[venki.bala]

Hi I am planning to travel to my native place near mannargudi next month and need to complete trip by going to Thirukaraukavur and Thirumanenjeri temples as well. I was told that Thirukarukavur is near thanjavur while Thrimananejeri is near Mayiladuthurai. Please let me know the distance and route info if any of our TBhpians have them. it would be great help to me in planning the trip. Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Venkatesh

[ssengo]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Hi I am planning to travel to my native place near mannargudi next month and need to complete trip by going to Thirukaraukavur and Thirumanenjeri temples as well. I was told that Thirukarukavur is near thanjavur while Thrimananejeri is near Mayiladuthurai. Please let me know the distance and route info if any of our TBhpians have them. it would be great help to me in planning the trip. Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Venkatesh

venki, r u starting your trip from hyderabad? do u need guidance on route from hyderabad to tirumananjeri? please let me know so that i can help you with shortest possible route. I'm confused from where your trip starts

[aargee]

Thirukarugavur - we visited about an year back & is located mid from Kumbakonam & Tanjavur. Actually it was about 10-13Kms drive from Kumbakonam main bus stand. From Tanjavur you have to travel towards Kumbakonam & take a diversion towards right. From my experience, people are more than good, more than willing to help, just ask for direction (hopefully you're going to Garbaratchambigai temple) & you'll be guided very easily. From what I heard, there's an added advantage when you come from Tanjavur that you can hit the temple's front entrance easily. Otherwise, when coming from Kumbakonam, you've to travel additional 10Kms towards Tanjavur road OR take the back door to the temple by parking the car at one side of the river, cross a wooden bridge by walk & take an auto for Rs 20 one way for about 1 KM to reach the temple's rear entrance.

[ssengo]

i assume you start your travel from hyderabad. The route to tirumananjeri goes like this:

Reach Chennai (0) >> Pondy (150) >> Cuddalore(25) >> Chidambaram (48) >> Sirkazhi (22) >> Mayiladuthurai (30) >> Tirumananjeri (20)

Please take scenic route via ECR to reach pondy and the roads are great throughout Mayiladuthurai. The other route is via Chennai - Tindivanam - Neyveli - Vadalur - Kumbakonam - Tirumananjer. You save just 20+ odd kms but the roads are very bad in condition. I suggest you take the Route 1 via ECR.

I'm not sure of the other temple (Thirukaraukavur). Is it Tirukadaiyur or you have spelt it wrong? Please clarify so that i can help you.

In case, you need to drive to Thanjavur from Tirumananjeri, the route is:
Tirumananjeri (0) >> Kumbakonam (35) >> Thanjavur (40).

[aargee]

Originally Posted by ssengo

Please take scenic route via ECR to reach pondy and the roads are great throughout Mayiladuthurai. The other route is via Chennai - Tindivanam - Neyveli - Vadalur - Kumbakonam - Tirumananjer. You save just 20+ odd kms but the roads are very bad in condition. I suggest you take the Route 1 via ECR.

+1; ECR is very much suggested than Tindivanam. Take Chennai-Pondi-Cuddalore-Chidambaram-Kumbakonam; roads were breeze. I took Tindivanam last time & got messed up. Driving down via Pondi was breeze.

@Bala - also, suggest to visit the 9 Navagraha temples around Kumbakonam.

Originally Posted by ssengo

I'm not sure of the other temple (Thirukaraukavur). Is it Tirukadaiyur or you have spelt it wrong? Please clarify so that i can help you.

There's a place called Thirukarukkavoor near Kumbakonam; people usually visit this place only for the temple here.

[ampere]

Easiest is to take a train to Chennai and then to Trichy.
Kumbakonam is very close (1 hour max).

There are many trains to Trichy.
Or you can take buses that directly go to Kumbakonam from Chennai.


Now if you are planning to drive I would suggest:

- NH7 to Anantpur.
- NH205/NH4 to Chitoor via Kadri and Madanapalle.
- Chitoor-Vellore-Gingee (SH + NH66) to Tindivanam.
- Tindivanam - Mayiladuthurai via NH45.

You can break at Chitoor. May get decent hotels. Chitoor to Gingee are SH where you will cut through NH4/NH46 and on to NH66 which leads to Tindivanam. Not sure of the SH road conditions.

PS: Your native town reminds of Mannargudi Easwaran

[venki.bala]

Thanks SSENGO and AARGEE for your inputs. I should have clarified my question in a better way. My native temple is near Mannargudi. I am going there on 14 th May driving from chennai with my parents and in laws in 2 separate cars. I am going to stay there till 17th May. We need to then take our daughter to Thirugarugavur to complete my in-law's prayer ( that if we have a safe pregnancy and blessed with a healthy baby that she will bring our kid to the temple and there is a golden thottil where we will have to place the bay and take her around the garbagraham). Then will have to visit Thrumananjeri again my in laws prayer ( to get a good husband like me for her daughter).

My plan is to start from mannargudi on 17th may after noon, head straight to thriugavur through kumbakonam and finish the prayer and then stay either in Kumbakonam or mayiladuthurai for the nite. travel to thirimananchery and then travel back to chennai.

Guys let me know if this plan sounds ok.

Regards,
Venkatesh

[venki.bala]

Thanks Ampere for your inputs. Mannargudi is a small town famous for its santhana gopalan temple. and also famous for Sasikala ( friend of our Ex CM) she is a native of this town.........

Regards,
Venkatesh

[aargee]

Venki - We did the same trip in 2008 Dec from Chennai & let me know if you need any help.

Again I stress on the point Bala, do make a point to visit all the 9 Navagraha temples around Kumbakonam. It is possible to complete this in one full day. BTW, how young is your daughter? If she's too young, then you can avoid this 1 day trip of 9 temple visit or probably extend to 2-3 days. Try to make it, its worth it & will change your life for better

EDIT - Also its worth visiting Chidambaram Natarajar Temple which will be on the way towards Mayiladuthurai (formerly Mayavaram)

[ampere]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

Thanks SSENGO and AARGEE for your inputs. I should have clarified my question in a better way. My native temple is near Mannargudi. I am going there on 14 th May driving from chennai with my parents and in laws in 2 separate cars. I am going to stay there till 17th May. We need to then take our daughter to Thirugarugavur to complete my in-law's prayer ( that if we have a safe pregnancy and blessed with a healthy baby that she will bring our kid to the temple and there is a golden thottil where we will have to place the bay and take her around the garbagraham). Then will have to visit Thrumananjeri again my in laws prayer ( to get a good husband like me for her daughter).

My plan is to start from mannargudi on 17th may after noon, head straight to thriugavur through kumbakonam and finish the prayer and then stay either in Kumbakonam or mayiladuthurai for the nite. travel to thirimananchery and then travel back to chennai.

Guys let me know if this plan sounds ok.

Regards,
Venkatesh

Kumbakonam to Thirugarugavur is doable in 1-2 hours. Roads are very good. There is a diversion to the temple from this SH (leading to Mayavaram) and you need to go to for about 6-8 Km.

My only suggestion is that do not make it too late in the evening. There is a bridge near the temple which was under construction some time back (when I had been a year and a half back). By the time I reached it was evening. I had started from Tanjavur by 3PM. It became too dark when we finished darshan. By the time we reach Mayailaduthirai was almost 9.

Driving in the night was not an issue. The issue is that it becomes pretty bad parking on one side of the river, having to cross a hanging bridge in the dark, taking an auto to the temple and coming back before you can start again.

Hence would suggest to do it in the day time. Afternoon the temple may be closed. Else start late morning so that you can be at the temple by 4 in the evening and can pack-off before it becomes dark !

[ssengo]

i would suggest couple of good hotels for stay around kumbakonam that are pollution free and good area for kids to play around. Food is also available there which is quite decent for family.

One near Vaitheeswaran Kovil, hardly 10 kms from Sirkazhi on the way to Mayiladuthurai. There is a very famous Sivan temple here and is a must see place in your travel list. Details below:

Hotel Sadhabishegam, Vaitheeswaran Koil
Hotel sadhabishegam - home
Booking Contact: +91 4364 279223, 279224

The other in Tirukadaiyur, 25 kms from Sirkali on the way to karaikal. This is also a good place to stay with childrens play area and good parking facilities. I have stayed here number of times with family. There is also a famous Abirami temple here where this is a must visit temple for aged people.

Hotel Mookambigai Residency, Tirukadaiyur
Booking Contact: 9364387750, 04364287515. 04364287748, 04364287749

[venki.bala]

First of all many thanks to SSENGO, AARGEE and AMPERE for your very fast responses.

Hi SSENGO, thanks for the info. I have stayed in Hotel Sadhabishegham before. If I decide to make mayavaram as the nite stay point, I will try to book Hotel Mookambigai Residency.

Ampere,
I cant make it a early morning start because I have some rituals in my native till afternoon, what I am thinking is may be stay back in my native on17th. And 18th early morning if I start from mannargudi, i should be in thirugaruavur by 8 am, finish off the prayers, move to Thirumanachery ( might take 1 - 2 hr drive) leisurely finish the prayers there, stay in Mayiladuthurai and leave for chennai on 19th morning.

AARGEE,
I have visited the navagraha temples many times before. These 2 temples, my parents, and in-laws have never been and hence not sure off. Also my daughter is only 8 months old only, so one day trip is ruled out. Could you please tell me if i start from kumbakonam, go towards Thanajvur road, where should I turn off to thirugarugavur, is it before Papanasam or after Papanasam. Can I cover it from Kumbakonam in one hour drive? Also do you have any idea how far Thirumananchery is from Mayavaram? One of my relatives told me that it is near to Kuthalam (which is on Kumbakonam - Mayavaram road).

There are now 2 options for me with routewise. They are

1: Mannargudi - Kumbakonam - thirugarugavur - kumbakonam - aaduthurai - kuthalam - Thirumanchery - Mayavarm - chennai.

or

2: Mannargudi - Vaduvur - Thanjavur - Papanasam - Thirugarugavur - Kumbakonam - aaduthurai - kuthalam - Thirumanchery - Mayavarm - chennai.

I know Mannargudi - Kumbakonam route, roads are nice even though very curvy. I have never done mannargudi - tanjore road? Do you have any idea about this road?

Thanks once again.

Venkatesh

[ssengo]

Drive from Kumbakonam to Mannargudi through Alangudi (Gurusthalam) is one of the worst roads i have come across in my life. It will be a serious pain watching your car hit huge potholes every 2-4 feet. I'm sure hatchbacks and Sedans can't take up these roads. I suggest you plan for an alternative route to Mannargudi than taking the Alangudi route.

I have done this trip very recently and still no work is being carried out to atleast fill these HUGE potholes.

[venki.bala]

SSENGO ....oh..... are the roads between Mannargudi - Kumbakonam so bad? I traveled 1.5 yrs ago and they were decent then.... let me await Mannargudi - tanjore road update from someone who has traveled recently on that route.

[ssengo]

I did this trip a month ago till Alangudi which is around 16 kms from kumbakonam and mannargudi is approx 20 kms more from alangudi. I found it very hard to prevent my car's underbody scrap in the potholes. So advice you to try some other route. Also a small bridge construction is going along the way. Watch Out !!!