This was our first long tour followed closely by the Kedarnath – Badrinath tour.  It was in the December of 2009. But we had started planning for the tour quite early as there is always a rush to tour South India during the winter months. Also, the South Indians living elsewhere in India visit their hometowns during winter as lots of festivals are celebrated then. Tamil Nadu was chosen from amongst the other South Indian states as we desired to visit Vivekananda Rock in Kanyakumari. The other places were not of less interest either. We planned to start with Chennai and travel south gradually to reach Kanyakumari and return directly therefrom.

HOW TO REACH CHENNAI

By Air

Chennai is well linked with almost all the major cities of India and also with various destinations abroad through the Chennai International Airport which is 7 Km away from the main city.

By Rail

Also, the city is well-connected by railways with most of the cities of this country. The main three stations are Chennai Central, Chennai Egmore and Tambaram.

By Road

The bus service in and around Chennai is also superb. It is well connected with most of the cities of South India.

 

The route was – Chennai – Pondicherry – Rameshwaram – Madurai – Kodaikanal – Kanyakumari. We booked TTDC rooms in all these places except in Pondicherry. The bookings were done through the TTDC Kolkata office located inside the Dakshinapan Shopping Complex at Dhakuria. For Pondicherry (now Puducherry), it was really tough getting bookings in the several guest houses of the Aurobindo Ashram as most were booked. But I kept on trying – got the contact numbers from the book – “Bhromon Sangi” and finally was able to get one four bedded room in one of the guest houses. The booking was just over the phone and there was no confirmation, except that the Manager said that he had duly noted our booking in the Register and there would be no difficulties whatsoever.

For our onward journey, we had booked tickets in Coromandel Express. We were a small group of four – me, my wife, her mom and my son. The tickets were bought through an agent. Though we received confirmed tickets, we did not get a single lower berth which would make things a bit tough for my mother-in-law. She had knee issues and we were quite apprehensive. On the top of that, a day before the journey she was laid down with fever. She was still a little feverish on the day of journey and all this made us feel a bit low-keyed though we started our venture taking all kinds of medicine and medical advice hoping against hope that things would get better. On the train, a Keralite co-traveller made our woes less – he exchanged his lower berth which immensely helped my mother-in-law. After a tight sleep that night, she felt quite better the next morning and by the time we reached Chennai, she was almost fine.

TTDC Kolkata Office Address 

Dakshinappan Shopping Complex, G-26, Gariahat Rd S, Jodhpur Park, Kolkata, West Bengal 700068

Phone: 033 2423 7432

The TTDC hotel in Chennai was a stone’s throw away from the Chennai station and we just had to walk a few yards to reach there with our luggage. It was almost evening and we had a bit of tea and snacks. We planned to retire early to start fresh the next day. But, before that, we asked the hotel desk to help us book a car for the next-day sightseeing. They provided us with a couple of contacts and we booked one and soon retired for the night after having our dinner.

CHENNAI - A METROPOLIS WITH UNIQUE HISTORY AND CULTURE

SNAKE PARK CHENNAI - ROMULUS WHITAKER

The next day, after a quick breakfast, we started our tour – our first stop was the Snake Park.

CHENNAI – the facts

Chennai, previously known as Madras, is the capital city of Tamil Nadu state of India. It had come under the rule of the Chola, Pandya, Pallava, Vijaynagar, Nayak kingdoms and finally the Britishers. It is famous as an automobile hub and for its medical facilities. Chennai got its name from Chennappa Nayaka, a Nayak ruler.

The ancient temples, the vibrant arts and culture, the unique cuisine and the exquisite silks is something you can look forward to while visiting Chennai.

 

Romulas Whittaker, an American living in India, has been instrumental in building this unique park which is not only home to innumerable kinds of snakes, but is also a home to crocodiles, alligators, lizards, chameleons and tortoises.

We had planned to visit this park keeping our son in mind. He was in total awe and thoroughly enjoyed every bit.

Not only do you get to see the huge variety, you also get to know about these creatures as there are demonstrations held every one hour.

We had a bit of difficulty in following the demonstration as most of the time, the demonstrator was speaking in Tamil. At times, he was also speaking in English, but with the huge accent, it was a bit tough.

Lots of experimentation are being done here with snake venom.

You also get to see the eggs of these reptiles and get to know every detail about these eggs.

This visit sure was a great learning experience and it fascinated the youngest member in our group.

Our next stop was Mahabalipuram. This had been one of the places in my bucket list and here I was visiting it.

MAHABALIPURAM - MAMALLAPURAM

Mahabalipuram, also known as Mamallapuram, is located around 60 km from Chennai and takes almost two (2) hours to reach. It was an important port city of the Pallava dynasty. There are essentially two stories about how this place got its name –

• Lord Vishnu in his “Bamon” avatar had defeated Asura Mahabali.
• Raja Narasimhavarman I of the Pallava dynasty was a Mahamalla and therefrom the name Mahamallapuram leading to Mamallapuram

During the reign of King Narasimhavarman I and King Narasimhavarman II [7^th and 8^th centuries], cave temples, monolithic rathas (chariot), Bas-relief and shore temples had been built in Mahabalipuram mostly by carving the hills.

The Bas relief depicting Arjuna’s penance, also known as descent of the Ganges by Vishma, is seen to be believed. The saying goes that Arjuna was seeking forgiveness from Lord Shiva having killed his close relatives in the Kurukshetra war. This collage contains innumerable stories, mostly mythological, and is a wonder of sorts having been engraved from a single rock.

Gradually we moved towards the cave temples; but not before posing in front of a balance rock (Feature of wind erosion) and having a sip of green coconut water to quench our thirst. The balance rock is known as the Lord Krishna’s butter ball.

The cave temples that date back to the 7^th century AD include temples of Krishna, Adi Varaha, Durga in the form of Mahishasuramardini, Varaha, Ramanuja, Dharmaraja and many more.

As we kept moving from one temple to another, it was really difficult to believe and accept that humans had carved these temples and chiseled these figures directly from the hills with their ancient tools – surely a Herculean task to say. The modern-day tools were definitely a far-cry then. And this speaks of their artistic finesse, level of endurance and talent. Their dedication, artistry, able craftsmanship and aesthetic sense stood reflected at every nook and corner.

These cave temples depict the various gods and goddesses and the innumerable stories of the Hindu mythology.

SHORE TEMPLE - MAHABALIPURAM

Thereafter we visited the Shore Temple – though there were seven pagodas to start with, the sea has lapped up the remaining six.

This temple is located close to the Bay of Bengal and has a typical Dravidian architecture

This temple complex enhouses the idols of Lord Shiva and the reclined (sleeping) Lord Vishnu.

PANCHA RATHAS

Finally, we reached the Pancha Rathas – the five chariots. These are five monolithic structures which have been named after the famous characters of the Mahabharata – Draupadi, Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhistira and Nakul-Sahadeva.

Each of these chariots had been carved from one large piece of rock and the carving had started from the top and gradually gone downwards. These really are a spectacle. You can hardly fathom as to how the artisans were able to keep the proper measurements as they carved from top to botton in a single rock! Was it years of practice or extraordinary talent?

The first one having a mud house look is known as the Draupadi Rath. This is followed by the other rathas –

PANCHA RATHAS IN MAMALLAPURAM

I had longed to visit this ancient heritage site and this was my dream coming true.

We completed our Mahabalipuram visit with this last click – my son hugging the trunk of the elephant. These gigantic structures carved out of single rocks complete with all the details are true wonders.

OUR LADY OF EXPECTATION CHURCH - ST. THOMAS MOUNT, CHENNAI

Now we started returning to the city and while returning back, our first stop was “Our Lady of Expectation Church” built by the Portuguese in 1523. This church is located 13 km away from the city. St. Thomas – one of the 12 disciples of Jesus Christ – has been laid to rest here.

Also known as St. Thomas Mount, we had to climb a flight of 134 steps to reach this church. It is believed that while building this church, lots of relics of St. Thomas had been unearthed. The stone cross here is considered to be very sacred as it had bled in the year 1558.

The bird’s eye view of the city from this place is something one would remember for a long time.

The glass windows of the church are spectacular. Here is a small glimpse of those stunning colorful glass windows –

SANTHOME CATHEDRAL BASILICA ST. THOMAS

From ‘The Little Mount’ we traversed to the last spot for the day – Santhome Cathedral Basilica. St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus, had come to India to preach Christianity. Some believe he had been killed, while others believe that a hunter had killed him accidentally while he was praying at the cross. One school of thought believes that this Basilica had been built in 1893. St. Thomas has finally been laid to rest in this Basilica.

However, another school believes that this Church was built in the 10^th century on the burial place of St. Thomas by some Christian devotee who had arrived from Paris.

This was all for the day and we retired for the night to get rejuvenated for the next day tour, but not before catching a glimpse of the sea and the beach.

The next day itinerary consisted of visiting Kapaleshwar temple, the Marina beach and travelling to Pondicherry.

KAPALESHWAR TEMPLE, CHENNAI

We hired an auto to visit Kapaleshwar temple and Marina beach. The gopuram (37m high) of the temple fascinated us. Such gopurams are to be seen in almost all the temples of South India. These magnificent structures with the motifs, carvings, idols and statues are something to behold and will leave you mesmerized.

The Kapaleshwar temple is huge; Lord Shiva is worshipped here. According to Puranas, Devi Parvati guised as a peacock worshipped Lord Shiva seeking “Mukti.” This story can be found engraved on the walls of the temple. Other stories of the Puranas have also come to life on the walls of this temple.

The original temple built in 1250 AD had been destroyed by the Portuguese in 1507 AD and later rebuilt in 16^th century by the king of Vijaynagar.

MARINA BEACH, CHENNAI

Our next stop was the Marina beach. The 13 km long sea beach is amongst the longest beaches of the world. The sea waves lashing on the yellow sandy beach makes the sea appear to be more welcoming. But, we had to move to Pondicherry the same day and so bade farewell to the beach and returned to the hotel.

After having a quick lunch at the hotel, we boarded the bus for our onward journey to Pondicherry (Puducherry) and it was almost dusk when we reached the place. We missed out on quite a few places, Fort St. George being one we had wished to visit.

PONDICHERRY - PUDUCHERRY - THE LAND OF SRI AUROBINDO AND MOTHER

We had booked our stay in Pondicherry in one of the guest houses of the Aurobindo Ashram. The booking and confirmation had entirely been telephonic and naturally we were a bit skeptical. But we had zero difficulty in getting our room and after leaving our luggage in our room headed for the sea beach.

The sea beach that we visited in Pondicherry was quite rough and nobody was allowed to venture into the sea. But the view was simply fantastic – the waves lashing against the rocks that jutted into the sea and almost spraying you leaving you moist. It was Christmas time and cafes along the beach had decked up with lights. The gaiety and merriment all around added to your spirits. This was all for our first day in Pondicherry and after having a terrific South Indian meal returned to the guest house.

PONDICHERRY – PUDUCHERRY

It is the capital city of the Union Territory of the same name. The heritage, culture and language of this place is in good corelation with that of Tamil Nadu. It had been ruled by the Pallavas, Cholas, Pandyas, Vijaynagara, Sultan of Bijapur in the pre-colonial period. Later, it had been a French colony till 1954. The city got its name from the word Poduke or Poduca which means Roman trading destination.

The city is well-connected by both road and railway. The promenades along the sea, the colonial structures, virgin beaches, tree-lined lanes, inviting backwaters and spiritual sanctuaries make Puducherry unique and worth visiting!

 

AUROBINDO ASHRAM

We bought food coupons for the entire day from the guest house and the next morning after having tea and freshening up headed for the Ashram for our breakfast and to visit the Samadhi. We paid our obeisance at the Samadhi of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother (Mirra Alfassa). The breakfast food served was fresh and nutritious and served in a clean and hygienic environment.

The Ashram conducts tours for visiting Auroville. As there was a huge rush, we could barely manage two tickets for the tour. I felt that I might be able to come again, but my aging mother-in-law might not be fortunate enough. So my wife and her mother boarded the bus and they permitted my son, being a child, to accompany them. The entire day I strolled around the city and walked along the beach enjoying and soaking in the natural scenic beauty of the place.

AUROVILLE

Auroville – It is also known as the Aurobindo Village or the City of Dawn. Located 10 km away from the Ashram and covering an area of 50 sq km, it aims to inculcate humanity amongst the people. It has been built with the help of UNESCO and many other countries including India. The foundation of this village was laid with the soil of 124 countries in 1968. The vision of Sri Aurobindo was being given a shape by the Mother.

People from all over the world, followers of Sri Aurobindo and Mother, are living in Auroville in communes. Their faith unites them amidst all diversities. It speaks of living in peace and progressive harmony rising above all disparities – nationality, politics, creed, language – so on and so forth.

Matrimandir – the soul of Auroville. This globe-like structure, 30 m high, was built in 1968. The golden Matrimandir is surrounded by 12 petals and 12 gardens and a giant banyan tree stands next to it. It is believed to be “a symbol of the Divine’s answer to man’s aspiration for perfection.” Matrimandir and its surrounding space is called the “Peace area.”

There are four zones surrounding the Matrimandir – Industrial, residential, International and Cultural (& Educational). Matrimandir with its silent precinct welcomes people to practice yoga to discover peace from within and realize one’s inner self.

We got passes to visit Auroville and Matrimandir from a vantage point from the Visitors Centre. But to visit the interiors of Matrimandir one needs to make bookings well in advance. So, we were not able to view its interior.

But one of our co-traveler who had visited Matrimandir earlier said – Inside the mandir is a spiraling ramp that leads upward to a chamber of white marble known as – ‘a place to find one’s consciousness.’ The floor and walls of the meditation chamber are made with white marble. The roof of the inner chamber is conical having a big crystal globe at the centre and this helps the radiation of the natural sunlight. This forms the entire focus for meditation and is really helpful.

It was time to bade goodbye to Pondicherry. But I had fallen in love with this place and planned to come back again. The city is well-planned and has lots of greenery. The sea and the beaches are also quite different in their welcoming style. And, surely, a visit inside the Matrimandir was awaited….

RAMESHWARAM - ONE OF THE JYOTIRLINGAS

Our next destination was Rameshwaram and for that we had to reach Villupuram station. We boarded a bus from Pondicherry and reached Villupuram station where we got our supper packed and waited for our train to arrive. We boarded the train, had our meals and dropped off to be woken up early morning by the cheering of the passengers. The train was moving along the Pambam bridge and we could not believe our eyes. If you were standing at the doors of the train you were being greeted by the splashing sea water from the waves hurling against the huge pillars. I enjoyed the view standing at the door while my family enjoyed it from the windows. This bridge unites Rameshwaram with the Indian mainland. We reached Rameshwaram and boarded an auto and checked in at the TTDC there. We had a small nap and after freshening up got ready for the entire day.

As we moved towards the temple, we came along Agniteertham – peaceful sea quite close to the temple considered to be very holy. Lots of people were taking a holy dip there to cleanse themselves of their sins as is the belief. We went down the steps and sprinkled a few droplets of sea water from Agniteertham  on our heads (that was our way of cleansing ourselves) and gradually moved towards the temple – a huge queue awaited us.

We waited patiently in the serpentine queue to offer our puja. Rameshwaram is believed to be the temple where Rama had worshipped Lord Shiva – Ramalingeshwar, one of the 12 jyotirlingas. Also known as the Ramanathswamy temple, here you will find Rama and Sita on either side of Lord Shiva. Also, Nandi, Goddess Parvati and many other gods are found in this temple.

The huge gopuram and the longest, colorful, sculpted verandah of this temple are fascinating. According to mythology, after defeating Ravana, Rama decided to pray to Lord Shiva seeking forgiveness and Hanuman was sent to Kailash to bring the Shivmurti. But when Hanuman got late, Sita built a Shivlinga with the sand and the puja was done. At the same time, Hanuman arrived with the Shivmurti and Rama offered prayers again.

The Chola Rajas had started building this temple in the 12^th century and was completed by the Nayak Rajas in the 19^th century. After offering our prayers, we headed for Dhanushkodi – 19 km from Rameshwaram.

RAMESHWARAM

Located on the Pambam island, this town is separated from the mainland by the Pambam channel and is home to one of the Jyotirlingas. Very close to Sri Lanka, it is believed that Lord Rama had built the ram setu here.

Rameshwaram temple is the main tourist attraction. Dhanushkodi has its own charm! And this is the birth place of the great scientist and former President of India – Dr. A, P. J. Abdul Kalam.

DHANUSHKODI, RAMESHWARAM

This is the place where the Bay of Bengal meets the Indian Ocean. A close look at the waters and you can easily distinguish the flows. We hired a jeep to drive us through the dirt tracks to reach Dhanushkodi. The water is shallow here and it is believed that Rama built the bridge (Ramsetu) here to reach Ravana’s Lanka.

It felt so fascinating and unreal to be standing in a part of the country which had been a part of mythology and folklore for so many centuries. Also, the terrain was unique with the unruly breeze blowing in from all sides as here was a small stretch of land which was nearly surrounded by the sea from almost all sides.

Many pilgrims were performing rites in honour of their ancestors. There were lots of fishing boats, both at the sea and on the shore. The shallow sea water made this an ideal place for searching shells and we were in a spree –

COLLECTING SHELLS AT THE DHANUSHKODI BEACH, RAMESHWARAM

While returning to Rameshwaram, we saw the remnants of the Dhanushkodi village that had been destroyed by the tsunami of 1964.

DILAPIDATED CHURCH AT DHANUSHKODI VILLAGE, RAMESHWARAM

These ruins definitely made us feel eerie and realize that we really are puppets and totally at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Next, we went to visit the temple of Vibhisana – the younger brother of Ravana. The temple has been built at the place where Vibhisana had met Rama.

Our Rameshwaram visit was coming to a close. At this point, I definitely would like to mention a few things –

• The upma we had at TTDC, Rameshwaram was and is the best that we have tasted over the years – all of our family members vouch for it
• We missed out on visiting the residence of our former President and one of the greatest scholars and teachers of modern India – Sri A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
• Also, this was the place where Swami Vivekananda had first set foot when he returned victorious from the west

 

Now we were to travel to Madurai and we boarded the bus for our onward journey. Again, the view of the sea from the bus as we moved towards the mainland was awesome.

MADURAI - THE ABODE OF MEENAKSHI AMMAN

We reached Madurai quite late at night and checked-in at TTDC and after dinner, retired for the night. Our Madurai journey was to start the next day.

Next day, after taking our bath we got ready to visit the Meenakshi Temple.

Meenakshi temple or Meenakshi Amman temple is considered to be amongst the most famous temples of South India both for its architecture and ornamentation. There are two main devalayas inside the temple – one for Lord Shiva also known as Sundareshwar, while the other for Goddess Parvati in the form of Meenakshi.

MADURAI – FACTS AND DATA

 

Also known as the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu, Madurai is well-connected with the major cities of South India by road, air and rail. It is situated on the banks of the river Valgai. 

Madurai Junction is the main railway station and through it, this city is well-connected to the rest of India.

It has come under the ruke of various dynasties but is famour for its close association with the Tamil language, literature and culture.

Madurai is synonymous with the Meenakshi Amman temple. Other places of tourist interest are Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal, Valgai Dam, Alagar Koil, Koodar Azhagar temple and many more.

 

The story goes that Meenakshi was born from the fire of the yagna performed by childless Raja Malaydhhwajan and Rani Kanchanmala and she was named Thadathagai. She met Lord Shiva in the Kailash and on his request returned to Madurai where Lord Shiva would come to marry her. Lord Shiva arrived as Sundareshwar and married Meenakshi.

The temple has fourteen gopurams decorated with the colorful idols of various Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The gopuram located on the south is the tallest (170 ft) being nine storey high. This temple has been built during the reign of the Nayak king, Tirumalai.

We offered prayer and then went around the temple viewing the gopurams.

There are temples of many other gods and goddesses within the temple complex. The complex has many sculpted pillared halls like – Avirakkal, Kilikoondu-mandapam, Golu-mandapam and Pudu-mandapam.

The temple city Madurai has been built and is thriving on the economy of the Meenakshi temple. There is a huge market surrounding the temple where you get to buy not only articles related to puja/temple but also all kind of items that we need in our everyday life.

There is an art gallery on the first floor and the verandahs of the temple are again beautiful works of art, sculpture and painting. If one wants to see the innumerable quadrangular complexes and 14 gopurams, one would need the entire day. The temple with 5 entrances covers a huge area. Of the 14 gopurams, 4 are Rajagopurams.  Five and three towers can be seen on the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Shiva and Goddess Meenakshi respectively. Two golden towers which are beautifully sculpted and designed add to the color and extravaganza of this temple.

The path within the walls (Aadi Veedhi) – is 830 feet on the east-west side and 730 ft in the north-south side. We walked this entire path and completed our Madurai journey.

KODAIKANAL - THE PRINCESS OF HILL STATIONS

After a quick brunch, we moved to the bus stand for our journey to Kodaikanal. On reaching the bus stand, it took us at least 15 minutes to realize that the direct bus to Kodai was to leave at least two hours later. One difficulty that we faced in most of the places in Tamil Nadu was that the common man either did not know English/Hindi or were probably not ready to communicate with people who did not speak Tamil.

KODAIKANAL – how to reach and the facts

Hill station in Dindigul district, it has an altitude of 2,225 m. This area known as ‘Kurinji’ got its name from the famous flower, Kurinji.

Kodaikanal is well-connected by road with most of the cities of Tamil Nadu. Bus service is quite frequent. You can also reach Kodaikanal by train, the two nearest stations being Palani [64 km] and Kodai Road [80 km]. The closest airport is Madurai International Airport located 115 km away.

Anyways, we got the information that we could avail a break journey to reach Kodai. We availed the same and though we faced a few hiccups it only added spice to our uphill journey to Kodai. The scenic beauty overwhelmed us and Nature with all its bounty made us forget the non-cooperating behavior of humans that we had faced a few minutes earlier. On this road journey, we came across the Silver Cascade falls but travelling in a bus, we could only hold a glimpse of it and capture it in the camera of our eyes and not on in the camera rolls.

On reaching the TTDC hotel in Kodai, the first thing we had to do was take out our woolens. The mercury had surely dipped and after all the heat and humidity of the rest of the tour, this sure was welcome.

The sun was setting and the view from our room balcony was picturesque. We talked at the hotel desk and they arranged for seats for our sightseeing tour of Kodaikanal for the next day. The vehicle was to leave from the hotel itself early the next day and was to cover all the tourist attractions.

The next day after having breakfast we boarded the Tempo Traveller and our first stop was the Coakers walk. This is a sheer beauty and a must-visit for all travelers to Kodai.

COAKER'S WALK

The Coakers walk is a semi-circular path with an awesome view all around. As one walks along the path, you get to see the green peaks on the other side appear and disappear as the clouds envelop them time and again.

STUNNING VIEWS FROM COAKER'S WALK, KODAIKANAL

The next stop was at a tourist spot wherefrom you got to see the Kodaikanal Lake from a vantage point.

PINE FOREST, KODAIKANAL

Thereafter, we stopped at the Pine Forest – the tall trees standing closely cut off the sunlight almost entirely and this unique place encouraged us to start photoshooting.

POSING AND FILMING AT THE PINE FOREST IN KODAIKANAL

We kept moving through the Pine Forest and were greeted by the beautiful Fairy Falls. The water from the falls appeared to disappear amongst the rising clouds – enchanting!

Our walk continued and we arrived at the Pillar Rocks. The Pillar Rocks comprise of three boulders which are placed vertically and they reach to a height of 400 feet. The view is outstanding and quite unlike anything I had seen earlier. Again these rocks get covered by mist and clouds on and off creating an aura. The pillars jut out from the surrounding hills providing a majestic view.

Thereafter, we came down and just before boarding the bus bought a maize cob for my son. He had just about started to nibble it when a monkey came down from the hills and stood in front of him stretching his hands. Initially my son was quite reluctant to give away the cob but I insisted him to do so to avoid any kind of trouble. This made my son very sad and when I told him that probably the monkey did not have any parents to buy him such delicacy, he shot off –“If it did not have parents, where did it come from?”

BEAR SHOLA FALLS

The next stop was the Bear Shola Falls – the small waterfall was beautiful, tranquil and sweet. There were many shops here selling coffee, homemade chocolates and marshmellows. We had heard about marshmellows and seen them in movies/TV shows – but this was the first time I got to savour it. We bought some of each of these ingredients as well as some spices and then boarded the bus which took us to the Kodaikanal Lake.

KODAIKANAL LAKE

I had wished for a boat ride here but my son insisted on a horse ride and we relented. Though he was a bit afraid initially, he soon started enjoying it.

BRYANT PARK

Our last stop for the day was Bryant Park. The park has various species of shrubs and plants. The wide range of flowers will mesmerize you. If you are interested in Ornamental Horticulture, this is your place!

A part of the park is set aside for various exotic roses – you will get to view rare and unique varieties here. The park also has a greenhouse – home for plants from all across the world.

 

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On returning to our hotel, after having tea in the evening we ventured out to explore Kodaikanal. Suddenly, I felt waterdrops falling on my head, but it wasn’t raining. We realized that as the clouds were traversing across, they were leaving their remnants behind. The feeling was great but we covered our heads to avoid catching untimely cold.

 

The following day we left our hotel early after having our breakfast for our onward journey to Kanyakumari. It was to be a long one. We boarded our bus at 8 AM and were to reach Kanyakumari at 5 PM. The bus while descending was negotiating the sharp bends very quickly which made my wife feel a bit sick. But she recovered soon and the rest of the journey was smooth and pleasant. The roads in Tamil Nadu are superb and so is the bus service.

KANYAKUMARI - CONFLUENCE OF THE THREE SEAS

The last leg of our journey had started. On reaching Kanyakumari late in the afternoon, we checked in at the TTDC hotel, Kanyakumari. The best part of this hotel is that you can see the sea right from your balcony! What more do you want? Not only did you get to see the sea, you also got glimpses of the statue of the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar and the Vivekananda Rock Memorial! My sole aim of visiting Kanyakumari was to visit the Vivekananda Rock memorial and to stand at the juncture of the three huge water masses – the confluence of the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.

VIVEKANANDA ROCK MEMORIAL

The next morning we were up early for visiting the Vivekananda Rock Memorial. Ferry services run from Kanyakumari that takes you to both the rock memorial and the statue of Thiruvalluvar and returns to the mainland.

We left the hotel and gradually ventured towards the sea. But the beach in Kanyakumari is not at all ideal for bathing. However, the views of sunrise and sunset from the beach are unforgettable.

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Once the tickets were bought we boarded the launch – we had to stand in a long queue since it was a holiday and people had come in huge crowds. But the unpleasantness of the long wait was immediately erased as soon as the launch started. The waves splashing against the launch occasionally spraying us with the water, the views all around and the approaching rock memorial were so soothing……  

Once you set foot on the Vivekananda Rock, the feeling is inexplicable. The realization that Swami Vivekananda had meditated on this very rock to attain moksha with the fiery waves lashing on it from all the sides would take you to some other hemisphere altogether. A temple and a statue of Swami Vivekananda had been built here on his centenary.

We visited both the temple and the statue and felt it would have been really nice if we could have spent the entire day there. There is a meditation room underground. We also went there but could not remain for a long time as my son was too small to realize the importance of total silence in that room.

There is also another temple on the rock built in the Chola style – Sri Padamandapam. Here one gets to see the footprints of Goddess Kanyakumari.

After spending a few hours, we again boarded the launch to visit the statue of Thiruvalluvarur. Our visit to the Vivekananda Rock memorial was really memorable but would have been more so if the crown would have been a little less.

Soon we reached the statue of Thiruvalluvar – the great Tamil poet and philosopher.

Thereafter, our return journey to the mainland started.

On returning to the hotel, we had our lunch and after a bit of lazing ventured out to the beach to view the sunset. It was a wonderful sight to see the setting sun coloring the sea water with all its hues….

GANDHI MANDAPAM

 Thereafter, we visited the Gandhi Mandapam – one of the places where Gandhiji’s ashes had been immersed and a temple built in the memory. This temple has been built in such a way that the sun rays enter and fall on the Samadhi of Gandhiji at 12 noon on every 2^nd October!

Thereafter, we strolled the lanes and bylanes of Kanyakumari, made our booking for the next day sightseeing tour, had our dinner and while returning got to see a dance performance of the local people to usher in the New Year!

SUCHINDRAM TEMPLE

On the New Year day, our first visit was the Suchindram temple. This 9^th century temple built by the Pandyas is famous for its murals. It also gained prominence during the reign of the Nayaks and the kings of Travancore. It is believed that Lord Indra who had been cursed prayed to Lord Shiva here seeking redemption. Shiva pleased with the prayers blessed Indra making him clean – “suchi.”

The verandah of this temple is quite beautiful and there are seven musical pillars which sound the seven musical notes on being struck. There is a very tall Hanuman idol. Other gods and goddesses are also worshipped here and the Navagraha idols can be seen on the ceiling at the entrance. The stories of the Ramayana and Mahabharata are also engraved in the temple.

According to mythology, Rishi Atri used to live there with his wife, Anasua and Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva had arrived here to examine the dedication of Anasua towards her husband.

Also, Shiva was to embark on his journey to marry at Kanyakumari from Suchindram and he had to reach there before dawn. But suddenly a cock crowed in the midst of night and thinking it was already morning Shiva ventured no further. Consequently, the goddess remains “Kumari” till this day. In this temple Shiva is worshipped alongwith Vishnu and Brahma.

PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE

Next was the Padmanabhapuram Palaceof the state of Travancore. It was built at a strategic location close to the rugged hills of the Western Ghats which acted as the natural barriers and protected the palace and the settlements. Also easy availability of water and fertile farmlands came as a bonus! The wooden palace complex is one of its kind and is an exhibition of intricate woodwork.

The palace was a stronghold of the Venad rulers and a huge army was maintained here to provide protection against the Nayak rulers of Madurai. But most of the structures seen today have either been newly constructed or renovated by Marthanda Verma and he dedicated the palace to Sree Padmanabha Swamy – the deity of the royal family. Later it was considered as the royal abode and treasury.

This palace complex is a work of art and is almost a museum complex. The main gateway – Poomukhamalika – itself is an example.

 

The palace has two gateways – the mukhya vathil and padippura. The intricate carvings on the gateway are a teaser to the actual grandeur to be seen inside. The huge doors are mounted with metal spikes. The main entrance led to a forecourt which was the happening place in old times. This was the place where wrestlers fought for royal entertainment. Also, special cages were designed here and animal fights were conducted for the king’s amusement.

This is the Mantrashala – the audience chamber where the kings held important meetings with the ministers. The ornamental chairs used by the king and his ministers stand under a false wooden ceiling and the panels of the ceiling have carving of lotus motifs and a Gajalakshmi (Goddess of prosperity). The king used to sit beneath the Gajalakshmi panel.

 

The circular and bevelled roof stands on wooden pillars. The significance of this zone is a huge bay window having a charupadi with louvers horizontally fixed and serpentine brackets. The wooden seating of this window extends both to the left and right. And the delicate filigree work beneath the charupadi is an exquisite work of art. The air that came in through the filigree band kept the place cool and with divine fragrance.

The chairs of the Mantrashala were so inviting – ornate, spacious and at the same time comfy. It is believed that the floor of the mantrashala was built from a mixture of burnt coconut shells, sand, plant, lime and green coconut water.

 

The size of the kitchen – adukala – spoke of the number of persons it accommodated.

The intricate artwork of the bedstead of the royal beds was not to be missed!

This bed was made from 64 kinds of timber which had medicinal properties and is known as Sapramanchakattil.

 

The old paintings on the walls of this palace are a treasure and it took us quite a while to see all the pictures and the intricate woodwork.

 

It was almost noon by the time we had finished viewing all the pictures.

Then we went to visit the museum of this palace. The aesthetically designed museum is on the south side of the forecourt. The structure of the museum totally matches with the ancient heritage structure of the palace.

 

THE PALACE MUSEUM - PADMANABHAPURAM PALACE, KANYAKUMARI

The palace complex with the natural scenic beauty around providing the perfect backdrop will definitely leave a lasting impression on every visitor.

 

MATHOOR HANGING BRIDGE

Our next stop was the Mathoor Hanging Bridge – the longest and tallest trough bridge of Asia, located 60 km from Kanyakumari.

 

The bridge, built in 1966, is 1 km long and 115 feet in height. It lies across the Parazhiyar river at Mathoor.

 

The trough canal – the Pattanamkal canal – is useful for carrying water for irrigating fields from one side of the hill to another side.

 

The canal is held upright by 28 pillars and is a unique drought relief measure. It is instrumental for agricultural development of Kalkulam and Vilavancode taluks.

 

A staircase has been built here right from the top to the bottom. Also, bathing platforms and a children’s park has been constructed to add to the attraction of the place.

 

The breathtaking scenic beauty and the peaceful atmosphere beckon people to this place. This utility measure has doubled up as a sightseeing place with the tranquil environs and clean air. The lush green landscapes will be a relief to your city-bred eyes.

NAGRAJ MANDIR

Lastly, we visited the Nagraj Mandir where the Nagdevata is worshipped. The entrance to this temple is like a pagoda. Nagraj is seated on a silver throne in the main temple. There are temples of various other gods and goddesses here including those of Vishnu and Shiva.

Now it was time for our return journey. On returning to Kanyakumari town, we went to visit the Kanyakumari temple.

KANYAKUMARI

Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian mainland, it is 20 km from Nagercoil town and 90 km from Thiruvananthapuram city. This place got its name from the goddess Kanya Kumari. It is also called the Cape Comorin.

The Chola dynasty ruled over this place for long and it has been a centre for culture and pilgrimage. Also the sunsets and sunrises from this coastal city require a special mention.

According to mythology, Parvati blessed by Brahma was reborn as Kumari Kanya to kill Banasura. Banasura had defeated all the Gods and had become the master of Trilok and had become invincible. Indra was instructed by Vishnu to perform a yajna and Kumari Kanya was born from the fire of this yajna. The Kanya had to remain unwed to defeat Banasura. And the Gods connived so that the Kanya remained a kumari. The Kanya had to get married before dawn. Shiva was on his way to marry the Kanya but was tricked when he heard the cock crow and stopped at Suchindram. And the Kanya remained a kumari.

The idol of Kanyakumari is very beautiful standing on a granite slab. We visited the temple in the evening and it was really crowded. We had to stand in a queue to offer puja. The goddess dresses like a kumari girl in the morning and as a to-be-married lady at nighttime. After offering puja and seeking blessings, we returned to our hotel. Our tour had come to an end and we woke up early next morning to board the Kanyakumari Express to return to Kolkata.