Excursions

Excursion 1 : 

Thoothukudi is known as "Pearl City" due to the pearl fishing carried out in the town. It is a commercial seaport which serves the inland cities of Southern India and is one of the sea gateways of Tamil Nadu. It is also one of the major seaports in India with a history dating back to the 6th century AD. The city is believed to be of significant antiquity and has been ruled, at different times, by the Early Pandyas, Medieval Cholas, Later Cholas, Later Pandyas, Ma'bar Sultanate, Tirunelveli Sultanate, Vijayanagar Empire,Madurai Nayaks, Chanda Sahib, Carnatic kingdom, Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Thoothukudi was settled by thePortuguese, Dutch and later by the British East India Company. 
The majority of the people of the city are employed in salt pans, sea-borne trading, fishing, and tourism. A major attraction in the city is Our Lady of Snows Basilica, a 16th-century site. The 21 islands between Thoothukudi and Rameswaram shores in the Gulf of Mannar are noted as the first Marine Biosphere Reserve of India, and have around 36,000 species of flora and fauna. This protected area is called Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park. Our Lady of Snows Basilica festival is celebrated annually during August. This and the Shiva temple festivals, e.g., Adi Amavasai, Sasti, and Chittirai chariot festivals – are the major festivals of the area.

Kattabomman's Fort
Veerapandiya Kattabomma Karuthayya Nayakkar (also known as Kattabomman) was a courageous 18th-century Palayakarrar('Polygar') chieftain from Panchalankurichi of Tamil Nadu, India. His ancestors migrated to Tamil Nadu from Kandukur area of Prakasam district in present day Andhra Pradesh during the Vijayanagara period. Also known as Kattabomma Nayakkar he was among the earliest to oppose British rule in these regions. He waged a war with the British six decades before the Indian War of Independence occurred in the Northern parts of India. He was captured and hanged in 1799 CE. His fort was destroyed and his wealth was looted by the British army. Today his native village Panchalankurichi in present day Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu is a historically important site.[1] Some polygars families also migrated to vedal village in Kanchipuram District, India.

Excursion 2 : 

Srivaikuntam,Tiruchendur, Uvari  Beach, Nanguneri

Srivaikuntam is a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the riverThamirabarani. Srivaikuntam (now in Thoothukudi District) is famous for the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu known as Srivaikuntapathi Swami with a lofty gopuram.The Thiruvengada Mudaiyar Mandapam is rich with sculptures of Yallis, Elephants and Warriors. The Ekadasi Mandapam which is opened on Vaikunta Ekadasi days, contains exquisite sculptures. During the conflicting days between the East India Company forces and Kattabomman, this temple served as a fort. The Kailasanathaswamy temple is another important temple. It contains six inscriptions of the times of Veera Pandiya Kattabomman.

Thiruchendur Murugan Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Muruga Murugan and one of the Arupadaibveedu(Six_Abodes_of_Murugan) of Lord Muruga. It is located in the district of Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, on the Indian Ocean. Arid theri forests are located in various suburban villages surrounding the town. These red soil forests are densely planted with palm trees, cashew plantations, and other crops typical of the region. The Seashore temple of Muruga Peruman at Tiruchendur is one of the delightful spots sanctified and venerated by every Hindu. As one of the first spiritual centres for the salvation of man, this shrine has been an attraction for Hindus for ages. This sacred house of God is in the extreme southeast of the Indian peninsula. The rising Sun bows in adoration of it each morning, as he rises from the rippling expanse of the ocean, and spreads light and life over every living object.

Bordered by the sea on the East and the North, the temple walls on these sides are washed by the foaming waves of the Gulf of Mannar. The date of the temple is hidden in the Puranic past. The Nucleus of the structure however has been here for more than 2,000 years as the Tamil Classics inform us.

Nanguneri is a Taluk Headquarters in the District of Tirunelveli situate at a distance of 18 miles (29 km) from the headquarters of the District. The place gained importance for the location of a famous Vaishnavite temple commonly known as Totadri Mutt. The Jeer (Spiritual Head) at Vanamamalai at Nanguneri commands wide reputation over Thenkalai Vaishnavites. He exercises unfettered powers over the subordinate monasteries numbering over 200 scattered all over India.


Excursion 3 :

Vallioor, Kanyakumari, Sucheendran

This ancient Murugan temple is located at Vallioor, not far from Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari. It has been revered by the Tiruppukazh hymns of Arunagirinathar.

The presiding deity here is Subramaniyar, and the sanctum enshrines an image of Murugan with that of his consort Valli. The temple has a rock-cut sanctum carved out of a hill and several mandapams surrounding it. There are also shrines to Natarajar and Dakshinamūrti here. The Saravanapoikai tank is located adjacent to the hill. The diamond studded Vel held by Subramaniyar is of great beauty.

Legend has it that Indra and Agastyar worshipped Subramanyar here. Legend also has it that the Saravanapoikai tank was created when Murugan struck his spear to the ground, upon being requested by his consort.

Legend has it that this temple was first discovered by a Pandya king who came here on a hunting expedition after visiting the Perumal temple at Tirukkurunkudi and that the temple was expanded by his descendents. Vallioor was under the governance of Kulasekhara Pandyan of the 13th century, who fortified the village.

Kanya Kumari is notable for pilgrimage and tourism. The place takes its name from the goddess Devi Kanya Kumari, considered to be a sister of Krishna. Women pray to her for marriage. The goddess is believed to be the one who removes the rigidity of our mind. The temple here is a Shakti Peetha, one of the holiest shrines of the Mother goddess. Also nearby are eleven sacred theertham.[9]

The place was called Kanyashram of the Baalaambika, the deity of the temple. The ablution in sea for Pitr Tarpan is done here. This is one of the rare temples in India where Devi(Mother Goddess) is worshipped as a child. The rites and rituals are done in the Kerala Namboothiri method, so there are slight differences in the way of worship compared to the temples of the nearby region. The deity is the goddess of Sanasa,[9] so people from all over India who desire to devote their life as Sanyasin come here and take the deeksha.Swami Vivekananda came to this temple as directed by his Guru Shri Ramakrishna Prarama Hamsa, being a Sanyasin. The temple is very old and is mentioned in ancient Sanskrit literature.

The beach sands are multi-coloured and likened to a mythological story.

There is a shrine for Kalabhairava in the temple. It is said that the backbone area of Sati Devi’s corpse fell here.

The place is famous for Agastyar mala where Sage Agastya lived. He is the founder of Siddha vydya, so there is innumerable medicinal plants available here. He is also considered as the founder of Varma Kalai, a form of martial arts.

Suchindrum is a temple town situated in the southern most district of Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu State, India. It is 11 km from Kanyakumari city and 7 km from Nagarcoil town 70 km from adjacent Tirunelveli district and approximately 85 km from Trivandrumcity. The town of Suchindrum is renowned for the Thanumalayan Temple and was an important citadel of Travancore.

Suchindram temple is unique in the whole of India in that it is dedicated to three different deities represented by one image in the sanctum and is called Sthanumalayan (Sthanu-Shiva; Maal-Vishnu and Ayan-Brahma) kovil. The temple is rich in sculpture and architecture and a visitor to this temple is amply rewarded with the sight of such exquisite art of hundreds of years old


Excursion 4 : 

Tirunelveli, Tenkasi ,Kuttraalam

Excursion 5 : http://www.hikeezee.com/explore/destinations/adichanallur-7251

Adichanallur

Adichanallur is a must visit destination for lovers of history, archaeology and culture. This Iron Age burial site shot into the limelight when three significant findings were publicized, throwing light on ancient history. These were an inscription in a simple Tamil-Brahmi script   within an urn containing a complete human skeleton, a potsherd (piece of broken earthenware) with strikingly beautiful motifs and the vestiges of living quarters near the site. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) commenced digging the site almost a century following the previous excavation activity here.Adichanallur is an amazingly huge urn burial site. It extends over 114 acres (45.6 hectares) on a low, rock-strewn hill on the right bank of the Tamiraparani River. The site is scenically located near a lake and encircled by lush paddy fields and banana plantations. Adichanallur   is the oldest burial site in Tamil Nadu. It was believed that it went back to 1000BC but during the excavations, they stumbled upon a culture that precedes the megalithic period. When the ASI excavated, they even discovered six trenches which yielded 157 burial urns.