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Mahabalipuram is a famous tourist destination  in tamil nadu . This town is situated near to sea shore.  It serves as a port city during the time of  Pallava rulers. Mahabalipuram is a world heritage site. The prime attractions here is beautiful rock structures.  Another attractions is Pancha Rathas , five temples .  it is believed that the temples were built by Narasimhavarman and Rajasimhavaraman.  Now it is a famous tourist spot with rich cultural value.  An annual festival Mamallpuaram dance festival attracts thousands of tourists.

Ooty is popularly known as Queen of  Hill stations . this hill station is a part of Nigiri , where eastern and western ghats meet. In early 1800’s , brittish people first identify the beauty of ooty.  This hill station is occupied by tribal peoples like kotas, Todas, Kurumbas , Badagas, Irulas and Panias.  Nilgiri means blue mountain. Ooty is at a height of 2240 m  . it is the headquarters of nilgiri district.

Climate

The summer temperature is in between 10 degree to 25 degree C.  in winter season temperature dip to 5 degree C.

The  settlement in ooty began in 1822 , by  john Sullivan  , with the construction of  kal bangala.   The first church in ooty was St . steephen’s church.

Tourist fair is conducted by Tamilnadu tourism promotion council at island grounds in Chennai , during January.  Folk dances and Drama’s are the main attraction of this festival, and these are conducted every day during fair season .  various government departments and public sector enterprises are take part in this fair.  Besides the cultural shows , the tourism promotion council delivers a wealth of information about the tourist places in Tamilnadu. By participating in this fair you will get a complete picture of tamilnadu . The fair last for 3 months.

Coonoor is a beautiful tour spot located near to ooty. After traveling 16 km from ooty you can reach  coonoor. It is a part of nilgiri mountains , and is fully covered with grass lands and sunflowers, also it is an idle spot for bird watching. Number of birds including sea crow, pipit , parakit, skylark , nilgiri verditor, are seen here. Coonoor surrounded by thick forest, on the way you can see number of animals.. This place  is about 1839 m above the sea level.  The tourism department will provides the facilities for trekking and golfing . the climate here is pleasant through out the year.

Prime tour attractions in coonoor

Botanical Garden – sims park,  Labs Rock, los water falls, dolphin nose view point,  nilgri mountain railway ( it is a major attraction in coonoor, the train journey though the nilgri mountains is a memorable event)

Important things to remember

Coonoor flower show world famous, so that so much of rush during season .if you plan your tour , in off season it will comfortable and economical . During off season ( june –September ), the hotels and resorts charges are comparatively less.

Only few churches in the world are blessed with panoramic pastoral setting. Poondi madha basilica , in Thanjavur district in Tamilnadu , is one of the blessed church.  The church is located in a beautiful area, surrounded by paddy fields. The visitors will enthralled by the natural beauty.

This place is also known by the name Alamelupuram poondi . it is a small hamlet of Christians and hindu on the delta of rivers Cauvery and Coleroon . The church of OUR LADY attracts thousands of pilgrims ,including hindu pilgrims .

The legends says that the church was built in 18 th century . An Italian Jesuit Fr. Beschi , built the chapel in between 1714 and 1715 . the chapel dedicated for our lady  Queen Mary of immaculate conception .  The statue of our lady had brought by the French missionaries in 1858 . The earlier times , poondi and Michaelpatti are in same parish.  In 1945 michaelpatti bifurcated from the poondi, and the poondi became a separate parish.

In 1950 the villages saw a huge brightness inside the locked church at the night. They opened  the church , with the parish priest Fr. David , but they can’t find a single lamp or a fire inside the church.  The miraculous brightness was noticeable for many years  . The eyewitness says that , they experienced a glowing brightness inside the church in these days . The happiness of the eyewitness beyond the limit.

The words fails to describe the divine

The basilica became popular among   peoples from 1955 . At the time Rev . Fr . Lourdes was the parish priest.  In 1976 , a piece of original holy cross is  brought from Rome and placed under the Altar of  Queen mary . The effort for this was taken by the Rev Fr. Rayappar . The pope John Paul 11 raised the poondi church as a ‘minor basilica’ in 3 rd August 1999.  Thus it became the fourth minor basilica in tamilnadu.  The current director of this basilica is Rev Fr. M. A  Sebastian.

Celebrations in poondi Basilica

The annual fest is in between may 6 and may 15 . The birth of queen mary is also celebrated on September 8 .