Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is comparatively a safe state to travel. Crime rates against foreigners remain low. However, especially to our female guests, we recommend not being alone on the road after late evening just to be on the safer side. In case you need any help, you can call the police on 100.

Tamil Nadu is a shopper's paradise. There are various shopping places in Tamil Nadu. However, we recommend you to shop from the government-approved emporiums. You can bargain everywhere except in government craft emporiums, pharmacies, bookstores, or Western-style grocery stores. Even if a price is written on an object, ask the price and bargain from there. Decide what you are willing to spend on an item. Make this your last offer in a bargaining session. If the shop owner is willing to sell at your price, he will sell you the item without much argument. It is better to buy large and expensive items, such as rugs or Jewelry, only from reputable dealers recommended by Indian acquaintances, hotels or your guide and driver. Most of the large stores also ship your purchase. Although, for convenience and to avoid postal delays, it is advisable to carry purchased items with you or book them as baggage.

The public facilities are rarely good, including all the major cities. You will find Western-style toilets in all the standard hotels and restaurants. Be prepared to find them not as clean as you are used to in your country. Indian trains usually have both Indian and Western-style toilets. You will find public bathrooms and toilets in hotels, restaurants, railway stations, bus stations and some shops in big cities. There is usually a picture on the door to indicate which bathroom is for which sex. In some places, there may be a row of stalls with Indian-style "squat" toilets and one that is Western -style. But in small cities or towns where the tourist flow is less are rather poor. Keep toilet paper or tissues, paper soaps or liquid soaps with you for convenience.

The general meal plan in Tamil Nadu consists of three main meals in a day with one or two added tea-coffee breaks. The main meals are breakfast, lunch and dinner. All standard restaurants and hotels in Tamil Nadu offer a variety of cuisines including Continental, Chinese, Indian and typical Tamil Nadu. Though the meal pattern is same, the food served in the meals varies in different regions of Tamil Nadu. Bisibele Bath, Chow Chow Bath, Idli, Masala Dosas (which took birth in Udupi, Tamil Nadu), Plain Dosa, Rave Idli, Poori are the different dishes in Tamil Nadu.

We advise our guests to drink bottled water, and bottled drinks. The water in the hotels can be used for cleaning the teeth and body, but avoid drinking this water. The mineral water is available in sealed a bottle which is purified and quite safe to drink. It is not advisable to drink water from slow-moving streams, lakes, or dams. Avoid eating spicy food. It is suggested to stick to only cooked foods to eat fresh fruits after removing their skin. After taking the above precautions you will realize that Tamil Nadu has wonderful cuisine and rarely any other place meets such varieties.

Yes, the Ramanathaswamy temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the 12 Jyotirlinga shrines, where Lord Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlinga meaning “Pillar of light”.

Rameshwaram is an all around the year tourist and pilgrim destination. However, the best time to visit this coastal region is from October to April. Rameshwaram receives its annual rainfall in winter.

Rameswaram is one of the Char Dham literally meaning ‘the four abodes/seats’ of Lord Vishnu (one of three Trinity Gods of Hinduism). The other three dhams are: Badrinath, Dwarka, and Jagannath Puri. These places are widely revered by Hindus and are believed to bestow moksh (salvation) to devotees visiting them with utmost faith. Located in Tamil Nadu, Rameshwaram is the place where Lord Ram along with his brother Laxman and ardent devotee Hanuman, built a bridge (Rama Setu) to reach Sri Lanka to rescue his wife, Sita, who had been abducted by Ravan, the powerful king of Sri Lanka.

The Ramanatha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva occupies a major area of Rameswaram. The temple is believed to have been consecrated by Lord Rama. Rameswaram is significant for the Hindus. And a pilgrimage to Kasi is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Rameswaram. Here, the presiding deity Shiva is in the form of a Ling with the name Sri Ramanatha Swamy, it also is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga.

It is better to keep 2 hours for the darshan of the main temple deity Shri Ramanathaswamy in peak season. Bathing in the holy wells of the temple plus the temple tour takes 2 hours. So, keep 4 hours.

The road distance from Kanyakumari to Rameshwaram is 298 km.

In Rameswaram Temple, a Mani Darshan is held early in the morning every day. This “Mani” is made of “spatik”, which is a precious crystal in the form of the “Holy Shivling”. According to legend, this is “Mani” of “Sheshnag” (The Snake on which Lord Vishnu rests). Both general as well as special tickets are available to get Mani Darshan.

Although the Shiv ling was consecrated by Rama, the temple in its current structure was built during the 12th century by Pandya Dynasty. Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameshwaram is renowned for the collection of Shivlings it houses. The temple also happens to be one of the few temples in India that is built entirely in the Dravidian architectural style. It houses the largest pillared corridor among all the temples of India with 1212 pillars. The temple also attracts visitors because of its architecture.

Rameswaram is overall a safe place; however, it is not advisable to venture out after 10 pm alone.

Although taking baths in these wells is not compulsory, it is advisable to stick to the tradition and take bath in the 22 tirthas or wells. Legend has it that taking bath in these wells will absolve a person of all his/her sins.

Located in Tamil Nadu, this is the place where Lord Ram along with his brother Laxman and ardent devotee Hanuman, built a bridge (Rama Setu) to reach Sri Lanka to rescue his wife, Sita, who had been abducted earlier by Ravan, the powerful king of Sri Lanka. The Ramanatha Swamy Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva occupies a major area of Rameswaram. The temple is believed to have been consecrated by Lord Rama, who created a Shiv ling here after undergoing severe penance to obtain Lord Shiva’s blessings. Rameswaram is significant for the Hindus. And a pilgrimage to Kashi is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Rameswaram. Here, the presiding deity Shiva is in the form of a Ling with the name Sri Ramanatha Swamy, it also is one of the twelve Jyotirlinga.