[shivakg]

Hi Friends,

I am planning to visit Kumbakonam this weekend. After searching in Google I came across two possible routes

Route 1

Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Trichy - Thanjavur - Kumbakonam

Route 2

Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Dharmapuri - Salem - Perambalur - Ariyalur - Thanjavur - Kumbakonam

This is my first trip towards Dharmapuri and further, so please let me know the best route or any alternative route having good road.

I will be driving Ford Fiesta..

Regards,
Shiva

[csentil]

Best route to Kumbakonam is (or atleast what the buses take from here to Kumbakonam)

Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai - Thirukoyilur - Panruti - Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam.

or

Bangalore - Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai - Villupuram - Panruti - Sethiathoppur - Kumbakonam.

This route is slightly longer but could have better roads.

You will intersect NH45 but don't take it as there's road work going on in places.

My team mate is from Kumbakonam and this is the route that he takes. Told me the roads are pretty much ok throughout.

Your Route 1 is being 4 laned and there is heavy traffic from Salem onwards.

[sathya_nars]

Krishnagiri to Tiruvannamalai route is very bad (I visited 6 months back, haven't heard any updates if it improved).

I vote for Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Trichy - Thanjavur - Kumbakonam route.

[shivakg]

Thanks for updates.

Can you let me know approximate time it will take to reach Kumbakonam.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by sathya_nars

Krishnagiri to Tiruvannamalai route is very bad (I visited 6 months back, haven't heard any updates if it improved).

.

Krishnagiri-Tiruvannamali route is in good shape now, but for a few random pot holes here and here. This is an update from an account of a friend who drove on this route 10 days ago.

[csentil]

I did Tiruvanamalai a month back and the roads have been relaid to a large extent. You have a few potholes here and there as hvkumar said. Read my exhaustive update on the Bangalore - Tiruvannamalai thread about a month or so back.

I wouldn't take the Salem route as Salem - Karur is being 4 laned and I had a horrible time even in the bus from Thanjavur to Bangalore a few weeks back. Krishnagiri - Salem is also being 4 laned but atleast one part is ok as of now.

Bangalore to Tvmalai is 4 hrs max nonstop, provided you leave early and escape the Bangalore - Hosur traffic. (200 kms)

Tiruvannamalai to Panruti is around 90 kms via Tirukoyyilur. probably 2 hours (not been on this route as yet. Planning to mid June)

Panruti - Kumbakonam - 100 kms or so. another 2 hrs.

So with stops and everything you could do it in 9 hrs or so. Approx distance 390 - 400 kms max.

[shivakg]

Hi All Thanks for the updates.

Based on the info I will take the following route.

Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai - Thirukoyilur - Panruti - Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam.

I would be happy if any of you provide any info on any specific deviation/ turn to take in the above route.

[blorebuddy]

Dharmapuri - Salem - Namakkal - Karur - Trichy - Thanjavur - Kumbakonam route.

All I can say is this is definitely a longer route. If you want to go to Trichy deviate at Namakkal to Trichy via Musiri is shorter and better route

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by blorebuddy

All I can say is this is definitely a longer route. If you want to go to Trichy deviate at Namakkal to Trichy via Musiri is shorter and better route

Someone in this forum reported that this route from Namakkal to Trichy is in a bad shape.

[csentil]

Originally Posted by shivakg

Hi All Thanks for the updates.

Based on the info I will take the following route.

Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai - Thirukoyilur - Panruti - Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam.

I would be happy if any of you provide any info on any specific deviation/ turn to take in the above route.

Please read the Bangalore - Tiruvannamalai thread for complete updates on that route.

Head towards Krishnagiri. Pay the toll fee. Take the first bridge, take the left side lane when you approach the second bridge and then take left at the junction. This is the road to Chennai. You will hit another junction a km or so onward. You will have well marked boards saying take right to Tiruvannamalai. Take right here. Proceed.

From Tiruvannamalai you need to take a right towards Thirukoyilur. Please ask for specific directions in the town.

After that it should not be a problem. Just follow the signboards or ask someone.

Also please update us on the Tiruvannamalai - Panruti route once you have done the trip. I'm planning to do the same route sometime next month.

[shivakg]

Thank you Sentil for updates.

I will update you on the Tiruvannamalai - Panruti route

[shivakg]

Hi All,

I had been to Kumbakonam last weekend 25th May on the route "Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai - Thirukoyilur - Panruti - Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam"

Most of the route is pretty good with some potholes near villages.

Sentil the route between Tiruvannamalai - Panruti is good with out potholes.

Between Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam the route is not good at initial stages but towards Kumbakonam road gets better and better.

Once again Thanks to all of you in guiding me.

[viju_bubli]

Hi Shiva,

cud u kindly let me know the following :

a. Distance covered b/w bangalore and kumbakonam
b. availability of food enroute

Thank you

Arun Natarajan

Originally Posted by shivakg

Hi All,

I had been to Kumbakonam last weekend 25th May on the route "Bangalore - Hosur - Krishnagiri - Thiruvannamalai - Thirukoyilur - Panruti - Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam"

Most of the route is pretty good with some potholes near villages.

Sentil the route between Tiruvannamalai - Panruti is good with out potholes.

Between Sethiathoppu - Kumbakonam the route is not good at initial stages but towards Kumbakonam road gets better and better.

Once again Thanks to all of you in guiding me.

[csentil]

Availability of food enroute is not a problem. You pass through Hosur, then Adyar Ananda Bhavan at the BPCL Bunk in Chinnar (this is around 30 kms from Hosur).

Krishnagiri town has a few decent hotels if you go into the city.

Next stop would by Tiruvannamalai. There are plenty of decent places to stop and eat there.

You could eat at Thirukoyilur or Panruti as well. The roads are very narrow at places in Panruti town and you might have difficulty parking.

If you see my earlier post I've mentioned the distance as approx 390 - 400 kms. I did Bangalore - Panruti 45 days back and the route is good. Watch out for small deviations in the Tiruvanamalai - Thirukoyilur stretch. Small culverts/bridges are being constructed. Its a newly laid road.

Another problem could be paddy dumped on the road. Sometimes these are protected by big stones kept on the road. Watch out for them if there's paddy on the road. This is also in the same stretch.

You might have trouble in Tiruvanamalai finding the right to take towards Tirukoyilur. Just ask. Its easier that way.

Once you enter Panruti its a one way for quite some distance into the town. This will finally lead to a junction. You need to take the right here towards Sethiathoppu and Kumbakonam.

[pypkmsrikanth]

@ Arun

I think Senthil has covered most, but let me try to add a few between Panrutti & Kumbakonam in terms of places to eat. Just before Neyveli township entrace junction you have a hotel on your left. Vadalur has a couple of decent hotels near the bus stand. If you want to try something unique you could have food at Murugan Hotel in Tirupananthal which is about 45 minutes before Kumbakonam. This is a old type hotel where typically you had to remove the banana leaves which you ate on as late as about 8 years back. The system has been changed now but nevertheless its a good place to have breakfast.

Depending on when you start from Bangalore you should be able to do Bangalore - Tiruvannamalai in about 4 hours, Panrutti should not take more than 2 hours from Tiruvannamalai and Kumbakonam is another 2 1/2 hours from Panrutti.

Cheeers.