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About
Tamilnadu
Tamil Nadu,
the
heart of the Dravidian culture and tradition, has for time immemorial, been a
pioneer of peace and knowledge, and the visual legacy of the culture of the state,
is among the most satisfying spectacles in India.
Sharing boundaries
with the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala, Tamil Nadu has an unbroken
coast line, edging the Bay of Bengal. Densely forested uplands which abound in
wildlife, intensively cultivated farmlands interspersed with rocky wastes, mountain
chains of the Western Ghats, which give way to fertile coastal plains and plateaus
form the geographical features of Tamil Nadu.
Tamilians learn to appreciate
culture, from a very young age, and have a deep interest in music, dance and literature.
Classical dancing in the form of
Bharatnatyam, has its origin in the temples
of the South East, and continues to be followed with a lot of fervour and dedication
in Tamil Nadu.
Carnatic music is another art form, that has flourished
over the ages, producing artists of great repute. Festivals are a daily feature
in this region. Navaratri or Dussehra (September/October), Diwali (October/ November),
Karthika (November/December) and Pongal (January) are the major occasions, celebrated
with great enthusiasm. A unique festival of Carnatic music, the Thyagaraja festival,
is held annually in January at Thiruvariyar, the birth place of famous singer
poet Thyagaraja, where one can witness the amazing spectacle of mass performance,
in total harmony and rhythm.
The places of tourist interest in the state
are
Chennai, the beautiful capital city;
Mamallapuram, the beach
resort;
Kanchipuram, the land of 1000 temples;
Madurai, famous for
the Meenakshi temple;
Rameswaram,
Tiruchirapalli and
Thanjavur,
the temple trio; the charming hill resorts of
Yercaud,
Ootacamund
and
Kodaikanal and
Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India, renowned
for its sunrise and sunset.
TEMPLES AND GODS There are more than 30,000 temples in Tamil Nadu,
which has given the state the distinctive title of 'A Land of Temples'. Built
by various dynasties these temples bear a superficial resemblance to each other
in that they share the same physical features - the gopuram or the imposing tower
over the entrance, from all four directions the vimanam which is the tower over
the sanctum and the spacious halls and corridors. The temple was also much more
than a place of worship.
It was a place for social gathering, for education,
for celebration - not just of the king's victories in battles but also of local
functions and ceremonies such as marriages. The temple was also used as a store
house of sorts for emergencies and, many a temple also maintained hospitals. The
temple was a place where art, in all its forms i.e. music, dance, drama and handicrafts
received encouragement and flourished.
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