Madurai is known to be a famous temple city in India. This traditional city is situated on the banks of the Vaigai River. Madurai is a 2500 year old city which became a commercial center after 550 AD. Tourists are attracted by the temples, prosperous arts and crafts. The city is also called the "Athens of the East" for its fantastic architectural monuments. The best time of the year to visit Madurai would be between Octobers to March since the city is extremely hot during summers.
Budget Hotels in Madurai
There are several star rated and budget hotels in Chennai. Some of them are Hotel Padmam (Tariff-Rs.1,409), Hotel Empee (Tariff-Rs.1,089), Sri Annapoorna Tower (Tariff-Rs.1,294) and Kathir Palace (Tariff-Rs.880).
The official language of Madurai is Tamil. The other languages spoken include English, Saurashtra, Telugu, Urdu and Hindi.
Events in Madurai
Some famous festivals and events of Madurai include Jallikattu(Jan), Chithirai Festival (April / May), Float Festival (Jan-Feb)
Places to See in Madurai
There are several places of tourist attraction in Madurai, though the most famous Meenakshi - Sundareswarar temple (52 kms from Periyar bus stand ), Gandhi Museum (4Kms), Kazimar Big Mosque(1km), Thirumalai Nayak Mahal ( 1km from Meenakshi temple), St. Mary's Church ( 2km from Periyar bus stand), Pazhamudhircholai(10Km north of Madurai).
How to Get There
Madurai Airport is situated about 12km away from the Madurai railway station. It offers domestic flight operations to major cities, while international services are limited only to Colombo.
Madurai Junction is considered to be the second largest revenue division in Southern railway next to the Chennai division.
Mattuthavani Integrated Bus Stand is the mofussil bus stand that is located in Mattuthavani, Madurai. The three leading bus operators / Travels that offer extraordinary services are Abt X bus operator, Sharma Tours bus operator, Madurai Radha bus operator. Booking a bus ticket has never been easier as you can book through your mobile as well.
In the Vilupuram District of Tamil Nadu, lies the municipal town of Tindivanam. It is important geographically because highways NH 45 and NH 66 pass through the town, connecting the north, south, east and west territories. The cities nearest to Tindivanam are Pondicherry (38 km away) and Vilipuram (41 km away). Tindivanam was originally called Thinthrivanam, where “thinthri” means tamarind and “vanam” means jungle in Tamil, so it translates to “Jungle of Tamarind.” It is a progressive, multi-cultural town.
Places to Stay
Although there are no hotels in Tindivanam, nearby Pondicherry has a number of good budget hotel options. These include Lotus Bay View Hotel (Tariff – Rs. 1000-1500), Lotus Comfort Hotel (Tariff – Rs. 1000-1500) and Abirami Residency (Tariff – Rs. 1000 and above).
The official language of Tindivanam is Tamil.
Tindivanam is a mix of Hindu, Muslim and Christian cultures. The festivals celebrated include Sankranti, Pongal, Diwali, Eid-al-Fitr, Ramzan, Christmas, Easter and others.
Places of Interest
There are several places of tourist attraction in Tindivanam. They include the more than 1000 years old Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Perumal Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, the 172 years old Our Lady of Seven Dolours Church, which was built by French Missionaries and Jamia Pallisaval, famous for its architecture.
How to Get There
The nearest airport to Tindivanam is the Pondicherry Airport. The airport is located 38 km away from the city.
All trains to Pondicherry, Kanyakumari, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram and other stations halt at Tindivanam Railway Station.
There are daily bus services to Kollam, Bangalore, Coimbatore and other places in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The best bus operators that offer good experience for passengers are Kallada Travels, Kallada Tours and Travels, Sree Travels, Seabird Tourist and Green Line Tours and Holidays. Get your tickets from online bus ticket booking sites like Ticketgoose.com and travel tension free.