Where to go in Tamil Nadu

The name Chettinad actually refers to a collection of villages, around 76 in total, located in the dusty southern reaches of Tamil Nadu. The area is the homeland of the Chettiars, a banking community who, in the time of the Chola dynasty, made a fortune in trading gems. Today, the region is awash with the palatial houses that sprang up from their years of international travel – a teak door from Burma here, some Italian marble there – and a wander through the villages, particularly Karaikudi, is sure to illicit a few gasps. After a night in one such magnificent mansion, hit the markets; with rows and rows of stalls dedicated to textiles, silver, furniture, antiques, and even kitchenware, there are more shopping opportunities than you can shake a suitcase at. And of course, you can’t leave without trying a peppery Chettinad curry…

Just like it’s colonial namesake, Madras, Chennai is hot, spicy, sometimes sweet and sometimes a little bit sour too. With direct flights from the major European hubs, it’s often used as the gateway into Tamil Nadu, which is more than a little unfair as it’s a noisy, honking, tuk-tuk filled metropolis that would be enough to terrify anyone stepping off a plane! Our advice? Choose somewhere lovely to stay (The Leela if pennies can stretch, but there are plenty of other choices), check-in, have a bath, and then throw yourself straight in to everything Chennai has to offer. From the imperious Fort St George and High Court buildings to the Kapaleeswarar Temple to Shiva, there’s a surprising amount of history and architecture to poke your nose into. Throw in the infectious enthusiasm of its people, some serious culinary treats, and a fairly lengthy beach, Marina Sands, you might just find it more sweet than sour…

A little sliver of croissant amid a sea of spicy Chettinad curries, colonial Pondicherry is a charming town that was once the largest French colony in India. A walking tour is undoubtedly the best way to see the delights: start in bohemian ‘Black Town’, the bustling, Tamil side of the city, before making your way across the canal and into ‘White Town’, or the French Quarter, where rows of pastel houses, dusty petanque courts, bakeries and even a French-speaking rickshaw driver or two will start to seem normal. If you’re in the mood for some chill-out time, head to Auroville just north of town, an offshoot of the internationally famous Sri Aurobindo ashram that draws spiritually-minded from far and wide. Then, end your day at the promenade, probably one of the loveliest in the country, and enjoy a sunset stroll followed by a French steak and a side of frites in a pavement cafe. C’est chic!

Laying claim to the lofty title of India’s oldest city (or just about), the only way to describe the Hindu town of Madurai is to throw a long list of adjectives at it. Colourful, extravagant and extroverted, it’s the cultural heart of Tamil Nadu and often considered to be the peak of South Indian architecture. We’re talking mostly about the acres-wide Sri Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar temple complex that writhes with gleaming goddesses and vivid demons, and a 17thcentury palace with its riot of Italian, Dravidian and Islamic architecture, as well as a daily light show, complete with frenetic bells and Tamil music. In the streets, there’s crowded bazaars, shrines, lip-smackingly good street food, mini temples and loud, pulsating processions of living history. After all that, you’re going to need somewhere quiet to lay your head (and perhaps a cold flannel), and thankfully there’s a couple of lovely hotels just north of the Vaigai River that fit the bill perfectly.

As you head inland, towards the foothills of the Western Ghats, the landscape of Tamil Nadu starts to change. Rice paddies and marauding rivers slowly give way to lolling hills wrapped in verdant forest blankets, and the lungfuls of cool, crisp air are delightfully welcome. These are the Palani Hills, renowned for their heavenly scenery and smattering of colonial, slightly eccentric, hill stations. One such perch is Kodaikanal, centred around a star-shaped lake and famous for its shimmering waterfalls and camera-flapping views. It’s probably the most popular (but still quieter than neighbouring ‘Queen’ Ooty), but there’s still plenty of scope for rambling forest hikes, wild swimming and even horseback trails in the surrounding mist-laden hills. After a week or two in the temple towns and scorching heat of Tamil Nadu, you know what to do…