Chandratal Lake: Guide to the magnificient lake of Spiti Valley
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Chandratal Lake: Guide to the magnificient lake of Spiti Valley
Chandratal Lake – the most awaited part
₹ 23500
Chettinad & Thanjavur : Women-Only
Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu is home to the trading community of Chettiars, who settled here in Pudukkottai district after their villages were completely washed away with the flood in the 16th century. We are reminded of the glorious past as we walk inside the colorful mansions built by them.
Tamil Nadu
Starts: from Bangalore
Ends: at Bangalore
Group Type: Women-Only
Dates
Start: 11:30 PM, 19 Nov
End: 5 AM, 23 Nov
Next Date: 21-25 Jan, 2023
₹ 22000
About the Tour
Do you want to experience a long weekend getting pampered in luxury, relaxing in your bathtub, eating delicious feasts, soothing your eyes with amazing architecture & colors, victorian furniture, getting amazed with the lost art of handmade tiles, and a lot more? If yes, this tour is for you!
Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, is a place so affluent yet abandoned, reminds us of the glorious past of Chettiars as we walk inside the colorful mansions built by them.
Chettiars is a trading community, who settled in the Pudukkottai district after their villages were completely washed away with the flood in the 16th century. The flood led to the loss of everything that they had ever owned. The Chola kings of Puddukottai welcomed Chettiars very generously by offering them land for resettlement as they thought that the settlement of a business community in the kingdom would bring prosperity. Chettiars got settled in 96 villages back then, out of those 74 still exist, but now divided between Pudukkottai and Sivaganga district. By accumulating wealth from various business streams, primarily money lending, Chettairs built beautiful mansions that stand straight even today. These are not just mansions, but fine examples of art and architecture which has taken inspiration from different parts of the world.
Did you know that these Chettiar houses have used Mirrors and window glasses from Belgium, wood from Burma and Sri Lanka, marble from Italy, and Victorian furniture?
Did you know that some of the wooden carvings are so intricate and beautiful that you would not want to take your eyes off them?
As the banking systems emerged in India, the money lending business of Chettairs came to a close and they moved further to other bigger cities of India or even outside India. Some of the mansions are managed by the caretakers, some of them are lying in ruins, some of them have been converted into hotels and some of them are even rented out for film shootings. Chettiars moved away, but the entire region is now known as Chettinad, after the Chettiar community only.
Would you want to hold hands with us, and get engrossed in this beauty of the past in a women-only trip while we stay in one of the luxury Chettiar houses itself?
Along with the Chettinad region, we are also going to visit the temple city of Thanjavur on this trip. After all, the UNESCO world heritage site, Brihadeeswara Temple temple, deserves a visit!
Trip Highlights
1. Luxury Heritage Stay
We are going to stay in a Chettiar house, which is actually a 117 years old palatial mansion, one of the finest examples of Chettiar art and architecture. This place was restored and renovated in a way that it can offer all modern amenities to the guests while retaining its old glory and charm. Staying here is no less than a royal experience where every corner of the house is crafted artistically. The rooms are well-equipped with Victorian furniture while the huge bathrooms have all the modern amenities such as a bathtub.
2. Traditional Meals
The meals offered at Chettiar’s house during this trip are real feasts. You start your breakfast with a variety of freshly squeezed juices along with cut fruits while pampering your taste buds with a huge spread of traditional breakfast items. The lunch has countless dishes, a finger-licking taste and it’s is served on banana leaves. Did you know Chettiars start their meal with sweet and also end it with the sweet? Let dinner be a surprise until you visit. All three meals have good choices of vegetarian and non-vegetarian.
Every ingredient is prepared fresh and in a health-friendly manner.
3. Property Tour
We are going to stay in a 117 years old palatial mansion which boasts of the marbles imported from Italy, mirrors and window glasses from Belgium, wood from Burma and Sri Lanka, victorian furniture, imported chandeliers, gothic domes & arches, intricate wooden carvings, black & white marble flooring, Athangudi tiles, colorful ceilings, and the giant wooden pillars. Did you know that the locking system of the main door is so complicated that it needs 9 locks and once it’s closed, not even an elephant can break through that door? Every corner of this Chettiar house tells a story from the glorious yet forgotten past. We will take an hour-long tour of the accommodation while imagining the life of Chettiars in such beautiful mansions.
4. Village Walk
Chettiars settled in 96 villages, out of which 74 still exist, which are spread across Pudukkottai and Sivaganga districts. During our stay in one of these Chettiar villages, we will take a relaxing walk but a beautiful village walk, while witnessing the centuries-old Chettiar houses, learning stories behind them, and wondering why some of them are just left abandoned. The presence of palatial mansions along the streets gives a complete heritage look to the village.
5. Kolam Making
Kolam is a form of drawing, very similar to rangoli, which is done every day on the floor, before sunrise, in Tamilian homes. Kolams are traditionally designed by the female member of the family using rice flour or chalk powder on the damp floor in order to make Kolam long-lasting. It is believed that Kolam brings prosperity to the home. However, the main purpose of Kolam in ancient times was to be able to feed the ants, birds and other small creatures as only rice flour was used earlier. Now the main purpose of Kolam is decoration and mostly chalk powder is used for the same.
6. Garland Making
Have you ever found yourself fascinated by the beautiful floral garlands across the towns of South India which females either use as gajra or as their offerings in the temples? Have you ever noticed how those flowers are held together in the garland without even passing through the thread and needle? Mind you, it’s not as easy as it seems, however, we would have a fun garland making session during the trip.
7. Cooking Demo
Since Chettiar meals are so elaborated and rich in taste, what do you think about the idea of taking some of your favorite flavors and recipes back home? You can pamper your taste buds whenever you would miss Chettinad after your trip!
8. Thirumayam Fort
Thirumayam Fort is probably the smallest and the cutest fort you would ever come across in your life. A very short flight of stairs leads to the top of the fort which offers some breathtaking views of the nearby areas. The fort seems to be carved from the hill itself and hence has a very rustic vibe which makes for great photos. Do you know that a beautiful canon is placed on the top?
Thirumayam Fort was built in 1687 by Sethupathi Vijaya Ragunatha Thevar who ruled Ramanathapuram As a matter of fact, the original fort was actually spread over an area of 40 acres, and the original entrance to the fort still stands today located at a distance of 1 km towards the south of the present-day fort. Most of the fort got destroyed due to weathering and hence what we see today is a very small portion of the original fort.
9. Athangudi Palace
Do you remember seeing the big mansion in the Bollywood movie Virasat where Raja Thakur (Amrish Puri) and his family live? Popularly known as Lakshmi Vilas or periya veedu (big house), Athangudi Palace is one of the biggest and the most colorful Chettiar houses you would ever come across. The colorful Italian and Spanish tiles are a highlight of the house complemented very well by the pillars carved out from Burmese teak. It’s tough to describe the grandeur of Athangudi Palace in words but it’s kind of a place where you would lose the sense of time and space, and would not want to leave as you would find yourself truly captivated by its beauty.
10. Athangudi Tile Factory
Athangudi tiles are handmade tiles that were originally made from natural colors and locally available sand and cement. It’s fascinating to see these colorful tiles in centuries-old Chettiar houses and how they have maintained their fresh look over such a long period of time. In fact, Athangudi tiles got inspired by the tiles from Italy and France, and production started in the village of Athangudi and now these tiles are known by that village name. In the current scenario, the synthetic colors are used as natural colors became unaffordable with the time, but the finished tiles are as beautiful as they used to be earlier. We will visit a tile factory to see the end to end making of Athangudi tiles.
11. Chettinad Saree Weaving
Chettinad Sarees are a weave of one of the most ancient looms in Tamil Nadu. They are mostly cotton sarees, however, prepared in silk or as a combination of both. With the increasing tourism in Chettinad and the revival of the weaving of Chettinad Sarees, they are now becoming fashionable in the big cities as well. Traditionally, these Sarees are thick and made from coarse cotton to be able to withstand rough washes. Yellow, rustic red, orange, and brown are the most popular colors, and checks and stripes being the most favored patterns. However, to offer a variety to the tourists, the artists experiment with different colors and patterns.
12. Karaikudi Antique Market
The small antique markets in Chettinad, sells the original vintage articles which they source from the various Chettiar houses. One such market exists in Karaikudi where we can find the Belgian mirrors & glasses, oil lamps from Australia, Swedish enamel jars, Burmese teak furniture, rosewood carvings, priceless Ravi Varma paintings, and original Tanjore paintings as well. Walking through the streets of Karaikudi is an experience itself for art lovers, you are guaranteed to get real stuff as compared to the antique markets in the city and you may also be able to get yourself a good bargain.
13. Brihadeeswara Temple
Brihadeeswara Temple is one of the most beautiful temples across South India and an impeccable example of Dravidian architecture. The temple was founded by Raja Raja Chola, the king from the Chola dynasty, in the 11th century but over time other dynasties such as Pandians, Nayaks, and Marathas also ruled Tamil Nadu and they kept expanding the temple. Brihadeeswara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, and it boasts of the second largest monolithic Nandi in the country. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and it’s brownish color gives a pure original and rustic feel.
Did you know that the entire temple is made from granite stone which was transported from 70 km far but still the construction work was completed in merely 6 years? Because almost 46000 manpower, 12000 elephants, and 5000 horses were employed to complete this mammoth task.
14. Maratha Palace
Maratha Palace in Thanjavur was originally built by the Nayak dynasty who ruled Tamil Nadu, and later taken over by the Maratha kings. Hence, it is also known as Nayak Palace after its original constructors. The three main highlights of this place are Museum, Durbar Hall, and the library.
The museum houses centuries-old original bronze castings of various gods in their different avatars and forms. There is also a stone gallery in the museum which has granite stone sculptures. Durbar Hall is a colorful place to look at. The library is one of the most interesting places to visit in Maratha Palace as it’s the world’s largest and the oldest library of palm and paper manuscripts.
15. Group Socializing by the pool
Our place of stay in Chettinad has a very relaxing swimming pool area, and hanging by the pool during free time is the favorite activity of our participants. Either you get dressed in your beautiful cotton dresses to socialize with each other nearby pool or wear your swimming costume and spend some relaxing time with the water. Our group evenings near the pool area are indeed very happening.
16. Unforgettable social experience
Our small group size ensures a personal touch and our group leaders make sure to bond the entire group like long-lost friends. Hence, along with an amazing travel experience, you are in for great social bonding.
Your Itinerary
Booking/ Query
To book this trip, please Call/ WhatsApp/ Email using the below-mentioned details.
If you have any questions or concerns, then please feel free to contact us using the below-mentioned details. Alternatively, fill this form and our team will get back to you at their earliest.
Call/ WhatsApp : +91 9999 74 9677
Email: chandni@transformingtravels.com
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