Day 01 Chennai
Arrival into Chennai, and depending on the arrival time of the flight, we take the day off and get over our jet-lag, or we take a day trip into Chennai. Chennai served as the economic and political capital of the East India Company from the 17th century onwards. We will tour this city starting at Fort St George that marks the beginning of Chennai as an important center for trade. Within the fort is St Mary's Church, the first English church in India and the oldest British building to survive. Our tour will also include the Little Mount where St Thomas is believed to have spent sometime and Great Mount where he was martyred in 52 AD. We will spend sometime in the Mylapore temple area visiting the 16th century Kapleeswarar temple and the fruit and flower market. Of the museums perhaps the most unusual is the Development Center for Musical Instruments which exhibits ancient and modern instruments which you may touch and play. Some are curiously ornamental and some are modern experiments. Of special note are those reconstructed with the help on ancient literary texts and temple sculptures.

Day 02 Chennai / Hyderabad
We take a flight into Hyderabad and get in at 09.45a.m in the morning. We take a day tour of the beautiful city of Hyderabad. Hyderabad is built on the ancient granites of the Peninsula and within the rocks lie some of the region's most valued resources, gem stones and produced the most magnificent Koh-I-Noor. The day tour will take you around the High Court, and the Ashurkhana, or house of mourning, with wooden columns in the outer chamber and excellent tile mosaics. The highlight of the trip will be the Char Minar, also called the Oriental Arc de Triomphe, built by Sultan Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah around 1591. The Mecca Masjid is built of enormous black granite slabs, and has tall pillars, stucco decorations and red bricks on its entrance arches believed to have been made from clay from Mecca mixed with red coloring. We will also be shown the Jama Masjid and the Lad Bazaar, with its stone carvings and pink elephant gates. The Falaknuma Palace, originally a rich nobleman's house built in a mixture of classical and mughal styles, houses oriental and european treasures, including a collection of jade, crystal and precious stones. The Golconda Fort, has the famous Fateh Darwaza or Victory Gate, made of teak, with a Hindu deity engraved, is studded with iron spikes as a defence against war elephants. Even a clap under the canopy of the Fateh Darwaza can be heard by someone at the very top of the palace. Tehre are still mosques, temples and the 3 storey armoury, the harem, the Hall of Public Audience and the Rani Mahal with its royal baths.

Day 03 Hyderabad / Bidar / Gulbarga
Driving out of Hyderabad you travel approximately 140 kms to Bidar. This walled fort town in North Karnataka was once the capital of the Hamanis and the Barid Shahis. The fort is still intact and the palaces and tombs provide some of the finest examples of Muslim architecture in the Deccan intermingling Hindu and Muslim styles tomb of the Chisti is two storey high with a highly decorated and painted dome and a mother of pearl canopy over the grave. The most striking of the tombs is Haft Gumbaz which has highly ornamental geometrical patterns. We arrive early evening into Gulbarga.

Day 04 Gulbarga / Bijapur
Bijapur is distinct, as it resembles a Northern Muslim city with its mausolea, mosques and palaces. The main landmarks is the Jama Masjid, one of the finest in the Deccan with a large shallow, onion shaped dome and arcaded courtyard. It was built by Ali Adil Shah I in the 16th century. Ibrahim Rauza, the 17th century palatial tomb is beautiful proportioned. Its slender minarets carved decorative panels with a lotus, wheels and cross patterns and bold Arabic calligraphy bearing witness to the tolerance of Adil Shah to other religions. The Gol Gumbaz, the vast tomb of Mohammed Sadil Shah, buried here with his family and favorite court dancer, has been described by some as "startlingly ugly". It is the world's second largest dome unsupported by pillars and has wide whispering gallery.

Day 05 Bijapur / Badami
A distance of 170 kms from Badami, Pattadakal lies on the banks of the Malaprabha River. It was the second capital of the Chalukyan kings between the 7th and 8th centuries and the city where the kings were crowned. Most of the temples cluster at the foot of the hill and display a succession styles representing the southern Dravida temple architecture as well as the north Indian Nagara style. This clearly illustrates the regions position as the cross roads of North and South Indian traditions. With the exception of one, all the temples are dedicated to Shiva. 18 kms from Pattadakal is Aihole the first Chalukyan capital. The ruins here include some important late Chalukyan temples dedicated to Jain divinities. It is widely regarded as the birthplace of Indian temple architectural styles and the site of the first built temples, distinct from those carved out of solid rock. Most of these temples were originally dedicated to Vishnu, though some were later converted into Shaivite Shrines.

Day 06 Badami
The best time to see the cave temples in the South fort is in the light of the early morning sun. Four of these were cut into the hillside in the early 6th century. Cave 1 which is reached by climbing 40 steps has a Shiva in his form as the cosmic dancer Nataraja with 18 arms seen in 81 dance poses; Cave 2 on a higher level has relief's of Varaha and Vamana and Cave 3 is dedicated to Vishnu. According to a Kanada inscription which is unique to Badami, this cave was excavated in 578 AD and has numerous sculptures including a huge reclining Vishnu. Cave 4 is the only Jain cave and possibly excavated 100 years later.
Other temples of note which you visit during the day, includes the Buddhist temple near the ancient artificial Bhuthanatha Lake. The 7th century Mallegitti Sivalaya Temple one of the finest examples of the early southern style. It has statues of Vishnu and Shiva decorating the outer walls while animal friezes appear along the plinth above the caves. The Jabulinga Temple dating from 699 has three chapels dedicated to the trinity and fine carvings. The North Fort temples include mainly 7th century sculptures and give an insight into the history of Badami.

Day 07 Badami / Pattadakal / Aihole / Hospet
A distance of 170 kms from Badami, Pattadakal lies on the banks of the Malaprabha River. It was the second capital of the Chalukyan kings between the 7th and 8th centuries and the city where the kings were crowned. Most of the temples cluster at the foot of the hill and display a succession styles representing the southern Dravida temple architecture as well as the north Indian Nagara style. This clearly illustrates the regions position as the cross roads of North and South Indian traditions. With the exception of one, all the temples are dedicated to Shiva. 18 kms from Pattadakal is Aihole the first Chalukyan capital. The ruins here include some important late Chalukyan temples dedicated to Jain divinities. It is widely regarded as the birthplace of Indian temple architectural styles and the site of the first built temples, distinct from those carved out of solid rock. Most of these temples were originally dedicated to Vishnu, though some were later converted into Shaivite Shrines.

Day 08 Hospet / Hampi / Hospet
Hampi was once the seat of the great Vijaynagara Empire and the center of Hindu rule for 200 years from its foundation in 1336. Enormously wealthy, believed to be "greater than Rome", they held a monopoly of trade in spices and cotton. The site was chosen for strategic reasons, but the craftsmen excelled in adopting an ingenious style to blend in architectural masterpieces with the barren and rocky landscapes. Most of the sites are 16th century and built during the 20 year reign of Krishna Deva Raya. You will need a whole day to visit the stunning collection of temples, palaces and market places of Hampi.

Day 09 Hospet / Hassan / Belur / Halebid
Belur, built on the banks of the Yagachi River, was the first capital of the Hoysala Empire. The temples are all clustered in a courtyard. The one of particular interest is the Chennakesava Temple dating to the early 12th century and took nearly a century to complete. It celebrates the Hoysala victory over the Cholas and is dedicated to Krishna. The winged figures of the Garuda, the winged carrier of Vishnu guards the entrance. The whole is unimpressive on first sight since the superstructure has been lost. However, the exquisite sculptures that cover the exterior with friezes are amazing. 650 elephants, each unique surround the base, with rows of figures and foliage. The detail of the 38 female figures, young musicians and dancers are perfect. The interior once again has superb carvings on the hand lathe turned pillars and figures on the ceilings. The unique Narasimha pillar at the center of the hall is particularly fine, and at one time could be rotated. The detail on this temple is astounding. To the west of this temple is the Viranarayana Temple which also has some fine sculptures and smaller shrines, and the Jain Bastis a few km away are also worth visiting.
The ancient capital of Hoysala Empire, Halebid was founded in the 11th century. It was destroyed twice by the armies of the Delhi Sultanate, first in 1311 and then in 1327, after which it was abandoned and later named Halebid which means old capital. Fortunately the temples survived. It is worth visiting the 12th century Jain Bastis or temples. Several of these temples stand in a garden enclosure and have carved ceilings. These temples are quiet without the crowds that flock the main Hoysalesvara temple. The Hoysalesvara Temple also set in lawns has two shrines both dedicated to Shiva with Nandi bull, the traditional vehicle of Shiva facing each. The largest of these temples was started in 1121 but remained incomplete for 86 years. There are extraordinary life size statures of Hindu deities with minute details surrounding the temple, whilst the six bands of sculpture below, show the attention to detail and skill of the artisans' craft.
We spend the night at the Hoysala Resort.

Day 10 Hassan / Mysore
We then drive to Mysore, for about 4kms covering a distance of approximately 170kms, stopping on the way to visit Shravanabelagola. Sravenabelagoa is a place of pilgrim for the followers of the Jain Religion. Of particular note is the life size statue of Gommateshwara rising 150 m above the plain. The statue was erected sometime between 980 AD and 983 AD. The statue is nude; representing the Digambara or sky clad Jains, and captures the tranquillity typical of much of Buddhist and Jain art. The depth of the saint's meditation and withdrawal from the world is suggested by the spiraling creepers shown growing up his legs and the anthills and snakes at his feet. While the features are finely carved the overall proportions are odd, with greatly enlarged shoulders, elongated arms and shortened legs.

Day 11 Mysore
We have the entire day to see the beautiful city of Mysore. Mysore is the former capital of the princely state and is the second largest city in Karnataka after Bangalore. It is a city of royal palaces with five plus a dozen mansions. Of these the City Palace, designed by Henry Irwin and built in 1897 is the most extravagant and interesting in terms of art. Built in the Indo-Saracenic style, seen so prevalently in Northern India, the palace is enormous with domes, arches and colonnades of carved pillars. It is one of the largest palaces in the country and has some priceless art treasures. Other areas of interest include Chamundi Hill which has a temple dedicated to Durga celebrating her victory over the buffalo God and a giant Nandi bull.

Day 12 Mysore / Mudumalai
The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary has large herds of elephants, gaur, sambar, barking deer, tiger and leopard. Wild elephants are tamed here, at the Elephant Camp. This vast animal sanctuary is spreads over hills, ravines, flats and valleys. The park is one of the more popular ones and is trying to limit numbers to restrict disturbances to the elephants. We take an elephant safari into the forest to watch the splendors of nature in full bloom.

Day 13 Mudumalai/Ooty
At an altitude of 2286m, you might want to wear warm woolens in the evenings. The "Queen of the Blue Mountains" is covered in pine and eucalyptus forests and its coffee and tea plantations. The beautiful Botanical Gardens has over 1000 varieties of plants, shrubs and trees, including orchids, ferns and alpines and medicinal plants among beautiful lawns and glass houses. To the west of the Railway station is a Roman Catholic shrine considered the "Jerusalem of the East". Maharajas and Nawabs built their summer palaces and mansions here, the most impressive bieng those of the rulers of Baroda, Hyderabad, Jodhpur and Mysore. The natural beauty of the green hillside, with the backdrop of blue mountains, the crisp, cool air and the variety of flora, Ooty is ideal for taking long and relaxing walks.

Day 14 Ooty / Wynad

Day 15 Tellicheri (Thallasery)
Tellicherri has the rather curious claim to baking the first cake in India. Murdock Brown, the former owner of Ayisha Manzil which is your home for the next two nights, introduced this traditional English tea time delicacy to India. Ayisha Manzil is a 138 year old heritage bungalow with a superb location on a hillock overlooking the Arabian Sea.
Little visited Tellicherri has claims to being pioneers in other activities other than introducing the cake to India. It was here that the German scholar, Dr Herman Gundert wrote the first Malayalam to English dictionary and started one of the oldest schools in the country. You will visit both his residence and school and spend time at a Cinnamon plantation, the largest in Asia. Later you visit a school of a different kind - a Kalari, where the famous martial art, Kalaripayyattu is taught. A discipline which over 1000 years old, Kalaripayyattu is also used in the classical dance, Kathakali.
In the evening, you drive to the Parassinkadavu Temple, to watch a performance of the Theyyam dance at sunset. Theyyam, a corruption of the word deviam or god, is a ritual tribal dance of North Kerala. This performance which we watch with local devotees, is performed at sunrise and sunset for the deity Shiva, who is also offered unusual gifts of toddy (a local brew made from the green coconut) and dried fish.

Day 16 Tellicheri / Cochin
We drive down to the city of Cochin. An ancient harbor town, Cochin reflects the influence of the many foreign traders who visited the city. The Jewish synagogue, one of the oldest in India, is set in the heart of the area known as "Jew Town" surrounded by an aromatic spice market, and interesting shops selling antiques. The synagogue is decorated with blue ceramic Chinese tiles, each distinct in their design. The pictures on the tiles relate the tale of the romance between a wealthy mandarin. We spend time in the surrounding markets and walk to the Mattancherry Palace, which was commissioned by the Portuguese for the raja of Kochi in exchange for trading rights. The palace is two storeys high and is built in the traditional Kerala style known as nalukattu (four buildings). The palace exhibits memorabilia from the raja of Kochi' collection, but it is best known for its outstanding murals painted on the wooden walls. The royal bedroom has ceilings and walls covered with forty-five 16th century paintings illustrating the Ramayana.
Later we walk in the heritage zone, which has preserved the original architecture of the city. We visit St Francis's Church and the Chinese fishing nets, which line the mouth of Cochin harbor.

Day 17 Cochin / Periyar National Park
Periyar National Park is one of the premier parks in India for the Asian elephant. Dominated by Lake Periyar, fringed with the thick forests, the place has a picture postcard beauty. Sightseeing is done by boat early morning.

Day 18 Periyar National Park / Madurai
Most cities in India have a legend surrounding its origins. Madurai is no exception, and the story tells how Shiva looked down on this city and drops of nectar fell from his locks and so it was named Madurai, or city of nectar. Ancient Madurai was a center of Tamil culture, famous for its writers and poets and the history goes back to the 6th century BC when it traded with Greece and Rome. The Nayakas laid out the old town in the pattern of a lotus with narrow streets surrounding the Minakshi Temple at the center.
The Minakshi Temple is an outstanding structure dedicated to Minakshi the "fish eyed goddess" and the consort of Shiva who also has a temple dedicated to him. Since Minakshi is the presiding deity, the daily ceremonies are first performed at her shrine. This is a living temple and each shrine has priests performing rituals in front of them and there is also a temple elephant. The temple is entered through massive gopurams or gateways profusely covered in very colorful carvings, which are believed to be an encyclopaedia of Indian dance poses. The mandapas surrounding the main shrine have exquisitely carved pillars and panels. Of note is the panel showing the marriage between Shiva and Minakshi and another showing Shiva in this 24 forms.
The Thirumalai Nayaka Palace was built in 1636 in the Indo Mughal style, its 15 domes and arches are adorned with stucco work. Its Celestial Pavilion, an arcaded octagonal structure, is curiously constructed in brick and mortar without supporting rafters. The original complex had an armory, a theatre, royal quarters and a shrine. Only a quarter remains since Thirumalai's grandson removed sections to build another palace in Tiruchirapalli. In the evening you return to the Minakshi temple to watch the evening service, a ritual when Shiva or Sundeswrar as he is known here, is taken to Minakshi's sanctuary for the night.

Day 19 Madurai
We take a day off in Madurai to relax and roam the streets of Madurai.

Day 20 Madurai / Thanjavur
This drive is for 163 kms approximately.
The capital of the Great Chola Empire, Thanjavur also served as the capital for the Nayaka Empire and Maratha rulers. The Chola kings who were great patron of the arts built most of the 93 temples, of which the Brihadisvara Temple is the showpiece. While they lavished their wealth on the temples, they also encouraged the belief in the divine right of kings, and the practice of donating a part of one's wealth to the temple for spiritual gain. The Brihadisvara Temple also known as the "Big Temple" was built between 985 and 1012 AD by Rajaraja I and is a World Heritage monument. It is a magnificent structure with a 14 storey high vimana, a towered sanctuary that houses the main deity. A dome carved from an 80-ton single block of granite tops the vimana. An enormous Nandi bull, the traditional vehicle for Shiva guards the entrance to the main sanctuary. According to legend, the Nandi Bull grew every year until it was threatening to overwhelm the temple. Ultimately a nail was driven into its back to prevent its growth. Built mainly of granite, the temple has superb inscriptions and sculptures of Shiva, his consort Durga and Vishnu. On three sides of the sanctuary are huge sculptures of Shiva in three forms - Nataraja the dancer with 10 arms; Shiva seated with a sword and a trident; and Shiva bearing a spear. There are also 81 carvings showing the various poses of the classical Bharat Natyam poses, which is the first record of any classical dance form in this manner.

Day 21 Thanjavur / Mahabalipuram / Chennai
Today is full day, driving down from Thanjavur to Mahabalipuram to Chennai. Mamallapuram as it is known today is an extraordinary experience. This open-air museum of Tamil art in living rock is the work of students under the patronage of the Pallava rulers. Strewn along the coast are some outstanding examples of 7th century sculpture - cave temples, an enormous bas-relief depicting scenes from the Indian epic the Mahabharata, and an amphitheater of chariot shaped temples. The landmark of this marvelous collection is the Shore Temple, a world heritage monument, and the only surviving one from a complex, the other's having been claimed by the sea. From there we head to Chennai and take our flight back home.