At A Glance
Area	1,30,058 Sq. km
Capital	Chennai

About Tamilnadu :

Tamil Nadu is one of the most ancient regions in Indian history of which dates back some 6000 years. The state represents the nuceus of Dravidian culture in India, which antedated the Aryan culture in India by almost a thousand years. Tamil Nadu was variously ruled by the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas prior the Christian era. Karikalan Chola, the greatest of the earlier Chola.With the establishment of East India Company at Madras in 1639, a new chapter was opened in the Tamil Nadu. Slowly and steadily the state came under British sway.When India became independent, the old Madras Province comprising Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and part of Keala continued as the State of Madras. After some years of agitation for separate, Andhra Pradesh was created. On 14th January 1969, Madras state changed its name to Tamil Nadu. The capital city Madras was renamed Chennai in1996.

Beaches Of Tamil Nadu :

Marina Beach : One of the longest in the world, the beach has a wide expanse of glistening golden sands. The area fronting the beach is beautiful landscaped. Worthy of special mention is a group of bronze figures by the renowned Indian sculptor, Debi Prosad Rai Chaudhari, eulogizing the 'Dignity of Labour'. These apart, the beach-front offers some splendid examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture such as the Madras University, the Chepauk Palace and the Presidency College.

Muttukkadu : A Backwater and estuary, Muttukkadu is ideal for rides on motorized boats or for wind surfing. Hire a pedal boat or a row boat for cruising leisurely. Muttukkadu is ideally suited for angling and fishing.

Kanyakumari : India's Land's End. Kanyakumari or Cape Comorin is unique in being surrounded by three seas, the bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the Arabian sea, and the confluence is called 'Thriveni Sangamam'. Here one can get a breath-taking view of the Sunrise and Sunset at their best. The multicoloured sand is yet another unique feature of the beach here. Kanyakumari is a famous pilgrim centre, too.

Dances Of Tamil Nadu :

BHARATA NATYAM

Bharata Natyam, which originates from the state of Tamil Nadu in South India, is one of the oldest and most popular dance styles in India. The word itself is a combination of :--

BHARATA NATYAM = BHAVA (expression) + RAGA (musical mode) + TALA (rhythm) NATYAM (dance)

This style is a direct descendant of devotional dances performed in the temples of South India from the tenth century to the middle of this century. The art of Bharata Natyam has been carried by 'nattuvanars' and ritualistic dancers called devadasis, in the temples of south India.

Bharata Natyam is poetry in motion. Exploring its history in the Natya Sastra, written by the great sage Bharata,
it is a highly traditional & stylized dance form. Bharata Natyam has been immortalized in successive generations, as much by the grace of great dancers as by the nimble fingers of renowned sculptors who have demonstrated the perfection of Bharata's technique.

Bharathanatyam's blend of the abstract & the emotional is derived from its fusion of two prime elements, nritta (pure dance or dance without interpretive meaning) & nritya (expressive dance). Bharathanatyam derives much of its intense, dramatic impact from the juxtaposition & contrast with which both elements are utilized. Nritta comprises adavus, which are the basic dance units of Bharathanatyam. Each adavu contains 3 essential elements, a basi standing position (sthanaka), movement of the legs & feet (chari) & decorative hand gestures (nritta-hasta).

Folk Dances:

Mayil Attam :

This is done by girls dressed as peacocks, resplendent with peacock feathers and a glittering head-dress complete with a beak. This beak can be opened and closed with the help of a thread tied to it, and manipulated from within dress.

Bommalattam or Puppet Show : Puppet shows are held in every village during festivals and fairs. There are always kinds of puppets used for this show made of cloth, wood, leather, etc. They are controlled by strings or wires. The persons stand behind a screen and the puppets are held in front. The stories enacted in the puppet shows are from Ved-puranas, history and folklore. These shows are very entertaining and hold both adults and childrens quite for many hours.

Kummi : Kummi is one of the most important and ancient forms of village dances of Tamilnadu. It originated when there were no musical instruments, with the participants clapping their hands to keep time. This is performed by women; many varieties of Kummi, such as, Poonthatti Kummi, Deepa Kummi, Kulavai Kummi, Kadir Kummi, Mulaipari Kummi etc are known. The women stand in a circle and dance clapping their hands rhythamically. This dance is usually performed during temple festivals, Pongal, the harvest festival, family functions like the one to celebrate the coming of age (onset of puberty) of the girl-child etc. The first line of the song is sung by the leading lady, which the others repeat.

Festivels at Tamilnadu :

Tamil Nadu has perhaps the largest number of religious celebrations in the year. Most of the temple-festivals take place in September-October and in the post-harvest months of March-June. The duration of each festivals is from three to ten days more. The main deity is draped in colorful bright costumes and adorned with very valuable and rare items of jewellery of the distant past. The deity is mounted on specially constructed carriers called 'Vahanams' and taken round the temple in processions.Tamil Nadu is a land of temples. Temples and festivals go together. Festivals are not only religious occasions but also cultural and commercial land marks. They are part of the life of the people. They help family re-unions. People meet at festivals which are designed to ensure individual happiness commingled with social joy and domestic éclat.

At Ekadasi and Skanda Shasthi festivals, devotees go on fast. All the other Hindu festivals are occasions of great feasting.The seasons of the Tamils are called Kar, Kuthir, Munpani, Pinpani, Ilavenil and Mudhuvenil. Each of two month duration they denote the cloudy, rainy and chill weather respectively.The year is also divided into two periods of six months each (1) Uttarayanam, the period of longer days and shorter nights (mid Jan to mid July) and (2) Dakshinayanam, the period of shorter days, longer nights and inclement weather (mid July to mid January). The first is the chosen period for festivities. The second is generally avoided for them. In the beginning of the Dakshinayanam, spiritual heads and monks observe Chaturmasya halting at a particular place, preaching and practicing a life of intense devotion and meditation.

How to Reach at Tamilnadu :

By Air : Chennai has an international airport which links it with all the capital cities in India and also it is linked intra state with Trichy, Madurai,Salem and Coimbatore. This has made the whole of the state of Tamil Nadu easily reachable. You can plan to visit any part of the state. The Chennai International Airport is well connected with more than 15 countries in the world and has 60 direct flights weekly. International airlines from countries like Sri Lanka, Dubai, Germany, Jakarta, Malaysia, England, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore arrive here.Moreover industrial development has increased passenger traffic and freight activity, lending more importance to this airport.

By Rail : The Southern Railways headquarters is in Chennai.Large part of Indian Peninsula covering the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry, a major portion of Karnataka and a small portion of Andhra Pradesh falls in its network.Tamil Nadu has a total railway network extends to over 6,693-kms and there are 690 railway stations in the state. Main railway stations in the State are Chennai, Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Salem, Coimbatore, etc. The city is linked with broad gauge railway lines to cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Lucknow, Guwahati etc. Meter gauge rail services are there in Chennai, Tuticorin, Madurai, Rameshwaram and Tirunelveli.

By Road : Tamil Nadu's road network is most widespread extending around 170000 km. Private and government buses well connect the whole of Tamil Nadu. The State Express Transport Corporation connects Chennai with Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh Apart from this a number of national and stae highways make traveling very easy from major metropolises like new Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai.