logo

Planning A Trip To South India? Here's Why Tirunelveli Should Top Your List!

India.com2 days ago
Tirunelveli is a city located in south Tamil Nadu, India. It is a place that has been deeply etched with history and culture which gives it a natural beauty. Some call it Oxford of South India and some as City of piety which shows that at this point in today's world we are better off than our fathers. This can be attributed to its historical relevance, cultural heterogeneity, gastronomic delights and scenic splendor.
Why it matters historically:
The city has a long history dating back many centuries which can still be seen from its temples, monuments and other landmarks. At different times the city played important roles for many dynasties like the Pandya-, Chola- or Vijayanagara empires.The place grew rich because of its location on the ancient trade routes that lead into the hinterland. The Nellaiappar Temple is one such spot visited by tourists while Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal speaks volumes about the royal life of this town.
Cultural diversity:
It has various cultures, languages and traditions making it a vibrant inclusive society. There are people from different ethnicities living together in harmony thus enriching their society's fabric. A great spectacle that attracts devotees and tourists alike is the annual Car Festival at Nellaiappar Temple due to its deep-rooted religious practices and emotions. Additionally, classical music concerts or dance performances are organized each year to highlight cultural diversity within this region as well as showcase talented artists.
Sampling Food Delicacies:
The fame about tirunelveli cannot end without eating food there since it is known for being authentic which gives unique flavors' experience. The food here is tasty with typical recipes prepared using spices aromas combined with fresh ingredients only found here.Taste buds come alive with every bite of Tirunelveli Halwa that is made from wheat, ghee, and sugar as well as the traditional taste of Idiyappam and Kuzhi Paniyaram. It is also very common to find food lovers waiting at street corners or in local restaurants enjoying traditional cooking.
Scenic Splendor:
This scenic beauty of Tirunelveli encompasses a range of landscapes from dense forests and waterfalls to quiet rivers. The city has natural features such as Courtallam Waterfalls also known by many as 'South Indian Spa' where running streams have a soothing effect on the body amidst greenery. The Thamirabarani River flows through the heart of Tirunelveli providing not only life for this region but also peace and serenity. Visitors can take a trip to the countryside or trek in Western Ghats mountain range, thus appreciating nature's tranquility in its full glory.
Conclusion
The fame associated with Tirunelveli transcends time and national boundaries prompting travelers from far away places to get enthralled in its enchantment. These are some of the reasons why one would like to go back to history, know more about culture, eat their delicious food or just gaze at their beautiful surroundings. Even today people still visit it because it's got everything you could ever want or need; an unchanging image within every change which makes us think how many things our fathers can actually envy us for.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Beyond Cholapuram: Forgotten Chola temples of Tamil Nadu echo a glorious past
Beyond Cholapuram: Forgotten Chola temples of Tamil Nadu echo a glorious past

First Post

time2 days ago

  • First Post

Beyond Cholapuram: Forgotten Chola temples of Tamil Nadu echo a glorious past

The Melpadi shrines may not have the grandeur of the Brihadeeshwara temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram nor the intricate craftsmanship of the Airavatesvara temple at Darasuram, but they form an important part of the larger Chola narrative read more Whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits a place, it gets a boost in popularity. Remember him on a Lakshadweep beach, post which folks suddenly began to think of it as an alternative to the Maldives? His most recent visit has been to a destination that is both spiritual and historic, the Shiva temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, in Tamil Nadu. While the Brihadeeshwarar temple, to use the shrine's real name, is magnificent and has been one of the 'Great Living Chola temples' on the Unesco World Heritage list since 1987, there are numerous smaller Chola shrines too that deserve a mention. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The magnificent Shiva temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram Around 143 kilometres west of Chennai and about 235 kilometres north of Gangaikonda Cholapuram lies the tiny town of Melpadi. It is a tranquil place, with few pilgrims seeking divine blessings and no Instagrammers looking for exciting content for their online followers. It wasn't always this quiet, though. More than a thousand years ago, Melpadi lay at the boundary of the jostling southern powers, with the Chola empire on one side and the Rashtrakutas on the other. Later, the Western Chalukyans replaced the Rashtrakutas. In the first half of the 10th century, the area came into the control of Parantaka Chola I (reign 907–955 CE), who renamed the place 'Virnarayanapuram' after his own title of 'Vir Narayana'. This was not mere renaming of a place but territorial marking by a ruler. And Parantaka wasn't the last Chola ruler who did that at Melpadi. His descendant, the famed Rajaraja Chola I (reign 985-1014 CE), built the Somanatheeswarar temple here around the year 1000 CE—the same time that he was building the majestic Brihadeeshwarar temple at Thanjavur. Some believe that it was Parantaka who built the original shrine here, in bricks, and Rajaraja rebuilt it in stone later. In the footsteps of his ancestor, Rajaraja also renamed the place after his own title. Goodbye Virnarayanapuram, enter Rajasrayapuram! Standing behind two layers of high walls, the Somanatheeswarar temple looks rather plain from the outside. Sitting atop its outermost wall are Nandi icons, placed at regular intervals. The inner wall is punctuated by a lofty gateway. Entering this, a visitor finds himself in an innermost courtyard that has the main shrine as well as multiple mandapas. A mukha mandapa has elegant, rounded pillars. In another mandapa are various carved icons, including Ganesha, Saptamatrikas, Veerabhadra, and more. Several architectural elements here come from later eras, including additions made by the Vijaynagara rulers. Divine iconography surrounded by inscriptions in the Somanatheeswarar temple The main shrine, dedicated to Shiva, is topped by a stone vimana, an engineering achievement of the Chola era. In various niches are icons depicting Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma, etc. With inscriptions carved on almost every inch around them, these tiny ancient shrines resemble living history. One of the most historically significant inscriptions found here is of Rajaraja Chola. It is in the form of a royal eulogy recounting his military successes. Specifically, a victory over the Pandyas and conquest of the Kudamali region find mention. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A depiction of Dakshinamurthy Shiva Reading more inscriptions is akin to going through a history book. Another one mentions a nobleman titled 'Pallavayan' (indicating Pallava lineage) in Rajaraja's service, and his donation here suggests the integration of former Pallava elites into the Chola administration. Inscriptions mention Rajaraja's direct patronage of the shrine, his land grants to it, and his renaming the town—all showing how the Cholas had turned this contested border area into part of their core kingdom. The inscriptions also mention Rajaraja building a new temple in the vicinity, which is considered a 'Pallippadai' or a memorial shrine. This new shrine was the Choleeswarar temple, which still stands. No ordinary shrine, the Choleeswarar was built on the mortal remains of Rajaraja's grandfather, Arinjaya Chola (reign 956–967 CE), who died in war. In terms of its structure, this is a very simple shrine and lacks many of the signature elements of other Chola temples—the Rajagopuram, the sacrificial platform, and the ceremonial stambh outside. Nor is there a shrine to Amman or the goddess and consort of Shiva, or subsidiary shrines to Ganesha and Chandikeshwara. But set amidst paddy fields, with the Ponnai River close by, its setting is idyllic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A divine icon within the Choleeswarar temple at Melpadi The temple is compact in design, with a single granite structure containing an ardha-mandapam, a mukha mandapam, and the inner sanctum. Though much smaller than the Somanatheeswarar, the Choleeswarar is also a repository of inscriptions that tell us about its past. One of them reveals that this Shiva temple was originally called Arinjigai-Isvaram. Going by this name, in effect, Rajaraja Chola attempted to transform his grandfather into a form of Shiva—a customary posthumous honour for kings deemed worthy of worship. Perhaps there was also a political reason—that of reinforcing the Chola claim over this border territory and adding more legitimacy to Rajaraja's rule by venerating his lineage. There are icons within niches here, but the lack of depth in the niches reveals that they may have been added much later, possibly by another dynasty. It appears that the people of Melpadi knew and acknowledged that a Chola royal was buried here. And this may have caused the temple's popular name to change to Choleeswarar, meaning 'Chola's Ishwara'. Unlike the Somanatheeswarar, which remains in worship—subject to Archaeological Survey of India rules about its timings—the Choleeswarar is a monument where prayers are not conducted. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The locals still feel an attachment to the Somanatheeswarar, but the Choleeswarar is more a royal site. There is one aspect of the latter temple that the locals are quick to point out. It is believed that, around equinox days—March 21st and September 21st—the rising sun's rays travel through the east-facing entrance and shine directly on the Shiva linga for a brief while at dawn. The black granite Linga glows in hues of gold, and local folks look upon this almost as if the sun had come to pay homage to the buried Chola king. The Melpadi shrines may not have the grandeur of the Brihadeeshwara temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram nor the intricate craftsmanship of the Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, but they form an important part of the larger Chola narrative and are representative of the large number of lesser-known shrines built by that illustrious dynasty. The author is a heritage explorer with a penchant for seeking obscure sites. A brand consultant by profession, he tweets @HiddenHeritage. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Planning A Trip To South India? Here's Why Tirunelveli Should Top Your List!
Planning A Trip To South India? Here's Why Tirunelveli Should Top Your List!

India.com

time2 days ago

  • India.com

Planning A Trip To South India? Here's Why Tirunelveli Should Top Your List!

Tirunelveli is a city located in south Tamil Nadu, India. It is a place that has been deeply etched with history and culture which gives it a natural beauty. Some call it Oxford of South India and some as City of piety which shows that at this point in today's world we are better off than our fathers. This can be attributed to its historical relevance, cultural heterogeneity, gastronomic delights and scenic splendor. Why it matters historically: The city has a long history dating back many centuries which can still be seen from its temples, monuments and other landmarks. At different times the city played important roles for many dynasties like the Pandya-, Chola- or Vijayanagara place grew rich because of its location on the ancient trade routes that lead into the hinterland. The Nellaiappar Temple is one such spot visited by tourists while Thirumalai Nayakkar Mahal speaks volumes about the royal life of this town. Cultural diversity: It has various cultures, languages and traditions making it a vibrant inclusive society. There are people from different ethnicities living together in harmony thus enriching their society's fabric. A great spectacle that attracts devotees and tourists alike is the annual Car Festival at Nellaiappar Temple due to its deep-rooted religious practices and emotions. Additionally, classical music concerts or dance performances are organized each year to highlight cultural diversity within this region as well as showcase talented artists. Sampling Food Delicacies: The fame about tirunelveli cannot end without eating food there since it is known for being authentic which gives unique flavors' experience. The food here is tasty with typical recipes prepared using spices aromas combined with fresh ingredients only found buds come alive with every bite of Tirunelveli Halwa that is made from wheat, ghee, and sugar as well as the traditional taste of Idiyappam and Kuzhi Paniyaram. It is also very common to find food lovers waiting at street corners or in local restaurants enjoying traditional cooking. Scenic Splendor: This scenic beauty of Tirunelveli encompasses a range of landscapes from dense forests and waterfalls to quiet rivers. The city has natural features such as Courtallam Waterfalls also known by many as 'South Indian Spa' where running streams have a soothing effect on the body amidst greenery. The Thamirabarani River flows through the heart of Tirunelveli providing not only life for this region but also peace and serenity. Visitors can take a trip to the countryside or trek in Western Ghats mountain range, thus appreciating nature's tranquility in its full glory. Conclusion The fame associated with Tirunelveli transcends time and national boundaries prompting travelers from far away places to get enthralled in its enchantment. These are some of the reasons why one would like to go back to history, know more about culture, eat their delicious food or just gaze at their beautiful surroundings. Even today people still visit it because it's got everything you could ever want or need; an unchanging image within every change which makes us think how many things our fathers can actually envy us for.

Andhra CM lays stone for Rs 78 crore Gandikota tourism project
Andhra CM lays stone for Rs 78 crore Gandikota tourism project

New Indian Express

time4 days ago

  • New Indian Express

Andhra CM lays stone for Rs 78 crore Gandikota tourism project

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu unveiled a master plan to transform Gandikota into a world-class tourism destination, likening its scenic landscape to the 'Grand Canyon' and highlighting its historical significance from the Kakatiya and Vijayanagara eras. Speaking at the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Investors Meet held in Gandikota of Kadapa district, Naidu laid the foundation for a Rs 78 crore tourism project under the SASCI (Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment) scheme. The initiative aims to turn the region into a major tourism hub with a distinct identity. Agreements worth Rs 500 crore were signed during the event with companies including EaseMyTrip and Hilton Hotels. These cover projects involving hotels, adventure sports, kayaking, high ropes, and jet skiing across Gandikota, Srisailam, Mantralayam, and Tirupati. Furthermore, the Chief Minister also announced that the Gandikota Utsavalu would be celebrated grandly on December 26 and 27, with several eco-friendly attractions planned, including a viewpoint, tent city, boating facilities, and enhanced fort lighting. Other proposed features include a ropeway, a glass-bottom walkway, and immersive light-and-sound shows. A tent city will be operational by year-end, and heli-rides offering aerial views of Gandikota will begin in September. Caravan tourism will cater to visitors from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store