Chennai, INDIA
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Jewellery has been an inseparable part of Indian culture since time immemorial. Fashion statement, family legacy or even security for a rainy day, jewellery continues to be a part and parcel of every household, rich or poor. In South India, jewellery has held special significance as an adornment for Gods and Goddesses. On this day tour, follow the journey of an ornament from an idea to a graceful art piece, painstakingly handcrafted by artisans, using expertise passed on for generations.
The jewellery of South India is iconic for its opulence and magnificence, befitting the stature of the Gods. At first, the intricately crafted gold ornaments of the South were created just to decorate the idols in temples. Later, devotional Bharatanatyam (classical dance form of Tamil Nadu) dancers who performed at temples started wearing imitations of the jewellery pieces that graced the Gods. Over time, temple jewellery made in gold became more accessible, taking on the avatar of trousseau essentials and heirloom pieces.
Oversized and chunky in design, temple jewellery continues to be dominated by images of deities and Gopurams (temple towers), to signify the wearer’s relationship with the Gods and heavens. Made with precious gold, gemstones and pearls, some of the classic items of jewellery in South India include Adigai (necklace of gold and red rubies worn close to the neck) Maangamalai (long necklace made with mango-shaped gold pieces symbolizing fertility), Kizhikaasu Malai (necklace of gold coins), Odiyanam (hip belt carved with Goddess Lakshmi, parrots, peacocks and serpents), Magara Kuzhai (fish-shaped earring studded with red rubies and pearls), Mookuthi (nose pin studded with rubies, pearls or diamonds). Most of these traditional ornaments form essential elements of a wedding trousseau.
In this intriguing tour, you can witness a piece of jewellery being crafted to perfection, following an elaborate sequence of delicate handiwork that has retained its essence over centuries. The experience will be peppered with stories of royal jewel collections and mystical gemstones. Inspired to pick up a precious trinket to remind you of your luxury holiday in India?
Transport: Private Car 
Activity level: Easy
Accessible to wheel chair: Yes 
Kid friendly: Yes 
Languages: English and Local Language 
Inclusions: Bottle Water, Refreshments 
Exclusions: Personal Expenses and Souvenir. 
Gratuities: Not included in tour cost;payable at guest's discretion 
Meet up location: Hotel Pick Up 
End of tour location: Hotel Drop Off Duration: 2.5 Hours Price: upto 2 adults ₹7800 | Price upto 2 adults | : ₹7,800 |
| Children | : Complimentary for children below 10 years |
25% of the total cost will be charged, if cancelled 15 to 10 days prior to the tour date.
50% of the total cost will be charged, if cancelled 9 to 5 days prior to the tour date.
No refund if cancelled less than 5 days prior to the tour date.
For group size more than 4 adults, write to us at info@footprintholidays.com
We can arrange other language speaking guides based on your request and availability
The tour can be customised to suit your needs like change of time, change of pick-up point, etc. You can write to us to info@footprintholidays.com customise your tour as per your preferences.
I will begin by saying that I had a FANTASTIC time in India. It was one of the best trips I've ever taken and I'm truly looking forward to hopefully having you book other trips for me in India.
I must say everything was planned to perfection. Each guide in every city was knowledgeable; especially the guide you arranged for us in Udaipur. We really enjoyed getting to know our guides Musheer and Kishore. We experienced the real India and appreciated the detailed itinerary your team created for us. The hotels were fantastic! In every hotel, the chef paid us a visit to make sure that we had meals suitable for us. We also enjoyed all the extra shopping excursions that were suggested.
The trip was a mega success and your team did a great job. Thanks to Footprint for everything. The entire family had a great time! The exclusive kalaripayattu demonstration was absolutely engaging and we loved every bit of the special private stand-up by Alex Babu (of Alex in Wonderland fame).
Thank you for a great trip! We especially enjoyed driving through the desertland into Jaisalmer; we also thoroughly enjoyed Bikaner, its Havelis and the Fort. Catching the daily life in Mumbai was a unique and eye-opening experience! All the hotels chosen are excellent with wonderful staff. Thank you!
Thank you for a wonderful trip to Kerala. We loved the village life walk and Fort Cochin walk. The backwater cruise in a traditional country boat was an incredible experience. A meal with the local family, living on an island in the backwaters, offered us an excellent opportunity to interact, learn and share. We loved every minute of our holiday! Thanks!
As a solo traveller, I felt safe and was exceptionally well taken care of. The cooking class in Jaipur was extremely enjoyable. The food, chef, and his wife were all exceptional and made for a lovely evening. Also, our expectations were definitely exceeded at a private residence, spending time with the elephants and lunching. Thanks!!
I loved India and thank you very much for arranging everything. It was a fabulous trip. Big kudos to you and your team. The tour guides and drivers were excellent. I loved the artisan walk, discovering the artistic treasures of Udaipur, meeting local potters and painters.
Thanks for arranging everything to precision – it was super smooth and we had a very good darshan!
Thanks for organising a great trip to Lucknow and Varanasi. The hotels at both the places were excellent; we had a great guide in Varanasi who went beyond the designated tour route and showed us around. The food tour in Lucknow was amazing and re-discovering the Awadhi Cuisine was a great experience – the kebabs were out of the world!
It was a terrific experience to spot the King of the jungle in all their glory at Gir. We had a very good experience overall.
It was a perfect leisure getaway – thanks for organising this! We loved the French Connection Trail; the guide took us through the French quarter sharing some incredible stories from the colonisation. We enjoyed the hotel and the service!