Samiyarpettai beach
Samiyarpettai is a village on the Indian east coast about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of Pondicherry and 210 kilometres (130 mi) south of Chennai, located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. The coastal village of Samiyarpettai, population 1,729, lies midway between Cuddalore and Chidambaram east of Pudhuchattiram in Tamil Nadu, India. It is the largest of the coastal villages in the surrounding. Most of the people here make a living by fishing. Many other men, like from other coastal villages have moved to other countries to work to make a living. The village is surrounded by coconut trees, with brooks running alongside the village. It also hosts a famous Temple “Shri Pinnai Vazhi Amman Shrine”. Its one of the biggest temple’s alsongside the cuddalore coast. Recently, Samiyarpettai beach is getting crowd’s attention and has become one of the popular holiday spot.
Pichavaram
Pichavaramnear Chidambaram in Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu, in South India. The nearest railway station is Chidambaram from where it is accessible by road. The Pichavaram Mangrove Forest near Chidambaram is the world’s second largest mangrove forest.
Pichavaram mangrove forest is located between two prominent estuaries, the Vellar estuary in the north and Coleroon estuary in the south. The Vellar-Coleroon estuarine complex forms the Killai backwater and Pichavaram mangroves. The backwaters are interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon river systems and offer abundant scope for water sports such as rowing, kayaking and canoeing. The Pichavaram forest not only offers waterscape and backwater cruises, but also another very rare sight] – the mangrove forest trees are permanently rooted in a few feet of water. There are more than 400 water routes available for boating.
Pichavaram
Silver Beach
Silver Beach is a beach on the southeast coast of India. It is located 2 km (1.2 mi) from downtown Cuddalore, the headquarters of Cuddalore district in the state of Tamil Nadu. Silver Beach, however, is untouched by the busy life of the city. It is the second longest beach on the Coromandel Coast and one of the longest beaches in Asia. The 57 km-long stretch of beach faces severe seafront erosion. There are town buses which ply frequently between Cuddalore town bus stand and Silver Beach. It is also accessible via Taxis and Autos from different parts of the town. To the south of the beach the South Cuddalore Bay area appears as if it is a separate island. The backwater separating the main beach from the island-like structure is a safe place for water sports. Boats are not available for rent currently as the boat house has been closed. To the west a river flows into dense mangrove forests teeming with birds. On the coast there is century-old lighthouse. A few resorts have sprung up in the area. Most of these are sponsored by the state government for promoting tourism. Silver Beach is also the location of Fort St. David, which has a long history as one of the three important forts built by the British Empire. An arts college, Periyar College of Arts and Science, is situated near the beach. There are summer festivals celebrated in Silver Beach yearly during April or May. The beach was struck by the 2004 Asian tsunami. It was the second most heavily affected area, after Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu. The death toll at Silver Beach was more than 2,700.
Sri Raghavendra Swami
Bhuvanagiri is the birthplace of the saint of South India, Raghavendra Swami.The town is also close to the birthplace of Saint Ramalinga Adigalar (town Maruthur). The word Bhuvanagiri is a combination of two Tamilized-Sanskrit words – Bhuvanam (means World) and Giri (means Mountain or Unmovable). Hence, the name Bhuvanagiri can mean “the place (world) that does not move”. Bhuvanagiri is internally referred to by the local population as “Mel Bhuvanagiri” (Western Segment) and “Kezh Bhuvanagiri” (Eastern Segment). Agriculture is the main occupation of more than 3/4 of the town’s population and they depend on it. Rice is the major cultivated crop, followed by Black gram and Green gram. These set of crops are cultivated in a type of land known in Tamil as NanSei (means wetland cultivation). Other minor crops like Finger Millet (Ragi in Tamil), Pearl millet (Kambu in Tamil), Corn (Makkaa cholam in Tamil), Thoor dhal (Thovaram parupu in Tamil), Sesamum (yel in Tamil) and redgram also grown around this town. These set of crops are cultivated in a type of land known in Tamil as PunSei. A river Vellaru (a tributary of river Cauvery) provides water for irrigation. The town is also known for handloom products (such as lungies, hand kerchiefs, saris, dhotis, etc.). It is also known for its Silk saris and Silk Textiles which are referred to as “Bhuvanagiri Pattu”.
Ragavendraswamy
Devanathaswamy temple
Devanathaswamy temple (also called Thiruvanthipuram Kovil) in Thiruvanthipuram, a village in the outskirts of Cuddalore in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Devanathaswamy and his consort Lakshmi as Hemabhujavalli.
The temple in its current form is believed to have been built during the Medieval Cholas, with later expansion from Pandyas, Hoysala Empire and Vijayanagara Empire. The temple has fifty inscriptions from Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120),Vikrama Chola (1118–1135), Rajaraja Chola III (1216–1256), Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (1251–1268), Vikrama Pandya, Vira Pandya III, Vijayanagar king Achyuta Deva Raya (1529–1542 CE) and Koperunjinga.
Devanatha swamy temple Long view
The Epigraphical Department has found more than 50 inscriptions in the temple belonging to the Medieval Chola period. The inscriptions indicate grants to the temple from Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120), Vikrama Chola (1118–1135), Rajaraja Chola III (1216–1256), Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan (1251–1268), Vikrama Pandya, Vira Pandya III, Vijayanagar kingAchyuta Deva Raya (1529–1542 CE) and Koperunjinga. The Chola country was under siege during the rule of Rajaraja Chola III and he was imprisoned by Koperunjinga, a Pallava scion. Vira Narasimha II (1220-1234) came to the rescue of the Chola and ultimately killed the Ceylon king Parakramabahu. A temple tower was erected during the reign of Koperunjinga, while the procedures of worship were accorded similar to other temples during the reign of Maravarman Sundara Pandyan. The descendants of Ramanuja were given special provisions for worship during the period of Vijayanara Empire. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Fort St David
Fort St David, now in ruins, was a British fort near the town ofCuddalore, a hundred miles south of Chennai on the Coromandel Coastof India. It is located near silver beach without any maintenance. It was named for the patron saint of Wales because the governor of Madras at the time, Elihu Yale, was Welsh.
Fort St David, situated on the mouth of River Gadilam, has a memorable history. The region was under the domains of the Nayaks of Gingee. The Dutch in early 17th century wishing to expand their trade in the Bay of Bengal region and take advantage of the local manufacturing of goods choose the Cuddalore region and sought the permission of Krishnappa Nayaka of Gingee, to build a fort at Devanampatnam which was, subsequently granted in 1608 and construction was started. But the Nayak pulled back after the Portuguese, then dominant players at the Coramandal Coast trade, pressured Gingee’s overlord rulers,Venkata I of Vijayanagara Empire to prevent Dutch entry. Therefore, the fort was left with the Gingee Nayaks under appointed traders. Overseas trade continued and the port became an important source of sandalwood, camphor, cloves, nutmeg, mace, green velvet, porcelain, copper, and brass.
Later when Gingee was occupied by the Marathas, Shivaji’s sonsell the Devanampatnam fort to the highest European bidder. In 1690, the British won by out bidding the Dutch and the French. Elihu Yale, Governor of Madras, after long protracted negotiations, acquired the fort and named it Fort Saint David after a Welsh Saint.
James Macrae had been governor of the fort and in 1725 he became the Governor of the Madras Presidency. From 1725 onwards the British greatly strengthened the fortifications. In 1746 Fort St David became the British headquarters for thesouthern India, and attacks by French forces under Dupleix were successfully repulsed. Robert Clive was appointed its governor in 1756; in 1758 the French captured it, but abandoned it two years later to Sir Eyre Coote, KB.
Fort st David Cuddalore
Bhu Varaha Swamy temple
Bhu Varaha Swamy temple is a Hindu temple, located at Srimushnam, in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is dedicated to Varaha (Bhu Varaha Swamy), the boar-avatar of the god Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi as Ambujavalli Thayar.
The temple had contributions from Medieval Cholas of the 10th century with later expansions by Thanjavur Nayak king Achuthappa Nayak. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all the shrines and the temple tanks. There is a seven-tieredrajagopuram, the temple’s gateway tower.
Six daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Chariot festival, celebrated during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (April–May), being the most prominent. The festival also symbolises Hindu-Muslim unity in the region – the flag of the chariot is provided by Muslims; they take offerings from the temple and present to Allah in the mosques. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Srimushnam
Thillai Kali Temple
Thillai Kali Temple : This is a Hindu Temple located on the outskirts of the town of Chidambaram, Cuddalore DistrictTamil Nadu in India. It was built by Chola King Kopperunjingan who ruled between 1229 and 1278. This Temple is on the outskirts of the city of Chidambaram. Legend says that Goddess Kaali Devi moved here after losing to Lord Siva in the celestial dance contest.
It was an argument that who is superior, either ‘Sivam’ (Lord Siva) or Shakthi (Parvathi). In order to resolve thus, they performed a dance program at Chidambaram in front of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma and other deities. While they were playing dance, Lord Siva was about to be defeated.
But knowing fully well Siva played “Oorthuva Taandava” i.e. raising one leg above his head. This “Oorthuva Taandava” is one of the posture in the dance. It could not be played by the women folk due to their modesty and shyness. In this Parvathi could not play equally well to this posture and agreed her defeat. She had to go outside the borders of the town in order to contain her haughtiness and to teach a lesson that Sivam and Shakthi are both equally important in our life.
‘Thillai Kali’ is a deity in anger. This anger was pacified by Brahma by Chanting Veda and also praising her. Because of the penance of Lord Brahma ‘Kali’ became cool. So that Goddess ‘Thillai Amman’ in this temple seems with four faces.
Thillai kalli amman koil enterance
Viruthagerreswarar Temple
Viruthagerreswarar Temple – History: In the remotest past when Brahma thought of creating the earth , he created water. Lord Vishnu happened to cut down the evil Madhukaidavas. The cut pieces of the bodies floated on water created by brahma. On seeing that Brahma prayed to Lord Shiva to create the earth out of the hardened compound from the water and the flesh of the bodies. Lord Shiva appeared as a mountain. Lord Brahma who did not know this created many different mountains. As they did not have space to exist, he was sorrowful. The pranava God appeared and conveyed Brahma the truth through gestures. Brahma worshipped Lord Shiva who was the form of mountain. Shiva created the earth combining the flesh and the water compounded in a hardened form. He called it medhini. He gave space for the mountains of Brahma. He told Brahma that he was not different from the mountain. The mountains of Brahma came after that mountain. Hence the mountain of Shiva was named Pazha malai(old mountain). According to him, that Pazhamalai would be hard pressed on the earth appearing as Shiva linga above. Those who worshipped it would get all they wished for. The stone inscriptions have the names of kings. Paraanthaga chola, Kandarathitha chola,his wife Chembianmaadevi, uthama chola, Raja Raja chola, Rajendira chola, Rajaji Raja chola, Vikrama Chola, Raja Raja chola the second, Kulothunga chola the third, Ezhisai Mohanana Kulothunga chola Kadavarathithan, Veerasekara Kadavarathithan, Arasa Narayanan Kachirayan, Koperum singam, Kachirayan alias, Arasa Narayanan,Ezhisai Mohan, Vikrama pandian, Veera pandiyan, Sundara pandiyan, Mavarma Pandiyan, Konerinmai pandiyan, Ariyanna udayar, pokkana udayar, kambana udayar, veeravijayarayar, Muppidi Krishnapathi.
Virudhachalam temple kopuram
Veeranam Lake
Veeranam Lake : Veeranam Lake (Veeranarayanapuram Lake) is located 14 km (8.7 mi) SSW of Nattarmangalam in Cuddalore district in the state of Tamil Nadu inSouth India. 1 km (0.62 mi) from kattumannarkoil. The lake located 235 km (146 mi) from Chennai, India, is one of the water reservoirs from where water is planned to be supplied to Chennai. It was impossible to use any water from the lake since it had run dry, and the face-saving proposal adopted by the authorities was to dig 45 deep borewells around the area and pump the resulting water 235 km (146 mi) to Chennai via the pipeline. As the length is 14 km this is the longest man made lake in the world. The credit goes to ancient people who have done this job with ordinary hand made tools. Veeranam Lake was built in the Tenth Century during the time of Greater Cholas, from 907–955 AD and is an 16-kilometre (9.9 mi) long dam in northern Tamil Nadu. It was created by Rajaditya Chola. he named it after a title of his father Parantaka I Chola. This veeranam lake gets water fromKollidam via Vadavaru River. The lake remains dry for the major part of the year. The opening chapter of the book Ponniyin Selvan is set on the banks of the Veera Narayana Lake. Kalki gives an elaborate description of the features of the lake and the way multiple rivers flow into the lake.He added Chola princess KUNDAVI used to come for refreshment at the banks of Veeranam lake during spring season. He also makes a reference to the fact, that Ramanujacharyadecided on the number of 64 Peetas – 64 simhasanathipathigal based on the number of 64 openings in the lake. This is the Veeraanam Lake formerly known as Veeranaaraayanapuram Lake.
veeranam Lake bank