Southern India
Everyone knows about the Taj Mahal near Delhi.
People flock to Kolkota to see the work of Mother Teresa.
Goa lures beach bums with its beautiful beaches while tech-savy folk head down to Bangalore.
But what about South India? Most travels do not know much about South India.
Most Indian restaurants abroad serve food from the north, and the scenes from your favorite Hollywood film depict life in the north. So there are very few people who know that the south differs vastly from the north, much less why. So here are some reasons to come visit the South.
Just like in the US, people are nicer down south. People from Tamil Nadu and Kerala are known for their friendliness. These people groups are gentler than their neighbors to the north. Tamil is the language spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu and is the oldest known Indian language still spoken. Kerala is known as God’s Own Country for good reason.
Come to this pristine and clean state to take trips down the backwaters, visit a tea plantation, or just sit under a cocnut tree while the day passes you by. Pondicherry was one governed by the French whom have left a lovely bit of architecture and culture in the city. Once can walk along the French Quarter to see brightly painted houses, walk along the boardwalk past a Gandhi statue, or sit in a quaint café sipping a cappuccino next to half a dozen French speaking hippies.
Noted as the most hated city in India, Chennai gets a bad rap at times for its heat and congested traffic. Due to racial discrimination, the Tamils in Chennai were ridiculed by their light-skinned neighbors to the north. But that was the past and now no one is laughing at Chennai. This fourth largest city in India has a booming IT and educational sector that provides great economic opportunities for its residents. I have lived in Chennai for a year and tried to see as much as I could.
Noted sites to see are
1) St. Thomas Mount, where legend has St. Thomas came and was martyred leading the unusual high number of Christians in South India compared to the north
2) Marina Beach is the second largest city beach in the world. Grab an ear of American sweet corn on the cob, side-step couples sitting by the waterside, and dodge meandering to have a unique beach experience.
3) Temples galore in and around Chennai. Make sure to take time and learn the history about each one. My favorites are the Golden Temple in Vellore and Mahabalipuram temples including the Butterball (Google it!).
-from the Delightful Traveler
People flock to Kolkota to see the work of Mother Teresa.
Goa lures beach bums with its beautiful beaches while tech-savy folk head down to Bangalore.
But what about South India? Most travels do not know much about South India.
Most Indian restaurants abroad serve food from the north, and the scenes from your favorite Hollywood film depict life in the north. So there are very few people who know that the south differs vastly from the north, much less why. So here are some reasons to come visit the South.
Just like in the US, people are nicer down south. People from Tamil Nadu and Kerala are known for their friendliness. These people groups are gentler than their neighbors to the north. Tamil is the language spoken in the state of Tamil Nadu and is the oldest known Indian language still spoken. Kerala is known as God’s Own Country for good reason.
Come to this pristine and clean state to take trips down the backwaters, visit a tea plantation, or just sit under a cocnut tree while the day passes you by. Pondicherry was one governed by the French whom have left a lovely bit of architecture and culture in the city. Once can walk along the French Quarter to see brightly painted houses, walk along the boardwalk past a Gandhi statue, or sit in a quaint café sipping a cappuccino next to half a dozen French speaking hippies.
Noted as the most hated city in India, Chennai gets a bad rap at times for its heat and congested traffic. Due to racial discrimination, the Tamils in Chennai were ridiculed by their light-skinned neighbors to the north. But that was the past and now no one is laughing at Chennai. This fourth largest city in India has a booming IT and educational sector that provides great economic opportunities for its residents. I have lived in Chennai for a year and tried to see as much as I could.
Noted sites to see are
1) St. Thomas Mount, where legend has St. Thomas came and was martyred leading the unusual high number of Christians in South India compared to the north
2) Marina Beach is the second largest city beach in the world. Grab an ear of American sweet corn on the cob, side-step couples sitting by the waterside, and dodge meandering to have a unique beach experience.
3) Temples galore in and around Chennai. Make sure to take time and learn the history about each one. My favorites are the Golden Temple in Vellore and Mahabalipuram temples including the Butterball (Google it!).
-from the Delightful Traveler
