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Tamilnadu Festivals and Famous Festival Tours

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Hotel Singaar International 

Address: 5/22, Main Road, , Kanyakumari
Location: City Center
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel
Accessibility: Airport: 92KM., Railway Station: 0.5KM., Bus Station: 1KM.

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About Tamilnadu Festivals

The land of temples, Tamil Nadu celebrates both regional and religious festivals with great pomp and grandeur. Most of the them were agrarian in nature while others had mythological significance. The colorful festivals take place in September-October and post harvest months of March-June. On the auspicious occasion of celebrations, people with friends, family and relatives get together to make the occasion more lively.

Regional Festivals in Tamil Nadu

Take a Tamilnadu festival tours to catch a glimpse of mosaic regional Tamilnadu festivals. Tamilians celebrates the occasion with great enthusiasm and gay. One can have a clear view of rich culture embedded celebrations of the festivals in Tamil Nadu. Popular regional festivals of the state are Pongal FestivalSaraswathi Pooja, Vinayaka Chathurthi, Music & Dance Festival, Chennai, Jallikatu Bull Fight and Karthigai Deepam.

Religious Tamilnadu Festivals

Several awe-inspiring rituals are performed during the celebrations of temple festivals in Tamil Nadu. The temples are decorated the main deities in holy shrines are beautified with bright colored costumes and valuable jewelery. Chitri Rai Festival, Mahamagam Festival, Deepavali, Navarathiri and Natyanjali Dance Festival are the famous Tamil Nadu India festivals celebrated in century old temples of the state. 

Pongal Festival Celebrations - Famous Harvest Festival of Tamilnadu

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Taj Garden Retreat 

Address: Pasumalai, No. 40 T.P.K. Road, , Madurai
Location: City Center
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel
Accessibility: Airport: 15KM.

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Pandyan Hotel 

Address: Race Course, , Madurai
Location: City Center
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel
Accessibility: Airport: 15KM., Bus Stand: 5KM., Railway Station: 4KM.

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Pongal Festival Date

Pongal Festival and Fairs is celebrated on the same dates every year. Pongal festibal falls on the 14th - 17th of January.

About Pongal Festival

India is bestowed with the bliss of festivity. A major segment of the population here depends on agriculture. As a result, most of the festivals are also related to the agricultural activities of the people. These festivals are celebrated with different names and rituals in almost all the parts of India. Pongal is one of such highly revered festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu to mark the harvesting of crops by farmers. Held in the middle of January, Pongal festival is the time when the people get ready to thank God, Earth and their Cattle for the wonderful harvest and celebrate the occasion with joyous festivities and rituals. The colorful sight of the Pongal festival is definitely a must watch for every visitor. 

The four-day Harvest festival is celebrated all over the state in January. The festival begins on the last day of the Tamil month with Bhogi Pongal followed by Surya Pongal on the next day. It is on this day that Chakkara Pongal, a delicacy of harvest rice cooked with jaggery, ghee and cashew nuts is offered to the Sun God. The third day, Mattu Pongal is dedicated to the Cattle when cows are bathed and adorned with colorful beads and flowers.Jallikattu, the bullfight is held on the last day known as Kannum Pongal. 

Pongal Festival Celebrations

Bhogi Pongal - The First day !

The first day of the Pongal festival is called Bhogi. On Bhogi all people clean out their homes from all corners, and collect all unwanted goods. In the evening, people light bonfires and burn what can be burnt. 

Surya Pongal - The Second day !

The second day of the Pongal Festival, Surya Pongal, is the day on which the celebrations actually begin. It is the first day of the Tamil month Thai. On this day, Surya, the sun God is worshipped and women will wake early on this day to create elaborate Pongal kolam on the grounds in front of their doorway or home. Pongal Kolams are created with colored rice flour placed on the ground carefully by using one's hand. 

Maatu Pongal - The Third day!

The third day is called Maatu Pongal, maatu meaning cattle. This day is devoted to paying homage to cattle. Cows and Bulls are decorated with paint and bells and people pray to them. 

Kaanum Pongal - The Fourth day!

The fourth day of Pongal Festival is termed as Kaanum Pongal. On this day, Pongal celebrations take another form. People travel to see other family members and greet each other with warmth and happiness in heart. 

Pongal Recipe

The literal meaning of the word Pongal is 'boiling over'. The traditional preparation goes like this:

- Rice, moong dal, jaggery and milk are mixed together and boiled in the open earthern pot.

- Around the pot fresh turmeric is tied.

- The concoction is allowed to boil over as it is considered extremely auspicious and a sign of prosperity and good harvest.

- Cashew nuts and raisins, fried in pure ghee, are used to decorate the preparation. 

The preparation itself takes into consideration the auspicious time as the starting and the ending time of the cooking is pre decided. The Pongal offering is made to the god together with vegetables, lentils and newly harvested sugarcane and bananas. Afterwards, the entire family eats the Pongal together

Natyanjali Famous Chidambaram Dance Festival in Tamilnadu

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Hotel Velan Ritz

Address: Orange Grove Road, Coonoor
Location: District, Tamilnadu 
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel

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Vivek Tourist Homel 

Address: Fig of 8 Road, Coonoor, 
Location: Tamilnadu, India, India 
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel

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About Natyanjali Dance Festival

When : Starts from the day of Mahashivaratri, for 5 days in February.
Where - Chidambaram. Chidambaram is situated along the coast of the Bay of Bengal, 75 kms south of Pondicherry. 

Lord Nataraja, according to the Hindu mythology is a cosmic dancer. He is called the Lord of dances. The Natyanjali festival is an opportunity for all dancers, from all India, to perform and to pay their tribute to Lord Nataraja.The Natyanjali festival, which brings all the prominent dancers of India, together on the same platform, opens on the auspicious occasion of Mahasivaratri, in the month of February. It is performed at the 'Prakara' of the temple, and the dancers, full of intense bliss and devotion, with their evocative abhinaya, offer their dance to the great divinity, Lord Nataraja. 

Festivals have great value in Chidambaram. The Natyanjali festival dedicated to the Cosmic Dancer (Lord Shiva) is celebrated every year during February-March. Lord Nataraja, according to Hindu mythology is the cosmic dancer. He is also called "the Lord of Dances". 

Natyanjali festival is jointly organised by The Department of Tourism, Government of Tamil Nadu, The Ministry Of Tourism, Government of India and The Natyanjali Trust, Chidambaram. It is designed to promote a universal message of 'Unity in Diversity' conveyed in the universal language of music and dance. 

Chidambaram - How to Get There

» Air : The nearest airport is at Trichy, at a distance of 160-km. 

» Rail : The railway station is close to the Nataraja Temple. Express and passenger trains leave for Chennai four times daily, Kumbakonam,Thanjavur twice daily, Tiruchirappalli and Madurai. 

» Road : Chidambaram is well connected by road with Chennai, Pondicherry, Madurai, Thanjavur, etc.

Karthigai Deepam Festival Famous Light Festival

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Saradharam Hotel 

Address: 19, V.G.P. Street, Chidambaram - 608 001. Cuddalore , Chidambaram
Location: District, Tamilnadu State, India 
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel

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Alritz Hotel 

Address: 2 VGP Street Near Nagarajar Temple, 
Location: Chidambaram 608001, India 
Property Type: Business And Leisure Hotel

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About Karthigai Deepam Festival

ROWS OF agal vilakkus in front of every house... this is the image that at once comes to mind when we think of Karthigai Deepam - the festival of lights that is celebrated throughout Tamil Nadu during the month of Karthigai (November-December). Not many of us are aware that it is one of the oldest festivals celebrated in the State, perhaps even before people began celebrating Deepavali and Navaratri. 

Earliest References to Karthigai Deepam Festival

Unlike many other Hindu festivals, Karthigai is basically a Tamil festival and is virtually unknown in most other parts of the country. 

One of the earliest references to the festival is found in the Ahananuru, a book of poems, which dates back to the Sangam Age (200 B.C. to 300 A.D.). The Ahananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day (pournami) of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals (peruvizha) of the ancient Tamils. Avaiyyar, the renowned poetess of those times, refers to the festival in her songs. 

The Legend of Karthigai Deepam

Legend has it that Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma began to quarrel as to who was the more powerful of the two. While they were fighting, Lord Shiva appeared before them in the form of a huge pillar of fire. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma gave up quarreling and decided to find the top and the bottom of the pillar. 

Accordingly, Brahma assumed the form of a swan and moved upwards. Vishnu transformed himself into a boar and started digging deep into the earth. But even after searching for several years, neither of the two was able to find the ends the pillar. Finally, they realised that the pillar was none other than Lord Shiva. 

Soon afterwards, Lord Shiva appeared as a hill (Arunachala Hill) at Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu. Indeed, the very names `Tiruvannamalai' and `Arunachala' translate into `holy fire hill.' The Shivalinga in the temple here is the agni linga. The tiny lamps lit during the Karthigai festival (Karthigai Deepam) are believed to be the miniature replicas of the fire linga. Every year thousands of devotees from Chennai and elsewhere flock to Tiruvannamalai to see the spectacular Karthigai Deepam there 

Celebrations of The Karthigai Deepam Festival

The Karthigai Deepam festival is celebrated in the Tamil Month of Karthigai (November - December). Karthigai is essentially a festival of lamps. The lighted lamp is considered an auspicious symbol. It is believed to ward off evil forces and usher in prosperity and joy. While the lighted lamp is important for all Hindu rituals and festivals, it is indispensable for Karthigai. 

• - It begins on Uttradam day with flag hoisting and goes on for nine days.
• - In the early hours of the tenth day, Bharani Deepam in five agantams is lit in Arunachaleswarar's Sannithi.
• - In the evening, the Pancha Murthis are brought to the Katchi Mandapam.
• - At dusk (the Karthigai day synchronizing with the full moon day), the deity, Ardhanareeswarar is taken out to this place with the five deepams. The deepams are put in a big receptacle near the flug-stuff.
• - At the same time the beacon light on the hill is lit. The huge concourse of devotees from all parts of our country in a million voice raise a cry simultaneously "Harohara to Annamalai" which rents the air. It is a sight for the Gods to see!
• - At homes Karthigai Deepam greetings and Karthigai Deepam wishes are exchanged amongst family and friends. Females prepare colourful Karthigai Deepam Kolams and roll out delicious Karthigai Deepam recipes from their kitchen to celebrate the festivals. The Karthigai deepam songs further enhance the joyous celebration mood.

Jallikatu Bull Fight

Jallikatu Bull Festival is celebrated on the 4th day of Pongal, in Tiruchirapalli . People tie bundles of money on horns of violent bulls and they try to snatch it from there.

Music & Dance Festival, Chennai

Music and Dance festival is one of the most famous cultural festivals held in Chennai. The festival attracts large number of performers to show their talent.

Vinayaka Chathurthi

Vinayaka Chathurthi is celebrated in many parts of the country. The rituals and method of celebrations in each part of the country is different. The festival dedicated to Lord Ganapathi and is celebrated in the month of September - October.