2 day tour of Palatial Mansions of Chettinad from Chennai with Guide

2 day tour of Palatial Mansions of Chettinad from Chennai with Guide

In this 2 day tour from Chennai we visit the erstwhile Kingdom of Pudukottai and relive a bygone era. We will visit a hidden jewel called Sittanavasal which is a cave with spectacular paintings made 2000 years ago by Jain ascetics.We will climb a steep path to the top of a hillock where we can see seventeen polished bed carved out of the rock. Kudumiyanmalai is an ancient temple where we will see a thousand pillared hall with remarkable sculptures. Thirumayyam Fort with its historical significance in the independence struggle with the British and Palatial Mansions of Chettiyars, the rich traders of 19th century make up rest of the experience.

Itinerary

Day 1: Ancient Frescoes & Acoustics

Stop At: Sittannavasal Rock-Cut Jain Temple, Sittannavasal Cave Road, Madiyanallur, Tamil Nadu 622101, India
930AM- Fly from Chennai
11AM- Arrive in Trichy
Noon-We visit Sittanavasal Cave dating back to the 2nd century. These caves were built for monks of the Jain faith. We will explore this rock-cut monastery which houses spectacular murals made out of vegetable and mineral dyes. The exquisite ceiling of the cave is decorated with murals from the 7th century.
The highlight of this cave is the acoustics. A mild hum in this cave resonates spectacularly to help the monks focus and concentrate on their meditation.
We will climb a steep path to the top of a hillock where we can see seventeen polished bed carved out of the rock. These beds were used by Jain ascetics since the 3rd century. The beds have a raised portion at one end which serves as a pillow.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Kudumiyanmalai Temple, Pudukkottai India
The temple was built by the Cholas and renovated by the Pandyas in the 13th century. The highlight of this temple is the main hall a 1000 pillars. There are some remarkable sculptures in this complex.The Rati and Manmadha sculpture is a masterpiece.
Another remarkable statue is that of Shiva in a dancing pose.
Duration: 1 hour

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in hotel in Pudukottai

Day 2: A MedievalFort & Palatial Mansions

Stop At: Kanadukathan, Kanadukathan, Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu
A 45 minute drive will bring us to Kanadukathan, the centre for our tour of Palatial Mansions of Chettinad. It is replete with palatial mansions built by Chettiyar, the trading community. These were built by men who once traded in everything from salt to gems, with countries like Burma, Malaysia and Singapore. Much of their profits went into building these grand residences, which used to be called Natukottai or regional fort. We will visit a couple of these mansions.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Athangudi, Tamil Nadu, India
This region is famous for a community of traders who had built up a business which grew to South East Asia including Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines. Nattukottai Chettiars had a penchant for palatial mansions and some as large as 70000 sq ft. We will visit a few of these mansions.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Thirumayam Fort, State Highway 27, Pudukkottai 622507 India
Thirumayam Fort has played a significant role in the history of this region. It was built in 1687 AD by the King of Ramnad, Sethupathy Vijaya Ragunatha Thevar. The fort has been designed like a ring and is constructed with seven concentric walls surrounded by a broad moat. This fort was of historical significance during the Polygar Wars. It was also used during World War II as an arsenal by the British army.

The fort was also the hideout for Veerapandi Kattabomman, the brave freedom fighter who fought the British. Our guide will narrate the inspirational story of this freedom fighter and the role this fort played in the struggle.

8PM- Flight from Triciy to Chennai
9PM-Arrive in Chennai
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.