Beaches
The beaches of Tamil Nadu have a charm of their
own. The Marina Beach, the second longest beach
in the world, is a must visit beach. Once the place
of relaxation and sun bathing, Elliot's Beach is
now a favourite shooting location for Tamil movies
in Chennai. Some other interesting beaches are Cove
long Beach, Kanyakumari Beach, Rameshwaram Beach,
Mahabalipuram Beach and more.
Temples
There are more than 30,000 temples in Tamil Nadu
built by various dynasties. However, 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
and the spacious halls and corridors, yet they are
distinct in their architectural style. Some of the
must visit temples are Shiva Temples revered by
the hymns of Manikkavacakr, Tiruvannamalai, Meenakshi
Sudareswarara Temple Chidambaram and other temples.
Wild
Life
The topography of Tamil Nadu is diverse. Of the
1,30,058 sq-kms land area, 17.6% is covered with
rich forests. Dry lands are bestowed with dry-deciduous
forests, thorn forests, scrubs and mangroves. The
Western Ghats and a few cooler regions have moist
deciduous, wet evergreen forests and grasslands.
There are 5 national parks and 17 wildlife sanctuaries
in Tamil Nadu. The famous wildlife sanctuaries are
the Anamalai (Indira Gandhi) Wildlife Sanctuary,
Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Kalakadu Wildlife Sanctuary,
Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary, Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary,
Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park,
Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary and The Viralimalai
Sanctuary. The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park
and the Guindy National Park are the most visited
national parks in the state. Anna Zoological Park
in Chennai is one of the latest and modern zoos
of India. The Snake Park and the Crocodile Bank
also located in Chennai are known for their collection
of reptiles.
Food
The traditional dishes of Tamil Nadu are almost
exclusively vegetarian. Excellent Brahman food is
available in restaurants, both local and star. A
wide option of delicious hot 'thali' meals with
boiled rice, lentil curries and curd are available
here. Steamed 'idlis' and a variety of crisp and
fried dosas with sambar, are the exclusive food
items of Tamil Nadu. Chilly powder and turmeric
are integral ingredients of Tamil food. Non-vegetarian
hotels are also called 'military restaurants'. Dosas
and badas are delicious yet exclusive food of the
state. A mix of cooked potatoes, mutter, beans,
onions with salt, chilly and masala stuffed inside
crispy and fried dosas are called 'masala dosas'.
It is served with Uzhunnu vadas and sambar and is
a very appetizing item. Tamilian’s favourite
fish curries are 'meen ashege' and Rah curry (prawn
curry). Among the sweets; Laddu, Jangiri (Jileby)
and Halvahs are native to Tamil Nadu. Tirunelveli
Halva is famous for its sweetness. Served in traditional
style either in banana leaves or in stainless steel
plates, Tamilian food is eaten sitting cross-legged
on the floor.
Modes of Transportation :
By Air
The Anna International Airport, 16 km south of Chennai,
has flights to/from Sri Lanka, Dubai, Germany, Jakarta,
Malaysia, England, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore.
Most major Indian cities are also connected to Chennai
by regular domestic flights
By
Rail
he railway station at Chennai has connecting trains
to/from all major cities in India.
By Road
The entire state is connected through an extensive
network of roads. Ferry services are also available
in Chennai.
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