About South India: To the south of the Great Plains of northern india lie the Great Plateau of Peninsular India, which is divided into two parts, viz., the Malwa Plaeau and the Deccan Plteau. The Malwa plateau - bounded by the Aravalli hills in the northwest and the Vindhyas in the Vindhyas form the northern half of this peninsula. Chhota Nagpur region forms the northeastern part of this plateau and is the richest minerals producing region of India. The valley of the Narmada river forms the southern boundary of this plateau. The Deccan plateau, extends from the Satpura hills in the north to Kanniyakumari, the southern most point in India, finally ending in the Indian Ocean. Towards the west of this plateau lie the Western Ghats that comprise of the Sahyadri, theNilgiri, the Annamalai and the Cardamom Hills. On the eastern side, this plateau merges into a layer of discontinuous low hills known as the Mahendra Giri hills, which comprise of the Eastern Ghats. History of South India : The Mauryas were the first ruling dynasty to control large parts of North India and some parts of South India, as one territorial unit. Following the decline of the Mauryan Empire a number of powerful kingdoms arose in central and south India, among them Satavahanas, Kalingas and Vakatakas hold precedence. Later on these regions saw the rise of some of the greatest dynasties of South India in the form of the Cholas, Pandyas, Cheras, Chalukyas and Pallavas. The decline of the Mughals saw the corresponding rise of Marathas in Western India. In other parts of India, however a new trend of foreign invasion undetr the garb of commercial links had started from the fifteenth century AD onwards - first, with the arrival and gradual takeover of Goa by the Portugese led by Vasco da Gama between 1498 and 1510 AD; and then with the arrival, and the setting up of the first trading post at Surat, in Gujarat, by the East India Company. The British and Portugese were not the only Europeans in India. The Danes and Dutch also had trading posts, and in 1672 AD, the French established themselves at Pondicherry, an enclave that they held even after the British had departed. The British represented by the East India Company established their commercial control over vast areas in India, which very soon had an administrative dimension to it. The British rule in India was however formalized by the direct takeover of India by the British Crown, through the post 1857 reforms. Travel Destinations : Welcome to the golden triangle tour of Southern India. The Southern Indian holiday you will cherish for the rest of your life. The tour comprises of breathtakingly beautiful destinations like Chennai, Kanchipuram and Mahabalipuram. Temple towns of south India are the greatest contribution to the world of this region. Backwaters of Kerala, wildlife sanctuaries of Nilgiris, and beaches of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andaman & Nicobar, and Lakshadweep are one of the best you can find in this part of the world. The architectural remains of Northern Karnataka have attracted tourists from all over the world, who explore the lost empire of Vijayanagar at Hampi. South India Heritage : South India is surrounded by water on three sides. People in southern India are from Dravidian race with unique culture and traditions. South India has the tropical climate which is less harsh compared with Northern States. The states bears lush green tropical vegetation in the coastal areas. The beauty of south India extends from the back waters of Kerala to exotic coral islands and lush green hill stations in Tamil Nadu. South India has excellent beaches with coconut tress. The golden Marina beach in Chennai is one of the longest beach in the world. One can even enjoy peace and greenery of places like Ooty. Language and literature : The major languages in South India today are: Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. The minor languages are several and these are: Brahui, Gondi, Kui, Malto, Oraon (Kurukh), Toda, Tulu and Konkani (in Kannada script). Today, Tamil is the state language of Tamil Nadu, Telugu - the state language of Andhra Pradesh, Kannada - the state language of Karnataka, and Malayalam - the state language of Kerala. Of the minor languages, Tulu and Konkani are the only active languages and modern works continue to be published in these languages forming part of the literature of Karnataka State. The Church of South India : The Church of South India is the result of the union of churches of varying traditions Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed--in that area. It was inaugurated in September 1947, after protracted negotiation among the churches concerned. Organized into 16 dioceses, each under the spiritual supervision of a bishop, the church as a whole is governed by a synod, which elects a moderator (presiding bishop) every 2 years. Episcopacy is thus combined with synodical government, and the church explicitly recognizes that Episcopal, Presbyterian, and congregational elements are all necessary for the church\'s life. The Scriptures are the ultimate standard of faith and practice.