Adios Kumbakonam

"Boom" I hear a cracker burst, beyond that I hear a dog howl and a child wail (am sure they were scared of the sound). Next door, a man in a worn out lungi sits with his legs stretched out. Probably home for lunch and resting his feet a bit. Few door away 2 girls are playing hop scotch with n old frail woman watching them from the verandah. The minute they hear the horn of the bus, they stop playing and wave.. I wave back at them and they grin, from ear to ear..

Oh,look there's a man sculpting a shivalinga idol, knocking on the stone over and over again till it breaks away. A lily pond with nothing but bright green moss covering its surface

A bus drives past, nearly brushing past my window jolting me out of my revere. The bus winds through the roads, honking at other trucks and cars ahead. Celine dione sings "beauty & the beast" - feels like she is talking about what am feeling now- leaving the beauty of the small town heading back to the big bad world called city life.

It has been 2days of sheer bliss, not just the sights and sounds, but being able to spend time with myself.. I am in a new town, a place I have been wanting to visit, but just dint seem to happen.. I guess it was "Time" or "destiny". And now am heading back, not sad, well little sad,but with the smile I had as I hopped on the bus on saturday morning in Chennai .

A loudspeaker plays a tamil movie song as the bus moves along.. 2men walk pushing a motorbike along...cool breeze sweeps my face...

I arrive in Kumbakonam

After a long journey, a bus ride of nearly 10hours i have finally arrived. This is a destination that has been on my radar for over 3yrs and looks like the time has finally come. Today, i woke up with an itch so heavy that i turned on my laptop and started looking for Bus tickets on Redbus.in even before i had my morning cup of coffee. I knew i wanted to get away, and i knew it had to be either Pondicherry  or Tanjore side. There were no buses available to Pondicherry and so i started looking for Tanjore, alas, none there. And then it struck me, i could check for Kumbakonam and voila, i found the one last ticket. But wait, it was for 10.15am, and the time was already 8am. Could i make it? Was i being foolhardy? I put aside my crazy thoughts and went ahead with the booking. Booked both onward and return and then went and told the family. They were flumoxed, usually i give announcements days in advance. 

Anyways, in their true style, grandparents started offering suggestions of places to see, while mom and dad asked me to be careful, and have fun. Mom's added advice "dont tire yourself out, you come back and are exhausted usually".. haha... 

So, here i am, sitting in the hotel room, typing this post. Just had a good cup of hot Kumbakonam Filter kaapi and ready for some dinner. I havent had a morsel to eat all day [ if you overlook the packet of biscuit and juice i guzzled down], but heck, 10hours and just that? you feel bad for me, right? 

Alrighty, time to sign off and head out..

You can follow my travel tales on Twitter , or check #traveltales :-) 

Pondicherry - Everytime is the 1st time!

Uncle: Can we go to Pondicherry tomorrow? Just a day trip?

Me and my Sis: Sure thing, it can be done

Grandpa: But, we havent asked the driver to come in early

Gramma: You can go day after, plan the trip, we'll make some lunch, and you can go

Uncle: No ma, we'll go tomorrow, no worries

Me and my sis: Yep, we are cool with it.. We can head over to Koyembedu CMBT, hop on a bus and head out and be back by night

Uncle: Ummm, can we make sure it is an AC bus?

Me and my sis : Ya ya.. whatever!! :D

We head out around 5.30, so we can make the most of the day and get back before it gets too late!

Granparents and mom nodded their head and smiled [ they probably thought these kids will talk big, but wont get up and go through with the plan]

And thus began the most recent trip to Pondicherry [ it has been a year, mind you]

It was 5am, and we were up... the 3 of us had actually woken up, had coffee, showered, and packed for the day. None at home could believe it...  Dont remember how, but we reached the bus stand around 5.30am and were walking around trying to find an AC bus heading towards Pondicherry... 

The day flew by, the journey was fun, with us yapping over the things we had done in the past..We were surprised that our uncle dint get lured by all our rants, and remained focussed.. he wanted to buy some ceramic pots and bowls from the stores there.. and he did!!

May in Chennai is always Hot, and Pondy was no different.. It was scorching, but thanks to my friend V, we got a cab that took us to Auroville, where we spent quite a bit of time wandering the grounds, watching the video on Matri Mandir, and ofcourse shopping, eating drinking in the complex within Auroville center. its a good thing the stores were all in one place, else we would have been exhausted. 

Adventure began when we were heading back to the Pondy bus stand to grab seats on a bus bound to Chennai.. Many came, but they were all so crowded, uncle was starting to panic and freak out.. Lets wait, lets wait.... we waited for an hour before my sis and i kinda decided for him - No use waiting, we just have to fight it out, grab a seat and that's that! He dint like it one bit, but went along since no AC buses seem to make an entry. We travelled by Non AC bus, reached chennai around 9pm, and got home... 

Gramma: So, how was the day?

Uncle: It was good.. All but the return journey... we dint get an AC bus, and it was quite a ride...

Me and my sis : Chuckles!! Yes i am sure K had one hellova experience and wont ever travel with us

Uncle: Are you kidding me? no way, it was fun travelling with you girls... :-) [hugs]

Every visit of mine to Pondy has been different and unique. It is like i am travelling there for the 1st time! The person i am travelling with is different, the things i do are different, the kind of experience is different..

Well, my uncle is coming for a visit in a few weeks and i wonder if there will be a trip like this... :-) Until then, adios!!

The Dargah ...

"Are you journalists?" 
"In which paper do you write"
'You are both travelling alone?"
were some questions that sparked off conversations, helping us kill time, making the bus journey enjoyable. 

We were back on the bus and on the road after a brief stop in Chidambaram for about an hour, just enough time to check into the hotel near the bus stand and grab a quick lunch. 


'How much further to Nagore?" i asked the man in the seat ahead of ours.
 "Another 10 mins maximum.. you are going to the Dargah?" he replied.
"Yes, sir." we replied in unison. 


Though Nagore and the Dargah had not been in our initial plan, since we were heading down that road, we decided to make a quick stop here. This was the 2nd time S and i were doing one of our up and go weekend backpacking trips... 

Destination - unknown [ we had zeroed in on Chidambaram to be our base and thought we shall wander around there... maybe as far as Veilankanni church...]

Duration of trip - 2 short days  

Agenda- None :) 

Travellers- 2 absolutely excited souls... me and S 

I was telling S -"My grandparents have been here... apparently people from all religions are welcome here and they visit here- not just for a prayer, but consider the Dargah to have special powers"  when the bus drew to a sudden halt.  Bidding good bye to our fellow passengers we spotted the colorful walls of the Dargah ahead of us just as we stepped of the bus.

A small elephant stood near the entrance blessing visitors. it had a crescent and a star on the forehead and looked no bigger than a baby.

As we walked into the  long corridor leading to the Dargah, rows of brightly lit shops caught our eye on either side of the walk way. filled with little knick knacks, toys, garlands, souvenir from the Dargah. it was quite a sight. 

Nagore One of the popular pilgrimage centres for Muslims in Tamil Nadu is the Dargah at Nagore. The tomb is more than 500 years old. It has a golden dome, flanked by five minarets. It also has a tank called Peer Kulam, which is believed to have waters with curative properties. The Kandhoori festival of the Saint, during the Islamic month of Jumad Thani (Jumad Akhir) is an important festival celebrated by people of all religions.

Situated 4 kms north of Nagapattinam, Nagore is home to the famous Dargah of Sufi Saint Hazrath Syed Shahul Hameed Quadir Wali 

Entering the Dargah, a man came towards us, and asked us to leave our bags near the door and follow him inside. Noticing the apprehension in our faces, he showed us an ID card saying he was an authorized personnel from the Dargah. guided us to a room just outside the main prayer room, and offered us a few packets and asked us to make a donation, minimum of Rs100... We were taken aback, and realized here was another way of making us part with our money... Managed to convince him we were students and offered a smaller sum and rushed to head out of the place... 

Looking for a place to pick up some water from, we looked forward to other adventures that awaited us that day.. 


photographs:
1st one taken on my N95 8GB phone
others on my canon camera[film camera :)]

The Queen bath in Hampi

During my last day at Hampi, i wanted to visit the infamous "Royal Enclosures". As i stepped out of the car, all i saw a towering structure and scaffolding everywhere. Climbed on the small outer wall, and made my way into the campus. The sight that greeted me was overwhelming. 

It was the size of a football ground where the whole world could fit in. There were structures scattered through, some in good condition, while many were in ruins.Watching the scores of tourists rush in, make their way towards a structure towards the end , i too joined them and walked along, taking it all in.

 The stone gate structure that lay outside the Royal Enclosure

Crossing the Mahanavmi Dibba, (a 8-tiered platform where state functions and festivities were held) i came upon a long stone structure that was part of the irrigation system in Hampi.

This elevated channel  is meant for feeding water to the tank and is made of stone pieces 8 to 10 feet each joined by vertical props, also made of stone.. Curiosity got the better of me, and i went to the other side to the "Pushkarni"... 

Also called the Stepped Bath, or the Queen's bath, this is a stepped well designed for bathing. The water flows in through the stone channel into this tank.

Although i had seen a similar structure near the Vittala temple in Hampi and in Dwarasamudra- The Hulikere, this Pushkarni was just as fascinating. Giving us a glimpse of how Royal the lives of the Kings and Queens were, and the creativity and craftsmanship of the artisans, the temple tank still stands tall drowning us in its beauty....

One of the architecture marvels, the neatly arranged row of steps added to the beauty of the well.. We sat there for a while, till the Sun beat down on us forcing us to get back to the car and turn on the AC....

[Mosaic Monday] Burst of colours

Today, while going through my google reader, came upon a blog post titled Mosaic Monday, looked interesting and so decided to take it up and do a post of my own!!

Over the past few months, the roads have taken me in many different directions, the most memorable being the one to Madurai and Rameswaram... Madurai has many memories from my childhood days, while Rameswaram had been on my "Must visit" list for over 2yrs now!!

The temples, the beach, the place -Beautiful experience!! 

The other vacation i took was most recent, absolutely inexpensive, but most fun!! It was to my uncle's Coffee plantations in Biccode... A comfortable bus journey from Bangalore to Belur, and then a 4 wheel drive into the plantations..All we did was walk amidst tall trees, look for the elusive birds, and capture some interesting flowers and sights....

Click here for more Mosaic Monday posts!!

Shots and spots

Just when i thought i should blog more, Blogadda has come up with a Travel Photos contest with Pringoo.Travel and photography are 2 things i adore, and cant get enough of. So, without wasting time i decided to sift through my computer, Picasa, and other albums, picking out the 5 best travel shots taken during my escapes!! 

 A traveler without observation is a bird without wings.” – Moslih Eddin Saadi

The Vidhyashankar temple in Sringeri [one of the Mutts established by Sri Adishankara]. A temple that is an architecture marvel, and so beautiful that words fail to do justice. Every visit to Sringeri, i make it a point to spend some time in this beautiful temple. This temple combines the Hoysala and Dravida architectural  styles. There are six entrances into the temple. The twelve pillars in the mandapam [Raasi pillars] are arranged  in such a manner thathe sun's rays falls on each of them, in the same order as the solar months.

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"That is a lovely shot", Arun chimed as i showed him the picture right after clicking it. I took this picture, just outside the resort we stayed at in Bikode on a misty morning through the window of our Van. A lone tree that stood tall, facing the harsh winds and birds that came to make a home in it!! This was during the Hoysala trail last May, from Travelwise, led by Lakshmi and Arun.

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Hop skip jump, each step took us closer the clear waters, and gushing waves and beautiful open skies... Pathway to heaven, almost.. these steps took us straight to the beach.. The day we spent at Mahabalipuram, doing nothing, walking on the beach, laughing, playing cards, driving around is one day that i shall sure remember for a long time to come!! Though i've been to Mahabs many times earlier,this was the 1st time i stayed over- Good fun it was!

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The Bannerghatta Butterfly Park was truly a sight for sore eyes, and a dream come true for me! Watching the butterflies fly about, their colours filled my eyes. I kept moving the camera willing for them to sit still so i can take a shot, alas, they were restless creatures alright. So many varieties, so many colours, the Butterflies represent the true meaning of Freedom to me!! As we strolled inside the Bannerghatta Butterfly park conservatory, time flew, everything else was lost but me and the beautiful butterflies...

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Walking along the road towards my room, i spotted this beautiful couple, "Together even in the wild", i thought to myself!! Am sure someone had placed the tattered idol on the wall or someone had left it there... So many questions filled my head, but i was in AWE, which overtook everything else. In the cold Ooty, on a road that led to practically nowhere, this couple had managed to capture my heart!!

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There are more roads that i must walk on... more sights to see and more memories to collect!!For now, adios!!

Holy Trails...

 

A boat jetty while on the train

After the wonderful weekend trip it was time for a family outing.. Spent less than 24hours in Chennai before i was off on the train to Mangalore, to head towards Sringeri.[one of the 4 Mutts established by Adi Shankaracharya]. We are all followers of this Mutt and my grandparents make couple of trips during the year. Me - well, i go once in a while!! :)

 

The Main Sharadambal temple

My cousin's poonal [ Holy thread ceremony] was slated for 4th June, so we booked tickets for the 2nd June!! I was travelling with my parents after ages, felt nice... :) Packed 3sarees[yes, here we wear only sarees, atleast around the temple campuses] , 2 salwars, other essentials, and i was set!!

On the steps of River Tunga..

 The train journey was very nice... esp while we were going past Kerala.. The back waters, West coast, the ocean waves lapping against the shore, fishermen on their small boats, absolutely scenic and breath taking...

 

Elephants during evening snack

We reached Mangalore around 9.30am on 3rd, hopped into the cab waiting for us and headed towards Sringeri. The route is scenic, Ghats are beautiful and there is something mystical about them. if you were look out the window, you can see River Tunga flowing peacefully down below [except during the monsoons, where she rages on]... Takes about 2.5 hours to reach Sringeri, and by the time we checked into our room it was 12.45pm...!! Normally, we halt at Hotel Sreenivas for breakfast, but since we had already had some on the train, we rode along...

 

Vidhyashankar temple

Sringeri is one such place where people come for religious purposes, to admire the architecture, worship Gods and Goddesses or as a tourist spot.. Early on, there wasnt so much of Tourist crowd that used to throng the place, but now that crowd is enough to put me off!! eeks... people crawling all over the place, noisy and dirty!! hehehe..

The stone idol of Adi shankara in the garden

A place i've been familiar with for over 15yrs is where am most comfortable wandering about in. No worries of getting lost, or running into dead ends. Priest, admin office staff and even security guards know me quite well [ thanks to grandparents frequency and having known me since i was in my teens]

 

The Bridge with uncle waving n aunts following close at heel

The main temples to visit here are all within the campus-

Sharadambal temple

Adi shankara temple- which is being renovated

Sri Vidhya shankar temple- part of the Heritage sites - a must see for its rich architecture...

Thorana Ganpathi- a small ganapathi fixed on the threshold

Malayala Brahma

Sri Balasubrahmanya - Murguan temple right on the banks of the river TIunga

Sri Chandramouleeswara

Sri Malahanikareswara- Shiv who resides on top of the mountain..

And then when we cross the bridge over the River Tunga flowing through the Mutt, we come to the Narasimha vanam, where The Sringeri Swamiji resides and does Pooja daily.. the place where we go to take his blessings or be a part of the pooja is the newly built haven called Guru Bhavanam ... Beyond it is where Elephants [2 of them], horses[ right now there are 3], Gosala[ home for cows] and deers run about...

Walking across the bridge, watching the moon light up the sky, crickets and other bugs singing aloud, its a mystical feeling going for the Pooja... Sitting in that massive hall, watching Swamigal do pooja to the Chandramouleeswara Linga and Ganapathi, i realised we stop worrying about the daily aspects of our life and are totally immersed in the Pooja...

A place of tranquility where one can simply sit still for hours is how Sringeri feels to me... Yes, i do make a quick visit to all the temples, say Hello to all the Gods and Goddesses, but the best part if the serenity... this is Spirituality according to me!! :)

Evening sky pver River Tunga..

In the evening, i stand on the bridge, looking up at the sky or at the fish fluttering about in the river, feeding on the puffed rice or generally swimming about...

Vyasar Mandapam on the other side of the river

 

Today, the place looks very diff from what it did couple of years ago.. Construction going on everywhere, renovations happening here and there.. The main entrance used to be a beautiful archway, today it is a bundle of concrete debris.. there is a huge 127ft tall Gopuram which is being constructed there...

Best way to travel is to take a train from Chennai to Mangalore, and then a cab/bus to Sringeri.. You have trains at 11.30am daily ,and 5pm[on certain days]

 

Mom n dad ,. as we waited for His Holiness to make an entry

In case you are coming from Blore, then direct buses ply almost every day. Its about 7hrs from Blore ...