Description:
Madurai known as the 'Athens of the East' and "city of nectar", Madurai is the oldest city in Tamil Nadu and was home to the ancient Tamil Sangam, the literary conclave that produced the first epic, Silappathikaram. Today, it is known to produce the best harvests of jasmine flowers. One cannot ignore mention of the Meenakshi Temple, which is as well known for its architectural splendor as also a shelter, which inspired a thousand arts.
Kanyakumari is the southern most important point of peninsular India and the meeting point of three oceans-the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. Besides its importance as a Hindu pilgrim center, it is famous for its beautiful views of sunrise and sunset over the waters. It was once referred to as the Alexandria of the east. During the early part of the eighth century AD Islam entered the southern part of India through the sea route with traders and missionaries. Through St. Thomas, one of the twelve Ap ostles of Christ, Christianity arrived in this area in AD 52.
Tiruchendur - Lord Muruga arrived with his band of warriors to fight against the Asura, Soorapadma. So a temple was constructed at Tiruchendur for lord Murugan in remembrance of this. Rameswaram is one of the holy cities in India. Ramanathswamy temple is very famous for India's longest temple corridor ever built.
Rameswaram is known for one of India's most venerated and most visited Shiva shrines, dedicated to Sri Ramanathaswamy. It is so intimately associated with the life of Sri Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, that both Saivites and Vaishnavites consider every grain of Rameswaram's sand very sacred. There is a traditional belief among the Hindus that a pilgrimage to Kashi will be complete only after a visit to Rameswararn, also hailed as "Benaras of the South".