TRICHY
NAGAPATTINAM
RAMNAD
TUTICORIN
CUDDALORE

Rock Fort Temple	The Rock Fort temple complex houses three temples - the ManikkaVinayakar temple at the foot of the hill, the UchhiPillayarKoyil at the top of the hill and the TaayumaanavarKoyil(Shivastalam) on the hill.
Sri Ranganathaswami Temple	Srirangam is said to be the abode of Lord Sri Ranganatha, the reclining form of Lord Vishnu. The temple of Ranganatha is said to be the largest in India.
Jambukeswara Temple	Tiruvanaikkaval or Jambukeswara Temple: Just 2 km from Srirangam, this beautiful Shiva temple overshadows the larger Ranganathaswami temple due to its excellent architectural design. It is named after the elephant believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva here.
	St.Lourd's Church, St.Joseph College, Trichy
AVUDAYARKOIL, ARNTHANGI	AvadayarKoil, previously known as "Thiruperunthurai" is an important Shivasthala located 8 miles from the Arantangi railway station. The sculptural work of the temple is exquisite. It is perhaps the best architectural marvel in South India. Although the figures carved are seen everywhere in southern temples, still the workmanship and the vivid portraiture of this temple are worth seeing.
THANJAVUR
Brihadeshvara Temple	This finest granite structure is now a UNESCO World heritage site. Completed in AD 1010 and dedicated to Lord Shiva, it was built by RajarajaChola I as a symbol of the unrivalled power and might of the Cholas. The temple is constructed using granite, mostly of large blocks, a rock that is not available in the neighborhood and had therefore to be brought from a distance- itself a colossal task.
Royal Palace	This palace was originally built by Nayaka rulers as their royal residence and was further reconstructed by Maratha rulers. A large quadrangular courtyard leads into the palace complex. Outside the palace there is a seven-storeyed observation tower meant for the royal families.The splendid Maratha Durbar Hall, built by Shahji II in 1684 has elaborately decorated pillars, walls and ceilings. The Durbar Hall now houses the Rajaraja Museum and Art Gallery with an impressive collection of bronze and stone idols dating from 7th to 20th centuries. Next to the museum is the SaraswatiMahal Library, constructed by the Maratha rulers. This is one of the most important reference libraries in India. An adjoining museum known as Royal Museum displays personal collection of Serfoji II.
Ooty

Ooty also known as Udhagamandalam is the "Queen of hill stations" and the capital of Nilgiris district. It is one of the most popular tourist resorts in India. Nilgiris means "Blue Mountains". It is a land of picturesque picnic spots. Used to be popular summer and weekend getaway for the Britishers during the colonial days.It is situated at an altitude of 2,240 meters above sea level
MUDUMALAI SANCTUARY

The Mudumalai sanctuary lies on the northern and north-western side of the Nilgiri (Blue Mountains), about 80 km north-west of Coimbatore in the extreme north-western corner of Tamil Nadu, on the interstate boundaries with Karnataka and Kerala states in southern India. This 321-sq-kms wide sanctuary includes a National Park measuring an area of 103-sq-kms. The sanctuary has wide range of animal and bird life, the rich fauna of this sanctuary has made Mudumalai very popular with wildlife enthusiast.
YERCAUD, SALEM

Yercaud is a hill station near Salem , in the Servarayan range of hills in the Eastern Ghats . It is at an altitude of 1,500 metres (4,920 feet) from mean sea level. The town gets its name from the lake located at its center - in Tamil "Yeri" means "lake" and "Kaadu" means "forest". Yercaud is known for coffee plantations and orange groves. It also has an orchidarium run by the Botanical Survey of India. The highest point in Yercaud is the Servarayan temple, which is situated at a height of 5326 feet. Hence the Yercaud hill area is called Shevaroy Hills.
Top Slip
It is a picturesque location in the Anamalai Hills. It is about 37 kms from Pollachi. This small town is an ideal picnic spot. Top Slip is a national park and a medical plant conservation area in Annamalai hills. It is famous for its elephant camp
Thirumurthy Dam
It is situated 50 Kms from Pollachi and 20 kms from Udumalpet on the highway from Palani to Coimbatore. Thirumoorthy temple is situated at the foot of the hill adjacent to Thirumoorthy Dam. Importance of this temple is three Moorthy Idols originate in same place. A perennial stream flows by the side of Sri Amaralingeswarar temple and nearby there is Thirumoorthy falls
Parambikulam-Aliyar
Parmbikulam dam is built across the Parambikulamriver that originates in the Kerala state. This dam lies on the Pollachi to Udumalaipettai road. This dam ranks first in India and in the top ten list of the world for it massive storage capacity. ParambikulamAliyar dam is the source for canal irrigation for large tracts of agricultural lands lying nearby in the Tamil Nadu side and within the Kerala state. Apart from it storage capacity it is considered the longest dam in Asia since it stretches to a two kilometre distance. Many other rivers also prove water source for this dam. They are Aliyar, Nirar, Parambikulam, Sholayar, Thekkadi, Thunakadavu and Palar. This dam comes under the ParambikulamAliyar Project which is used for power generation in addition to agricultural irrigation. Many people visit this dam to enjoy its scenic value and to spend good time in this beautiful park beside the dam.
The Siruvani Waterfalls and Dam
Thirty-seven kilometres to the west of the city is located the Siruvani waterfall and dam. One is left enchanted and spellbound by the panoramic view of the dam and the falls. And when you are there don't forget to taste the water of Siruvani, for the water of Siruvani is known for its minerals and taste
Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary
This sanctuary is situated at an altitude of 1,400 metres in the western ghats near Pollachi..The Anamalai Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most picturesque reserves of the south. Its boundaries encompass both the dry, eastern (rain shadow) slopes and the wet western (windward) slopes of the Western Ghats. It has various kinds of exotic fauna like elephant, gaur, tiger, panther, sloth bear, pangolin, black headed oriole, green pigeon and civet cat. The Amaravathy reservoir in the Anamalais has a large number of crocodiles. There are also many places of scenic beauty such as Karain Shola, Anaikunthi shola, Grass hills, waterfalls,groves ,teak forests,estates,dams and reservoirs.

IMPORTANT TOURISM PLACES FALLING UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF CUSTOMS DIVISION, NAGAPATTINAM NAGAPATTINAM is the District headquarters. Its long stretch of beach runs along the Bay of Bengal for 188kms. Nagappattinam boasts of having one of the most thriving harbours of India. It has ShriKayahorana Swami Neelayathatchi Amman Temple, SowrirajaPerumal Temple, and NellukkadaiMariamman Temple. The mini museum, the towering lighthouse and the long beautiful beach are some of the worth visiting places in this city.
VELANKANNI	Velankanniis one of the most visited pilgrim centres in India. It is a town situated on the shores of Bay of Bengal. This renowned shrine Basilica of our Lady of health draws pilgrims from all over the world. Not only Christians but also the people of other faiths come to this Church to pray at the shrine of Our lady of health.Knowing the importance of this town the Pope in the Vatican city has declared Velankanni as a Holy city. This Roman Catholic Church has an extended Basilica, which has two floors where one can find the statue of Jesus Christ. The Gothic style of architecture is a unique feature of the Church. The church itself is an imposing building with inspiring architecture. While the buildings have been painted white roof of the church is made by the tiles with striking red in contrast to the colour of the walls.
THE DARGHA IN NAGORE	Near Nagapattinam, is a holy place for the followers of Islam.The relics of the God-manAbdul kadhar is kept in Nagoredargha.Khandoori festival is the anniversary celebrations and devotees from all over the world join the festivals to be blessed by NagoreAndavavar
THARANGAMBADI	THARANGAMBADI is 35kms north of Nagapattnam on the east coastal line of Bay of Bengal. Danish Architexture is the attractions of Tranguebar. Built in 1620, it exists to exhibit Danish architecture. The fort is now under the control of TamilNadu Archeological Department and houses an archaeological Museum. This museum is open on all days expect Friday.
KODIAKKARAI	also called Point Calimere, is a Wild Life Sanctuary of mammals like blue buck, spotted deer, wild boar, semi wild ponies, bonnet macaque, water birds like flamingoes, ibises, herons, and spoonbills. Sea turtle, starred tortoise, vipers, marsh crocodiles, etc., Fish, dolphins, dugong, sea lion, sea cow are occasionally found here. Besides, it is where the occurrence of varieties of corals are found.
SIKKAL :A beautiful Muragan Temple dedicated to Lord Singaravelan is housed in a large complex. The pillars of this temple are adorned with intricate and exquisite carvings. The beautiful paintings of a bygone era are amazing in colour and portrayal. Beside this temple has the shrine of Siva, Vishnu and Hanuman. It is a rare combination, indeed. It is believed that worship in this temple removes all the hurdles of the devotees. VAITHEESWARAN KOIL :In the divine songs of Devaram, Vaitheeswarankoil is called Pullirukkuvellur. The Presiding deity Lord Vaithiyanathan and the Devi is Thaiyalnayagi. Lord Muruga is called here as ArulmiguMuthukumaraswami. Vaitheeswarankoil is situated 12kms from Mayiladuthurai and 5kms from Sirkali. This temple is the seat of another Navagraha, the Mars POOMBUHAR is known as Kaveripoompattinam. This used to be one of the largest ports in ancient times. Poompuhar is also known as the place where two famous works of ancient Tamil literature, namely, Silapathikaram and Manimekalai were composed. A splendid art gallery located here strives to present the ancient ambience of the region by resorting to 2nd century décor. For those with an interest in history and literature of South India
Thirunallar	Thirunallaris a small town in Karaikal, in the Union Territory of Pondicherry and can be reached by road from the town of Kumbakonam which lies in the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu. Thirunallar is most noted for the shrine of Lord Shani (Saturn) within the temple dedicated to Lord Darbharanyeswaran, a form of Lord Shiva.This is the only temple that is dedicated to Lord Shani (Saneeswaran, in Tamil). Whenever (planet) Saturn transits from one zodiac sign to another (an occurrence roughly every 2.5 years), millions throng this shrine for worship. The legendary King Nala is said to have been relieved of his afflictions caused by the malefic influence of Saturn, after worship in this temple.

IMPORTANT TOURISM PLACES FALLING UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF CUSTOMS DIVISION, RAMNAD
Rameswaram	The Holy abode of the Hindu God, Shri Ram (addressed so with all respect & humility) is a virtual paradise for the devout. No Hindu's journey is complete without a pilgrimage to both Varanasi and Rameswaram for the culmination of his quest for salvation and is hallowed by the epic 'Ramayana'. Folklore mentions about God Ram's presence in this land, after his 14-year exile. The legend says that Hunuman was sent by Lord Rama to bring a Lingam to worship at an appointed auspicious hour. As Human's arrival was delayed, Sitamoulded a lingam for Rama's timely worship. It is the main deity being worshiped as Ramanathaswamy. Disappointed Hunuman was later consoled by Rama by installing the Lingam which was brought by him a little north of Ramanatha, and decreed that the Hunuman's lingam should have precedence over the Ramanatha in all honours
Dhanushkodi	The southernmost tip of the island is called Dhanushkodi. It was completely washed away by a cyclone in 1964. But the Kothandaramasamy Temple here remains intact. It is 18 KMs way from Rameswaram can be reached by road. A popular belief is that, it is where Vibishana a brother of Ravana surrendered before Rama. Dhanushkodi has a fine beach, where Sea surfing is possible.
Pamban Bridge	The 2.2 km. length bridge connecting the Rameswaram Island and the mainland is the longest bridge in India constructed over a bay. It is also called as Pamban Bridge. Similarly the railway bridge connecting the island is noted for its unique opening to pass the ships through the sea.
Devi Patinam :A coastal village is also known as Navashabashanam.It is believed that Lord Rama worshipped Navagraha here. The temple near byhere, is dedicated to Devi, who is said to have killed the demon Mahishasura at this spot. Hindus perform religious rites for their forefathers here. Erwadi : The tomb of Sultan Ibrahim Syed Aulia, who came from Arabia via Cannanore is about 800 years old. Pilgrims from far off countries like Srilanka, Malaysia and Singapore are visiting this tomb. Santhanakoodu Festival is celebrated in February-March attracts thousands of pilgrims Oriyuris one of the most revered pilgrim centers for Christians the world over as it is home to the martyrdom of St. John De Britto, a Portugese Jesuit better known as 'Arul Anandar'. It was in this place that the saint was beheaded in 1693 and the sand dune is said to have turned red, believed to be stained by the blood of the saint. Here, one can see a magnificent shrine with its Portugese façade that contains a captivating statue of Arul Anandar offering his neck in humble submission to the executioner.

IMPORTANT TOURISM PLACES FALLING UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF CUSTOMS DIVISION, TUTICORIN
	Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve Wild Life sanctuaries : - The Mundanthurai-Kalakad wildlife sanctuary in Tirunelveli district is developed as a National Tiger Reserve from the year 1988 with a total area of 817 sq. km in the south most western ghat ranges. The nearest stations are Cheranmahadevi, and Ambasamudaram which are 20kms and 15 kms respectively from Tirunelveli. The nearest airports are Madurai and Trivandrum. One can reach this place by road also from Ambasamudaram and Kalakad. Frequent buses are plying from Ambasamudaram and Kalakad to this place. Out of 817 sq. kms.459 sq.kms is in core zone and 358 sq.kms. is in buffer zone. There are 24 identified nature trails which is spread over the reserve. It gives a thrilling experience to trekkers. This Tiger Reserve is open on all days between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. throughout the year. However the best season is September to January. Forest Rest Houses and dormitories are available at Mundanthurai and Thalayanai.
	Birds Sanctuary at Koonthankulam :- A tiny village in the far south, Koonthankulam in NanguneriTaluk of Tirunelveli District is emerging as a new favourite of the migratory birds. It is just 38 Kms. away from Tirunelveli and is in the nearby NanguneriTaluk. It may soon be catapulted into the list of popular water bird sanctuaries in the country. This village is sparsely populated. Migratory birds start coming by December end and fly away to their northern homes by June or July after they lay eggs, hatch them and the young ones grow old enough to fly with the older ones. About 35 species of birds visit this calm but congenial village for breeding.
COURTALLAM	It is an excellent health resort. The picturesque surroundings with the backdrops of cloud capped spurs of the western ghats lend an unusual charm to the falls. The rapturous scene of the falls gets heightened by the cool breeze that wafts during seasonal months (June to September) along with intermittent drizzle and sunlight. There are eight places where water pours down torrentially with varying velocity and force according to the height of the precipice. They are Main Falls, Five Falls, theShenbhaga Falls, the Tiger Falls, old Courtallam Falls, Honey Falls, Orchard falls and Sitraruvi. Visitors to this place like to have bath in these falls from dawn to dusk. One can have bath at anytime in a day and one would not get sneezing or cold as the water is said to possess medicinal qualities of the herbal plants grown in this mountain. Those suffering from rheumatic joints, chronic headache, nerve disorder get cured by a lengthy stay at Courtallam.
Sankarankoil	Sankaranainarkoil, commonly called as Sankarankoil is a town well connected with Tirunelveli and other parts of the district with good bus facilities. The Lingam in this temple is the personification of earth. This temple was built by Ukirapandiar who ruled this area in the early part of the 11th century A.D. It was his daily routine to go to Madurai on elephant's back to worship Lord Somasundarar and Meenakshi. On one particular day his elephant dug a pit with its trunk, fell and rolled over the earth, and refused to move further
e. KappalMatha church	A small church for St. Mary which was under the control of pastors of Goa mission existed here. In course of time, in 1903, this church was converted into a school. On important occasions as per the wishes of the people, festivals were conducted and prayers were offered to her. There was a custom among the young maidens to go to the nunnery in the night and sleep there. On one such occasion they saw a bright light surrounding this Selvamathastatue even though nobody lit a candle. Many people of Uvari witnessed this light which was there for over an hour. This incident occurred on 18th September which is celebrated as a festival. People used to keep this statue in a chariot and come around this town to bestow the blessing of Mary to the people of Uvari. Due to sea erosion the old church got damaged. Therefore the people decided to construct a new church for which the foundation stone was laid down by Fr.Thomas in 1970, 25th January and the work was finished on 1974. This church designed as a ship, is called KappalMatha church after its design. It is beautiful church facing the blue sea. The waves rolling near this church gives us an impression that this ship shaped church is sailing on the sea which is a feast to eyes.
PottalpudurDargha	The centre of attraction of this place is the oldest dargha built around the year 1674. This dargha attracts not only the Muslims but Hindus and Christians also in equal numbers. This has been built adopting Hindu temple pattern. If the prayers of the pilgrims are answered, they pay their offerings, through the dargha in large numbers during Kanthuri festival with great reverence. In this dargha where the lebbais act as priest, customs almost similar to that of Hindus are followed in the rituals. Here holy ashes obtained from tamarind bark, ghee, and flowers called nerchai aredistributed to the devotees.
KANNIYAKUMARI	Kanyakumari district, which lies in the southern most tip of Peninsular India, is famous for its majestic hills, virgin beaches, pristine rivers and meandering rivulets. The district has a fragrance of architecture culture and customs of neighbouring Kerala mixed with the rich deep traditions, culture and architecture of Tamil Nadu. However, for want of promotional campaign and lack of basic amenities most of the tourists coming to this district return back after seeing just Kanyakumari and Padmanabhapuram Palace. It was at this juncture that the district administration decided to take up tourism promotion initiatives in a major way. Attempt has been made to put up basic amenities at the virgin beautiful spots so as to facilitate the inflow of the tourists.
Mahatma Gandhi Memorial	The place has been associated with great men like Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi in whose names memorials have been here. They are very beautiful and add to the attraction of this place. The beautiful Gandhi Memorial completed in 1956, is situated as a memorial to the Father of the Nation. An urn of Mahatma Gandhi was kept here for public to pay homage before immersion. Mahatma Gandhi visited Kanyakumari twice in 1925 and 1937. Mahatma Gandhi visited Kanyakumari in January 1937. In 1948 his ashes were immersed in the sea waters in Kanyakumari. In commemoration of this event a beautiful monument has been constructed here. Its central shape is 79 feet high representing the age of the Mahatma at the time of the sun at Mid day on 2nd October would fall on the peedam through a hole in the roof. The memorial was transferred to the administrative control of the Public (Information and Public Relations) Department from Public Works Departmentof Government of Tamil Nadu in the year 1978.Visting Hours -7 AM To 7 PM. Entry Free.
Thiruvalluvar Statue	Thiruvalluvar is the immortal poet of Tamil Nadu and has given to the world Thirukkural. The memorial statue of Thiruvalluvar is in Kanyakumari. The pedestal of the statue is of 38 feet height and the statue over it is 95 feet tall with a grand total of 133 feet for the entire sculpture. The 3 tier pedestal known as Atharapeedam is surrounded by an artistic Mandapa known as AlankaraMandapam with 38 feet height. Surrounding the AlankaraMandapa stand 10 elephant statues signifying 8 directions with earth and space down. The father of Sri. Rama, the hero of Ramayana was called Dasaratha as he was able to charioteer in ten directions. To help the tourists to worship the holy feet of Thiruvalluvar 140 steps are constructed inside the Mandapa. The pedestal with a height of 38 feet represents the 38 chapters in the Book of Aram in Thirukural and the statue of 95 feet on the pedestal represents the total chapters in Porul (70 chapters) and Inbam (25 Chapters). Thus the statue symbolically, and artistically signifies that the theme of Porul and Inbam are based on Aram. Visting Hours -8 AM To 4 PM .
KamarajarManimandapam
Another monument KamarajarManimandapam was raised and dedicated to Late. Sri.Kamarajar, The freedom fighter, Former Chief minister of Tamil Nadu, President of Indian National Congress. He was popularly known as Black Gandhi among the masses and king maker during congress regime. This monument was constructed where his ashes were kept here for public to pay homage before immersion into the sea. Visting Hours -7 AM To 7 PM .Entrance Free.
Vivekananda Rock Memorial
Vivekananda Rock Memorial is another place in Kanyakumari which attracts large number of tourists. As its name implies, it is essentially a sacred monument, built by the Vivekananda Rock Memorial Committee to commemorate the visit of Swamy Vivekananda to "ShripadaParai" during 24th, 25th and 26th December 1892 for deep meditation and enlightenment. From very ancient times, the rock has been regarded as sacred place. In Puranic tradition, it has been known as "SripadaParai: meaning the rock, that has been blessed by the touch of Shripada feet of the Goddess.On the rock, is a projection similar in form to a human fort and a little brownish in complexion, which has traditionally, been revered as a symbol of Shripadam. According to legend, it was on this rock that Goddess Kanyakumari did Tapas.
St. Xavier Church Kottar, Nagercoil	St.Xavier an outstanding and dedicated priest visited the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu from Goa, he never missed the opportunity of visiting Kottar in Kanniyakumari district which was a celebrated commercial centre at that time. During his stay at Kottar, he used to worship St. Mary in the small temple. He was popularly known as "ValiyaPandaram" among the people of Kottar. While he was at Kottar, he averted the invasion of Padagas on the people of Venad which was appreciated by the king, who became closer to the Priest. In recognition of Xavier's services, the king allotted a land to him for the purpose of constructing a catholic church at Kottar. There was already a church in 1544 inthe same place, where the St. Xavier's church stands now. The church records show that the church was built in the year 1600 A.D. In the year 1865, the Church was enlarged and the shrine of our ladywas also renovated and vaulted over. In 1930, the church was raised to the status of a Cathedral.
THOOTHUKUDI
PanimayaMadha church	One famous Church named" "Lady Snow" is here. It was built by Portugese in 1711
Thiruchendur	It is 40 Kms from Thoothukudi. Tiruchendur is Very popular for the seashore temple of Lord Subramanya. The temple tower and the sculptures of the temple are worth seeing. It is also ideal for sea bathing. The temple is one among the six abodes of Lord Subramanya.
Ettayapuram
34 Kms. from Thoothukudi. This is the birth place of MahakaviBharathiyar. A Memorial UmarupulavarDhansha is also located here. During the reign of pandyas at madurai people from Chandragiri near Chittoor of Andhra Pradesh were brought and posted as "watch keepers (DhisaiKavalars) of I1asanadu. This was latter was called ettayapuram .Ettayapuram was formed in 1565.
Kattabomman memorial fort / panjalankurichi
It was built in 1974. Family goddess Jackammal is located nearby. The snap shot is of the 5th generation heir of VeerapandyaKattabomman temple. His name is Vee. Veemaraja alias JegaveeraPandyaSubbramaniaKattabommaDurai.Bommu means the godSasthaAyyanamSwamy. The earliest freedom struggle against the Britishers was by Kattabomman and his clan. They were charged for reason and were sentenced to death and hanged
MADURAI
Sreemeenakshisundareswarar temple	The greatest temple of Madurai City is Sri MeenakshiSundareswarar temple. This temple is rectangular in shape. Its length is about 847 feet and breadth about 792 feet. Five gopurams (tower) surround the temple. The tower on the south is the tallest of them. it rises to a height of 160 feet from the ground level.
ThirumalaiNayakkar Palace	ThirumalaiNaickar palace is about 1 Km. South �€“ East of SreeMeenakshi Temple. This palace was built in 1636 by ThirumalaiNaick, the greatest of Naick rulers of Madurai with the help of an Italian Architect in designing this building. The existing building was the main palace building where ThirumalaiNaick lived. The original palace was four times bigger than the existing building. The palace was built by ThirumalaiNaick consisted of two parts, namely SwragaVilasa and RangaVilasa. The enclosure walls are said to have survived till a hundred years ago.
Alagar Temple	Alagar Hills is 12 miles to the north-east of Madurai. This is Vishnu Temple dedicated to SundarajaPerumal (or) Alagar (beautiful). The temple is situated amidst a very picturesque surroundings. Top of the Hill is a Muruga or Karthikeiya (Lord Murugan) temple
Kodaikanal	Kodaikanalis one of Tamil Nadu's finest hill stations. It is situated 7,200 feet above sea level amongst the picturesque western ghats of India. Kodaikanal is located in the palani hill range and is under the administrative control of Dindigul district of TamilnaduKodaikanal is also referred as "Princess of Hill stations.". Theclosest airports to Kodaikanal are Madurai 120 km and Coimbatore 175 km.
PalaniMurugan Temple	This is the prime attraction in Palani. One has top climb 670 steps to reach the temple. Alternatively ,there is a Haulage Winch [1] (a small rope train) and a Rope Car to goto the temple on the top of the hill. From the hill top, one can have a beautiful view of entire Palani town and the agricultural places around it.
Thirupparankundram	8 Kms from Madurai. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Subramanya and is one of the six abodes of the Lord. Its inner-most shrine is cut out of a solid rock.
Vaigai Dam
Vaigai Dam Park at, Vaigai Dam, the main tourist spotVaigai dam is constructed across the river of Mullui near Andipatti village, 25 Km away from Theni. The main source of water for irrigation in Madurai district is from Vaigai. The Children park, Zoo etc. are fast developing areas at the dam site.
Cloud Land Falls (ChinnaSuruli)
Situated 54 kms from Theninear Kombaithozhu Village. This falls originate in the Megamalai - This is popularly known as ChinnaSuruli.
Tiger Falls
A dainty fall on the route to Munnar between Bodi and Bodimettu from Theni. This also a wonderful picnic spot.
Gandhigram Rural Univeristy
Established in 1956 under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 of the Government of India, Gandhigram Rural Univeristy was founded by GandhiansDr.T.S.Soundaram and Dr.G.Ramachandran. They followed the Mahatma Gandhi's revolutionary concept of 'NaiTalim' system of education. Gandhigram Rural Institute has developed academic programmes in Rural Development, Rural Economics and Extension Education, Rural Oriented Sciences, Cooperation, Development Administration, Rural Sociology, English and Communicative Studies, and, Tamil and Indian Languages. The Gandhigram Rural Institute has a campus of nearly 200 acres in a rural setting, nestling in one of the enclaves of the beautiful Sirumalai range. To its West are chains of mountains including the beautiful Kodaikanal Hill Station. Lying North of Madurai, Gandhigram is easily accessible by rail and road. The climate of the place is pleasant all through the year and the panorama of nature surrounding Gandhigram is pleasing to the eye and inspiring to the soul. The nearest railway station is 2 km away in Ambathurai, the nearest railway junction is 11 km away from Dindigul accessible by both broad guage and meter guage, and, the nearest major town is Dindigul. The nearest airport is Madurai which is approximately 65 km by road. Gandhigram is located south of Dindigul by about 11 km and north of Madurai city approximately by 55 km.


ThillaiNatarajah Temple, Chidambaram	It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the heart of the temple town of Chidambaram, East-Central Tamil Nadu, South India. Thillai Chidambaram temple is known as the foremost Kovil to Saivites and has influenced worship, architecture, sculpture and performance art for over two millenium
Pichavaram	Pichavaramis home to the second largest Mangrove forest in the world, and it is one of the unique eco-tourism spots in South India. The backwaters, interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon river systems, offer abundant scope for water sports such as rowing, kayaking and canoeing. The Pichavaram forest not only offers waterscape and backwater cruises, but also another very rare sight - the mangrove forest trees are permanently rooted in a few feet of water.
Pondicherry	Auroville:It is also called the city of dawn. This city is still being built. Work on it started in 1968 under the guidance of Sri Ma, the companion of Sri Aurobindo, the great spiritual leader and freedom fighter. The city is a unique venture. It strives to be a model city where people from all communities from around the world will forget their differences and live in harmony as part of the same community. At present the city spreads over 50 square kilometers and is inhabited by about 1700 people, though the capacity is of 50000 people. A circular cover of green surrounds Auroville. The center of the township is marked by the MatriMandir (temple of the Mother). It serves as the spiritual center of the town. The chief feature of the structure is a 30 meter high globe. The town of Auroville is divided into industrial, residential, cultural, and international zones. Sri Aurobindoashrama: Sri Aurobindo was a greatly respected freedom fighter and philosopher who settled in Puducherry and established this Ashrama in 1920. His philosophy and teachings found many followers here, and this Ashrama became one of the centers of vedic and philosophical studies. The place is a peaceful community developed over the years by the active participation of members that include people from all countries, castes, and communities. The ashrama is a great example of unity in diversity and promotes world peace in a very subtle way, emphasizing on the learning of world religions. The ashrama is also known for the samadhi (memorial) of Sri Aurobindo and Sri Ma (mother). Besides, there are farms, gardens, cottage industries, library, and various other manufacturing units that cater to the day to day requirements of the ashrama.
MAHABALIPURAM	Mahabalipuram lies on the Coromandel Coast which faces the Bay of Bengal. This is an elegant place to watch which a well established sea port was during the 7th and 10th centuries of the Pallava dynasty. This was the second capital of the Pallavas who ruled Kanchipuram. Formerly, mahabalipuram was known and called as Mahabalipuram. The former name of this place 'Mahabalipuram' has a history. A very rude cruel king Mahabali reined this place and in a fierce battle king Mahabali was killed by Lord Vishnu and the place was named after the dead, arrogant kind Mahabali.
THIRUVANNAMALAI	Tiruvannamalai (Thiruvannamalai) is a world renowned temple town in TamilNadu which is synonym to deepam(fire). Here Shiva (Arunachaleswar) is worshipped in the form of fire. This temple city is located about 180 kilometres from Chennai or when accessed from Vellore it is around 80 kilometres by road. It is believed that this temple on the foot hill of Annamalai hill came to be built around 750 A.D. period as per the details available from archeological sculptures. It is the biggest temple in India dedicated to Lord Shiva.