[gurha]

I'm planning to go to Rameshwaram for my daughters mundan this Saturday and planning to visit Madurai on the way and KanyaKumari while coming back.

Itinerary:
Day 1: Bangalore to Madurai and then to Rameshwaram

Start early by 3-4 AM, and reach Madurai by 10-11, visit minakahi temple and after that travel to Rameshwaram and stay in Hotel tamilnadu, Rameshwaram

Day 2: Get the mundan done for my daughter, and travel to KanyaKumari and stay in hotel tamilnadu, KanyaKumari

Planning to reach KanyaKumari by sunset and catch a glimpse of sun setting down over the peninsula.

Day3: After a short visit start for Bangalore and reach Bangalore by night.

I'm aware of the roads till Madurai, as it's ask NH-7, can someone please tell me how are conditions of roads from Madurai to Rameshwaram and Rameshwaram to KanyaKumari.

Also how much time it will take one to reach there.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gurha

Day 2: Get the mundan done for my daughter, and travel to KanyaKumari and stay in hotel tamilnadu, KanyaKumari

This is the tougher part. Its about 300km. Account for at least 6 hours.
I also hope you are able to move out of Rameshwaram by 11.
Rameshwaram-Ramnad-Sayalgudi-Kulathur-Ottapidaram-Tirunelveli-Kanyakumari.



As regards to first question:

Madurai-Rameshwaram is about 180km. Account 3-4 hours. 4 hour for actual 180km drive and some time to get out of Madurai.

Parking your car in Madurai and heading for the temple is quite a daunting task. I am not sure if there is a perfect way to solve this problem.

[narayans80]

Infact even Day 1 looks tight to see Meenakshi Temple at 11, if you get delayed you'd border with temple closing time as well. If you head straightaway to Rameswaram and finish up on Day 1 itself, you could start early morning on Day 2 to Madurai, see Meenakshi Temple and head to KK. This would add 100 km, but you'll reach early morning where there'll be reasonably less crowd and you'll lose much less time getting in city than at 11am.

[ampere]

Or in case if you miss darshan in the first half of the day, finish darshan by evening and drive to Rameshwaram to reach by about 10/11 PM. Thats another option, but extremely hectic one.

[gurha]

Originally Posted by ampere

This is the tougher part. Its about 300km. Account for at least 6 hours.
I also hope you are able to move out of Rameshwaram by 11.
Rameshwaram-Ramnad-Sayalgudi-Kulathur-Ottapidaram-Tirunelveli-Kanyakumari.


As regards to first question:

Madurai-Rameshwaram is about 180km. Account 3-4 hours. 4 hour for actual 180km drive and some time to get out of Madurai.

Parking your car in Madurai and heading for the temple is quite a daunting task. I am not sure if there is a perfect way to solve this problem.

Thanks Ampere, for the route info.

I am also wondering, since you mentioned parking may be a problem around the temple complex, will it be a better idea to park my car somewhere near Aravind Systems and take an auto from there and come out real quick, without the hassle of finding a place to park? Please advice.

Originally Posted by narayans80

Infact even Day 1 looks tight to see Meenakshi Temple at 11, if you get delayed you'd border with temple closing time as well. If you head straightaway to Rameswaram and finish up on Day 1 itself, you could start early morning on Day 2 to Madurai, see Meenakshi Temple and head to KK. This would add 100 km, but you'll reach early morning where there'll be reasonably less crowd and you'll lose much less time getting in city than at 11am.

Thanks for info narayans80. I'll try my best to reach there before the temple closes. In case I couldn't reach there by that time and the temple is closed, I would head straight to Rameshwaram. But since I have to get the tonsure done for my daughter on Sunday, I don't think I can come back to Madurai and then head to KK, as I have plans to see the sunset. In that case I'll try to visit the Meenakshi temple on my way back from KK to Bangalore on Monday.

Originally Posted by ampere

Or in case if you miss darshan in the first half of the day, finish darshan by evening and drive to Rameshwaram to reach by about 10/11 PM. Thats another option, but extremely hectic one.

I personally don't want to do that, as it will be really hectic for my daughter which is only 7 months old and it will be really hot in there, and spending a day there wouldn't be possible.

The only important thing in this trip is the tonsure for my daughter, else everything can be changed, as that may not be the only time I'll be going there .

So, want to keep everything simple, start early when she is fast asleep on day 1 and try to reach Madurai early, if possible do the darshan else move onto Rameshwaram. Next day get the tonsure done for my daughter, do the darshan and head to KK. If possible see the sunset else do some sigh-seeing around the peninsula. Next day see the peninsula early morning and head to Bangalore. If possible do the darshan in Madurai else reach home before 10 PM.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gurha

The only important thing in this trip is the tonsure for my daughter, else everything can be changed, as that may not be the only time I'll be going there .

3 days, 3 places in this heat is hectic. What I would suggest is chuck out KK.

- D1 : Head to Rameshwaram directly,
- D2 : Head back to Madurai
- D3 : Drive out to Bangalore.

[narayans80]

I agree with Amp, you have to either chuck out KK or Meenakshi Temple to make it achievable. The best way to see Meenakshi Temple is to either stay in Madurai (park your car at hotel, take an auto, see the temple and return) or goto Madurai early morning also the temple is close from 1230/1300 to 1600/1630.

Getting in/out of Madurai is a pain, so is parking in around the temple.

So you either can see around Rameswaram (like Dhanushkodi, Devipattinam, Thirupullani etc.) and do Madurai. Or do Rameswaram and KK and leave Madurai for a later trip. Squeezing in Meenakshi Temple on any day in your existing plan is going to make that day hectic for the reasons I mentioned above.

[gurha]

Originally Posted by ampere

3 days, 3 places in this heat is hectic. What I would suggest is chuck out KK.

- D1 : Head to Rameshwaram directly,
- D2 : Head back to Madurai
- D3 : Drive out to Bangalore.

In that case, I've already booked hotel in KK, so would probably go there, and may skip Meenakshi Temple if there is no time and will head straight to Rameshwaram on Day 1.

Originally Posted by narayans80

I agree with Amp, you have to either chuck out KK or Meenakshi Temple to make it achievable. The best way to see Meenakshi Temple is to either stay in Madurai (park your car at hotel, take an auto, see the temple and return) or goto Madurai early morning also the temple is close from 1230/1300 to 1600/1630.

Getting in/out of Madurai is a pain, so is parking in around the temple.

So you either can see around Rameswaram (like Dhanushkodi, Devipattinam, Thirupullani etc.) and do Madurai. Or do Rameswaram and KK and leave Madurai for a later trip. Squeezing in Meenakshi Temple on any day in your existing plan is going to make that day hectic for the reasons I mentioned above.

I would probably do the same, head straight to Rameshwaram and visit few places around and plan Madurai for a later point of time.

[gurha]

Just a quick question, is there any dress code which should be followed to enter the temples of Madurai and Rameshwaram? When I drive, I generally drive wearing 3/4 or shorts, is there any objection to enter the temple wearing those? I remember someone objecting for the same when I visited Tirupati.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by gurha

Just a quick question, is there any dress code which should be followed to enter the temples of Madurai and Rameshwaram? When I drive, I generally drive wearing 3/4 or shorts, is there any objection to enter the temple wearing those? I remember someone objecting for the same when I visited Tirupati.

There was no dress code per se but at Tamil Nadu temples, sometimes they can get finicky with 3/4 or shorts. Pants/Trousers for gents and saree/salwar for the ladies is a better option.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by gurha

Just a quick question, is there any dress code which should be followed to enter the temples of Madurai and Rameshwaram? When I drive, I generally drive wearing 3/4 or shorts, is there any objection to enter the temple wearing those? I remember someone objecting for the same when I visited Tirupati.

There is no dress code as @NPV mentioned.

One routing front, I am yet to see which route takes more time:

Dindigul-Natham-Kottampatty-Melur-Sivagangani-Illayangudi-Paramakudi-Ramnad : Route Link

Or take the conventional route via Madurai bypass.
Route Link

Wanted to see if we gain by not going via Madurai (in spite of not using the 4-lane). Some points to ponder:
- Natham road is wide.
- Melur-Sivagangai is also good road.

[hamster]

My 2 cents.
It is been raining heavily for the last 1 week and more in and around Kanyakumari due to the low pressure formed over Bay of Bengal.
Also, if you are planning to visit Kanyakumari temple, then there is indeed a dress code. They normally dont allow Three-fourths and you have to remove your shirt/t-shirt while entering in the temple. Trousers/Dhotis are allowed. To be on the safer side and to avoid embarrasment and delays, better be on trousers/jeans in all the temples. You can avoid rolling eyes too

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ampere

Dindigul-Natham-Kottampatty-Melur-Sivagangani-Illayangudi-Paramakudi-Ramnad

Wouldn't Dindigul-Natham-Kottampatty-Tirupattur-Karaikudi-Devipatnam-Ramnad-Rameswaram make sense? Given that Karaikudi-Devipatnam is in good condition.

[ampere]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Wouldn't Dindigul-Natham-Kottampatty-Tirupattur-Karaikudi-Devipatnam-Ramnad-Rameswaram make sense? Given that Karaikudi-Devipatnam is in good condition.

Very true. I was in the "old" 210 mode. Hence did not remember. Thanks for reminding. Of course with the updated NH210, its a beauty to drive.

- Distance wise both are almost same (as compared to Madurai option)
- 210 is definitely better than Melur option I suggested. Route Via Karaikudi
- Turpathur-Karaikudi-Ramnad also bypasses Karaikudi town.
- But still no idea how these options fare against NH7/NH49.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by ampere

But still no idea how these options fare against NH7/NH49.

You have eating options at towns. To catch SH35 you have to go right though Dindigul, next big town is either Karaikudi or Ramnad, though you might have some minimal options on small towns like Tirupattur, Kottampatti, Natham as well. NH49 is pretty par in terms of facilities, other than Paramakudi and Ramnad (Ramnad is bypassed too) towns. Highway facilities are very less.