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Tamil Nadu is situated on the south eastern side of the Indian Peninsula. The fascinating state of Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamils. Tamil Nadu was founded by the Dravidians over 5000 years ago. Tamil Nadu covers an area of 1,30,058 square kms and has a population of 4,84,08,077. The state of Tamil Nadu is also the home of some of the most ancient architectural beauties and sculptures in the world. Tamil Nadu is a land steeped in tradition, where an ancient culture and heritage of about 5000 years old is still relevant in the modern age. The capital of Tamil Nadu is Chennai, formerly known as Madras. In this city, you can still see the glimpses of traditional way of life. The people of Tamil Nadu speak Tamil. Tamil is the official language of Tamil Nadu, and also one of the oldest and most developed classical language of the Indian sub-continent. Tamil has greatly influenced the other three major South Indian languages like Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The main attraction of Tamil Nadu are the temple cities like Rameshwaram, Thiruchirapalli, Chidambaram, Madurai, Mahabalipuram and Kanchipuram, which ornate their tall, carved temple towers or Gopurams The State is blessed with some of the finest beach resorts, hill stations and wildlife sanctuaries. The climate of the state is varied. Tamil Nadu is a perfect place to have a relaxing holiday.

Inspite of various invasions in India from the northern part, Tamil Nadu remained relatively unaffected by the turmoils of the early history of northern India. First, the Muslim invaders and later, the Mughals seldom tried to capture the South. Later several dynasties like the Pallavas,Pandyas and Cholas encouraged the growth of classical music, dance, sculpture and art, all of which attained the supreme level of excellency. The Pallavas made their capital at Kanchipuram, the cholas ruled from Tanjore and the Pandyas ruled from Madurai. Karnataka and some parts of Tamil Nadu were ruled by the Chalukyas who brought the temple art of the South to the pinnacle of its glory. Even, the British influence was marginal, the early Europeans set their foot first on the soil of Tamil Nadu. With the arrival of the British East India Company in the mid 17th century at Madras, the Tamil Nadu began to acquire a colonial legacy which can be seen in the city of Madras and in the beautiful hill resorts in the interior of the state.

Inspite of various invasions in India from the northern part, Tamil Nadu remained relatively unaffected by the turmoils of the early history of northern India. First, the Muslim invaders and later, the Mughals seldom tried to capture the South. Later several dynasties like the Pallavas,Pandyas and Cholas encouraged the growth of classical music, dance, sculpture and art, all of which attained the supreme level of excellency. The Pallavas made their capital at Kanchipuram, the cholas ruled from Tanjore and the Pandyas ruled from Madurai. Karnataka and some parts of Tamil Nadu were ruled by the Chalukyas who brought the temple art of the South to the pinnacle of its glory. Even, the British influence was marginal, the early Europeans set their foot first on the soil of Tamil Nadu. With the arrival of the British East India Company in the mid 17th century at Madras, the Tamil Nadu began to acquire a colonial legacy which can be seen in the city of Madras and in the beautiful hill resorts in the interior of the state. 

The economy of Tamil Nadu is predominantly agrarian. Nearly three quarters of the population of Tamil Nadu still depend on agriculture. But, it only contributes to the one third of the state's eceonomic wealth. The rice is the most important crop which is grown in Tamil Nadu. Sugarcane, groundnut, oilseeds, cotton and bananas are also grown here. The hills of the Western Ghats are famous for tea, cardamom, pepper, ginger and other spices. Tamil Nadu is also one of the most industrialized states in India. Tamil Nadu is a leading producer of cement, fertilizers and other chemicals in the country. Textile and leather industries provide employment to thousands of people.

The majority of the people of Tamil Nadu are Tamilians or Dravidians, with Mediterranean ethnic origin. About 85% of the people in Tamil Nadu speak the Tamil, the main language of South India. In the northern part, many people speak Telugu, another Dravidian language and constitute 10% of the population. There are about 90% Hindus in Tamil Nadu. Over 5% of the people are Christians, who were especially strong in the south where Roman Catholic and Protestant missions have been active for over 500 years. There are also small and significant minorities of Muslims, Jains and Parsis. There are also 18 different types of tribal people, who live in Nilgiri Hills. Some of these tribes are of aboriginal origin, but some local antiquities suggest that an extinct race preceded them. Some of the tribes are Todas, Badagas, Kotas, kurumbas and Irulas.

Religion is second nature to Tamilians that is intricably mixed with day-to-day life. Their marriages are a colourful blend of secular practices and religious observance. The Tamilians follow the Vedas that are concerned with various stages of man’s life. They attach great importance to the sacred thread worn by the Brahmins and also to the Mangalsutra, a special necklace worn by women after marriage. Many men often wear the religious marks over their forehead – the auspicious Tilak (vermilion). Some of the houses in the countryside also do not have a regular bathroom as both men and women would go out for their daily bath to the nearby river, tank and stream.

Bharat Natyam is one of the oldest classical dance form of India and also a dedicatory dance. This dance was performed by Devadasis in the temples in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Bharat Natyam is compounded from ‘bha’ for bhava or emotional projection, ‘ra’ for raga or melody and ‘ta’ for tala or rhythm and Natyam means the art of dance. The traditional Bharatanatyam dance is a rich cultural heritage of Tamil Nadu. This dance relates to the Lord Krishna, the most popular and playful god who gave the sermon of practical wisdom in Bhagavad Gita. The dancers express their infatuation with the Lord Krishna, with eyes like lustrous pearls, head bedecked with peacock feathers and body, the hue of Heaven. During performance, the dancers show complete control of every muscle in their lithe bodies. They execute their movements with clockwise precision. 

The other great and creative achievement of Tamils was their magnificent temple architecture. In the past, the temple was the hub of social activities. It served as a school, university, hospital, a small court dealing with local problems, granary, bank, and a guardian of people’s moral and social relationships. The temples in Tamil Nadu are characterised by a rectangular ground plan with the pyramidal form of the vimana (the wall and tower over the main shrine) and the gopuram (gateway). The tower consisted of a series of horiziontal bands that grow smaller as they rise to the finial top, giving it a pyramidal shape. The temples of Tamil Nadu are situated in the heart of the city and enveloped within its concentric walls and corridors. The walled enclosure around the temple has a place for markets, workshops, educational centres and residential quarters for the priests. The temples also had a Parikrama (walled enclosure) where the devotees could go round in prayers. Each temple has its own ablution tank, nandanvana (flower garden) and temple chariot. On the annual festival day, the ratha (chariot) is drawn out and taken through the town with the deity mounted on it and thousands of devotees following in a procession. Some of the famous temple architecture can be seen in the temples of Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Thanjavur (Tanjore), Madurai, Rameswaram and Kanyakumari.

Tamil Nadu is a traditionally vegetarian state and the rice is the staple food of the people. The food is light and hot. Some of the favourite dishes of the people of South India are thin pancakes, known as dosas, either plain or with 'masala', i.e stuffed with potatoes, steamed rice dumplings or idlis, and vada, a lentil doughnut. These dishes are served with coconut chutney and sambhar, a lentil and vegetable preparation. Dosas and idlis have become universally popular and can be found in the menu of restaurants all over India. The typicla meal of South India is served on a stainless steel plate or on plantain leaf. The main dessert of Tamil Nadu is payasam, a rice pudding, prepared with thickened milk. Coffee is the main hot drink of the people in Tamil Nadu which is served in small tumblers or glasses.

Tamil Nadu is a land of colourful festivals. The state of Tamil Nadu presents a harmonious blend of ancient culture and modern day thinking. Festivals, fairs and cultural events add a note of vibrant character to the state. The festivals and fairs of Tamil Nadu capture the essence of the rich traditions and culture of Tamil Nadu. Some of the festivals of Tamil Nadu are Tamil New Year, Saral Festival, Silk Festival, Arumbavur Sculptor Fair, Dance Festival, Pongal, Thiruvaiyaru Music Festival and Natyanjali Festival.  More...

Tamil Nadu is mainly known for its fine handicrafts and handlooms. There are shops all over Tamil Nadu which deals in beautifully woven fabrics and sarees in silk and cotton. Kanchipuram silk saris are known all over India. Various other famous shopping items are temple lamps in brass and copper, copper plates in brass and silver, musical instruments, metal bells, idol carvings in wood, stone, metal, cane and leather products. There are excellent shops for silk and silk saris, rosewood and sandalwood carvings in Tamil Nadu. In Kanchipuram and thanjavur, the silk saris and metal work can be directly bought from the craftsmen. The state is also known for its fine gold and gem studded jewellery.

The famous hill stations in Tamil Nadu are Ooty, Kodaikanal, Kotagiri, Coonoor and Yercaud. The British influence on the life style of the people can be still seen in these summer resorts. The British build several summer houses here, developing a lifestyle which included English gardens, hunts and races, boating on the lake and golf courses, which is still prevalent today. Ooty, also known as Ootacamund has been often described as the Queen of the Hill Stations. Ooty offers the visitor an unending array of walks and heights, and its scenic beauty can also be enjoyed in its most pleasant climate. More....

There are 5 national parks and 17 wildlife sanctuaries in Tamil Nadu. These wildlife sanctuaries have a rich and diverse variety of trees, flowers, birds and wild animals. Some of the famous wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in Tamil Nadu are Anamalai (Indira Gandhi) Wildlife Sanctuary, Calimere Wildlife Sanctuary, Kalakadu Wildlife Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Tiger Sanctuary, Kunthakulam Bird Sanctuary, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, Viralimalai Sanctuary, Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park and Guindy National Park. More....

Tamil Nadu has some of the best air, road and rail connections in India. Chennai is the main focus of the transport system and links the state with other major centres in India and abroad. Several major cities and towns of Tamil Nadu are connected by air. The Madras airport is an international airport and receives flights from all over India and abroad. The broad gauge rail system links Chennai with Bangalore, Cochin, Mumbai, Delhi, Calcutta and the northern part of India. Tamil Nadu also has 111 km of roads per 100 square km, the second highest density in the country. It is served by the national highways and state highways.