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Tamil Nadu Tourism

Tamil Nadu, which holds in itself a land, a language and a culture, existed since the prehistoric times. Human settlement here is said to have existed contemporary to the civilizations in other parts of world. They existed not as isolated regions of human settlements but were well connected through trade. Tamil Nadu was earlier known as Tamilham. Even popular as the madras presidency during the medieval period, Tamil nadu holds a very illustrious history.The existence of ports such as Arikamedu, Karipattinam, and Korkai was proofs of the Tamilian advancement in establishing relations with other regions of the world. Tamil Nadu covers an area of 50,216 sq mi and its capital is Chennai.

The Tamilians were said to be of Dravidian origin and they originally resided in the northwest. With the advancement of the Indo-Aryans the Dravidians were pushed to the south. The Dravidian language spoken by nearly 63 million people in Tamil Nadu is their official language.The Sangam literature is the basis of Tamil History, culture and organizations from the 3rd century AD. The Cholas, the Pallavas, the Pandyas and the Cheras had their influence on Tamil Nadu and established their kingdoms. The Pallavas established their reign at kanchipuram in about the 4th century Ad. They held power over the land of the Tamils from 6th and 9th centuries. At the end of the 9th century the Cholas established themselves they extended their empire and established contacts South East Asia. The Tamilians have a long history of achievements, sea travel, city life and commerce.

In the 13 the century the Pandyas dominated. The establishment of the Vijayanagar Empire brought the downfall of the Pandyas. This empire ruled till the 16th century preserving and promoting Hindu culture. The Muslim powers influenced this region politically. The Marathas also influenced Madurai and Thanjavur till the advent of the English who wrested power from the French. During the 17th and the 18th centuries, conflicts between the trading companies of Europe for control of the major parts in the east. The British managed to control this region in the 19th century. This region was under the domain of the East India Company and continued till independence after which the three states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa were formed. The region under the jurisdiction of the Madras Presidency formed into a single unit and named Tamil Nadu in 1969.

Geography of Tamil Nadu:
Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 sq km, and is the eleventh largest state in India. West and North of the state has lofty hills while the East and South are coastal plains. The bordering states are Kerala to the west, Karnataka to the northwest and Andhra Pradesh to the north. To the east is the Bay of Bengal. The southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula is located in Tamil Nadu.
At this point is the town of Kanyakumari, which is the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean.

Tamil Nadu has a wide variety of minerals with the most reserves in India. Lignite almost 90% of India`s reserves, Magnesite 45% and Garnet over 40% among others. Forest cover over 17% of the state`s geographical area with several Protected areas of Tamil Nadu including wild life and bird sanctuaries.

Culture of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has a long tradition of venerable culture. Unique cultural features like Bharatanatyam, Tanjore painting, and Tamil architecture were developed and practised in Tamil Nadu. Chola kings conquered lands as far north as the Ganges, and as far east as Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia resulting in dissemination of Tamil culture.

Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu and is one of the two classical languages of India, the other being Sanskrit.(as well as being one of the national languages of India). Tamil Nadu is known for its rich tradition of Literature, Music and Dance, which continue to flourish today.

Transport
Tamil Nadu has a well established transportation system that connects all parts of the state. This is partly responsible for the investment in the state. Though the present transportation system is substantial, it needs to be developed further to keep pace with the rapid increase in use.

Museums Of Tamil Nadu

Folk Dances of Tamil Nadu

Festivals of Tamil Nadu

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