"If you are fortunate enough to be travelling in India, and specially in the regions that he has already covered, then look no further. This is the one book you really need" ""Ward, in one sweep of his pen, with the strength of his convictions to back him, convinces his readers of the reality and the magic that is India"." - The Hindustan Times "South India" is a journey of exploration through the history, culture, wildlife, art, architecture, landscapes and communities of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Goa, with their diverse traditions of Hinduism, Christianity, and here and there Judaism, Islam and Jainism. From coastal Madras to the religious centres of Kanchipuram and Madurai, from the rock fort of Trichy to the tip of Cape Comorin, Philip Ward has wandered far and wide in the land of the Tamils. Kerala too is diverse and tropically lovely, with seaports and inland waterways, palaces and bazaars, wildlife sanctuaries and Kathakali dance festivals. Goa has become established as one of the world's most attractive beach-holiday resorts, but there is much to see in historic, abandoned Old Goa and its offshoot Panaji; in lakes and nature reserves; fascinating churches and inland temples, coastal forts and traditional Portuguese-style mansions. South India describes the cool hill-station still called 'Snooty Ooty', the great art gallery of Tanjore, the former French enclave of Pondicherry, and the rock-cut shrines and sculpture of 7th to 8th-century Mamallapuram. Intended for first-time visitors as well as experienced travellers who wish to understand the background to the vision, South India provides a sympathetic and thoughtful companion to some of India's most spectacular attractions. For sheer depth of understanding and quality of information, this title represents essential background information for anyone thinking of travelling to this area and, as such, remains unsurpassed since its first publication in 1991. See also: Gujarat, Daman Diu (Search 978-0906672228), Rajasthan, Agra, delhi (Search 978-0906672440) Western India - Bombay, Maharashtra, Karnataka (search 978-0900891328. Part of the Oleander Classics series, this title has been reproduced using the highest-quality modern scanning technology. This is in order to keep important works from the Press's 50-year history from going out of print. In this way, the invaluable resources provided by this and other books in the series remain available for general readers, academics and other interested parties.

Book Contents: Introduction Tamil Nadu The book offers interesting insight about Tamil Nadu's Culture, music, dance, art and craft, fairs and festivals, Adventure and sports, wildlife and flora. The destinations are signposted with details of accessibility and connectivity, Tourist attractions, Local Directory, Guide maps, Popular and little known places of interest. The book has Listing of Hotels, Popular places of dining out, Restaurants Shopping areas, Details on tourist offices, Travel services providers, Travel tips. Tamil Nadu The sprawling metro, Chennai, the famous Meenakshi Temple of Madurai, the world heritage site of Mammalapuram, the hills resorts of Ooty and Kodaikanal and the pilgrim sites of Rameswaram and Kanyakumari are the treasures to be discovered and cherished. The dominating towering gopurams and the architecture of its temples, music, and dance are indelible cultural treasures forming its soul.

1. Introduction, 2. Spiritual Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 3. Cultural Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 4. Natural Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 5. Fairs, Festivals and Folk Entertainments in Tamil Nadu, 6. Tourism Plant Facilities in Tamil Nadu, 7. Conclusion and Suggestions. - PREFACE: “Tourism in Tamil Nadu - Growth and Development” is a captivating theme. Man has been fascinated by travel and tourism from the earliest historical period. He always has had the urge to discover the unknown, to explore new and strange places, to seek changes of environment and to undergo new experiences. Travelling to achieve these ends is not new, but tourism is of a relatively modern origin. Tourism is distinguishable by its mass character from the travel undertaken in the past. This is largely a post-second world war phenomenon. Until recently only affluent people participated in tourism. Increased leisure, higher incomes and greatly enhanced mobility have combined to enable more people to participate in Tourism. Revolution in transport, technological progress and the emergence of a middle class with time and money to spare for recreation, has led to the growth of tourism—”the modern holiday industry”. Thus tourism is no longer the prerogative of a few but is an accepted part of life of a large number of people. India is one of the oldest civilizations with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. For centuries India has been a centre of attraction for different people for different reasons. The ancient invaders viewed it as a goldmine with unlimited wealth to plunder; the learned were fascinated by its mystic spiritualism and profound philosophy; the uninitiated saw it as a land of naked fakirs and snake charmers; while the others were simply charmed by the sheer beauty of its natural attractions and amazing variety of its flora and fauna.