[KPS]

Lovely to be back home after a 1307 miles or 2091 kms trip to Coimbatore, Munnar, Kochi, Madurai, Karaikudi, Pondicherry, Chennai and back home to Bangalore.


The Daimler was outstanding in this trip. Great Touring car, more than adequate power, very smooth and a pleasure to drive. The pre-selector gearbox is fantastic and easy to use. Overall very comfortable.

Lot of cherished memories of this wonderful trip, Trail de South


At Coimbatore, the start of the Trail


Munnar


Fort Kochi, at the house where Vasco da Gama lived and died


Madurai, Taj Pasumalai


Karaikudi, At one of those beautiful Mansions


Pondicherry, French Town


Chennai


Back home



Please do watch this interview, I did in Munnar. I reply in English and explain about the car

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp_9WG63C3o

Will write a more detailed report later

Cheers

KPS

[arun1100]

Lovely pics of the Daimler! What a memorable drive it must have been! The top quality restoration surely helped the Daimler complete the drive at ease. The only other car of this drive I know if of course the DLD 13! Were there any minor issues faced during the drive?
Congratulations KPS!

[shashanka]

A car which is 75 years old and which has just made a road trip of 1300+ miles - and without a hiccup! What a marvellous tribute to the quality of restoration that went into it. KPS-ji, hats off to your dedication & attention to detail and kudos and congratulations to the restoration team.

[KPS]

Originally Posted by arun1100

.............................! Were there any minor issues faced during the drive?
Congratulations KPS!

Originally Posted by shashanka

................... What a marvellous tribute to the quality of restoration that went into it.........

Thank you for your comments. The restoration effort on this car has been fully validated by this trouble free ride.

In fact, I had fill water only at Pondicherry, almost 1700 kms into the trip. Oil level was stable through out. In fact, in the absence of oil leaks and the engine remaining clean, even after the so much use, the group was jokingly asking if there was oil in the engine !

The only surprise was as seen in the picture below. With the coolant and self-sacrificing anode, lot of rust from the engine internals came out. It was like rust custard and we used a wooden spoon the scope it! As seen the coolant remained clear, so there was nothing to worry about. After the initial 200 kms, this started to reduce. By the end of the trip most the rust was gone. At no point was the coolant not clear.


The speedo meter was showing a wrong reading, as at 50 mph, we were actually doing 64 kmph, against 80 kmph it should have actually been. We used to maintain around 55 mph, which was actually around 71 kmph. This was a sweet spot, where the car engine becomes smoother and actually less noisy.


For the those who are interest in the mileage, the 6 cylinder, 2.5L engine gave a decent mileage. On the plains we got 7+ kmpl, on the ghats to Munnar we got 6+. The good thing is the at though the speedometer's speed reading was wrong, the mile counter was quite accurate. We used to fuel up every 150 miles.

Cheers

KPS

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by KPS

Thank you for your comments. The restoration effort on this car has been fully validated by this trouble free ride.

In fact, I had fill water only at Pondicherry, almost 1700 kms into the trip. Oil level was stable through out. In fact, in the absence of oil leaks and the engine remaining clean, even after the so much use, the group was jokingly asking if there was oil in the engine !

The only surprise was as seen in the picture below. With the coolant and self-sacrificing anode, lot of rust from the engine internals came out. It was like rust custard and we used a wooden spoon the scope it! As seen the coolant remained clear, so there was nothing to worry about. After the initial 200 kms, this started to reduce. By the end of the trip most the rust was gone. At no point was the coolant not clear.

The speedo meter was showing a wrong reading, as at 50 mph, we were actually doing 64 kmph, against 80 kmph it should have actually been. We used to maintain around 55 mph, which was actually around 71 kmph. This was a sweet spot, where the car engine becomes smoother and actually less noisy.

For the those who are interest in the mileage, the 6 cylinder, 2.5L engine gave a decent mileage. On the plains we got 7+ kmpl, on the ghats to Munnar we got 6+. The good thing is the at though the speedometer's speed reading was wrong, the mile counter was quite accurate. We used to fuel up every 150 miles.

Cheers

KPS

The sacrificial anodes always leave a mess behind. We have seen this time and again in the heat exchangers/coolers on board ships during maintenance. The advantage of course is that only the zinc anodes were corroded and sacrificed/eaten away and not the cover & end-plates of the cooler itself!

And the fuel efficiency of 6 & 7 kmpl is extraordinary in itself. For a 70+ year old engine - and that too with sleeve valves (a low compression engine due to inherent gas sealing issues) - this is a remarkable feat. The speedo error is a relatively minor issue and the fact that the engine performed flawlessly must be a terrific feel good factor!

[manishk123]

Nice to see you joined the Bombay boys of CDG (classic drivers group) for their road trip. I was wondering whose Daimler it was in the pics posted on our chats. I think other than the Buick which developed a steering issue (due to mods made to it), all the other cars were quite trouble free.

[KPS]

On Sunday was my father's 87th birthday. So we decided, it would be good visit his good friend Sripathy and also show him the Daimler.

My father and Sripathy have contributed much to me pursuing V & C as a passionate hobby. Our family, holds Sripathy and his family in high regard.

Age related ill health has made Sripathy mostly house bound, hence this visit to his home. Sripathy was instrumental in me getting this Daimler, unfortunately due the pandemic, I had not had an opportunity to show him the car, post restoration. For my father, it was about spending time with his old friend.

This picture from 2016, Sripathy supervising the loading of car


Taken yesterday, as he stood and admired the mechanical's of the car. My Dad and I are next to him as we explain the work done.


At Yelahanka, could not resist stopping and admiring the beauty of Tebubia Rosea in bloom.





It was wonderful spending time, discussing some old car stories. We made Sripathy happy with our visit.


Cheers

KPS

[KPS]

Joy of ownership of a vintage car manifests in many ways. Some enjoy the way their cars look, while others love the story around their cars and then there are those for whom it is a prized possession for display and so on. But over a period of time, things evolve and what excites you manifests differently.

However, in my personal opinion, it is the long distance driving of your vintage car, that gives unparalleled joy. First of all, committing to a long distance drive is a serious responsibility. The car has to be restored and maintained in perfect condition to complete such drives without any major problems.

My good friends from the V & C scene at Mumbai, have always been a source of great inspiration. With their rich history, passion and knowledge of vintage and classic cars, are great company any time. However, it is their driving culture, which is something we need to emulate. Almost every weekend they are out driving the cars, exhibiting outstanding fellowship. Cars are always in great shape and niggles if any, are immediately fixed.

It is in 2006 that they start this culture of driving. By 2013 they had gained enough confidence to do their first major road trip to Rajasthan, followed by a 3300+ kms drive the South in 2014.

The 2014 Southern Trail, had this great bunch of passionate vintage and classic car owners doing a round trip to South India from Bombay, covering Coimbatore, Ooty, Coorg, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Sholapur and Pune, before heading back in their vintage and classic cars! This was my first long driving experience with this wonderful group and that memory was permanently imprint in my mind. There was no looking back. If I had to enjoy my car to the fullest, it had to be prepared for long drives.

Unfortunately, my 1932 Plymouth was not an ideal candidate for these long drives. The car is definitely more of a show car, to be brought to the local shows. Drives in city means you wrestle with the steering wheel and in summers the engine heat can dehydrate you! While the car has abundant torque, it lacks speed, which is very important on our long drives. The Daimler on the other hand was just the right car, has the vintage looks, decent 2.5L, 6 Cylinder Engine, great pre-selector gear box, tyres with rims, the right size and so on

For all of you who had followed the Daimler restoration with Christopher Rodricks of Rodricks Restoration, the car was prepared for long drives. Keeping originality as the central theme, only practical upgrades were made to make the car more useable. Upgrades like electric fuel pump, electric radiator fan, indicators are some good examples.

Since the car came home by December 2019, though limited by the pandemic, I had done close to 1200 miles in two years. Along with multiple small runs, I had done one longish 400 miles’ round trip to a place called Sandur. These miles were good validation that the car was ready for longer drives. Christopher did regular checks and was satisfied with the car’s performance. My confidence on the car was high and support provided by Christopher ensured the car was used at every opportunity.

When the driving group from Bombay decided that the 2022 annual drive would again be to the South, I could not have been happier! Doing a South trip with the Daimler would be a welcome start. It was decided that the drive would start from Coimbatore, onwards to Munnar, Kochi, Madurai, Karaikudi, Pondicherry and end at Chennai.

The Trip was rightly christened as "Trail De South"


Highlighted are the Madurai Meenakshi Temple and Auroville

Since I am based in Bangalore, I would drive to Coimbatore and in the end drive back from Chennai, while others would truck in and out with their cars respectively. Originally planned in the first week of December, the 3rd wave of the pandemic, pushed the trip initially to end January’22 and later towards end February’22. In hindsight, this decision to push the trip to late February was probably the most practical decision we took, considering it was still early summer and rescheduling our hotel bookings was still possible.

Initially I had planned to take the Daimler and the Beetle. This way we will have two cars driving together to Coimbatore and from Chennai. Driving in tandem is better as the car in in the rear will enable easier lane changing for the car ahead. So at my request, Srinand agreed to join me, driving the Beetle. However, as the pandemic progressed, the Beetle restoration was delayed and we both agreed that we will go only in the Daimler. It was better to have company than just drive by oneself, considering that the journey was expected to be around 2000 kms.

Post Pandemic rescheduling was done and the trip would start in Coimbatore on 22nd February and end in Chennai on 5th and with all of us returning home on 6th March. We would leave on 21st from Bangalore and reach Coimbatore a day earlier to receive our wonderful friends and their cars.

A few days before the trip, one of the driving veterans’ Venky, decided that he would drive down to Bangalore from Mumbai in his 1968 Beetle and would join me on the drive to Coimbatore. This was welcome news considering he was a long distance driving veteran and has amazing knowledge of cars and its working. The signs were ominous; this was going to be a great trip. The Beetle from Mumbai was driven into Bangalore on 19th, ready to start the “Trail De South” run with the Daimler.


In the meantime, I did multiple mini drives to satisfy myself that the car was good to go. We fitted an electrical fan for additional cooling and it was working well in Bangalore traffic. We also decided to use coolant with a self-sacrificing anode, to limit possible corrosion that could be caused by the coolant.

The car was fitted with all the required Jewellery for the trip!

The car is ready after all the final checks



The Daimler was all set to go with a new set of badges adorning her, (from R to L) The Daimler Club Badge, Southern Road Trail – 2014, Gujarat Run – 2016 and Trail De South 2022, commemorating the trips I was part of.


I opted to put the Stickers on the glass


Day 0 - 21st February'22: Bangalore to Coimbatore - 363 kms

So finally the “D” Day arrived and with much excitement we left for Coimbatore at 5.30 in the morning. Srinand and me in the Daimler, with our luggage on the back seat as the boot was filled with oil, water, spares, tools, cloth waste and even a small bucket for washing. We caught up with Venky and his Beetle and formally commenced our journey to Coimbatore.

The starting miles were recorded


Our first pit stop was going to be at Murugan Idli, Krishnagiri.


The podi idli soaked in ghee would ensure we would not be hungry till we reached Coimbatore. Early morning travel was a breeze as the low traffic enabled a quick exit out of Bangalore. We had an uneventful journey till our first pit stop at Murugan Idli. With our bellies full, we did a quick check on the car for any sign of leaks.

We opened the radiator cap and got a shock. There was a layer of rust, like thick custard! After the initial panic, a quick call was placed to the restorer. Chris explained this was because of the self-sacrificing anode, and if the coolant was clear, there was nothing to worry.



A quick check showed the coolant was clear and level was still good. We used a wooden spoon to clean up the custard of rust, as the radiator was hot. So every time we stopped, we cleaned the rust out. After about 150 miles, the rust started to reduce. The coolant hardly reduced and after 1000 miles, I had to top up the water only.

The roads were good and we were able to maintain a good speed. Having Venky covering the rear was just so good. Every time I would need to overtake, Venky would change lanes in advance, to free it up and allow me to complete my overtaking without being worried about a fast approaching car in the rear.

Some pictures of the largely uneventful travel to Coimbatore



Rare occasions Venky would be speed up!


The 363 kms journey was done in 8+ hours


We are arrive at Taj Vivanta, Coimbatore


The Beetle peeps out!


We could sense the excitement among the Vivanta Staff as we reached and checked in. Resident guests were surprised to find the Daimler in the parking.

Here is one BHPian's post

Originally Posted by Air_Kerala

Having started the day at 0430, shuttling between Kochi, Kolkata, Bengaluru and finally to Coimbatore, I was looking forward to reaching Vivanta and hitting the bed. Alas, destiny had other plans. Reaching the hotel and stepping out of the car, I spot this beauty. Ditching my first officer, I went straight for her. Somehow, my mind convinced my body to stop thinking about how tired I was and take it all in. Stood staring at her for a good couple of minutes, did the customary walk around, admired her timeless curves, snapped a couple of pictures. Sir, you truly have done a magnificant job. Peace

I was looking forward for the next day with much anticipation, as the rest of the cars and our friends would arrive.

Cheers

KPS

[KPS]

Day 1 - 22nd Feb'22

Coimbatore was our meeting point for all the 14 cars, as we commenced our Trail De South Tour. Coimbatore, is one of the most industrialized and third largest city in Southern State of Tamil Nadu. Known as the textile capital of South India or the Manchester of the South, the city is situated on the banks of the river Noyyal, Coimbatore existed even prior to the 2nd or 3rd century AD.

Varied cars in the trips including the American Chevy, Buicks, Packard, Willys, German cars included Beetle, Mercedes SL500, VW Bus, Indo-Italian Fiats and British was represented by Daimler, Morris and MGTD.

Almost 9 months of planning, multiple postponements due the Pandemic, the group finally comes together at Taj Vivanta Coimbatore. The Mumbai team landed by the afternoon only.

This day was reserved to unload the cars and do our customary checks. Based on our past experiences, it was ensured that the trucks on which were the car were loaded, were the ones which arrived in Coimbatore. Secondly, all the cars in the Trailers were locked and the batteries were disconnected. Lastly it was planned in such a way that the Trailers would reach the unloading point by the 22nd afternoon only.

The 3 Trailers arrive at the unloading point and had us all excited


We unload the cars from the Trailers. The big and heavy cars are always on the top, as the trailer wheel wells in the bottom restrict access


Get to connect batteries, check the cars for visible problems. As the cars are belted down and rock in the Trailer, it could cause some problems. Fortunately, no major problems


Fixing the roof rack


The Daimler and Beetle await company of the other cars


One by one the cars arrive and join the line











All ready for the night



All the cars on this trip are captured in this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X9jT738guM

We had the privilege of Mr. Sulaiman Jamal, President of KVCCC joining us at Coimbatore. Over the years he has been a big supporter of the vintage movement in Karnataka. He had planned a surprise for us the next evening.

With Sulaiman Jamal and Srinand


The evening was well spent, catching up with one another. Most were seeing the Daimler for the first time.

All of us were looking forward for the next day in Coimbatore as it was going to be action packed.

more later.....

[KPS]

Day 2 - 23rd February'22

The morning was planned such that we would visit the Gedee Car Museum. For any vintage buff, this museum is a must visit, when in Coimbatore

Dedicated G D Naidu

G D Naidu or Gopalswamy Doraiswamy Naidu, fondly remembered as ‘Edison of India’, is credited for initiating the industrial revolution in the country. Some of the path-breaking inventions that this prolific inventor is renowned for are kerosene-run fan, projection tv, mechanical calculator, ticket vending machine, electric razor and most importantly, the first electric motor of the country.

Source

In late 1960, he stripped the original body of the beautiful Rolls Royce and his explanation was that due to old age he found it difficult to bend down each time to explain to the students. Now the whole mechanism can be clearly seen from the top. His passion didn’t end with this. He started collecting unique cars which had a history of its own and was in some way an engineering marvel.




Sri Naidu’s son GD Gopal continued his father’s hobby by not just adding to the collection, but maintaining most of the cars in motorable condition and initiated the setup of Car Museum and put it all together as a museum for the general public on 27th April 2015

The story about the above Rolls Royce 20 HP Chassis #GH7 continues after more than 50 years of ownership. Originally supposed to have had a Rippon Landaulette, now fitted with tourer coachwork,


Gedee Museum has been covered extensively on Team BHP, hence I will not repeat the same, except for these few.

Pride of the collection remains the 1925 Hispano-Suiza H6B delivered to the Maharaja of Mysore with Saoutchik Town Car Coachwork



Karlosdeville stands proudly in front of the Scooter Car, he found and resuscitated by Kaizad Engineer, before the car found it's home at Gedee Museum


More details of the Scooter Car Project (Scooter + Car = Scootacar! India's first bubble car)


We say bye to GeDee Museum, but we crossed the road to Shri G D Gopal's house for some exciting rides!


With much anticipation all of us proceeded to Mr. G D Gopal's house. It would be wonderful to meet the great man himself. Secondly all of wanted to have a ride in the UMS Technologies Pvt. Ltd. built 1886 Benz Motorwagen Replica. Not only did we get see it, we also got to drive .

All set to drive the Motorwagen


A short video on the ride

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1UlYJnW_no

More details of this replica can be seen here


The have also built a steam car with modern mechanical set up, which was also fun to drive



We pose with Mr. Gopal and his son.


After an exciting time driving the Motorwagen, Steam Car and also seeing the manufacturing facility for high precision 8 cylinder rotary internal combustion engines for model planes, we head back for a hearty meal and rest.

The early evening was mainly restricted to cleaning the cars and fueling up, as the start of the road trail with our drive to Munnar, would be the next day.


Mr. Sulaiman Jamal had a big surprise for us in the evening. People who know him understand his passion for music. He is a fantastic player of the Harmonica or Mouth Organ. The surprise for us was that, two outstanding singers from Coimbatore would be jamming with us in the evening. The star singer would be Rear Admiral Nirmala Kannan

Surgeon Rear Admiral Nirmala Kannan, recipient of two Presidential Awards viz the Vishist Sewa Medal and the Nao Sena Medal, retired from the Navy in 2013. She is the young sister of Nirupama Rao, former Foreign Secretary, GOI. Her hobbies include singing English songs, playing the guitar, golf, reading and painting

We rock with Rear Admiral!


Ms. Jamal sings, as Rear Admiral plays the Guitar and Jamal plays the Harmonica


We had a blast with this jamming session. The Hotel Taj Vivanta gave a wonderful special spread of food as we would be leaving the next day.


Here is a cover of MY Way, by Rear Admiral Nirmala Kannan, so you would understand how special the evening was!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFhyh5jbnrw

Early next morning the Jamal's flew back to Bangalore. We had great fun in their company.

The Jamal's wishing us a successful and safe trip, as they leave the Group


Cheers

[KPS]

Day 3- 24th February

The first stop would be at Munnar, a town in the Western Ghats mountain range in India’s Kerala state. A hill station and former resort for the British Raj elite, it's surrounded by rolling hills dotted with tea plantations established in the late 19th century. Eravikulam National Park, a habitat for the endangered mountain goat Nilgiri Tahr, an ungulate that is endemic to the Nilgiri Hills


We start after a hearty breakfast, our 160+ kms journey to Munnar
and would be staying at the Windermere Resorts, Munnar. This beautiful resort was a perfect setting for our stay.

Just out of Coimbatore as we hit the road


We bunch naturally at speeds at which are are comfortable. The Daimler is comfortable at around 70-75 kmph


Magnificent sight of the SL500, R107, 5L, V8 in the rear.


The route takes us though the Annamalai Tiger Reserve


Dense forest, beautiful drive


The only Sambar deer which we saw


We stop at the Forest Check Post to register our cars


The roads are good and it was a steep but exciting drive


The cars climb the hills effortlessly


The 2.5L engine made the climb enjoyable


We stop for some chai, mid-way


Dalda 13 is always in the lead!


We enter the tea cultivation area closer to Munnar


Loved the drive. The car performed flawlessly


Magnificent to observe the cars behind and ahead of us in this route

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHcgA1uFNRA

The first blossoms of the Jacarenda Trees


Entering the Windermere Resorts


More than adequate parking for us


Munnar was having excellent weather. We all arrived hungry and had an outstanding Kerala inspired meal.

The place was excellent and we sat back and absorbed the surroundings.

Was very proud of the Daimler. Loved the way the pre-selector gear works and she was such a joy in the hills.

The video explains about the Pre-Selector Gearbox in a Daimler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD8CCan1XkM

Cheers

[KPS]

Day 4 - 25th February'22: Coimbatore to Munnar - 162 kms

Day of relaxing and attending to minor niggles in the cars. I decided to venture out and take the Daimler for a spin and capture pictures showcasing beautiful Munnar

Around the Resort was able to get these pictures


The tea estates


The Windermere Gate was a spectacle of flowers and the setting was just too good






I had to pose!


We hit the road...


to touch the skies....


Or even kiss the clouds...


..we try again


Guess the land was more beautiful


Captures the moment beautifully





Driving in the tea estates was fun


A former royal Daimler visiting Kerala is rare. Hence I was requested for an interview with Pilot on Wheels (POW). He is a former pilot


We enjoyed many a laughs


The actual interview in Malayalam and English, for some who missed this earlier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mp_9WG63C3o

With good friend Venky, there is so much learn from him


The Europeans feel at home


Night Shot hides many a things


The Day Shot reveals the beauty of Munnar


The cars and all of us tuck into the night, as we will leave for Cochin/Kochi the next day.

[KPS]

Day 5 & 6- 26th/27th February'22: Munnar to Cochin 130 kms

From Munnar we would proceed to Cochin or Kochi as it is now called. Called the "Queen of the Arabian Sea", Cochin was an important spice trading centre on the West Coast of India from the 14th century onward, and maintained a trade network with Arab merchants from the pre-Islamic era. In 1505, the Portuguese established trading ports in Cochin. The Kingdom of Cochin allied with the Ming Dynasty, Portuguese and Dutch and later when the Dutch ceded in 1814 became a Princely State under the British Flag.

Kerala roads though good, are notoriously narrow


The traffic can be quite dense


The big American's are to be deftly maneuvered


The cars reach Taj Malabar, Kochi


We had a relaxed day as local friends visited us and spent time discussing cars



Next morning, Karlosdeville and I decided that, we had to visit some historical places in Fort Cochin and take pictures with our cars.

Old Harbour House is a building in the center of Fort Kochi, part of the city of Kochi (formerly known as Cochin) in the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala (India). It was built during the Portuguese colonial period, almost completely rebuilt by the Dutch in the 17th century, and later modified by the British. In 2006, it was carefully restored by German architect Karl Damschen with many references to its colonial origins. Today the building contains the boutique hotel Old Harbour Hotel. Source





The dog is wondering on the colour combination!



Francis Church, Fort Kochi. St. Francis Church is India's oldest European church and was first constructed around 1503 by the Portuguese. It was originally built with wood, but was subsequently replaced by the present stone structure in 1516 AD. Sourced from google baba


Vasco Da Gama was buried in this Church before his body was taken back to Portugal


Here is an interesting article on the Church


At Rose Street, Fort Cochin



Vasco House is believed to be the house where Vasco Da Gama stayed during his visits to Kochi, right until his death in 1524. The house, more than 500 years old, is on Rose Street at Fort Kochi. The house, built in the Portuguese style of architecture, was one of the pioneering structures that paved the way for the construction of European buildings in Fort Kochi. The large glass-paned windows open towards St. Francis Church. The windows, built in typical European style, and the balcony –cum-verandahs stand testimony to the architectural grandeur of the time. Converted to a home stay, Vasco House. Source


The beautifully maintained house is opposite the Parade Grounds, next to the Post Office


Beautiful backdrop






I had the privilage to visit Mr. Guna Shenoy at his heritage home. He and his family share so much history with Cochin. My connection with him started after I had the honour to purchase his very well preserved VW 1300 Beetle (Kaizer - My 1967 Beetle VW1300).


With the beautiful heritage home in the background. More details on this house can be seen here


Same morning, visited JayD's house for quick view of his collection and meet with his family


In the backdrop are few of the cars in JayD's collection


Had some wonderful interactions with the Gopakumar Family. Explaining about the car, sharing stories and so on, is what makes ownership of such a wonderful car more fulfilling



Back to the hotel after my visits, for lunch caught up with the gang and decided to have a local meal. I was keen to eat at the famous Kayees Rahmathullah Hotel, but we decided to have something other than Biryani.

Karlosdeville, Srinand, Venky and me at India Coffee House after some good local food.



Early Evening we were invited to JayD's home, for high Tea and meeting with the local Cochin Vintage Club Members






At the beautiful water front home of JayD


The Local Club members welcome us and say a few words



Our hosts JayD speaks. Fantastic arrangements and it was time very well spent


There was a fantastic spread of food. The Gopakumar's are very large heart'ed


Talking Cars is channel by JayD and his friend. They have a huge fan base. They covered some of the cars, which visited Kochi.

For those who understand Malayalam, this is fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUh0AiLBYSI

My Daimler is covered and JayD says, that he is surprised that I would do a road trip on such a fantastic car!

Cheers

KPS

[KPS]

Day 7 & 8 - 28th February'22: Cochin to Madurai - 280 kms

From Cochin our route took us to the next city of Madurai, one of the oldest living cities in the world and a major city in the Southern State of Tamil Nadu. The earliest recorded history of the city goes back to the 3rd century BCE, being mentioned by Megasthenes, the Greek ambassador to the Maurya empire. The major landmark in this city, Madurai Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple was built by Pandayan Emperor Sadayavarman Kulasekaran I (1190 CE–1205 CE).

It was a very hot day. We left Cochin by 8.00 a.m. and though the road was good, we reached Madurai around 4 p.m.

Entering the tunnel, probably the first tunnel for the Daimler


The tunnel gave us relief from the heat. It was indeed a very hot day.


After stopping for lunch mid way, we reached our hotel, Taj Pasumalai around 4 p.m.


As I was wearing shorts, my exposed knees were sun burnt! In absence of air conditioning, there is little protection from the sun. Lesson learnt, no more driving with shorts!


Taj Pasumalia is full of peacocks. As the peacocks laze around, we get to see the wonderful Madurai Meenakshi Temple Gopurams towering in the skyline.


A late evening picture again highlights the Temple Gopurams


I decided to retire early after the sedate evening as the next morning few of us wanted to visited the Temple

1st March'22

Arulmigu Meenakshi Amman Temple, also known as Meenakshi Sundareshwarar Temple, is a historic Hindu temple located on the southern bank of the Vaigai River in the temple city of Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi, a form of Parvati, and her consort, Sundareshwarar, a form of Shiva. The temple is at the center of the ancient temple city of Madurai mentioned in the Tamil Sangam literature, with the goddess temple mentioned in 6th-century-CE texts. This temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalam. The Paadal Petra sthalam are 275 temples of lord Shiva that are revered in the verses of Tamil Saiva Nayanars of 6th-9th century CE.

The west tower (gopuram) of the temple is the model based on which the Tamil Nadu State Emblem is designed.
Source

The North Tower greets us as we approach the temple


After a very satisfying darshan, we revere the morning. It was a calming experience. We stand before the North Tower after exiting the temple


Unbelievably this beautiful calf just came and stood in front of us, when this picture was taken. After a few clicks, she just moved on! Feel blessed



After the temple visits and breakfast, the group would now head to Karaikudi, for some exciting and new experience for us

At Taj Pasumalai


Some clicks just before we left the hotel








Happy to have my picture with the car at Taj Pasumalai. After my sun burnt knees, I stopped wearing shorts while driving!


The group is all set to leave for Karaikudi

[KPS]

Day 8 - 1st March'22 : Madurai to Karaikudi - 95 kms

Our next stop was Karaikudi, not too far from Madurai.

The town derives its name from the thorny plant Karai, referred to in ancient literature as Karaikudi, which in modern times has become Karaikudi. The town was established in the 19th century, and the oldest known structure is the Koppudaiya Nayagi Amman Temple.[3]

Mahatma Gandhi delivered two speeches in Karaikudi in 1927[4][5] and Bharathiyar visited Karaikudi in 1919 to participate in a function.[6] After independence, the town saw significant growth in the industrial sector.[3] Karaikudi and surrounding areas are generally referred as "Chettinad".[7][8] Chettinad comprises a network of 73 villages and 2 towns forming clusters spread over a territory of 1,550 km2 in the Districts of Sivagangai and Pudukottai in the State of Tamil Nadu. Karaikudi is the largest town in Chettinad. Karaikudi and surrounding areas are very popular for their unique palaces, Chettinad Architecture.

Source

We left for Karaikudi at 10 a.m. It was going to be an action packed day, much to our own surprise. On the way to our hotel, The Bangla, we were to visit the Chettinad Car and Camera Museum in Pelliyarpatti

Mr. Lakshaman who has curated this museum, gave us a very warm welcome. He hosted us with his family and friends. The local media was in full force.

The Chettinad Car and Camera Museum


The Automobiles and Auto Memorabilia Section


The Camera Section


Sound of music is a must have in any museum



The Media interacts with one our senior and one of the most enthusiastic members in the group


Buick Coupe is a massive attraction



With my smattering Tamil, could do an interview in Tamil!



News coverage by the local Tamil channels

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9h9ae_L5Ji8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7cPhxeQqjc

We were honoured and given the local Chettinad savories, as a parting gift.



Since I was the last car to leave from the museum, got all the attention from Mr. Lakshmanan and Team

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY1AHElyURM

All of us were deeply impressed with the Chettinad Car and Camera Museum, Pelliyarpatti. Mr. Lakshmanan has done a great job. A venture like this need tremendous commitment and resources. Many congratulations to him and his team. We deeply respect his passion


Post lunch at our hotel, The Bangla, we went to the Kanadukathan Palace. Mr. Lakshmanan was kind enough to take us there and show the place

Also known as "Chettinad Palace", Kanadukathan Palace is located at Karaikkudi taluk in Kanadukathan. This palace was built by S. Rm. M. Annamalai Chettiar in 1912. With so many beautiful ornamental details it took seven years to complete the construction of the palace. This palace exposes the traditional Chettinad architecture. This palace is the composite of art, architecture and tradition. As an example, it exposes the cultural facets of Chettinadu people. The wishes of Chettiars are found elsewhere throughout the structure. Ornamental lights, teak wood materials, glasses, marbles, carpets and crystals were imported from overseas for the construction of the building.
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Mandatory photo opportunity


The is really a beautiful palace and very well maintained





This is must have picture!


Imposing entry to the house


We absorb the fine things in the house


Inner courtyards


Mr. Lakshmanan explaining the fine details


Media is not too far behind


The cars were a media magnet


Another beautiful mansion


From the Palace, we went to Mr. Mahadevan's place. He has a beautiful man-cave. He is a collector of tin toys and memorabilia. Has thousand's of tin toys!

At the entry of car section


Interesting cars


An overall view


The tin toys and memorabilia











The group takes a picture with Mr & Mrs. Mahadevan and the ever helpful Mr. Lakshmanan


I was quite amazed at the places and their commitment to this hobby. I told Mrs. Mahadevan, that I was amazed how clean the place was and undoubtedly requires tremendous effort and commitment. To this Mr. Mahadevan replied, that if you are passionate no effort is too small. Kudos to this couple. Just amazing effort