KANCHIPURAM - VELLORE - RATNAGIRI (FROM CHENNAI)

About Kamakshi Amman Temple

At a distance of 1 km from Kanchipuram Bus Station, Kamakshi Amman Temple, also known as Kamakoti Nayaki Kovil, is an ancient Hindu temple located in the town of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the popular temples in South India, and among the famous places to visit as part of Kanchipuram tour packages. The Kanchi Kamakshi Temple is dedicated to goddess Kamakshi, who is believed to be an incarnation of Parvati, the Hindu goddess of love, fertility, and strength. It is one of the prominent pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu, and one among the 51 Shakti Peethas, which are sacred shrines built around the falling body parts from the corpse of Goddess Sati from heaven. It is believed the naval part of her body fell at this site, thus making it a holy abode. The temple is also the center for the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham.

History of Kamakshi .....

About Sri Ekambarnathar Temple

At a distance of 2 km from Kanchipuram Bus Station, Sri Ekambaranathar Temple, also known as Ekambareswarar Temple is ancient Hindu temple located in the town of Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu, India. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as it is one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhoota Stalas, and specifically the element of earth, or Prithvi, and among the must visit places as part of the Kanchipuram pilgrimage packages. The presiding deity Ekambareswarar or Ekambaranathar is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.

History of Sri Ekambarnathar Temple

Among the most famous pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu, the Ekambareswara Temple .....

About Kailasanathar Temple

At a distance of 3 km from Kanchipuram Bus Station, the Kailasanathar Temple, also referred to as the Kailasanatha Temple is an ancient Hindu temple situated in the sacred town of Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. Located on the banks of the Vegavathi River, it is one of the oldest Shiva temples in Tamilnadu, and among the must include places in Kanchi tour. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the Kailasanatha Temple is distinguished by its grandeur and exquisite architectural design. As the oldest surviving temple in Kanchipuram, it set a precedent for similar temples throughout southern India. This historic temple, dating back to the Pallava dynasty, was considered one of the largest Hindu temples in India at the time of its establishment.

History of Kailasanathar Temple

The Kailasanathar Temple was constructed between 685 AD and 705 AD by the Pallava king Narasimha II Rajasimha, which is why .....

About Varadarajaswami Temple

At a distance of 3 Km from Kanchipuram Bus Station, Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, or Sri Varadarajaswami Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in the Vishnu Kanchi suburb of Kanchipuram. Also known as Devarajaswami Temple, this temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, and is one of the must visit pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu. It ranks as the fourth among the Divya Desams, which are the 108 temples dedicated Lord Vishnu that are said to have been visited by the twelve poet saints known as the Alvars. This is also one of the 3 most sacred Vishnu shrines and is referred to in the Vaishnava parlance as 'Perumal Koil,' with the other 2 being Srirangam known as 'Koil,' and Tirupathi, as 'Tirumalai.' The temple is also notable for its association with Ramanuja, one of the foremost scholars of the Vaishnava Vishishtadvaita philosophy, who is believed to have lived here.

History of Varadarajaswami .....

About Margabandeswarar Temple

At a distance of 13 Km from Vellore, Sri Margabandeswarar Temple is a 13th century Hindu temple situated at Virinjipuram in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. Situated on the southern bank of the Palar River, it one of the must visit places as part of the Vellore family packages. Commonly referred to as the Virinjipuram Temple, this sacred temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and features exquisite stone carvings and grand Dravidian architecture, a testament to the artistry of the Chola Dynasty rulers. The temple is also called the 'Baskara Kshetram', where the Sun God is said to worship the shiva lingam when its rays fall on it in the month of Panguni. This site is recognized as a monument of national importance and is preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

History of Margabandeswarar Temple

The Sri Margabandeeswarar Temple was constructed many years .....

About Vellore Fort

At a distance of 1.5 Km from Vellore Town Railway Station, the Vellore Fort is a 16th-century fort situated in the heart of the Vellore city in Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the famous heritage sites near Chennai, and among the must include places in Vellore tour packages. The fort is distinguished by its impressive ramparts, expansive moat, and sturdy masonry. Vellore Fort stands as a prime example of military architecture in South India and is one of the unique constructions in the country. Additionally, the fort represents secularism, as it houses a temple, a mosque, and a church within its premises.

The fort exemplifies the Dravidian architectural style. Spanning an area of 133 acres within a rugged mountain range, it is encircled by a deep moat that once teemed with approximately 10,000 crocodiles, serving as an additional defense mechanism against potential invasions. The structure features .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, The Tipu Mahal and Hyder Mahal are the palaces located inside the Vellore Fort. The Tipu Mahal has 180 rooms with a central pillar hall and the Hyder Mahal on the same campus housed over 200 rooms.

It is believed that Tipu resided here with his family during the war against the British. The palaces are closed to public nowadays as they serve as a high security prison. During the British rule, Tipu Sultan's family was detained here and the last king of Sri Lanka in captivity.

On July 10, 1806, before sunrise, the Indian sepoys stationed in the fort attacked the European barracks there, and had killed about 15 Officers and 100 English soldiers and ransacked their houses. Some of the rebelling soldiers also urged the sons of Tipu Sultan to lead the campaign. After this Sepoy Mutiny, the British transferred Tipu's sons and daughters to Calcutta. The Tombs of Bakshi Begum, widow of Hyder Ali and Padshah Begum, Tipu's wife, .....

At a distance of 1.5 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, St John's Church is an ancient church located inside the Vellore Fort. This church is one of the oldest churches in Vellore.

St. Johns Church is a part of the Churches of South India and is one of the biggest churches in South India. The church was started in 1846 by the Reform Church of America (RCA). The church was shifted from the Filterbed Road to its present location in the fort. The British soldiers who lost their life during the Sepoy Mutiny have been buried in the church premises. There are many inscriptions preserved in the church that provide history of the shrine. Regular prayers are still held in this church.

At a distance of 1.5 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Vellore Fort Mosque is situated inside the Vellore Fort. This mosque is also known as Nawab Chanda Sahib Mosque.

This Mosque was built in 1750 by Nawab Chanda Sahib. It is one of the important attractions in Vellore Fort. The entrance of the Masjid is on the northern side of the Vellore Fort. This mosque has been constructed using Brick and lime and still stands in good shape. This Indo-Saracenic style mosque has a prayer hall and the dimensions of the hall are 40 feet in length and 15 feet in breadth. At the centre of the mosque there is a big dome with minars on the sides. The mosque is decorated with floral designs.

Presently prayers are not conducted inside the mosque.

About Balamurugan Temple

At a distance of 17 Km from Vellore, the Balamurugan Temple, commonly referred to as the Ratnagiri Murugan Temple, is an ancient Hindu shrine perched on a hillock in Ratnagiri, within the Ranipet district of Tamil Nadu. Positioned along the Vellore-Chennai Highway, it is one of the important pilgrimage sites in Tamil Nadu, and among the must-visit places as part of Vellore packages. This temple is dedicated to Lord Murugan, and the 14th-century poet Arunagirinathar has composed verses celebrating this sacred place, highlighting that Murugan, the deity of the Devas, resides in Ratnagiri.

History of Balamurugan Temple

The Ratnagiri Balamurugan Temple was initially constructed as a modest sand edifice in the 14th century. It underwent a significant transformation into a grand stone sanctuary in 1980, thanks to the efforts of Bala Muruganadimai .....