About Vellore

Country: India | State: Tamilnadu

Ideal Trip Duration: 1-2 Days

Nearest City to Vellore: Chennai (142 Kms)

Best Time to Visit Vellore: October to March

Peak Season: December to January & May to June

At a distance of 70 km from Kanchipuram, 106 km from Tirupati, 142 km from Chennai, and 214 km from Bangalore, Vellore is a city and the administrative headquarters of Vellore district in Tamil Nadu. Situated on the banks of the Palar River, Vellore is one of the oldest cities of South India, and among the popular Tamilnadu tourist places.

Vellore is popularly known as the Fort City of Tamil Nadu. Now a very calm and understated place, it was once a battleground and has seen many wars. The name Vellore also means a City of Spears. Vellore along with Sripuram is one of the popular weekend getaways from Chennai, and among the top attractions, you must include in South India Trip. Vellore has an enriching legacy reflecting the early Dravidian culture. It has been ruled by the Pallavas, Cholas, Vijayanagara Empire, Rashtrakutas, Carnatic kingdom, and the British.

Vellore has many historic and religious attractions that one must visit as part of Vellore tour packages. The famous Sripuram Srilakshmi Golden Temple is also situated near Vellore. The Vellore Fort is the prime attraction in the town completely made of granite stone. The Fort might have been built during the rule of Chinna Bommi Nayak (1526 to 1595 AD). The Fort is one of the most perfect specimens of military architecture in South India. The Jalakandeswarar Temple inside the Fort is a very fine example of Vijayanagar architecture. Clock Tower, the State Government Museum, the French Bungalow, Science Park, Vainu Bappu Observatory, Amirthi Zoological Park, Big Mosque, St. Johns Church, and the Pearl Palace are the other important Vellore tourist places.

About 126 km from Vellore, Chennai International Airport is the nearest airport that has well-flight connectivity with almost all the major cities of India, and abroad. Katpadi Junction on the outskirts of Vellore has frequent train connectivity with cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Tirupati, Vijayawada, Mangalore, Trivandrum, Coimbatore, etc. Vellore Bus Station is connected with frequent buses with Chennai, Kanchipuram, Pondicherry, Chittoor, Tirupathi, and Bangalore.

The best time to visit Vellore is between the months of October to March. It usually takes a full day to visit important places in Vellore.

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Other Info
Internet Availability: Good
STD Code: 0416
Languages Spoken: Tamil, Hindi, English
Major Festivals: Details Not Available
Notes/Tips:
None

How to Reach Vellore

By Air

Nearest Airport: Chennai - Chennai International Airport (131 Kms)

By Train

Nearest Train Station: Vellore Town Railway Station (0 Kms)
Katpadi Junction (6 Kms)

By Bus

Nearest Bus Station: Vellore Central Bus Station (2.5 Kms)

Top 10 Places to Visit in Vellore

#1 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

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 .....

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#2 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

About Jalakandeswarar Temple

At a distance of 1.5 Km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Jalakandeswarar Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in the city of Vellore, precisely within Vellore Fort. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is one of the prominent attractions in Vellore Fort, and among the must visit places as part of the Vellore pilgrimage tour. The presiding deity here is called Jalakandeswarar as there is water below this Shiva Lingam. The name Jalakandeswarar is derived from two Sanskrit words - Jala meaning water and Khandeshwar meaning Lord Shiva. The temple is owned and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, with only the administration taken over by the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, Government of Tamil Nadu.

History & Mythology of Jalakandeswarar Temple

Jalakandeswarar Temple was constructed in the mid-16th century CE by Chinna Bommi Nayaka, .....

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#3 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

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 .....

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#4 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

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 .....

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#5 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

About Sripuram Golden Temple

At a distance of 10 Km from Vellore, 70 Km from Kanchipuram, 120 Km from Tirupati, 146 Km from Chennai, and 212 Km from Bangalore, Sripuram Golden Temple, officially known as Sri Lakshmi Narayani Golden Temple, is a sacred Hindu temple situated in Tirumalaikodi suburb of Vellore, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the popular pilgrimage sites near Bangalore, and among the must visit places as part of Vellore tour. Dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi, the temple is famous for its stunning gold-covered architecture, made of real gold foil, making it unique in the world.

History of Sripuram Golden Temple

The Sripuram Golden Temple was established by Sri Sakthi Amma, the founder of Sri Narayani Peedam, a spiritual organization dedicated to fostering peace, harmony, and spirituality. The temple's construction commenced in 2001 .....

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#6 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

At a distance of 2.5 km from Kaigal Village, 28 km from Palamaner, 55 km from Kolar, 92 km from Horsley Hills, 142 km from Tirupati, 123 km from Bangalore, 68 from Chittoor, 78 km from Kanipakam, 96 km from Vellore & 225 km from Chennai, Kaigal Water Falls, also known as Dumukurallu Waterfalls is a nice waterfall located on the Palamaner - Kuppam Highway.

The waterfall is natural, perennial and water comes from a big rock at a height of 40 feet, irrespective of seasons. But its force and beauty is increased during the Monsoon season. The name Dumukurallu waterfalls came into prominence because of its sound resembling the fall of stones from above.

The falls is formed by the Kaigal stream which is one of the two streams flowing through Koundinya Wildlife Sanctuary. There is a big pond below the waterfalls and this is a nice place to visit for nature lovers. It is situated in a .....

Distance (From Vellore): 96 Kms
Trip Duration (From Vellore - Including Travel): 6 Hours
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#7 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

At a distance of 2 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Sri Selva Vinayagar Temple is an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha situated in Shenbakkam. The place was once called Swayambakkam since Vinayagar appeared hear as Swayambu.

The Selva Vinayagar Temple is dedicated to Sri Selva Vinayagar and Somasundareswarar. Sri Selva Vinayagar is surrounded by 10 other Swayambhu Vinayagars. The 11 Vinayagars are present in the following order: Bala Vinayagar, Nandana Vinayagar, Omkara Vinayagar, Karpaga Vinayagar, Chinthamani Vinayagar, Selva Vinayagar, Mayura Vinayagar, Mooshiga Vinayagar, Vallaba Vinayagar, Siddhi-Buddhi Vinayagar and Panchamuga Vinayagar.

Bala Vinayagar is still under the ground and only the top portion is visible. One can see an Elephant installed in front of Selva Vinayakar instead of Mooshika, which is a unique feature of the temple.

According to legend, A Maratha minister by name Thukoji was passing through this place when the axle of his chariot .....

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#8 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

At a distance of 2 km from Kathalampet and 21 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple at Singiri Koil is a Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Narasimha, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. It is situated on Vellore - Polur road.

This temple is situated on a small hillock which is about 80 feet high and can be reached by a flight of about 100 steps. As per the inscriptions around the sanctum sanctorum, this is an 8th century temple built by the local chieftain, Rajavarman at the behest of Lord Narasimha who appeared in his dream.

The main idol in the sanctum sanctorum is seen in a sitting posture with four hands - two hands hold the conch and the discus, his third hand is on his lap and fourth hand is around the waist of Goddess Lakshmi. The image of the Lord is nearly six feet in height with Goddess Lakshmi is seated on the lap of the Lord.

There is a separate shrine for Lord Anjaneya, who is known here as Sri Bala Anjaneya. The idol is one feet .....

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#9 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

At a distance of 27 km from Vellore Town Railway Station, Amirthi Zoological Park is situated under the Javadu hills of Tellai across Amirthi River. Established in 1967, the zoo park occupies an area of 25 hectares. It is named after the Amirthi River which flows next to the park.

This park is popular for its waterfalls, swing and animal habitats. Half of this jungle is cleared to serve as a tourist spot while the other half is developed as a wildlife sanctuary. One km trek in the park leads to a full view of Amirthi falls, a small cascading seasonal falls. Visitors can play and swim in the pool formed by the falls here in monsoons.

Animals in the park include spotted deer, mongoose, hedgehog, foxes, reason monkeys, red headed parrots, love birds, tortoises, peacock, crocodiles, wild cats, eagles, ducks, pigeons, wild parrots, rabbits and pythons. Many herbal and medicinal plants can be seen growing in the Park. A meditation .....

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#10 of 24 Places to Visit in Vellore

At a distance of 77 km from Vellore and 54 km from Yelagiri, The Vainu Bappu Observatory is an astronomical observatory owned and operated by Indian Institute of Astrophysics. It is located at Kavalur in the Javadi hills near Vaniyambadi in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu.

The Kavalur Observatory is located in a 100 acre forest land. The observatory houses a number of optical telescopes, including currently India's largest optical telescope the 2.3m Vainu Bappu telescope, 1.3 meter J.C Bhattacharya telescope, 1m Carl Zeiss Telescope and many other smaller ones. Apart from the Telescopes, there is also a Fabry-Perot Interferometer which is being used to study airglow emissions from the Earth's thermosphere. The observatory is situated at an altitude of 725m. Several varieties of plants, some wildlife and different birds are spotted in the campus.

The observatory traces its origin back to the year 1786 when William Petrie set up .....

Distance (From Vellore): 77 Kms
Trip Duration (From Vellore - Including Travel): 4 Hours/Half Day
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Top 3 Vellore Packages