Madurai-Rameswaram-Kanyakumari Trip
This is the most common travel plan that most people plan to visit, three destinations together in Tamil Nadu, in a couple of days. This plan is a brainchild of my cousin, who used to plan her trip, along with their parents because she wants them to visit char dhams (four pilgrimages). Indeed, my uncle, who has retired and they try to spend some quality time sitting at home, so it’s better for them to keep visiting us here in Bangalore so that we can plan some trips with them.
This travelogue might not be unique but frankly speaking about
the idea, it has been taken from someone else’s blog. But travel is not unique,
because the places are constant, we travel to see them all the time, but the
habitat remains same, it’s the people along the journey which beats up
everything and make the journey remembers. Please stick with me on this four-day
momentous journey.
Day 1: Bangalore to
Madurai
We booked the train from KSR Bengaluru to Madurai. There are two families (one
ours and the other is of our friend) and five friends traveling together. All of
us are working in Bangalore and are from UP-Bihar, have invited our families to
make them visit temples at these locations. It was an overnight journey and in the early morning, we arrived at Madurai Junction. Vibes were stronger from the initial
hours itself. Either getting the seats which have been scattered for all of us
in train coaches or ordering the food for the bhukkads, who directly returned
from work, it was full of fun. Very easily we all mingled up with everyone and
each other.
Day 2: Madurai Visit
Upon arrival, we booked OLA to reach our hotel. There we
took bath, changed before we need to visit the Meenakshi temple. It was 9 in the
morning and after living for 18 months in Bangalore, even if we have faced the
summers in north, this heat was scorching. But still struggling, hurdling the
roads and intersections we reached the west gate of Meenakshi temple. By the time
we reached the temple, it was not opened, so we went to nearby silk saree shops.
People bought few saris from there, Madurai silk they say it and is much
lighter than Mysore silk, which I have heard and seen. After that we visited
the temple, of course, the camera was not allowed inside. This Parvati mata temple
is standing way long for centuries. The carves were very beautiful and
aesthetic from inside. It’s a very big temple than what we have thought of, and
yes it was crowded as well. It took two hours before we finally had darshan.
After that, we went for lunch, searched and found a north Indian restaurant,
but taste was south Indian, but we managed.
This was Madurai, not more or less was planned than the
temple. But I searched for some other places but decided to go to Thirumalai
Nayakar Mahal. Not everyone was ready to enter the palace as most of them were
already tired, but four of us went inside, leaving others resting in the park.
One thing was better, we were able to find cabs as OLA was working in Madurai.
So, travel was easy and frequent as well. This palace was the place for the king
where he used to give sermons. Now, this place is being used for public
holdings and gatherings mainly on national festivals. This place could be the
underestimated place of Madurai. The best part is that it is a suitable place for
photographers. It also hosts a museum within the palace. Finally, by the
evening we have to leave for Rameswaram, so after the palace, we collected our
luggage from the hotel and departed for the railway station. But in this easy-going
travel, some pain was missing which is about to arrive...
Day 3: Rameswaram Visit
The train which was taking us to Rameswaram halted at around
8 PM at Mandapam. It was all shouts and cries, not it wasn’t an accident. But
when I peeked through the window, I heard, this train will not go to
Rameswaram, get down before it turns back. I just asked everyone to calm down,
but after few minutes people started coming out of train and it was all chaos
at the platform. Then we also offboarded the train and a few of us went to the station master to verify the news. Yes, the train halted there, but we didn’t get any
excuse for it. But I wondered how strong are the winds there and my friends
informed me that train will not be allowed to go ahead because of gusty winds.
But we need to reach Rameswaram, all accommodation was already arranged as per
plan and we can not wait. In the night itself, we booked the van, which of course
overcharged us for Rameswaram. Finally, we reached and the place was so cool enough
to give relief for Madurai’s heat. We went to the beach side. Actually, it
was not the reason for coming out, we ran away by asking to check if any
eateries are still opened nearby because hotel has closed its kitchen. But all
shops were closed and it was already 10 PM, even the animals were going to sleep,
how will we find anything to eat. So, mentioning the same, we returned back,
nothing is available there. One of us, whose father was furiously hungry, I
think, somehow managed to convince one of the shops to reopen. There we fed the
sambhar with dosas and idli. Uncle was half-heartedly happy but each one of us
was understanding his changed mood after dinner.
The next morning, we went inside Rameswaram temple after taking
bath in the ocean. It was my first dip in the sea water and the water that went
inside my eyes, I realized the real content of salt in the water. In the temple, we went for darshan after taking bath from 22 kunds. It was very sacred and I
was enjoying the chants every time they pour water on us from the kunds. It
took half of our day, after which we left with half of the day to finalize the
island. The next destination was Pamban bridge because at night when we crossed it,
it was not visible but it was all naked now and we could literally feel the reason
why the train was stopped. After clicking photographs, we moved back to APJ
Memorial. That was reminiscent. I have never seen Kalam, but I have read him
and heard him, and that all came alive there. After that, we went to Panchmukhi
Hanuman temple where a floating stone was present on which ram was written, using
which bridge to Lanka was built. The next destination was Nambu Nayagiamman Temple
and finally to Dhanushkodi. If we have reached one more hour late it would have
been closed. It was the first beach I have ever visited. We really had fun
there. That iconic blue water was raging and with that, I was trying to win
while playing Kabbadi. I lose this bet and the ocean won.
Back to the railway station, the train was late for the same reason that the wind speed was too high. That two-three hours break gave me enough chance to read and know about Pamban Bridge. It’s a 100-year-old single railway line that witnessed and survived a Tsunami attack. That’s why trains are not allowed to cross if the wind speed is more than 50 Kmph. Finally, trains departed and we reached Kanyakumari making a new friend on the train…
Day 4: Kanyakumari
and Nagercoil Visit
We extended our group by adding a Frenchman. He, as a scout
was all the way with us, till the end. Before sunrise, we get to see the last
shore of India as if the sun was ready to welcome us. Again, resort was ready
and after placing the bags, freshening up and a light breakfast we left for the
beach. I left my shoes and walked towards the beach. There we clicked some
amazing boomerangs and crazy pics. Frenchman was indeed a nice photographer, he
was giving all ideas to act and was clicking photos for all of us. After which
we returned for the lunch and booked a traveler to ferry around the city. Again,
interacting in English or Hindi gave a complete alienated feeling there, but
someone from the resort knew Tamil and he helped us in getting the traveler.
Without the local language, you’ll be devoted as a foreigner-only.
Many places for photography were there in Kanyakumari.
Firstly, we went to the Vivekanand rock memorial. It was all beautiful from the outside
and only a meditation place inside. Best thing, you need to go by a ferry to
the memorial and that was a great experience, even if the distance was short. Thiruvalluvar
Statue was under construction and couldn’t be reached there. I surprised and
thought what this Brahma, Vivekanda duo means, but later get to know it’s
Thiruvalluvar, not Brahma. From rock memorial we clicked all the photos from all four sides and after that sat together to figure out if we could have
reached here by ship before that train from Rameswaram and the uncle with us
said it would have left us in Lanka instead. We visited Vatterkottai fort,
Thanumalayan temple, where you can only visit shirtless. So, I declined but I
clicked some photos of the temple from outside and it was also carved
cluelessly. All temples were closed in the Afternoon, so finally we left for
Nagercoil from where we had the train to go back to Bangalore.
On the way, we visited Sai baba temple and did some clicks because the platonic background was giving an effect that was not lesser than any snap filter. The driver has become our guide and he was letting us visit the places and temples which he knew. He was not understanding Hindi but was able to converse in English so communication was also not broken. Finally, he dropped us at Nagercoil railway station. This Frenchman has done BFA and was working as UI creator in France’s firm. He invited us to visit France and this time he will help us to roam around the city in his car. Here, he was there to attend some meditational event in Kanyakumari. For next three days he will remain here, but in hearts, the moment which we shared will always be remembered.
After that, we parted our ways with him and Kanyakumari. He
tore out his diary page where every day he was sketching how his day was spent
and gave it to us. After bid adieu, I left him outside station, bought some
snacks for all and returned to train. We all boarded the train and left for
Bengaluru. As a lesson, this trip personally taught me having before hand
knowledge about the culture of the place can actually help. Because it has been
times when men wearing dhoti were looking so weirdly at me in jeans in temples.
Food, of course, you have to manage for a few days, but it was also a good
experience to eat that many soft idlis and variety of idlis in these three
days. Language of course you cannot learn, but few words can suffice. Till
then, Vanakkam!
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