Category: Heritage

This time, I am not writing about any hill station, beach destination or any fancy locations. This is a small post about a temple town in the central part of Tamil Nadu. Though little known, this place, Srirangam has a long history and religious significance. It is an island located between Cauvery river and one of its distributary-Kollidam, little away from the town of Tiruchirapalli. Sri Ranganathaswami temple in Srirangam is one of the largest Vishnu temples in the country.

Tamil Nadu is widely known for its temples. You can see many of them, almost everywhere, they will be centuries old and have a long history. Earlier I had visited the temples of Kanchipuram and Thiruvannamalai. In olden days, the kings who ruled here had spent an enormous amount of wealth in building these temples. The temples built by kings of Chola dynasty and Pandya dynasty are spread across the state. The temples of Thanjavur, Chidambaram, Kanchipuram are few of the examples. Most of the temples are built by carving rocks and their architecture is magnificent.

I lived in Tiruchirapalli for almost two years during my studies. Though I visited Srirangam before, this time it was with my friend Sreekanth. He is a frequent visitor here and knows everything about this place.  He unveiled the story of Srirangam and Ranganathaswami temple, intertwined with myth and facts, as we walked the stone paved walkways around the temple sanctum.

When I first visited Srirangam, it was the gopuram in the south that captured my attention. It is called Rajagopuram and one of the tallest in the world. The gopuram is so splendid and colorful.

You might have heard about Angkor Wat in Cambodia, known as the largest temple complex in the world. But it is not an active temple presently. The title of the largest functioning Hindu temple complex in the world goes to Srirangam. The temple complex is enormous and covers about 150 hectares. Srirangam is major pilgrim center of Vaishnavites (devotees of Hindu god Vishnu). Millions of people visit this temple each year.

The residence of Srirangam is mostly living here since long time, mostly Brahmins. They have a different way of life. They are associated mostly with the everyday functioning of the temple. Most of them are either priests or works in the temple administration  There are many alleys surrounding the temples, mostly occupied by old houses, ashrams and guest houses for the pilgrims.  If you can walk around the complex, you will come across many gopurams. They are the entrance to the Srirangam temple complex from each direction.

Walking through the streets of the temple complex is the best way to understand the life and culture of people living here. You can see young brahmins spending free time outside the “Veda pada shalas” (Vedic schools), flower shops busy with sorting out flowers for the puja, small shops selling pictures and idols of Gods. There are the common scenes here. Devotees and vendors fill the streets of the temple complex all the time.

After spending some time walking around,  we went to a small shrine at one corner of the temple complex. Inside the temple, there was a mummified body of a sage who lived here. The body is worshiped in the shrine, the priest described the story of the sage to the curious devotees.

Another interesting thing about the Srirangam temple is that it has a large collection of wall paintings. You can see many such colorful paintings depicting stories from the Hindu mythology on the walls and roofs here. Some of the paintings are in worst condition, need immediate restoration.

Srirangam is a city which is built over a large span of time.  It was a small shrine in the beginning, later it was developed into a prominent temple complex. The city faced many attacks from the invaders, they looted the wealth from the temple. But somehow it survived each attack.

How to reach Srirangam

Srirangam is very near to Trichy ( aka Tiruchirapalli). Trichy has a railway station, an airport, and a big bus station. The city is well connected to all major cities in South India by road and rail. The Tiruchirappalli junction is a major railway hub in Tamil Nadu. Trains are available to every part of the country.

Trichy airport also has good connectivity to all major Indian cities.

Trichy to Srirangam

Once you reach Trichy, it is very easy to go to Srirangam temple. Srirangam is just 30 minutes travel in a bus or taxi.  You will get buses very frequently from Trichy central railway station. There are buses towards Srirangam from both Chatram bus stand and Central bus stand.

You can also hire a cab from Trichy to reach Srirangam temple complex.

Srirangam temple timings

Srirangam temple is open all the time since many people are living inside the temple. You can explore the temple. But if interested to visit the shrines there are certain timings. 9 AM to 12 PM and 7 PM to 9 PM are generally the time for visiting the main shrine.

Accommodation in Srirangam

Many lodges are available in Srirangam. Getting an accommodation is not a big problem. Otherwise, you can find your stay in Trichy. If you are planning a day visit to Srirangam, then it is better to find your accommodation in Trichy, it will be easy to travel to nearby places.

Places to visit in Trichy

Trichy being one of the hottest places in Tamilnadu, does not attract many travelers. Very few, who are really keen to know about these places come here. It is an old city in Tamil Nadu and the biggest after Chennai.

Thanjavur is one of the must visit place if you are traveling through this part. Thanjavur is known around the world for the famous 11th-century Brihadeeswara temple built by the Chola dynasty. It is 56 km from Trichy, that is an hour journey in the bus. Buses are always available to Tanjavur from Trichy.

Just around the city, you can visit the Rock Fort. Once you are near to the city, you can see this temple built over a large rock even from kilometers away. The rock fort is the major landmark of Trichy. The temple is built over a very ancient rock,  billions of years old. The fort has a temple built inside it.  You will get a view of the entire city of Trichy city from the top.

The Grand anicut of Kallanai, 18 km from Trichy is the oldest surviving dam in the world. The Chola dynasty built this dam in 3rd century AD. I must say, the Chola kings are really amazing. They had built some amazing structures of ancient India. I always become awestruck whenever I visit some grand place in Tamil Nadu and know later that it was built by the Chola kings. The city of Mahabalipuram, Brihadeeswara temple of Thanjavur, Srirangam itself are few such examples. Also, Chola dynasty had the best army of that time.

The Our Lady of Lourdes church situated at the center of the city, built by the British is a noted example of Gothic architecture. You should not leave Trichy without visiting this beautiful church.

Things to know

Srirangam is a temple town, not a tourist place exactly, so one who visit should be careful to behave wisely.

The climate of Srirangam will be hot always, so pick your time to visit the temple either mornings or evenings.

Do visit Srirangam and Trichy, you can experience many things there. Each place has its charm, whether it is a hill station,  some beach town or some heritage place. We should diversify our experiences. I think then only our journeys will be meaningful.

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Also read: Things to do in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu

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So this time, am writing about a place which is very near to where I live-Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram, an easy getaway 60 km from Chennai. I have been living in Chennai for almost 2 years now. I don’t know why it took this much time to write about this place even though I visited Mahabalipuram many times. Though a small town,  there are lots of places to see and things to do in Mahabalipuram. It is a prominent tourist location in South India presently. The ease of access and the facilities available here attracts travelers of all groups from around the world.

Mahabalipuram is a beach town which has a long history. It was a major port during the period of Pallava kings, who ruled major part of Tamil Nadu in the 7th and 8th century. Trade flourished at that time. This place has mentioned in literature and travelogues which date backs to centuries. Pallava kings built magnificent temples and buildings in this port town to show their glory, which can be still seen here.

Mahabalipuram is a perfect weekend destination, very easy to reach from either Chennai or Pondicherry. You can spend some quality time on the pristine beaches, visit the rock-cut temples and monuments. Apart from these, if you are ready to explore more in Mahabalipuram, there are many things you can experience here.

Coming to the significance of Mahabalipuram, everywhere you go, you can see centuries-old monuments. It is spread out all around the town. Excavations are revealing many more such monuments now also. Most of them are under the control of Archaeological Survey of India, a government body responsible for the conservation and restoration of archaeological monuments.

The shore temple and the cave temples are the major attractions in Mahabalipuram.

The five “rathas” (small shrines that resemble chariots) carved out from a single stone is another interesting structure here. They are monolithic structures built by carving from top to bottom. Each of the “rathas” is dedicated to the five Pandava brothers in the epic Mahabharata.

Another such monument is Arjuna’s penance, It is one thing you should not miss in Mahabalipuram. You can find it without much effort when you enter into the monument complex behind the bus stand. There is a difference in opinions among historians about the sculpture. This sculpture is the largest of its kind in Asia. It is beautiful. It looks like a painting on a big canvas. This is a must visit place in Mahabalipuram.

You can find many other monuments in and around the city.

You will get a lot of information about the history, archaeological importance, about the caves temples and ancient monuments in Mahabalipuram from the internet. Reading about the same thing again and again will be boring for you. So I am skipping them.Many of us still think that Mahabalipuram is only about the rock-cut monuments. That is not the case. There are many things here, which can make your visit to this beautiful place more interesting and memorable.

So, What to do in Mahabalipuram?

The scenic East Coast Road

The main reason why I like to go Mahabalipuram frequently is because of the East Coast Road (ECR) which connects Chennai with Pondicherry. I must say, it is one of the most scenic roads in India. The roads go parallel to the Bay of Bengal. So one side, it will be sea and on the other, it will be the vast salt lakes. From the road, there are many pocket roads which go to the beach. You can just sit on the beach for hours and enjoy the wind. All these beaches are less crowded. You won’t find anyone on these beaches actually.

Surfing

Planning to learn a new sport?

Then the best thing to do in Mahabalipuram is to learn surfing.

Nowadays, surfing is gaining popularity in this region. The beaches of the east coast have become a favorite surfing destination. There are many surf schools functioning in Chennai and Mahabalipuram. It is attracting surf enthusiasts from around the world. Many international surf festivals are happening here every year. If you have some days here and want to try something different, then joining a surf class will be a good idea.

The sculptors

When you reach Mahabalipuram, you will see small shacks on roadsides in which people are engaged in rock sculptures. They are the descendants of the artists who worked for those great monuments of Mahabalipuram. They are continuing their family profession now also.

If you like to walking, the best thing to do in Mahabalipuram is to walk through the inner streets. You will find a lot of brilliant artists.

Though the methods and technology of sculpting are more much different from the ancient times, it is an art which requires extremely good skills. The fine details and the complexity of those sculptures is something that needs good skills.

Export of this sculptures is a big business here.

Many artists conduct workshops for those having interest in learning to sculpture.

Seafood

When it comes to seafood, you will get the best seafood here in Mahabalipuram compared to the nearby places. There are many restaurants which serve seafood dishes. They are not that costly. You can find many good restaurants in “ Othavadai street”.

Krishna’s Butterball

This is the one thing that fascinates me all the time in Mahabalipuram. A major attraction in Mahabalipuram, Krishna’s Butterball is a large spherical rock which stands perfectly balanced on the edge of another rock. It has overcome the test of time and push of almost all those who came here. The reason behind such a perfect balancing is still a mystery.

A photograph of yours try pushing Krishna’s Butterball is mandatory in Mahabalipuram.

Kids coming here are more interested to slide down over the smooth rock nearby butterball.

The bird’s eye view from the lighthouse

The lighthouse in Mahabalipuram is still a functioning one and significant in this region to guide ships. There was an ancient lighthouse nearby, built by the Pallavas kings. You can have the view of entire Mahabalipuram from the top of the lighthouse. The lighthouse is inside the main monument complex, near to the cave temples. It is open from 6 AM to 6 PM. it will close before sunset, otherwise, it would be the perfect place to see the sunset.

Sunset from the Shore temple

Sunsets from the shore temple are stunning.  It is believed that the kings built seven such temples along the coast. Only one is remaining now, rest of them are believed to be under water. The tsunami of 2004 has exposed few of the structures under the sea. Underwater excavations after that lead to many interesting findings.

When I go to Mahabalipuram, I try to be there at the shore temple before sunset and find a perfect place to sit, watch the sunset and end the day.

How to reach Mahabalipuram

Mahabalipuram is very near to Chennai ( about 60 km). An hour drive from Chennai will take you there. You can also reach Mahabalipuram from Pondicherry (100 km). There are frequent buses between Chennai and Pondicherry, you can get down at Mahabalipuram. The nearest airport and railway station are Chennai, from there you can hire a taxi or use public transport to reach Mahabalipuram.

Another best way to experience Mahabalipuram is by cycling. You can ride from Chennai through ECR, the ride will be worth, and can extend up to Pondicherry also.

Few things to keep in mind

Mahabalipuram is a hot place throughout the year. Exploring the ancient monuments means you need to walk in the hot sun. So better prepare for that. It is better to take a cap or umbrella.

You will find stone sculptures for sale all over the place. Definitely, you feel like buying something as a memory of your Mahabalipuram trip. Be a little careful regarding the prices, negotiate your maximum. If you are not getting for the price, don’t worry, you will definitely get it for less price in another shop.

There are few places on the way to Mahabalipuram from Chennai which you can visit. Kovalam is a small fishing village about 20 km from Chennai. The beaches are very good, apt for surfing. There are few surf schools in Kovalam also.

The Madras Crocodile bank, one of the largest crocodile conservation center in India, is another place you can visit. This park has many crocodiles varieties, turtles, and other reptiles.

Tiger’s cave is another monument little far from Mahabalipuram.  You can stop here on the way to Chennai.

The monuments in Mahabalipuram are under Archaeological Survey of India. With one ticket you can visit all the monuments. The ticket price is 30 INR for Indians and 500 INR for non-Indians. The monuments will open for visitors from 6 AM to 6.30 PM.

Mahabalipuram is a very small place. All the important places are nearby. The best way to experience Mahabalipuram is taking a walk. There is no need of hiring any taxis to roam around. Better use early mornings and evenings to explore the place, it will be sunny otherwise. You can rent out cycles also for your local travel.

If you are planning a cycling trip to Mahabalipuram, definitely a good idea. You can hire cycles from Chennai. As I said before, the road is very pristine. On weekends, you will find many cyclists riding through this road between Chennai and Mahabalipuram. It is better to start very early in the morning and roam around the city for rest of the day.

So that’s all about Mahabalipuram. It is a must visit place in Tamil Nadu.  You can include Mahabalipuram on your visit to Pondicherry also.

If you are interested in history and archeology, then a visit to Kanchipuram will be really good. Kanchipuram is also a temple town nearer to Chennai, built by the Pallava kings.

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If you want to go for a trek from Chennai, the head to Nagalapuram falls about 120 km from the city.

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My visit to Thiruvannamalai was completely unexpected. It’s been a long since I travelled alone. I travel with my friends most of the time nowadays. There was a comfort zone created around me which restricted me from many things. I needed to break that, to experience the joy of solo travel again. I was thinking such a journey for some days. But the initial hurdle to break out of my comforts pulls me back all the time. Overcoming that is pretty difficult. One side of our mind tells us to go but the other side wins most of the time. But this time I was determined.

In my opinion, it is the strong urge to get out of our comforts that make us a good traveller. We should have the mind to accept whatever comes in our path, take everything positively. Nobody travels for nothing, everyone needs something. And if what we are looking for is experiences and can be happy in our own company, then we should try travelling alone sometimes. I assure you, the difference it makes is amazing.

Coming back to my visit to Thiruvannamalai, I was in my room without any plans on a Friday evening. I was thinking what to do for the weekend, so many thoughts went through my mind. After some time, I took my bag and left my room to catch the bus to Thiruvannamalai. I had read about this place in the newspaper couple of days back. That was my first information about the place. Also did some search on google before going. Tiruvannamalai offered me more than I expected. A town with hundreds of temples, good people, saffron-clad sadhus, peaceful ashrams and the beautiful Arunachala hill which is visible from kilometres away.

How to reach Thiruvannamalai

The best way to reach Thiruvannamalai is by bus. Buses are available every 30 minutes from Chennai Mofussil Bus Terminal (CMBT), Koyambedu. The journey will take about 5 hours. I started my journey around 11.30 PM and reached Thiruvannamalai around 4 AM in the morning. Buses are also available from other major cities of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. There are frequent buses between Bangalore also.

Travelling in and around Thiruvannamalai

Once you reach Thiruvannamalai bus stand, the Arunachala temple is just 15 minutes walk from the bus stand.

Girivalam is a circuit around the Arunachala hill. You can hire bicycles or motorcycles to travel around. Or else, you can hire an autorickshaw, that will take you around the hill. They will stop at all the important temples. The auto rickshaw fare is 300 INR.

You will get bikes and bicycles for rent near Ramanashrmam.

Trekking Arunachala hill

When I asked the local people about trekking the Arunachala hill, the response was negative. They told that trekking is only possible during the “Karthikai Deepam” festival. I was little disappointed. The Arunachala hill looked very charming. Even though it is not a big mountain (800 meters), there were clouds on its top. It looked different and I fell in love at the first glance.

Trekking to the Arunachala hill was allowed earlier. But later it is prohibited due to forest fire caused by the sadhus burning wood for their rituals. There is a trekking route through the back entrance of the temple. But it is open only during the festival time. A giant flame is erected on the top of the hill during this time. Devotees hike the hill to be a part of this ritual. It is estimated that around 20 lakh people come to Tiruvannamalai during this time.

Later, I found out a way to trek to Arunachala hill by an alternate route which starts from the Ramanasramam. A sadhu informed me about this route. The trail leads to Skandasramam and Virupaksha cave. If you continue trekking up from Skandasramam, you can reach Arunachala hill. The trek will take about 30 minutes to reach Skandasramam ( the trail is clear and well paved) and another 2 hours from there to reach the top. There are markings throughout the trail, so don’t worry about losing the direction. You have to climb over the rocks to reach the top, so be prepared to put some effort. It is better to trek during the early hours of the day, it will be hot and you need to spend a lot of energy.

Things to do in Thiruvannamalai

Annamalaiyar temple

Annamalaiyar temple is the prime attraction of Thiruvannamalai. It is one of the most important Shiva temples in the world, visited by thousands daily. It is a major spiritual centre for Shiva devotees. You can see many sadhus walking around the streets and foreigners who come here to learn about eastern spirituality and philosophy.

The temple is built by Chola dynasty in the 9th century. It is one of the largest temples in the country.

The temple opens at around 5 AM. It was my first destination. The atmosphere in the temple at dawn was amazing. I spend some time inside, watching the sunrise. The Arunachala hill slowly appeared in front of me.

Girivalam

Girivalam is the 12 km circuit which goes around the Arunachala hill. Often the pilgrims circumnavigate the hill by foot. There are eight Shiva lingams en route, sacred for the devotees. A lot of Sadhus live around the hill. The route is scenic, gives a 360-degree view of the hill. You can hire an autorickshaw or a bicycle also to complete the circuit.

Sri Ramana Ashram

This ashram of Bhagwan Sri Ramana Maharshi is one of the most visited places in Thiruvannamalai. It is about 2 km from the Arunachala temple. Local buses are available from the bus stand or else you can hire an autorickshaw.

The atmosphere in the ashram is so peaceful. It is a centre of spiritual teaching and meditation. People from all around the world come here and stay for days to learn about the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. You can meet and interact with many people from different parts of the world.

Skandasramam and Virupaksha cave

As I mentioned earlier, a small hike to the hill behind the ashram will take you to Skandasramam and Virupaksha cave. Shri Ramana Maharshi meditated in these two places for years. The hike is through the forest. The trail is clear with proper markings. The walk is refreshing. These two places are very sacred for the devotees. People come here to meditate. So you have to be little careful not to disturb others.

Accommodation in Thiruvannamalai

There are many lodges in and around the temple. You can also stay in Ramanashram. Contact the administrative office to check the availability of the room once you reach there or check their website in advance to book your accommodation.

 

Few things to know about the visit to Thiruvannamalai

• Thiruvannamalai is a religious place. So don’t expect any kind of tourist attraction here.
• The climate here is generally hot, so the best time to visit Thiruvannamalai is during winter months. The temperature will be good.
• The main festival here is “ Karthikai Deepam”, an auspicious day in the Tamil month Karthigai ( often comes on a full moon day between November or December).
• You can find a lot of Sadhus around asking for alms. So be a little wise in giving them money.
• There are few restaurants and art shops run by foreigners in the town, do check them.
• Gingee fort is around 39 km before Tiruvannamalai when coming from Chennai. You can plan for Gingee fort.

As I said earlier, I fell in love with the vibe of the place. The ashram and the trek Arunachala hill was my best experience there. A weekend is enough to explore the place. I would suggest, instead of going to the same weekend getaways all the time, try something different, visit this little temple town.

Read Kanchipuram: City of thousand temples” , another temple town in Tamil Nadu which is very close to Chennai.

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It is quite usual for us to ignore the treasures around us and look for the distant contentments. Often our faraway fantasies remain unfulfilled and we may feel so negative about our life. We rarely try to notice the beauty of our surroundings, rarely observe the uniqueness and hidden charm of our neighbourhood. Connecting more deeply with the place we live brings a different perspective on life. More than the distance we travel, it is understanding the people and nature that matters the most.

I am living in Chennai for a while and till now apart from the beaches and nearby few places, the city is still unknown to me.

I knew about Kanchipuram, the “silk city” of India, an old Tamil town having the history of thousands of years, the numerous temples that spread over the city and the culture it beholds. Though very nearby to Chennai, only very recently I was able to visit this place.

On a fine Sunday morning, I caught the first local train to Kanchipuram. One of the longest routes of Chennai local train, the journey took me to the unknown city outskirts. Our train eventually passed the city limits. Small villages scattered among the paddy fields welcomed from both sides. Little after, a side became much exciting with thousands of birds floating over a vast lake. Few people on the banks, fishing rods in hands, were waiting patiently for a catch.

Gopurams appeared on far distance while the train was nearing Kanchipuram. Only a few passengers were left, Kanchipuram is the last stop.

In the station, I was immediately spotted by the autorickshaw drivers (also local tour guides). Without giving time to think again, one person took me inside his ride and very soon I was moving through the streets of Kanchipuram. 

Streets were busy, narrow roads with more vehicles and people it can handle. Both sides occupied small shops selling Kanchipuram silk sarees. Temple priests, easily recognised by their attire and shaved head, were speeding through the traffic, their barefoot struggling with the break pedals. Ladies were busy picking up jasmine garlands from shops on their way to the temples. The smell of dosas made from the restaurants filled the streets. From the hyperactive streets, suddenly the roads diverged and entered to old and rustic Agraharams. The broken roof tiles, faded wall paints and the elder generation sitting on the verandah is another story of this city.

Kanchi Amman temple is the most popular here. The temple was under renovation. The new addition of glass roof and air conditioning was uninteresting for me, a contrast to what I expected. I couldn’t stay longer there.

At a distance of about a kilometre, our rickshaw again stopped at Ekambareswar temple. The view of the gopuram itself was a relief for my little disappointment from the Kanchi Amman temple. The gopuram is huge and beautiful gopuram, one of the tallest in the country.  The architecture inside is enticing. The temple has a long corridor around and in the middle a 3500-year-old mango tree.

My guide was keeping a track of time since most of the temples will be closed at 12.30 PM after morning pujas. Whenever I took some more time at a place, he reminded to be quick. Anyway it helped, reached Varadharaja temple just before the closing time. There was a little last minute rush. Inside the temple, I was completely taken away by the wall paintings. These old paintings are not preserved well, the modern Indian “scribbling” culture ruined these old treasures. The pond outside the temple is large.

Actually, I had a reason for going Kanchipuram this time. Somewhere in the newspaper, I read about the special Kola idlis which are only available here. Only a  few restaurants prepare Kola idlis nowadays. Our guide helped this time also and took to a really good restaurant. The idlis are totally different from the normal one and they are delicious, even have cashew and pepper in it. The people who run the restaurant were really good.

Of all the temples in Kanchipuram I visited, the Kailasanathar temple was my best pick. It was the oldest temple and a great display of Pallava architecture. The carvings on sandstone are very intricate. I sat inside the temple compound for a quite long time, absorbed in the tranquillity of the place. The daylight was slowly withdrawing, the temples were silhouetted against the sky.

Few things to know while visiting Kanchipuram

1.  It is always good to start as early as possible since all temples will close by 12.30 PM.
2. The first local train will start from beach station by 7.00 AM in the morning. The number of trains are very less during weekends. Check the train timings and plan accordingly. (Two-way travel will cost you less than INR 100).
3. There are also buses connecting Kanchipuram with major cities in Tamil Nadu.
4. The best way to travel in the city is by auto-rickshaws. Finalise the fare before starting itself. It will be around INR 300 to visit 4-5 temples.
5. The days are comparatively hot, so be prepared.
6. It will be good to choose your dress wisely, few temples will not allow entering if not dressed properly
7. Ask the local people about the best hotels to try “Kola Idli”.
8. Ekambareswar temple, Kailasnathar temple, Vaikunta Perumal temple and Varadharaja temple are the temples I recommend to visit if you have limited time.
9. We can visit Kailasnathar temple any time of the day, it is maintained by the Archaeological survey of India.
10. Kanchipuram sarees are available in many shops. Think twice before buying sarees if someone is approaching you to sell them at a very cheap price because Kanchipuram sarees are not that cheap. Do some research and find the right sellers.
11. Kanchipuram is about temples, temples and more temples, so if you are not interested in the temples and architecture, going there will be a bad decision. After all, you should not be disappointed at the end of the day.

So, that’s how I spent a day in Kanchipuram.

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