modish rooms decorated with witty wall slogans, floral murals, varnished wood and tea/coffee kits. The roof-terrace cafe-bar is full of aqua-cushioned sofas.
Nila Home StayGUESTHOUSE$$
(map Google map; %9443537209; www.nilahomestay.com; 18 Labourdonnais St; r ₹2800; aW)
A simple but brilliantly characterful and well-kept French Quarter guesthouse run by welcoming hosts, with a range of fresh, colourful rooms (some with kitchens and/or terraces), handy communal kitchens and a low-key lounge area.
oLa VillaBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2338555; www.lavillapondicherry.com; 11 Surcouf St; r incl breakfast ₹13,300-20,500; aW
s)
Queen of local boutique hotels is this intimate, six-room 19th-century beauty, sleekly updated by one of Pondy’s top French-architect teams. From curved wooden bedheads to cocoonlike swing-chairs and abstract artwork, rooms blend white-on-white luxury with bold, contemporary design. It’s impeccably styled, there’s an upmarket patio restaurant, and you can breakfast overlooking the turquoise rooftop pool.
oVilla ShantiHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %0413-4200028; www.lavillashanti.com; 14 Suffren St; r incl breakfast ₹8100-14,000; aW)
Occupying a 100-year-old building revamped by two French architects, Villa Shanti puts an exquisitely contemporary twist on the French Quarter heritage hotel. Beautiful modern rooms combine superchic design with typically Tamil materials and colonial-style elegance: four-poster beds, Chettinadu tiles, walk-through bathrooms, Tamil-language murals. The sunken courtyard houses a hugely popular restaurant and bar.
Villa HelenaHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2226789; www.villa-helena-pondicherry.com; 13 Rue Bussy; incl breakfast s ₹2500-4500, d ₹4000-8000; aW)
This gorgeous 19th-century French-run mansion is infused with contemporary character. Spread along plant-dotted galleries, immaculate, soft-toned rooms are done up in tasteful minimalist style, with stripy bedding, printed cushions, vintage furniture and stylish modern bathrooms. There’s wonderful continental cooking in the romantic courtyard restaurant.
Palais de MahéHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2345611; www.cghearth.com; 4 Rue Bussy; r incl breakfast ₹23,000-28,100; aWs)
Three colonnaded floors of swish, soaring-ceilinged rooms with colonial-style wood furnishings and varnished-concrete floors rise around a seductive turquoise pool at this imposing heritage hotel. The first-rate rooftop restaurant serves impressive, creative fusion cuisine, including cooked-to-order breakfasts. From May through September rates drop by 30%.
Maison PerumalHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(%0413-2227519; www.cghearth.com; 44 Perumal Koil St; r incl breakfast ₹13,300-14,850; aW)
Secluded rooms with colourful flourishes, antique beds and photos of the original owners surround two pillared patios at this renovated 130-year-old home, pocketed away in Pondy’s less touristic Tamil Quarter. The excellent Tamil/French restaurant (%0413-2227519; www.cghearth.com; 44 Perumal Koil St; lunch mains ₹350-550, dinner ₹1200; h12.30-3pm & 7.30-9.30pm) cooks everything from market-fresh ingredients and gives culinary demonstrations. Heritage walking tours are offered and guests can use the pool at sister property Palais de Mahé.
Hotel de L’OrientHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2226111; www.dunewellnessgroup.com; 17 Romain Rolland St; r incl breakfast ₹7700-12,800; aW)
This grand restored 18th-century mansion has breezy verandas, keen staff and antique-filled old-world rooms in all shapes and sizes: some are cosy attics, others palatial, many have four-poster beds. A place to get that old Pondy feel while enjoying polished service and French, creole (French Indian) or South Indian food in the courtyard restaurant, Chez Francis.
Dune Mansion CalvéHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2970500; www.dunewellnessgroup.com; 36 Vysial St; r incl breakfast ₹6500-8850; aW) S
The old Tamil Quarter has almost as many mansions as the French Quarter but is off most tourists’ radars. Reincarnated under environmentally friendly management, this 150-year-old heritage choice, on a quiet, tree-shaded street, mixes a soaring sense of space with a teak-columned atrium, Chettinadu-tiled floors, and 10 elegantly styled rooms featuring free-standing bathtubs and solar-powered hot-water systems.
PromenadeBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2227750; www.sarovarhotels.com; 23 Goubert Ave; r incl breakfast ₹7670-9600; aW)
The Promenade is a flashy boutiquelike beachfront spot owned by the swish Hidesign group, with upscale, oriental-themed, (mostly) sea-facing rooms. If you’re looking for modern and stylish, this is your hotel. The elegant rooftop restaurant serves good, pricey pan-Asian dishes and cocktails in a breezy, leafy, lantern-lit setting – you’re forking out more for the location.
5Eating
Puducherry is a culinary highlight of Tamil Nadu. You can get great South Indian cooking, well-prepped French and Italian cuisine, and delicious fusion food. If you’ve been missing cheese or have a craving for croissants, you’re in luck, and everyone in the French Quarter does good brewed coffee and crêpes. There are some fabulous arty cafes too.
It’s also worth exploring some of the options around nearby Auroville, especially in Kuilapalayam village.
Surguru SpotSOUTH INDIAN$
(map Google map; %0413-4308084; www.hotelsurguru.com; 12 Nehru St; mains ₹115-140, thalis ₹150-220; h6.30am-11pm)
Fill up on crispy dosa and vada, pillowy idli and spicy lunchtime thalis in a smarter-than-average AC dining hall with yellow-washed pillars, just a couple of blocks from Sri Aurobindo Ashram. There’s another branch (%0413-4308083; 235 Mission St; mains ₹70-140, thalis ₹135-190; h7am-10.40pm) in the Tamil Quarter.
Gelateria Montecatini TermeICE CREAM$
(GMT; Goubert Ave; ice creams ₹50-80; h11am-11.30pm)
Join the seafront crowds for creamy, authentic Italian gelato in tropical-tastic flavours like mango, watermelon and guava – or try something more exotic, like Himalaya salted caramel or Dubai Cream, with milk, chocolate, almonds and dates.
Baker StreetCAFE$
(map Google map; 123 Rue Bussy; dishes ₹40-200; h7am-9pm; W)
A popular upmarket French-style bakery that does impressively delectable cakes, sandwiches, croissants and biscuits. The baguettes, brownies and quiches hold their own too. Eat in or takeaway.
oCafé des ArtsCAFE$$
(map Google map; www.facebook.com/café-des-arts-155637583166; 10 Suffren St; dishes ₹140-370; h8.30am-6.30pm Wed-Mon; W)
This bohemian cafe would look perfectly at home in Europe, but this is Pondy, so there’s a cycle rickshaw in the garden. Perfectly prepared dishes range from salads to crêpes, baguettes, omelettes and toasties. Coffees and fresh juices are great. The old town-house setting is casual yet refined, with low tables and lounge chairs arranged across several rooms and an outdoor terrace.
Kasha Ki AashaCAFE$$
(map Google map; www.kkapondy.com; 23 Surcouf St; mains ₹150-295; h10am-8pm Thu-Tue; W)
A friendly all-female team whips up great pancake breakfasts, lunches and cakes on the thatched rooftop of this colonial-era-house-turned-craft-shop-and-cafe, where the all-veg fusion food includes ‘European thalis’ and ‘Indian enchiladas’ (which feel a little overpriced for what you get). The floaty fabrics and leather sandals for sale downstairs come direct from their makers. Live music Saturday night.
Le CaféCAFE$$
(map Google map; %0413-2334949; Goubert Ave; dishes ₹115-260; h24hr)
Pondy’s only seafront cafe is good for croissants, cakes, salads, baguettes, breakfasts and organic South Indian coffee (hot or iced), plus welcome fresh breezes from the Bay of Bengal. It’s popular, so you often have to wait for, or share, a table. But hey, it’s all about the location.
oVilla HelenaCONTINENTAL, INDIAN$$$
(map Google map; %0413-4210806; www.villa-helena-pondicherry.com; 13 Rue Bussy; mains ₹340-720; hnoon-3pm & 7-10pm)
One of Pondy’s favourite culinary teams heads up this fashionable continental-Indian eatery, launched in 2016 in a dreamy, lantern-lit patio engulfed by tropical gardens and lined with white-columned corridors. The menu leaps around the globe, delivering luscious creative salads alongside beef fillets, pastas, cheese boards, Indian classics and the odd fusion invention.
oVilla ShantiCONTINENTAL, INDIAN$$$
(map Google map; %0413-4200028; www.lavillashanti.com; 14 Suffren St; mains ₹250-780; hnoon-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm)
Smart candlelit tables in a palm-dotted, pillared courtyard attached to a colourful cocktail bar create a casually fancy vibe at this packed-out hotel restaurant, one of Pondy’s hottest dining spots. The building’s contemporary Franco-Indian flair runs right through the North Indian/European menu. While portions are small, flavours are exquisite, and there are some deliciously creative veg dishes. Open all day for snacks and drinks.
Chez FrancisCREOLE, FRENCH$$$
(%9159550341; 17 Romain Rolland St; mains ₹260-590; h7.30-10am, 12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-10.30pm)
Fabulous French and creole cooking – such as the fantastic prawn curry – is the order of the day at this atmospheric courtyard restaurant at the heart of the Hotel de L’Orient.
Palais de MahéFUSION$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2345611; www.cghearth.com; 4 Rue Bussy; mains ₹350-600; h12.30-3pm & 7-10.30pm)
On a magical roof terrace just back from Pondy’s seafront promenade, the Palais de Mahé’s superb restaurant specialises in ambitious, beautifully presented fusion dishes, best enjoyed alongside a signature Prohibition-inspired cocktail. Seafood and steaks are perfectly prepared.
La Pasta WorldITALIAN$$$
(map Google map; %9994670282; www.facebook.com/lapastaworld; 55 Vysial St; mains ₹310-500; h5-10pm)
Pasta lovers should make a pilgrimage to this casual little Tamil Quarter spot with just a few check-cloth tables. Run by Italians, sauces are authentically yummy and served over perfect pasta in an open-plan kitchen as big as the dining area. No alcohol: it’s all about the food.
Le ClubCONTINENTAL, INDIAN$$$
(map Google map; %0413-2227409; www.leclubraj.com; 38 Dumas St; mains ₹370-550; h11.30am-3pm & 6.30-10pm)
The steaks (with sauces like blue cheese or Béarnaise), pizzas, pastas and crêpes are all top-class at this romantically lit garden restaurant. Tempting local-themed options include creole prawn curry, veg-paneer kebabs and Malabar-style fish. Servings are large, and there are plenty of wines, mojitos and margaritas to wash it all down.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Although Pondy is one of the better places in Tamil Nadu to knock back beers, closing time is a strictly enforced 11pm. Despite low alcohol taxes, you’ll only really find cheap beer in ‘liquor shops’ and their darkened bars. Hotel restaurants and bars make good drinking spots.
L’e-SpaceBAR
(map Google map; 2 Labourdonnais St; cocktails ₹200, dishes ₹250-350; h5-11pm daily & 10am-3pm Sat & Sun)
A quirky little semi-open-air rooftop bar/cafe lounge that’s friendly, laid-back and sociable, and which does good cocktails (assuming the bartender hasn’t disappeared) and food.
7Shopping
With all the yogis congregating here, Pondy specialises in boutique-chic-meets-Indian-bazaar fashion and souvenirs. There’s some beautiful and original stuff, a lot of it produced by Sri Aurobindo Ashram or Auroville. Nehru St and MG Rd are the shopping hot spots; boutiques line the French Quarter.
oKalkiFASHION & ACCESSORIES
(map Google map; 134 Mission St; h9.30am-8.30pm)
Dazzling, jewel-coloured silk and cotton fashion, as well as accessories, incense, oils, scented candles, handmade-paper trinkets and more, mostly made at Auroville, where there’s another branch (visitor centre; h9.30am-6.30pm).
LivingArt LifestylesFASHION & ACCESSORIES
(map Google map; 14 Rue Bazar St Laurent; h10am-2pm & 3-8pm Tue-Sat)
Breezy, boho-chic, block-printed dresses, skirts, trousers and crop-tops in fun-but-fashionable geometric patterns (all handmade at Auroville) sit side-by-side with beautifully crafted saris from across India.
AnokhiFASHION & ACCESSORIES
(map Google map; www.anokhi.com; 1 Caserne St; h10am-7.30pm)
A sophisticated Jaipur-born boutique popular for its beautiful, bold block-printed garments with a traditional-turns-modern twist, and gorgeous colourful bedspreads, tablecloths, scarves, bags, homewares and accessories.
AuroshikhaINCENSE
(map Google map; www.auroshikha.com; 28 Marine St; h9am-1pm & 3-7pm Tue-Sun)
An endless array of incense, perfumed candles, essential oils and other scented trinkets, made by Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
GeethanjaliANTIQUES
(map Google map; www.geethanjaliartifacts.com; 20 Rue Bussy; h10am-8.30pm Mon-Sat, to 7.30pm Sun)
The kind of place where Indiana Jones gets the sweats, this antique shop sells sculptures, carved doors, wooden chests, paintings and furniture sourced from Puducherry’s colonial and even precolonial history. It ships to Europe for ₹20,000 per cu metre (check that your purchases aren’t subject to export restrictions).
FabindiaCLOTHING, TEXTILES
(map Google map; www.fabindia.com; 223 Mission St; h10.30am-8.30pm) S
Going strong since 1960, the Fabindia chain stocks stunning handmade, fair-trade products made by villagers using traditional craft techniques, and promotes rural employment. This branch has wonderful cotton and silk contemporary Indian clothing, along with high-quality fabrics, tablecloths, beauty products and furniture.
La Boutique d’AurovilleFASHION & ACCESSORIES
(map Google map; www.auroville.com; 38 Nehru St; h9.30am-1pm & 2.30-8pm)
Perfect for browsing through Auroville-made crafts: jewellery, pottery, clothing, shawls, handmade cards and herbal toiletries.
HidesignFASHION & ACCESSORIES
(map Google map; www.hidesign.com; 69 Nehru St; h9am-9.30pm)
Established in Pondy in 1978, Hidesign sells elegantly made designer leather bags, briefcases, purses, wallets and belts, at reasonable prices, and has outlets across the world.
FocusBOOKS
(map Google map; 204 Mission St; h9.30am-1.30pm & 3-9pm Mon-Sat)
Good collection of India-related and other English-language books (including Lonely Planet guides).
8Information
MEDICAL SERVICES
New Medical Centre (%0413-2261200; www.nmcpondy.com; 470 Mahatma Gandhi Rd; h24hr) Recommended private clinic and hospital.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Bureau Central (map Google map; %0413-2233604; bureaucentral@sriaurobindoashram.org; Ambour Salai; h6am-noon & 4-6pm) Information on ashram-run accommodation, plus exhibitions on Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
Tourist office (%0413-2339497; www.pondytourism.in; 40 Goubert Ave; h9am-5pm) Has tours on its website. The office itself is pretty useless.
TRAVEL AGENCIES
Parveen Travels (map Google map; %0413-2201919; www.parveentravels.com; 288 Maraimalai Adigal Salai; h24hr), near the bus stand, is a reliable option for private buses.
8Getting There & Away
AIR
Puducherry’s airport is 6km northwest of the town centre. At the time of research, it was only being served by SpiceJet, with one daily flight to/from Bengaluru and another to/from Hyderabad.
BUSES FROM PUDUCHERRY
The bus stand (Maraimalai Adigal Salai) is 2km west of the French Quarter, though buses to many major destinations run from Villupuram (₹35, one hour, every 15 minutes), 38km west of Puducherry.
Private bus companies, operating mostly overnight to various destinations, have offices along Maraimalai Adigal Salai west of the bus stand. Parveen Travels is reliable.
| DESTINATION | FARE (₹) | TIME (HR) | DEPARTURES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru | 270 | 8 | 10.30am, 7.30pm |
| Chennai | 160 (Volvo AC 300) | 4 | every 10min; Volvo AC 6 daily |
| Chidambaram | 80 | 2 | every 30min |
| Kumbakonam | 80 | 3 | 6.30am, 7.30am, 9.30am |
| Mamallapuram | 72 | 2 | every 10min |
| Tiruvannamalai | 88 | 3 | every 30min |
TRAIN
Puducherry train station has just a few services. One daily train goes to Chennai Egmore at 5.35am, 2nd class only (₹90, four hours). Leave from Villupuram for many more services. The station has a computerised booking office for trains throughout India.
8Getting Around
Pondy’s flat streets are great for getting around by foot.
Autorickshaws are plentiful, but drivers often quote absurdly high rates, so prepare to haggle before you get in. A trip from the bus stand to the French Quarter costs ₹100. From Pondy to Auroville costs ₹300.
A good way to explore Pondy and Auroville is by rented bicycle or motorbike from outlets (Mission St; per day bicycle ₹100, scooter or motorbike ₹250-400) on northern Mission St, between Nehru and Vysial Sts.
Auroville
%0413 / POP 2953
Auroville, ‘the City of Dawn’, is a place that anyone with idealistic leanings will find compelling. It’s an international community dedicated to peace, sustainability and ‘divine consciousness’, where people from across the globe, ignoring creed, colour and nationality, work together to build a universal, cash-free, nonreligious township. Some 12km northwest of Puducherry, Auroville was founded in 1968 by ‘the Mother’, cofounder of Puducherry’s Sri Aurobindo Ashram.
Tucked into the jungle are more than 100 scattered settlements, with about 2500 residents of 52 nationalities – some 60% of Aurovillians are foreign. Visiting offers a glimpse into this self-styled utopia, where you can bliss out on the peaceful setting, the oddly beautiful Matrimandir and the easygoing friendliness. What’s more, you’ll find some excellent restaurants and cafes within Auroville and surrounding villages. The community benefits the area with a variety of projects, from schools and IT to organic farming, renewable energy and handicrafts production, employing 4000 to 5000 local villagers – but like most idealistic endeavours, it has a shadow, too, and some outsiders accuse Auroville’s inhabitants of self-indulgent escapism.
1Sights
Auroville isn’t directly geared for tourism – most inhabitants are just busy getting on with their lives – but it does have a good visitor centre (%0413-2622239; www.auroville.org; h9.30am-1pm & 1.30-5pm) with information desks, exhibitions and Auroville products. You can buy a handbook and map (₹20), and watch a 10-minute video. Free passes for external viewing of the Matrimandir, Auroville’s ‘soul’, a 1km woodland walk away, are handed out here.
Visitors are free to wander Auroville’s 10-sq-km network of roads and tracks. With two million trees planted since Auroville’s foundation, it’s a lovely shaded space. It’s best explored by bicycle, with rentals available behind the visitor centre for ₹30 per half-day (with a ₹500 deposit).
If you’re interested in getting to know Auroville, authorities recommend you stay at least 10 days and join an introduction and orientation program. To get properly involved, you’ll need to come as a volunteer for six to 12 months. Contact the Auroville Guest Service (%0413-2622675; http://guestservice.auroville.org; Solar Kitchen Bldg; h9.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-12.30pm Sat) for advice on active participation.
MatrimandirNOTABLE BUILDING
(hpasses issued 9.30am-1pm & 1.30-4.45pm Mon-Sat, to 1pm Sun) F
To some, the large, golden, almost spherical Matrimandir (Auroville’s focal point), set amid red (cement) lotus petals and surrounded by pristine green parkland, evokes divine consciousness. To others, it looks like a giant golf ball or an alien spaceship. The main inner chamber, lined with white marble, houses a large glass crystal orb that suffuses a beam of sunlight around the space, conducive to deep meditation. To view it from outside, get a free pass from the visitor centre.
If you want to meditate inside, you must reserve one to six days ahead, in person, at Auroville’s Matrimandir Access Office (%0413-2622204; mmconcentration@auroville.org.in; visitor centre; h10-11am & 2-3pm Wed-Mon).
4Sleeping & Eating
Auroville has more than 80 guesthouses and homestays of hugely varied comfort levels and budgets, from ₹200 dorm beds to ₹5400 two-person cottages with pools.
Guest Accommodation Service (%0413-2622704; http://guesthouses.auroville.org; visitor centre; h9.30am-12.30pm & 2-5pm) offers advice on guesthouses in Auroville, but bookings are direct with each property. It’s best to research and book through the website.
Dreamers CafeCAFE$
(visitor centre; snacks ₹80-150; h8am-8pm)
An open-air cafe featuring delicious pastries, sandwiches and other quick bites, along with top-notch coffee.
8Getting There & Away
The main turning to Auroville from the East Coast Rd is at Periyar Mudaliarchavadi village, 6km north of Puducherry. From there it’s 6km west to the visitor centre.
A one-way autorickshaw to or from Puducherry costs ₹300. Otherwise, rent a bicycle or motorcycle from outlets on northern Mission St in Puducherry.
Central Tamil Nadu
Chidambaram
%04144 / POP 62,150
There’s one reason to visit Chidambaram: the great temple complex of Nataraja, Shiva as the Dancer of the Universe. One of the holiest of all Shiva sites, this also happens to be a Dravidian architectural highlight. It’s easily visited on a day trip from Puducherry, or en route between Puducherry and Tharangambadi or Kumbakonam.
Most accommodation is near the temple or the bus stand (500m southeast of the temple). The train station is 1km further southeast.
Opposite the bus stand, the busy, friendly Saradharam (%04144-221336; 19 VGP St; r incl breakfast ₹1150, with AC ₹2000-2300; aW) is as good as it gets. It’s a bit worn but comfortable enough, and a welcome respite from the town-centre frenzy.
1Sights
Nataraja TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(East Car St; hinner compound 6am-noon & 4.30-10pm)
According to legend, Shiva and Kali got into a dance-off judged by Vishnu. Shiva dropped an earring and picked it up with his foot, a move that Kali could not duplicate, so Shiva won the title Nataraja (Lord of the Dance). It’s in this form that endless streams of people come to worship him at this great temple. It was built during Chola times (Chidambaram was a Chola capital), but the main shrines date to at least the 6th century.
The high-walled 22-hectare complex has four towering 12th-century gopurams decked out in ornate Dravidian stone and stucco work. The main entrance is through the east (oldest) gopuram; the 108 sacred positions of classical Tamil dance are carved in its passageway. To your right through the gopuram are the 1000-pillared 12th-century Raja Sabha (King’s Hall; open only festival days), with carved elephants, and the large Sivaganga tank.
You enter the central compound (no cameras) from the east. In its southern part (left from the entrance) is the 13th-century Nritta Sabha (Dance Hall), shaped like a chariot with 56 finely carved pillars. Some say this is the spot where Shiva out-danced Kali.
North of the Nritta Sabha, through a door, you enter the inner courtyard, where most temple rituals are performed. Right in front are the attached hutlike, golden-roofed Kanaka Sabha and Chit Sabha (Wisdom Hall). The Chit Sabha, the innermost sanctum, holds the temple’s central bronze image of Nataraja – Shiva the cosmic dancer, ending one cycle of creation, beginning another and uniting all opposites. Shiva’s invisible ‘space’ form is also worshipped here.
At puja times devotees crowd into the encircling pavilion to witness rites performed by the temple’s hereditary Brahmin priests, the Dikshithars, who shave off some of their hair but grow the rest of it long (thus representing both Shiva and Parvati) and tie it into topknots.
On the south side of the two inner shrines is the Govindaraja Shrine with a reclining Vishnu. Overlooking the tank from the west, the Shivakamasundari Shrine displays fine ochre-and-white 17th-century Nayak ceiling murals.
Priests may offer to guide you around the temple for ₹200 to ₹300. Unusually for Tamil Nadu, this magnificent temple is privately funded and managed, so you may wish to support it by hiring one, but there are no official guides.
8Getting There & Away
Government buses depart from the bus stand (VGP St). Universal Travels (%044-9842440926; VGP St; h9am-10pm), opposite the bus stand, runs Volvo AC buses to Chennai (₹500, five hours) at 8am and 4.30pm.
Destinations include those listed opposite.
BUSES FROM CHIDAMBARAM
| Destination | Fare (₹) | Time (hr) | Departures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | 300 | 6 | every 30min |
| Kumbakonam | 60 | 3 | hourly |
| Puducherry | 75 | 2 | every 30min |
| Thanjavur | 120 | 3-4 | hourly |
| Tharangambadi | 40 | 2-3 | every 30min |
TRAINS FROM CHIDAMBARAM
| Destination | Fare (₹) | Time (hr) | Departures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai | 300 | 6 | every 30min |
| Kumbakonam | 60 | 3 | hourly |
| Puducherry | 75 | 2 | every 30min |
| Thanjavur | 120 | 3-4 | hourly |
| Tharangambadi | 40 | 2-3 | every 30min |
Tharangambadi (Tranquebar)
%04364 / POP 22,500
South of Chidambaram, the Cauvery River’s many-armed delta stretches 180km along the coast and into the hinterland. The Cauvery is the beating heart of Tamil agriculture and its valley was the heartland of the Chola empire. Today the delta is one of Tamil Nadu’s prettiest, poorest and most traditional areas.
The tiny seaside town of Tharangambadi, still known as Tranquebar, is easily the most appealing base. A great place to recharge from the crowded towns inland, this quiet former Danish colony is set right on a long sandy beach with delicious sea breezes and fishing boats. Denmark sold it to the British East India Company in 1845.
With its colonial-era buildings, the old part of town inside the 1792 Landporten Gate makes a brilliantly peaceful stroll, and has been significantly restored since the 2004 tsunami, which killed about 800 people here. INTACH Pondicherry (www.intachpondicherry.org) has a good downloadable map.
Notable buildings in town include the 1884 post office (Post Office St; h8.30am-6pm Mon-Sat), the 1718 New Jerusalem Church (Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church; King’s St; hdawn-dusk) and the tiny Maritime Museum (Queen’s St; Indian/foreigner ₹5/50; h9.30am-2pm & 2.30-5pm, hours vary), with a display on the 2004 tsunami. The peach-hued seafront Dansborg fort (Parade Ground, King’s St; Indian/foreigner ₹5/50, camera/video ₹30/100; h10am-5.45pm Sat-Thu) dates from 1624 and was occupied by the British in 1801. In its prime, it was the world’s second-largest Danish castle.
4Sleeping & Eating
Nippon PalaceHOTEL$
(%9344440088; East Coast Rd; d ₹980-1200, with AC₹1500-1700; iW)
This newcomer is efficiently run by a manager fluent in English and helpful staff. Rooms are spacious and clean, delivering solid value. It’s on the main road, about 300m from the bus stand.
oBungalow on the BeachHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(%04364-289036; www.neemranahotels.com; 24 King’s St; r incl breakfast ₹8260-11,520; aWs)
Most Tranquebar accommodation is run by the sea-front Bungalow on the Beach, in the exquisitely restored 17th-century former residence of the British administrator. There are 17 beautiful old-world rooms in the main building and two other heritage locations in town. The main block has a cute multicuisine restaurant (%04364-289036; mains ₹250-550; h7.30-9.30am, 12-3pm & 7.30-9.30pm), a dreamy swimming pool and a fantastic wraparound terrace. Book ahead.
8Getting There & Away
Buses in this region get incredibly crowded. Tharangambadi has regular connections with Chidambaram (₹75, two hours, hourly) and Karaikal (₹16, 30 minutes, half-hourly). From Karaikal buses go to Kumbakonam (₹55, two hours, half-hourly), Thanjavur (₹75, three hours, every hour) and Puducherry (₹115, four hours, half-hourly).
Kumbakonam
%0435 / POP 170,000
At first glance Kumbakonam is just another chaotic Indian junction town, but then you notice the dozens of colourful gopurams pointing skyward from its 18 temples – a reminder that this was once a seat of medieval South Indian power. With another two magnificent World Heritage–listed Chola temples nearby, it’s worth staying the night.
1Sights
Nageshwara TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Nageswaran Koil St; h6.30am-12.30pm & 4-8.30pm)
Founded by the Cholas in 886, this is Kumbakonam’s oldest temple, dedicated to Shiva as Nagaraja, the serpent king. On three days of the year (in April or May) the sun’s rays fall on the lingam. The elevated Nataraja shrine on the right in front of the inner sanctum is fashioned, in typical Chola style, like a horse-drawn chariot; colourful modern elephants stand beside it.
Kumbeshwara TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; off Kumbeswarar East St; h6.30am-12.30pm & 4-8.30pm)
Kumbeshwara Temple, entered via a nine-storey gopuram, a small bazaar and a long porticoed mandapa, is Kumbakonam’s biggest Shiva temple. It dates from the 17th and 18th centuries and contains a lingam said to have been made by Shiva himself when he mixed the nectar of immortality with sand.
Mahamaham TankRELIGIOUS SITE
(map Google map; LBS Rd)
Surrounded by 16 pavilions, the huge Mahamaham Tank is one of Kumbakonam’s most sacred sites. It’s believed that every 12 years the waters of India’s holiest rivers, including the Ganges, flow into it, and at this time a festival is held (next due: 2028). On the tank’s north side, the Kashivishvanatha Temple (map Google map; LBS Rd; h6.30am-12.30pm & 4-8.30pm) contains an intriguing trio of river goddesses, the central of which embodies the Cauvery River.
Sarangapani TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Sarangapani Koil Sannadhi St; h6.30am-12.30pm & 4-8.30pm)
Sarangapani is Kumbakonam’s largest Vishnu temple, with a 45m-high eastern gopuram embellished with low-level dancing panels as its main entrance. Past the temple cowshed (Krishna the cowherd is one of Vishnu’s forms), another gopuram and a pillared hall, you reach the inner sanctuary, a 12th-century Chola creation styled like a chariot with big carved elephants, horses and wheels. Photography is not permitted inside.
Ramaswami TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Sarangapani 5th St; h6.30am-12.30pm & 4-8.30pm)
Dating back to 1620, this temple at the southernmost end of Kumbakonam’s main bazaar street has beautiful Nayak horse and yali carvings and fine frescoes.
4Sleeping & Eating
Hotel MetroHOTEL$
(%0435-2403377; www.thehotelmetro.com; 19/11 Sarangapani Koil Sannadhi St; r ₹1300-1900; aW)
Comfortable modern rooms with good beds make this the best value in Kumbakonam, especially since discounts are offered if it isn’t fully booked.
Hotel Raya’sHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0435-2423170; www.hotelrayas.com; 18 Head Post Office Rd; r ₹1290, with AC ₹1515-1960; a)
The Swiss-army knife of Kumbakonam hotels, Raya’s has something for almost everyone, and can be busy. Service is friendly, but the lower-class rooms feel like they’ve been too neglected for too long. The Hotel Raya’s Annexe (map Google map; %0435-2423270; 19 Head Post Office Rd; r ₹1850; aW) has the best, brightest rooms, but look at a few before settling on one if you can. The hotel’s restaurant Sathars Restaurant (map Google map; %0435-2423170; mains ₹140-240; h11.30am-11.30pm) is popular for its veg and nonveg fare.
oMantra KoodamRESORT$$$
(%0435-2462621; www.cghearth.com; 1 Bagavathapuram Main Rd Extension, Srisailapathipuram Village; incl breakfast s ₹8500-9720, d ₹9720-10,940; aWs) S
Lost in the riverside jungle, 10km northeast of Kumbakonam, this is a wonderful retreat from temple-town chaos. Comfy modern-rustic, Chettiar-style cottages are fronted by porches with rocking chairs, and have open-air showers and carved-teak doors. Cooking classes and trips to local silk weavers, traditional fabric painters and wax-casting sculptors are offered. The exquisite restaurant is Indian gourmet.
WORTH A TRIP
CHOLA TEMPLES NEAR KUMBAKONAM
Two of the three great monuments of Chola civilisation stand in villages just outside Kumbakonam: Darasuram’s Airavatesvara Temple and the Gangaikondacholapuram Temple. Unlike the also World Heritage–listed Brihadishwara Temple at Thanjavur, today these two temples receive relatively few worshippers (and visitors). They are wonderful both for their overall form (with pyramidal towers rising at the heart of rectangular walled compounds) and for the exquisite detail of their carved, unpainted stone.
Three kilometres west of Kumbakonam, the late-Chola Shiva Airavatesvara Temple (Darasuram; h6am-8pm, inner shrine 6am-1pm & 4-8pm) was constructed by Raja Raja II (1146–73). The steps of Rajagambhira Hall are carved with vivid elephants and horses pulling chariots. This pavilion’s 108 pillars, each unique, have marvellously detailed carvings, including dancers, acrobats and the five-in-one beast yali (elephant’s head, lion’s body, goat’s horns, pig’s ears and cow’s backside). Inside the main shrine (flanked by guardians), you can honour the central lingam and get a tilak (auspicious forehead mark) for ₹10. On the outside of the shrine are several fine carved images of Shiva. Four mandapas frame the corners of the courtyardlike complex.
The temple at Gangaikondacholapuram (Brihadishwara Temple; h6am-noon & 4-8pm) – ‘City of the Chola who Conquered the Ganges’ – 35km north of Kumbakonam, is dedicated to Shiva. It was built by Rajendra I in the 11th century when he moved the Chola capital here from Thanjavur, and has many similarities to Thanjavur’s earlier Brihadishwara Temple. Its beautiful 49m-tall tower, however, has a slightly concave curve, making it the ‘feminine’ counterpart to the mildly convex Thanjavur one. Artistic highlights are the wonderfully graceful sculptures around the tower’s exterior.
A massive Nandi (Shiva’s vehicle) faces the temple from the tranquil surrounding gardens; a lion stands guard nearby. The main shrine, beneath the tower, contains a huge lingam and is approached through a long 17th-century hall. The fine carvings on the tower’s exterior include: Shiva as the beggar Bhikshatana, immediately left of the southern steps; Ardhanarishvara (Shiva as half-man, half-woman) and Shiva as Nataraja, on the south side; Shiva with Ganga, Shiva emerging from the lingam, and Vishnu with Lakshmi and Bhudevi (the southernmost three images on the west side); and Shiva with Parvati (the northernmost image on the west side). Most famous is the masterful panel of Shiva garlanding the head of his follower, Chandesvara, beside the northern steps.
Most travellers visit the temples as a day trip from Kumbakonam. From Kumbakonam bus stand, buses to Gangaikondacholapuram (₹20, 1½ hours) run every 30 minutes. Returning, it can be quicker to catch a bus to Jayamkondan and transfer to Kumbakonam there. A half-day car trip to both temples, through Kumbakonam’s reliable Hotel Raya’s, costs ₹2400 (₹2700 with AC).
8Getting There & Away
BUS
Government buses depart from the bus stand (60 Feet Rd).
BUSES FROM KUMBAKONAM
| Destination | Fare (₹) | Time (hr) | Departures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai (AC) | 300 | 8 | 1.50pm |
| Chidambaram | 50 | 2½-3 | every 30min |
| Karaikal | 40 | 2¼ | every 15min |
| Thanjavur (Tanjore) | 30 | 2 | every 5min |
| Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) | 60 | 4 | every 5min |
TRAIN
Five daily trains head to Thanjavur (2nd class/3AC/2AC ₹45/495/700, 30 minutes to one hour) and four to Trichy (₹60/495/700, 1½ to 2½ hours). Five daily trains to/from Chennai Egmore include the overnight Chennai Express/Train 16852 (sleeper/3AC/2AC/1AC ₹210/560/800/1335, 6½ hours) and the daytime Chennai Express/Train 16796 (₹210/555/795/1325, six to seven hours).
Thanjavur (Tanjore)
%04362 / POP 500,000
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. A dizzying historical legacy was forged from Thanjavur, capital of the great Chola empire during its heyday. Today Thanjavur is a crowded, hectic, modern Indian town – but the past is still very much present. Every day thousands of people worship at the Cholas’ grand Brihadishwara Temple, and the city’s labyrinthine royal palace preserves memories of other, later powerful dynasties.
1Sights
oBrihadishwara TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Big Temple; Big Temple St; h6am-8.30pm, central shrine 8.30am-12.30pm & 4-8.30pm)
Come here twice: in the morning, when the honey-hued granite begins to assert its dominance over the white dawn sunshine, and in the evening, when the rocks capture a hot palette of reds, oranges, yellows and pinks on the crowning glory of Chola temple architecture. The World Heritage–listed Brihadishwara Temple was built between 1003 and 1010 by Raja Raja I (‘king of kings’). The outer fortifications were put up by Thanjavur’s later Nayak and British regimes.
You enter through a Maratha-era 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 and framed by slim pillars, this 16th-century Nayak creation is 6m long. Don’t miss the sublime sculptures at the shrine dedicated to Lakshmi, to the right of Nandi when entering the complex.
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 dwarpals (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; and 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 and north walls, hundreds more linga. Both west and 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 the 18th-century neoclassical Schwartz’s Church (map Google map; off Big Temple St; hdawn-dusk) and a park containing the Sivaganga tank (map Google map; off Big Temple St; ₹5, camera/video ₹10/25; hdawn-dusk).
Official guides can be hired at the tourist information booth just outside the temple for 90-minute tours (₹500).
oRoyal PalacePALACE
(map Google map; East Main St; Indian/foreigner ₹50/200, camera ₹30/100; h9am-1pm & 1.30-5.30pm, art gallery 9.30am-1pm & 2-5pm)
Thanjavur’s royal palace is a mixed bag of ruin and renovation, superb art and random royal paraphernalia. The mazelike complex was constructed partly by the Nayaks who took over Thanjavur in 1535, and partly by a local Maratha dynasty that ruled from 1676 to 1855. The two don’t-miss sections are the Saraswati Mahal Library Museum and the Art Gallery.
Seven different sections of the palace can be visited. ‘Full’ tickets include the Art Gallery and Saraswati Mahal Library Museum, along with the Mahratta Dharbar Hall, bell tower and Saarjah Madi; other sections require extra tickets. The main entrance is from the north, off East Main St. On the way in you’ll come to the main ticket office, followed by the Maratha Palace complex.
Past the ticket office, a passage to the left leads to: first, the Royal Palace Museum (₹2), a small miscellany of sculptures, weaponry, elephant bells and rajas’ headgear; second, the Maharaja Serfoji Memorial Hall (₹4), commemorating the enlightened Maratha scholar-king Serfoji II (1798–1832), with a better collection overlooking a once-splendid, now crumbling courtyard; and third, the Mahratta Dharbar Hall (h10am-5pm), where Maratha rulers gave audience in a grand but faded pavilion adorned with colourful murals (including their own portraits behind the dais) and sturdy pillars topped by arches filled with gods.
Exiting the passage, the fabulous Saraswati Mahal Library Museum is on your left, through a vibrant entranceway. Perhaps Serfoji II’s greatest contribution to posterity, this is testimony both to the 19th-century obsession with knowledge accumulation and to an eclectic mind that collected prints of Chinese torture methods, Audubon-style paintings of Indian flora and fauna, world atlases, dictionaries and rare medieval books. Serfoji amassed more than 65,000 books and 50,000 palm-leaf paper manuscripts in Indian and European languages, though most aren’t displayed. Hourly audiovisual displays (h10.30am-4.30pm), highlight Thanjavur’s sights, history and traditions in the attached cinema room.
Leaving the library, turn left for the Art Gallery, set around the Nayak Palace courtyard behind the bell tower. It contains a collection of stone carvings and superb, mainly Chola, bronzes, including some fabulous Natarajas in the New Visitors Hall; 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 Tharangambadi.
The renovated Saarjah Madi is best admired from East Main Rd for its ornate balconies.
4Sleeping
It’s well worth staying in Thanjavur to see the ‘Big’ Temple at sunset. Central Thanjavur has a bunch of nondescript, cheap lodges opposite the SETC and local bus stands, a couple of decent midrange hotels, and a fabulous heritage option.
Kasi InnHOTEL$
(%04362-231908; 1493 South Rampart Rd; s ₹1000, d₹1120-1650)
Thanjavur’s best value in the town centre has smallish but well-kept rooms with good mattresses and (sometimes) wi-fi. Plus, it’s kitty-corner to an ice-cream shop!
Hotel ValliHOTEL$
(map Google map; %04362-231584; 2948 MKM Rd; s/d ₹610/770, r with AC from ₹1090; aW)
Near the train station, green-painted Valli offers no-frills, spick-and-span rooms, friendly staff and a basic restaurant. It’s in a reasonably peaceful leafy spot beyond a bunch of greasy backstreet workshops and a booze shop.
Tanjore HomestayHOMESTAY$$
(%9443157667; www.tanjorehomestay.blogspot.in; 64A Giri Rd, Srinivasa Puram; s/d incl breakfast ₹1800/2300; iW)
Under the watch of a welcoming Indian couple who serve tasty home-cooked meals, this low-key homestay offers four simple rooms with splashes of art. Breakfast is served in the pretty back garden and there’s a rooftop terrace, plus hot water, air-con and wi-fi. It’s in a residential area, 1.5km west of Thanjavur’s main temple; no sign.
Hotel GnanamHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %04362-278501; www.hotelgnanam.com; Anna Salai; s/d incl breakfast ₹2700/3200; aW)
One of the better values in town, the Gnanam has comfy, stylish rooms (some with balconies), with marble floors and polka-dot curtains. It’s perfect for anyone needing modern amenities in Thanjavur’s geographical centre. Its Diana (map Google map; %04362-278501; mains ₹125-350; h11.30am-3.30pm & 6.30-10.30pm) and Sahana (map Google map; %04362-278501; mains ₹120-185; h7am-10.30pm) restaurants are both good. Book ahead.
oSvatmaHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(%04362-273222; www.svatma.in; 4/1116 Blake Higher Secondary School Rd, Maharnonbu Chavadi; r incl breakfast ₹13,440-22,400; aWs)
This gorgeous boutique-heritage hotel has an elegant, uncluttered look inspired by and incorporating traditional local arts and crafts. Of the 38 rooms, those in the revamped heritage wing have the most character. Enjoy the dance shows, cooking classes, bronze-casting demonstrations – plus a spa and heavenly pool. It’s 1.5km southeast of central Thanjavur.
Tanjore HiBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(%9487810301, 04362-252111; www.dunewellnessgroup.com; 464 East Main St; r ₹4720; aW) S
Just north of Thanjavur’s palace, Tanjore Hi is a century-old, ecofriendly house refurbished with strikingly contemporary flair. Bold modern decor is all about deep blues, fresh whites, warm woods, wall murals and wildly illuminated ceilings. A staircase spirals up to the good, organic-fuelled, Indian-international rooftop restaurant.
5Eating
JigarthandaICE CREAM$
(South Rampart Rd; scoops ₹30; h9.30am-10.30pm)
Cool off here with the best ice cream in town – it’s ‘homemade in a factory’, according to the workers.
Tanjore HiMULTICUISINE$$
(%04362-252111; www.duneecogroup.com; 464 East Main St; mains ₹210-325; h7.30-10am, 12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-10pm) S
On a boutique-hotel rooftop, this industrial-chic restaurant is a welcome surprise in traditional Thanjavur. The world-wandering menu is fuelled by fresh, organic ingredients grown at the hotel’s sister property in Kodaikanal. Dine at terrace tables outside or in the glassed-in air-con room.
Ideal River View ResortMULTICUISINE$$
(%04362-250533; www.idealresort.com; Vennar Bank, Palliagraharam; mains ₹200-450; h7-9.30am, 12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-9.30pm)
The good, semi-open-air Indian/Sri Lankan/Chinese restaurant at the jungle-fringed Ideal River View Resort (%04362-250533; s/d incl breakfast ₹6500/7080; aWs) overlooks the river.
8Information
Tourist office (%04362-230984; Hotel Tamil Nadu, Gandhiji Rd; h10am-5.45pm Mon-Fri) One of Tamil Nadu’s more helpful offices.
8Getting There & Away
BUS
The downtown SETC Bus Stand (RMH Rd) has hourly express buses to Chennai (₹420, 8¼ hours) from 7.30am to 12.30pm and 8pm to 11pm. Buses for most other cities leave from the New Bus Station (Trichy Main Rd), 5km southwest of the centre. Many arriving buses will drop you off in the city centre on the way out there. Services from the New Bus Station include: Chidambaram (₹100, four hours, hourly), Kumbakonam (₹40, 1½ hours, every five minutes), Madurai (₹130, four hours, every 15 minutes) and Trichy (Tiruchirappalli; ₹43, 1½ hours, every five minutes)
TRAIN
The train station is at the southern end of Gandhiji Rd.
Chennai Four daily trains head to Chennai Egmore (seven hours) including the 11.20pm Chennai Express – train 16852 (sleeper/3AC/2AC/1AC ₹225/605/865/1450).
Kumbakonam Twelve daily trains – five with reserved seating (sleeper/3AC/2AC ₹45/495/700, 30 minutes to 1¼ hours).
Madurai Seventeen services per day (sleeper/3AC/2AC ₹160/495/700, four to five hours).
Trichy Nineteen daily trains – six have reserved seating (2nd class/3AC/2AC ₹45/495/700, 1½ hours), 13 are unreserved (₹15).
8Getting Around
Bus 74 (₹10) shuttles between the New Bus Station and the central local bus stand (South Rampart); autorickshaws cost ₹120.
Trichy (Tiruchirappalli)
%0431 / POP 847,390
Welcome to (more or less) the geographical centre of Tamil Nadu. Tiruchirappalli, universally called Trichy or Tiruchi, isn’t just a travel junction: it also mixes up a heaving bazaar with some major temples. It’s a huge, crowded, busy city, and the fact that most hotels are clumped together around the big bus station isn’t exactly a plus point. But Trichy has a strong character and long history, and a way of overturning first impressions.
Trichy may have been a capital of the early Cholas in the 3rd century BC. It passed through the hands of the Pallavas, medieval Cholas, Pandyas, Delhi Sultanate and Vijayanagars before the Madurai Nayaks brought it to prominence, making it a capital in the 17th century and building its famous Rock Fort Temple. Under British control, it became an important railway hub known as Trichinopoly.
1Sights
oSri Ranganathaswamy TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; Srirangam; camera/video ₹50/100; h6am-9.30pm)
So large it feels like a self-enclosed city, Sri Ranganathaswamy is quite possibly India’s biggest temple. It has 49 separate Vishnu shrines, and reaching the inner sanctum from the south, as most worshippers do, requires passing through seven gopurams. The first (southernmost), the Rajagopuram (map Google map), was added in 1987, and is one of Asia’s tallest temple towers at 73m high. Non-Hindus cannot pass the sixth gopuram so won’t see the innermost sanctum, where Vishnu as Ranganatha reclines on a five-headed snake.
You pass through streets with shops, restaurants, motorbikes and cars until you reach the temple proper at the fourth gopuram. Inside on the left is an information counter selling tickets for the roof viewpoint (₹20), which affords semipanoramic views. Take no notice of would-be guides who spin stories to get hired. Also here, in the southwest corner, is the beautiful 16th-century Venugopal Shrine, adorned with superbly detailed Nayak-era carvings of preening gopis (milkmaids) and the flute-playing Krishna (Vishnu’s eighth incarnation).
Turn right just before the fifth gopuram for the small Art Museum (map Google map; ₹5; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm), displaying fine bronzes, tusks of bygone temple elephants, and a collection of exquisite 17th-century Nayak ivory figurines depicting gods, demons, and kings and queens (some in erotic poses). Continue left past the museum to the Sesha Mandapa, a 16th-century pillared hall with magnificently detailed monolithic Vijayanagar carvings of rearing battle horses and Vishnu’s 10 incarnations sculpted on pillars. Immediately north is the 1000-pillared hall, whose recently unearthed lower base is carved into dance positions.
Inside the fifth gopuram is the Garuda Mandapa, containing an enormous shrine to Vishnu’s man-eagle assistant, posed in semiseated position to show that he’s ever-ready to leap up and go to Vishnu the moment he is called to fly the god somewhere. Note, too, four remarkable sculptures of Nayak donors (with daggers on the hip).
Take bus 1 to/from the Central Bus Station or the Rock Fort stops just south of the Rajagopuram.
Sri Jambukeshwara TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(Tiruvanakoil, Srirangam; h5am-8pm)
Of Tamil Nadu’s five Shiva elemental temples, Sri Jambukeshwara is dedicated to Shiva, Parvati and the medium of water. The liquid theme is realised in the central shrine (closed to non-Hindus), whose Shiva lingam reputedly issues a nonstop trickle of water. In the north part of the complex is a shrine dedicated to Akilandeswari, Jambukeshwara’s consort. A good time to visit is around noon, when the temple elephant is involved in a procession between the two shrines.
If you’re taking bus 1, ask for ‘Tiruvanakoil’; the temple is 350m east of the main road.
oRock Fort TempleHINDU TEMPLE
(map Google map; NSB Rd; camera/video ₹5/20; h6am-8pm)
The Rock Fort Temple, perched 83m high on a massive outcrop, lords over Trichy with stony arrogance. The ancient rock was first hewn by the Pallavas and Pandyas, who cut small cave temples on its south side, but it was the war-savvy Nayaks who later made strategic use of the naturally fortified position. Reaching the top requires climbing over 400 stone-cut steps.
From NSB Rd on the south side, you pass between small shops and cross a street before entering the temple precinct itself, where there’s a shoe stand. You might meet the temple elephant here. Then it’s 180 steps up to the Thayumanaswamy Temple, the rock’s biggest temple, on the left (closed to non-Hindus); a gold-topped tower rises over its sanctum. Further up, you pass the 6th-century Pallava upper cave temple on the left (usually railed off); on the left inside is a famous Gangadhara panel showing Shiva restraining the Ganges with a single strand of his hair. From here it’s another 183 steps to the summit’s small Uchipillaiyar Temple, dedicated to Ganesh. The views are wonderful, with eagles wheeling beneath and Trichy sprawling all around.
Back at the bottom, check out the 8th-century Pandya lower rock-cut cave temple, with particularly fine pillars (turn right as you exit the temple precinct, past five or six houses, then right again down a small lane).
The stone steps get scorching-hot in the midday sun and it’s a barefoot climb, so time your visit carefully.
Railway MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; Bharatiyar Salai; adult/child ₹10/5, camera/video ₹20/40; h9.30am-5.30pm Tue-Sun)
Trichy’s Railway Museum is a fascinating jumble of disused train-related equipment (phones, clocks, control boards), British-era railway construction photos, old train-line maps (including a 1935 pre-Independence Indian Railway map) – and even modern-day London Underground tickets. It’s 500m east of Trichy Junction.
St Joseph’s College MuseumMUSEUM
(map Google map; College Rd; h10am-noon & 2-4pm Mon-Sat) F
In the cool, green campus next to Lourdes Church, this dusty museum contains the creepy natural history collections of the Jesuit priests’ Western Ghats excursions of the 1870s. Ask for access at reception on the left as you approach the museum. It was being renovated at the time of research.
St John’s ChurchCHURCH
(map Google map; off Rockins Rd; hdawn-dusk, hours vary)
Adorned with original-period shuttered doors, elegant – and very white – St John’s Church dates from the early 19th century.
Lourdes ChurchCHURCH
(map; College Rd; h6am-8.30pm)
The hush of this 19th-century neo-Gothic church makes an interesting contrast to Trichy’s frenetic Hindu temples. Note the cakelike pink-accented arches and the rose window at the eastern end.
4Sleeping
Hotel AbbiramiHOTEL$
(map Google map; %0431-2415001; 10 McDonald’s Rd; r ₹750-850, with AC ₹1345-2360; aW)
Despite the ground-floor bustle, this is the best deal in town. Even the cheapest AC rooms are appealing, with light wood, colourful glass panels and decent mattresses. Non-AC rooms are a bit worn, but still well kept.
Ashby HotelHOTEL$
(map Google map; %0431-2460652; 17A Rockins Rd; s ₹650-900, d ₹750-950, with AC s ₹1120-1350, d ₹1680-1900; a)
On the street between the train station and the Central Bus Station, this long-running budget spot greets you with elephant murals on its facade. Rooms are clearly due for some upgrades but are clean enough, though those with AC are overpriced. All are set around a shady, surprisingly quiet courtyard that manages to be almost charming.
TranquilityGUESTHOUSE$$
(%9443157667; www.tranquilitytrichy.com; Anakkarai, Melur, Srirangam; s/d incl breakfast ₹3200/4000; aW)
This charming rustic-chic guesthouse sits in a gloriously rural setting 6km west of Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Elegant, unfussy rooms are sprinkled with terracotta-horse statuettes, sparkly cushions, recycled wood-carved doors and custom-made furniture. Terrace swing-chairs overlook a sea of palms. Rates include bicycles and transfers. The knowledgable owners also offer a thatched-roof homestay room just southwest of the temple’s outermost wall.
Home with a ViewHOMESTAY$$
(map Google map; %9443157667; www.tranquilitytrichy.com; 43C Raghavendra Puram, opp Raghavendra Mutt; r incl breakfast ₹2000; W)
There’s one tastefully simple thatched-roof room, with both a double and single bed, at this laid-back homestay just outside the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple’s seventh wall. Traditional homemade meals are a delight, as are the on-the-ball owners, who also run lovely countryside Tranquility, 6km west.
Grand GardeniaHOTEL$$
(%0431-4045000; www.grandgardenia.com; 22-25 Mannarpuram Junction; incl breakfast s ₹2950, d ₹3540-4720; aW)
Elegant, modern rooms provide comfy beds and glassed-in showers at this corporate-style hotel, one of Trichy’s smartest options. Nonveg Kannappa (%0431-4045000; mains ₹120-220; h11.30am-11.30pm) serves up excellent Chettinadu food; the rooftop terrace hosts a multi-cuisine restaurant (%0431-4045000; mains ₹120-240; h11.30am-3.30pm & 7-11pm). Comfort and amenities outweigh the uninspiring highway-side location, 1km south of Trichy Junction.
Breeze ResidencyHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0431-2414414; www.breezeresidency.com; 3/14 McDonald’s Rd; incl breakfast s ₹2075-3185, d ₹2250-3775; aiWs)
The Breeze is huge, aiming at upscale and in a relatively quiet, leafy location. The rooms are clean and comfortable, but feel institutional, with nothing special about them. Facilities include a gym, the buffet-only Madras Restaurant (map Google map; %0431-4045333; lunch/dinner buffet from ₹350/450; hnoon-3pm & 7.30-11pm; a), a 24-hour coffee shop and a bizarre American Wild West–themed bar.
Ramyas HotelHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0431-2414646; www.ramyas.com; 13D/2 Williams Rd; incl breakfast s ₹2100-3250, d ₹2575-3850; aiW)
Good service and facilities, plus comfortable rooms in shades of white, brown and copper, make this business-oriented hotel excellent value, though ‘business-class’ rooms are ironically small. Turquoise-clad Meridian (map Google map; %0431-2414646; mains ₹130-250; hnoon-3.30pm & 7-11.30pm) does tasty multicuisine fare, breakfast is a nice buffet and the breezy Thendral (map Google map; %0431-2414646; mains ₹140-250; h7-10.30pm) roof-garden restaurant is brilliant.
Hotel Royal SathyamHOTEL$$
(map Google map; %0431-4011414; www.sathyamgrouphotels.in; 42A Singarathope; incl breakfast s/d ₹1700/2000; aW)
Trichy Junction Area
8Transport
5Eating
Shri SangeetasINDIAN$
(map Google map; www.shrisangeetas.com; 2 VOC Rd; mains ₹95-130, thalis ₹85-150; h6am-12.30am)
Don’t let the behind-the-bus-station address put you off. Super-popular Sangeetas has tables in a buzzing, fairy-lit courtyard (or inside in air-con comfort) and a tantalising menu of pure-veg North and South Indian favourites – everything from idli and dosa to samosas, thalis and paneer tikka.
Vasanta BhavanINDIAN$
(map Google map; map; 3 NSB Rd; mains ₹95-125, thalis ₹80-150; h6am-11pm)
A great spot for a meal with views, near the Rock Fort. Tables on the outer gallery overlook the Teppakulam Tank, or there’s an air-con hall. It’s good for both North Indian veg food (of the paneer and naan genre) and South Indian. People crowd in for lunchtime thalis. There’s another branch (map; Rockins Rd; mains ₹95-125, thalis ₹80-150; h6am-11pm) in the Cantonment.
DiMoraMULTICUISINE$$
(map Google map; %0431-4040056; www.dimora.co.in; 4th fl, Ambigai City Center, B29-30 Shastri Rd; mains ₹165-455; hnoon-3.30pm & 7-11pm; W)
Waiters in all-black take orders on mobile phones to a chart-toppers soundtrack that makes this smart, busy top-floor restaurant feel more Chennai than Trichy. The menu roams all over the world, but it’s good for pastas, wood-fired pizzas, stir-fries and fresh juices, as well as tandoori and other Indian dishes.
7Shopping
Saratha’sCLOTHING
(map Google map; 45 NSB Rd; h9am-9.30pm)
Bursting with clothing of every conceivable kind and colour, Saratha’s claims to be (and might well be) the ‘largest textile showroom in India’.
8Information
Indian Panorama (%0431-4226122; www.indianpanorama.in; 5 Annai Ave, Srirangam; h10am-6pm) Trichy-based and covering all of India, this professional, reliable travel agency/tour operator is run by an Indian–New Zealander couple.
Tourist Office (map; %0431-2460136; Williams Rd; h10am-5.45pm Mon-Fri)
8Getting There & Away
Trichy is virtually in the geographical centre of Tamil Nadu and is well connected by air, bus and train.
BUS
Government buses use the busy but orderly Central Bus Station (map; Rockins Rd). The best services for longer trips are the UD (‘Ultra Deluxe’) buses; there’s a booking office for these in the southwest corner of the station.
GOVERNMENT BUSES FROM TRICHY
| DESTINATION | FARE (₹) | TIME (HR) | DEPARTURES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bengaluru (Bangalore) | 450 (A) | 8 | 20 UD daily |
| Chennai | 245/340/460 (B) | 6-7 | 15 UD, 2 AC daily |
| Coimbatore | 215 (C) | 4½-6 | every 10min |
| Kodaikanal | 400 (C) | 5½ | midnight |
| Madurai | 120 (C) | 2½ | every 15min |
| Ooty | 430 (A) | 8½ | UD 10.15pm |
| Rameswaram | 185 (C) | 6 | hourly |
| Thanjavur (Tanjore) | 45 (C) | 1½ | every 5min |
| Trivandrum | 485 (A) | 8 | UD 8am, 7.30pm, 9.30pm, 10.30pm |
Fares: (A) Ultra Deluxe (UD), (B) regular/UD/AC, (C) regular
For Kodaikanal, you can also take a bus to Dindigul (₹70, two hours, every 15 minutes) and change there.
Private Buses
Private bus companies have offices near the Central Bus Station.
Parveen Travels (map; %9840962198; www.parveentravels.com; 12B Ashby Complex, Rockins Rd; h24hr) AC buses to Chennai (₹720, six hours, 12 daily), Trivandrum (₹1300, seven hours, 10pm and 11.30pm), and Kodaikanal (₹850, 4½ hours, 1.30am) plus non-AC semisleeper buses to Puducherry (₹550, four hours, 11.50pm) and Kodaikanal (₹550, 4½ hours, 2.15am).
TRAIN
Trichy Junction station is on the main Chennai–Madurai line. Of the 16 daily express services to Chennai, the best daytime option is the 9.05am Vaigai Express (2nd/chair class ₹145/520, 5½ hours). The overnight Pandian Express (sleeper/3AC/2AC/1AC ₹245/630/880/1470, 6¼ hours) leaves at 11.10pm.
Eleven daily trains to Madurai include the 7.05am Tirunelveli Express (2nd class/chair class ₹95/345, 2¼ hours) and the 1.35pm Guruvayur Express (2nd class/sleeper/3AC/2AC ₹80/140/495/700, 2¾ hours).
At least six daily trains head to Thanjavur (2nd class/sleeper/3AC ₹45/140/495, 40 minutes to 1½ hours).
TAXI
Travel agencies and hotels provide cars with drivers.
Reasonably priced Femina Travels (map; %0431-2418532; www.feminahotel.net; 109 Williams Rd; h6.30am-10pm) charges ₹2000 for up to eight hours and 100km (AC car).
There’s an Ola kiosk (map; h24hr) outside the railway station.
8Getting Around
Bus 1 from Rockins Rd outside the Central Bus Station goes every few minutes to the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple (₹10) and back, stopping near the Rock Fort Temple and Sri Jambukeshwara Temple en route.
Autorickshaws from the Central Bus Station cost ₹200 to the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple and ₹150 to the Rock Fort Temple.
Southern Tamil Nadu
Chettinadu
The Chettiars, a community of traders based around Karaikkudi (95km south of Trichy), hit the big time in the 19th century as financiers and entrepreneurs in colonial-era Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. They lavished their fortunes on building 10,000 (maybe even 30,000) ridiculously opulent mansions in the 75 towns and villages of their arid rural homeland, Chettinadu. No expense was spared on finding the finest materials for these palatial homes: Burmese teak, Italian marble, Indian rosewood, English steel, and art and sculpture from everywhere.
After WWII, the Chettiars’ businesses crashed. Many families left Chettinadu, and disused mansions decayed and were demolished or sold. Awareness of their value started to revive around the turn of the 21st century, with Chettinadu making it on to Unesco’s tentative World Heritage list in 2014. Several mansions have now been converted into gorgeous heritage hotels that are some of Tamil Nadu’s best.
1Sights & Activities
While there are a number of worthwhile sights scattered among Chettinadu’s numerous villages, just being here is enough to make a stop rewarding. Aside from the main hubs of Pudukkottai and Karaikkudi, most towns are rural and peaceful, offering a unique combination of simple country life and impressive mansion architecture. The village of Kanadukathan is a great base from which to explore, and has a variety of accommodation and attractions – though nearby Kothamangalam, with the remarkable Saratha Vilas hotel, is also a choice place to stay. Other places worth visiting include Athangudi, with its famed mansion and tile makers, and Namunasamudram, with a unique religious shrine. To see the various sights in the area, it’s easiest to hire a car or a rickshaw for full or half-day tours.
Vijayalaya CholisvaramHINDU TEMPLE
(Narthamalai; hdawn-dusk)
This small but stunning temple stands on a dramatically deserted rock slope 1km southwest of Narthamalai village (16km north of Pudukkottai). Reminiscent of the Shore Temple at Mamallapuram, without the crowds, it was probably built in the 8th or 9th century AD. Two (often locked) rock-cut shrines adorn the rock face behind, one with 12 impressively large reliefs of Vishnu. The Narthamalai turnoff is 7km south of Keeranur on the Trichy–Pudukkottai road; it’s 2km west to Narthamalai itself.
SittannavasalJAIN TEMPLE
(Sittannavasal; Indian/foreigner ₹25/300, car ₹40; hdawn-dusk)
About 16km northwest of Pudukkottai, this small Jain cave temple conceals magnificent vegetable-oil frescoes, which you’ll probably get to appreciate all by yourself. Note the Edenic garden paradise painted on the main ceiling, which includes fish, mythical sea monsters and beautiful water maidens. Or try making your ‘Om’ echo across an acoustic masterpiece of a meditation chamber, where statues of Jain saints sit cross-legged.
Pudukkottai MuseumMUSEUM
(Thirukokarnam, Pudukkottai; Indian/foreigner ₹5/100, camera/video ₹20/100; h9.30am-5pm Sat-Thu)
The relics of Chettinadu’s bygone days are on display at this wonderful museum, 4km north of Pudukkottai train station. Its eclectic collection includes musical instruments, stamps, jewellery, megalithic burial artefacts, and some remarkable paintings, sculptures and miniatures.
Athangudi Palace TilesWORKSHOP
(%9442229331; www.athangudipalacetiles.com; Athangudi Rd, Athangudi; ₹100; h8am-6pm)
Lusting after those exquisite handmade Chettinadu-mansion tiles? Then swing by this long-standing Athangudi workshop, where you can watch expert tile-makers displaying their technique. And of course, there are tiles for sale. Tile production starts each morning around 11am.
Sri Mahalakshmi Handloom Weaving CentreWORKSHOP
(19/6 KM St, Kanadukathan; h9.30am-5.30pm) F
Chettinadu is known for its handwoven, contrasting-colour silk-and-cotton Kandaangi saris (now increasingly hard to find). At this small weaving complex, you can watch weavers at work and browse racks of beautiful textiles.
4Sleeping & Eating
To get a feel for the palatial life, book into one of Chettinadu’s top-end hotels; they’re pricey, but the experience is unique.
Chettinad PackerHOSTEL$
(%9786396414; www.facebook.com/ChettinadPacker; 30 AR St, Kanadukathan; per person ₹900; aW)
Chettinadu’s only backpacker-oriented accommodation features dorm rooms with bunk beds, plus one private room with four single beds. Simple but clean and well cared for, it’s run by the same family that owns Chettinadu Mansion. There’s a shared kitchen and a pleasant, shaded outdoor garden space. If you’re on a budget, stay here.
oSaratha VilasBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(%9884936158, 9884203175; www.sarathavilas.com; 832 Main Rd, Kothamangalam; r incl breakfast ₹7200-12,100; aiWs)
A different Chettiar charm inhabits this gorgeously renovated, French-run mansion from 1910, 6km east of Kanadukathan. Rooms combine the traditional and the contemporary with distinct French panache; the food is an exquisite mix of Chettiar and French; and there’s a chic saltwater pool.
Most furnishings were personally designed by the knowledgable architect owners, hugely active players in the preservation of Chettinadu heritage.
They’re also founders of local conservation NGO ArcHeS.
oBangalaHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(%04565-220221; www.thebangala.com; Devakottai Rd, Karaikkudi; r incl breakfast ₹7640-8860; aWs)
Chettinadu’s original heritage hotel, this lovingly revamped, efficiently managed whitewashed ‘bungalow’ isn’t a typical mansion but has all the requisite charm: colour-crammed rooms, antique furniture, old family photos and a beautiful tile-fringed pool. It’s famous for its food: banana-leaf ‘meals’ (veg/nonveg ₹900/1000) are actually Chettiar wedding feasts (12.30pm to 2.30pm and 8pm to 10pm; book two hours ahead).
There are cooking ‘masterclasses’, yoga retreats, massage, and exclusive-access visits to local mansions.
oVisalamHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(%04565-273301; www.cghearth.com; Local Fund Rd, Kanadukathan; r incl breakfast from ₹8140; aiWs)
Stunningly restored and professionally run by a Malayali hotel chain, Visalam is a relatively young Chettiar mansion, done in a fashionable 1930s art deco style. It’s still decorated with the original owners’ photos, furniture and paintings. The garden is exquisite, the 15 large rooms full of character, and the pool setting magical, with overflowing bougainvillea and a low-key restaurant alongside.
Chettinadu CourtHOTEL$$$
(%9585594087; www.chettinadcourt.com; Raja’s St, Kanadukathan; r incl breakfast from ₹4490; aWs)
For a (relatively) economical Chettinadu sojourn, welcoming Chettinadu Court offers eight pleasant rooms sporting Athangudi tiles and a few heritage touches, along with a casual dining room that’s really Kanadukathan’s main tourist restaurant. The hotel shares an off-site pool with its nearby sister property Chettinadu Mansion.
Chettinadu MansionHERITAGE HOTEL$$$
(%04565-273080; www.chettinadmansion.com; SARM House, 11 AR St, Kanadukathan; r incl breakfast from ₹6850; aWs)
Friendly, well run and packed with character, this colourful century-old mansion is still owned (and lived in) by the original family. Of its 126 rooms, 12 are open to guests – all sizeable, with wacky colour schemes and private balconies gazing out over other mansions. The owners also run nearby Chettinadu Court, which has eight heritage-inspired rooms. The two share an off-site pool.
CHETTINADU’S MANSIONS
Chettiar mansions are deeply traditional, privately owned family homes, with very limited visitor information. Several are open to the public, but opening hours can be erratic.
Athangudi Palace (Lakshmi House; Athangudi Rd, Athangudi; ₹100; h9am-5pm) With perhaps the most exquisitely painted wood-carved ceilings in Chettinadu, Athangudi Palace is a popular film set. Take in the especially fine materials (Belgian marble, English iron), Chettiar history panels, chequered floors, and curious statues of British colonials and Hindu gods looming above the entrance.
CVCT and CVR House (CVRMCT St, Kanadukathan; ₹50; h9am-5pm) Backed by the typical succession of pillar-lined courtyards, the impressive reception hall of this ‘twin house’ is shared by two branches of the same family. Don’t miss the fabulous views over neighbouring mansions from the rooftop terrace.
VVR House (CVRMCT St, Kanadukathan; h9am-5pm, hours vary) One of Chettinadu’s oldest mansions, built in 1870 with distinctive egg-plaster walls, Burmese-teak columns, patterned tiled floors and intricate wood carvings. A ₹50 group ‘donation’ is expected.
8Getting There & Away
Car is the best way to get to and around Chettinadu. Renting one with a driver from Trichy, Thanjavur or Madurai for two days costs around ₹7500. Or take a bus to whichever town you’d like to stay in – or as close to it as you can get – and hire a car there for day trips, for about ₹2500 per day.
From Trichy, buses run every five or 10 minutes to Pudukkottai (₹44, 1½ hours) and Karaikkudi (₹90, two hours); you can hop off and on along the way. From Madurai, buses run to Karaikkudi (₹95, two hours) every 30 minutes. There are also buses from Thanjavur and Rameswaram.
Three daily trains connect Chennai Egmore with Pudukkottai (sleeper/2AC/3AC ₹265/720/1035, six to eight hours) and Karaikkudi (₹280/775/1085, 6½ to 9½ hours). One train connects Chennai with Chettinad Station, for Kanadukathan (₹275/745/1070, nine hours).