Teej Festival in Jaipur

It is nearly monsoon up north and that is what brought on this post. 

It was Aug 2013 and I was doing some reading about the places to visit in Jaipur when I stumbled upon a bit of information. It actually had me all excited and within minutes I shared the same with the friend who was travelling with me. The day we were landing in Jaipur was when Teej festival began. This is a festival that was celebrated across two days and was known to be grand and vibrant. The internet told me there would be music, procession, dancing, and the Goddess Parvathi would be brought in a palanquin. 

The Teej festival happens as the monsoon begins in Rajasthan.  Dedicated to Goddess Parvati, this festival is all about reuniting her with her husband Lord Shiva. An elaborate process began near the palace grounds inside one of the lanes along the Hawa Mahal area. We were told it begins at 5 and to find a place to sit/stand to view the procession. Friend and I spent about an hour inside the campus where all were getting ready. There was one elephant standing there all decked up, with lions and deer painted around its eyes and legs. It looked very cute. And out of nowhere another herd of elephants marched in, much to my dismay. The mahoots got busy throwing a sheet and then few other adornments over these gentle giants. Alongside came a few camels and horses as well. In another corner I noticed there were a group of women dressed in finery in black colour, and a few men with music instruments in their hands. 

 After spending some time watching, clicking and talking to the people around here, we finally made our way to the main road in search of a vantage point to view the procession in. We saw a few sitting on top, and asked the cop how to get there. He deliberated for a few minutes and then guided us up the steps. There were a row of chairs filled with Foreign tourists an their guides. We grabbed two seats and got comfortable waiting for the festivities to begin. Every now and then there would be a sudden bout of drizzles. 

Within an hour, we spotted the Elephants coming out from the gates. They looked grand and beautiful. Following them came the dancers, there were few other performers, groups of men carrying a tall pole with a decorative piece atop balanced on one hand. Then finally came the palanquin holding the Goddess Parvathy. It had a beautiful red canopy and was pulled by a few men dressed in finery. Some looked up at us and posed for photographs, while others went along... 

During this festival, married women all around pray to Lord Shiva and Parvathi blessing them for a long life together.  It is said that the Goddess Parvathi has been away from her husband for a long time and is finally going back. Any wish/prayer made on this day is known to come true! 

The sweet stories along the lanes were filled with their traditional sweet Ghevar [made with oil & flour where the batter is poured through a hole in bottle cap and then sugar syrup is poured over it]. Clothe stores were showing off the beautiful lahariya sarees [ multi coloured with wave prints] and women all around were dressed in bright colours with bangles and mehndi on their hands.  

The evening ended only after the palanquin turned around the corner down the road. 

Kalady- The birthplace of Adi Sankaracharya

It was my friend's birthday and I had decided to lane there as a surprise. Her husband knew of my plans, but she did not. That eventful morning I landed in Kochi, it was pouring. I reached the entry gate and waited for my friend's husband to come pick me up [ navy area, so he had to come with a pass to allow me entry]. There I stood nearly drenched with my bags as he pulled in near the small passage. Hopped into the car and got a quick update that my friend was fairly mad and pissed off with him. Why? She had wanted to visit Kalady temple that morning but he kept putting it off saying he shall take them that afternoon. She had huffed off to the shower while he left for "work" aka to pick me up. 

I got home, was greeted by their kids who upon seeing me began screeching with excitement. Took all my might to get them calmed down. The little one was unable to zip her lips, she went running screaming "ma, look who's here, look who has come.. come out fast...".. hahaha... It was nearly half an hour before my friend stepped out of the room, all dressed up and muttering under her breath about how her husband couldn't fulfil her wish even on this special day. She turned into the living room, saw me and stood still zapped. Phew!!What a memorable moment that was.. :-) Once she was convinced I was really there, she couldnt stop screeching, told everyone who called about my surprise visit and then we got to making a quick lunch. 

Around 2pm, we were all piled into the car and on our way to Kalady, a place I had been wanting to visit forever but yet to. My grandparents, mom dad, uncle etc had all visited the place. And finally, it was happening. Kalady incidentally is just about 6kms from Nedumbassery Airport and the nearest station is 10kms away-Angamali railway station. Infact, we had to cross the airport and go down the road to reach Kalady. 

It was a fairly small village town that was nearly silent when wee reached there. We pulled into the parking lot near the temple and made our way to the temple. I noticed there were 2 temple complexes, one straight ahead and other on the right side. Friend told me the way to the river was between the two. Apparently there were steps leading to the river from the temple, but it had been sealed shut few years ago. 

We had to cross a small bridge of sorts to get into the temple, in the pond below were quite a few fish and turtles that had the kids excited. There was one shrine dedicated to Adi Shankaracharya as Dakshinamoorthi and the other is dedicated to Goddess Sharada. the temple is maintained by the Sringeri Mutt. 

On the left hand side, near the temple entrance is a black pole, which is said to be the exact place where Adi Sankaracharya was born. There is also another spot called "Brindavan", where Shankaracharya's mother Aryamba was cremated. There is a light that burns day and night here in the lamp within the box. 

The river here is referred to the "Crocodile Ghat". This is the place where the young Shankaracharya once got caught by a crocodile. Legend has it that his mother was dead against his taking Sanyasa and so went into the river and refusedd to come out till she agreed. This is when a crocodile got hold of him and would not let go. Once the mother gave him permission to take up Sanyas, the crocodile let go of his leg.   There is also a large hall in the temple where homams and small functions are held where the ceiling is lined with the entire story of Adi shankaracharya in image format. The paint was wearing off, letters fading away, we wished someone would maintain this better. 

As you walk to land from the river, on the left you will see the Shri Krishna temple, the family temple. Built in true Kerala style, this temple was beautiful. But because of the rains, we beat a hasty retreat to the car, had a quick hot cup of tea and headed back on the road towards Kochi. 

Legendary beginnings [Source: Wikipedia]

Legend holds that one day, the widowed mother of Little Sankara, Aryamba, fainted after walking three kilometers for her daily bath in the Periyar then known as Purna river. Feeling helpless, Little Sankara prayed to Lord Krishna. The tears of the child moved Krishna, who blessed him thus: "the river will flow where your little feet marks (കാലടി വരയുന്നിട്ത്തു നദി ഗതി ആവും). The Purna river took its new course in the place marked by the little boy's feet. That place came to be called Kalady.

The Purna river began flowing through Little Sankara's home garden. Sankara then installed Lord Krishna into the present temple, and marked the occasion by reciting his famous Ätchutha Ashtakam.

Thus 'Kalady' signifies the love of an innocent child for his beloved mother and the blessings of Lord Krishna[citation needed].

Relishing the Challenge- Braving the storm

During a recent movie meet with friends, we were talking about going on a road trip to Goa. Then came the discussion of when is a good time to hit Goa, post rains, before new years, etc etc. And before we knew it, each of us was sharing an interesting incident from our travels to various corners of the country. The most exciting was from Karan. An IT boy, he has been in Chennai for a while now and loves driving around on his bike, his pride & joy.  I share his experience here. 

I was in Kerala, at home for a few days. And true to Kerala, it kept drizzling constantly. It was Friday evening and I was bored of sitting at home.  I wanted to just up and go somewhere but none would come alone using the rains as an excuse. D'uh!! On saturday morning, I woke up, had chaiya [tea in malayalam], put on my jacket and just took off on my bike. As I hit the road, the drizzles began and pretty soon it was pouring cats and dogs. I had no clues where I was headed, but I dint want to stop, I dint want to come back to an empty house. There were quite a few mountains and green fields around, luckily I knew my way around this part of the country. I kept riding and the rains got heavier. 

Along with the downpour, mist started settling in to a near zero visibility. I paused for a moment, wondered if maybe I should not be so foolhardy and just return home. But then, some craziness kicked in and I just kept riding it out.  The 1st break I took was an hour later. I was drenched to the bone, but there was such a big grin on my face. Feeling the wind and rain on my face, I experience excitement like never before. I stopped at a road side tea shop for a cup of tea and something hot to eat. There were a couple of elderly men sitting there sipping chaiya, who looked at me like I had lost my mind. One man asked me if I was from out of town and another commented "youngsters these days, no care for life, look at him". I was tempted to ask them what was the most crazy thing they had ever done. But then decided against it. Paid for what I had and got back on the road, this time heading back home. The two hours was exhilarating, giving me a sense of "freedom". 

No sooner had I parked the bike, mom came scolding me for going out in the rain. My mind was already cooking up plans for a longer drive, maybe to Kochi or Nagercoil the next weekend. Talk about Relishing the Challenge and living life to the full.... 

Bhoothathan Kettu Dam, built by the Bhoothams

Every journey we embark on has its share of surprises and adventures. This trip of mine to Kochi was no less. It was Saturday and i was busy shuttling between calls making plans to visit the Salim Ali Bird sanctuary in Thattekadu on Sunday. Vishesh, a friend of mine was coincidentally in Kochi and he mentioned another friend Binny, who was from Kochi was interested in the trip. 

There we were, standing on the banks of River Poovar when a sudden splash of water broke our reverie. There were giant fish playing around in the water, enjoying the feast of peanuts a bunch of kids were throwing at them. It was almost like a cue for us, time to leave Thattekadu and head back towards Kochi.

After a brief stop at a roadside Tea shop, we piled into the car, reminising of the birds we had sighted and how calm the place had been. Our Driver Bobby [yes, that is his name] asked if we would like to make another quick stop at "  Bhoothathan Kettu Dam". Neither Vishesh nor i had any clues of this place, but we nodded yes, especially Bobby mentioned it was only a short detour and a place worth a visit.

 

 

The place is about 10 kms from Kothamangalam town and about 50 kms from Cochin. Along the drive, our driver started giving us a brief introduction to the Dam. . It is called Bhoothathan Kettu and there is a legend that says it was built by the demons. There is a tale that goes with the Dam, though not many are sure it is what really happened. But, the small makeshift temple of sorts made with boulders on one end of the  Dam proves otherwise. We finally reached the village of Pindimana where the Dam is located.

The car pulled into the parking lot and we got out, carrying our camera, phone and water bottle towards the majestic entrance of the Dam. [It is more like a bridge with the dam on one side]. A step onto the path and we could feel the fury beneath our feet. The entire road shook against the water rushing beneath it. We quickly ran to one side of the Dam where the gates were located and saw what looked like a mini version of the Niagara Falls rushing down. We could feel the cool water on our faces and held on to the railing, for fear of slipping over the small wall. As we walked along each of the sections, the water flowing out of the gates seemed like a bunch of school kids running out of the gates once the school bell rings [a sense of madness].

Wow! What a feeling it was standing there.

The entire bridge was built beautifully, very neat, and lined with fancy looking light fittings. As we crossed the path to the other side, the water flowing out looked like it could kill [force was too high], and then within minutes it mixed with the river and calmed down. We stood there staring at the water for nearly an hour, walking from gate to gate, and catching a glimpse of what seemed like a gazillion tone of water.

The Legend..

Apparently, the natural dam like structure was entirely built by Bhoothams (Spirits, Ghosts, Demons).It is said that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi lived here. One day Shiva went into the forest to meditate saying he will return in a month, but he dint return even after 3months. When Parvathi went enquring, she was told that he was in the forest having an affair with Ganges. Getting angry, Parvathi decided take revenge against Ganges. She is said to have called on the Bhoothas requesting them to build a dam across the big river. This would change the direction of the river sweeping with it Ganga's village, Trikkariyoor. Since the Bhoothas were scared of Shiva and yet dint want to anger Parvathi, they started building the dam [with the one condition that they will build only till dawn breaks]

Shiva came to know of Parvathi's plot and decided to take matters into his own hands. He took the form of a Rooster and cock a doodle doo's announcing that Dawn had arrived. The Bhoothas instantly dropped the boulders and disappeared from the scene, leaving the dam unfinished. The people are said to have complete the dam thereon. Infact, we did notice the rougly piled on group of boulders on one end of the bridge as we walked back to the car. 

As we got back on the road towards Kochi, i could still hear the water flowing out through the gates and wondered if the Demons were still hovering over the Dam!

Amidst the Pink walls of Jaipur

It was hot, and no, it was not summer. It was October, and it was hot.. Yes i know i said it before, but i want you to understand how hot it really was. We had just arrived at Jaipur and all we could think off was "where can i get some cold water, or maybe an ice cream.. Damn, its hot". We were 4 of us, actually 5, if you count the nincompoop we had for a driver, a young brat who was supposed to be driving us around, but who ended up putting his legs up [no, i kid you not] on the dashboard and going off to sleep, with the car parked in the middle of nowhere. When one of us woke up from our slumber, we would notice this, ask him to move and then the stranger who became a friend would take over the steering wheel.

Us: Kya hua bhaiiya? [what happened brother]

Him: Kuch nahin madam, bas tired hoon, neend aa rahi hain [Nothing happened ma'am, just tired and feeling sleepy] aap so jao [ you go back to sleep]

Us: Arre, aise kaise? Aap ko humein bhatana chahiye na.. accident ho jaati tho [ OMG, how can you say that? you should have told us right, what if we had met with an accident or something?]

Him: Nahin madam, kuch nahin hoga, mein ek ghanta rest letha hoon, phir vapas hum nikhlenge [ nothing of that sort will happen ma'am. i'll sleep for an hour and then we will be back on the road]

Us: Nahin nahin, says R .. aap ithar aao, sojao, mein ghadi chalatha hoon [ Nothing doing says R, you move over and sleep in my seat, i shall drive] 

And from Delhi, it seemed like a long drive, maybe cos we were all exhausted already- I had landed in Delhi that evening, the others, well 2 of them - 1 had landed that noon from Bombay and the other around same time from Bangalore. We had attended a party, where we drank, sang, made a fool of ourselves, got Mehndi done, danced some more, laughed away to glory [having no clues why we were laughing] and then piled into a car and hit the road with the stranger/friend.. Ah, those good 'ol days...

Let me not digress anymore... We asked the driver to head straight to the Hawa Mahal, parked the car and made our way to the nearest store for some water or something cold. We discovered a Kulfi store, and each of us devoured 2 each. The guy at the store was making nearly 100 in each batch, that sold within minutes. Some had nuts, some had elaichi, while others were plain kulfi. Quite a sight to see... 

"Built in 1979 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh,, the "Palace of winds" was designed by Lal Chand Ustad in the form of the crown of Lord Krishna. The unique 5 storey exterior resembles a honeycomb  and is made up of  953 small windows called jharokhas decorated with intricate lattice work.

Entirely built of bright Pink and Red sandstone, the palace is a landmark in Jaipur, renowned for the rich architecture and style. 
 

 

We walked around the place, listening to the tales narrated by a guide to a group of foreigners, and made our way to the top, from where the entire city seemed to be visible. Time stood still until we suddenly realised the harsh evening sun was beating down on us and made our way out. 

 

The city was bustling with visitors and locals, there were construction workers busy with the repair work on one section of the Hawa Mahal. 

Skywatch Friday... History amidst nature

This was a journey we had embarked on nearly a year ago, but for some strange reason i was reminded of it today! And so, decided to unearth the photograph and share it as part of the Skywatch post!! 

We had just crossed Vandavasi when the friend who was also the guide told us we need to do a U turn and go into the village to reach our destination. We were headed towards Seeyamangalam, part of the Thellar Taluk in  Tiruvannamalai District. There were a few small houses and we spotted a crowd in front of a house. As we drove by, we noticed there had been a death, hence the crowd. Within a few meters, we spotted the temple on our left, and decided to explore the premises. 

Situated at 80kms from Chennai, Seeyamangalam is home to Stambeshwarar Temple [an avatar of Lord Shiva], After the main temple was constructed, the rulers who came in later [Chola and Vijayanagara rulers] added a few extensions- the mandapam and Gopuram. 

The temple was shut, and when we investigated, we discovered the temple would be open only after the funeral was done with[the death we saw down the road]... Knowing we had nearly an hour, we took a trip to another temple nearby -Thirumalpadi... 

We returned once the priest gave us the Green signal and spent some time wandering the interiors of the temple in Seeyamangalam. On one of the pillars inside, we were shown Shiva in the Ananda Thandava posture, which is one of the early interpretations. On the other side was a carving of Shiva Parvathi on Rishaba[bull]. The priest told us we were free to take photographs inside... 

A few steps from the main temple is a small temple atop a rock decidated to Lord Muruga. There were steps carved out of the rock, going 3/4th of the way. We decided to give it a pass after attempting the 1st few steps... The temple premises was huge, opening out to empty land and the blue skies.

 

After an hour or so, as we walked towards the car, we wondered what other stories were hidden within these walls. 

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch..

Talacauvery, where Cauvery is born

The journey to Coorg was very special, it was happening after years of dreaming and a few cancelled plans as well. We were 3 friends, one from Bangalore and us from Chennai, driving down to Coorg from Mysore. We had booked ourselves for 3 nights at a homestay- CoorgHallimane, in Kushal nagar. As we reached, we discovered the place was quaint, quiet and perfect. They have about 8 rooms in the main building and a few cottages scattered around, and we got to stay in one of those. On opening the window all we saw were mountains on one side and green fields on the other. There was also a swimming pool in the homestay with a small mushroom style fountain in the center. What fun we had playing around in it unwinding after the long drive to Coorg. 

We dint have any set agenda, but knew there were a few places we would visit for sure. Talacauvery was one of them. It is a good 4500 ft above sea level, and this the where the River Cauvery is born. It is said that the river disappears underground before surfacing again at Naga theertha near Bhagamandala.  Infact, Bhagamandala, about 8kms ahead of Talacauvery is where one witnesses the confluence of three rivers, Cauvery, Sujyothi and Kanike.  

During the drive from Madikeri, cloudy skies and mist was all we saw outside. There was the occasional light drizzle sneaking in through the window.  Drizzle turned to rains and it kept up with us through the journey. We had reached Talacauvery as rains lashed away. We braved the rain and walked on, freezing and soaked to the bone, looking for hot tea or any sign of shelter. The only thing we had were the akki rotis and chutney that the staff had insisted we carry along when we left the homestay. What a godsend it was, especially since we had been on the road long and not had a bite since morning.   

We were so glad to have chosen a Homestay in Coorg instead of a resort, as this experience was so much more homely and comfortable...   And like many destinations there are many Coorg Homestays that one is spoilt for choice..!!

 Rain did subside as we walked towards the shrine and the big tank near the Gundike, where I noticed many visitors taking a quick dip. From there, it was up another set of stairs to visit the temple of Lord Agasthyeshwara [Lord Shiva] and Lord Ganesha.

Taking shelter from the rain, we walked along the mandap surrounding the temple, when towards the end I thought I saw a flight of stairs leading to heaven. Well, that’s what I thought till my friend brought me to down to reality. Those steps were to go up Brahmagiri Hill, from where one got a panoramic view of Talacauvery and the city beyond. A lady passing by told us the story of how a special yagna was performed by the Saptha Maharishis up in the hills. Had it not been for the rain, we would have made our way up there.  What an experience this had been. On the drive back to Kushal nagar to the homestay, there was silence in the car, with all of us still lost in the beauty of Talacauvery.

[Skywatch Friday]- Where Mangroves rule the water

The journey through the green fields and empty roads took me to the place that is home to the 2nd Largest  Mangrove forest in the world.. I was at Pichavaram, about 15-16 kms ahead of Chidambaram.  It should take about 4hrs from Chennai [Chennai--Pondicherry- Pichavaram- Chidambaram]

The backwaters interconnected by the Vellar and Coleroon rivers is home to these rich green Mangroves that stretch for miles together. The water canals that run like little roads between the forests offer a hideout for birds and other creatures. To explore further, one can enjoy a boat ride that is quite popular among the tourists. if you are lucky, you might witness the fish flying out from the water, sometimes into the boat in the process.

There is a tower from where one gets a full 270degree view of the Mangrove forests and the ocean beyond as well.

Pichavaram has also been featured in quite a few movies, the most recent being the opening scene from Dasavatharam starring Kamal Hassan.

From Wikipedia-

The Pichavaram mangroves are considered among the healthiest mangrove occurrence in the world. Pichavaram consists of a number of islands interspersing a vast expanse of water covered with green trees. The area is about 2,800 acres (11 km²) and is separated from the sea by a sand bar which is a patch of extraordinary loveliness.

The Pichavaram mangrove biotope, consisting of rare species like Avicennia and Rhizophara; presents a special attraction, with its peculiar topography and environmental condition. It supports the existence of many rare varieties of economically important shell and finfishes.

The Pichavaram mangroves attract an appreciable bird population of residents, local migrants and true migrants. Amongst others, one can view birds like Watersnips, Cormorants, Egrets, Storks, Herons, Spoonbills and Pelicans. At the mangroves, so far, 177 species of birds belonging to 15 orders and 41 families have been recorded. The season for birds is from September to April every year.

[Skywatch friday] Singing the Blues

The light blue sky behind the Seeyamangalam temple near Vandavasi

[

The dark evening sky in Kerala, Kovalam

For more beautiful skies, visit Skywatch Friday

Travel in 2010

Every year i pray for Good health, progress/focus in Work, and ofcourse Travel.. 2010 was no different, as Jan 1st dawned these were the things on my "to do" list... And now, 12 months have flown by with me sailing along in various directions... 

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.” – Lao Tzu

January

The first trip i made in 2010 was to Bangalore.. A week filled with meetings and making plans for the months to come..I also managed to meet up with friends i had made in the recent past.. Bangalore, almost like my 2nd home is one city where i find something new every time i visit... 

February

Hmmm, i was once again visiting Bangalore... more for work than personal... but i did manage to sneak out time to meet friends!! 

A friend who was taking photography classes managed to lure me to Lal Bagh Gardens a beautiful saturday morning to enjoy the love showered by nature. 

Within a few days, i also visited Hebbal lake for the 1st time with Lakshmi for a spot of birding...

March

Spent the 2nd half of the Month in Bangalore, work!! The highlight of this trip was A dream of mine coming true, Thanks to a friend of mine, K... bugged him so much that he gave in, and one saturday morning we were off to the Butterfly park in Bannerghatta national park. 

What a day it was.. Not only was the park beautiful, we also spent the day visiting some other friends of his , hopping from one place to the other... :-)

April

 

Packed my bags and got back to Chennai  wondering where i was going to head next, hoping it was somewhere interesting... it was 14th April, tamil new year and i was back on the road with my uncle and aunt to Singaperumal Lakshmi narasimhar temple near Chengelpet .

May

A surprise project took me to Ooty to cover the Dog & Horse Show..A good 4day trip, i spent not only attending the shows, but wandering around exploring the town. 

Since my uncle was visiting from the USA, we also did a packed day trip to Pondicherry. Gave him a 1st hand experience of our Buses,  and i dont think he enjoyed it too much, especially the return journey where we had to battle our way through the crowds to grab a few seats.

 June

The month i was looking forward to.... I was finally going to realise another dream of mine- going to Rameswaram.. A friend of mine from pune called to say she and her family were doing a Madurai- Rameswaram trip following advice by an astrologer... Without a second thought, i jumped and the rest as they say is history...

Visiting Madurai was special as i spent the 1st few years of my life there, started School there and had fond memories.... Rameswaram was beautiful, more than i had imagined! Along with friend and her family, i did 24dips in the ocean-Samudra Snanam, enjoyed a bucketful of water from 22wells-Theertha Snanam [ each containing water from a different river source], each of them tasted different..

July

By far one of the most exciting travels was in July. Though i dint pack any bags, or book tickets, it was a day of fun and adventure ... With the help of Arvind from Poetryinstone, Lakshmi and i set out to explore a few Pallava Caves around Chennai...

1. Seeyamangalam-- Thirumalpadi
2. Kilmavilangai
3. Dalavanur
4. Mandagapattu

Driving near Gingee Fort, catching a glimpse of the towering fort, we grunted at the harsh Sun, and yet managed to enjoy the day, as if on a treasure hunt... 

Following this, we also did a small weekend trip to Bikode, a bus ride from Bangalore.. 

It was a low budget, high on birding, and nature kind of a getaway.. Stayed at our uncle's Coffee plantations, and spent hours walking around with a binocular and camera looking for birds, soaking in the gentle drizzle... We also discovered quite a few hidden temples from Hoysala Dynasty..

August

Even though work was busy, one Saturday, i up and dragged mom & gramma to the beautiful pristine Puri Jagannath Temple in ECR, just beyond the toll booth. Untouched and quiet, this temple was refreshing and a sight for sore eyes. No loud crowds, or priests who were busy trying to grab all that we carried in our wallets..

September

Ah, the month that brought my birthday along was always special.... It was 10days since my bday and i was wound up, excited and looking forward to Hampi, with Lakshmi. The 2days we spent there were magical.. 

1. Sloth bears at Daroji, sitting within a foot from them, watching them savour the sweet licks, fight with each other; 
2. Vittala Temple; 
3. The Royal Enclosures; 
4. The Queen's bath- The Pushkarni, 
5. Lotus Mahal, 
6. Birding along the River Tunga, 
7. Coracle ride to Anegund
8. The hunt for cave paintings up a hillock and
9. ofcourse the Matanga hills

Giving me a taste of what Hampi was all about, this trip has made me want to revisit this destination once again, and explore some more!

November

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill 

Diwali came and went, adrelin was rushing for there was a vacation in the offing.... 4 of us High school friends, all gals [plus a friend's almost 2yr old son] had planned a trip, a reunion of sorts.. The bookings were done, tickets were sorted out and bags were packed... It was the 1st time the 4 of us were travelling together... Destination was Kerala, 1st stop at Coir Village Resort, about 45kms from Allepey, followed by a quick trip to Varkala, Kovalam, and Trivandrum before heading back to Chennai.  

The 5 days were filled with interesting experiences, loving the Kerala waters and hospitality. As the trip drew to a close, we knew there would be one every year, for as long as possible!! 

And now, its 2011, time for me to make new plans... visit unexplored destinations.... here's to more travels for me and for you all... Have a Lovely Adventurous Year Ahead!!

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 :)]

History on the streets of Kerala

Listening to the incessant rains outside our room, the three of us lazed about, wondering if the Sun ever shone in this part of the country, and what our day was going to be like. It was the last day of our holiday, and we were in Kovalam, The Swagath Hotel.. 

After a bit of dilly dallying, we managed to get our act together, get dressed and head out towards the Padmanabaswamy Temple in Trivandrum. 

Located in the heart of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) half a km from the railway station is the 5000 year old Anantha Padmanabhaswamy Divya Desam, where the gigantic Lord Anantha Padmanabhan is seen in a Bhujanga Sayana Kolam.

As the van pulled into a lane near the temple, i noticed this water hydrant on the side walk. I had never seen one of these before in our country, and it had me curious. I asked our cab driver what it was, and what the purpose was, alas, he had no clues what it was. 

Fascinating the things you see when you are travelling.... 

Looked like it has survived quite a bit of time, the year on this thing said 1950. I wish there was someone who knew what it was and the story behind it... 

[Skywatch friday] Heaven indeed

As the sun sets, the clouds dance to the colours in the sky....

The Puri Jagannath Tempe in Chennai on ECR had us all captivated with its beauty, pristine marble, and silence that enveloped us..... 

For more beautiful skies, go to Skywatch Friday