SOUTH INDIA WITH AYURVEDIC CURE
Chennai – Mahabalipuram – Pondicherry – Tanjore – Madurai – Periyar – Somatheeram – Cochin.
Bewitching, fascinating, disconcerting, paradoxical… India is so multifaceted that a lifetime would not be enough to grasp all its richness. Over the course of our encounters, it is often our certainties and landmarks that collapse in the face of this state-continent of a billion inhabitants, six times the size of France. Here, the Hindu majority coexists with Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain and Parsi minorities, in a linguistic mosaic that includes 22 official languages and more than 1,600 recognized dialects. There, you don’t just discover a country… We discover ourselves
Welcome to India! Welcome by your English-speaking guide, who will accompany you throughout your
Circuit. Transfer to the hotel in Mahabalipuram and breakfast on site. Mahabalipuram: on the Tamil coast, the Pallava dynasty established a trading port, from where it exported its culture to Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam in the seventh and eighth centuries. The city seduces with its stonemasons, its tranquility and the hospitality of its inhabitants.
In the afternoon, visit the site: temples, bas-relief frescoes and sculpted caves illustrating the great Hindu myths, all masterpieces of Pallava art.
Discovery of the Descent of the Ganges, or "Penance of Arjuna", a spectacular fresco carved into the rock; visit the Five Rathas, monolithic temples carved into the rock, and the Temple of the Shore, emblem of Mahabalipuram, built of granite by the sea. Protective vegetation and a rock protect this jewel from spray and erosion.
End of the day. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Departure for Pondicherry, a former French trading post nestled on the shores of the Indian Ocean.
This peaceful place keeps the memory of three centuries of French presence alive. Founded in 1673 by François Martin, Pondicherry comes from the Tamil Putuccēri which means "the new village". From its foundation in the seventeenth century, Pondicherry was structured into two distinct areas: the European Quarter, nicknamed the "White City", and the traditional Tamil Quarters, sometimes referred to as the "Black City". Today, this division no longer officially exists, but the organization of the city still bears the traces of it. The White City, with its orthogonal streets, colonial buildings and institutions with European architecture, contrasts with the bustling alleys, temples and markets of the Tamil side. This duality is what makes Pondicherry so charming and testifies to its multicultural past.
Upon arrival, check in to the hotel and have lunch.
In the afternoon, discover the old French city: the Museum, the Lycée Français, the French School of the Far East, the Church of Notre-Dame des Anges, Cluny, the war memorial, the statue of Dupleix and that of Gandhi on the seafront.
Visit the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, a meditation centre founded by the Bengali philosopher and his French companion, "the mother". His tomb, located on rue de la Marine, is a place of contemplation imbued with fervour.
Visit the Manakula Vinayak temple, dedicated to Ganesh, and walk through the local market. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Departure to Maduraï.
On the way, stop at Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore), famous for its remarkable Brihadesvara Temple, built in the 11th century by King Rajaraja Chola. This masterpiece of Dravidian architecture, dedicated to Shiva, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Topped by a 63-metre-high tower, the temple is enclosed in two monumental enclosures.
Lunch in Tanjore, then continue to Maduraï. Upon arrival, check-in and overnight at the hotel.
Buffet breakfast.
You are in the heart of Tamil country. Discover the city and the fascinating Meenakshi-Sundareshvara Temple, a masterpiece of Vijayanagar style. Admire an impressive profusion of columns and corridors adorned with numerous statues, in a lively atmosphere imbued with the faith of the Hindu faithful.
Visit the 17th-century Tirumali Nayak Palace, built in the Indo-Muslim style with an Italian influence. Take a moment to stroll through the market. Madurai is renowned for its silk and finely crafted wood carvings.
Return to your hotel for lunch.
Free time with your guide and transportation available. You can go back to the Meenakshi Temple Market to enjoy more and do some souvenir shopping. Dinner and overnight at the hotel
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Periyar, one of the most beautiful reserves in India located in the heart of the mountains. This park covers 777 km2 in part of the Western Ghats, a high mountain range.
Periyar is home to a splendid artificial lake surrounded by forests populated by water birds such as heron, egret and kingfisher. This habitat is ideal for Asian elephants.
Upon arrival, lunch at the hotel. In the afternoon, guided tour of the gardens and spice plantations. Ayurvedic massage is available. At the end of the afternoon, we checked into the hotel. Dinner and overnight on site.
7 DAYS (AYURVEDIC CURE) at MANALTHEERAM RETREAT. The award-winning seaside village of Manaltheeram ayurveda is located on a beautiful golden sandy beach in Kerala and offers authentic Ayurvedic treatments, yoga and meditation with Dosha-specific meals. 7 days of intense Ayurvedic treatment, following diets and Ayurvedic treatments by professionals.
Drive through the Cardamom Mountains, crossing the plantations of tea, rubber trees and spices (pepper, nutmeg, cardamom...) towards Kottayam.
Continue the journey to the pier to board the traditional houseboats called Kettuvallam, for a peaceful cruise on the backwaters of Kerala. These tranquil canals will take you through lush tropical countryside, lined with coconut palms and verdant rice paddies, between lagoons and small floating villages where local boats glide.
The houseboats have a bedroom with private bathroom, a kitchen with a traditional Puthenangadi cook, a navigator/guide, and a platform to admire the landscape. Lunch, dinner and overnight on board.
Breakfast on board.
Disembarkation in Alleppey, then drive to Cochin, nicknamed "the Queen of the Arabian Sea", which is home to India's largest natural harbour. Cochin is a group of islands and cities, marking one of the first anchor points of Europeans in India as early as 1500, with the arrival of Vasco da Gama, who died here in 1524 as Portuguese Viceroy of the Indies. Cochin is now one of the main commercial ports of Kerala.
Visit the Paradesi Synagogue (closed on Fridays and Saturdays), dating from 1568, the oldest in the Commonwealth, and the Dutch Palace (closed on Fridays), also known as Mattancherry Palace, notable for its sacred murals among the most beautiful in South India.
Lunch in town or at the hotel.
Free time in the antique dealers' district, then in the late afternoon, walk on the seafront, famous for its Chinese fishing nets – impressive devices inherited from the first Asian sailors.
In the early evening, head to the traditional theatre: you will first attend the make-up of the artists, then a performance of Kathakali, a spectacular art combining dance, mime and theatre, inspired by the great epics of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
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