A comfortable morning flight took me to the beautiful temple town of Madurai. Driving towards the hotel, I felt the usual mix of excitement and apprehension of being in a place unknown. But as we drove further into the city, the apprehension subsided and excitement took over entirely. My cabbie soon stopped along Town Hall Road and checked into Mani's Residency. Located bang in the middle of a very busy street, I was, at first, wondering if I'd chosen in haste, but it was all good. Mani's offers a quiet and very restful stay with rooms that are fairly spacious, clean and comfortable. More importantly, it was safe for female travelers. I rested for hardly a moment before I stepped out, ready to take in what Madurai had to offer.
Famous for its fragrant jasmine flowers and the Arulmigu Meenakshi Sundareshwar temple, Madurai is a vibrant city that has much to offer anyone who enjoys quaint streets, bustling markets and beautiful architecture. And then there's the amazing food available in generous portions and at very pocket friendly prices. As it was a little past lunch time, I began by walking to the ever-occupied Sree Sabrees. A favourite of the locals, here I managed to find a seat at a table across a family of three. A banana leaf was placed before me and then the server began ladling a variety of curries, vegetables and sambars onto the leaf. I began a conversation with the family sharing my table and they generously offered suggestions on what had to be eaten and how.
After an enjoyable meal, I walked down the street and stopped to sample Madurai’s signature beverage, the Jigarthanda, a rich, creamy, cooling drink made mainly of milk, nannari syrup and almond gum. Yummy!
I then walked towards Madurai’s main attraction - the Meenakshi Amma Temple. From outside Mani’s, one can easily see its towering West entrance Gopuram, and the temple itself is just a three minute walk away.
While I was most keen on visiting the temple and enjoying it’s beautiful architecture, it was disappointing to find the artistic brilliance of all four gopurams completely covered in scaffolding and the green fabric one finds on structures undergoing renovation. Entry lines were immensely long and the afternoon heat was killing. I contented myself by enjoying a leisurely stroll around the temple, stopping every now and then to admire the many shops and street stalls selling shiny brass utensils, flowers, clothes, jewellery and various other goods. And, of course, how can one miss the vendors selling strings of Madurai’s famous jasmine flowers! These are so pretty to look at and so very fragrant! Looking at them, I felt a pang of regret at having cut my hair short. I would have loved to wind a string of jasmine around my braid and let it fall over my shoulder.
I quite enjoyed observing the flurry of activity all around the market. Although bustling, it wasn’t chaotic or stifling. A steady stream of pilgrims kept entering and exiting the temple complex, stopping to click pics by the ornately carved stone pillars. A short walk away, I stood to admire a beautiful Nandi statue, and the Thousand Pillars. The latter, being rather ancient, could only be viewed from outside a fence.
Making my way back, I stepped into Naveen Bakery for some chai and a glass of masala milk before heading back to the room for some rest.
Much later, I left the room to explore the streets a little more. Evenings were pleasant and cool, thanks to the sudden showers that heralded a thunderstorm that hit a day later.
Treading carefully to avoid the puddles, I walked towards the Town Hall and entered Sarvanna Bhavan Pure Veg for a delicious dinner of parotha and mushroom masala. A little senior lady draped in a neat saree was employed to clear the tables while we were attended to by an elderly waiter with a smile as bright as the crescent moon. I had considered ending the day with another Jigarthanda, but by the time dinner was done, I realised I couldn’t fit anything else in my belly.
Early the next morning, I went in search of the Wholesale Banana Market, in Rukmanipalayam, just a few streets ahead of the East entrance of the temple.
Af first, I walked by a vendor or two carrying a few bananas, but soon, in a narrow by lane, I saw it! Heaps of bananas, ready for the local markets across the city, and beyond.
With 16 varieties of banana and the sweetly overpowering fragrance of overripe banana, the wholesale banana market of Madurai is a treat for banana enthusiasts. Right there, in a narrow by-lane, under the blessed shade of thatched roof, is this market that you're sure to enjoy. It makes for a very vibrant scene....the blue/green walls, dappled sunlight, and the bananas in a variety of colours, shapes & sizes. The vendors are friendly and, although busy, they are quite accommodating, allowing me to explore the place and the bananas in peace.
From there, I walked to St. Mary’s Cathedral where I spent a few moments in prayer before admiring the reflection on the floor, cast by the stained glass windows.
Another great place to visit is the Tirumala Nayakar Palace. Built in 1636 by Tirumala Nayaka, a king of the Madurai Nayak dynasty, this palace was the main palace which served as the living quarters of the king. Over the years, the structure faced the ravages of time, war and change of regime.
It was Lord Napier who is said to have partially restored the palace sometime between 1866 to 1872. Subsequent restoration works were carried out several years ago.
Today, we get to see what once served as the entrance gate, the main hall and the dance hall. The palace's architecture reflects the characteristic features of Vijayanagara architecture and is famous for its massive pillars. While the pillars are really grand to look at, the intricate carvings and ornamentation on the ceiling are really something to look at. Leading with the belief that the king hired an Italian architect to design the complex, some qualify it as an example of Dravidian–Italian architecture. Many state government agencies also qualify the architecture of this Palace as Indo-Saracenic architecture.
Well, whatever the style, the Thirumalai Nayakkar is absolutely beautiful and worth a visit.
Even though the palace had a fair share of visitors, we were able to enjoy its beauty in relative peace and clicked many pictures of its beautiful ceiling and pillars.
Walking back, I decided to look for the Pattu Thoon, or the Ten Pillars, all that remains of the palatial residence built for Tirumala Nayakkar’s younger brother, Muthiyaalu Nayakkar. Today, these pillars are engulfed by houses and small businesses that have sprung up all around. But it makes for a pleasant walk. Continued on my feet all the way back to Mani’s Residency. Passed through busy markets, old residential areas and some busy streets. It was all so interesting!
RAMESHWARAM
Checking off another place on my WanderList, I set off on a day trip to the municipality of Rameshwaram, on Pamban Island, separated from the mainland by the Pamban Channel. Views from the Pamban Bridge are breathtakingly beautiful with the numerous fishing boats dotting the azure waters.
After a delicious breakfast of fresh idlis at Vasantham's, my driver/guide led me to visit and explore the Abdul Kalam Memorial, the Ramanathaswamy Temple (the most notable landmark of the town) the Ramarpatham Temple, the Kothandaramaswamy Temple and various Tirthams (sacred wells /holy water bodies) such as the Villoondi Tirtham and the Lakshmana Tirtham.
We stopped first, at the Villoondi Tirtham. Here a bearded man dressed in an orange dhoti and shawl stands by a tiny well, offering pilgrims a sip of water. It is claimed that while searching water is saline, the water at that spot, in the sea, is sweet, as that particular spot is believed to be the place where Rama quenched the thirst of Sita by dipping the bow into the sea water. I did accept the water he offered into my cupped palm. Was it sweet? Well, to be honest, it wasn't sweet. But, yes, it wasn't salty either.
The Ramanathaswamy Temple, the most notable historic landmark of the town, is a famous Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva. The temple has the longest corridor among all Hindu temples in India. By the time I was at the temple, it was blisteringly hot, so I found myself circumnavigating the temple in search of something cold. That something turned out to be street style ice-cream, fruit custard and fresh lime soda.
I also stopped a while at the Ramarpatham Temple, located on the Gandhamathan Parvatham, where, in a two-storeyed hall, Rama's feet are venerated as an imprint on a chakra.
The visit to the Abdul Kalam Memorial was enjoyed as I found the place to be well planned and well maintained. The officials and guards are attentive to see that the visitors are respectful of the place and the person it honours. The Memorial houses not only the mortal remains of Mr. Kalam, but also provides a lot of information about his life and works. The people of Rameshwaram, the birthplace of Mr. Abdul Kalam, and our Ex-President, was also known as the Missile Man of India.
The last stop was a visit to Dhanushkodi, a town abandoned after the cyclone of 1964. Though Dhanushkodi was washed away during that cyclone, it's Kothandaramaswamy Temple dedicated to Rama remained intact. According to local tradition, Dhanushkodi is the site where Vibhishana, a brother of Ravana, surrendered to Rama in the epic Ramayana.
Dhanushkodi is on the tip of Pamban island, separated from the Indian mainland by the Palk Strait. The waters here are crystal clear and the near-deserted beach is just wow! The drive towards its end point, however, is not very enjoyable as the view of the sea on either side of the narrow strip of road is completely blocked by the huge line of cars and tourist busses parked on either side. And the crowds!!! It was absolutely chaotic! I asked the driver to head back a little along the way where it was almost deserted, save for a few people scattered around. I was able to enjoy an un-obstructed view of the beautiful sea as we dipped our feet in the cold waves kissing the shore.
On the long drive back to Madurai, I was treated to the awesome sight of rainbow skies and dark clouds that were soon followed by a glorious thunderstorm. What a way to end the day!
Spent the last day in Madurai just walking around the city and taking it all in. Had a filling breakfast at
Gopu Iyenger Tiffin Centre, a wee little restaurant nestled in a building at the junction of the Western and Northern wall of the temple. As is common here, a little banana leaf was plopped in front of me. Then came some steaming hot idlis and a generous serving of sambar. I also feasted on some dosa and medu vada. Once done, I ended with coffee, folded my leaf neatly and tossed it in the bin provided for the purpose.
When in Madurai, all meals I ate, except one, were pure vegetarian.....soft appams, fluffy idlis, flaky parotthas served with steaming hot sambhar and delicious coconut chutney....meals served on banana leaves and crisp dosas layered with ghee and podi. My favourite was the Mushroom Kothu Parotha at Hotel Brindavan, and Madurai's famous drink, the cool & creamy Jigarthanda.
About the former....I had never eaten or heard of a kothu parotha before. I thought it to be a special kind of parotha served with mushroom masala. A dish was placed in front of me. "These look like mushrooms," I said to myself, and waited patiently for the parothas to arrive. A few minutes went by but no parothas made an appearance. Finally, seeing me staring at the plate, the restaurant manager came to me and asked me to eat the food before it got cold. "But where is my parotha?" I asked. He smiled with growing understanding in his eyes, and proceeded to explain. Kothu Parotha is a dish in which shredded parotha is tossed with flavourful vegetarian or non-veg preparation. Believe me, I fell in love with Kothu Parotha. It was so very delicious!
The one non-vegetarian meal I had was a chicken biriyani enjoyed at dinnertime, at Hotel Ananda It was such a treat with every grain of rice infused, it seemed, with a perfect blend of spices. The chicken itself was tender and cooked to perfection.....just melting off the bone.
I also dropped in a t Murugan Idli for some idli-sambar, and then, greedy-pup that I am, ordered some ghee pongal and some halwa. These were served in a fairly huge leaf bowl and they were too sweet and too oily for my taste.
KANYAKUMARI
A bath and a few hours of rest later, I took my lone backpack and walked to Madurai Station, just three minutes away from my hotel. Boarding the 00.50am Kanyakumari Express, I settled down for the night, looking forward to my next destination Kanyakumari.
Alighting at the station in the wee hours of the morning, I decided, once again, to walk to the hotel. I had booked a room at a hotel I had stayed at during my previous visit, Hotel Ocean Star. I was happy when I was assigned the same room as before, too. It's not just because the room has a window looking out onto the main street. There's a certain comfort I find in the familiar. Almost like finding a piece of yourself in a foreign land.
Since check-in wasn't until after 10.00am, I dropped in my bag at the reception and made my way towards the coast where I spent some time watching the waves and the two structures in the sea - the Vivekananda Memorial and the stature of the Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar. The latest attraction, a glass bridge connecting these two monuments was clearly visible. I thought it looked quite ugly.
I got off the wall and walked ahead, crossed the temple, and then stood watching the people dipping their feet in the waters as the sun slowly rose over the horizon. After breakfast at one of the local restaurants, I finally completed the check-in and went to my room for a bath and a nap.
For the two days I was at Kanyakumari, I explored the place on foot, shopping at the street stalls, visiting the park, the lighthouse and the village by the sea.
On Sunday, I attended morning mass at the beautiful Church of Our Lady of Ransom, followed by a simple breakfast at a little mom & pop restaurant somewhere in the village.
At night, I'd sit on the wall by the sea and see the glass bridge light up. It looked pretty at night, but that didn't change my opinion of it by day. This trip, I skipped a visit to the Memorial. Not because I'd already done it before, but because of the jetty. The ferry to the Memorial begins its service not before 8am, but lines were already nearly 1/2km long at 5.40am. The long lines combined with the extreme heat, were enough to make me change my plans and skip the idea altogether. And yes, I still think the bridge is an eye sore.
I also dropped in for lunch at Mani Mess. If you've read my earlier blog on Kanyakumari, you'd know that this is a two-table corner restaurant, serving simple, wholesome meals. While I was enjoying my fish curry-rice, a drunk at the table behind me decided he wanted a scrap. So he swayed out of his seat and stood beside me, looking down at me in an absolute drunken rage. I ignored him and kept eating. I guess that that ruffled his feathers a little more, for he swayed closer, his manner threatening enough to rouse my companion, who stood up to challenge him, if the need arose. Luckily, a few others around got up and pushed him out of the restaurant.
My most exciting and most memorable experience at this little coast town was the dip in the waters at Triveni Sangam, the meeting of three water bodies - the Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea. The waves here are quite crazy and pretty strong. Like many others there, I sat there on the beach and laughed as wave after wave of the icy cold water hit me and forced me, rolling & tumbling, back to the shore. I'm not sure how long I stayed there, collecting shells and getting tossed around by the sea, but it was so much fun that I wished I had another day to give to the wild sea.
As i spent some time looking for pretty shells, so many kids who were around thought me odd. "What was this woman doing?" they seemed to be asking their parents, "What is she looking for?" One little chap, afer a while of observing me digging in the sand, finally caught on and began looking for shells, too. He even handed me a few he thought I might be interested in.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
After an enjoyable stay at Kanyakumari, I moved on to our final destination, Thiruvananthapuram. The last time, I’d stayed in Palayan. This time, I found an apartment in Pattom. Before getting there, however, I enjoyed a meal at the station restaurant and then booked an Uber to Pattom.
Wanting to make the best of my time, I decided to walk around as much as possible. First, I walked a long walk to the Museum Garden and spent a couple of hours there visiting the zoo, the Napier Museum and the Chitra Art Gallery.
--The Zoo
--The Napier Museum
-- The Chitra Art Gallery
I also walked, over an hour, to get to the Padmanabhaswami Temple, stopping to grab a breather and some ice-cream at Archies. This a small cafe with cozy interiors and great desserts and ice-cream shakes.
Later that evening, I felt the need to sit and unwind at a café, So I went in search of one. I found the Kumbakonam Degree Coffee outlet that looked pretty inviting. First, I had some excellent & refreshing green apple mojito, followed by a chunky slice of honey and pineapple tea-cake. Lastly, I ordered a filter coffee which, my friends, was probably the best coffee I've ever had!
I also visited the Vettacaud Church and Shangumugham Beach. The latter was a little disappointing as the beach was crowded and no one was permitted to go near the water. The sea was maddeningly rough and huge waves were crashing against the shore. Policemen had be appointed at intervals to discourage any fools and daredevils from getting too close.
After meditating to the sound of the crashing waves for a while, I tried to hail a local autorickshaw back to Pattom. The first auto driver I approached, looked around and whispered, "Autos charging too high, Ma'am. Simply why waste 2-300 rupees? Take the bus." Heeding his kind advice, I took the local bus to Padmanabhaswamy Temple and, from there, an auto back to Pattom.
Apart from a visit to Mother's Veg Plaza for some delicious sadya, most meals at Pattom, I had at a local three-table restaurant. Appam, Chana-curry, Egg curry and a hot glass of Boost (the secret of my energy!) The manager, the cooks and the chap serving me were all sweet and, after the first visit, always welcomed me like an old friend. Their neyappam is also super yummy.
Once, too tired to step out, I ordered some food in the room and enjoyed a nice, quiet dinner indoors while watching the rain and lightening outside the window. I do believe that was a very enjoyable meal.
Very unlike my dining experience at Park Malabar. The person who offered me the menu and took my order looked absolutely confused when I ordered a mojito. It really seemed like he had never heard the word, even though it was clearly on the menu. What was served was 1/2 a glass of simple lime juice which wasn't even chilled. The fried rice was okay, but the Chicken Manchurian was horrid. It was just a bowl of gravy with a heap of bones tossed in. I was so annoyed that I returned the dish and insisted it not be included in my bill.
The last evening in the city, i went looking for some banana chips. Purchased some at SRM Chips. Ate some, and took some home for family and friends. Also purchased some varieties of halwa.
From Thiruvananthapuram, I boarded a flight back to Mumbai. Another holiday was over and soon, it would be back to work for me.
Already aching for another holiday, but always happy to be home.
