Tamil Nadu is a state at the southern tip of India. The bordering states/territories are Pondicherry, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The island nation of Sri Lanka, which has a significant Tamil minority, lies off the southeast coast.

Tamil Nadu is a land of varied beauty. It is mostly famous for its numerous Hindu temples based on the Dravidian architecture. The temples are of a distinct style which is famous for its towering Gopuram. Popular temple towns include Madurai, Trichy, Tanjore, Kanchipuram, Palani, Tiruvallur and Mahabalipuram. Tamil Nadu also has the Navagraha temples that are a popular pilgrim circuit. Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of peninsular India, is famous for its distinct and beautiful sunrise, Vivekanda Rock Memorial on the mid-sea, Thiruvalluvar statue and has some very green hilly landscape and picture-postcard perfect sceneries around the district and Nagercoil. Hill stations like Kodaikanal and Nilgiris boast some of the stunning landscapes in India.

Tamil Nadu is a land of varied beauty. It is mostly famous for its numerous Hindu temples based on the Dravidian architecture. The temples are of a distinct style which is famous for its towering Gopuram. Popular temple towns include Madurai, Trichy, Tanjore, Kanchipuram, Palani, Tiruvallur and Mahabalipuram. The most famous temple is the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur that is about 1000 years old . Tamil Nadu also has the Navagraha temples that are a popular pilgrim circuit.

Geography
Tamil Nadu covers an area of 130,058 km˛ (50,215 mi˛),and is the eleventh largest state in India. The bordering states are Kerala to the west, Karnataka to the northwest and Andhra Pradesh to the north. To the east is the Bay of Bengal.
The southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula is located in Tamil Nadu. At this point is the town of Kanyakumari which is the meeting point of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean.
Tamil Nadu has a wide variety of minerals with the most reserves in India lignite (almost 90% of India's reserves), magnesite (45%) and garnet (over 40%) among others.

History
Tamil Nadu's history dates back pre-historic times and archeological evidence points to this area being one of the longest continuous habitations in India. From early pre-history Tamil Nadu was the home of the three famous kingdoms of the Chera, the Chola and the Pandya. The ancient Tamil literature points to an ancient civilisation lasting since the dawn of time. The Sangam literature has numerous mentions of the kings and princes who ruled this region. Scholars now generally agree that this literature belongs to the first few centuries CE. The Sangam literature is full of names of the kings and the princes, and of the poets who extolled them. The early Cholas reigned between 1st and 4th centuries CE. The first and the most famous king of this period was Karikala Chola, who expanded the Chola territories up to Kanchipuram. The Cholas occupied the present Thanjavur and Tiruchirappali districts and excelled in military exploits. In the height of their glory, the Chola kings had spread their influence as far as Ceylon (SriLanka) in the south and hundreds of kilometers across the northern region

Culture and Arts
Tamil civilization is one of the oldest in the world. Unique cultural features, like Tanjore paintings, Bharatanatyam and Tamil architecture, give Tamil Nadu a heritage to be proud of. Chola kings conquered lands as far north as the Himalayas, and as far east as Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. The world's oldest dam was built across the Kaveri river in Tamil Nadu by King Karikala Chola. Today, the rapidly increasing IT boom in Tamil Nadu cities like Chennai,Coimbatore and Tirunelveli[6] makes Tamil Nadu one of India's economic hotspots.

Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu and it achieved the classical language status in India (as well as one of the official languages of India). Tamil Nadu is known for its rich tradition of literature, music and dance which continue to flourish today.

Tamil Festivals
Pongal, a four-day harvest festival, is the most celebrated festival of Tamil Nadu. Pongal is also known as Tamizhar Thirunal or The Festival of Tamils among the Tamil people. The Tamil language saying Thai Pirandhal Vazhi Pirakkum -- literally meaning, the birth of the month of Thai will pave way for new opportunities -- is often quoted with reference to the Pongal festival. The first day, Bhogi Pongal, is celebrated by throwing away and destroying old clothes and materials by setting them on fire to mark the end of the old and emergence of the new. The second day, Surya Pongal, is the main day which falls on the first day of the Tamil month Thai (January 14 or January 15 in western calendar). The third day, Maattu Pongal, is meant to offer thanks to the cattle, as they provide milk and are used to plough the lands. Jallikattu, a violent taming the wild bull contest, marks the main event of this day. During this final day, Kaanum Pongal — the word "kanum", literally meaning 'to view' — youths used to gather at river banks to view and select their future life partners, but that practice has declined.

Palaces to See

Chennai

Chennai is located near the 13th north parallel and 80 degree longitude. Chennai stretches its 19 km length along the Coromandal coast and extends inland about 9 km at its widest. It is a fairly low-lying strip of land, its highest point being only 60 m above sea level. Chennai is trisected by two east-flowing rivers that traverse its width. The Chennai monsoon is from October to mid-December - and in a good year (from the point of view of water-short citizens) the rain on some days during this period can be quite heavy. Chennai, (formerly Madras) the first city of Tamil Nadu, is a comparatively new city.  more information >>

Madhurai

Madurai district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the second largest city of Tamil Nadu and has a population in excess of 1.1 million. It is well known for the Meenakshi temple situated at the heart of the town which attracts tourists as well as pilgrims. Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil era more than 2500 years old, and has been an important commercial centre even as early as 550 AD. Madurai was the capital city of the Pandya kings of South India. Madurai is the headquarters of Madurai district.  more information >>

Kanyakumari

Kanyakumari is a town and a cape at the southernmost tip of the Indian peninsula. It is located in the state of Tamil Nadu. During British rule, it was known as Cape Comorin. The closest major city is Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. Kanyakumari lies at the meeting point of three bodies of water: the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. more information >>

Ooty

Udhagamandalam (Ooty), the capital of Nilgiri district, is popularly known as the "Queen of hill stations' among the tourist circuits. It is situated at a distance of 105 km away from Coimbatore. The height of the hills in the Nilgiri range varies between 2280 and 2290 metres, the highest peak being Doddabetta at a height of 2623 metres. more information >>


Kodaikanal

Kodaikanal is a hill station on the southern tip of the upper Palani Hills in Dindigul District of the state of Tamil Nadu in southern India. Kodai is also a minor tourist attraction, and many of the locals make their living through tourist services. Kodaikanal is sometimes referred to as "Princess of Hill stations".  more information >>