Just a quick recap of another whirlwind South India trip (mainly Tamil Nadu). This time it was purpose driven and we had a schedule to meet.
Chennai - 22nd Jan 2021
It all started with a plan to visit Tirupati. We heard the crowds were not yet thronging the temple town and it would be a good time to get in a quick visit. We planned our trip, and not without hitches, and decided to go to Chennai and drive from Chennai. We landed in Chennai on the early evening of Jan 22nd. Roopesh, a friend’s son, came to pick us up and drove us straight to the Besant Nagar beach. 30 years ago, this was quite a deserted beach and now it was filled with hawkers and people. There we waited for Ashok his wife and daughter to catch up with us, while we went to greet the waves of the Bay of Bengal.
We walked back from the waves, with the sand in our feet, as it grew dark and settled down near a vendor, to have twisted potato on a stick (tornado potatoes). We planned our dinner as the others arrived. We headed to our dinner restaurant as we had to get to a temple after that for some temple duties too. While the others completed dinner, Ashok & I headed off to the TTD temple in Chennai to oversee the day’s closing and prep for the Saturday morning rush. After finishing up there, we headed home to get to bed early, as we had an early start the next day and a long drive to Tirupati. Meanwhile Raj and Madhuri, who were supposed to join us at Tirupati had their flight cancelled. Luckily they got an earlier one and we were back on track but that meant we would not have a leisurely drive but a quick drive to Tirupati. We arrived home, and found that the others had finished dinner and then headed off to Marina beach to have ice cream. The dream of getting to bed early, remained only a dream
Tirupati - 23rd Jan 2021
By the time we went to bed it was 1 am. We had an early start the next day, at the Chennai TTD temple overseeing the Saturday morning rush. We came back home and then headed out to Tirupati in a borrowed Innova. We had breakfast on the way, and couldn’t believe how rushed even the highway restaurants were. The road to Tirupati from Chennai hasn’t been the best, for the past 40 years, and there was no reason that would change. We had Kumbakonnam Degree Filter Coffee on the way, the same place, we had in 2018 July. It didn't taste the same. The pandemic had forced the old lady to give up the shop to a newer generation. The drive was slow, with traffic and pot holes after that. By the time we arrived at Tirupati, Raj and Madhuri were already waiting for us at the Minerva Grand there. We had a quick lunch and dropped them off at the beginning of the stairs for the long climb up to Tirumala.
I drove up along with Ashok to take the luggage up and ensure the room was sorted before the rest of the party could get there. Though we reached well in time, with the usual rush missing at the scanning below, the crowds were still not exactly non-existent. We found our room and got it cleaned. It was a huge three bedroom apartment with two large halls. Just as they finished cleaning, we got the call to pick the hikers up, as they had reached Tirumala. They made good time for people of a certain age! We got ready in the room and played some dumb charades with the kids and then it was time for dinner and bed. Early the next morning, we had our darshan. Though again the crowds weren’t the usual, they were not thin either. The governor of Telangana too decided to visit the temple that morning and our darshan was delayed. We made it out by 8:30, an hour behind schedule. While 3 of them who had a flight to catch, went their way, rushing off to the apartment and then the airport, we got our quota of laddus and headed back to Chennai.
Kanyakumari - 26th Jan 2021
On the 26th the next part of our trip started. We headed off to the airport and caught a flight to Madurai. There another friend (Subba Raogaru) graciously lent us his car, a Honda WRV, for us to go down to Kanyakumari. We headed down to Kanyakumari from Madurai airport. The drive was going to be around 4 hours, we thought. It was a good highway and just over 250 kms. But on the way, we took a detour to Paramakudi and Akkiramesi. The rains had been more than plenty this season, even in the driest parts of Tamil Nadu. The farm there was flooded.
We only spent a few minutes there before heading back out to the highway to Kanyakumari. What we didn’t realise is that the slight detour had added over a 100 kms to our trip. The farm was 102 kms from the airport and Kanyakumari was 265 kms from the farm. In the fading light we drove to Kanyakumari. On the way, we stopped at Tirunelveli, hoping to get a taste of some Tirunelveli halwa but we had no luck. We drove into Kanyakumari, as darkness fell and went straight to the beautiful, 120 acre Vivekananda Kendra. We had dinner there and went to sleep in no time. The next morning, we had to watch the sunrise at Kanyakumari. It is a very impressive sight and we really need a DSLR to capture the beauty of the moment. All I had was my old cell phone camera and I did the best I could.
Later that morning, we headed off to the TTD temple in Kanyakumari, which was built on land donated by the Vivekananda Kendra. It was inaugarated on the 27th of Jan 2019 and this was it’s second anniversary and the reason for us to be there. Built on a corner of the Kendra’s land, elevated on a high pedestal, the temple overlooks the sea and is a majestic sight to behold. To get to the temple, you can walk through the kendra, beyond the peacock sanctuary and the goshala, or take the road outside the kendra and around it. The puja overran and by the time we were done with lunch, it was close to 3 pm.
Bodi - 27th Jan 2021
We headed off to Bodi, a place on the foothills of Munnar on the Western Ghats, to visit a friend. It was a long 300 km 5 hour drive on narrow roads with heavy traffic through small towns and villages. Yet the roads of Tamil Nadu are much better than most other parts of India and the drive wasn’t too bad. We spent the night in a resort like place. The next morning, we decided to drive out to get some tea. It was still early and just past 6. The resort was not yet awake when we drove out. Within a kilometer, we came to a check post with a lot of tea stall and breakfast places. It was the beginning of the ghat road up to Munnar, 63 kms away. Funnily Munnar is around 20 kms as the crow flies but 63 kms by road. The ghat road typically takes 3 hours. We went up a little bit to see the sunrise as the road was free of traffic. There in the middle of those mountain roads, we took a U-turn and came down to have tea. We were thrilled to be so close to Munnar. We knew where our next holiday would take us.
Trichy and home - 28th Jan 2021
After breakfast, we headed off to Trichy, where were to visit Sri Rengam Temple, a 200 km drive, before I caught my flight back to Hyderabad. That day was Thai Poosam, which meant the temple timings had changed. So though we were at the temple by 12:30, it was closed. We visited with friends and then after lunch went to the temple again. I cannot even begin to explain the size of the temple town. There were around 4 gates (at least by my count) that we had to get through to get to the main gopuram. Despite the rush on the holy occasion of Thai Poosam, we came out and were told that we would head off to another temple a little outside the city. We headed out on the 35 km drive and arrived at a very very small village with a small rock hillock. Carved into the rock was a quaint little beautiful temple. The village is Malayadipatti. The priest spent over 45 mins explaining to us the significance of the temple and the area, though most of it was lost on us, as it was in chaste Tamil. Yet, we were surprised that we understood around 70%. We couldn’t spend much more time there as it was already 6 pm and my flight was at 7:30. And it was an hour drive back to the airport. With the web check in done and airport authorities alerted, we drove back, as fast as we possibly could, as I was rushed through security and into the flight, for a comfortable flight back to Hyderabad.
Another Tamil Nadu sojourn done. I have received many requests from friends, to take them along, the next time I go. My answer is always the same, you pay and I am always willing!!! :-)
