South India is known for its diverse culture and heritage, and diverse even in terms of experience you get traveling here. You have the beaches, the backwaters, the green mountains, the rocky mountains, and what not! South India is beautiful, majestic and in many ways so diverse.
Aptly described as the land of beautifully crafted centuries-old temples, picture-perfect views, innumerable stunning waterfalls, and some thick mysterious forests. With so much to offer, South India attracts a huge number of travelers with extremely varied interests all throughout the year.
To get detailed information then you must go through the whole article carefully.
1. The Biryani Pilgrimage in Hyderabad
The Old City of Hyderabad is the true face of the India of yesteryear. Cows roam the busy narrow streets, market hawkers loudly praise their wares and the smell of chai and hot Hyderabadi Biryani with goat meat fills the air. It will take many months to try out all varieties of amazing food. And of course, you can binge your Biryani very often.
The fusion specialty rice dish - Hyderabadi Biryani is believed to have its origin in historic Hyderabad. The blend of Mughlai and Persian cuisine resulted in one of the most delicious ways rice is cooked. The appearance of Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, its texture, and the aroma make it unique and drool-worthy.
The Mughals enjoyed the dum biryani and back in those days, the Shahi Khansama would use different types of meat. In today’s world, only limited types of meat are available for cooking biryani. The saffron flavored long-grain rice and the succulent pieces of chicken make this biryani the star of the show. In a nutshell, yes it is worth the hype and you MUST try it.
Kachchi Biryani version is prepared with kachchi gosht (raw meat) marinated with spices overnight and then soaked in curd (dahi) before cooking. The meat is sandwiched between layers of fragrant basmati rice and cooked in dum style after sealing the handi (vessel) with dough - how flavourful is that.
2. The special Irani Chai in Hyderabad
Try out delicious street food Hyderabad is famous for. Start with Irani chai and Mirchi Bajji. You've probably had tea in the most exquisite locations but you've never had Irani Chai with Osmania Biscuits while staring at Char Minar. Irani chai is a Persian brand of Tea. It is a unique form of tea unlike any other version of Indian chai, made by the addition of mawa or khoya to black tea.
Now, there are around 25 Irani Chai cafeterias in the city including Nimrah Cafe, Hotel Iqbal, Farasha Cafe, Sarvi Bakers, etc. Late night drives are super fun — eating dosa and drinking Irani Chai at 3 am after wandering the whole city, yeah, you wouldn't ever wanna leave.
3. Sunrise at Kanyakumari
Don’t miss the sunset at Kanyakumari, even if it means spoiling your sweet sleep. Trust me, it is one of the best sunrises you will ever see. Go to the sunrise point at least 45 minutes before and secure a spot, as it gets crowded later on. Apart from the Kanyakumari Sunrise point, you can also watch the sunrise from the pier. It’s such a nice feeling to watch the sunset from the edge of the pier with water all around you.
In fact, it is one of the most exotic places to visit in India. One can find destinations here that can never cease to amaze. There are temples, churches, religious pillars and statues everywhere. The perfect blend of the culture of the place is reflected in the art, architecture and even in the local cuisine of Kanyakumari.
Those who enjoy history can take an excursion to Kumari Amman Temple or Vattakottai Fort. The Chilling on the coasts such as Sanguthurai Beach, Sothavilai Beach and many others is simply exotic. The Wax Museum is a different place but equally attractive for tourists and should be seen in the city.
Chitharal is a small village located at a distance of 7 km from Marthandam and 55 kms from Kanyakumari. It is famous for the Jain Monuments also known as Chitharal Malai Kovil or Chitharal Cave Temple carved into the rock containing sculptures of Tirthankaras and carved deities inside and outside dating from the ninth century.
Rock memorial is a calm and beautiful place, if you want to know more about the history of Vivekananda and the Vivekananda Rock itself. You have to take the ferry ride if you want to visit. But its totally worth the visit. The morning is the best time to go to rock memorial. Near Vivekananda Rock Memorial, Thiruvalluvar Rock statue is situated.
The Vivekananda rock memorial is also here. It is said that Vivekananda had meditated here for two days before joining the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago.
The Sree Padmanabhapuram Palace is the erstwhile official seat of Travancore Royalty. Many think this as a Palace, but its primarily a fort called Kalkulam Fort designed in very indigenous Malayalee architecture style. However, the fort was constructed to house the Palace and eventually it became more like a Palace as the fort walls also got integrated into Palace structures.
4. Exploring The French Colony In Puducherry
It is the Union territory that was once under French rule which you can make out by the Mediterranean style houses and buildings. It is a beautiful city which is famous for its beautiful beaches, churches, botanical gardens, lakes, etc.
So you can book honeymoon packages in Tamil Nadu for a lovely trip to this beautiful city. Also known as Pondicherry, it is one of the best places to visit in South India if you are planning a trip with your friends. Being a former French colony, you will see the perfect blend of traditional Indian and French architecture.
Walking through the French Quarter known as the White Town, you will get to see exquisite colonial bungalows, and also a chain of cafes and restaurants where you can savour the delicious French cuisine and beverages. Pondicherry is the ideal place if you and your friends are on a shopping spree. And of course, the beaches to complete the weekend trip to Pondicherry.
Enjoy the waves that curl around your feet and also try your hand at scuba diving. The place is known for its beaches making it the travelers' paradise.
The best time to enjoy in Pondicherry is from September to February. You can enjoy the beautiful red sunrise on the beaches, and go for scuba diving in Serenity Beach, yachting or sailing, kayaking and canoeing on beaches on eastern coasts. You can spend some beautiful time in Chunnambar Boat houses, and go for evening walks near the sea.
The Arulmigu Manakula Vinayagar Temple has a Golden and Silver chariot that is used during festivals. The Golden chariot is made of 7.5Kg of pure gold and it’s dimension is 10 ft by 6 ft. The facade of the temple bears colorful frescoes and carvings of Ganesha while the interior pillars, ceilings etc is also equally colorful and decorative.
The most amazing aspect of the temple is it’s resident elephant, Lakshmi, who dutifully opens the temple gates, enters inside the temple, salutes the deity Ganesha, walks around the temple (parikrama) and then blesses the devotees outside the temple for a token fee of money, fruits or tit-bits! Lakshmi is controlled by the mahout at all times though the pachyderm is quite docile, gentle and loving.
So you will love this trip to South India for sure and capture beautiful moments there.
