Tourism in Cuddalore: Things to do in Cuddalore

Renowned for its picturesque beaches and pilgrimage spots, Cuddalore literally means Sea Town in Tamil. It is a large industrial city and headquarters of the Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu.

Location

Cuddalore is located south of Pondicherry on the Bay of Bengal, in the eastern parts of Tamil Nadu.

History

The ruins of Fort St David stand witness to the history of Cuddalore. As a small fort built by a Hindu merchant, it occupied by the Marathas after the capture of Gingi by Shivaji in 1677. The British purchased it from them in 1690, which also included the adjacent towns and villages that would fall within the range of a random shot of a piece of ordnance. A great gun was fired to different points of the compass and all places within its range, including Cuddalore, came under the possession of the British. The villages thus obtained are still termed as Cannon Ball Villages.

Fairs & Festivals of Cuddalore

The District Annual Summer Festival of Cuddalore is held in the months of May - June at Silver Beach. This colorful occasion is marked by activities like boating, horse-riding, etc.

Best Time to Visit Cuddalore

For a Tour to Cuddalore, the best time to visit is between the months of October and March.

How to Reach Cuddalore

By Air

BY AIR -

The nearest airport is at Chennai.

By Train

BY RAIL -

The closest railhead is the Chennai Railway Station.

By Road

BY ROAD -

Cuddalore is well-connected by National Highway 45A (Villupuram-Pondicherry-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Nagapattinam Highway).

Tourist Attractions in Cuddalore

Make your tour to Cuddalore memorable by visiting these famous tourist places in Cuddalore :

Padaleshwarar Temple: The most famous temple in Cuddalore, this temple is dedicated to the incarnation of Lord Shiva, Padaleshwarar. Arulmiku Padaleswarar and Arunthava Nayaki are the presiding deities here.
Silver Beach: Situated in Devanampattinam, this is an attractive golden sandy beach on the eastern side of the Cuddalore New Town. There is provision for entertainment like boating, horse-riding, a children’s park, and a boat house at the beach.
Devanatha Swami Temple: Nestled on the edge of Gadilam River in Cuddalore, this celebrated temple is devoted to Lord Devanayakaswami. The great philosopher Sri Ramanuja, the disciple of Lord Vishnu, lived here.

Places around Cuddalore

Explore the scenic land of Cuddalore, visiting the places around it, while on a Tour to Cuddalore:

Pondicherry: Presently known as Puducherry, this is a former French colony, consisting of four non-contiguous districts, and named after the largest, Puducherry. The place is famous for Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville.
Veeratteswarar Temple: Positioned on the banks of Gadilam River near Panrutti, this is one of the 108 important shrines of Lord Shiva. Arulmiku Veeratteswrar and Periyanayaki are the presiding deities of this temple.
Vridhagiriswarar Temple: This temple in Vridhachalam houses an ancient Shiva temple consecrated to Lord Vrithagiriswarar (Periyamalainathar) and His consort Virdhambigai (Periyanayaki). The walls of the temple are adorned by the 72 dance postures of Bharatnatyam.