place – Thoothukudi India

Kattabomman Memorial Fort

The Tamil Nadu Government built the Kattabomman Memorial Fort in memory of the Freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomma Karuthayya Nayakkar (also known as Kattabomman). He was an 18th-century chieftain who didn’t accept the predominance of the British East India Company and waged war against them.

He was awarded a death penalty after he was captured. The memorial stands at the site where he was hanged to death and is considered a shrine by the locals. The fort is a few kms off the city but is frequented by tourists who come to this region. It is beautifully made and well maintained.

Ottapidaram

Ottapidaram is a small Region inside of Tuticorin. It houses numerous places of historical importance. The house of the freedom fighter V.O Chidambaram being the most important among them. The Ulagamman Temple is another one of them.

Our Lady of Snows Basilica

Our Lady of Snows Basilica is one of the most popular places of worship in Tamil Nadu. It is a shrine dedicated to St. Mary and is inspired from the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

It is a stunning church and one of the biggest in all of Tamil Nadu. Tales of numerous miracles have been associated with this Church. Made in European Architecture, it takes influences from Rome and Italian styles. One of the most celebrated festivals, Our Lady of Snows Festival is celebrated in Tuticorin when devotees offer prayers and thanks to the Saint. The Saint idol is taken in a golden car all over the city in a procession on August 5, every year. The Basilica itself is a spectacle at that time.

Sri Vaikuntam Temple

The stunning temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. The Srivaikuntam Temple is one of the nine sacred Vishnu Temples in India. The temple is covered with inscriptions of idols and elephants.

Being one of the prime religious spots, the temple has numerous buses running to it from all over the city.

Tiruchendur Sri Subrahmanya Swami Devasthanam

Tiruchendur Sri Subrahmanya Swami Devasthanam is the most famous temple in Tuticorin. The temple is located near the beach. So after offering prayers you can also enjoy the sea for a while.

The sacred house of the lord literally means, house of victory. The huge marble temple sees hundreds of devotees everyday.

Thiruchendur Murugan Temple

Thiruchendur Murugan Temple is one of the most esteemed religious places of south India. Located right on the beach of Tuticorin District, it attracts millions of devotees over the year paying respect to the in-house deity of Lord Murugan, the Tamil version of Lord Kartikeya. The temple has a very interesting history rooted in the legend of Lord Murugan’s first battle, which was also the purpose of his birth. The temple hosts a number of festivals throughout the year when devotees can make offerings to the god, the most important and popular one being Skanda festival during October-November marking the victory in the battle of Thiruchendur. It is one of the few temples in India which has various forms and avatars of both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva together. Being located within 200 metres of the sea, it is a miracle that the temple premise is never flooded – not even during the Tsunami.

The mighty temple also does social services like running an orphanage, sponsoring education for the needy and conduction of marriages for the poor at minimal cost. People who belong to any other religion other than Hinduism are also allowed to enter with a donation of INR 20.

Thiruchendur Murugan Temple Timings

The puja timings of the temple are 5:00 AM to 12:00 PM and again 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The pujas of each hour have different names and purpose.

Subrapadam – Thirupalli Eluchi- 5:10 AM
Viswaroopam Darshan- 5:30 AM
Dwajasthamba Namaskaram- 5:45 AM
Udaya Marthanda Abishegam- 6:15 AM
Udaya Marthanda Deeparadhanai- 7:00 AM
Kalasandhi Pooja- 8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Kalasha Pooja- 10:00 AM
Uchikala Abishegam- 10:30 AM
Uchikala Deeparadhanai- 12:00 PM
Sayaratchai Pooja- 5:00 PM
Arthasama Abishegam- 7:15 PM
Arthasama Pooja- 8:15 PM
Ekanda Seva- 8:30 PM
Ragasia Deeparadhanai, Palliarai Pooja- 8:45 PM
Nadai Thirukappiduthal- 9:00 PM

Festivals Celebrated in Thiruchendur Murugan Temple

Masi and Avani festivals: Twice a year, the temple brahmotsavams are held for 12 long days. Masi is held during February-March and Avani is held during August-September. In both the festivals, the Lord’s deity is taken out during the 7th, 8th and 9th day and housed in the Shanmukha Vilasa Mandapam for all the devotees to have a glimpse and pay respects. On the 10th day, the deity is taken out for a procession of temple cars into the city.
In the Avani festival, only two cars are there, whereas in Masi all three of them are out. The Theppam floating takes place on the 11th day of the Masi festival. People come in hundreds and thousands to celebrate these festivals in the temple and have a view of the Lord.

Vasant Festival: In the month of Chittirai (April-May), the ten days long Vasant festival takes place in the temple. The deity of Murugan and his consorts Valli and Deivanai are taken out of their respective sanctums and placed in the Vasanta Mantap for the gathered devotees to view and offer prayers.

Vaikasi Visagam: On the Visakam day, Special Abishegam for Lord Shanmuga is performed and during the night time, the procession of the lord and his consorts takes place. It is usually held in the month of May-June.

Skanda Sasti Festival: Held during October-November for 7 days, this festival marks the defeat of the demon king Surapadma in the hands of Murugan. Devotees gather in lakhs during this main festival of the temple. On the sixth day, Soorasamharam, a folk-dance representation of the battle between the two is enacted for the devotees. On the seventh, the wedding between Murugan and Deivanai is celebrated.

Kalakkad Wildlife Sanctuary

The Kalakkad Wildlife sanctuary is one of the few national parks in South India that house the Tiger. Lion tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur, bonnet macaque, langur, Nilgiri tahr, sambar, sloth bear, gaur, elephant, flying squirrel, panther, wild dog and pangolin are some of the other animals found here.

Trekking and safari are some of the activities you can do over here.

Golconda Fort

Golconda Fort Hyderabad is an outstanding example of brilliant engineering and magical architecture. Located at a distance of 11km from the city, it is the most famous of all Hyderabad tourist places. The name of the fort has been derived from the Telugu words “Golla” and “Konda” which together means ‘Shepherd’s Hill’.

However, do keep in mind the Golconda Fort timings and entry fee before planning a visit to this regal symbol of history. For instance, Golconda fort timings are from 9 am to 5.30 pm. After that, visitors are not allowed to enter the fort, unless they are going for the light and show at night. Hence, to explore the beauty of this place at leisure, plan you visit early in the day.

History of Golconda Fort

Golconda Fort Hyderabad is an outstanding example of brilliant engineering and magical architecture. Located at a distance of 11km from the ci

Founded in the approximately 12th Century by the Kakatiya Kings, this massive Golconda Fort with eight gates and 87 bastions was later built by Qutub Shahi Kings.

The name Golconda Fort has a legend behind it. As per the story, a shepherd boy was once walking on this hill when he had come across a God idol. The news about the shepherd boy and his findings reached the then ruler of Kakatiya Dynasty. The King then decided to built a fort on the hill, which then came to be known as Golconda (Shepherd’s Hill) Fort.

However, almost 200 years later, the fort came under Bahamani rulers. Later Qutub Shahi Kings took the fort under their control and extended it further. The fort was fortified and expanded during the reign of Bahamani rulers and Qutub Shahi Dynasty. Later in 1687, this fort came under the rule of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. It was then the fort was left unattended.

At present, the Golconda Fort constitutes a complex layout of palaces, mosques and pavilion, all of which unfortunately are in ruins now.

ty, it is the most famous of all Hyderabad tourist places. The name of the fort has been derived from the Telugu words “Golla” and “Konda” which together means ‘Shepherd’s Hill’.

Eating in and around Golconda Fort

There are many eateries outside the fort, ranging from restaurants to roadside stalls and counters. Visitors are often seen satiating their palate with sumptuous varieties of snacks and drinks.

However, if you wish to have a special dining experience, you can visit the Taramati Baradari resort’s restaurant which is run by Telangana Tourism. It is located quite close to the fort and can be reached within a few minutes of drive. Taramati Baradari is another popular sightseeing place to visit in Hyderabad and the restaurant here offers mouth-watering culinary choices.

Entry Fee and Timings of Golconda Fort

Another feature that makes Golconda fort all the more attractive is the light and sound show presenting its history and facts. The timings of sound and light show at Golconda Fort are from 6 pm to 9.15 pm, depending on which month you are planning to visit. It is closed on Mondays.

The Sound and light show is one of the major attractions of the Golconda Fort. Organised at the area in and around Rani Mahal, Alluring its viewers everyday in three different languages, English Telugu and Hindi.

This show is conducted in English on all days of the week, while the show in Telugu in on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The sound and light show in Hindi is conducted with a voice over of Bollywood living legend Amitabh Bachchan on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

How to reach Golconda Fort

Reaching Golconda fort is quite an easy task as it is well connected by road to the rest of the city. It is around 11 km away from the center of Hyderabad.

One can also travel by metro. The nearest metro station to Golconda fort is Peddamma Temple Metro Station and the Jubilee Hills Check Post Metro Station on the Blue line. Travelers are required to take an auto rickshaw or taxi to reach the fort from these metro stations, which will take around 20 minutes of time.

If travelling by bus, then you can Bus-119 and Bus 66G and 65G from the Nampally station and Charminar via GPO Abids respectively. Although there are upteem number of public transportatiom, one of the best ways would be to hire a taxi and explore these tourists places.

Ramoji Film City

Ramoji Film City Hyderabad: Located at a distance of 30 km from the city of Hyderabad, Ramoji Film City is on the NH-9. Established in the year of 1996, Ramoji Film City is one of the most popular sightseeing places of Hyderabad. Ramoji Rao, the eminent Telugu film producer wanted to build a studio similar to that of Hollywood. He established the Film city with the help of art director Nitish Roy.

One of the largest and glamorous film studios in the world, Ramoji Film City has also place in the Guinness Book of World Records. Spread across an area of almost 2500 acres, it is one of the major film making facility of the country offering everything related to pre and post film production. The architecture of the studio and the wide range of settings makes it one of the favourite spot for many film makers.

With a capacity to accommodate close to 50 film units at the same time, Ramoji Film City offers umpteen numbers of film sets such as London Street, Hollywood sign, Japanese gardens, airport, hospital, etc. , landscapes and buildings as well as laboratories.

The self sufficient film city with its facilities and setting is enough to make a complete movie. The place makes for an amazing sightseeing places catering to each and everyone. For those looking for accommodation, Film city offers various accommodation options that one can choose from. These include Sitara Luxury Hotel, Tara Hotel, Sahara A/c shared accommodation, Shantiniketan Economy Accommodation, Greens Inn Economy Accommodation and Vasundhara Villa.

Timings of Ramoji Film City

One can visit Ramoji film city is from 9.00 am – 5.30 pm. On an average, the film city sees almost 10,000 visitors on usual days. There are various bus services operating from the main city to the Ramoji. Once at the film city, you can take vintage buses providing visitors a ride of area.

Best time to visit Ramoji Film City

The best time to visit Ramoji Film City is during winter months from October to February as the weather is quite pleasant during that time. It is advisable not to visit Ramoji Film City during summer as Hyderabad gets very hot during summer months.

Charminar

Undeniably the most prominent landmark of Hyderabad, Charminar has rightly been called as ‘Arc de Triomphe of the East’. It is also called the ‘Mosque of the four minarets’. Not visiting this magnificent architecture while on a Hyderabad tour is nothing less than a sacrilege, especially if you are a travel enthusiast. Not only Hyderabad, Charminar has become an iconic monument for the entire India. An Urdu word, Charminar, means four turrets (char- four, minar-turret).

As suggested by its name, Charminar does have four exquisitely carved pillars, one of each side. This impressive structure stands calmly amid the hustle bustle of Laad Bazaar of the Old city. Maintained by the Archeological Survey of India, Charminar is a representation of the historical background of the city, its glamour, glory and cultural richness. Since its construction in 1591 by Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah of Shah Dynasty, Charminar has been captivating every visitor, with its architectural beauty as well as religious and historical significance.

History of Charminar

Charminar was built by Sultan Mohammed Quli Qutb Shah in 1591. It is said that this square shaped structure with four pillars and intricate carvings was built in honour of his wife, Bhagmati. However, the actual reason behind building Charminar is still not clear.

As per a popular belief, Charminar was built to acknowledge the elimination of the plague which had affected the entire city immensely during that era. It is believed that the Sultan had prayed for the end of this plague with which his people were suffering. Hence, as the plague ended, he built the charminar as a tribute to Allah. The four pillars are also said to be dedicated to the first four caliphs of Islam.

It is also said that it was built in the memory of Prophet Muhammed’s son in law who lost his life at the battle of Karbala as its design is in the shape of Shiya Tazias. Some also believe that the location of Charminar is the place where Sultan had seen his then future wife Bahgmati for the first time.

As per a French traveller, Jean de Thévenot who travelled in the 17th century, the reason for its construction is entirely different. According to his narration which is in sync with the Persian texts as well, Charminar was built to commemorate the start of the second Islamic millennium.

The inscription on the foundation stone is translated as ‘Fill this my city with people as, Thou hast filled the river with fishes, O Lord.’ This also indicates that the monument was built to mark the city’s foundation as well. As per the historian Historian Mohammed Safiullah, Charminar was built as an epicenter of Hyderabad.

The construction began in 1589 and was completed in two years with a cost of Rs. 9 lakhs, which was around 2 lakhs huns/gold coins in those times. It is said to weigh around 14000 tonnes with a minimum of 30 feet deep foundation. In 1670, a minaret had fallen down after being struck by lightning. It was then repaired at a cost of around Rs.58000 then. In 1820, some part of it was renovated by Sikandar Jah at a cost of Rs. 2 lakhs.

There is another legend associated with the Charminar according to which, there is a secret underground tunnel that connects Charminar to the Golconda Fort. It was built for the royal family, to escape in case of any kind of emergencies. However, till date no tunnel could be found.

Architecture of Charminar

An Iranian architect Mir Momin Astrawadi, who had settled in Hyderabad, designed Charminar. It presents an imposing structure which has clearly withstood the test of time. It is a square shaped monument with four pillars, one on each side. The architectural design of Charminar is inspired from the Shia “tazias”. These Tazias were built in the memory of Hussain, who was the son in law of Prophet Muhhamed and had lost his life in the battle of Karbala.

The square shape of the monument measures 20 meters on each side. Each side of the monument is 11 meter wide and overlooks the four prominent thoroughfares. Charminar has been built with granite and lime mortar.

The four pillars around Charminar represent the four caliphs. These pillars or minars are 48.7 meters high. These are four stories, with each floor divided by intricately carved rings that surround it. On the top floor of Chaminar there is a mosque which is believed to be the oldest mosque of Hyderabad city. There are 45 prayer spaces or musallah. Attached to these is the open space which can be used to accommodate more people on occasions like Friday prayers or festivals. It is located at the western end of the monument’s roof. It can be reached via 149 winding steps. The view from the top is also breathtaking.

In the middle of the Charminar courtyard, you will find a small vazu with a small fountain, which has been built to provide water for the ablution before offering prayers.

One can also notice the signature motifs of Qutub Shahi buildings on Charminar. The manner with which each pillar has been built makes it appear as a lotus leaf. The arches around the structure do lead to slightly shorter appearance when in comparison to the minars. In the year of 1889, four clocks were also added on all the four sides of the structure.

Places to visit near Charminar

What adds more charm to the visit to this historical monument is the proximity it enjoys with many other popular tourist attractions in Hyderabad.

Mecca Masjid/Makkah Masjid- It is located quite close to Charminar. Hence, when visiting the monument art lovers can also plan a visit to this ancient mosque. The structure of Makkah Masjid beautifully represents the architectural style of Qutub Shahi Dynasty.

Laad Bazaar- Another popular place to visit when at Charminar is the Laad Bazaar. Not just a place for shopping lovers, this historical market is an ideal place for photographers as well. Also known as Choodi Bazaar, this is an ancient market dedicated especially for glass and lacquer bangles. This market dates back to the time of Nizams and Qutub Shahis.

From Charminar you can visit many other prominent sightseeing places as well. Chow Mohalla Palace which is only 10 minutes walk from here is the most porniment one. Some of the other places to visit are Kali Kaman, Patthar Gatti and Shahali Banda.

How to reach Charminar

Charminar is one of the most prominent landmarks of Hyderabad city hence reaching here is extremely easy even for first time visitors. Located on the Charminar road, Char Kaman in the Ghansi Bazaar, it can be reached via auto rickshaws and taxis.

There are many TSRTC buses that operate from major bus stands and railway stations of the city to Charminar. The distance between Charminar and Hyderabad bus stand is 5 km.

Interesting Facts about Charminar

In 2010, Lindt chocolatier Adelbert Boucher designed a chocolate replica of Charminar weighing fifty kilograms. It was displayed at The Westin, on 25th and 26th September. This was done as a tribute to the iconic Charminar.
It is said that Charminar was the first building of Hyderabad which had more than one floor. It is considered as the very first multi storied building of this city.
The name charminar was given to symbolise the four minars of the monument. Although away from the obvious four minars, this monument showcases four in its other aspects as well. For instance, it has four domes. There are four small arches on each side of the main arch.These arches are also built in four directions. Each of the four minars are also divided into four segments. There are four entryways to the monument. Even the galleries on each floor are also four. And the most interesting part is that Mohammad Quli Shah who was the builder of this monument was also the fourth Sultan of the Qutub Shahi Dynasty.
Chamrinar is also known for the beautiful coexistence of different religions. Here you can experience the peacefulness of religious harmony. You can see how Mecca Masjid and Bhagyalakshmi Temple have been built so close yet stand with their individualistic religious significance.
It is believed that Charminar was built to fulfil the secret promise Md. Quli Qutb had made to Allah in his prayers.
Charminar is said to have survived all kinds of invasions. It is said that in 1687, Mughal emperor Aurangzeb had destroyed most of the buildings of Hyderabad during invasion. However, owing to the presence of a mosque on Charminar’s top floor, he had left the monument untouched.