[Secretariat]

Members of this forum (self included) are usually of the opinion that speeds in less than 3 digits are rather inappropriate for human existence. They are in a hurry. They honk at the car ahead that is doing 99 kmph. They want to dash from A to B. They only see a blur from the car window. But how does the world look if you slow down ? Really slow down ? To say, 20 kmph. Read on to find out.

Before anybody else says it, I will. Getting stuck in Ecoworld / KR Puram / Silk Board, does not count as slowing down !

The Protagonist

This BHPian freely admits to raising the average age of Team BHP (considerably), a sin considering that this forum is mostly comprised of the young. A frequent road traveller, I have inflicted a travelogue or two on unsuspecting readers. But this time, I wanted to do something "different". Hence this T-Log. Perhaps to prove that "wise men" can also hobnob with the young !

The Companion

It is well known that one of the membership requirements here is that you have to be hopelessly and insanely in love. With the significant other is optional, but with a mechanical companion is obligatory. But it is also a fact that the human species was never meant to be monogamous. Therefore I decided to give my companion of years a rest and instead elope with a slim pretty thing. This one.

If you must ask, this is a Montra Trance Pro. This is an immediate trigger for any cycling enthusiast to head for the exit. In the pecking order of bicycles, this is probably a Wagon R. Cycling buffs are even more prone to vanity than you lot. If you don't have at least a Cannondale or a Merida, you don't cut it. But then, as this story will tell, my companion has a giant heart. That's all that counts.

The Trip

For a debut cycling trip, the hills are not a great idea. Where is the flattest land in the country ? Tamil Nadu. Hence Tamil Nadu it shall be. Madras to Kanyakumari has a nice ring to it. Been around multiple times, and so I added on a heritage angle to it. Will stay overnight in as many heritage places as possible.

It has to be both an endurance and a pleasure trip. The idea is to enjoy and not howl with pain. And so the criteria was set. At the end of the day, the legs should pleasantly tingle and there should be no pain on the next morning. My comfortable cycling range on flat roads is 100 km. I aimed for an average of 70 km on this trip. I must enjoy it, you see. Romantic notions of pedalling away peacefully amongst green paddy fields, the breeze on the face, the winter (?) sun on the back, singing aloud off key without a care in the world , stopping at teashops on the way and discussing the merits or otherwise of various heroes, heroines and politicos, etc etc. Ha Ha

This also had to be an unsupported trip. No crew, no vehicle to carry the baggage. Remember, I want to boast to the young !

And solo. As all my trips are. Group travel is not my thing.

The Prep

All BHPians love the prep. I am no exception. Got the cycle serviced (yes, you do service a cycle; don't laugh). 4-5 months of cycling 150-250 kms per week, brought the fitness to desired levels. The sight of a crazy guy riding with saddle bags (weighted with books to simulate the baggage to be carried) provoked enough mirth in my surroundings.

The Inspiration

Travlogues on this forum have served as my inspiration in the past. No different this time. The all time classic of mr.sinha here is the Bible for those who like cycling travelogues. This man is a master, but needs to be severely threatened by the Mods. He has since done one of the greatest cycling journeys of all, but has not written the travelogue on it. Unpardonable sin, and if he does not correct it soon, ought to be threatened with expulsion !

And just when I was wavering whether this was a foorlhardy exercise in vanity, came an inspirational thread from Hunter3077 here. If he can do THAT, I can do this.

Thank you guys. You are my heroes.

[Secretariat]

Day 1 : Setting Sail

In road trips by car, the first day is always the same. Get up as early as you can and floor the pedal to put as much distance as possible. Something like 800 kms would be nice.

Exact opposite this time. I got up leisurely, had a solid breakfast, dawdled for a while and then set off. Life in the slow lane is completely different !

(All loaded and set to go)

Getting out of Madras took me a full hour jostling with techies doing whatever they do for Uncle Sam and committing hara kiri on the road. Once the last of the tech parks was passed, it became open roads and peaceful riding.

62 kms and three and a half hours on the East Coast Road today. Past the interesting village "theme park" of Dakshin Chitra. Past the crocodile farm set up by Romulus Whitaker. Past the tourist town of Mammallapuram. Even more famous these days after it paid host to Modi and Xi a couple of months ago.

The road hugs the sea and for most parts is some 200 metres from the coastline. One hour into the ride, as I left Madras behind, I could see the sea and it kept company all the way along.The cycling was uneventful. But straightaway I realised one big problem. The heat is awful. This is what passes for winter in Tamil Nadu. I chose the "coldest" month of the year for the trip and yet the heat is stifling. I've been spoilt by Bangalore's temperate weather for so many years !

I am breaking near the small town of Kalpakkam. This is the site of one of India's nuclear power plants. It took the brunt of the tsunami 10 years ago and stayed intact. Staying out in a "village resort" which feels like the middle of nowhere.

Day 2 : Vive la France

Two hundred and sixty years ago, almost to the day, a decisive battle happened in these parts. The outcome decided whether this T-log would be written in English or French !

The Battle of Wandiwash (Vandavasi) was fought between the British East India Company's forces led by Sir Eyre Coote and the French East India Company forces led by Count de Lally. The French were routed and their Indian ambitions forever closed. They retreated to their enclave of Pondicherry and there they remained till 1954, when it was acceded to India.

I left Kalpakkam today morning and passed the turning to Vandavasi (the Brits must have passed this way as might have the French). I paused to try and rekindle the spirits, but felt nothing. Yes, this is a historical fact, but two Europeans squabbling on a land they had nothing to do with, does not stimulate the imagination. And yet on this trip, I shall narrate incident after incident when something like this happened. What a tragedy that India with far superior numbers in the army and reasonable military might fell because of all the divisions and petty squabbling.

India was not a case like Latin America where spears faced guns and horses. This was far more equal. And yet.

Crossed the bridge over the river Palar - where the river meets the sea. There's much water in the river, testament to the fact that rains this season have been good. Usually only a dry river bed would present itself. Not now. Nice.

Passed a lovely cafe midway run as a R2C initiative (it said so). Rural produce and articles are sold in the cafe, eliminating the middleman. Paused for a leisurely cup of tea.

(the lovely R2C cafe)

Day 3 : The first heritage place

A perhaps little known fact about Tamil Nadu is that there are many "heritage" places to stay, probably next only to Rajasthan. These are usually properties that are at least 200-300 years old, which have been restored, but with modern conveniences bolted on. My plan on this trip is to stay in as many of them as possible, experiencing at least in spirit, a way of Tamilian life of the past.

These places are usually targetted at the European traveller. And priced accordingly (Ouch !) But considering that I am spending nothing on the transport (ha ha), I impudently have decided to splurge and squander a fortune. Well, you only live once.

Anantha Heritage in Pondy is one such place. Pondy has many places like this. This one is about 200 years old and restored to how Tamilian houses in this part of the state used to be long ago. Lots of timber, red oxide flooring, a "thinnai" at the entrance for the passing traveller to rest, even sleep, an open courtyard as you enter, rooms around for the joint family (now for the traveller like me), etc etc.

(Anantha Heritage)


(As you enter)


(the view from the dining area)

Today is a "Zero Day", to borrow hiking terminology - a day when I haven't clocked anything on the bike. This is a pleasure trip, remember. So the plan was to bike for 3 days and then break for a day for recovery.

[Secretariat]

Day 4 : Where Ponniyin Selvan began

Ponniyin Selvan is one of the great historical novels in Tamil. It tells the story of the early days of the man who was to become Rajaraja Chola, one of the greatest kings of South India of the Chola dynasty. The story begins on the banks of the Veeranam Lake, which is where I have reached today.

Resumed from Pondy after a day's break and promptly encountered the chaos on the road to Cuddalore. To add to the fun, it started to drizzle, playing cat and mouse with me. I duck for cover and the rain stops. I sail out and it starts to drizzle again. I put on my rain gear and it stops. And this game went on for a good hour and a half. There's mud everywhere and soon I resembled a mud wrestler ! The saving grace was that the weather was much cooler and I didn't have to face the relentless sun.

Once I left Cuddalore behind, I started to see and feel what I really set out on this trip for. Rural Tamil Nadu. It is all green thanks to the good monsoon we have had over the last couple of months. Paddy fields everywhere. There is going to be a good crop this year, accompanied by the usual drama - falling prices, farmer protests, procurement by the government and godowns bursting at the seams.

(What I am riding to really see and feel)

Passed the turnoff to Parangipettai. In an alternate universe, it would have been the metropolis of the south and not Madras. Even now, it has some claim to have the most international history of Indian towns.

Parangipettai started its existence as a town as Muthukrishna Puri. It was a major trading post in the Coromandel coast and the Arabs were frequent visitors - some of them stayed put and a strong Muslim culture was founded. The town was renamed Mohammed Banthar. Then came the Portugese. They named it as Porto Novo. They got thrown out. Then came the Swedes (yes, there was a Swedish East India Company for a short while) Then came the Dutch. Last came the Brits and they threw everybody else out. The locals got so fed up with all of this that they renamed their place Parangipettai, which literally means the place of the foreigners !

Sixteen kilometers from Chidambaram, close to Veeranam lake, I am staying in yet another heritage place - Lakshmi Vilas in the village of Neduncheri. This is an old landlord house (Pannaiyar veedu) dating from the 1850s. It had run down and was finally renovated recently. This is a no frills place - not luxury, but quite nice. Very nice surroundings.

(Lakshmi Vilas Neduncheri)



(Old world as you enter)



(Rooms around the courtyard, as in most Tamil homes of old)

Day 5 : Hil kongen fa Trankebar

The Danes were in India for 200 years ! I am sure very few Indians know of this fact.

Every tiny European country seems to have come to India. It is a staggering thought - sailing for thousands of miles and landing up in a huge strange country and flourishing. The King of Denmark decided he wanted a piece of the action too and sent his ship which landed in 1620. They bought this piece of land from the Raja of Thanjavur and constructed the fort at what they called Trankebar (anglicised Tranquebar; real name Tharangambadi). They did this ostensibly for trade, but the Danes seemed neither keen on trade nor on politics. They were instead on a missionary zeal - literally. They sent two Lutherans who set about converting the locals. They claim to be the first Protestant missionaries to India. Churches abound, all dating back from that period.

(The Danish fort)

There is the Danish fort right on the coast, but it is clear that it wasn't militarily of great value. The fort is small and unimpressive. It is said to be the second largest fort Denmark ever built anywhere in the world - clearly the Danes weren't a great military power. The Danes didn't seem to politic too much. They were no match for the British and Tranquebar was "sold" to them in 1845.

(Bungalow on the Beach)

I am at yet another heritage place , Bungalow on the Beach - this one much better known. It was the former Governor's bungalow right next to the fort. The Danish governors stayed here and when they left, it was bought over by a Nadar family who stayed for many generations. Neemrana group who run many heritage hotels, bought it, restored it and with impeccable timing opened it on Christmas eve 2004. Two days later, the tsunami struck and the hotel had to be closed down for much more renovation. Sadly many people lost their lives in Tharangambadi, although both the Fort and the Bungalow survived.

(A 800 year old Shiva temple next door to the Bungalow)

Day 6 : A lovely ride

The fates were kind to me today.

Firstly, I was "loose". Sportsmen understand this term. It is a day when you simply are at your best and there is no discernible reason why it should be so. Some days are just "like that". Secondly, the skies cleared, but it wasn't boiling hot. There was no wind (yay - a cyclist's nightmare is a headwind; thankfully I had none today). I was taking inside roads, well away from any highway. The road was perfect, banyan trees on both sides gave all the shade I wanted, the fields were green, there was no traffic and the people I passed were very kind. What more could a man ask for ?

Set off from Tharangambadi as usual in the morning , intending to leave the coast and go inland. I've had enough of the Europeans of various nationalities ! Time to explore the real rural Tamil Nadu.

I immediately started to get stared at by everybody. Thus far, people on the road had ignored me. Rural India is different. People will stare. Two things stand out - firstly I wear a helmet and secondly my bags are covered bright orange (rain covers).

There was very little four wheeler traffic. I could happily ride in the middle of the road, singing away to glory (please cover your ears). Life was good.

(A sight for sore eyes)

It then got even better. I noticed a tea kadai (shack) in the middle of nowhere. Promptly stopped for a cup of tea. This was the tea kadai I had been yearning for. Some guys were lounging around doing nothing. I was welcomed with open arms. The order of tea was made. By the way, the protocol is that you should not be an ass and order one glass. You should order one by two and split it with your dearest friend who is sitting next to you. Started discussing politics. I asked their opinion about Darbar, a film starring a man of advanced years but a demi god in Tamil Nadu ! Best conversation I have had on this trip.

(The shack and the kindly soul who paid for my tea)

And in a gesture so typical of rural India, one of the guys paid for my tea. I protested vehemently , but to absolutely no avail. They teased me that as a Bangalorean, I could release some Cauvery water instead !! They waved me off with good wishes.

There has recently been elections to the local municipalities in Tamil Nadu and electioneering in these parts means painting / drawing on the roads their favourite candidates and symbols. For me, I rather imagined le Tour, the Giro, the Vuelta ; famous cycling races in Europe. In the mountain stages, fans line up in huge numbers and paint the names of their favourite riders on the road. Vanity overtook me and I rather imagined doing the Alpe d'Huez (one of the iconic stages of the Tour de France). Instead of a Ponnuswamy or a Kannapan, I imagined Indurain, Hinault, LeMond .... I started to fly - ha ha.

Three hours and 66 kms later I am near the town of Swamimalai. This is hardcore temple country. So far so good.

[Secretariat]

Day 7 : The temple capital of the world

Today is a zero day. After three days of riding, it had to be a break day.

I am holed up in another heritage place - Indeco near Swamimalai. Used to be called Anandam before. Probably familiar to some of you. It is styled in the fashion of a Brahmin agraharam - in the days of yore, when the caste system was all pervasive, the Brahmin caste congregated together and the place was called an agraharam. The houses are styled the usual Tamilian way, but there are some unique features. The verandah in the front (thinnai), the first room as you enter (rezhi), then the open courtyard with a tulsi plant in the middle, sundry areas such as the mitham, the koodam, the davaram etc etc. A pond nearby. The local deity as the place of worship.

(You can stay in something like this ...)



(Or like this .....)



(After being received here)

This was a late 1800s property that actually spanned the length of two villages. In the early 1900s it played host to Subramania Bharathi and the then Shankaracharya of Kanchi. The Shankaracharya had wished that the place be preserved. Many years later the task of restoring it was taken up and done by Steve Borgia.

Day 8 : A ride in contemplation

I stood in silent contemplation. I was alone - nobody around. The temple was locked, as I knew it would be. In my mind, I was not only contemplating the Lord. I was "seeing" my ancestor of 5 generations ago, perhaps standing at this very spot and praying to the same deity. Perhaps even 10 generations ago, perhaps 15, who knows.

(I communed with the spirit of my ancestors)

I am at my ancestral village. 3 generations before me, the family left and are now scattered across the world. As I grow older, I have been wanting to find my roots. I suspect it might hit most of you some time or the other. Where are your roots ? Are they where you were born ? Where you grew up ? Where you live now ? Where ?

(Sugarcane being harvested at the ancestral village)

As you can see, it was a contemplative ride today. Five generations later would any of my descendants even know that I existed ? These days record keeping is far better; our earlier ancestry is all hearsay. But we are now spread all across the world. Cultures have intermingled. Would a hundred years from now, a descendant of mine stand in the same spot as I did ? Would he cycle the same route as I did ? Would she read this thread ? (ha ha )

I am holed up in a remote place. A homestay in a farmland. It's not even in a village - there's just this house in the midst of paddy fields. The nearest house is 2 kms away. Paddy's Homestay it is called and it is an interesting story worth telling.

(Cycling along village paths - a dream)



(You stay in a hut like this)



(With a view like this)



(And take pictures of the moonrise)

The man of the house, Murugan, has been a cab driver for some 15 years. Driving cabs for foreign tourists, he befriended Christine from France, a tour operator. She gave him the idea of constructing a homestay to give visitors a different experience. On his own initiative he has constructed four huts with the perfect blend of modernity and rural ambience. These are thatched roof huts, but with modern conveniences. They are right next to his house. He has learnt fluent English (irony is that he failed his Class X exam because of 1 mark in English !). Christine sends him guests from Europe, he hosts them here. Wonderful.


Day 9 : Bye Bye Cauvery

I am leaving the Cauvery basin which I have hugged for the last four days. As I rode, I realised how important the river is to this state. Go 20 kms from the river banks and you start to see barren land, not lush green paddy fields.

The start of today's ride was again through extremely isolated rural lands. Very few people around and only an occasional motorbike crossing me on peaceful roads. Very soothing again, but there was a stiff swirling wind which meant that it couldn't be a completely carefree ride. After 20 kms of this, I hit the "main road" and then it was just a straight run for my destination for the day, which is just a pit stop. I am bunkering down in the town of Pudukottai, a non descript town, like many, in Tamil Nadu.

Day 10 : The heritage town

Kanadukathan is an unique place. I was prepared for it and yet was stunned by what I saw. Luxury and decay literally side by side.

I am in Chettinad, which just means the land of the Chettiars. Chettiars are to Tamil Nadu, what Marwaris are to Rajasthan. A terrific sense for business led them to many glorious decades of prosperity. Their boom really came during pre independence times. They were at the forefront of mercantile activity in Burma, Malaysia and Singapore and became very rich.

They made their money in Burma and built palatial mansions back home in Chettinad. These are colossal mansions - you get to even qualify for mention only if there are at least 25 rooms ! All with Burma teak pillars and furniture.

The architectural style is different from what we see in the Cauvery basin, but for sheer size and opulence, nothing can match them. Was it wise to build such white elephants, because that is what they actually are. And over time, they just could not be maintained and started to crumble. Kanadukathan became a town of relics. But over the last 20 years or so, some of these mansions have been restored and have become hotels. These cater mostly to the European traveller, and they are outrageously expensive. In the last few years, the well heeled Indian has also started to come, but it still remains the preserve of travellers from Europe.

(The mansions of yore)



(When maintained they are out of the world)



(Else they look like this)

Many of these mansions are uninhabited and rotting but they stand next to gleamingly restored places where visitors stay. Luxury and decay , literally next to each other.

Not crowded and now exclusively catering to the well heeled tourist. This is a pleasant town. They have marketed themselves well. Good for them. I am not staying in this place. (full discloure - I am not a rich Frenchman or German or ..) Instead, I stopped by on my ride down from Pudukottai. I wandered down the lanes staring at these mansions, both the ornate and the crumbling.

Fascinated, I rode off further south to the town of Karaikudi.

I am staying at the one mansion in Karaikudi town that has been renovated and made into a hotel - The Bangala. It apparently is the first of these restored Chettinad mansions to open its doors to visitors. Old photos dot the walls telling the story of a bygone era. As usual an avalanche of Europeans. I can spot an Indian or two as well.

(The Bangala)



(Heritage oozing)




(Had to have a Chettinad lunch)

Karaikudi town is just like any other town in Tamil Nadu. Congested, with super narrow streets (best way to keep four wheelers out is to have a 2ft wide street). That is no challenge for a bicycle of course and so I went to parts of the town, I am sure no visitor has seen. This town has its own poster child mansion too - called the ayiram jannal veedu (the house with a thousand windows), named so because, er, it has a thousand windows. Unoccupied and dilapidated now.

[Secretariat]

Day 11 : Roaming in Chettinad

Break day in Chettinad and spent the day roaming lazily in the surroundings of Karaikudi.

How to live frugally !

Although there are many mansions in Chettinadu, you can't go inside them. You can at best go into the one you are staying in. The exception is the periya veedu (big house), in the village of Athangudi, where visitors are welcomed.

The menu for living frugally is as follows

• Build a house covering one and a half acres (measly measurements such as sq ft or sq mtrs won't do)
• Build 64 rooms with 600 windows
• Get marble from Italy for the flooring
• Get tiles from Japan for the walls
• Get the mirrors from Belgium
• Get all the wood from Burma (teak, of course)
• Get tiles from Portugal for a different room
• Get a wooden carved ceiling. And then inlay Meenakshi Thirukalyanam (Goddess's Meenakshi's marriage) in gold
• Paint the story of Krishna on the inlays above the windows.
• Take 5 years to build it (this is in the 1920s)

The result is this.

(The entrance)



(well, what can I say)



(The dining room !)

This was built by a Chettiar who had a 4500 acre rubber estate in Burma in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Now 28 families of his descendants own the pace. Nobody lives here of course - they only do weddings of the family here (slight constraint in dining capacity ; only 1000 can be seated for dinner at a time).

You had to build this ? Why Oh Why ?

Athangudi Tiles

(In facilities such as this)



(They make tiles like this)

The village of Athangudi is also the place where they handcraft tiles for buildings. (Completely irrelevant fact - the Chettiar who built the mansion imported tiles from Italy, Portugal, Japan, but not from the units next door) . A total cottage sector activity ; these are tiny sheds and everything is done by hand. The process is make a block with cement and sand, then press the mould of the design on glass, stick the glass to the block, bathe it in water for three days, dry it for 5 days, remove the glass and then sell it. It's that simple. The next time you build a house, consider buying these tiles directly from them. They are quite nice, you are supporting a traditional activity and you are buying handmade stuff.

Karpaka Pillayar Temple

In the nearby village of Pillayarpatti there is nice Ganesha temple. This is a very old prayer site dating back to 1000 BC. The idol of Ganesha is a rock cut one believed to have been done around 400 AD. The temple is newer and dates to Pandya times, probably 1200s. It's a nice place and the priests actually asked me to stay and pray in front of the deity rather than hurrying us out. No Jaragandi here (famous call at the Tirupathi temple where after waiting 5 hours, they shove you away from the Lord in 10 seconds).


Day 12 : Pongalo Pongal

Today is Pongal day. Everywhere on the road today was festive cheer. Sugarcane is being sold in virtually every inch of the roadside. So is turmeric. The trouble is that people on scooters buy a full sugarcane and then carry it weightlifting style on one hand and navigate the scooter through traffic with the other. Of all the dangers of traffic, I am familiar with, this takes the cake. This is the first time in my life that I had to dodge swinging sugarcane stems! Sheer insanity.

What better place to spend Pongal in than the ancient city of Madurai. Madurai is really the true capital of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is a British city; Madurai is 3000 years old. There are flowers everywhere and a festive air. It's lovely to be here on Pongal.

I am staying in yet another Heritage place, called, well, Heritage ! It's story needs telling.

(The Madura Club of the Sahib days)



(You can stay in a "cottage" like this)



(My room here seems bigger than my house !)

This was the old Madura Club of the "Sahib" years. It was owned by Madura Coats, another old Sahib company. It was restored by the Sri Lankan architect Vinod Jayasinghe and is now run as a hotel. This place is true luxury. It is huge and impeccably luxurious. I would not have come anywhere near it but for my interest on this trip to visit as many heritage properties as possible. It is very expensive, but for the first time on this trip, it seems to be worth the money. After some 600 kms of riding, a day in luxury on a festival day is a justifiable indulgence, don't you think ? I am living like a Sahib for a day.


Day 13 : Jallikattu

Every year, during Pongal time, a well known rural sport take place, largely in the area around Madurai. The Tamilian version of running with the bulls. Jallikattu. Be ready for a massive overdose of testosterone.

Unlike the more famous bull run in Pamplona, Spain, this one doesn't involve any killing. One by one, bulls are released from the pen onto a village road. Various young stalwarts try to grab the bull by its huge hump and hold on to a count of ten.

Either hold on, or to become an even bigger hero, bring the bull to a stop. The bull wins if it can run away before the heroes can get a hold. Odds are all in favour of the bull. Only one in ten is "caught", sometimes not even that. The bull that has run away is eventually lassoed and the owner takes possession back.

Bulls are bred specifically for this. It's usually the Kangeyam breed, big bulls with a pronounced hump. Bulls that cannot be caught for multiple years get credo and attract a premium as a stud. The catchers train for this, as well, but it's usually half hearted. They just rely on their youth and machismo !

I have never been to one of these events before, and so I went to Avaniyapuram, one of the three big locations for this around Madurai. The event goes on almost all day - some 700 bulls and an equal number of heroes participate.

(That's the way they come; Notice the dog which doesn't care)



(Escape the yellow shirt catchers and come thundering down)



(That's the owner trying to stop the bull from disappearing)



(Having evaded them all, stand in the middle imperiously)

Usually, in any sporting event, watching on TV is sterile and robs you of half the fun. In Jallikattu, you are wasting your time seeing it on TV (of course it's all broadcast live). This one is all about smelling, feeling and experiencing the testosterone in the air. The bulls are full of it unsurprisingly. The heroes have syched themselves up to fever pitch. The crowd roars whenever a bull is caught and there is the count of 10. There is a delightful running commentary as well, with the commentator goading all and sundry. The atmosphere is electric. You can't help but get caught up in it. Feeling a big powerful bull run a foot or two from you, is something.

Jallikattu has been controversial in the last few years. Animal rights activists took the matter to court saying it was cruelty and ill treatment of animals. The Supreme Court agreed and banned the event some years back. There was a huge outpouring of protests all across Tamil Nadu. Governments intervened and have allowed the show to go on, but the legal situation is still nebulous.

I can only say what I saw. These bulls are reared with care; for the economic stakes of success are high. The vets certify each and every bull before they are allowed in - no underage calves, no rubbing chilli powder on their nostrils, no alcohol. During the running you cannot grab the bull by the tail or by the horns, leave alone any prodding or beating - these are strictly enforced. The odds are on the bull's side. It's more likely that the hero is gored, than the bull is injured. Yes, the bulls are probably frightened and disoriented and might suffer mentally. But beyond that, I can't see any obvious cruelty. Maybe it goes on behind the scenes, I don't know.

Yes, there are deaths and injuries that happen. Usually people - sometimes the catcher takes a fall or is gored, but that is rare. More often, the bulls stampede into the ill disciplined crowd of on lookers. They don't stand behind barricades, they come into the path of a running bull or they are caught in a crush of people.

But from what I saw today, the organisers are taking fair care . Police are present in huge numbers, they control the crowd, the rules are enforced strictly and there is much effort to make it an orderly event. At least in the main venues. Yes, the danger is there, but it seems to me an acceptable balance has been struck.

It was a day well worth spent. As I came back to The Heritage, one of the security guards came up to me seeing my bicycle. We started chatting and he said he was a cyclist himself in his heyday. Some 30 years ago, during the first Gulf War, Swamy and a couple of others decided to ride throughout India for World Peace. His route was Madurai-Bangalore-Mumbai-Ahmedabad-Delhi-Varanasi-Patna-Kolkata-Vizag-Chennai-Madurai. Essentially the GQ, before there was a GQ. Wow. Double Wow. That would have been some 6000 kms. He then good heartedly poked fun at me for staying in this place - during his ride, he said he simply camped at police stations enroute. and that was the way a true cyclist should ride. I whole heartedly agreed with him and readily confessed that I am a softie ! Amazing meeting Swamy.

[Secretariat]

Day 14 : Random conversations

My next destination is simply too far off and so breaking the ride into two, I have stopped at the completely non descript town of Sattur. The ride is just a commute and the stop irrelevant, and hence nothing to write home about. Instead I'll write about the interactions with people on the way that might be somewhat interesting.

Once I left the city belt, I became an oddity on the road. And so everybody stared - staring is not considered rude in India and so it's all fine. The school girls stared the most, nudging every other girl who hadn't yet seen and giggling uncontrollably (why do girls giggle ?). Schoolboys preferred to catcall in good cheer. I call back and they are happy. Women simply didn't care. They stared, but just for a moment, and went back to whatever they were doing, which at most times seemed nothing ! The men reacted in a whole host of ways. Since they are mostly on motorbikes, they would often ride with me for a while peppering me with questions.

These made some interesting conversations and went usually something like this.

Threesome on the motorbike - HULLLLLOOO

Me - Vanakkam

Threesome - Dai Tamizh pesarraru da ! ( Surprise that this strange creature is speaking Tamil)

Me - Ennanga Tamizh pesa koodatha (Shouldn't I be speaking Tamil ?)

Threesome - Illai, Hindikarrarunnu nenaichen (Thought you were a Hindiwallah) This always happened. They first think I "look like a north Indian" - whatever that means and secondly they can't believe that a "local" would ever be riding a bicycle long distance. I have never figured out why ?

Me - En ?(Why)

Threesome - Ungala paththa Hindi karrar mathiri irukuthu. (You look like a Hindiwallah) . This has never ceased to amaze me. How is a Tamilian supposed to look and do I not look like that ??)

After this there are the usual questions of where are you coming from , where are you going, why are you going on a cycle ? Answers given

Threesome - Unga vayasu enna (How old are you ?)

Me - Answer

Threesome - Ahhhhhh Unga vayasula ivvaluvu thooram cycle ottareengala (You are riding your cycle for such distances at your age)

Me - (Not taking offence) En pa ; yaar venumnalum cycle pannalam. Neenga intha motorbike vittuttu cyclela pongalein (Anybody can cycle. Why don't you ditch this motorcycle and pedal a bicycle)

Threesome - Ha Ha Ha (As if I had cracked a big joke). Ungal cycle enna velai ? (How much did your cycle cost) - This is a peculiar and universal Indian trait; anything you see, you have to enquire the cost

Me - Dodging and dodging with vague answers

Threesome - Seri unga native enna (where do you live )

Me - Bangalore (Could have said anything, but I always say Bangalore since I know what is coming next)

Threesome - Oh neenga thaan Cauveri thanni vidamattengale (Oh you are the ones who don't release Cauvery water). This comes up the moment the word Bangalore is uttered

Me - Deftly changing the topic - Seri neenga moonu peru attam sattama irukkenga. Oru bikela porengaley. Bike azhuthu (You three hefty guys are going on this poor bike. The bike is crying).

Threesome - Embarassed grin

Me - Helmet pottukkara pazhakkam kadaiyatha (Don't you wear helmets)

Threesome zooming off - OK sir. Goodbye. Bye Bye. Bye Bye

Whenever I want to end the conversation, I have to just ask about helmets and they will zip off. Of course, nobody wears one and it is a source of endless merriment for them to see me wearing one and riding a puny bicycle. If they poke too much fun, I inform them that my head is not full of Kalimannu (sand) and that usually sends them packing !

I have had a couple of hilarious conversations with policemen who have flagged me down. This happens out of their curiosity, and their just wanting to talk to somebody they see as unusual. After facts are established, they express wonder that I am doing this. I tell them it is child's play for them - after all they are extremely fit and young policemen. This produces red faced embarassment as they are usually sporting a nice paunch. They claim they are very busy and have to do a lot of sedentary deskwork. I then rib them and extract a promise that from now on they will sit less on their bums and cycle at least 5 kms a day !

In all my trips, the random interactions with people is something I remember as much as the sights and the sounds. This is a huge benefit of travelling solo. You are not involved only with your family, as I see many do. I can chat freely with whoever takes the fancy. And that makes for a richer experience, I think. To all who chatted with me; thank you for giving me a bit of yourself. And I hope you enjoyed the time with me too.


Day 15 : Tirunelveli Halwa

I set off on today's ride with much trepidation. I knew I was going to see a sight that will transform any cyclist's legs into wobbly jelly. I turned a bend in the road and there was the sight.

(A terrific sight that terrified me)

The sight of a giant windmill.These windmills are a wonderful sight from the road, if you are driving. They are rotating seemingly lazily. The sight of hundreds of them dotted all over the landscape is actually a pretty lovely sight. But not for a cyclist. Wind is the scourge of the pedalpusher. A headwind in an area where the wind is strong enough to turn windmills is not something a lone puny cyclist can fight against for mile after mile. But YAYAY, nature took pity on me and smiled on a poor soul. It was a tailwind today, the wind that a cyclist prays for but rarely gets. I just flew ! 80 kms in less than four hours - stuff that, at least for me, dreams are made of.

Tirunelveli, a small town, is outside the foreigner travel circuit and therefore there is not one non Indian face in sight. Feels a little strange after days of bumping into mostly European travellers.

A quick business story(Grrrooan !). Many of the Tamil readers will know of the Iruttukadai. Tirunelveli is famous for its halwa and there is no place more famous than Iruttukadai (literally means dimly lit shop). The shop has no name. It does not even have a nameboard . It is justifiably known as Iruttukadai, because , well, it is dark with a single bulb and even this is a recent innovation. It does not open for business 90% of the time. It is a single product place - an unflavoured halwa. It does not advertise. It does not even try to make a great effort to sell. It doesn't price its product highly. It has not changed one bit for the last 100 years. By all business logic it should have been doomed to failure.

If you go at 4.30 in the area, you will find a queue of people waiting for the shop to open at 5.00. You stand in the queue and hope that they don't sell out before your turn comes. The shop opens. They sell all that they have made in an hour or two. When they are sold out, they close the shop and go home. That's it. There are innumerable fakes, including online, but the real thing is just one dinghy shop. They have a business model that really ought to be studied in business schools !

A footnote. I am staying in a normal average business hotel here. No more heritage stays. No Europeans, no heritage places ! I walk into the restaurant to find it bicycle themed. Really ? You've got to be kidding me. In Tirunelveli ?

(Salt & Pepper too on a bicycle)



(Odd cycling tableauxs around)



(Walls like this)

Day 16 : The Flame Rouge

Set off south from Tirunelveli and stopped by at Nanguneri. Pretty village with a massive temple. Vanamamalai Perumal temple and is also the seat of the Vanamamalai jeer (gurus in the Vaishnavaite sect are called jeers). There is not a soul around in the temple, for it's not a temple where crowds throng. With a massive pond adjacent, it makes a lovely setting. The village itself is small and centred just around the temple. Pretty, though small, houses and life seems so relaxed. Apparently the area has many villages like these which are all temple centric and the whole village lives almost like a family. A throwback to the days gone by when life was simple.

(The temple gopuram)




(Pretty houses surround the temple)

I set out from Tirunelveli on the last leg of my journey. This was to be the longest sector, about 90 kms, but I did take the breather in Nanguneri
If I faced a hundred windmills in the previous sector, there were a thousand now. This is serious wind energy country. But thankfully, the wind at the ground level was manageable and I kept going. This is more desolate country ; not even a tea kadai for many a kilometer. Much less populated than the river basin communities thus far.

Continuing from Nanguneri, I kept pedalling south and as my destination neared , the speed started to drop and drop. It was hot, and I had already clocked 80 kms for the day. And yet, I was lingering on. This would be the last stage of my trip and I wanted to savour every moment, especially since it had gone off spectacularly and unexpectedly well. I passed the end of NH 44 and finally entered the town of Kanyakumari. Through its narrow lanes, to find my last hotel of this trip.

Everybody knows about Kanykumari and I haven't met an Indian who hasn't been here. What can I write about this place that you have already not seen with your own eyes. There is a magnetic attraction to the "southernmost tip" of India, which for some reason is not there for the westernmost or the easternmost or even the northernmost corner of the land (I can bet you can't name them). Maybe it's because the land ends here and then its just the sea, all the way to the South Pole. And yet Kanyakumari is not even the southernmost point of India !

The Tour de Tamil Nadu ends

This has been an immensely satisfying trip. I experienced Tamil Nadu in a way that I have never done earlier. I enjoyed the physical challenge and managed to pass the test - 850 kms is not bad, eh for a man who is not exactly a spring chicken ! The fates have been extraordinarily kind. Everything went right; that just does not usually happen on any multi week trip. The Gods smiled on me, that's all I can say. I bow deeply in gratitude.

A pat on the saddle for my redoubtable companion. He took everything that was thrown at him with aplomb. Not a mechanical squeak, no punctures, no chain links coming loose, nothing breaking, and the smoothest of rides. A true champion. He will be shipped back home now and then will be given some special TLC !

I go back with a trunkful of memories. As every year passes, I treasure them more. After all, as we age, our memories are our most prized possession. I shall read this thread, and your comments, for years into the future, savouring and reliving the many moments.

I wish the finest travel experiences for you, wherever you go. Travel is one of the great joys of life. Take a chance and go for that special experience that you have craved for, but have been afraid to try. If I can go on a cycling odyssey well past middle age, you can do anything. Go for it, and write about it for us to enjoy.

I bid you farewell from Kanyakumari. I will leave you with a quote from Arthur Conan Doyle

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking”

[aah78]

Thread moved to the Travelogues section. Thanks for sharing!

[KrisTvpm]

A delightful read, thanks for sharing!

I'm often looked down in a strange way for going on solo trips, both by family and friends. To most of them, a "tour" has to be with "company". But I prefer the sereneness and solitude of solo trips, one connects with himself, the obscure past and nature this way much more than when among a crowd pulling one in all different directions! I futilely try to convince the folks on these lines, and they're now convinced that I'm eccentric.

Didn't know that the seemingly nondescript villages of TN had so much to offer, this demands a drive-down through these routes - both scenic and oozing with grand old-world charm! But ofcourse, as you said most of those renovated bungalows would be targeting the gora-sahebs and steeply priced for my pocket, I'm afraid!

When you say the bike was shipped back home, assuming the return leg was not done on cycle.

[V.Narayan]

A super hit thread. Congratulations on your journey. Lovely photos. How many kms did you cover....and yes how much did that cycle cost
Rated it a well deserved 5 stars.

[condor]

@Secretariat, Lovely thread of a beautiful trip. I guess you would have seen much more during this trip than if you had driven in a motor-vandi

And nice pics too ! Would you be sharing the conversations you had with the cops ? Please do

[NPV]

Wonderful travelogue thread, beautifully narrated and some excellent pictures to go with, thanks so much for sharing your experiences on this cycling expedition.

Loved the details of various places, history, relevance and the conversations with local folk And great idea to stay at the heritage bungalows en route and superb planning and execution.

Rating well deserved 5 stars.

[mr.sinha]

Dear Secretariat,

What a lovely travelogue. Thank you for mentioning my name as an inspiration for your trip - I am deeply honored and humbled.
I thoroughly enjoyed your writing - you have a very nice, easy going writing style. The history lessons were very interesting. I had spent a few of my early working years in Madras in the early 90s (it was still called Madras then) and I was familiar with a number of places you mentioned, and could relate to your stories well. I especially liked your Day 14 "Random Conversations" post and your concluding thoughts. I keep telling my friends about the joy and charm of solo trips, but not many are convinced.
And yes, I do have to write up my Pamir cycling trip travelogue, but haven't been getting a whole lot of time to do this - it will eventually come out, I promise.
Currently posted in the US and missing my bicycle a lot. Yearning to go back and resume the adventures in India.
Take care and keep riding.

Rated 5*****.

mr.sinha

[OldWays]

Heartwarming to read. Thank you for taking time to journal and share your experiences.

Our ancestors (the hunter gatherer ones) belonged to original 'affluent society' and studies point to how they only worked for 3-5 hour days and spent other time in leisure.

I personally love the notion of a 'slow life/leisure (travel)' and 'Life in the slow lane' caught my attention.

Sometimes I wonder how would it be if someone assembles a bullock cart (or an equivalent); jumps on it for a long travel adventure and remembers to share the experience in this forum. I have traveled in a such a cart during night time (to and from a makeshift movie theater) I distinctly remember the silence of the night, moon and slow pace of bullocks. Me thinks, your have achieved something closer to this experience.

[BoneCollector]

An excellent travelogue, different from what that's been coming along.

Lovely snaps and beautiful narration. I got hooked on to this thread and read it in a go. 850kms on a cycle is a long way and that too without any issues. Deserves a 5 Star.

[Secretariat]

Originally Posted by KrisTvpm

A delightful read, thanks for sharing!
I'm often looked down in a strange way for going on solo trips, both by family and friends.
When you say the bike was shipped back home, assuming the return leg was not done on cycle.

Thank you. Solo travel is great for those who are comfortable being by themselves. Perhaps not everybody is like that. Yes, I shipped my bike back home and hit the train.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

A super hit thread. Congratulations on your journey. Lovely photos. How many kms did you cover....and yes how much did that cycle cost
Rated it a well deserved 5 stars.

Thank you. Did 850 kms. The cycle cost me Rs 15,000 a couple of years back. That for cycling aficionados is a derisively small figure !

Originally Posted by condor

@Secretariat, Lovely thread of a beautiful trip. I guess you would have seen much more during this trip than if you had driven in a motor-vandi

Oh, without a doubt. I have done a lot of road trips on the motor vandi and they are all special, but this one has a different flavour. You feel the place, you can smell it, it fills you in a way that only doing it slowly can. As for the cops, another thing they couldn't understand is what was the purpose of my doing this trip. They were looking for a charity angle or some cause. When I told them there was no "reason", they said nobody does it for no reason. In one place, I had to write a small note that I was doing it for no reason other than "tourism", which they refused to believe !

Originally Posted by NPV

Wonderful travelogue thread, beautifully narrated and some excellent pictures to go with, thanks so much for sharing your experiences on this cycling expedition.

Thank You. Very kind of you.

Originally Posted by mr.sinha

I thoroughly enjoyed your writing - you have a very nice, easy going writing style. The history lessons were very interesting. I had spent a few of my early working years in Madras in the early 90s (it was still called Madras then) and I was familiar with a number of places you mentioned, and could relate to your stories well. I especially liked your Day 14 "Random Conversations" post and your concluding thoughts. I keep telling my friends about the joy and charm of solo trips, but not many are convinced.

Completely honoured to have the master himself reading and commenting. Didn't realise you were familiar with the territory; that always brings a smile and a nod when you read about it , doesn't it ?

When your epic travelogue comes up, many of us will drool and get completely hooked. Worth the wait, however long. We will wait !

Originally Posted by BoneCollector

An excellent travelogue, different from what that's been coming along.
Lovely snaps and beautiful narration. I got hooked on to this thread and read it in a go. 850kms on a cycle is a long way and that too without any issues. Deserves a 5 Star.

Thank you. It's quite amazing how machines have become so reliable these days. We don't realise the quantum quality improvements, because they happen step by step.

Originally Posted by OldWays

Sometimes I wonder how would it be if someone assembles a bullock cart (or an equivalent); jumps on it for a long travel adventure and remembers to share the experience in this forum. Me thinks, your have achieved something closer to this experience.

Thank you for your kind remarks. Now that is a brilliant idea. One day in the future, this absolutely has to be done !