We are going to Tamil Nadu for 6 nights in the end of February and would like some ideas of routing.
We are interested in the temples and also crafts and the silk weaving there. We would like some time
in Pondicherry/Auroville. We will hire a car/driver so we can get around easily.
I was originally going to stay in Mamallapuram for a few nights but have heard it's not very nice anymore.
Anyone have some ideas?
trl710
1
mstep
If you'll have a car and driver, at the very least stop at Mamallapuram for a few hours so you can see all of the iconic ruins, on the way from Chennai to Auroville/Pondicherry. Personally I thought Mamalla was great, but there was a dance festival when I was there 4 years ago, so free entertainment every night.
A worthwhile detour from Pondi is Gingee, for the old fort ruins there, up on top of the hills.
If you want temple towns, that's not Pondi. You might have time to go further south in Tamil Nadu to Thanjuvar and/or Trichy. Thanjuvar has a palace complex from an old regional monarchy, in additional to an ancient temple. Trichy has various famous temples, including the Rock Fort temple, which towers above the city.
2
lifesupport
@trl710
We are going to Tamil Nadu for 6 nights
Which is no time at all. Tamil Nadu is a vast State. If this is your first visit to India, it is useful to understand that land transport (either by road or rail) is very slow compared to 'western' standards.
Is this part of a longer Indian visit, or are you just stopping in TN?
some ideas of routing.
A route from where to where? Are you flying into Chennai? What happens on day 7? Where do you need to be?
We would like some time in Pondicherry/Auroville.
So, I like Pondy a lot - but primarily because on the coast side of the Grand Canal, Pondy is not much like the rest of India. You'll want a whole day at Auroville. There will be plenty of opportunities to purchase locally made products there, and the Auroville products, or products of the Auronindo ashram are available all over Pondy.
We will hire a car/driver so we can get around easily.
You won't need a car+driver for Pondy / Auroville. Pondy can be walked and by making use of auto-rickshaws; a taxi is more comfortable than an auto-rickshaw for the drive to Auroville.
I was originally going to stay in Mamallapuram for a few nights
One night would have been enough - and I agree with mstep that the (ruined) temples and monuments there are a valuable sight.
We are interested in the temples and also crafts and the silk weaving there. Anyone have some ideas?
Tamil Nadu has a rich history in weaving. I think for the best exposure to handloom weaving today, you would do well to head to Kanchipuram; and the Salem district, in the latter case, in particular look for villages called Chinthamaniyur, Panchukalipatty and Semmandapatty. That aside I am sure you will find handloom weavers in Chennai; and certainly stores carrying handloom work from places like Kanchipuram and Salem.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/tamil-nadu/kanchipuram
For other arts and crafts, the Tanjore style of painting is justly famous - although you don't need to travel to Tanjore to see it; and stone carving, especially in granite, is still practised in Mamallpuram today.
Tamil Nadu has a reputation for temples of course - there is a highly decorated Ganesha Temple in Pondy that is well worth the visit, and some Christian Churches too.
There are a number of well regarded temples in Kanchipuram, and so visiting there may be an efficient way to satisfy your interests within a very limited time frame. For example:
With such a short time in Tamil Nadu, it may be best simply to spend three nights in each of Kanchipuram and Pondicherry; this assumes, in part, that you are flying into Chennai and flying out of Chennai 7 days later; and without knowing if this is a leg of a bigger Indian trip; or the whole point and purpose of your visit.
Do come back with further questions and information about your trip.
3
trl710
Thank you so much for your information. We are tacking this on to a more extensive trip and one of us has limited time. We've both been to India a number of times.
I understand the temples in Trichy are really wonderful but if we do that after Pondi that would be a 5 or 6 hour drive back to Chennai for an overnight before flying out. We both have international flights from Chennai.
Thank you for information on the Salem district. It looks like it's not too long a drive from Pondi? Do the villages you mention also grow silk worms, etc or just the weaving? Are they small enough that we can walk around and find weavers and silk processors?
4
lifesupport
the Salem district. It looks like it's not too long a drive from Pondi?
It looks around 250kms - so allow 5 hours, and hope for 4.
Are they small enough that we can walk around and find weavers and silk processors?
That should not be a problem
Do the villages you mention also grow silk worms, etc or just the weaving?
I do not know about silk worms in these villages. There is a silk farm slightly further afield in Yercaud which might interest you?
5
trl710
I think we just won't have time to see everything there is to see in Tamil Nadu! I think we will have to skip teh Salem district and just hope to see silk weavers in Kanchipuram. It seems that every state in India has so much to offer but we will have been away for almost a month at that point and it will be time to return home.
6
premsubramaniam
If you are interested in bronze sculpting Swamimalai is a good centre. Likewise Stone sculpting is established at Mahabailipuram and one of the master craftsmen is Sthapathi. If textiles is your interest , Ramnagar and Chinnapatna on the Bangalore/Mysore corridor have silk cocoon units and Mysore has a century old slid weaving centre. Melkite and Mandya have traditional cotton looms.
7
Thorn Tree
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