[kvamshi04]

Prelude

Got married in Nov 2023, and since then we have been travelling to weddings (Friends), pilgrimage, leisure, and group tour lead for a group of college students (Just kept an eye on them, so they do anything stupid and put in me a soup), but missed a road trip with my lovely wife. After contemplating time, distance and mullah. We pinned it to Pondicherry, next comes the dates. Since I am into academics, I got my winter break and my wife happened to get a small window before she joined a new office. Dates decided, plan chocked out, we packed our bags and set our sails.

Day-1, 1.1.2025, Hyderabad- Chennai
Woke up at 5:00 and started from home at 5:45, drove till 8:00 am and reached Hydlapuram on the Miryalaguda Bypass Road. Opened up our tiffin box and got filter coffee from a kiosk. Used the restroom and started moving towards Ongole, en route, we encountered fog at Wadapally and Piduguralla. Lovely sight !!!





Stop II: BPCL Ongole COCO outlet filled the car, took a short break and hit the highway again towards Chennai. A little after crossing Ongole, I put the car on Cruise control and drove it on CC for the next 200 kilometres, its fun but I feel, one has to be more alert if it is on CC.

Stop III: Stopped the car near the Naidupeta Bypass, felt we were clocking KMS and ahead of our ETA. Had a quick lunch and this is when things go for a toss. The car refuses to start and the instrument cluster lights up like a Christmas tree after a few more tries, it starts showing FAULT on the instrument cluster, I try disconnecting and connecting the battery but, the car still refuses to start. Took the user manual and called up the TATA RSA, but the call got connected to the C.V. RSA, seriously TATA !!

Used our go-to friend Google and contacted the RSA, since the car was out of warranty, they at first said, they couldn't help but later thanks to an RSA addon billed/added during the last service they took details and connected me to the nearest agent, who arrived within an hour and jump-started the car. And we were moving again, the road to Chennai ORR was great, a little bit of construction happening here and there, stepped onto the ORR and the experience was not as great as the Hyderabad ORR. Chennai ORR has cattle, bikes and cycles plying on it, which can be dangerous.

Next stop: ORR Tollbooth, a Traffic police flagged us to stop and was stopping all non-TN cars. Takes a look at the car, requests to show all the documents wishes Happy New Year. Such cops do exist !!
By 7:00 PM we reached IBIS Sipcot, and got a sweet deal, thanks to my students. Had dinner and called it a day.

Day-2, 2.1.2025, Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Auroville-Pondicherry

An early start 8:45 am, 9:15 am we are at Mahabalipuram, its empty and the tourists are entering the city, parking the car near the shore temple, visited the temple and then the beach, the beach was just pathetic, wrappers. bottles, slippers, clothes, diapers all lying around. It was very disheartening to see the beach in this condition.


The Shore temple.


Later walked towards Krishna’s Butterball and other places in the vicinity, spent around 2 hours exploring Mamallapuram, Had some coconut water and started towards Auroville.






The highway between Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry is under expansion, hence it’s a two-lane road with diversions and oncoming traffic and very few overtake zones., a very interesting place. Last time I visited Auroville, I was only able to reach the parking and had to leave as there was too much of crowd, this time it was nearly empty, walked till the Matrimandir Viewing Point, clicked some photos there and took the bus back to the visitors centre, just love the stores there and the fragrances on sale. Such a peaceful place !!!


On our way Pondicherry


On the way to Mantrimandir


On the way to Mantrimandir


Mantrimandir, view point


The Banyan Tree, with its peculiar aerial roots, is spread across at a diameter of 50 meters (164 feet).

On the way back, visited Auroville Bakery & café, they have a decent size car parking and a huge menu, takes time to absorb the content on the blackboard and place the order. Once the order is placed, sit back and enjoy the nature, your order will be called out, you will have to pick it up, enjoy the meal and you can kill some time.

Next Stop: Pondicherry

Checked in to Ginger, a small property with ample parking, but the rooms are too small, its smaller than other ginger hotels, forget about rooms what competitors offer. Settled in the room, and started towards Promenade beach, car parking can be challenging here.


Promenade Beach

At the beach, we were not allowed to go near the beach, not sure what was the reason. Sat near the beach and absorbed the vibes around, then visited the famous Sri Sai Ram Coffee Bar, amazing filter coffee, almost visited the place twice everyday for the next two days. After coffee, walked back to the beach and brought some fridge magnets. And moved towards the marina beach and the light house, same situation there as well.

The area near the beach was barricaded and we had no access to the beach, soaked in some fresh air and filled petrol it was ₹ 94, what a pleasant surprise, in Hyderabad it is ₹107, BPCL speed was ₹103 filled the tank to the brim and moved towards Kamatchi, White Town, was unable to find parking.

Drove towards the Municipality office and one banner said there’s a paid parking near by, we found one behind the building. Parked the car, walked towards Kamatchi, had dinner, it’s a small restaurant but the foot fall is high, awesome taste but the portion sizes and the prices do go well here, that’s how the day ended.

[kvamshi04]

Day 3: 3.1.2025 – Exploring Pichavaram & White Town, Pondicherry


Our day began with an attempt to catch the sunrise at Promenade Beach, but the overcast sky had other plans. Though the sunrise was a miss, we still enjoyed our morning coffee by the beach before heading out towards Pichavaram Mangrove Forest.


Sunset at Promenade Beach

Taking NH-32, we navigated through dense two-wheeler and school bus traffic until we reached Cuddalore Road. The stretch between Cuddalore and Karaikadu was lined with chemical and paint manufacturing units, giving it an industrial feel. However, beyond Karaikadu, the highway was a smooth ride until C. Mutlur. At C. Mutlur, we exited NH-32, took a left turn, and drove through quaint villages for about 10 km, finally arriving at Pichavaram Mangrove Forest, managed by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC).
Since it was a weekday, we found no crowds, but there was one catch—no UPI or card payments were accepted for the boat ride! If you're visiting on a weekend, booking in advance on the TTDC website is recommended. Otherwise, carry enough cash.
The boat ride, lasting 30-45 minutes, was serene and picturesque. Visitors can choose between a rowboat or a motorboat. If you’re looking for a stunning pre-wedding photoshoot location, this place is perfect! 😄

Glimpses of the Mangrove Forest










Back to Pondicherry – Another Car Trouble!

After the boat ride, we skipped the local seafood restaurants near the exit and hit the highway back to Pondicherry. Everything was smooth until we reached Kothattail Toll Plaza.
As soon as I entered the toll lane, the auto start-stop feature kicked in, and once again—the car refused to start! The instrument cluster lit up like a Christmas tree (déjà vu from Day 1).

With no one behind me, the toll booth operator helped push the car out of the lane. However, since the steering was locked, the car remained stuck at the toll entrance for two hours, blocking one of the gates. Apologies to anyone affected! 😅

I repeated the same RSA drill, and after a two-hour wait, the technician arrived and jump-started the car.

A Quick Stop at Schakralaya Motors, Cuddalore

Not wanting to take any risks, I drove straight to Schakralaya Motors, Cuddalore, for a thorough check-up. The service team was prompt, and within minutes, a group of technicians ran a detailed diagnostic check. Surprisingly, they found no issues and certified that the car was good to go.
The whole experience felt like an F1 pit stop—quick, efficient, and professional. The CRM team was also very responsive.
A nice touch? The showroom and workshop walls were adorned with pictures of the owner’s pet dog—an adorable Indie dog!
Huge thanks to Schakralaya Motors, Cuddalore, for their incredible service!

Exploring White Town, Pondicherry

Back in Pondicherry, we parked our car behind the Municipality Office and strolled into White Town, where we stumbled upon Le Café. Operated by Puducherry Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), it's the only beachside café in town. The prices were reasonable, but due to its popularity, the place was crowded and the service was a bit slow. Too many orders, too few hands!

After coffee, snacks, and some selfies, we took a leisurely walk past the Gandhi Statue, Bharti Park, and the Craft Bazaar before discovering a hidden gem—Live Art Museum – Wonders of White Town (WOW).

Though I was reluctant, my wife dragged me inside, and I must admit—it was an interesting experience. The museum has three sections:
•The Teddy Museum – A delightful collection of stuffed toys dressed in traditional attire from India and around the world.

•The Live Art Museum – Features incredibly lifelike silicone statues of world-famous personalities like MS Dhoni, Sai Baba, Mother Teresa, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Jackie Chan. The silicone material gives the figures a more realistic look than wax, especially in skin tone. There's also a replica of the world’s tallest and shortest men.

•The Fish Museum – Located on the first floor, the museum showcases creative fish sculptures made with a contemporary artistic approach. (Courtesy: Pondicherry.in)


The Municipality office


Old Light House


Bharti Park


The Teddy Museum

After this unexpected yet fascinating detour, we wrapped up the day with a delicious seafood dinner before heading back to the hotel.
Another eventful day, packed with surprises!

[kvamshi04]

Day 4: 4.1.2025 – Pondicherry to Chennai

Woke up early, hoping to finally catch the sunrise, but once again, the overcast sky had different plans. Undeterred, we took a morning walk to Le Café for a quick coffee—only to find that their service took an eternity. After what felt like forever, we finally got our coffee, then headed back to the hotel for a quick breakfast, checked out, and hit the road to Chennai.



Who wants to have fish for lunch & dinner?

Before leaving Pondicherry, we took a detour to JIPMER. Entering through the back gate, we were greeted by a lush, sprawling campus, a refreshing sight. After a short drive-through, we exited through the main entrance and continued our journey.

Our next stop was Auroville Beach, but Google Maps led us on a wild goose chase. Eventually, we decided to ask a local for directions, which worked out much better. With the sun at its peak, we spent some time soaking in the fresh ocean breeze before resuming our drive to Chennai.


Auroville Beach

As we approached Chennai, my wife suggested a stop at Marina Beach. While the idea was great, the reality was quite the ordeal—it took us an eternity to reach the beach and another eternity to navigate our way back to SIPCOT.
Finally, we checked in, had dinner, and called it a day.

Day 5: 5.1.2025 – Chennai to Hyderabad

The original plan was to hit the road by 5:00 AM, but as expected, we ended up starting at 6:00 AM instead. Our first stop was Adyar Ananda Bhavan (A2B) Bypass Road, Sholavaram, where we grabbed a quick breakfast and packed some food for the journey ahead.
As we exited the service lane, we found ourselves sandwiched between two massive trailers carrying tanks—never imagined we'd be such a high-value package!


My pilot for some time.

It was a struggle until we finally merged back onto the highway.
A little further down, we spotted a convoy with police escorts, lights flashing and sirens blaring, surrounding a truck carrying something for ISRO. No idea what it was, but it definitely piqued our curiosity. Any inputs on this are welcome !!

Everything was smooth sailing until we reached the Nellore bypass, where we stopped for coffee. And guess what? The car refused to start—again. AUGHHH! 😤

This time, we quickly googled a nearby battery shop and called for assistance. Fortunately, help arrived, and since we had stopped at a petrol pump, we topped up the fuel and made a firm decision—not to turn off the engine until we reached home.

The rest of the journey went smoothly, with the car idling at every stop. Finally, by 8:00 PM, we reached home, marking the end of an eventful yet memorable road trip.

Breakdown Diagnosis

On Monday, after work, I left early to take the car to a battery shop for a check-up. The technician tested the battery and confirmed it was in good condition, suggesting that the issue might be with the alternator.

The next day, I had the car picked up by Jasper, Nacharam, and informed them about the recurring problem, mentioning the possibility of a faulty alternator. However, they were not convinced.

The entire car underwent a thorough inspection, including all electrical components, and was kept under observation. Eventually, they diagnosed metal formation and earthing issues with the ECM, which they rectified.

Since then, the car has been running smoothly, and hopefully, it stays that way!

[searacer932]

Originally Posted by kvamshi04

Prelude

Got married in Nov 2023, and since then we have been travelling to weddings (Friends), pilgrimage, leisure, and group tour lead for a group of college students (Just kept an eye on them, so they do anything stupid and put in me a soup), but missed a road trip with my lovely wife. After contemplating time, distance and mullah. We pinned it to Pondicherry, next comes the dates. Since I am into academics, I got my winter break and my wife happened to get a small window before she joined a new office. Dates decided, plan chocked out, we packed our bags and set our sails.

Wonderful travelogue and to the point! Thanks for sharing it and congrats on your marriage!

What's your TATA Car that gave you battery niggles?

[kvamshi04]

Originally Posted by searacer932

Wonderful travelogue and to the point! Thanks for sharing it and congrats on your marriage!

What's your TATA Car that gave you battery niggles?

Thank you, for your wishes. I have a Tata Altroz Petrol XZ 2020.