Tamil Nadu Tourism

Tamil Nadu is a state in the south-eastern part of the Indian Peninsula. Tamilnadu is previously a part of the United Madras Province, which was later partitioned based on languages. Tamilnadu has more than 4,000 years of continuous cultural history. Tamil Nadu has some of the most remarkable temple architecture in the country, and a living tradition of music, dance, folk arts and fine arts. Tamil Nadu is well renowned for its temple towns and heritage sites, hill stations, waterfalls, national parks, local cuisine and the natural environment and wildlife. The state has the largest tourism industry in India with an annual growth rate of 16%. In 2015, the number of domestic arrivals was at 333.5 million making the state the most popular tourist destination in the country, and foreign arrivals numbered 4.68 million, the highest in the country, making it the most popular state for tourism in the country.

History
Tamil Nadu has a very ancient history that dates back to some 6000 years and the origin of its people is closely tied to the debates of the Aryan invasion theory. Those who uphold this theory favour the view that the Tamils belong to the Dravidian race and were part of the early Indus Valley settlers. Later with the advent of the Aryans, the Dravidians were pushed back into the deep south where they ultimately settled. The present day states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh constitute the Dravidian culture. Whatever be the historical truth, the identity of the Tamils has largely been forged on this ground. Madurai Meenakshi TempleThe Dravida Nadu of which modern Tamil Nadu formed a part was constituted by various kingdoms such as that of the Pallava, the Chera, the Chola, the Pandya, the Chalukya and the Vijayanagara. The history of Pandyan kingdom dates as early as 6th Century B.C. Madurai was founded by the first Pandyan king Kulasekara.The Pandyas excelled in trade and learning. They controlled the present districts of Madurai and Tirunelveli and part of South Kerala. The Pandyas had trading contacts with Greece and Rome and were powerful in their own right, though they were subjugated during various periods by the Pallavas and Cholas.

Fairs & Festivals
Tamil Nadu is the origin of Dravidian culture. All the temples and monuments in the state are the best examples of Dravidian architecture. The state has made priceless contributions to the music, art, and literature of India. Bharatnatyam, one of the famous Indian dance forms, has its origin here. Tamil Nadu fairs and festivals are important events that happen round the year and lead to millions of footfalls from different corners of the world.

Best Time to Visit
The best time to visit Tamil Nadu is during the winter season, i.e. from November to February when the temperatures are relatively low, and it is pleasant to explore the attractions in the state. Monsoons bring heavy downpour which makes it an inappropriate time to travel through Tamil Nadu. Summer, however, is perfect for exploring the hills stations. Tourists can pick the region they wish to see according to the season because offseason visits could be extremely inconvenient for some.

How to Reach :-

BY AIR - Chennai international airport, handles domestic flights to 20 destinations along with international flights to destinations like Frankfurt, London and so on.

BY RAIL - The Southern Railways has a network that covers a large area of the Southern Peninsula of India. The states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry, a major portion of Karnataka and a part of Andhra Pradesh are covered by the network. The Chennai Central railway station is just 5 km away from the city centre. Other important rail junctions include Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Salem, and Coimbatore.

BY ROAD - Tamil Nadu has a road network of nearly 1.70 lakh km. Private bus operators along with a number of government buses link the important cities and ply the entire south. Inter-state buses run by the State Express Transport Corporation connect Chennai with the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh.