SOUTH INDIA (11 DAYS 10 NIGHTS)

South India is a region consisting of the southern part of India, which encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry, comprising 19.31% of India’s area and 20% of India’s population

South India has two distinct styles of rock architecture, the Dravidian style of Tamil Nadu and the Vesara style of Karnataka.

Koil, Hindu temples of the Dravidian style, consist of porches or mantapas preceding the door leading to the sanctum, monumental, ornate gate-pyramids, or gopurams – each topped by a kalasam, or stone finial – which are the principal features in the quadrangular enclosures that surround the more notable temples,and pillared halls. A South Indian temple typically has a water reservoir called the Kalyani or Pushkarni.

The origins of the gopuram can be traced back to early structures of the Pallavas. Under the Pandya rulers in the twelfth century, gateways had become the dominant feature of a temple’s outer appearance, eventually overshadowing the inner sanctuary which became obscured from view by the gopuram‘s colossal size.

The Architecture of Kerala is a unique architecture that emerged in the southwestern part of India, which is in its striking contrast to Dravidian architecture, which is normally practised in other parts of South India. It has been performed/followed according to Indian Vedic architectural science (Vastu Shastra).