Tourism Place in Salem

Salem, one of the major commercial centres of South India, is located in the north-central part of the state of Tamil Nadu. It is situated at a distance of 340 km from the state capital, Chennai. The district is enveloped in Nagaramalai, Jeragamalai, Kanjanamalai and Godumalai hills.

The word Salem is believed to have originated from Cheram (Keralam or Seram), indicating the region as a Cheram land. During the days of yore, the region was a chief weaving centre with inhabitants engaged in producing Saeylai, a garment worn by women.

Kalaiyarkoil derived its name from the Kaleswaran temple here. Kalaiyarkoil was the stronghold of the rulers of Sivagangai with a well-built extensive fort.

Earlier a part of Kongu Nadu, the first habitation in the region is believed to be of the Ganga Dynasty. The inscriptions dating back to the era of Ganga Dynasty refer the region as ‘country around hills’. The region was ruled by Gangakulam rulers of the Ganga Dynasty for a long period.

After the arrival of Vijayanagar kings, the region came under the governance of Madurai Nayaks. In the early 18th century before the colonial rule, Hyder Ali took over Salem after the Mysore-Madurai war. Salem was annexed by a well known British Governor, Lord Clive, in 1799 and remained a military base for the British till 1861.

The location is the base for reaching popular tourist destinations such as Yercaud Hills and Kiliyur Falls. Yercaud, a famous hill station of South India, lies in proximity to Salem. Lying on the Servarayan range of the Eastern Ghats at an altitude of 1,515 metres above sea level, the region is famous for coffee plantations, orchidarium and orange groves. Some other notable tourist attractions of the destination are Tharamangalam and Mettur Dam.

Salem is well connected by air, rail and road. The airport nearest to the destination is Salem Airport, which is served by domestic airlines. Tourists travelling from international destinations can board flights to Chennai International Airport. Salem Junction is the nearest railhead, which is connected with various parts of the country. Travelling by roadways is also convenient with the availability of buses from nearby places including Chennai.

The destination experiences tropical climatic conditions round the year. The period between the months of November and March is the best time to visit Salem.

Tourist places in Salem
The city of Salem offers a variety of sightseeing options. The most significant amongst these include Yercaud Hills, Yercaud Lake, Kottai Mariamman Temple, Tharamangalam Temples, Kiliyur Falls, Sankakiri Fort, Jama Masjid, Poiman Karadu, Sugavaneshwarar Temple, Arulmigi Alagirnathar Temple, EllaiPedari Amman Temple, Ayodhyapattanam, Kandhasramam Temple, Kandhaswamy Kovil Temple, Kurumpapatti Zoological Park, 1008 Lingam Temple, Paravasa Ulagam Water Theme Park, Sathya Narayana Temple and Siddhar Temple.

Yercaud Hills are mainly popular for its coffee and citrus fruit plantations, along with several small temples situated on its hilltop. The Yercaud Lake is a renowned boating site, as well as an important picnic spot of Salem. The Kiliyur Falls is a 300 ft tall waterfall, situated 3 km away from the city of Salem. One can find the St. Antony’s Church on the way to Sankakiri Fort. The fort has 10 compound walls, 5 temples, 2 mosques and 6 platforms.

There are also many temples in the city of Salem. The Tharamangalam temples are known for their exquisite statues and stone carvings, while the Kottai Mariamman Temple is famous for its week long Shevapet Mariamman Temple car festival. The Sugavaneshwarar Temple is a 13th century temple, built by Mamannan Sundara Pandiyan, while the Arulmigi Alagirnathar Temple is popular for its festival of Vaikunta Ekadasi.

Salem is also home to the Jama Masjid, which is the oldest mosque in the place. EllaiPedari Amman Temple is popular for its week long festival held in March and April. Salem also has a Vishnu Temple, situated in Ayodhyapattanam. Kandhaswamy Kovil Temple is an 18th century temple, while the 1008 Lingam Temple, as the name suggests, is known for having 1008 Shiva Lingams. Sri Sathya Narayana Temple is another Swami Muruga Temple of Salem and the Kalangi Siddhar Temple is one of the 18 Tamil Siddhas.