Indian Panorama Travel Blog

The Alchemy of South India – A Divine Blend

From caves with accurate evidence of Neolithic people to man-made temples confusing archaeologists, historians, architecture experts, and renowned artists for centuries, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have an impossible level of exclusivity which feels like entering two different countries although they are two closely glued states. The heritage sites in Karnataka and interesting history and cuisine of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in general lures travelers with its alluring nature.

Here is a gentle spark igniting the south-India-seeking-heart of yours. So, will begin with food just like the region’s hospitable culture of serving food even to enemies. Welcome to the friendliest part of India!

Hospitable Hosts and Godly Guests – The South India Cuisine

The respect for food is more than the craving. You’ll come across at least one elderly stranger who behaves in a certain way after he or she has been served food. Irrespective of the culture and boundaries, rice plays the protagonist role while the side actors vary wildly according to the natural landscapes. If you want to enjoy various degrees of spiciness say from 1-10, land in Madurai, explore Karaikudi (it’s strange “kaaram” means spicy in Tamil) in its spiciest flavors, and reach the shores of Velankanni or Nagapattinam to get an excerpt of Kerala.

Fish Pollichathu (fish roasted between banana leaves) is a must try dish while puttu, kadala curry, toddy, and boisterous milkshake stalls with makers performing stunts using the glasses accentuate your sense of taste. In Karnataka, you should sloosh a bowl of Korri Gasi to rice, learn to cook Neer Dosa, taste Bisi Bele Bath, and feast on plates of Obbattu in streets and don’t forget to try different flavors of coffee in Chikmagalur. Make room for Kebabs, Haleem (stew made of meat, lentils, and wheat), and Hyderabadi Biryani of Andhra and Telangana which is not divided by food at least. Vegetarians take your time and find the best Andhra Bhindi (a dish prepared using Okra) for lunch. Restaurants serve food while Indian homes give love in the form of food to their divine guests. (The Whole of India is fond of her guests!)

Fiction Bows to Reality – The Intricate Architecture of South India

The ancient structures of South India are an engineering marvel. Not only normal tourists but also cultural experts and dedicated researchers explore the carvings of temples and humongous tombs. The animated ruins or graphic backed up forts shown in movies and games are no match for constructions like the Single Stone Nandi (monolith) of Brihadeeswara and Srirangam pillars in Tamil Nadu. The richest of all temples – Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala, the uninterrupted century-old prayers of Virupaksha in Hampi, and Tirupati Temple in Andhra Pradesh are valiantly built to document the renaissance mind of the monarchs and devotees who stood ahead of time.

The number of traditions, civilizations, belief systems, worshipping ideologies, and exclusive philosophies have impressed almost every person coming from a foreign place. The admiration of the detailed and dedicated creations from the outsiders make South India, a repeatedly toured place. The aura of South India is throughout in its weird yet interesting festivals where thousands of tourists gather along with elephants, chariots, percussion instruments, mirudhangam, and intense emotions. It is not that North doesn’t have this but the rhythm in festivals, commitment shown toward making a small pot from a local potter, or the experience that beholds and creates a magic every single time nearing a colossal structure is what South India is all about. Only those who have touched the artistic murals, sculptures received blessings along with a spiritual crowd in the southern parts of India can able to understand such a powerful emotion. Believe us! Your chaotic days are over once you enter an Indian temple.

The Universally Loved Culture of South India

Ornate foreheads and festooned tresses of the Indian women wearing a bindi might look like a regular picture. The hidden layers of science and the countless benefits it brings to her mind and body is the larger picture. As this holy premise is full of religious stories with Ayurvedic and healthy toppings, one cannot understand why people and customs follow a particular pattern. Do it as ritual and ride to the interiors of Tamil Nadu and Kerala to know answers you have been searching for long. From the holy ash to meditation, South India contains a perfect explanation for everything performed and followed. They are inscribed in paintings, learned through the Carnatic music, imbibed from the folktales and folk dance or can be found conversing happily with locals, grandchildren-deprived grannies in homestays, sages in temples, and of course, your local travel guides!

When Thiruvalluvar wrote Thirukural he never knew it would be translated into so many languages. Everything had happened ahead of time in South India. All the poet laureates with their life lesson, authors with deep meaning in their books, and priceless artworks make South India a teacher. South India has the highest literacy rate in the country, thanks to Kerala! Dancers performing Mohiniyattam, Kathakali, Bharatnatyam, Koodiyattam, Kuchipudi, and Kerala Natanam present a positive vibe conveying a story through their swaying steps. While festivals like the Elephant festival, Hampi Festival, Natyanjali dance festival, Pongal, Onam, Firewalking festival, Boat Races, and the famous Jallikattu decorate an outsider’s thought process with positivity. A reasonably higher amount of the “unity in diversity meter” prevails in the South than North.

Hindi might predominantly occupy the Northern States while Sound India has four – Tamizh, the oldest, Malayalam, the calmest, Telugu, the Sweetest, and Kannada, the humblest. From mountains to rivers, from locals to elephants, from food to rest, South India looks like a simple art but poses different and desirable every single time you pay a visit. So, don’t stop in Delhi and Rajasthan as you have an unavoidable library of life waiting with zillions of books for you to be studied in the South.

We will create a soulful travel experience with your family, friends, loved ones, or you could undergo a solo journey with your personal travel assistant, Indian Panorama!