Kollam - and Punallar

Day 7 - 10th February 2019

Sea Castle Beach Homestay

Oh!  I do like to be beside the seaside, I do like to beside the sea
So, just let me be beside the seaside and I'll be beside myself with glee

Our train rolled slowly into Kollam Junction Railway Station, giving us plenty of time to get off.  Plenty of time, indeed, to take photographs of us getting off - something I wanted to do to emulate those travel documentaries.  Kollam Junction railway station is the second largest railway station in Kerala in terms of area and is one of the oldest railway stations in the state. The world's second longest railway platform is situated at Kollam railway station. 

We had emailed our homestay host to advise of our time of arrival and hoped the message had got through.  Being the only Europeans to get off the train, and perhaps the only ones on it, we were easy to spot by the tuk tuk driver who was waiting to collect us, and who greeted me with 'Frances'.  A bit surprised as that was my travelling companion's name, it took a moment to clear up the confusion as 'Francis' was our hosts name.  We tuk tuked our way through Kollam, where the driving was frenetic, even though the traffic was calmer than we had experienced the day before in Madurai, through narrow streets and along canal banks and arrived at the beach amongst the palm trees.

Wow!

As we unloaded our bags, I realised one was missing. Whilst taking photographs getting off the train, I had left my overnight bag on board.

We were greeted by our hosts, shown our room, and served breakfast on the veranda, looking out over the Arabian Sea.





There were some fishermen on the beach, tending their nets.  We were advised we would need to be up early the next morning if we wanted to see them bringing in their catch.

Our host telephoned the station, and a short time later received a call to say that my bag had been found, and was now with the railway police at the end of the line, Punalar.  A taxi was organised and we were soon on our way.  Punalar is only about 200ft above sea level, but having spent a week on the flat plains at sea level, we felt that were higher, with a cooler climate too. Apparently, though, Kunalar is the hottest place in Kerala. The road winding up through the valleys showed us a very different India from that we had seen to date.

The Punalur Railway Police Station is the one & only Railway Police Station in Kollam Rural District, which is presumably why we had to go there, rather than have it sent back down to Kollam. Our driver had been told to take us to nearby waterfalls, but we opted instead to view a British built suspension bridge which, at the time, had made a big difference to communications in the area. I was interested in how proud the Indians were of their British heritage.

We arrived at the station and found the police station, where I was reunited with my bag.  But not before I had checked the contents were all present. First out was a loo roll. The bag had been found by one of our travelling companions, and handed in.  Amazing!

We returned to the homestay, where we were served a delicious meal, cooked to our own specification as to strength of flavour. Kerala cooking is renowned, and Jacuelin lived up to the high stand expected.

Here, the bed was provided with a mosquito net, but I don't think we needed it as by the morning it was no longer around the bed and we were still intact.

And it was the end of the seventh day.

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Madurai

Day 6 - 9th February 2019

Madurai, and onwards



Before leaving Nemathanpatti on the next leg of our journey, I wanted to send the postcards that I had bought in Mahabalipuram.  F. had a touch of 'Dehli belly', so remained in the hotel til things settled down.

Meenakshi Amman Temple

A post office was marked on the map, and was supposed to have been a landmark for our arrival.  So, the instructions from the hotel staff as to how to find it seemed straight forward. I set off on foot.  I had not gone far, when the hotel security guard arrived on a moped.  He stopped me and pointed to a small hole in the wall, with a grill, that I had just passed. This was the post office.

A conversation ensued and it transpired that the post lady did not have stamps of the required denomination, so I was invited onto the back of the moped and we set off for Kanadukathan.  Finding the post office entailed touring streets I had not visited before, seeing mansions I had not seen before.  The postmaster advised me which denomination of stamps were required, but he did not have any either, so off we went again to a post office near the railway station.  This involved a cross-country journey passing a charming small temple which I would not otherwise have seen.  The stamps had doubled in price by now, but I stuck them onto the postcards and left them on the counter, wondering if they would ever reach their recipients.  They did, within a week.

I have always advised my children against hiring scooters, but if they did, to wear helmets.  But, hey, this is India!  And what fun.

Back to the hotel, and time to pack, have lunch and depart. The hotel had organised a taxi for us which was to take us to a couple of temples in Madurai before dropping us at the station. The drive to Madurai took a couple of hours, and the roads were relatively free of traffic til we reached the city limits - where we entered a traffic jam that we stayed in for the rest of our time in the city.  Madurai is on the holiday destination list of most tour operators, but we were glad that we had chosen a different option. Perhaps we did not experience the 'true India' by not staying in one of the cities, but we so enjoyed being in Nemathanpatti , and what was to come was even better.

Main gate to Meenakshi Amman Temple

A visit to Madurai is unthinkable without including going to the Meenakshi Amman Temple, one of the oldest and most important temples in India. The temple has a great mythological and historical significance. It is believed that Lord Shiva assumed the form of Sundareswarar (the handsome one) and married Parvati (Meenakshi) at the site where the temple is currently located. Renowned for its astonishing architecture, Meenakshi Temple was nominated as one of the wonders of the world, but couldn’t make it into the list of ‘Seven Wonders of the World’. However, the temple is definitely one of the ‘Wonders of India’. It is also one of the main attractions of South India with thousands of devotees thronging it every day. During the ‘Tirukalyanam Festival,’ which takes place over a period of 10 days, the temple attracts more than a million devotees. 

Meenakshi Amman Temple interior

The complex is in the center of the city and instantly stands out with its towering gopurams. 13 acres of fascinating shrines, a golden lotus sacred pool and mandapas waiting to be explored. The heart of the temple was out of bounds for us, but we could still have spent hours here and without being able to explore it all!  Shoes and cameras are handed over, for a fee, before gaining entry, so the photographs are not ours.  Our taxi driver waiting had dropped us off some distance away, leaving is to walk through the throng of market stalls. We might have been better to set a time and place for a pickup, though he seemed to know a back-court where he could wait. 

Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple

The Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple, around 20 minutes southwest of Madurai, is an impressive ancient temple, dedicated to Hindu god Murugan (handsome son of Lord Shiva), who's revered as a favourite god of Tamils. 

The ancient structure is breathtaking in architecture particularly because it’s rock-cut. Another distinct feature is the placement of the gods, Shiva and Vishnu, who face each other. Considering Shaivites and Vaishnavites have always been two different groups, this aspect sets the temple apart.

We had been dropped off about a quarter of a mile from the temple, and made our way along a busy street full of traders and their customers, and on arrival were met by a self-appointed guide who showed us where to pay to leave our shoes, and then conducted us around the temple. He was not averse to pushing women out of the way to ensure we had the best views, and showed us how to pray. Much bobbing and bowing was involved. Were we on candid camera? Or am I being sacrilegious? There was a small elephant in the temple.  I initially thought I was being shown Shiva, but no, it was the real thing, in a side chamber.

It was the end of the day, and our photographs did not do the place justice, so this image is not ours.  There is another ancient temple on top of the hill, but even then, we reckoned it was too hot to climb. 

It was now time to head for the station to let our driver get home.  We would be early for the train, but felt we did not need a taxi any longer.  The thought of spending four hours in a railway station did not appeal, but we were surprised at how quickly the time passed.  Once we had identified which platform at Madurai Junction we would be using, we settled down on the plaza outside the station to wait.  Us, and a hundred other, ever changing, group of people.

Behind us, were two men, lying on the earth in what might have been a small garden, who had settled for the night. In front, people who were organised for their wait, with mats to sit on and their evening meal to eat.

One small group of mother, grandmother and child beckoned to us and made signs of writing. I deduced that the mother wanted a pencil for her son.  Begrudgingly, because I had thought not to bring any, I gave up my pen. As I got up to approach them, the boy went into hysterics. Clearly a white man was terrifying!. It soon became apparent that the pen did not work, so I found another, and again set the boy off caterwauling.

Finally, the large display screen reported the impending arrival of our train, and so we set off to board it.  This involved climbing, carrying our luggage, onto a railway bridge to cross the tracks, and descending to the platform. We were able to go down on a newly installed escalator.  But a multi generational family got there first.  And they had never encountered an escalator before. With much shouting from a man behind, the elderly lady was first the brave this phenomenon, but failed to let go of her daughter, who certainly was not going down til it was proved afe to do so.  Granny was retrieved, and the family turned around looking for a safer way to descend.

There train arrived and we found our carriage. There were no lights, but the whole crowd of us bundled on board.  F. found signs indicating berth numbers, but no beds!  It was pointed out to us that these had been folded down, and needed to be erected.  Job done and the lights came on, and fans started whirring. Things were looking up.

Our 'compartment' had three tiers of bunks on each side, and three across the corridor.  Any fool can be uncomfortable, and it looked as though I was in that category for the next ten hours.  I am not sure what class of sleeper train we were in, but these had been the only tickets on offer, at Rs 500 for a near 400km journey, we did not complain. Our journey took us almost to the southern tip of India, but that passed unnoticed.  We had hoped to have time to spend a couple of days there, but are now saving that for another time.  The carriage had no windows, and with the shutters open, there was a pleasant supply of fresh air to keep us cool.  After dawn, food and chai sellers came on board at the various stops, but were not brave enough to try out their wares.  Once some of the overnight passengers left the train, commuters boarded, and so we folded up our beds to convert the compartment into a seating area.

An important factor if you have 'Dehli belly' is the state of the loos.  We were pleasantly surprised.

And then we were in Kollam.

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Kanadukathan

Day Four (2) - 7th February 2019

A hot walk into Kanadukathan

And it was the fourth day - and a hot one.

By arriving on the night bus, we had gained a day, and determined to make the most of it.  I suppose, if the Chettinad Heritage Hotel had a swimming pool, we might have lingered there, but the hotel staff recommended two temples a short walk away.

Kanadukathan Chettinadu Palace
(The Maharajah's House)
And, no, it did not rain when we were there! 

Chettinad is an area, but many refer to the small town of Kanadukathan as Chettinad. It is notable for its large mansions, probably in better repair than in our village, and for its 13 'famous' temples.  Their business acumen and diligence saw Chettind merchants become bankers and trade intermediaries in the latter period of British rule in India, and from the mid-19th to mid-20th centuries many families here amassed vast fortunes. They used these riches to build vast mansions, combining both architectural styles and materials from the places and cultures their trade saw them interact with, and the resultant homes are, to say the least, spectacular. The Maharajah's House is the most prominent of the mansions, but first we were temple collecting. 

Karaimal Azakakar Ayyanar temple

The Karaimal Azakakar Ayyanar temple was the first of the 'horse' temples we were to visit. It was a short walk from our hotel, but across the highway and railway line.  Fortunately, along the way, we were advised that there was a second temple beyond the first as otherwise we might never have reached it.  

Continuing along the track, we passed through a tranquil village and under an archway where we were greeted by loud fierce sounding dogs.  We had not had rabies jags, and so were wary.  The Sowntharanayagi Ammal Temple  has high walls and could not easily be seen, but we circumnavigated in the other direction and eventually arrived unscathed at the entrance.

We were the only visitors. I suspect it is not well visited, as it does not have any outstanding features, but is worth the walk if your itinerary is as gentle as was ours.

We retraced our footsteps passed the horse temple and then continued on our way to Kanadukathan. Apart from the mansions, we had noted that there was a weaving centre.  We could hear loud voices as we approached and on arrival were informed that it was closed.  No saree making, and now no weaving.

We walked around the town and called into one of the mansions being used as a restaurant, or tea house, where we had a cooling and relaxing drink. 



By now it was dark, and it was time for our journey back to the hotel.  But first I had to make my first withdrawl from an Indian ATM.  Would it like me?  Once I had sussed that the maximum was Rs 10,000 all went well.  We then hired a tuk tuk and returned to the hotel for our evening meal.  The dishes were served with an explanation of what we were eating, and how it had been prepared. There were just two other guests.

Sowntharanayagi Ammal Temple

See also:
•  Ayyanar horse temples
•  The Chettinad Merchants' Mansions

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Nemathanpatti

Day Four (1) - 7th February 2019

Nemathanpatti, in Chettinad

Nemathanpatti is a small community in Kanadukathan, most famous for its Chettinad cuisine and for the architecture of its houses, whose main entrances are shaped to resemble those of temples. Not being 'foodies', it was the buildings that brought us to this area of Tamil Nadu.

On arrival at the near deserted Karaikudi bus station at about 5:30am, we collected our thoughts over a cup of chai and a bite to eat.  We found the taxi rank without too much difficulty and negotiated a drive to our hotel. Our haggling powers were not as good as they could have been at this time in the morning, so we probably overpaid. There was some confusion as we drove around  Karaikudi before we made it clear that the Chettinad Heritage Hotel was in Nemathanpatti, and then toured another set of heritage mansions before finding where we were to stay.

Chettinad Heritage Hotel

Interior

   

Checking in to a hotel at 7am that was empty, and not expecting us til 4pm proved no problem - other than the room we thought that we had booked was still being finished.  Indeed, there was a pile of mattresses in the lobby waiting for their beds to be made. The staff struggled to wakefulness, and made us breakfast - and very good it was, too.

Although all the rooms had not been completed, we had not been the first guests, but this very recently refurbished former merchants house proved to be a wonderful place to stay, and base for touring the area.

Once we had settled into our room, we ventured out into the village. It became clear that the villagers had seen few Europeans as we were greeted with a great deal of interest, especially by the children.  We felt guilty that we had not brought pencils with us, as clearly there is a need.

This mansion was just across
the road from our hotel

By arriving on the night bus, we had gained a day, and were determined to make the most of it.  I suppose, if the Chettinad Heritage Hotel had a swimming pool, we might have lingered there, but the hotel staff recommended two temples a short walk away. Details of this excursion are on the next page.

That was hot and dusty, so after a clean-up in a well appointed shower room and siesta (it was already a long day), we we set out to investigate 'our' village.  We had already seen the 'palace' outside our hotel (above), but there were to be many more large, mostly crumbling mansions in this very small place. Most of the large mansions were in a poor state of repair, but the decaying magnificence reflects a prosperous past. The wealth that must have been here 100 years ago is incredible, and yet there were women drawing water from the pond just yards from our hotel.

The village has a warm, mellow feel about it, enlivened by children returning from school. Everyone we met was warm and welcoming, with the children keen to practice their English. The streets were relatively clean, and had a very safe feel to them. If you don't hanker after a noisy bight life, then this is the place to be.

Collecting water from the pond next to our hotel

A pediment on a mansion entrance

Later, after our evening meal and in need of cash, we searched for an ATM (cash machine). Expecting to find a 'hole in the wall' ATM, I failed to realise that they were mainly located inside small rooms set off the street.  We decided to go to Kanadukathan, and hired a tuk tuk. We took the opportunity to call into the  swish Visalem Hotel to see if it was possible to use their pool. It would have been if the hotel had not been full, and we offered its use on Sunday.  But we would be on the next stage of our adventure before then..

We found the ATM, and once I had mastered the cash limit (Rs10,000), helped by a kind local, dozens of notes of many different denominations came tumbling out.  We took a tuk tuk back to our hotel, and retired for the night.

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Kanchipuram - and onwards

Day Three - 6th February 2019

Kanchipuram and on to Chettinad

We had arranged a taxi through the hotel the previous evening and informed them that we would be leaving earlier than planned, so checking out and paying by card proved no problem. 

The route to Kanchipuram was our first journey through Indian countryside, and proved no less exciting than our journey from the hotel  I was struck by the number of police check points (unmanned), and by the road-side workshops, mostly, it seemed, making religious statues.  Who buys all these? .  

What we had not done was look up temple opening times - most were closed for an extended midday break. Nor had we checked where the saree making workshops were, putting our sightseeing in the hands of the driver. These were our two goals for the day.

Kanchipuram

In Vaishnavism Hindu theology, Kanchipuram is one of the seven Tirtha (pilgrimage) sites, for spiritual release, and also a holy pilgrimage site in Shaivism, so was high on our list of places to go.  Arriving in the town, as we approached the Kamakshi Amman Temple, we were informed that it was closed!  The driver suggested we use the time til it was opened to visit the saree workshop we had asked to see. This proved to be a shop, from which the driver derived commission.  There was a loom in a backshop for disappointed travelers to view, but it was not a working one.  An Indian family were sitting on the floor reviewing sarees of beautiful material, but otherwise we were the only ones there, and held captive til F. had been dressed in fine cloths. We bought some shawls and left.  There followed a long discussion with the driver and shop staff about the workshops.  The city is well known for its hand woven silk sarees and most of the city's workforce is involved in the weaving industry, so we expected no problems,  but the easy way out was found and we were informed that they were closed on Wednesdays.

A thali meal

It was, however, time for lunch, and it here that we experienced our first thali meal.  In Tamil Nadu, thali meals are served on plates as well as on a banana leaf. Considered to be the birthplace of the elaborate sappadu (meal), most restaurants in Tamil Nadu offer a vegetarian thali that has sambar, rasam, poriyal. kootu, kara kozhambu, pappadam, keerai, payasam, to name a few. If you are not sure what to choose from the menu, this is the answer.

All restaurants seemed to provide a sink in the dining area for hand washing before and after a meal.  We had been warned by a friend, also a careful person, of the dangers of eating 'local', who herself had become dangerously ill, so were careful and experienced no problems.  Our driver, who had recommended the dish, ate with his fingers, but we opted for a fork. All of us drank bottled water, breaking the seal ourselves.

Kailasanatha Temple

It was now time to visit a couple of temples.  Our first stop was the Kailasanatha Temple,  the oldest structure in Kanchipuram. The temple was built from 685-705CE by a Rajasimha (Narasimhavarman II) ruler of the Pallava Dynasty. The structure contains 58 small shrines which are dedicated to various forms of Shiva.  I am not sure that we found them all!

We arrived at the second with some time in hand as it was not due to open til 4pm.  We had been advised that photography was not allowed in the Varadaraja Perumal Temple, so left our camera in the car. Paying to have our footwear looked after by a young boy (the only time we were asked to do this), we entered the temple complex. There were notices about paying to enter, but we found nowhere to pay.  

Varadaraja Perumal Temple

The main temple block is only open to Hindu worshipers, we discovered after a while of sitting waiting with many Indian tourists (We saw no other Europeans today).  However, an apparently helpful 'guide' took us off to see the marriage rooms, a 100 pillar building within the complex.  After an interesting tour of the building we were persuaded to leave a gift behind a dish, and then to tip the guide. We did not rush our visit although the guide tried to chivvy us along, and it soon became apparent why.  It was official opening time, and the ticket collectors had set up in the entrance.  We now had to pay to get out - and presumably the guide picked up our gift!

Our original plan for this day had been to return to our hotel, but now involved travelling overnight to Chettinad, our next planned stop.

Our taxi took us from Kanchipuram to the Perumgalathur bus station, in Chennai.  

Perungulathur is the main bus boarding station for passengers to reach all southern cities of Kerala and Tamil Nadu.  It lies alongside a busy highway and the main railway line.  This is an incredibly busy place where one has first to identify the bus company's stance, and then negotiate the traffic to get on the bus at the appointed time.  In our case, when it eventually arrived, it stopped on the highway, causing traffic to back up and leaving us to negotiate the traffic to reach it. Fortunately, the company representative looked after us well, making sure we did not get run over, got on the right bus and showed us the correct bunk.  It was then a question of making sure the driver would wake us when we reached our stop (assuming we actually got to sleep, which we did).

A 2+1 sleeper bus

We had booked a double bunk (Not sure that we actually knew that!) in a 2+1 sleeper coach. which has a double bunk on one side, upper and lower, and single bunks on the other side.  The bus had air conditioning which made the blanket supplied essential.

Our tickets cost almost Rs 1,000 each including agents booking fee - about £11 for the 420km trip.

We left Chennai at about 9:30pm and arrived in Karaikudi in the early hours of 7th February. There was one stop along the way, and then we were in a near empty bus station wondering how to get from there to our hotel in the village of Kandukathan.  Karaikudi also has a mainline station to which we would later return to buy tickets for the next stage of our journey.  

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Seven temples and a fort

Day Five - 8th February 2019

A fort, seven temples, but no tile factory

We arranged, through the hotel,  a taxi to take us on a tour of the area.  Our first stop was at Thirumayam Fort.  Thereafter, keeping track of which temple was which proved difficult.

Located around 7 miles from Nethampatti, Thirumayam is a historic village, its central attractions being the Thirumayam Fort and the temples of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. The Thirumayam Fort, situated atop a hill, was built in 1687 AD by Sethupathi Vijaya Ragunatha Thevar, the ruler of Ramanathapuram. Although the fort has been partially destroyed due to weathering, the entrance to the fort is still intact and lies about 1 km south of the remaining fort. The relics of a courtyard with pillared corridors and sculptures carved out on them can be seen within the fort. This is also the site of one of the famous 'butter balls', the other being in Mahabalipuram.

The land around this area is incredibly flat.  There was a haze, so it was difficult to see far distances, but the view from the top is worth the climb.

We moved on to the first of our temples.  This was an amazing experience.  I had come to Tamil Nadu expecting to see tall highly decorated towers, but not the horses.  Our driver had to receive instruction from a villager to find his way to Karaimal Azakakar Ayyanar temple, in Kanadukathan, which was off the beaten track.  There was a small tour bus already there, but they soon left on their hectic itinerary, and we were again on our own, apart from the guardians.

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Heading for our next temple, we passed through an 'illegal' village, where the houses were built without permission, and their owners pay no taxes. Some of these were gated, and looked very smart. But the rubbish lying around was sad to behold. We also stopped in Kadiapatti, at a large mansion, now hotel, called Chidlambra Vilas (one l), with equally large neighbours.  If it had any residents, there were sign of them, and the car park was empty. The house that struck me most was the dilapidated former (I hope it was former) hospital. The village is famous as a treatment centre for jaundice, but not in here, I think.

Chidlambra Vilas...

Former hospital

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We called into Sowntharanayagi Temple, near Panagudi with it's impressive guardians, kept in the dark, and for it's floor and ceiling decor.

Images floor guardians to follow

Next, we visited Sathaiya Puranai Pushkalai Samaetha Sridharma Sathya Temple is a Hindu temple close to Kadiapatti.

   

It was memorable not just because of the large statues of elephants, horses and people outside the courtyard, but also for the many statues around the buildings inside.

We came across a small group of children, and asked one of the parents if we could photograph them. This was agreed, but not til the whole extended family had been summoned from various corners of the temple.  Memo to self - Take a notebook to record email addresses to send photographs on.

We moved on, and pulled into a rather unimpressive place, which was to provide us with a surprise.  By now, we were accustomed to horses and elephants, but the small temple in Kothanamgolan, and this had its horses, there were also many broken terracotta dolls. 

At the time, we were told that these were for children who died young. However, it seems that these are prayer requests, or acknowledgements of prayers fulfilled for the birth of a child, an ill child, and other reasons.  This rather sad pile of broken dolls lay between two horses. We saw no new ones, so presumably all prayers have been fulfilled. Or not?

Prayer dolls

When we arrived at the Pillaiyarpatti Temple, located in Tiruppathur Taluk, 16km from Karaikudi, a small crowd was gathering outside awaiting its opening at 11am.  Clearly a busy place at times, there were queuing aisles, but there were only about 50 of us and we were soon absorbed into the building.  No photography is allowed in this temple, which  is an ancient rock-cut cave shrine dedicated to Lord Ganesha. 

   

The presiding deity of the temple is Karpaka Vinayakar. In the cave temple, there are rock cut images of Siva and other gods as well as several shrines. The Āgama texts found on stone inscriptions in the temple help to date the temple between the years 1091 and 1238 BC.

Vinayagar’s trunk is curved at the right side (Valampuri Vinayagar) which is unique feature. There are other deities in this temple such as goddess Karthiyayini (who arrange marriages), Nagalingam (who gifts offspring), Pasupatheeswarar (who showers all wealth).

Our next stop seemed out of keeping with other temples we visited as this was on a hill, Kundrakudi. The Shangmughanathar temple is reached by curiously painted stair, and is at points covered with deposits of salt - a gift to the gods.

On our way out, we were greeted, and for a consideration, blessed by an elephant.

Stairway to heaven?	Carved footsteps on the stairs	Elephant blessing

Our seventh and last temple of the day was in Athangudi, a village famous for its tile making. However, our driver merely pointed at 'tile washing' and we drove through and out to Jeyangonda Soleeshwarar Temple, noted, we were told, for it being the home of the only species of a particular type of banana tree. This we dutifully admired, along with a wall carving depicting it many years ago.

Door to temple	Jeyangonda Soleeshwarar Temple	Banana tree

By now, we were ready for lunch, and experienced a delicious thalii meal, served on a banana leaf.

One of the disadvantages of not pre-booking transport is the requirement to do so, and as we were moving to Kollam two days later, we called in at Chettinad Junction station. The original plan had been to travel by day, watching the countryside roll passed, but we now opted for a sleeper, but Chettinad was unable to provide that, so we went on to the main town, Karaikudi.  With our drivers help (or not?), we booked sleeper tickets from Madurai to Kollam.  Perhaps there was a clue as to what was to come in the price - Rs500, for a 10 hour journey.

We paid Rs3,000 for the car and driver for the day, travelling though small villages, seeing markets, mansions and life in rural Tamil Nadu.  A memorable day - even if I have difficult remembering which temple was which!.

There were a few more guests in the hotel this evening, all Indian who were attending a wedding.  We made our arrangements for our journey the next day to Madurai, and retired after another enjoyable meal.

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Mahabalipuram

Day Two - Tuesday 5th February

Mahabalipuram
We began the day by ordering some comfortable clothes for F. in a local dress shop.  This was an enjoyable experience, though the male partner was not offered a drink as he waited!  We returned later in the day to collect the clothes.  I too had planned to acquire some locally made clothes, but it was several days before I made my purchase.  Meantime, the dhobi kept up with many changes of clothes.

And then it was time for some serious sightseeing.

The Five Rathas

The Five Rathas

Our first stop was the five rathas, five temples (the elements, fire, water, earth, light and ether) which have been carved out of single rocks to form a chariot. The temples are said to be dedicated the the 5 Pandava brothers, the hero’s of the epic Mahabharata, where they symbolise righteousness in various aspects, much like the attributes of the elements.

We had already walked some of the way, looking at the numerous stone carvers along the road. Today, they use more modern means to cut through granite, yet most of the finer works are accomplished like millennia ago. Even the subjects of their workmanship hasn’t changed, Idols of Shiva, Ganesha and other gods are in high demand and created in all shapes and sizes. 

So,we chose to go by tuk tuk, which we paid off on arrival. Tuk tuks are motorised rickshaws which weave in and out of the traffic at an alarming pace, but are an ideal way of travelling when it is too hot to walk - and it was!  We were told later by our hostess that the fare would be "Rs50 for you, but Rs30 for me" for a particular journey, which was telling.

We then encountered our first pushy guide.  I took a dislike to him, and was punished as he followed us, looking sulky, and complaining to the guide that we did hire.  Our new man had pinned on his badge as we bought our tickets, and removed it soon afterwards, so I am sure how 'official' he was.  However, he was informative and was keen to take photographs of us using our cameras.  We realised later that the more time he spent taking photographs, the less time there was for telling us about the the history and heritage of the sites.  maybe that was his plan?

Somehow, we were persuaded the he was to be our guide for the Shore Temples (and more). And so we climbed on the back of his scooter.  Sadly, there is no photographic record of this, and we reminded ourselves of warnings that we had given to our children about riding without helmets, etc.

Shore Temple

Shore Temple

Although the Shore temple stands within a fortress of stone, shielding it from the waves of the Bay of Bengal, it was still swamped by the 2014 tsunami, which took the lives of many local fishermen. 

Standing like a magnificent fist of rock-cut elegance overlooking the sea, surrounded by gardens and ruined courts, the two-towered Shore Temple symbolises the heights of Pallava architecture and the maritime ambitions of the Pallava kings. Its small size belies its excellent proportion and the supreme quality of the carvings, many now eroded into vaguely Impressionist embellishments. Rows of Bulls (Nandi the mount of Shiva) decorate the complex. Built under Narasimhavarman II in the 8th century, it's the earliest significant free-standing stone temple in Tamil Nadu.

After a siesta - we were still catching up after our long journey - we returned to Arjuna's Penance to view several other cave temples and the 'Butter Ball'.  But first we stopped for some chai.  The spices used vary from region to region and among households in India. The most common are cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper. Indian chai produces a warming, soothing effect, acts supposedly as a natural digestive aid and gives one a wonderful sense of well being. But, given my own digestive situation in the first few days, maybe it did not work for me.  

The locals immediately gave up their seats for us, something that happened a lot. But there was space for one more, and a very talkative gentleman soon sat down beside us.  We took the opportunity of asking how we might go about buying train tickets to our next destination, Chettinad.

We knew that there was no rail station in Mahabalipuram and so expected to take a bus or taxi to somewhere we could.  However, trains appeared to be fully booked, and so we were booked onto an overnight bus for the following night.

Checking out of the hotel a day early was to prove to be no problem, with the 'missing' day being deducted from our bill. But first, we wanted a day in Kanchipuram.  

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