[RGK]

@sethu/venki/raju/sridhar

Did a kumbakonam trip yesterday. Chennai to Ulundurpet - took right the under bridge which goes to the Ulundurpet town (do not take the right at the bye pass beginning as the ROB is not completed) and right after the bustand to Vridhachalam - Andimadam - Jayamkondam - Gangaikondacholapuram - hit the Kumbakonam Chennai road and right - Anaikarai- Thirupanandhal - Kumbakonam.

Road was fantastic - end to end except near Anaikarai and few speed breakers between Ulundurpet and Virudhachalam. Safe for day travel and with less traffic. Reached in 5-1/2 hours and the distance was around 310 kms which is 30km more than Panruti route.

This is the best route to Kumbakonam as one need not cross more towns like what you do in Panruti route. Slow traffic is only at Virdhachalam.

Thanks all for suggesting this wonderful route.
Returned via Mayaladuthurai - Sirkazhi - Chidambaram - Cuddalore - Pondy after attending a temple function in Thirunangur. Nothing can be said about this route other than horrible.

[venki.bala]

RGK, Thanks. Thats great update. How is traffic regulated at the Anaikarai bridge? Is it better or as usual like the old days. Thirunangur? Where is it located, just curious to know never heard the name before.

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by RGK

Returned via Mayaladuthurai - Sirkazhi - Chidambaram - Cuddalore - Pondy after attending a temple function in Thirunangur. Nothing can be said about this route other than horrible.

Why? Traffic or road condition?

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Why? Traffic or road condition?

HVK Sir, I think it is both. Traffic hurts between Kumbakonam - mayiladuthurai - Chidambaram. It is simply not possible to overtake at all at any time of the day or till 11 pm in the night. After recent Thane storm, roads between chidambaram - cuddalore - Pondy have taken a beating and traffic during daytime doesnot help at all.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

RGK, Thanks. Thats great update. How is traffic regulated at the Anaikarai bridge? Is it better or as usual like the old days. Thirunangur? Where is it located, just curious to know never heard the name before.

Yes regulated than before. Signals and police posts at both ends help to allow vehicles in one direction at a time. They have constructed some concrete blocks continously on either side of the road on the bridge to strengthen. Civil engineers can understand and explain better.
Thirunangur is near Sirkazhi and famous for 11 Vishnu temples and all the vishnu idols on garuda come out on a procession after 11 pm (called "garuda seva") on the next day of "amavasya" in the month of "thai".

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Why? Traffic or road condition?

Road condition is bad. I expected this. Road was better between Sirkazhi & Cuddalore, Cuddalore & Chidambaram (except few patches). The bye- passes at Sirkazhi & Chidambaram help in reduction of driving time. The Cuddalore-Pondy road is pathetic after this thane storm.
My return journey was planned in the night after 2 am and was able to reach Chennai at 6.30 am.

Originally Posted by venki.bala

HVK Sir, I think it is both. Traffic hurts between Kumbakonam - mayiladuthurai - Chidambaram. It is simply not possible to overtake at all at any time of the day or till 11 pm in the night. After recent Thane storm, roads between chidambaram - cuddalore - Pondy have taken a beating and traffic during daytime doesnot help at all.

Yes absolutely. Since my return was in the night, I continued in this route, otherwise the alternative would have been Sirkazhi-Cuddalore-Panruti-Cross road in NH45 before Villupuram - Tindivanam- Chennai.

[venki.bala]

[quote=RGK;2660094]

Wow... That is wonderful. I must add it to the list of temples that I need to visit in this part of tamilnadu. The problem is the list is growing big and I am not able to take vacation and try to reduce the list. Chennai folks are really lucky.....

[hvkumar]

Originally Posted by RGK

Road condition is bad. I expected this.

Sirkazhi bypass is now open?

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Sirkazhi bypass is now open?

It was opened nearly a year ago, I think.

[RGK]

Originally Posted by hvkumar

Sirkazhi bypass is now open?

Originally Posted by Gansan

It was opened nearly a year ago, I think.

Yes It is open. All the names of the "towns" are given in a single sign board which makes difficult to read while driving at decent speeds.

Forgot to add - After Chidambaram byepass till Buvanagiri - the road is not smooth and full of small potholes through out.

[ravib]

[quote=venki.bala;2660112]

Originally Posted by RGK

Wow... That is wonderful. I must add it to the list of temples that I need to visit in this part of tamilnadu. The problem is the list is growing big and I am not able to take vacation and try to reduce the list. Chennai folks are really lucky.....

+1. Same here. My every visit to Kumbakonam I try to reduce the list but with thousands of temples around, I don't know when the list will become short

The below link is very useful to see all the temples around KMU. Just zoom out couple of times, and you will be astonished to see the count. !

Rajamala's Maps - Google Maps

-Ravi

[polopm]

Originally Posted by RGK

@sethu/venki/raju/sridhar

Did a kumbakonam trip yesterday. Chennai to Ulundurpet - took right the under bridge which goes to the Ulundurpet town (do not take the right at the bye pass beginning as the ROB is not completed) and right after the bustand to Vridhachalam - Andimadam - Jayamkondam - Gangaikondacholapuram - hit the Kumbakonam Chennai road and right - Anaikarai- Thirupanandhal - Kumbakonam.

Road was fantastic - end to end except near Anaikarai and few speed breakers between Ulundurpet and Virudhachalam. Safe for day travel and with less traffic. Reached in 5-1/2 hours and the distance was around 310 kms which is 30km more than Panruti route.

This is the best route to Kumbakonam as one need not cross more towns like what you do in Panruti route. Slow traffic is only at Virdhachalam.

Thanks all for suggesting this wonderful route.
Returned via Mayaladuthurai - Sirkazhi - Chidambaram - Cuddalore - Pondy after attending a temple function in Thirunangur. Nothing can be said about this route other than horrible.

Nice to hear that ! I did the same as well for Pongal and while returning did an extended trip to Thiruvannamalai on the same road.

This piece of nice tarmac actually starts from Arcot and goes via
Arni->Polur->Thiruvannamalai->Thirukkoilur->ElanavasurKottai->Ulundurpettai and from there onwards till Kumbakonam. One of my colleages says this was laid for BHEL to get equipment from the ports (which one - Karaikal ? ). Not sure on this though..

So folks from Bangalore who want to travel to Kumbakonam can do this route..slightly longer but smooth tarmac all the way.

There is one more option to touch Thiruvannamalai :
Bangalore-Karimangalam-Morappur-Harur-Thanipadi-Tiruvannamalai.

You can find the details on the Bangalore -Thiruvannamalai thread:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/route-...ml#post2520053

Cheers !

[venki.bala]

[quote=ravib;2660377]

Originally Posted by venki.bala

+1. Same here. My every visit to Kumbakonam I try to reduce the list but with thousands of temples around, I don't know when the list will become short

The below link is very useful to see all the temples around KMU. Just zoom out couple of times, and you will be astonished to see the count. !

Rajamala's Maps - Google Maps

-Ravi

Thats an amazing Map. My mom's birthplace is near Peralam and when I showed her the map she was astonished she has not heard of many temples nearby. Great information. Thanks Ravib.

[JRAJE]

Originally Posted by sethu.murali

I just traveled this stretch 2 days back from Kumbakonam to Chennai. I took Kumbakonam - Anaikarai - Jayankondam - Vridachallam - Ulundurpet - Chennai NH. The ride is smooth for the entire stretch almost except for a very few pot holes between Vridachalam-Ulundurpet. You may do 10 Kms more on this stretch and the drive is pleasant. There is a nice hotel at Vridachalam near the bus stand - Hotel Archana for South Indian food.

Originally Posted by RGK

@sethu/venki/raju/sridhar

Did a kumbakonam trip yesterday. Chennai to Ulundurpet - took right the under bridge which goes to the Ulundurpet town (do not take the right at the bye pass beginning as the ROB is not completed) and right after the bustand to Vridhachalam - Andimadam - Jayamkondam - Gangaikondacholapuram - hit the Kumbakonam Chennai road and right - Anaikarai- Thirupanandhal - Kumbakonam.

Road was fantastic - end to end except near Anaikarai and few speed breakers between Ulundurpet and Virudhachalam. Safe for day travel and with less traffic. Reached in 5-1/2 hours and the distance was around 310 kms which is 30km more than Panruti route.

This is the best route to Kumbakonam as one need not cross more towns like what you do in Panruti route. Slow traffic is only at Virdhachalam.

Thanks all for suggesting this wonderful route.
Returned via Mayaladuthurai - Sirkazhi - Chidambaram - Cuddalore - Pondy after attending a temple function in Thirunangur. Nothing can be said about this route other than horrible.

Hello all,

We are planning to do a trip from Chennai to Kumbakonam and around. Considering a check in at Swamimalai at 11 AM, we are planning to

leave by 5 AM and stop midway for Breakfast for 30 min.

Is the route suggested by Sethu.murali and RGK the best bet? (Ulundurpet - Vridhachalam - Andimadam - Jayamkondam - Gangaikondacholapuram - Anaikarai )

or has any thing changed during the past 3-4 months in Anaikarai region to stop car traffic?

Also We need to stop for breakfast mid way after 3 hours drive. Heard that the options are

1)Highway Inn - Tindivanam . 120KM from Chennai too early
2)A2B Ulundurpet Looks ideal .190 Km from Chennai .Just before 8 AM..
3)Vridachalam near the bus stand - Hotel Archana

Are there any other good options?

Thanks in advance.

[polopm]

Originally Posted by JRAJE

Hello all,

We are planning to do a trip from Chennai to Kumbakonam and around. Considering a check in at Swamimalai at 11 AM, we are planning to

leave by 5 AM and stop midway for Breakfast for 30 min.

Is the route suggested by Sethu.murali and RGK the best bet? (Ulundurpet - Vridhachalam - Andimadam - Jayamkondam - Gangaikondacholapuram - Anaikarai )

or has any thing changed during the past 3-4 months in Anaikarai region to stop car traffic?

Also We need to stop for breakfast mid way after 3 hours drive. Heard that the options are

1)Highway Inn - Tindivanam . 120KM from Chennai too early
2)A2B Ulundurpet Looks ideal .190 Km from Chennai .Just before 8 AM..
3)Vridachalam near the bus stand - Hotel Archana

Are there any other good options?

Thanks in advance.

The route is the best ( see my comments quite early in the thread )

A2b at ulundurpet is a great option for fuel (man and machine) and so for the bio break as well (when u travel with family )

[RGK]

@JARJE

My b-i-l did a trip last month and returned back from the old panruti road after doing 5 kms and took this route. This seems to be the best till now. The main advantage is no towns in between except Virudhachalam.

Highway Inn, Hotel Aryas (near tindivanam byepass) & A2B are good, (but you need to make a U turn & drive a KM) are good.

Better start early to avoid scorching sun.