Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tamil Nadu Highlights
Soak up the unique Franco-Indian style of Puducherry (Pondicherry, Click here )
Climb into the cool forests of the Western Ghats at Kodaikanal ( Click here ) or Ooty (Udhagamadalam, Click
here )
Admire the magnificence of Chola architecture at Thanjavur's Brihadishwara Temple ( Click here )
Spend the night in an opulent mansion in Chettinadu ( Click here )
Immerse yourself in the colour of Tamil temple life at Madurai's Meenakshi Amman Temple ( Click here )
Relax at tranquil Tranquebar ( Click here ), a quirky old Danish colony
Get acquainted with the many faces of traditional but increasingly cosmoplitan and contemporary Chennai
( Click here )
History
The Tamils consider themselves the standard bearers of Dravidian - pre-Aryan Indian -
civilisation. Dravidians are defined as speakers of languages of the Dravidian family, the
four most important of which are all rooted in South India - Tamil, Malayalam (spoken in
Kerala), Telugu (Andhra Pradesh) and Kannada (Karnataka). South Indian cultures and his-
tory are distinct from Aryan North India, and Tamils' ability to trace their identity back in
an unbroken line to classical antiquity is a source of considerable pride.
Despite the Dravidians' long-standing southern location, elements of Dravidian culture -
including a meditating god seated in the lotus position, who may be the world's first depic-
tion of the yogi archetype - existed in the early Indus civilisations of northwest India some
4000 years ago. Whether Dravidian culture was widespread around India before Aryan cul-
tures appeared in the north in the 2nd millennium BC, or whether the Dravidians only
reached the south because the Aryans drove them from the north, is a matter of debate. But
there is no question that the cushion of distance has allowed South Indian cultures to devel-
op with little interruption from northern influences or invasions for over 2000 years.
The Tamil language was well established in Tamil Nadu by the 3rd century BC, the ap-
proximate start of the Sangam Age, when Tamil poets produced the body of classical liter-
ature known as Sangam literature. Romantic versions of the era have the region ruled by
feuding poet-kings; one visitor at the time described the Tamils as favouring rose petals
over gold.
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