The gateway of South India,
Chennai is also a prominent getaway for French tourists. Reason beyond this is
its inclination towards artistic traditions and cultural heritage. Due to its
Dravidian roots, the city is uniquely famous for its inherent inclination
towards traditional music, dance, architecture and all other art forms. All
this and much more fascinate a French traveller. When he comes to Chennai, the
capital of Tamil Nadu, he is served with loads of cultural experiences to
remember for a lifetime.
At first sight, the city comes
across as friendly to its tourists. Refined in every sense, this city based on
a rich fusion of monumental heritage ranging from ancient era to modern history
presents its best-kept secrets through sightseeing. Up close to Chennai,
tourists can visit the twin towns of Mamallapuram and Kanchipuram in order to
understand the Dravida heritage of Tamil Nadu.
Mamallapuram or Mahabalipuram,
located on Coromandel Coast, was carved out during the Pallava dynasty rule. It
was from here that the dynasty conducted overseas trade of spices to the
islands of Java, Sumatra and Cambodia. The frequent usage of this passage led
the rulers establish their might in the form of rock cuts and sculptures in the
sand. There are stone temples, rock cut bas reliefs, mandapas or pavilions and
rathas or temple chariots that narrate the glory of Mahabalipuram. Out of all,
the Shore Temple stands tall. Perched upon a rocky outcrop, shore temple
presides over the seashore as a landmark attraction by day.
Nearby Mamallapuram is
Kanchipuram, a treasure trove of Hindu temples and art from the Pallava, Chola
and Pandyan dynasties. But amongst tourist circle, the destination is known
more for its colourfully luxurious silk sarees with enigmatic gold weaving. In fact,
the saree fabrics here are patented and in no other destination, one can find
the emblematic Kanchipuram Sarees.
This is just a beginning of
experiencing the cultural side of Chennai. We will be focusing on Kalakshetram
in Chennai to have more expressive understanding of cultural roots in Chennai.
