[GeneralJazz]

"We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea - whether it is to sail or to watch it - we are going back from whence we came." ~ JFK

Prologue

In our household, any and all discussions regarding a trip begins with a mountains vs beaches debate. I love mountains, and hate beaches. My wife loves beaches, and tolerates mountains. After a lot of back and forth over the months, we settled amicably, on a 1:1 Mountain to Beach ratio for our trips. However, back to back trips to Ooty and Yercaud had skewed this ratio badly. My wife gave me 2 choices to fix this: either 2 back to back beach trips, or 1 Extra Large, Jumbo sized one. With my back against the wall, I chose option 2.

With that, I started looking up beach destination dejectedly. Why this hate for beaches? I suffer from a severe form of Solar Urticaria. I can barely tolerate a few minutes in the sun before breaking out in hives and blisters. A few hours at the beach would leave me redder than a tandoori chicken. A multi day beach trip would probably end up with me going up in flames. Over the years, I had tried different types and brands of sunscreen, but the only one that worked consistently for me was one from La Shield. It has to be applied 15 mins before sun exposure, and will leave your skin with a slightly bluish tinge. Anticipating a lot of sun exposure, I ordered around 3 units, just for this trip, which I ended up using completely.


Destination

Beach destinations are aplenty in Kerala. My wife's native Kochi itself is pretty awesome for a beach holiday. Varkala was also one of our choices. I was in the midst of checking some beach resorts when she tells me that she's never seen the Bay of Bengal. With that, I went from west coast to east coast. The Coromandel coast in Tamil Nadu had some brilliant beach options, with the most popular being Chennai, Pondy, Rameshwaram etc. After a brief search, I fixed on Pondy, knowing fully well that it was going to be jam packed this close to new year. Decent hotels were getting booked out by the day!

We had 5 days for this trip, and I wasn't very keen on spending all the time in Pondy itself. After going through some travel Vlogs, and some brilliant travelogues here in Team BHP, I decided to include Mahabalipuram into our plan. This way, my wife gets her beach destination, and I get a wonderful 1000km round trip drive from Coimbatore. Win-win after all!


Here's a collage to summarise our trip :






Route

Quite a lot of the travel Vlogs I saw were suggesting Mahabalipuram as a one day trip from Pondy, but we really wanted to spend a night there. It turned out to be a great choice as the hamlet turned out to be very charming!

The route we finalized was:

Coimbatore -> Mahabalipuram -> Pondicherry





Accommodation

In Mahabalipuram, we stayed at Mammalla Inn, which was smack in the middle of the town, within walk-able distance to the beach and most of the sightseeing places.




In Pondy, we stayed at Saara Inn. A decent property at the edge of White Town.




The Ride

A 1000km trip was just what my Rapid 1.6 TDI was waiting for. And she was grinning from ear to ear, munching those miles!

[GeneralJazz]

Places of Interest

Mahabalipuram is known for its 7th- and 8th-century temples. Here are the main places of interest:

1. Shore Temple
2. India Seashell Museum
3. Group of Monuments (Arjunas Penance, Krishnas Butterball etc. )
4. Pancha Rathas
5. Olakkannesvara Temple
6. Light House
7. Tiger Cave
8. Mahabalipuram Beach


As far as Pondicherry is concerned, there was just too many to be listed here. Here are the places that we were able to visit:

1. Auroville
2. Chunnambar Boat House / Paradise Beach
3. Notre Dame des Anges
4. Immaculate Conception Church
5. Sri Aurobindo Ashram
6. Cluny Embriodery
7. Pondy Marina
8. Serenity Beach
9. Pondicherry Museum
10. Goubert Avenue

[GeneralJazz]

Day 1

Our route for the day:




Unlike most our trips, this time we actually managed to get some decent sleep the night before. Having turned in for the night quite early, we were able to wake up fully refreshed. With all the packing done well in advance, we were able to hit the road by 5:30AM.




I love the calm and peaceful morning drives. Traffic will be minimal, other than the occasional annoying lorries occupying both the lanes. Since we were driving in an easterly direction, we got to see the rising sun turn the sky into a giant canvas, painting it from dark to light, with every shade of grey, red and orange in between.





Breakfast - A2B Salem

For breakfast, we stopped at Adayar Ananda Bhavan just outside Salem. It was around 7:10 AM by then, which roughly translates to an average speed just above 90 kph! For someone used to 30 kph average speeds of North KL, this was preposterous! I love TN highways!

Being an A2B, food was predictably excellent. We had Poori and Ghee Roast, along with some super strong filter coffee. The restrooms were clean and tidy.




We were back on the road by 7:50 AM. Very soon, we turned right from NH544, into NH44, and then into NH79. The NH was a mixed bag. There were long section of beautifully laid out 4 lane roads, followed by section of 2 lanes. What was annoying, was that the 2 lane sections had these plastic lane dividers, which makes overtaking next to impossible. Quite a lot of these dividers had been completely obliterated, possibly taking quite a lot of car bumpers along with them. Being stuck behind slow moving lorries along these sections was a headache, and risky shoulder overtakes were the only way to get ahead.




Soon, it started to rain, which broke the monotony a little bit. This was our first time driving into interior TN and we loved the change in landscape!




Coffee Break - A2B Ulundurpet

We reached Ulundurpet by around 9:50 AM and stopped at A2B Ulundurpet for a quick coffee / bio break. It was a small branch, and the layout somehow reminded me of those diners in the US, I have no idea why! We had some coffee and bought some snacks for the road. The restrooms were pretty clean here too.




We resumed the drive by 10:10 AM. The Rapid munched the miles, while we munched on the snacks. The drive was a bit monotonous, to be honest, but the wide roads and manageable traffic made it stress free. We crossed Vilupuram by 10:40 AM and Tindivanam by 11 AM. To get to Pondy, one has to take right from Vilupuram.





By 11 AM, we crossed Acharapakkam, which is famous for the ancient Aatcheeswara Swamy Siva Temple. You can see the huge crowd of devotees by the road. We reached Malaipettai by 11:30 AM, and took the right turn off of NH179B. This was a bit confusing to us, since when we had started in the morning, GMaps had planned the route touching Chengalpattu, which was a few more kms ahead. No worries, we got to drive through some really stunning locations!





The backdrop here was so beautiful, we just had to stop for pics! Lush green fields and the clear blue skies made up a perfect combination!





Driving through this route was extremely pleasing! Beautiful lush fields on either side, excellent roads, and even a short section with tall trees lining the road on either sides. We crossed the Palar River, which is a 350km long river originating in the Nandi Hills in Karnataka. It was smooth sailing, till we reached Tirukazhukundram town, where we had to navigate through some very narrow congested roads.




Mahabalipuram

We were soon able to exit the town, onto SH49B. From here, it was a smooth drive all the way to Mahabalipuram. The name "Marakkanam" did give us a chuckle (no offence to any residents). Marakkanam in Malayalam means "to forget", and we both, simultaneously, and in sync, started singing the song "Marakkaam ellam Marakkam", a smash hit Malayalam song from a semi-old cult classic movie.

Very soon, we left the road to take the older bridge into Mahabalipuram town. Entry toll has to be paid before entering. Finally, by 12:30 PM, after a 7 hour drive, we reached Mahabalipuram town! Phew!

Mahabalipuram, or Mamallapuram, or Thirukadalmallai, is best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Hindu Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram. It is one of the famous tourist sites in India.The ancient name of the place is Thirukadalmallai.

Mamallapuram was one of two major port cities in the Pallava kingdom. The town was named after Pallava king Narasimhavarman I, who was also known as Mamalla.

The original name of the town is Mamallapuram, and the name Mahabalipuram emerged much later during the Vijayanagara period (14th-17th centuries). There doesn't seem to be a verifiable connection between the name Mahabalipuram, and the noble mythical King Mahabali of Kerala. Surprising!





Mamalla Inn

The hotel was right in the middle of town. It has limited parking facility in front, and has an additional gated parking about 100m down the road. The rooms were clean and tidy, though it required maintenance. Overall, a decent place to stay. We took some time to rest and freshen up.




Lunch - Le Yogi Restaurant

It was around 1:30 PM by now and we were ravenous! For lunch, we went to Le Yogi Restaurant, which was within walk able distance from the hotel. It was one of the top rated restaurant in Mahabalipuram, and boy it didn't disappoint! It had a delightful ambience, an extensive menu and a wide choice of seafood options.




We ordered Le Yogi Special prawns and Fish with lemon butter garlic sauce, both of which turned out to be lip-smackingly delicious! We loved the fish, and the sauce elevated the taste to the next level! We also ordered a couple of mint lime sodas to wash it all down.




Apollo Books

After the satisfying lunch, we went to the Apollo Books, which is situated just opposite to Le Yogi. It is a book exchange and library, and has a nice collection in various languages, including German, French, Spanish, Greek, Swedish, Norse, Russian, and so many others we couldnt recognize. Definitely recommend this to anyone studying foreign languages.




First view of the mighty Bay of Bengal. The Mahabalipuram beach is only a few meters ahead from here. We wanted to spend some time on the beach, but the blistering midday sun quickly changed our minds.





India Seashell Museum

We took the car and drove over to the India Seashell Museum. While on the way, we saw plenty of shops by the roadside making and selling sculptures of all sizes. The museum has a small parking in front, managed by a security. He helped us find a slot.





There is a ticket counter just inside. Tickets can be purchased either for individual attractions, or a combo ticket for all the attractions.




(a) Seashell Sculptures

This section contains a wide range of sculptures, all of them made of seashells. The centre piece is a Guinness World Record holding, 22ft high replica of the Singapore Merlion, made entirely of seashells. Plenty more beautifully, painstakingly made sculptures inside.




(b) Mineral Museum

This section contains a decent collection of minerals of all shapes and colours. Some looked pretty, some colourful, and some of them seemed outright out of this world!




(c) Seashell Museum

This the highlight of the entire place. The section contains a mind boggling variety of sea shells, of all sizes, from the cute and minuscule, to the larger-than-your-head monsters! The sheer variety of shapes, colours, sizes, and patterns were a lot to take in!




(d) Pearl Museum

This one was a hidden pearl (pun intended!). Theres a nice collection of pearl oysters and their pearls. Just outside is a shop selling pearl jewellery and other seashell handicrafts, most of them overpriced TBH.




(e) Dinosaur Museum

This section houses a bunch of animatronic models of dinosaurs. They were quite realistic and had a decent range of motion and the skin had an oddly creepy leathery texture and feel to it. Speakers were blaring loud roaring sounds in sync with the motion.




There was also an arcade, a VR room and a small canteen. Overall a fun experience, definitely a must visit for a Mahabalipuram trip.

Now that the searing heat had subsided, we decided to visit the Shore Temple. We had a tough time driving back to town, since it was quite congested by now. There was a huge number of pilgrims, the same we saw in Acharapakkam. Their buses were parked all over the place creating bottlenecks here and there. By the time we reached the town, traffic was almost at a standstill. We waited for about 15 mins and then took a U-Turn and drove back to the hotel. The temple was only about 400m and we decided to walk. Turned out to be a great decision, as the temple parking turned out to be in a state of utter chaos!




Shore Temple

The Shore Temple (c. 725 AD) is a complex of temples and shrines that overlooks the shore of the Bay of Bengal.

It is a structural temple, built with blocks of granite, dating from the 8th century AD. At the time of its creation, the site was a busy port during the reign of Narasimhavarman II of the Indian Pallava dynasty.[3] As one of the Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, it has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.[4] It is one of the oldest structural (versus rock-cut) stone temples of Southern India.

The Shore Temple is both a rock cut and a free-standing structural temple. The entire temple stands on a naturally occurring granite boulder. The complex consists of three separate shrines: two dedicated to the god Shiva, and one to Vishnu.

We reached the Temple ticket counter just after 5 PM. The ticket counter is open from 6AM to 6PM. There wasn't much of a queue and we got our tickets quickly. This ticket is also valid at every single monument in Mahabalipuram, which is great as we needn't spend time at each spot purchasing tickets.

The temple was magnificent, with intricate carving all around. It was pretty crowded, but we did manage to get a good look around. The 2004 tsunami had exposed some previously buried sections, which the ASI has since excavated.




The temple is just by the beach, which we can see behind the temple. We spent almost an hour here, watching the sun go down, the last rays giving the Temple a golden glow.




Beach

Just outside the temple gate, there is a path that leads to the beach. There are stalls on either side of the path, mostly selling handicrafts, clothes, and some snacks. We slowly made our way to the beach along the sandy path. We were looking forward to spending some time there, but the beach turned out to be crowded beyond belief! There wasn't even space to get to the water. If you look carefully enough, you might be able to spot some sand in between all the crowd, almost all of which were the pilgrims. Perhaps it was due to their excitement, but they weren't exactly a calm bunch. It was too loud, and they kept shoving us around. We had enough and made our way back to the main road.




Dinner - Searock Restaurant

By the time we walked back to the hotel, it was almost 7:30 PM. We decided to have dinner before retiring to the room. The Searock Restaurant is a small restaurant facing the beach. Its a short walk from our hotel, along Othavadai Street, which was one of the busiest streets here. Plenty of hotels, shops and stalls all the way from the main road to the beach. The street literally ends in the beach. There are many homestays here too. We also saw a board for surfing lessons.




We had Tawa Prawns, Calamari Rings and Searock Special Seafood Soup. The soup, though rich, was a bit too spicy, while the squid and prawns were very fresh and delicious.




After dinner, we spent some time on the beach. It wasn't too crowded, and more importantly, had just enough people for us to feel safe! By 9PM, we slowly made our way back to our hotel to turn in for the night.

End of Day 1

PS: My friend Alex informs me that the devotees / pilgrims we saw were "Melamaruvathur Om Shakthi" devotees.

[GeneralJazz]

Day 02

Our route for the day:



The most important place to see in Mahabalipuram, is the Group of Monuments, which includes Arjuna's Penance, Krishna's Butterball, Descend of Ganges, Thirumoorthi Cave etc.


Group of Monuments

The Group of Monuments was only a short walk from our hotel. We left our hotel by around 7 AM, and had some tea on the way. The following are present inside a single compound.

(1) Arjuna's Penance / Descend of the Ganges

Descent of the Ganges, known locally as Arjuna's Penance, is a monument at Mamallapuram. It is a giant open-air rock relief carved on two monolithic rock boulders. The legend depicted in the relief is the story of the descent of the sacred river Ganges to earth from the heavens led by Bhagiratha. The waters of the Ganges are believed to possess supernatural powers. The relief was created to celebrate the victory of Narasimhavarman I over Chalukya king Pulakesin II.

In one interpretation, a figure in the relief who is standing on one leg is said to be Arjuna performing an austerity Tapas to receive a boon from Shiva as an aid in fighting the Mahabharata war. The story of the penance is narrated in the epic Mahabharata under the subtitle the Kiratarjuniya. The boon, which Arjuna is said to have received, was called Pasupata, Shiva's most powerful weapon. According to the myth narrated on this event, asuras (demons) sent a boar to kill Arjuna. Then Shiva appeared on the scene to protect Arjuna assuming the form of kirata (hunter). Both Arjuna and Shiva shot arrows at the boar and the boar was killed; both claimed credit for killing it and a fight ensued between the two in which Shiva won. He then revealed his true self to Arjuna and blessed him and gave him the weapon for which Arjuna is shown performing the penance.

Source: Wiki


This is the first monument, just by the side of the road. The ticket counter is located a short distance down the road. We took our sweet time admiring the intricate carvings on the giant boulders!




(2) Krishna's Butterball

Perhaps the most iconic landmark of the town, any image search of Mahabalipuram will include this magnificent wonder!

Krishna's Butterball (also known as Vaan Irai Kal and Krishna's Gigantic Butterball) is a gigantic balancing rock, granite-boulder resting on a short incline. According to Hindu scriptures, lord Krishna often stole butter from his mother's butter handi; this may have led to the namesake of the boulder. In 1969, a tour-guide is said to credit its present name, Krishna's Butterball, to Indira Gandhi who was on a tour of the city.

The Pallava king Narasimhavarman (630–668 CE) also made a failed attempt to move the boulder. The Indian Tamil king Raja Raja Chola (985 and 1014 CE) was inspired by the balance of this massive stone boulder and it led to the creation of never-falling mud dolls called Tanjavur Bommai, which having a half-spherical base tends to come back to its original position every time one tries to make it fall. In 1908, then-governor of the city Arthur Havelock made an attempt to use seven elephants to move the boulder from its position due to safety concerns but with no success.

Like the lakhs before us, and lakhs will after us, we too made a solid attempt to move it! And we too failed!





(3) Thirumoorthi Cave

Thirumoorthi is a triple-celled temple, dedicated to the holy trinity of Hinduism, the three superpowers Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Situated at the northern end of the Mamallapuram Hill, slightly away from Krishna's Butter Ball.

(4) Rock Cut Sculpture

This is one the backside wall of the Thirumoorthi cave.





(5) Draupadi's Bath

This rock-cut round-shaped cistern is excavated in front of the Trimurti Cave-temple. It is in form of a small well and probably the idea behind this excavation might be a simple one such as storing water, rainwater, for the sculptors and artists who were working on various monuments in the town. The legends however suggest that it was used by Draupadi, the wife of the Pandavas, for her bath.

(6) Royagopuram

These are the remains of an unfinished temple entrance.




(7) Dharmaraja’s Rock-cut Throne

This singular structure is located above the hill whose facade has the famous Arjuna’s Penance. This stone platform, 10 feet in length and 3.5 feet in breadth, is carved from an outcrop of rock and accessible by a flight of stairs. On its one end is a carved lion, 18 inches high, forming a cushion. The presence of this stone platform indicates that once it was used as a throne by the king when the latter used to take a temporary residence at the site supervising the work as well as taking care of other routine duties. There may have been a palace-like structure surrounding it, maybe a make-shift arrangement, suiting to a king for his residence.

(8) Ganesha Ratha

It is a temple carved out from a rock to resemble a chariot and is built in Dravidian style of temple architecture. It was once dedicated to Lord Shiva. But when the original lingam was removed, the temple came to be known as the temple of Lord Ganesh.

(9) Other Monuments

Pictures of other monuments from the compound.





Snacks - Hideout Cafe

It was around 9 AM by the time we left the compound, and our tummies had started grumbling. Before a full blown hunger riot broke out, we headed over to Hideout Cafe for some snacks. We had Egg Sandwiches and coffee, both of which were reasonably good.






Pancha Rathas

Our next stop was the Pancha Rathas. Its about 1 km from the Group of Monuments. Autos are available, but you really have to haggle with them for a reasonable fare. After a lot of back and forth, an auto did agree to drop us in front of the Pancha Rathas. The ticket we took earlier in the morning works here as well. Interestingly, for each monument, there seemed to be a fixed section of ticket being marked by the respective security personnel. We learned later that this was to ensure a single entry per ticket per monument.

Pancha Rathas (also known as Five Rathas or Pandava Rathas or Ainthinai kovil) is a monument complex. Pancha Rathas is an example of monolithic Indian rock-cut architecture. The complex was initially thought to have been carved during the reign of King Narasimhavarman I (630–668 CE.) However, historians such as Nagaswamy attributed all of monuments in Mahabalipuram to Narasimhavarman II (c. 690–725 CE) with the discovery of new inscriptions.

The architectural elegance of the Dharmaraja Ratha is its pyramidal structure which rises in three steps. It is built with a square layout. Its composition has been accentuated with carvings of Hindu gods Harihara, Brahma, Skanda, Ardhanarishvara and King Narasimhavarman I. One of the distinctive carvings seen on the eastern face of the rahta is of Indra (a demi-god of rain and thunderstorms), seated on his mount Airavata (meaning: "a White Elephant"). There is also an independent monolithic stone sculpture of Nandi, adjoining this ratha in the open space. The next in order is the Arjuna Ratha, which is well decorated with an elegant façade and is akin to the Dharmaraja Ratha. Next in line is the Bhima Ratha built to a rectangular plan and with lion mounted columned (four columns) galleries on both long sides.
The Nakula Sahadeva Ratha is the next in line. It is built to a simple plan with no embellishing carvings in its apses. A stone monolithic sculpture of an elephant is fixed in the open space, next to this ratha. The Draupadi Ratha, which is the last in the line, is a square structure, which resembles a village hut with thatch roof. The fresco inside this shrine is of mother goddess Durga.

It was just past 10 AM when we left the compound. We tried to take an auto back to town, however all of the auto drivers were quoting ridiculous amounts! One guy even asked us Rs.250 for a 1km distance! With negotiations breaking down, we decided to just leg it.

On the way back, before reaching the Group of Monuments, there is another compound which houses 3 important monuments:


Mahishasuramardini Mandapa

This Cave Temple has many interesting architectural features of which three exquisitely carved reliefs on the cave walls of three sanctums are prominent. One is of Vishnu reclining on the seven hooded serpent, Adisesha, another of Durga, the main deity of the cave temple Durga slaying the buffalo headed demon Mahishasura, and the third sanctum also has a sculpture of Shiva.

According to legend, Durga killed the demon Mahishasura, who was considered unconquerable. Hence, following his slaying, she was given the title Mahishasuramardini (conqueror of Mahisha). The granite-carved cave temple depicts the goddess Mahishasuramardhini, considered an incarnation of the goddess Durga, and is named after her as "Mahishasuramardhini Cave Temple". The cave's interior relief depicts this battle. The goddess is shown riding a lion, her several arms holding a bow and arrow, pursuing the retreating Mahisha with his followers.

The rock temple is carved out of a large rock on one side. Additionally, the Ishwara Temple / Olakkanneshwara Temple is carved out of the top part of the same rock.





Olakkannesvara Temple

It is situated directly above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa. Commonly, the building has been known as the "Olakkanatha Temple". Its original name, however, was Olakkannesvara, a corruption of "Ulaikkannisvaram" (meaning: the temple of Siva whose forehead contains the crescent moon or eye of wisdom). Olakkannesvara is mistakenly called a Mahishasura temple as it is situated above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa (cave temple).

We had initially though of climbing up to the temple, but it was jam packed with the devotees, with the line even extending to the steps.



Mahabalipuram Lighthouse

The lighthouse is located towards the northern side of this compound.

It has been open to tourists since 2011. It was closed in 2001 following a perceived threat from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The first light was commissioned here in 1887 on the roof of the Olakkannesvara Temple. The lighthouse, with a circular masonry tower made of natural stone, became fully functional in 1904. India's oldest lighthouse, built around 640 CE by Pallava king Mahendravarman I stands next to this modern structure.

Having taken a good look at the lighthouse, I was more than happy to return, when my wife takes the opportunity to inform me that climbing a lighthouse was one of the items on her bucket list. Sigh... That meant I had to face my arch nemesis today : Stairs!

A separate ticket needs to be purchased from a counter in the base of the lighthouse. The guard was very strict in entry, carefully counting the entering and exiting guests before permitting inside. We had to wait for about 15 - 20 mins before we could enter. Once inside, we started the looooong spiral climb to the top.

After climbing what seemed like 10 gazillion steps, we reached a landing and took the opportunity to take a break. Cool breeze was blowing in through the windows, bringing with it some much needed relief from the heat. After a couple of minutes, we resumed the climb to the top. At the top, we had to squeeze past the light apparatus to get to the viewing platform outside.




The view from the top! Though I was grumbling all the way to the top, the view was totally worth it! We got a phenomenal view of the town, along with the Bay of Bengal and the coastline. The fast moving clouds had a slightly dizzying effect on us! After taking in the spectacular sight for a few more mins, we started our climb down.




It was 11 AM by now and the searing heat was unbearable. We were both completely drenched in sweat and my ulticaria started to rear its ugly head, despite the layers of sunscreen. We made a beeline towards our hotel and turned ON the AC to full blast for some much needed respite from the heat.


After a short rest, we packed up our stuff and checked out from the hotel by around 12 PM. Our stomachs were bloated with multiple bottles of water and we thought we'd let the hunger grow a bit more before lunch.


Tiger Cave

Tiger Cave is about 12km from the town, towards north. We left the town and joined the ECR (East Coast Road). The monument is located on the right side, so we had to take a U-Turn and drive a short distance back. The entrance to the parking is easy to miss, so make sure to drive slowly.

The Tiger Cave is a rock-cut Hindu temple complex located in the hamlet of Saluvankuppam near Mahabalipuram. It gets its name from the carvings of tiger heads on the mouth of a cave which forms a part of the complex. The Tiger Cave is considered to be one of the Mahabalipuram rock-cut temples constructed by the Pallavas in the 8th century AD. The discovery of an inscription on a rocky outcrop in the Tiger Cave complex in 2005 led to the excavation of a Sangam period Subrahmanya Temple close by.

The rock cut cave temple with a Shiva Linga and a Nandi is at a corner of the Tiger's Cave complex, which a few visitors remember to visit. The temple is situated below ground level and hence the top of the rock that forms the roof of the temple is accessible for climbing. Sitting over the roof of the cave temple is a photographer's delight with rocks dotting the foreground, trees in the middle and the Bay of Bengal in the background. From the Tiger's Cave premises, the beach is also accessible.

There is a beautiful, well maintained lawn just after the entrance, making the place an excellent evening picnic spot. The beach too is within walking distance.

The site earned its name from its crown of 11 tiger-esque heads carved around the entrance to its gaping maw. In truth, scholars believe the images are more likely that of a mythological animal called a “yeli,” which is more like a cross between a lion and a tiger. Aside from the appeal of picnicking in the presence of ancient holy cats of the sea, one of Tiger Cave’s most popular features is actually a carving that depicts the Goddess Durga mounted atop one of these tigers (or yeli).

Source






Towards the side, is the giant rock, sometimes called the Tsunami Rock. I read somewhere, that before the 2004 tsunami, only the tip of the rock was visible, and the tsunami washed away much of the sand around it. The markings on the rock led to the discovery and excavation of the surrounding areas.




We spent close to an hour here, causally meandering between the rocks. By now it was past 1PM and we were starting to get seriously hungry. The measly sandwiches we had in the morning had burned away completely and most of the water in our body had evaporated. Suddenly ravenous, we drove back to town for lunch.



Lunch - Moonrakers Restaurant

We went to their original restaurant, which TBH has a much better ambience than their newer one. We ordered Tawa Prawns and a Masala Fried whole Pomfret fish. The waiter wasn't too convinced that we could finish the fish by ourselves, and informed us multiple times that its a big fish. But the dude seriously underestimated the fish eating capacity of two purebred mallus!

Both the dishes were delicious, especially the pomfret. The fresh fish was paired with a fantastic, spicy coconut based masala. It didnt take us much time to reduce it to a pile of fish bones! We also ordered a couple of mint lemon sodas to top it all up!




Day 02 to be continued...

[GeneralJazz]

Day 02 Continued.....


After the sumptuous lunch, we bid our farewell to Mahabalipuram and drove to the ECR. It took a while to navigate our way out of town, as it had become quite congested by now. Once on the ECR, it was smooth sailing. It was mostly single lane, with the occasional short 2 lane sections, and there was moderate traffic. Still, its far far better than the highways in KL.

After some distance, we crossed a junction with a board showing Kalpakkam to the left. Kaplakkam is famous for the nuclear reactors.

Kalpakkam is known for its nuclear plants and affiliated research installations. These include the Madras Atomic Power Station (MAPS), a nuclear power plant, the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), an affiliate of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Kalpakkam hosts the only nuclear plant in India with a Fast Breeder Test Reactor(FBTR) and a Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor(PHWR).

Kadalur Dam

After Meyyur, we took a left just before the Palar Bridge to reach the Kadalur dam.

The check-dam is built at the mouth of the river for about a km in length, and in between Vayalur-Kadalur village, where the river meets the sea.

The dam is built in 2019 with funding from Kalpakkam Atomic Station and was opened by the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, Edappadi K Palanisamy. And the best time to visit the dam is post-monsoon, the only time when the river sees some flow of water.

Source

The road was quite narrow to begin with, and kept getting narrower. Towards the end, its just wide enough for 1 vehicle, and then the road ended completely. The last 100 meters was just sand and mud. There is a viewing area with guard rail towards the edge, and we parked the Rapid there.





On either side of the platform, there are paths to get down to the water. We climbed down, and found a rocky section to sit down with our feet in the water. The cool water gave some relief from the burning afternoon heat. From here, its possible to get into the water for a swim, making it a wonderful evening getaway spot.





By this time, 3 - 4 cars and several bikes had reached the spot. We left soon, so as not to get caught in one of the narrow sections. Back on the main road, we saw something funny! One half of the ECR was blocked by a bunch of kids holding some coloured balloons! Traffic was diverting around them, with some lorry drivers even yelling at them. On a closer look, they seemed to some social media content creators celebrating their channel achieving some milestone!

Back on ECR, we crossed the Palar River for the second time in 2 days! It was a very scenic drive, with green fields on either side, with the occasional village. On the way, we crossed what seemed like a large institution. It had a national flag, and a big gate with a road leading upto it. No idea what it was!






Coffee Break - Cafe Coffee Day

It was around 3PM by now, and we stopped at this CCD for a short hydration + bio break. The menu was limited to just basic coffee and peach iced tea. We opted for the latter. The toilets were quite clean though. We spent around 20 mins here.





While the ECR did provide some beautiful views, the road condition left a lot to be desired. The surface quality deteriorated soon and potholes began to make an appearance. In spite of this, we made decent progress. We crossed the Odiyur Lake, which is known for spotting flamingos.






Alamparai Fort

The Alamparai Fort is a 17th century fort, dating back to the Mughal era. The fort is sea facing, and is a short distance from Kadappakkam village. We took a detour from the ECR and drove for about 4km through the village. After a really enjoyable drive, we crossed the Kadappakkam bridge, and soon the ruins came into view.





We drove in through the ruins of the fort wall towards the open area inside.

Constructed in the late 17th century during the Mughal era, the Alamparai Fort once had a 100-metre long dockyard stretching into the sea, from which zari cloth, salt, and ghee were exported. During 1735 AD it was ruled by Nawab Doste Ali Khan. In 1750, for the services rendered by the famous French commander Dupleix to Subedar Muzaphar Jung, the fort was given to the French. When French were defeated by the British, the fort was captured and demolished in 1760 AD.

Alamparai was a seaport in historical times. The place had other names like Idaikazhinadu, Alamparva and Alampuravi. The fort was built during the Mughal era between 1736 and 1740 AD. The fort was initially under the control of the Nawab of Arcot, Doste Ali Khan, and was later given to the French. After the Carnatic wars, when the French lost to British, the fort came under the direct control of the British and was demolished in 1760.

We drove to the very end and parked the car by the end of the wall. From here, we were able to walk down to the beach and spent some time exploring the ruins. We could see some sections of the wall submerged in the water as well. There are some sections still standing inside the compound too. While we were busy posing for pics, we saw a couple of locals walk up to the Rapid and take a look around. When asked, they sheepishly replied that it was the first time they're seeing a KL registered vehicle!





Alamparai Beach

A few hundred meters ahead, there is a road to the side leading to the beach. We decided to go down the road and see what was down there. The road soon deteriorated to sand and gravel. I had my doubts whether the Rapid could make it further without getting stuck, but then I happened to see a few hatchbacks further along on the beach. With that boost of confidence, we drove down further. It was an awesome sight, Bay of Bengal on one side, a small backwater on the other!





Tea Break - Roadside Tea Stall

It was around 4:30 PM by the time we got back to the ECR. Due to the loong day behind us, energy levels were starting to run low. We spotted the this small tea stall and immediately pulled over. A cup of super strong tea with some biscuits did wonders! Refreshed, we continued our journey towards Pondy.





After about 30 mins of driving, we crossed what looked like an abandoned toll booth, followed soon, by a Welcome to Pondy board! 30 more minutes later, we pulled into White Town. We called up our hotel, Saara Inn, to ask for directions. The lady who answered had no fricking clue where anything was! We gave her multiple landmarks, including shop names, street names, but that was of absolutely no help! We were starting to get frustrated, when thankfully the manager took the phone from here. He was able to correctly guide us to the location. He came up to the roadside and informed us that the hotel has no parking available, but got into the car with me and navigated to a nearby lane where safe parking was available!






The room was small, but was clean and tidy. After the very long and exhausting day, we crashed into bed for some much needed rest! My watch tells me I've taken 18000 steps since morning!



Dinner - The Smoothie Bar

After some rest and a hot shower (which felt amazing!), we walked to The Smoothie Bar for dinner. We ordered a bottle each of Mango Tango and Bolt (tender coconut + orange), and Pasta with white sauce. While the pasta was just fine, the juices were fantastic!






Back at the hotel, the manager provided me with the contact number of a bike rental guy. Due to it being peak season, the per day charge he quoted was ridiculous, I did manage to bargain it down to a reasonable amount. He offered to bring the scooter down to the hotel within half an hour. While waiting, I walked to where the Rapid was parked to make sure all was well. The lane did seem safe enough. The Rapid was going to remain here, undisturbed, for the next 3 days.





Pretty soon the bike rental guy showed up with a blue Yamaha Fascino. I took a test drive around, and the scooter seemed in acceptable condition. The speedo and odo were busted (most probably disconnected), while thankfully the fuel gauge was working fine.





The hotel had a small attached gated driveway for parking 2 wheelers where I could park. With that done, I went back to the room and turned in for some much much needed sleep!

End of Day 02.

[GeneralJazz]

Day 03

Our route for the day:




We woke up refreshed after a good night sleep. Our hotel doesn't have an in house restaurant, so we planned to have breakfast somewhere near Auroville, our first stop for the day.



Breakfast - Hope Cafe

We drove, I mean rode, to Hope Cafe for breakfast, which is located on the Auroville Road. Its a neat and well laid out cafe with garden dining. We were among the fist visitors for the day, so got the entire place to ourselves!






We ordered Joy Crepe (banana + chocolate + honey crepe) and a Smoothie Bowl. The smoothie bowl was the best among the two, with strawberries, apples, dragon fruits and all manner of nuts and berries in a yogurt base. The food was made even better by the calm and peaceful ambience, surrounded by a wide variety of plants and trees!






Auroville

A lot has already been written about Auroville, so I won't bore you will the same repeated content.

Auroville (City of Dawn) is an experimental township in Viluppuram district, mostly in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with some parts in the Union Territory of Pondicherry in India. It was founded in 1968 by Mirra Alfassa (known as "the Mother") and designed by architect Roger Anger.

At its Annual Conference in 1964 and with Mirra Alfassa as its Executive President, the Sri Aurobindo Society in Pondicherry passed a resolution for the establishment of a city dedicated to the vision of Sri Aurobindo.

Source, Source


By the time we reached, it was only just starting to get crowded. Past the information centre, we took the passes to visit the Matrimandir. From here, its a 15 mins walk to the shrine, or rather the viewing area near the shrine. There is plenty of tree cover along the path. About halfway along, there is the famous Banyan Tree.

The Mother selected the Banyan tree as the geographical centre of the city. This Banyan tree is more than 100 years and during the beginning of the construction of the Matrimandir was the only tree on the barren plateau. An integral part of the Matrimandir complex, the Banyan Tree, with its peculiar aerial roots is spread across at a diameter of 50 meters (164 feet).

A short distance ahead is a rock garden. It was gorgeous, with smooth rounded rocks, well maintained grass and beautiful trees. As we kept walking, we got a sight of the Matrimandir in between the foliage.





The Matrimandir.

The Matrimandir (Sanskrit for Temple of The Mother) is an edifice of spiritual significance for practitioners of Integral yoga, in the centre of Auroville established by The Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram. It is called soul of the city and is situated in a large open space called Peace. Matrimandir does not belong to any particular religion or sect.

There are multiple viewing areas from where to get a good look at the stunning golden shrine! Looked ethereal, to be honest. To enter the inner chamber, one has to book atleast a few days in advance. We spent a long time here, thoroughly enjoying the dazzling golden view!






The bus pickup shelter is present a short distance back, somewhere near the banyan tree. There was quite a crowd there, and this was where things got really ironic! The crowd was really rowdy and loud. For a place meant for spirituality and inner peace, it was anything but! Loud, obnoxious groups with every sentence having an MC/BC/BSDK, entitled women cutting across lines trying to make it to the front and then abusing anyone who questioned them, pushing, shoving, even some racism towards the non-Hindi folks.....sigh.....


After a long wait, we did get the bus back to the information centre. We checked out some of the shops nearby, but everything was too expensive and the crowd was unpleasant. We tried to get something to eat and drink from the canteen, but it was too crowded and we gave up! We rushed to the parking, took our Fascino and left the place. Overall, a not so pleasant experience.







Sri Ganapathy Pottery

I found this place on Gmaps and decided to give it a try. This pottery shop also had pottery lessons. I managed to get a 1hr lesson for my wife. I have neither the patience, skill, nor the dexterity for this, while my wife loved it. Her surgical experience gave her the steady hands needed for this fine craft and she was soon moulding all sorts of stuff from blobs of clay.






Lunch - Auroville Bakery & Cafe

It was past 2:30PM by now and we were starving! Inside the compound, the first building is the bakery, which has a nice collection of baked items, including the famous Pondy bread. The cafe is behind the bakery. Here, we ordered Chicken Burger, Chocolate Croissant, Olive and Cheese Bagel , and Kombucha. The burger and bagel were great, while the croissant was soggy and hardly had any filling. The Kombucha was surprisingly good!






Chunnambar Boat House

Our next stop was the Chunnambar Boat House. It is located a few kms outside of town. By the time we reached around 4PM, it was pretty crowded. We managed to find a parking spot and went inside. There was a small line at the ticket counter, while the line for the boats stretched as far as the eye can see! My wife stood in the line for the boat, while I stood in the line at the ticket counter. Our divide and conquer worked out well, since by the time I got the tickets, the other line had reached the boat house entrance!






After a 40 min wait, we finally got onto the boat for our trip to Paradise beach. The 20 min boat ride was quite uneventful. The Chunnambar river was calm, and was very shallow. You can see the locals wade into the centre of the river to catch fish!





Paradise Beach!!! Aptly named is a paradise by the majestic Bay of Bengal.





There is a lot to do on the Paradise beach. ATV rides, horse riding, parasailing and so on. The other end of the beach seemed to be private property (a resort I guess) and is fenced off. There are plenty of beach huts to take a break from the sun. We had a lot of fun playing in the water and just chilling on the sand, watching the sun go dow... oops!! Heyy! A beach sunset with no sun!!

Let me explain, we are from the west coast, where the beaches are west facing, and we get to see the sun going down the horizon. Pondy, being on the east coast, the beach is east facing, and the sunset is in the opposite direction. Its a mundane matter, I know, but for us, it was really a big deal!





The beach closes by 6PM, i.e. the last boats back to the Chunnambar boat house stop soon. A few security guards were herding people back to the beach jetty. There was a looong line here too, and we only managed to get the 5th boat back. Why so specific about which boat we took you ask, well my wife and I had a friendly bet on the probability of the same and let’s just say my purse was a lot lighter going back .





We got back into town by around 7:30PM. For dinner, we first went to the famous Coromandel Cafe, but the place was full. There was a long line outside. We inquired inside and were told that they have no more availability for the evening. But strangely, we saw a couple of foreigners skip the line and be welcomed inside, a trend we saw repeated many times over the next few days.





Villa Shanti

Next, we tried Villa Shanti. Even though it was full, the manager seated us at the bar and promised us a table soon. After around 15 mins, he guided us to our seats. The restaurant was beautiful, with a beautiful garden and a few open air seats. They also have rooms available above the restaurant.






We ordered a Caesar Salad, Beef Parmentier, Chicken Risotto, Beach Blossom mocktail and an Ice Tea. Everything was delicious, especially the Beef Parmentier and the Caesar Salad.





After the fantastic dinner, we rode around the town for a while, before heading back to our hotel to turn in for the night.

End of Day 03

[GeneralJazz]

Day 04
Our route for the day:





We planned for a slow day, mostly in and around White Town, checking out the churches, some street shopping, and most important of all, fooding!




Breakfast - Cafe des Arts

For breakfast, we went to Cafe des Arts, which happens to be one of the top rated eateries in Pondy. It’s a French cafe, in a 19th century colonial building! The host was a French lady.






We reached there by 8:35AM, but a line had already formed by then.The cafe opens at 9 and the manager was in charge of assigning tables. It was around 9:20AM by the time we got a table. Surprisingly, even though we were among the first few visitors, several tables were already occupied by foreign nationals! No matter, their cafe, their choice of customers!

The cafe has an antique theme, with several antique art and furniture pieces. Overall, the ambience was superb.





We ordered Plain Croissant with jam and butter, Pain au Chocolat, Crepe with apple compote, Creole Sandwich, a Latte and a Masala Tea. Food was brilliant, especially sandwich and croissants. The jam was super delicious, fresh berry with ginger made from scratch as was the apple compote. Totally worth the wait! They had plenty of books lying around, which meant it was one of the longest breakfasts we ever had.




By the time we left the cafe, the line outside had stretched to the end of the street!




Notre Dame des Anges Church

Our Lady of Angels Church (also called Église Notre-Dame des Anges, White Chapel, Kaps Koil) is the fourth oldest church in Puducherry. The original structure was built in Greco Roman architecture by Napoleon III in 1855, with the architect being Louis Guerre. It is the only church in Pondicherry city that offers mass in three languages namely French, Tamil and English.

The church has a long and interesting history, which can be read here. A few excerpts:

1632

The first batch of six French Capuchins arrived at Pondicherry with the French traders.

1707

The first church of the Capuchins dedicated to Our Lady the Angels was built.

1761

English captured Pondicherry and destroyed the second church built in 1739.

1855

The new and the present church of Our Lady of the Angels was blessed and opened in the month of May. It became the Church of Apostolic Prefecture also known with the other names like Caps Koil and White Parish.

1886

1st September, Pope Leo XIII's by his Bull Humanae Salutis Auctor erected the Indian Hierarchy abolishing the Apostolic Prefecture. Pondicherry became the Archdiocese with Msgr. Laouenen becoming the Archbishop. Our Lady of the Angels became a Parish in the Archdiocese of Pondicherry.

2008

11th November, 2007, Fr. Michael John Antonysamy was the First Indian to become the Parish Priest in the line of succession from the French Capuchins, Italian Capuchins and the French Spiritans and M.E.P priests, who were shepherding the Parish from 1674.

2009

A major renovation of the Parish Church was carried out with the help of the Association Les Amis du Patrimoine Pondichérien, the French ministry for Culture and the foundation Vieilles Maisons Françaises.

Some more pictures from inside the church. Perhaps one of the only few spots in Pondy with some actual peace and quiet! We spent a lot of time inside, just enjoying the spiritual tranquility the place provided.





Immaculate Conception Cathedral

Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Puducherry is a 300-year-old mother church for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pondicherry and Cuddalore. Its beautiful white and blue color scheme with golden accents coupled with a mix of Herrian, French, and Portuguese style architecture makes it a site worth visiting at least once. The Church has undergone tremendous changes and reconstruction over some time. But, unfortunately, it has been destroyed thrice in the past 350 years, and what you see today is the Church built on the foundation of the 3rd time it was damaged.

In the 1692 they, with the financial help of Louis XIV, king of France, erected a church which was demolished by the Dutch in the following year. A second Church was quickly built in 1699 but could not last long. From 1728 to 1736 a large church was built on the site of the present Cathedral. This third church was razed to the ground by the British in 1761 during the Seven Years' War.

Source






There was a service going on when we reached. Not wanting to disturb anything, we went back outside and just explored the compound.






Right opposite to the cathedral was a large used book store. My wife literally dragged me inside! They had a huge collection of books, mostly used, including most of GRRM's. They also had books in foreign languages as well. Pretty soon she had me buried under a pile of books!





Shopping - Casablanca, Anokhi and other street shops

We spent the rest of the morning shopping and driving around the town. Casablanca (a large shop with everything from handicrafts to clothes and accessories), Anokhi, and then all out street shopping.





Lunch - Cafe Xtasi

For lunch, we went to Cafe Xtasi, to try their wood fired pizza. We had a Chicken Wood Fired Pizza and Butter Garlic Bread. The pizza was crispy and cheesy delicious while the garlic bread was soggy. There was some delay in getting our food, but to be honest, we were just glad to get away from the blazing afternoon heat.





Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Located in the White Town of Pondicherry, Aurobindo Ashram has been named after its creator- Sri Aurobindo Ghosh. The foundation of this ashram was laid on 24th November in the year 1926 when he was surrounded by his disciples all over after he retired from politics and settled in Pondicherry. This ashram was set up with the aim of helping people attain moksha and inner peace. Thousands of tourists from all over the country visit the ashram to experience and achieve spiritual knowledge.

There exists a samadhi as well in the courtyard under the frangipani tree where the bodies of Mother and Sri Aurobindo were buried. People come to pay their respect every day by laying flowers on it.

The road in front of the ashram entrance is blocked by barricades, and parking is not allowed. The security guards had their hands full, chasing away cars who tried to park in front. Opposite to the entrance is a counter to deposit our shoes. Photography is strictly not allowed inside, and they asked to switch off our phones. Once inside, the chaotic mess of the world gave way to a kind of serene peace. It was totally silent inside! Surrounded by beautifully kept plants and flowers, the central courtyard houses the samadhi. After paying our respects, we sat nearby for a long while, enjoying the calmness of the place and lapping up the serenity. It was quite the stress reliever!




We left the ashram quite refreshed. Outside, it was starting to get quite crowded and chaotic, and we quickly left the area.



Some pics from around the White Town, which is full of colonial style, brightly coloured villas and buildings. It really felt as we were transported into a different era!






Cluny Embroidery

Next, we visited Cluny Embroidery. It’s a nearly 200 year old institution based in an 18th century bungalow.

Housed in an 18th century heritage bungalow on the Rue Romain Rolland Street, Cluny Embroidery Centre is a wonderful venture started by a local convent to provide employment to underprivileged women. The building was supposedly donated by a French woman to help the poor women in need and is currently run by Catholic nuns. Functioning since 1829, the centre has been creating exquisite embroidery products in laces, crochets and other handwork. Tourists are encouraged to visit the workstation to see live women at work with needles and thimbles. With yesteryears regional music playing in the background, you will find some 50 women engrossed in work who are efficiently trained in needlework.

Source


We were able to look at some of the exquisite work done by the women working there. Though extremely beautiful, they were very expensive. We spent time walking around the yard and were even able to observe the women working inside.






Craft Bazaar


This bazaar has well laid out stalls with all kinds of handicrafts, both from local sources and Auroville. The prices are on the higher side, though the collection is quite decent. We found the same items in different stalls for different prices! Take time to explore, if you are planning to purchase.






Gelateria Montecatini Terme (GMT Ice Cream)

GMT is an Italian themed Ice Cream shop, named after Montecatini Terme, a city near Tuscany in Italy. We ordered a scoop each of Fig & Honey and Strawberry. Easily this was among the best ice creams we had in a long time! They had a nice texture, and wasn't too sweet. I strongly recommend anyone visiting Pondy to give this place a try!






Pondy Marina

It was evening by now, and we rode over to Pondy Marina to watch the sunset. The beach is around 2km from White town, near the lighthouse (which is currently closed for maintenance). The Marina beach has a good length of beach, unlike the Rock Beach. Another highlight is the Food Court, which has wide variety of eateries, from momos to chaat to biriyani to arabian to continental and possibly everything in between. There is also ample space for events, and when we reached, some new year event was being set up.





There was a bubble tea outlet named Bubbles n Cream. We ordered a Peach Ice Bubble Tea with tapioca pearls, and a Passion fruit Ice Tea with Passion fruit pearls. Both were just okay, with the tapioca pearls having a slight burnt flavour, and the passion pearls being too squishy. Not the best bubble tea we've ever had, but not the worst either.






Our trusty Fascino. She's definitely seen better days, but didnt let us down even once.






At the very end of the Marina beach is a sea bridge. We rode to the end of the road and walked to the edge of the bridge. We sat at the very edge while the sun went down (opposite to the water), watching the fishing boats sail past. We even spotted a sail boat, probably sailing enthusiasts. Once it started to get dark, we rode back to the beach, near the food courts, where the lights illuminated the beach quite well.




On the way back from the beach, we once again rode past Coromandel Cafe. There was a huge line outside, and when we asked inside, the hostess informed us that there is no availability for the night, but we were free to wait in the line in case any of the guests decided to leave early. There were easily 15+ people in line already, and we decided to give it a miss once again.




Dinner - Baker Street

We had our dinner from Baker Street, which is a French style cafe. They serve a variety of french snacks like baguettes, croissants, beignets and so on. We were quite hungry and the bright display shelves full of snacks make our tummies take control of our motor functions. We ended up ordering a Chicken and Olive Sandwich, a Chicken, Olive and Cheese Quiche, a Banana Nuts Cake slice, and a Mannala Choco Cake slice. They were all very tasty, especially the very cheesy quiche.






After the sumptuous dinner, we rode around the town for some more time before returning back to our hotel to turn in for the night. It was busier than the previous day, and looks like the new year crowd has started arriving in full flow.

End of Day 04

[GeneralJazz]

Day 05

Our route for the day:








Serenity Beach

We planned to visit Serenity Beach early in the morning to see the sunrise. Woke up early, got ready, and we were out on the road by 5:30AM. The beach is about 5kms north of White Town, and is infact in Tamil Nadu, and not Pondicherry. We reached by 5:5AM, and it was still dark.







The beach had quite a few visitors already. Foreigners doing yoga, a few morning runners, tourists like us waiting to enjoy the sunrise, fishermen hurrying about. We walked along the beach for sometime and soon found a comfy spot to sit and watch the sunrise. The fishermen were using tractors to haul their boats onto the beach, so we had to keep an eye out for it.







A timelapse of the sunrise. There were a lot of clouds on the horizon, and the morning sun had a tough time breaking through!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIOJPt_Nwk4

Finally, after what felt like ages, the giant space fusion reactor bathed us in its bright golden glow! A beach sunrise, something we don't get to see on the west coast!







There is a rocky seabridge towards the edge of the beach and from here we could see the entire section of the beach. We wanted to spend more time here, but it was getting progressively harder to ignore our rumbling tummies. On the way back to the parking, we came across several fishermen with their catch. One of them had a nice haul of squids, prawns and crabs. Which made us even hungrier!







Breakfast - Auroville Bakery and Cafe

We had loved the food last time we went there, so for breakfast, we rode to Auroville Bakery and Cafe. It was only past 8AM by now, but the cafe was starting to get crowded.






We ordered a Cheese Omlette with Auro bread, a plain Croissant, a Banana Honey Crepe, and a Berry Nuts Crepe and 2 coffees. Food was very tasty, especially the crepes. It was getting crowded by now, and we quickly finished our food and left. We also went to their bakery and bought some snacks and cakes. We bought a loaf of French Bread, a small Plum Cake, a pack of Tahini biscuits, and few slices of different types of cakes. The Tahini biscuits were particularly tasty, would definitely recommend them!






After the heavy breakfast, we went back to our hotel to catch a few Zzzz's. It was close to 12PM by the time we woke up, and the breakfast seemed to have burned away completely by now! We got ready and went out for lunch. We once again tried the Coromandel Cafe, but the line outside was insanely long! We talked to someone waiting in line, and she told us that we has been waiting here since 10:30AM! That nearly 2 hours in the hot sun, and she wasn't even at the front of the line! So thats strike three for the Coromandel Cafe. Perhaps next time (during off season, in the middle of the week definitely!).




Lunch - PY Cafe & Restaurant

PY Cafe is located smack in the middle of the town. A small, yet cute cafe with a nice ambience and a very cosy interior. They have nice collection of board / card games, making it a fun spot to hangout with a group of friends!






We had a Caprese Sandwich, a Beef Burger, a Mango Lassi and a Cold Coffee. The beef burger was exceptional! The burger menu was something like the Subway menu, you get to decide the type of bun, the sauces, veggies, sides etc. You get exactly what you order, and I really liked what I got.







Puducherry Museum

The Pondicherry Museum is an art and history museum located in Pondicherry, India. It is especially noted for its collection of fine lost wax bronzes form the period of the Chola Empire.

The Museum's collection includes 81 Chola bronze sculptures, ranking as one of the largest collections of Chola bronzes.

This museum has a number of exclusive displays consisting of stone sculptures and 81 bronze statues from the Chola periods, which has been obtained from the archaeological site of Arikamedu. This site used to be a trading centre located 7 km away from Puducherry and was known to have trade connections with the Roman Empire in the past. One of the main attractions of the museum is the fossilised remains of a prehistoric tree trunk that can be found in the courtyard and the foyer.
An ancient transport coach and an old palanquin are displayed in the centre of the ground floor of the museum. Another fascinating relic is the ‘pousse-pousse,’ an old, archetypal rickshaw which required two assistants, one for steering and the other for pushing the vehicle from behind. A perfectly preserved, fully functional and well-maintained model of the pousse-pousse can also be found on the ground floor.

The Pondicherry Museum is home to a rare collection of old and intricate bronze lamps and statues dedicated to different gods and goddesses, collected from almost all the dynasties that have ruled India through the centuries. Well preserved relics dating back to the ancient times of the Romans, Greeks and the Tsung Period of China, can also be found displayed in this Museum. The museum also has a Geology room which displays old coins, shells, fossils, French furniture and remains from ancient churches as well.

The outer compound has a collection of sculptures dating back to Chola and Pallava empires. This is the only place in the museum where photography is allowed. We spent a couple of hours inside, enjoying the collection of artifacts and reading up on Pondicherry's history.







Refreshments - The Smoothie Bar

It was 3PM by now, and the heat was really starting to get to us. To cool off, we went to the Smoothie Bar to get some cool refreshments. We ordered a Melon Zest (watermelon + pineapple + lemon) an Elixir (tender coconut + watermelon + lime + mint), along with their special Tender Coconut Jelly, which was served inside a tender coconut. It might be our mallu DNA talking, but we loved everything coconut!






It was still too hot to hit the beach, so we spent time riding around town, exploring new areas, doing some street shopping and generally just enjoying the beauty of the town. By now, heat had slightly subsided, and we headed over to Goubert Avenue.



Goubert Avenue

Goubert Avenue, or Beach Road, or The Promenade, is perhaps the most popular spot in Pondicherry. Named after Édouard Goubert, who was the mayor and the 1st Chief Minister of Pondicherry.

Édouard Goubert (29 July 1894 – 14 August 1979) was mayor and first chief minister of Pondicherry between 1 July 1963 and 11 September 1964. Initially a strongly pro-French leader, he later shifted towards the pro-merger Indian National Congress, which ultimately became the death knell for the sovereignty of France's comptoirs (trading posts) in India.He and Lambert Saravane founded the French India Socialist Party in july 1947.

Goubert was popularly known as pappa Goubert.

Source


The avenue is closed for vehicles and only pedestrians are allowed. We found parking at one of the roads leading to the avenue and walked from there. While parking, make sure to check for No Parking signs.




Gelateria Montecatini Terme (GMT Ice Cream)

By sheer "coincidence", we happened to park near GMT, which meant we had to get some of their super yummy ice cream. We ordered a scoop each of Buono and Amarena. Both were fantastic!






Statue of Joseph Marquis Dupleix

Joseph Marquis Dupleix (23 January 1697 – 10 November 1763) was Governor-General of French India and rival of Robert Clive.

When the city of Madras capitulated to the French following the Battle of Madras[2] in 1746, Dupleix opposed that the town be returned under British rule, thus violating the treaty signed by La Bourdonnais. He then sent an expedition against Fort St David (1747), which won over the Nawab of Arcot, ally of the British. Dupleix again attempted the capture of Fort St David, and this time succeeded.

In 1750 the Subadar of Deccan gifted the Alamparai Fort to the French. This was a token of his appreciation of the services of Dupleix and the French forces to his services.

Dupleix left Puducherry in 1754, French recognition of his contribution came only in 1870, with the commissioning of two statues – one in Puducherry and the other in France. The former statue is now situated in Goubert Avenue at the end of Rock Beach. It was first installed on 16 July 1870. In 1979 the statue was moved from its previous location in the middle of the current Bharathy park to the current location at the beach.
Dupleix is represented as a man of commanding stature. In the large nose and massive under jaw, some resemblance may be traced to Oliver Cromwell as commonly represented in his portraits. In the statue, Dupleix wears Court dress with bag wig and long riding boots; in his right hand is a plan of Puducherry, his left reposing on the hilt of his sword

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Interestingly, his biggest rival within the French East India Company was Bertrand-François Mahé, comte de La Bourdonnais, a French naval officer famous for his capture of the town of Mahe in North Kerala, which is still a tiny district of Puducherry. Me and everyone in Thalassery and Vadakara would like to express our gratitude to the man, for the low fuel prices we enjoy!






Douane Customs, Puducherry

Douane Customs building along with the Old Light House bear testimony to the administrative heritage of the Customs during the French Regime at Puducherry. This building was constructed for Customs administration by the French after they took control of Puducherry from the British in the middle of 18th century.
#IndiaAt75 #Amrit Mahotsav #CBICHeritage Building

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Le Cafe

The famous waterfront Le Cafe, which is open 24x7. Unfortunately, it was closed for now due to some renovation work going on.






Some more pictures from the avenue.







Bharat Ratna Dr.B.R. Ambedkar Manimandapam

Ambedkar Manimandapam is located on the Beach Road, Pondicherry built in remembrance of the Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (April 14, 1891 - December 6, 1956), also known as Babasaheb, was an Indian nationalist, jurist, Dalit, political leader, activist, philosopher, thinker, anthropologist, historian, orator, prolific writer, economist, scholar, editor, revolutionary and the revivalist of Buddhism in India. Born into a poor Untouchable family, Ambedkar spent his whole life fighting against social discrimination, the system of Chaturvarna. As independent India's first law minister, he was the principal architect of the Constitution of India.

French War Memorial

The French War Memorial in Puducherry, India (French : ‘’Monument aux combattants des Indes francaises morts pour la patrie’’) is a war memorial dedicated to residents of French India who died for the country during the First World War.

France had decided in 1915 to reinforce her army with recruits from her Asian possessions; a recruitment campaign was launched in December 1915.

"India is indebted to France in different ways, it is now the duty of every Indian to stand with France during this period of adversity (...) France will never forget those who have come to her during these difficult times. They will be treated like her own children. Thank you for joining the French army." – from a communique during this period by Alfred Martineau, the governor of French India.

Pondicherry would offer 800 recruits, send 500 combatants overseas and would see 75 deaths from this group.

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Mahatma Gandhi Statue

The Mahatma Gandhi Statue in Pondicherry was installed to pay respect to the Father of the Nation.

History and Architecture of Mahatma Gandhi Statue, Puducherry

Dating its history back to the year 1965, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi was built by the renowned artist, Roy Choudhary, who studied in the Government College of Art and Crafts in Chennai, Madras.
Also considered as one of the major landmarks in Pondicherry, the prime highlight of this site is – it is surrounded by eight beautiful white carved pillars. All these pillars were exclusively brought from Gingee Fort, which is approximately 70 Km away from the heart of the city.
It took almost a year to complete the construction of this statue. And finally, on 26 January 1965, the statue was officially inaugurated and made open to the public.

Interesting Facts about Mahatma Gandhi Statue, Puducherry

• The statue stands 13 feet high i.e., 4 meters in height.
• It is placed directly opposite the Old Port Pier, which is a historic landmark in Pondicherry.
• There is a tunnel underneath the statue that takes you directly to Gingee Fort. In the beginning, it was accessible to the public. But, after reporting a number of deaths in which many people lost their lives due to suffocation, the tunnel was closed for everyone.

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Handicrafts Exhibition

A handicrafts exhibition had been set up near the Gandhi statue. It had a large number of stalls displaying wares from local businesses. We were able to find some well priced products.






Rock Beach

The beach cannot be accessed from the road, almost the entire length is barricaded off, but people were jumping over / ducking down under them. We walked the entire length of the beach road, and found one section where it was open. We walked down and sat on the rocks to watch the sunset.






We sat there watching the light go down, enjoying the cool wind and beautiful view. A lot of people were going absolutely bonkers playing in the water, and it was fun watching them! By sunset, all the lights turned on, transforming the place completely! The bright lights reflecting from the water made it all the more stunning!






The Goubert Avenue was brightly lit and was teeming with visitors! It was loud, busy, maddeningly crowded and we loved the chaos! We really enjoyed the long walk back to where we had parked our Fascino. However, one has to be extremely careful while navigating the mob for it is peppered with many pickpockets; my wife was the target of a mother child duo. But probably with the impending new year crowd in mind, there were young police cadets posted abundantly and we were able to raise an alarm in time.






Dinner - Fish Aurant

Friday evening of a New Year weekend meant that the town was completely congested. Most cafes had long lines outside, and others had even closed their front doors! Fish Aurant was one of the last restaurants in our list, and we thought we'd see if we can get a seat there. Thankfully, it wasn't full! We ordered Squid Rings, Crab Balls, and a BBQ Fish. All the items were delicious, though truth be told, we would definitely prefer the seafood from Mahabalipuram!






After dinner, we roamed around the jam packed town for a little bit. The few pubs we passed had huge crowds outside! We quickly ran out of energy navigating the traffic, and returned back to our hotel. It was now time to return the Fascino, and we called the rental guy, who came within an hour to collect it. We'll miss you little buddy!!!

With that, our time in Pondy comes to an end and we turned in for the night!

End of Day 05

[GeneralJazz]

Day 06

Our route for the day:




Anticipating the long drive ahead, we made sure to get 8 hours of sleep. Finished packing quickly, and kept our luggage in the Rapid.



Breakfast - Hotel Surguru

For breakfast, we headed over to Hotel Surguru, which is only about 200m from our hotel. We ordered Ghee Roast, and Poori Masala and strong filter coffee. Food was decent and the service was quick.






After the breakfast, we went back to the hotel for some last minute freshening up, and quickly checked out. The town was very busy, and we just managed to get out before the major traffic started. On the way, we filled up at a BP petrol pump. Look at the prices! Rs. 86.34/L! Last time I saw such prices was months ago (back home, we fill up in Mahe, a district of Puducherry which is just a few kms from my place).






We left Pondy without a lot of fuss. The single lane roads were wide enough, but the road surface quality was rubbish. Just outside of what we assumed was the UT border, we were stopped, as we expected, by cops. The cop took a quick look inside, and waved us through, perhaps spotting my wife sitting in the front passenger seat. As we passed the long line of stopped cars, we observed that all of them had only guys. This common strategy of the cops to stop the bachelors and let the families go, seems to be in effect here as well.






Just outside of Cuddalore town, we were once again stopped by the cops. This time, they seemed to target non-TN regd vehicles. The Tucson just in front of us was also KL regd, but the driver showed some ID card (military perhaps), and the cops waved him through. They asked me to open my boot. I made sure to only open it once I was outside and started recording with my phone. There were 2 photographers, who were taking pic from all angles. They went through our luggage pretty thoroughly and kept asking us what we were doing in Pondy. The cop was initially quite rude and was talking to me in English, but once I replied in Tamil, he seemed to calm down a bit. He kept asking what we were doing in Pondy and seemed unconvinced when I told him we had come for the new year. He didnt even seem to believe me when I told him we were from Coimbatore. Finally, my wife got down, showed him her hospital ID card and told him she had a conference in JIPMER! The mention of the word doctor had the desired effect and he let us go after that!






After Cuddalore, the roads deteriorated completely. Road expansion work was going on, meaning the existing road was a complete and utter mess. Once completed, the new roads will definitely be magnificent, but for now we had to make peace with this. Add to that some terrible drivers. Check out the absolute moron in the brown Ciaz. The idiot kept trying to squeeze in from left and right!





Pichavaram Mangrove Forest

Pichavaram is the second largest Mangrove Forest in the world. It ilocated in Tamil Nadu, India. Generally, the total area of this forest is 2800 acres. A sand bar of Bay Of Bengal has divided it. To emphasize, the forest is the home of water snakes, water dogs, foxes, turtles, prawns, crustaceans, oyster, and waterfowl. Identically, you will also find 200 species of birds. It is also the place of some rare species like Avicennia and Rhizophora.

Pichavaram was never in our itinerary. We had only planned for a long drive back home, but one of my friends suggested the place. It’s not directly on the way home, but we decided to give this place a try. Pichavaram is the 2nd largest mangrove forest in the world, second only to the Sunderbans! It’s even larger than the mangroves in Florida!

To get to Pichavaram, we took a left from Villiyanallur. It was a wonderful drive, with lush green fields on either side. The roads were in great condition too.






We soon reached Parangipettai town. The roads were very narrow and the town was quite congested, and we had a tough time getting across. Outside the town, we took a diversion just after the Vellaru Bridge. There was no road here, only a dirt path, but after a few hundred meters, it got better. Here, we ran into some heavy traffic. In hindsight, this should have been our clue to turn back, but alas. We'd soon regret our decision to come here.





The entrance to the boat jetty. It was crowded beyond belief! The place was full! The parking was in a state of complete chaos! It took me a full 15 mins to find a spot.






My wife went to stand in line while I parked. This was the line outside the ticket counter! The ticket has a token number, and there is a display board inside to show the current token number. The token number being displayed was 95. While my wife stood in line, I walked upto to the front of line, where the guy in front just got token number 190!! And there were atleast 30 people in front of us!!! One of the staff were going out for lunch, and I checked with him about possible wait times. He told me that the best I could expect was a 3 hour wait! That too if most of the guests didn't complete the full 1 hour tour and volunteered to end it early! We definitely didn't have that kind of time. Dejected, we decided to go back.






There was a viewing tower nearby, and we were able to get a good view of the boat jetty and the edge of the mangrove from here.





There were plenty of people who decided to turn back seeing the line, and we all walked back to the parking ground. It took yet another 10 mins to get the car out from the mess! Perhaps next time, we'll visit early in the day, on a weekday.





Lunch - A2B Chidambaram

It was a 30 min drive to Chidambaram. We ran into some heavy traffic, and took some time to navigate to the hotel. It was full inside, but we managed to get a table after a short wait. We ordered Meals, Roti and Paneer Butter Masala. Food was good, as typical with A2B.







After the sumptuous lunch, followed by some strong coffee, we were back on the road by 1:30PM. There was a long 350km drive ahead of us, but it wasn't going to be nearly as stressful as driving through KL. While this distance can be covered in 6 hours in TN, the same distance would require atleast 10 - 11 hours in KL, thats how trash the highways are. From Chidambaran, we followed the SH70 till Virudhachalam, from where it merged into NH532. SH70 was single lane, but the roads were in terrific condition. With little traffic, we made good time.







Coffee Break - S2 Bistro

NH532 merged into NH79 outside of Chinnasalem. S2 Bistro is located just a few hundred meters along the NH79. We stopped here for a quick coffee plus bio break. The coffee was good and the restrooms were neat. We also bought some snacks and soft drinks for the road.






NH79 was mostly double lane, with the occasional single lane sections with the plastic dividers. It was a smooth drive, even with the traffic and the occasional lorries occupying both the lanes. By 4PM, we reached Salem. It took us about 20mins to extricate ourselves out of the weekend traffic. By around 4:25PM, we entered the familiar Kochi-Salem NH544.







There was heavy traffic on the NH544, made much worse by the slow moving lorries adamantly occupying both the lanes!






Tea Break - Hotel Sree Saravana Bhavan Classic

Our last break for the trip, we stopped here for some much needed coffee and bio break. Our energy levels had been gradually dipping, and the strong filter coffee gave us the much needed caffeine boost!







The NH was heavily congested, and the slow moving lorries were becoming a nuisance. What is the need to occupy both the lanes? Just stick to the fast lane and remain there!! Thankfully, after Erode, the NH became 6 lane, and we were able to overtake them with ease.







At long last, after nearly 9 hours on the road, we reached home by 6:50PM. Phew! It was exhausting to say the least! A 1000km covered! And as a souvenir to remember the trip, the ABS warning lamp came on!

CONCLUSION

Total Distance Covered:

Car: 1006 km
Bike: 82 km
Total: 1088 km



It was yet another exhilarating trip for us. This time the good roads gave us a chance to philosophise and ruminate over mundane things. While, we always knew Pondy was amazing; Mahabalipuram in all its ancient glory took our breaths away. Once we did reach home, it didn’t take any time for us to begin longing to go back to the charm and warmth ‘Mamallapuram’ gave whereas it was the French elegance that pulled us back to Pondy. Here’s looking forward to yet another soul enriching journey in the near future.

Until next time, this is GeneralJazz signing off!

[Eddy]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing.

[sukhbirST]

Thanks for bringing Mahabalipuram in all its ancient glory to a informative and must visit place. Both the places have been neatly covered with lot of detailed pictures.

[mallumowgli]

Man, your travelogues are turning out to be ultimate guides to the places you visit. Thanks for taking the time out for penning down in such detail - especially for the food. Entertaining read too. Loved every bit

[TheRainmaster]

Nice Pictures and thanks for the very detailed travelogue. Pichavaram is in my list, looking at your travelogue think i will plan during non season time.

[GeneralJazz]

Originally Posted by sukhbirST

Thanks for bringing Mahabalipuram in all its ancient glory to a informative and must visit place. Both the places have been neatly covered with lot of detailed pictures.

Thanks a lot sukhbirST! Mahabalipuram is definitely one of our best travel destinations yet!

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Man, your travelogues are turning out to be ultimate guides to the places you visit. Thanks for taking the time out for penning down in such detail - especially for the food. Entertaining read too. Loved every bit

Thank you so much Praveenji! I believe in travel centred around food! Sooru thaan mukkiyam! I believe batterylow can attest to that!

Originally Posted by TheRainmaster

Nice Pictures and thanks for the very detailed travelogue. Pichavaram is in my list, looking at your travelogue think i will plan during non season time.

Thanks TheRainmaster! Pichavaram is only doable during off peak season, preferably during the weekday. We are planning one more visit, hopefully this time we can get a boat.