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Day 1 - Arrival at Chennai - Puducherry - Chidambaram Temple Tour
Arrival at Chennai Airport. Welcome guests with the traditional Indian greeting Swagata. Then a representative of Budget Travel India will take you to the car, after which you will go to one of the best hotels in Puducherry. Acquaintance with the spiritual traditions of India will begin with a visit to the temple Chidambaram, whose name translates as "expanding consciousness." This millennial religious building is dedicated to dancing Shiva. Unlike other Hindu temples, it is completely open to foreigners. Here you can watch how the famous Indian pujas pass. In addition to the Shiva sanctuary, there are altars of other gods in the temple: Subrahmani, Parvati, Nandi, Ganesha, and Vishnu. After exploring the pantheon of the Hindu gods, you will return to the hotel.
Day 2 - Puducherry-Tiruvannamalai-Puducherry
The second day of the tour is dedicated to the holy city of Tiruvannamalai. It is located at the foot of a volcanic mountain of Arunachala. The main local religious building is the temple of Arunachala, erected in honor of the god Shiva. The named temple is dedicated to the sacred Arunachala, a place where, according to legend, Shiva appeared before Vishnu and Brahma in the form of a huge burning column. Therefore, the hill Arunachala is holy for all followers of Saivism. We also note that many Hindu worshipers consider the lingua of fire to be a symbol of purification from any negative. In this regard, not a single century, every full moon around the hill Arunachala pilgrims gather and read a special prayer. In addition, there is an annual festival of lights, during which pilgrims light a sacred fire on the top of the hill. The described excursion program will give a lot of impressions, both to supporters of Hindu spiritual practices and to those who get to know them for the first time. In any case, upon returning to the hotel you will have enough time for reflection and relaxation.
Day 3 - Puducherry-Auroville-Mahabalipuram
Immediately after breakfast, you will go on another small journey, the ultimate goal of which will be to visit the sacred land of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, the organization of supporters of integral yoga. The named community encourages the development of a harmonious environment through the implementation of various socially beneficial projects. One of such projects is the city of Auroville, seeking to realize the ideal of human unity in all its diversity. At the moment, it is the only ongoing experiment to unite humanity. It began in 1968 when about 5 thousand people from 124 nations of the world gathered in the future settlement for the inauguration ceremony. Each of them brought some land from their homeland. All this land was mixed in a white urn shaped like a lotus. For more than half a century, this urn has been a symbol of the unity of the city, in which 50 thousand people now live. The main center of Auroville is the Matrimandir or the Temple of the Mother. There is a special place for meditation - a huge room of white marble, which holds the world's largest crystal, whose diameter is 70 cm. After becoming acquainted with modern social experiments, you will go to the city of Mahabalipuram, which in ancient times was the main part of the kingdom of Pallav. It was founded in the 7th century, but still amazes tourists with its delightful sculpture. From the epoch
of the Pallavas, unique monuments preserved here, carved into the rocks and reflecting Buddhist motifs. As a result of the tsunami, the ruins of the ancient Mahabalipuram were discovered, which flourished in the 3rd-9th centuries. You can compare ancient and modern achievements upon arrival at the hotel.
Day 4 - Mahabalipuram
People who visited Mahabalipuram love to joke that there are more historical monuments here than residents of the city. Nevertheless, this ancient center can offer not only fascinating excursions but also a fairly high-quality beach holiday.
Day 5 - Mahabalipuram (free time)
The beaches of Mahabalipuram are divided into two parts: the north & south; Does it lie on the beach or continue exploring the history of the city? The choice is yours. After all, the whole 2 days of the tour can be spent on your own program.
Day 6 - Mahabalipuram - a tour of Chennai - airport departure.
The last day of the tour will begin with a move from Mahabalipuram to Chennai. Here you will have a sightseeing tour. It will open the fort of St. George - the oldest building of the city. The construction of the named port was completed in 1640 on the day of St. George It combines classic facades with black columns and English style. Then the group will go to the Christian monuments - the Armenian Cathedral of St. Mary and the Catholic Church of St. Thomas. They are examples of how Christian missionaries tried to establish themselves in India. Cathedral of St. Mary was erected in the 18th century, and the Cathedral of St. Thomas two centuries earlier. A visit to the museum, famous for the most complete collection of bronzes from the Chola dynasty, will complete the acquaintance with the city. We will leave for the airport in the evening. Representatives of Budget Travel India will be happy to provide you with a timely transfer.
