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Tourist
Fair
(Fairlands or Island Grounds - Chennai)
In January, the sun gets into a pleasant
holiday mood and Chennai gets a cool respite
from her famous hot weather ! Time for
family outings to the colourful TTDC Trade
Fair. The exhibition presents a panorama of
Tamil Nadu - all her places of tourist
interest, her cultural wealth and economic
progress.
Chithirai
Festival
Madurai brings
you a
spectacular re-enactment of the
marriage of the Pandiyan princess Meenakshi
to Lord Sundareswarar. You can witness an
ancient legend unfold right before your eyes
as Lord Vishnu rides to his sister's wedding
on gleaming real-gold horse chariot.
Mammalapuram
Dance
Festival
 Sit
before an open-air 'stage' created 13
centuries ago in the incredible monolithic
rock sculptures of the Pallavas, next to the
sea in this ancient city of Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram).
Lovers of dance will be treated to a very
unique and unforgettably aesthetic event : Bharatha
Natyam
, Kuchipudi
, Kathakali
and Odissi
, presented by the very best
exponents of the art besides folk
dances. Artists from all over the
country participate. Mamallapuram is a
popular beach resort.
Mahamagam
Festival
A holy festival that will bring you to
Kumbakonam once in 12 years - the temple
city that gets its name from "Kumbha"
- the divine pot. Legend has it that Brahma,
the Creator, held a pot containing nectar
and the seed of creation. Shiva, in the form
of a hunter shot an arrow at the pot -
spilling the nectar into the famous
Mahamagam tank at the Adi Kumbeswarar
Temple.
Natyanjali Dance
Festivals
 The
temple city of Chidambaram
pays special tribute to
Lord Nataraja the 'Cosmic dancer'.
The setting is truly divine-Chidambaram's
gold-roofed temple, with pillars depicting
Lord Nataraja in 108 poses from Bharatha
Natyam - Tamil Nadu's classical dance.
Arubathimoovar
Festival
Literally, 'Arubathimoovar' refers to the 63
saints of Shiva canonized for leading
exemplary lives of devotion and penance.
Bronze figures of these 63 saints adorn the
magnificent Kapaliswar Temple at Mylapore, Chennai. Once, every year, they are carried
in a colorful procession through the streets
of Mylapore.
Summer Festivals
The summer festival might find
you in the 'Queen of Hill Stations', the
evergreen Ooty; the exquisite Kodaikkanal or
the salubrious heights of Yercaud - where
boat races, flower and fruit shows are
specially organized. Also, a splendid
opportunity to go trekking in any of Tamil
Nadu's other hill stations that promise
unforgettable holidays off the beaten track.
Saral Vizha
(Courtalam)
A festival that makes a celebration out of a
simple, daily ritual bathing! And indeed, a
bath at the picturesque Courtalam waterfalls
is no ordinary event. The healing waters of
the roaring Courtalam are famed for their
medicinal properties.
Kanthuri
Festival
A truly secular festival - where devotees
flock to the shrine of saint Quadirwali,
believed to do equal good to people of all
faiths. One of the descendants of the Saint
is chosen as a Peer or spiritual leader and
is honored with offerings. On the tenth day
of the festival, the Saint's tomb is
anointed with sandalwood - and later the
holy sandal paste, renowned for its healing
powers, is distributed to everyone.
Kavadi
Festival
 Dancing
in a hypnotic trance to the rhythm of drums,
devotees of Muruga carry the 'Kavadi', a
flower decked decoration, all the way up the
Palani Hills to fulfill their vow and in
that climbingmore than thousand steps.
According to Hindu mythology, Idumban is
said to have carried two sacred hillocks on
two ends of a pole placed on his
shoulders.
Velamkanni
Festival
 Wondrous
legends surround the church-the most famous
being that of the ship-wrecked Portuguese
sailors, who in the 16th century,
vowed to build a great shrine for the Virgin
Mary, for saving their lives in a terrible
storm. The Velankanni festival attracts
thousands, clad in orange robes to the
sacred spot where the ship landed. Equally
famous are the Virgin Mary's miraculous
healing powers - earning for the church the
name 'Lourdes of the East'.
Navarathri
Literally, this means the festival of 'nine
nights' taking unique and different forms in
different states of India - all to
propitiate the goddess Sakthi, for power,
wealth and knowledge.
Karthigai Deepam
Rows of glittering earthen lamps outside
every home, and the joyous burst of fire
crackers mark Tamil Nadu's Festival of
Lights.
Music
Festival
Come December, Chennai celebrates her
priceless heritage of carnatic music and
dance to present a galaxy of star artistes,
old and new.
Pongal
 This
Tamil festival mark the end of the harvest
season. It is observed on the first day of
the Tamil month of Thai, which is in the
middle of January. The festivities last for
four days and include such activities as the
boiling-over a pot of Pongal (a mixture of
rice sugar, pulses and milk) symbolic of
prosperity and abundance. On the third day,
cattle are washed, decorated and even
painted, and then fed the Pongal.
Mango Festival
Krishnagiri is the venue for the famous
mango festival. Mangoes of different
varieties are kept on display. It is also an
event for the buyers and sellers to meet.
You are welcome to taste and enjoy the
succulent sweetly mangoes of Selam!
This is a festival in the last 3 days in the
month of June.
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