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Tamil Nadu
The land of the Tamils, is one of the most fascinating of the Indian states. Bounded by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh in the north and Kerala in the west, the coastal eastern and southern boundaries are lapped by the waters of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean respectively. The eastern and the western tips of the state are defined by the point Calimere and Mudumalai wild life sanctuaries. While the northern extreme is Pulicat Lake and the southernmost tip is Cape Comorin or Kanyakumari - where the main land ends.
This land offers the golden beaches of the Coromoandel coast, cool scenic hill resorts in the depth of the Western Ghats and exciting wildlife reserves and sanctuaries and exotic dance and music forms and endless festivals and fairs.
Said to be the home of the Dravidian art and culture, a rich tradition of literature and arts has flourished in Tamil Nadu for about 2000 years. Splendid temples that dot the countryside bear witness to the architectural achievements of the Tamils. Bharatnatyam - the famous classical dance had its birth in Tamil Nadu.
It is amazing to note that this state has more than 30,000 temples, which has given Tamil Nadu the title Land of Temples.
Noted for its tradition of exquisite handicrafts, rich jewel coloured silks, elegant bronzes cast in the style of the ancient Chola artisans, brass temple lamps, intricately carved wood and stone are part of the artistic wealth of Tamil Nadu.
The splendid festivals of Tamil Nadu, the fest of music and dance, the shimmering silks of Kanchipuram - all these linger long in the memory of the visitor.
History
The grand history of the Tamils presents an exciting pageant of a powerful civilization whose origin dates back to ancient times. Tamils, who belong to the Dravidian race, were the first major occupants of the country and they settled in the northwestern part of India long before the coming of the Indo-Aryans.The Pallavas who ruled between the 6th & 8th century AD over a large portion of Tamil Nadir with Kanchipuram as their base. Their region was marked by battles with the Chalukyas of the north and the Pandyas of the south. Among the greatest Pallava rulers were Mahendravarman-l and his son Narasimhavarman.
Huan Tsu Ang who visited the city in the middle of the 6th century AD, and according to him it was a major seat of learning. Quite probably the most ancient of the dynasties of the south, the Cholas had their headquarters first at Uraiyur and later at Thanjavur and ruled over most of modern Tamil Nadu.
The early Cholas reigned between the 1st and 4th century AD and the first and most famous king of this period was Karikalan. The later Cholas, who went on to become a force to reckon with by defeating both the Pallavas and Pandyas, made their appearance in the 9th century under the leadership of Vijayalaya Chola and continued to dominate the South until the 13th century. The greatest of the later Cholas was Rajaraja Chola (985-1014 AD) under whose reign several islands in the Indian Ocean including (Lakshadweep, Maldives) and Sri Lanka were conquered.
Rajendra Chola-I, the son and successor of Rajaraja, consolidated and expanded the empire that was left to him by his father. The Chola empire stretched as far as central India, Orissa and parts of West Bengal.
Meanwhile, the Pandyas remained subservient to the Cholas and their opportunity to strike back came over two centuries after the death of Rajendra-I, when they overthrew a weakened Chola empire in 1267. The Cholas were great administrators and builders, not just of temples but of other public structures too.
The city of Madurai has been praised by the Greek traveller Magasthenes in the 3rd century. The Pandyas had trading contacts with Greece and Rome and were powerful in their own right though they were subjugated during various periods by the Pallavas and Cholas. With the decline of the Cholas, the Pandyas rose to prominence once again in the early 14th century before their challenge was snuffed out once and for all and the city of Madurai completely destroyed and ransacked by the Khilji invaders from the North in 1316.
Of the four dynasties mentioned, the Cheras are comparatively less important as far as this State is concerned.The Cheras ruled over the south-west coast and their empire included the modern state of Kerala and parts of Western Tamil Nadu.The downfall of the Pandyas brought into Tamil Nadu a new powerful force in the form of the Vijayanagara empire which had its headquarters at Hampi in Karnataka. They overthrew the Muslims who had invaded Madurai and established supremacy, though it was their governors or Nayaks who actually brought back the lost glory to this city. The contributions of the Nayak dynasty to art and architecture of Madurai, Thanjavur and Tiruchi made Tamil Nadu a favourite destination with many tourists and pilgrims.
The Nayak's rule continued long after the collapse of the Vijayanagara empire and following them some parts of Tamil Nadu saw a period, of Maratha rule, Muslim rule under the Nawabs of Arcot and later, the advent of the Europeans and the struggle for supremacy resulted in the ultimate victory of the Europeans and symbols of their authority stands still at Fort St. George in Chennai.
Facts & Figures
Area : (1000 sq. km) 130Capital : Chennai
Language : Tamil
Religion:Hinduism, Christianity, Islam
Currency: Indian Rupee
