Tamil
Nadu is the very bastion of Dravidian cultural legacy and tradition and
since time immemorial, been a pioneer of peace and wisdom. The history of
it's people has echoed a legacy which is both rich and multi-dimensional.
Sharing boundaries with the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala,
Tamil Nadu has an continuous coast line, contouring the Bay of Bengal.
Physically, Tamil Nadu is a visual extravaganza. Densely forested uplands
which bounteous in wildlife, intensively cultivated farmlands interspersed
with rocky water, mountain chains of the western Ghats, which give way to
fertile coastal plains and plateaus form the geographical features of Tamil
Nadu.
Gift of Mother Nature !
Although Tamil Nadu is one of the most urbanized states of India, it is
still a rural land; agriculture is the mainstay of life for about
three-quarters of the rural population. The major food crops include rice,
maize, Jowar, Bajra, Ragi, and pulses. The cash crops include cotton,
sugarcane, oilseeds, coffee, tea rubber, and chillies.
Mechanical endeavour !
The principal industries are; cotton textiles, chemicals, fertilizers,
paper and paper products, printing and allied industries, diesel engines,
automobiles and parts, cement, sugar, iron and steel, and railway wagon and
coaches. The state is the biggest textiles producer in India and an
important exporter of leather and leather products, cotton piece goods, tea,
coffee, spices, tobacco, etc.
Cultural Benedictions !
Tamilians are inculcated with the virtue to appreciate culture, from a very
young age, and have a deep interest in music, dance and literature.
Classical dancing in the form of Bharatanatyam, has its origin in the
temples of the South East, and continues to be followed with a lot of
fervour and dedication in Tamil Nadu. Carnatic music is another art form,
that has evolved over the ages, producing artists of great repute. Festivals
are a daily feature in this region. Navaratri or Dussehra
(September/October), Diwali (October/ November), Karthika
(November/December) and Pongal (January) are the major occasions, celebrated
with great enthusiasm. A unique festival of Carnatic music, the Thyagaraja
festival, is celebrated annually in January at Thiruvariyar, the birth place
of famous singer poet Thyagaraja, where one can witness the amazing
spectacle of mass performance, in total harmony and rhythm.
Temples in Tamil Nadu were the fulcrum of society and even today art forms
that have their origin in religious worship continue to colour daily life.
Notable among these are splendid bronzes of deities, painting on glass and
Bharatanatyam, an evocative dance form.
Tamil Nadu offers the traveller excellent value, particularly in
accommodation. Hotel prices are generally lower than they are further north
and standards are often higher.
Tamilnadu
Travel
