Tamil Nadu

In addition to the long history of the Tamil people, Tamil Nadu is famous for its temples, festivals, and celebration of the arts. The Hindu temples and monuments at Mamallapuram have become famous tourist attractions. The state of Tamil Nadu is known as the Land of Temples. In 2004 Tamil was declared a classical language of India, meaning that it met three criteria: its origins are ancient; it has an independent tradition; and it possesses a considerable body of ancient literature. In the early 21st century more than 66 million people were Tamil speakers.