RAMESHWARAM - CHETTINAD - THANJAVUR (FROM MADURAI)

Pilgrimage | Historical & Heritage

Photo Credit: Flickr

ITINERARY SUMMARY

Trip Starting Point: Madurai City

Mode of Travel: Car (or Cab)

Trip Duration: 3 Days

Ideal Start Time: 7 AM (Day 1), 9 AM (Day 2) & 9 AM (Day 3)

Total Places Visited: 8

DAYS

DAY 1 : TRAVEL TO RAMESWARAM & SIGHTSEEING

Travel from Madurai to Rameshwaram

At a distance of 2 km from Rameshwaram Railway Station (just 100 meters away from east entrance of Rameshwaram Temple), Agnitheertham is said to be the place where Rama worshipped Lord Shiva to wash off his sins of killing Ravana. It is one of the prime place to visit on a Rameshwaram trip.

It is a sacred place and piligrims believe that taking a bath in Bay of Bengal at Agniteertham will washout one's sins of life time. It is visited by the followers of Lord Shiva as well as Vishnu, whose incarnation was lord Rama.

The sea here is very calm and ideal for bathing.

At a distance of 2 km from Rameswaram Railway Station, Ramanathaswamy Temple is a Hindu temple located on Rameswaram Island in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the top pilgrimage sites in India, and among the must include places in Rameswaram Tour Packages.

Ramanathaswamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve jyotirlinga temples in India. It is also recognized as one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, which are revered sites glorified by the Nayanars (Shaivite poet-saints) such as Appar, Sundarar, and Sambandar through their devotional songs. Additionally, it is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage destinations. The religious importance of this temple can be seen from the popular belief according to which a visit to pilgrimage Kashi is incomplete without a visit to Rameswaram temple.

The temple's legend is closely linked to Lord Rama from the Indian epic, the Ramayana. According to tradition, .....

At a distance of 18 km from Rameswaram, Dhanushkodi, Dhanushkodi is an abandoned town at the south-eastern tip of Pamban Island in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the must-include places in Rameswaram heritage packages.

Dhanushkodi is located at the southern tip of Pamban Island, separated from the mainland by the Palk Strait, approximately 24 kilometers west of Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The town was entirely devastated by the Rameswaram cyclone in 1964 and has remained uninhabited since that disaster. The only remnant of the cyclone is the Kodanda Rama Swamy Temple. Following the storm, the Government declared the town as Ghost town and unfit for living. Although devoid of inhabitants, Dhanushkodi continues to attract tourists due to its significant historical and mythological associations.

The name Dhanushkodi translates to 'Tip of the Bow'. The location known as 'Arichal Munai' marks the convergence of the Indian .....

Overnight Stay in Rameshwaram

DAY 2 : VISIT CHETTINAD & TRAVEL TO THANJAVUR

Resume Rameshwaram Sightseeing

At a distance of 171 km from Madurai, 230 km from Trichy, 227 km from Tirunelveli, 311 km Kanyakumari, 387 km from Pondicherry, 371 km from Trivandrum, 562 km from Chennai, and 607 km from Bangalore, Rameshwaram is a religious town situated in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in India, and among the best places to visit in Tamilnadu.

Rameshwaram Temple is one of the most famous Shiva shrines in India and is one of the top attractions you must include in Rameshwaram tour packages. It is significant for Hindus as a pilgrimage to Banaras is incomplete without a Pilgrimage to Rameswaram. According to the legend, Rameswaram is the place from where Lord Rama, built a bridge across the sea to rescue his consort Sita from Ravana. This is also the place where Rama worshipped Lord Shiva .....

Overnight Stay in Thanjavur

DAY 3 : VISIT THANJAVUR & TRAVEL TO MADURAI

Start Thanjavur Sightseeing

At a distance of 2 km from Thanjavur Junction Railway Station & 5 km from New Bus Station, the Brihadeeswarar Temple is ancient Hindu temple located at Thanjavur, Tamilnadu. It is one of the famous heritage places to visit in Tamilnadu, and among the must include places in Thanjavur packages.

Also known as Peruvudaiyar Kovil or Periya Kovil, the Brihadeeswarar Temple is a brilliant example of the major heights achieved by Cholas in temple architecture. It was built in the year 1010 AD by the mighty Chola Emperor Raja Raja Chola I. It remains one of the greatest glories of Indian architecture and also one of the best places to visit in Thanjavur. The temple is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as 'Great Living Chola Temples'.

Also .....


BREAK FOR MEALS / HOTEL CHECK-IN | CHECK-OUT / SHOPPING / LEISURE

At a distance of 2 km from Thanjavur Railway Station, and 1.5 km from Brihadeeswarar Temple, Thanjavur Palace is a wonderful historical structure in the town of Thanjavur. It is one of the famous Thanjavur tourist places.

Also known as Maratha Palace or Nayak Palace, it was the official residence of the Maratha rulers from 1674 to 1855. It was constructed partly by Thanjavur Nayaks around 1550 CE and expanded by the Marathas. The palace is noted for its huge halls, spacious corridors, observation and arsenal towers, and a shady courtyard. This palace is a must-visit place for history buffs to understand the history and lifestyle of its rulers as part of Thanjavur tour.

The entrance to the palace is a large quadrangular courtyard which is encircled by walls with big gateways to the north and the east. The courtyard leads to a many-pillared hall. .....

At a distance of 2 km from Thanjavur Junction Railway Station & 0.5 km from Old Bus Station, the Art Gallery is located within Thanjavur Palace. The gallery houses a treasured collection of bronze icons, stone sculptures and other artifacts, which today stand testimony to that golden age in Tamil history.

The gallery is situated in the second part of the palace behind bell tower. The galley consists of Stone sculptures arrange in a hall at the entrance and in the hall towards southern side of the complex near Manimandapam. The bronze sculptures inside the Nayak's Durbar Hall showcase excellent craftsmanship. Durbar Hall is an excellent structure with beautiful paintings & sculptures on upper part of the walls and the ceiling. The hall also houses a marble sculpture of Raja Serfoji, popular Maratha ruler.

The examples of art that we see today at this gallery are the finest. Most of the pieces belong to Chola period between the 9th and the 13th centuries AD, to the post-Chola .....

END OF THE TOUR