2. SOUTH INDIA
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South India is the area encompassing the Indian states of Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union
territories of Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
South India is bounded by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in
the west and the Indian Ocean in the south.
The geography of the region is diverse with two mountain ranges -
the Western and Eastern Ghats, bordering
the plateau heartland. Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri rivers are important non-
perennial sources of water.
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Built only out of granite, this temple is one of the
greatest buildings of the Chola dynasty. Located
in the city of Thanjavur, it is a temple dedicated
to Lord Brihadeeshwara who was an avatar
(form) of Lord Shiva.
The most beautiful view is the one inside the
temple of Lord Shiva which is one of the biggest
idols of the deity. Many say it is one of the
temples that showcase Dravidian architecture
brilliantly.
The temple is also famous for its sculptures of
various gods like Dakshinamurthi, Ganesha,
Vishnu as well as "Ashta-dikpaalakas" (deities
who rule the specific directions of the space) –
Indra, Agni, Yama, Nirrti, Varuna, Vayu, Kubera
and Isana.
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5. One of India's top historical destinations, the
laid-back village of Hampi was once the last
capital of Vijayanagar, one of the greatest
Hindu empires in India's history. It has some
extremely captivating ruins, intriguingly
intermingled with large boulders that rear up
all over the landscape. The ruins, which date
back to the 14th century, stretch for just over
4187 hectares (16 square miles) and
comprise more than 1600 monumental
remains. An incredible energy can be felt at
this ancient place. Hampi is commonly visited
from Goa, as there are a number of transport
options from there.
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Mahabalipuram (also known as Mamallapuram) is a
beach town with a thriving backpacker and surfing
scene, an hour or so south of Chennai.
It's also renowned for its stone sculpture industry, so set
some money aside to shop! Other attractions are the
Shore Temple, Pancha Rathas (temples sculptured in
the shape of chariots), and Arjuna's Penance (a huge
carving on the face of a rock depicting scenes from the
Mahabharata).
A classical dance festival happens there every year from
late December to late January. Plan your trip with
this Mahabalipuram beach travel guide. The
many beach resorts in the area make Mahabalipuram
a popular getaway from Chennai.
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• Meenakshi temple is the temple of Parvati
who is the consort of Shiva. It is also one of
the few popular temples celebrating a
goddess. What makes the temple so epic is
the fact that it has 33000 sculptures and is the
largest temple complex in the state of Tamil
Nadu.
• The other highlight of the temple is the 14
differently made Gopurams and the thousand
pillar hall that has almost 1000 pillars
arranged in a fashion that they appear to be in
neat rows and columns, no matter which
angle you look at them from.Gopurams are
pyramid shaped towers that appear mostly in
the entrance of temples. It is, in fact a
prominent feature of Dravidian architecture.
8. The heritage sites of Badami (formerly Vatapi),
Aihole and Pattadakal are a worthwhile side trip
from Hampi. They're rich in monuments, temples
and ruins from the Chalukya empire, which ruled
there between the 6th to 12th centuries.
The renowned Chalukya style of architecture
originated in Aihole and the village is filled with
around 125 stone temples, which unfortunately
don't get the attention they deserve.
Badami is one of the top places to see caves in
India, with four sets of magnificent ancient rock-
cut cave temples. Pattadakal is smaller but has
one impressive temple complex that's also
a UNESCO Heritage Site. 8
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• Veerabhadra Temple is located in Lepakshi
village, which is 15 km east of Hindupur in the
Anantapur district. Dedicated to Lord
Veerbhadra, the temple was built back in 16th
century.
• The temple has images, sculptors and pillars
carved by hand. The highlight of the temple is
the Statue of Nandi Bull, made from a single
granite stone.
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• Gol Gumbaz is the crypt of Mohammed Adil Shah,
who was the Sultan of Bijapur. He was the seventh
ruler of Adil Shah Dynasty. This magnificent
monument was constructed by the architect Yaqut of
Dabul, in the year 1656. The monument derives its
name from "Gola Gummata" or "Gol Gombadh",
which mean a "circular dome". Constructed as per
the Deccan architecture, Gol Gumbaz is one of the
most significant monuments of India located in the
state of Karnataka.
• The grand structure of the monument is composed of
a cube on each side, which is capped by a dome in
external diameter. Inside the gigantic dome,
"whispering gallery" runs around. These are named
so because even the slightest of the sound can be
heard on the other side due to the acoustics of the
space. The construction of Gol Gumbaz started in
the year 1626 AD, and it took about a span of 30
years to complete its structure. It is maintained by
the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
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• Built during the 7th century, Shore Temple is one of the
oldest South Indian temples constructed in the Dravidian
style and depicts the royal taste of the Pallava dynasty.
The work of the temple has been listed amongst the
World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. It is located in
Mahabalipuram and is one of the most photographed
monuments in India situated on the shores of Bay of
Bengal.
• The Shore Temple's name originated as a result of its
overlooking the shore of Bay of Bengal. It is built with
blocks of granite which can be dated back to the 8th
century AD. It comprises of three shrines, where the
prominent ones are dedicated to Lord Shiva and Lord
Vishnu. In the Sanctum Sanctorum an image of
Shivalinga is present. Towards the end, two shrines
facing each other can be spotted. One shrine out of this
is dedicated to Ksatriyasimnesvara and the other one to
Lord Vishnu. The image shows Lord Vishnu reclining on
the 'Seshanag' which depicts "consciousness" in
Hinduism.
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Mysore has an impressive royal heritage,
with the city's main tourist attraction being
the imposing Mysore Palace.
There are many other interesting buildings,
palaces, and temples to see. The zoo is
notably one of the best in India.
Mysore is also an excellent place to shop
for sandalwood, and study Ashtanga
yoga. The annual 10-day Mysore Dasara
festival is another attraction.
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• An identifying feature of the city, Charminar is the most
prominent landmark located right in the heart
of Hyderabad. The monument was erected by Quli
Qutub Shah to signify the founding of Hyderabad.
• Since the construction of the monument in 1591,
Charminar has been synonymous with the culture of
Hyderabad standing tall as a reminder of the glorious
days of the past era. It is a massive structure which has
four minarets which many believe stand for the first four
'khalifas' (Prophets) of Islam. Towards the north of the
monument, there are four gateways known as Char
Kaman which have been constructed in the cardinal
directions. The structure was intended to serve as a
Madrasa or a Mosque. In its present form, Charminar,
along with Qutub Shahi Tombs and the Golconda Fort,
has been added to the 'tentative list' of UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.
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A prominent landmark of the Telangana state and an
apt example of architectural excellence and historical
richness of the yore, the Warangal fort is situated in
Warangal. The city is also known as Oru Kallu, which
means 'a single stone'. Locals believe the city was built
on a single rock in the medieval era. Sprawlingly
spread across a stretch of 19 km between Warangal &
Hanamkonda, this 12th-century fort is a prominent
historical attraction in Telangana. Every year thousands
of enthusiastic tourists flock in to witness the historical
and architectural marvel of this region.
The major highlights of Warangal fort are the four
ornamental gates, which are now the official emblem of
the Telangana state. The fort is in ruins today, still
refelecting the historical grandeur and architectural
preeminence of the Kakatiya Dynasty.
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Situated in the Western part of the beautiful city of
Hyderabad at a distance of approximately 9 km
from Hussain Sagar Lake, Golconda Fort is one of
the region's best-preserved monuments. The
construction of this fort was completed in the
1600s and it is reputed for being the area where
once, the mighty Koh-I-Noor diamond was stored.
The mines here are known to produce some of the
most coveted and popular gems ever known in the
world such as Idol's Eye, the Hope Diamond,
Darya-i-noor and the famous Koo-i-noor.
In the evening, Golconda Fort comes to life with
the light and sound show which showcases
snippets from its regal past. The grandeur, the rise,
and the fall of the fort are all spectacular in their
own right. With its fascinating history, the place is
definitely worth a visit.
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