Journal · South India · India
Tamil Nadu from Madurai to Chennai: temples, Chettinad and Pondicherry
Tamil Nadu is the heartland of the southern temple, and this route follows it north: from the towers of Madurai through the merchant mansions of Chettinad to the great Chola temples around Thanjavur, then out to the coast at Pondicherry and up to Chennai.
Why start in Madurai?
Because the route then runs in one direction, south to north, and ends in Chennai, the largest city and airport in the state. Madurai is one of the oldest cities in the south, and it is built around a single temple.
The Meenakshi Amman Temple is a walled complex with tall gateway towers, each crowded with brightly painted figures of gods. Around it are the flower and market lanes, and a short way off the Thirumalai Nayakar Palace, with its great pillared court.
What is Chettinad?
A cluster of villages around Karaikudi, home of the Chettiars, a community of merchants and bankers who traded across Asia. They came home rich and built enormous houses, with courtyards one behind another, pillars of teak and tiles made by hand.
- The mansions. Kanadukathan has whole streets of them. A few open their doors to visitors, and some are now hotels.
- The crafts. Floor tiles are still made by hand at Athangudi, and cotton is woven on handlooms in the villages.
- The food. Chettinad cooking is known across India for its spice blends, and is a reason of its own to stay two nights.
Which Chola temples should you see?
Two on this route, with a third as an option. The Brihadeeswarar Temple at Thanjavur is the greatest of them, a tower of granite raised about a thousand years ago. The Airavatesvara Temple at Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, is smaller and finely carved. Gangaikonda Cholapuram lies off the road towards Pondicherry.
Thanjavur also keeps alive the craft of casting bronze images, and a workshop there shows how it is done.
How does the coast fit in?
As the last third of the trip. Pondicherry was a French possession, and its old White Town has a grid of quiet streets, a seafront and the ashram of Sri Aurobindo. Auroville, the experimental township founded in his name, is a short drive inland.
The road north to Chennai follows the coast past Mahabalipuram, where temples and reliefs were cut from the granite by the Pallava kings. In Chennai, Fort St George and the temple quarter of Mylapore fill the final days.
Quick answers
What is the best route through Tamil Nadu?
One that runs in a single direction. From Madurai north through Chettinad, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam to Pondicherry and Chennai covers the main sights without doubling back.
Is Chettinad worth visiting?
Yes, for the merchant mansions, the handmade tiles and the food. Two nights near Karaikudi is enough to see several villages.
How many days do you need for Tamil Nadu?
About ten days covers Madurai, Chettinad, the Chola temples, Pondicherry and Chennai, with two nights in most places and no long day on the road.
Before you book: check the whole trip at once
Every journey on this route is a day of driving with stops along the way, and the one from Chettinad to Kumbakonam packs in so much that the night at the end of it is easy to book in the wrong town.
Trips by Manr.ai puts your hotels and transport on one timeline and checks for gaps, overlaps and missing legs. Type a booking in, drop in the PDF, or paste the confirmation email. With an account and sync switched on, you can also forward confirmations to trips@manr.ai from the address you signed in with. Nothing joins your trip until you have seen it and added it.