South Indian Odyssey

The joining point of the trip will be at Chennai International Airport this morning, from where we will drive south along the shores of the Indian Ocean to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram. The once great port city of the Pallava dynasty, Mahabalipuram can trace its ancestry back to the 7th century and is home to some 40 different monuments and temples, including the magnificent Shore Temple, one of the oldest stone buildings in India. This afternoon we take in some of the highlights of the area.

After breakfast we drive out to the city of Kanchipuram, on the banks of the Vegavathy River. An ancient centre of learning and a city of great importance historically to the Buddhists, Jains and Hindus, Kanchipuram lay at the heart of the Pallava, Chola and Vijayanagar Empires. One of the seven holiest Hindu cities in India, it has long been known as the city of a thousand temples and is renowned today for its saris, which are considered amongst the finest in India. Indeed, legend has it that the weavers of Kanchipuram are descended from the master weavers of the gods themselves. We also pay a visit to the heritage village of Dakshinachitra before returning to Mahabalipuram for our second night.

Heading inland slightly, we make for Tamil Nadu’s most spectacular fort at Gingee. Despite being protected by 20m thick walls in places, the fort was overrun on several occasions including in the 18th century by French and later British forces. We then head back to the coast to Pondicherry - a sophisticated city with strong French influences. Here you can sip a good French wine whilst looking out over the Indian Ocean. It is often referred to as the French Riviera of the East for its architecture and European ways, and as such provides a fascinating contrast to the rest of the state. On arrival we’ll take a short walk around town as well as an evening cycle rickshaw ride.

Departing Pondicherry, our journey takes us on to the pilgrimage city of Kumbakonam, a city that can date its origins back to the Sangam period of the 3rd century BC. En route we visit the Shiva temple of Chidambaram, as well as the 12th century Airavateswara Temple in Darasuram, a recognised World Heritage monument. Arriving in Kumbakonam later today we have a chance to explore this city of temples, a place renowned for its shrines and mathas (monasteries). There are some 188 Hindu temples within the city’s municipal limits, of which the Adi Kumbeswarar Temple is the oldest Shaiva (Shiva) shrine in the city.

Today we drive to the heritage town of Karaikudi, famous for its palatial limestone houses and its distinctive cuisine. The journey takes us via the superbly ornate Bridhadeswara Temple in Thanjavur, one of India’s most prized architectural sites. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage site “Great Living Chola Temples”, the granite temple dates back to the early years of the 11th century and boasts an impressive list of statistics. Its 66-metre-high temple tower is amongst the tallest of its kind anywhere in the world, whilst the Kumbam (the apex at the top of the temple) is carved from a single stone and weighs in at a hefty 80 tons. During archaeological digs at this impressive complex, many intricate bronze statues have been uncovered. The ancient art form of bronze statue making and gold painting continues today - a creative process that we will be able to see for ourselves at a short workshop.

Surrounded by traditional villages, this region was once the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars, a prosperous banking and business community who left their stamp on the region in the form of a number of substantial mansions that still dot the landscape. We pay a visit to some of these 18th century palaces today; sumptuous creations in Italian marble and Burmese teak that were inspired by the grand houses of Europe. We also take time to explore a little of the traditional industry of the area, stopping to visit some Chettinadu cotton hand-looms and take a tour of the Aathangudi tile factory, whose beautiful designs and colours still hark back to a bygone age.

Today we head into the cultural heartlands of the Tamil and Dravidian cultures. Our destination is the temple city of Madurai, a place that can trace its history back some 2,500 years. Laid out in the shape of a lotus along the flat, fertile plains of the Vaigai River valley, the city is built around the magnificent Sri Meenakshi Temple, a spectacular complex of towers, temples, courtyards and shrines that is considered one of India’s great cultural landmarks. We pay a visit to this spectacular 16th century temple today, as well as the Tirumalai Nayak Palace and Theppakulam. Later this evening we’ll enjoy an auto-rickshaw ride back to the temple to experience a traditional Puri ceremony.

We will have time today to explore more of this most captivating of cities, home to the Gandhi Memorial Museum and a number of Hindu, Vishnu and Muslim temples and mosques. There will also be time to perhaps take a stroll through Madurai’s bustling streets, taking in some of its eclectic shops and bazaars, before heading to the railway station to take an overnight train all the way to Mysore in Karnataka.

This morning we arrive in Mysore, the stunning cultural capital of the Karnataka region, located at the base of the Chamundi Hills. Heading straight to our hotel, we have a little time to relax before an afternoon visit to the nearby town of Somanathapura, famed as the site of the 13th century Chennakesava Temple. Considered one of the finest examples of Hoysala architecture in India, the temple was built at the height of the Hoysala Empire and is richly carved with friezes, sculptures and intricate images from the Indian epics.

Long known for its festivals and palaces, Mysore can boast one of the most opulent and iconic buildings in southern India, the stunningly ornate Mysore Palace. Originally built in the 14th century, the palace of today is the result of a significant redesign by the British architect, Henry Irwin. A wonderful fusion of European and Indian influences, the palace is still the official residence of the Wodeyar dynasty, the royal family of Mysore. We take a walking tour around the city this morning, visiting the palace and the markets before driving out to the hills that surround the city. The Chamundi Hills are home to the impressive Sri Chamundeswari Temple and the sacred Nandi bull, one of the largest of its kind and carved from a single piece of rock. We’ll also stop off at the nearby impressive Srirangapatnam with its 18th century remains of Tipu Sultan’s fort, palace and mausoleum.

Today’s journey takes us on to Kabini, our base on the edge of the Nagarahole National Park. This afternoon, once we have settled into our rooms, there will be the chance to head out on safari to spot some of the local wildlife that includes Asian Elephant, Samba Deer, Langur monkeys plus over 250 species of birds.

Before breakfast this morning we will embark on another safari in the Nagarahole National Park in the hope that we may see tiger or leopard, the two species of big cat that are resident in the park. Later we depart for Calicut, across the border in Kerala, an important trading centre and the place where Vasco de Gama first set foot on the Indian Subcontinent in 1498. This evening should be a tour highlight as we visit a kalari (a special Keralan gymnasium) to witness kalaripayattu, a distinct martial arts discipline dating back over 1500 years.

Today we head south towards Cheruthuruthy on the Nila River. After a traditional lunch we will have the opportunity to meet some local artisans, including potters, weavers and toymakers. This evening there may be the opportunity to watch a performance of local folk song and dance.

We hope to make an early morning visit to a Kalamandalam – a performing arts centre - which prides itself on maintaining and teaching the great arts and traditions of Keralan society for which it is famed. We then drive south towards the famous Keralan backwaters and will spend the night in Kumarakum.

This morning we drive to Alleppey to take to the waters of this most beautiful and unique of landscapes. Boarding our traditional houseboats, we will spend the next two days cruising the waterways and channels that honeycomb the coastal plains running parallel to the Arabian Sea. A unique ecosystem that is home to a rich variety of aquatic life, the backwaters present us with a time-honoured image of an India long forgotten, where scattered villages survive amongst the labyrinthine channels much as they have for generations. Kettuvallams (Keralan houseboats) once negotiated these canals carrying rice, grain and even royalty through the backwaters. Today they provide us with an ideal way to appreciate the tranquillity and tradition of this part of southern India. We’ll pass isolated communities and gardens of hibiscus and vegetables, hop off the boats to visit interesting sights en route, and spend our evenings moored up besides the lapping shores of these idyllic backwaters. Having two nights aboard our private chartered houseboats enables us to venture further into the backwaters to catch a glimpse of life rarely seen by foreign visitors to Kerala.

Disembarking our boats this morning, we drive to Kochi, the glittering ‘Queen of the Arabian Sea’. The oldest European settlement in India, Kochi is a vibrant mix of Arab, Chinese, European and Indian influences and home to the oldest church and synagogue in the country. Built on trade, the city began to prosper with the arrival of Jewish and Arab traders. With the later arrival of the Portuguese, and then the Dutch and English, Kochi went on to become a vibrant settlement, incorporating a rare fusion of European and Asian traditions and styles. This evening we will enjoy a sunset cruise on the harbour before learning to cook a traditional dinner with a local family.

Today we will take a walking tour around the historic old streets of Fort Cochin and the red-tiled riverfront of Mattancherry, once the old capital’s main market area and the centre of the Malabar spice trade. The city is also famous for its Chinese fishing nets, as well as the Santa Cruz Basilica and the Church of St. Francis, where the body of Vasco de Gama was held before being returned to Portugal. Made from teak and bamboo, the huge cantilevered nets are a legacy of some of the earliest visitors to the Malabar Coast, whilst the 16th century Church of St. Francis has the distinction of being the oldest European church in India. After a free afternoon to enjoy some last minute retail therapy, we’ll enjoy our final dinner together tonight with a chance to reflect on our journey and experiences.

The tour ends after breakfast at our hotel. Those on our suggested flights will make an early morning departure for the airport.