General Information

As Tamil Nadu has many temples it is known better as "The City Of Temples". 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 coastline, edging the Bay of Bengal .

There are more than 30,000 temples in this sate; which has given Tamil Nadu the title, " Land of Temples ". The resemblance of the temples in Tamil Nadu constructed over the years by the different rulers is the gopuram or the imposing tower over the entrance. The Tamils have always been a God fearing lot and are ardent worshippers of Shiva, Vishnu, Parvati and Lakshmi Subramanya. Each of the gods take on different names at different temples depending on the legend behind the temple Vinayaka or Pillayar is perhaps the most worshipped of the gods and is also called Ganapati or Ganesh.

He is the elephant headed younger son of Lord Shiva and Parvati and is extremely benign in appearance. During any festival or celebration, worship of this God is given precedence over the other. The largest Pillaayar temple is at Pillayarapatti near Karaikkudi.

Demographic Informations

Area: 1, 30,058 sq kms

Capital: Chennai

Populations: 62,110,839 (2001census provisional figures)

Languages: Tamil, Urdu, English

Best touring season

November-January