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Tarun
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'The Russian traveller Athanasius' writing in
the 15th century illustrating life at the Bahamani Court described
the Sultan of Bedar going out with 300,000 men of his own troops in
a land overpopulated and miserable. The nobles on the other hand delighted
in luxury. They preferred to be carried on their silver beds,
preceded by 20 chargers caparisoned in gold, followed by 300 men on
horseback and 500 on foot with torchbearers and musicians."
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[ South beach ]
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After the fall of the Roman empire
in the 5th century AD trade between Europe and India ended after flourished
for six centuries. The Portuguese came in 1498, followed by the Dutch and
Danes in 1595. The English arrived in 1600 and the French took up residence
at Pondicherry in 1673.
South India consists of the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala
and Tamil Nadu and contains some of India's most beautiful and varied scenery.
There were stone age settlers here nearly a million years ago and by the
2nd century BC, the Iron Age cultures. The people who live there today consider
themselves to be the purest Indians - the Dravadians, who came here
before the Aryans. |
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| Madras, capital of Tamil Nadu, was a gateway
of the South and was first established in 1639 by the British East
India Company, but the villages on this site go back to over 2000
years. |
[ Madras ]
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It is the home of the Dravadian civilisation and was
hardly touched by the invasions from the North. Close by to Madras
and scattered around Tamil Naidu are thousands of Temples. Tour the
grand temples of Kanchipuram or the Magnificent shore temples
at Mahabalipuram (also the site of the world's single largest
rock bas releif), the granite sculptures of Madurai and the
extraordinary charming temple town of Tiruchirapalli. |
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| Close by air is the French settlement
of Pondicherry, which was founded in 1673 by the British who returned
it to France in 1763. |
| Even today cycle rickshaw pullers keep asking you in
French where you want to go, which is only a small reflection of the
French influence. It houses the Sri Aurobindo ashram, a large
Natraja temple and a Arunachala temple dedicated to Shiva. At the
tip of the Indian peninsula is Kanyakumari or Land's End which
is the venue of the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the world.
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[ Kanyakumari]
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| The capital of Andhra Pradesh is Hyderabad, a beautiful
city surrounded by lakes. It was founded in the late 16th century and is
known for its elaborate cuisine and customs. The town trades in diamonds,
pearls, printed fabrics and is one of the richest cities in India. Golconda
fort is the biggest fort in South India which took 62 years to build using
thousands of labourers everyday. |
[ Hyderabad ]
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Towards the coast are the villages, of Chirala and
Pochampali where 'ikat' weaving is done. From Hyderabad to the garden
city of Bangalore, capital of Karnataka state, the temple townships
of Hospit , Hampi and Badami enroute. South-west of Bangalore
is Mysore, the city of palatial buildings, beautiful gardens and old
world charm. It is the major centre for the manufacture of perfumed
incense.
Close by is Somnathpur, Tipu Sultan's palace of Serangapatam and the
temple towns of Halebid, Belur and to the south are two of India's
best wildlife sanctuaries at Bandipur and Nagarhole. Not far from
Mysore is the former queen of hill station of Ootacamund (
Tamil Nadu) which nestles in the Blue Hills or Nilgiri's. The coffee
country of Karnatka is Kodagu ( Coorg), which has some of the
most picturesque hill station in South India. |
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| Uncrowded and unpolluted it is known as the Scotland
of India. The epitome of nature with lush green expanses and forests
of rose wood and silver oak trees. Cascading falls, vast tracts of coffee
plantations with hillsides that give of the aroma of spice. Kodagu, the
' Scotland of the East,' is home to a people who still follow a life style
of traditional culture, echoing vestiges of the past. |
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| On the western coastline is Kerala a paradise of
undulating palms and warm sandy beaches. It is "God's Own Country"
and a place of tangible beauty. |
| It is one of the richest states in India, with forests
and plantations of rubber, cashew and coconuts. The meeting place
of many cultures, Hindu Christian and Jewish, the and Muslim, people
of Kerala are among the most industrious and well educated in the
country. Its attraction lies in its calm and relaxed way of living,
combined with the wide variety of scenic destinations. Kovalam is
a captivating beach resort where most travellers stay, and nearby
is Trivandrum, the state capital with its temple palaces and art gallery.
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[ South beach]
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Quillon is the start of the famous
inland waterways where ancient pagoda boats still sail along the lagoons.
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| Go on to the back waters of Alleppy, the "Venice
of India" and to Kottayam a age old centre of the Syrian Christians.
The Periyar lake is one of the South India's finest wild life. |
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The southern states are particularly famous for
both silk and cotton handloom products such as Kanchipuram silk, Ikats from
Andhra and lace making which was introduced by the British. Palms grow in
abundance and cane, reed and coir are transformed into artifacts wood inlay
and carving with rosewood and sandlewood are popular items as is the bidri
silver work which is done on dark metal in Hyderabad.
The leather industry is highly developed from Bangalore to Madras producing
shoes, bags and cases. As you board a flight out of Kerala you cannot help
but bid a silent goodbye to the palm fringed lagoons where another world
seemed to exist. The south is a special experience, so exotic that words
fail to describe it. |
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