Tamil Nadu and Kerala Travel Blog

I visit two brick factories, one in the far north and one in the far south of the Indian subcontinent. The work is still manual and the labor is definitely underpaid. Since the early 2000s, several international scandals have hit Indian brick factories.

The capital of Tamil Nadu welcomes me by making things clear: there is no room for haste here. Everything takes its time -if you stop trying to plan everything, the reward is just around the corner. I am enchanted by an Odissi dance show and spend a morning among alligators and cobras in a nature reserve outside the city.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, Mammalapuram is a charming city. The site of Mamallapuram Hill, with the lighthouse and the numerous Shiva temples of the Pallava dynasty, all entirely carved into the rock. The incredible butter ball of Krishna, a rock hovering over a slope which remains in balance despite all the laws of physics. The sultry warmth and hospitality of the people while I visit Arjuna’s Penance, one of the most important bas-reliefs in India.

If you want to deepen your knowledge of Dravidian culture and fill your eyes with traditional religious architecture, you must visit Tiruvannamalai and attend the rites and processions in honor of Shiva.
The city was born on a sacred mountain, Arunachala, where Shiva is said to have manifested himself as a large fiery phallus.

Discover Auroville, India, the hippie ecovillage where people live without money, searching for a life without hatred and judgment.

What to see in Pondicherry if you have a few hours. A former French colonial city, Pondicherry is famous for its colonial-style residential neighbourhoods, beautiful Bougainville and amazing croissant cafés!

There are places you visit for a little over an hour but that you will remember forever. Kumbakonam, a strategic city in the Middle Ages and today little more than a crossroads of roads has been for me one of these.

Thanjavur, the ancient capital of the Chola Empire, has a stunned vitality: it houses some of the most beautiful temples of Tamil Nadu, the largest statue of the Nandi bull in India and a giant whale skeleton preserved in the Royal palace. Maybe it doesn’t make much sense, but India is like that!

Fort Tirumayam is one of the two fortresses left in Tamil Nadu. The site is still little known, so much so that it is not even mentioned by the Lonely Planet: so I decided to collect the little avalaible information for the benefit of future visitors.

You can’t visit Tamil Nadu without visiting Madurai, the beating heart of sunny South India. The Meenakshi temple is an absolute masterpiece of sacred architecture, like the Taj Mahal, as well as the Tirumalai Nayak Palace. Not to mention the lively streets of the city center.

Wondering if Tamil Nadu is worth a visit? Here are 10 reasons to visit the sunny southern Indian region. A trip to Tamil Nadu will make you recharge your batteries, among temples carved in rock, myths and Hindu legends, tasty and spicy dishes… but above all it will give you a taste of the incredible joy of life of the Tamil people!

Thanks to its pleasant summer temperatures, Munnar once was the summer residence of the British Government. Today, the bucolic atmosphere of the rolling hills that surround it and the spectacular tea plantations, treated as garden hedges, make Munnar one of the most visited places by tourists from all over the world.

A charming trek in Periyar National Park, the most famous nature reserve of South India. The forest ranger takes me to the teak forests, looking for monkeys, wild dogs and elephant families. An adventure on the edge of human civilization!

One of the oldest forms of Indian theatre-dance, Kathakali is one of the most interesting folkloric elements of Kerala. Elaborate and exaggerated costumes, hypnotic and colorful tricks, gestures full of emotion and energy make the Kathakali dance a show not to be missed. To see is to believe!

You can’t visit Kerala without seeing a Kalaripayattu fight, the oldest martial art in India. It dates back about 3,500 years and is the mother of all other Indian warfare styles. Along with yoga and ayurveda, it is one of the pillars of the Indian tradition.

With over 900 km of navigable networks, Kerala’s backwaters are a haven for diving and relaxing. Just embark on a comfortable houseboat and walk the waterways. The flourishing vegetation and the lively life that flows on the canals will conquer your heart.

Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, is so rich in diverse influences that it now houses a Jewish synagogue, ancient mosques, traditional Chinese fishing systems, a Portuguese fortress and a Dutch museum!

A travel to Kerala is a real treat for the soul. Dubbed the “country of God”, this narrow and long region of Southwest India is the perfect destination to relax after the chaotic crowds of the rest of India.