Monday Morning blues

 

What if Monday morning blues looked something like this ?

Pangong tso – Ladakh

Journey of a different kind

Two decades ago, I started my stint in media as a gawky teenager working after college hours in one of the first community newspapers started in Madras. I got a mail from the paper today asking me to write something for their 20th anniversary. Thank you Anna Nagar Times, Mr. Ramakrishnan and of course, my first boss Vincent D Souza all I can say is thank you.. Here is the article that was published in the community newspaper last week.
It was the summer of 1992 and I remember a college professor asking me if I was interested in working for a community newspaper that was going to start soon in Annanagar. I was a gawky teenager, looking for an experience outside academics . I nodded my head vigorously without even knowing where Anna Nagar featured in the map of Madras, now Chennai. Little did I know that my decision would take me on a roller coaster journey into media . I had no formal education in journalism and everything I learnt was on the roads of Annanagar, through Vincent and Mr. Ramakrishnan. I was called a cub reporter and then a founder reporter, but it was the first start up experience of my life that laid the foundation of my media career .
One of my earliest memories of working in ANT (as we fondly call it) was a visit to the police station. I was on the crime beat and it was the first time I walked into a police station. I was hardly nervous (I don’t know if that was my youth or the power of the press) while the police were amused to see a young teenager asking questions . It was a case regarding a thief who was stealing dogs from the city and a few dogs had gone missing from Annanagar as well. The inspector was happy that we were featuring cases and stories that were not written about in the mainline newspapers. A few days later, he called me to tell me that the thief had been arrested and he asked me to come over to the station. For the first time I saw the thief in custody , who was pleading with the cops, besides confessing to them. The inspector told me that it was a huge racket and he was happy that we were following the case.
Besides journalism , ANT taught me the meaning of the word “ community”. It was not just news, for the paper stood for the emotions of the community. The smiles of the students who did well in the exams , the relief on the faces of the residents whose civic issues were highlighted, local government officers from Metro water ,the police who were lauded for their efforts – all these men and women were our local heroes who were featured on the newspaper. Many a time, my civic stories were picked up by main stream newspapers after reading my articles from ANT. That used to give me immense satisfaction besides the by-line and the modest pay-check at the end of the month. For years to come, ANT became my learning ground and AD 79 was not an office, but an institution.

Skywatch Friday

I would probably be in Madrid, Spain when you read this post. And a month ago, I was in Barcelona , going gaga over Gaudi.. Here is his Sagrada Familia .

To see more beautiful skies in the world, visit Skywatch every Friday

Where am I off to next ?

A lot of you have been asking where I am off to next. So,while I am waiting for my tickets, why don’t you guys take a shot at guessing ? I will give you three simple clues ..

1. This is for the literary enthusiast  - this country introduced me to a  very interesting and famous literary character, a personality that I studied /read about while in school. No, he is not English but his surname lends a word to the English language
2. I was there in August. It was one of those countries that I visited last month when I was invited by the Polish Tourism Board. If you need a picture for a clue, here is one ..


3. A recent Bollywood film literally “celebrated” this destination.
So go ahead and guess and the first three guesses will get a postcard each.

Destination on my wishlist–Borneo, Malaysia

It has been almost a couple of years ago since I researched Borneo in detail and planned a week long holiday in the tropical rainforests. I had been invited to Singapore by their Tourism Board and had hoped to extend my trip to Malaysia. Unfortunately, the visa did not come in time and I had to shelve my Borneo plans. The irony is that it still remains in my wishlist. However, I have helped a few friends with my research and would like to share some of them with you.
Borneo is essentially a huge island and is a part of three main countries – Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. The rainforests here are some of the oldest in the world and I wanted to spend some time birding, besides spotting the orangutan and the proboscis monkey, which is endemic to Borneo. My trip to this biodiversity hotspot was planned for at least a week and I was hoping to spend some time in Sabah, one of the main territories of Malaysian Borneo , the other being Sarawak.

Photo credit – Thomas Brown, Creative Commons, Flickr.
I had kept Kota Kinabalu , the capital of Sabah as my base. If you are up to it, you can attempt a hike up the Mt.Kinabalu, the highest mountain in South East Asia or head straight to Sandakan, either by air or by road, depending on the time and money that you have.

Photo credit – Thomas Brown, Creative Commons, Flickr.
The places that I wanted to visit in Sadakan were the Sepilok Orangutan centre , the Gomantong caves and the Turtle Island. Sadakan is an interesting town in itself with loads of history and culture, but the rainforests are the main attraction here.

Photo courtesy – Franco Pecchio, Creative Commons, Flickr
A cruise or a safari down the Kinabantangan river is where I would like to be every morning and evening to spot wildlife and birds. Much of the tourist resorts are located in Sukau here. Other destinations in Sabah are Danum Valley and Tabin Wildlife Reserve to spot mammals as well. Borneo needs time, so do not be in a hurry to rush through your trip. I do hope that I will be able to visit this elusive island soon.

Stories around Lepakshi

 

A massive Bala Ganesha greet you as you enter. The deities Shiva and Vishnu face each other, while in the centre is Veerabhadra. I walk around and the Natyamantapa lures me . This is where the Gods make music .Brahma is on the cymbal, Narada on the tampura, and Shiva in his Nataraja avatar amongst other heavenly artists. Mesmerising us with their instruments, costumes and ornaments, they seem to create divine melodies .The sun’s rays touch the large sculptures in the unfinished Kalyanamantapa of the temple.

I am in this small village ,Lepakshi near Hindupur in Anantpur District looking at some of the rare mural paintings from Vijaynagar era that adorn this ancient 16^th century Veerabhadra temple. It is a late Saturday afternoon and surprisingly, there are no tourists. A large joint family has just walked in and the children have discovered their playground amidst the pillars. The sun plays hide and seek too and it looks like it will soon disappear amidst the clouds.

I sit beside one of the pillars and take in the scene. Unlike any tourist spot, there are no vendors or shops that besiege the tourist here. A guide offers his services and looking at his rather hopeful face, I decide not to disappoint him. And he plays rather to the gallery as the kids stop their games and listen to him as well.

“Le pakshi said Lord Rama to Jatayu, the bird asking it to get up ,” says the guide a bit dramatically narrating the episode from Ramayana .”Ravana had chopped off its wings and Lord Rama found the bird fallen right here in this village. Thats why its called Lepakshi. See this sculpture here..There are more stories,” his voice trails off.

The temple built in the Vijaynagar style has an inscription that says it was built by one Virupanna whose family deity was Veerabhadra. The temple ,renowned for the largest monolith Nandi stands a few metres away from the main temple complex- a testimony to the building skills of our ancient artisans. It is carved out of a single rock and towers to 20 feet high and is 30 feet long. A multi hooded Naga Linga stand opposite the Nandi in the main shrine . A group of children pose for a happy family photograph as I walk towards it.

Stories, myths and local lore resonate from almost every wall here . For instance the hill on which the temple is built is called Kurmasaila as it resembles a tortoise. The giant multihooded Naga Linga was said to have constructed out of a single boulder in such speed ; apparently even before the cook had finished cooking for the workers. But a crack soon appeared in the boulder that it looks like the sculpture is split in the middle, towards its base. “ The sculptor’s mother was so taken in by her son’s work that she praised him, but her words only caused an evil eye and the crack appeared ,” says the guide , as I smile at the superstitious beliefs . The guide moves on to more legends. The unfinished Kalayanamandapam was built where Shiva and Parvati were believed to have got married. A large carved foot on the ground filled with water perennially is said to be Sita’s foot. “ It is also said its Goddess Durga ‘s foot when she visited here ,” says the guide. He shows me the carved thali like plates on the ground.” The locals were fed here,” he says . It looks more like giant palettes to me .

Tales of devotion are depicted on the bass reliefs or on the murals that adorn the temple. Some of the finest specimens of Vijaynagar dynasty, the panels bring the Puranas alive as various forms of Shiva vie for attention. My guide narrates these stories of devotion etched and painted on the walls. There is Shiva as a mendicant testing the devotion of Sriyala and his parents by asking them to kill their only son and feed him. Pleased by their devotion, he restores their dead son back to them .Another mural depicts a just king , Manuchola who grants justice to a cow at the cost of his son’s life.

While the panels, the sculptures and the paintings narrate stories from the Puranas and the epics, the heart wrenching story of two red marks on the walls of the shrine tell a sad tale. Virupanna,a merchant and treasurer of the Vijaynagar emperor , Achutadevaraya decided to build a temple here when he found a sculpture of Veerabhadra here . He used the money from the treasury for the same when the king was away. The temple was almost completed , except for the kalyanamandapam ,when the king returned to find his treasury empty and the temple built without his permission. He ordered that Virupanna be blinded , but the merchant decided to punish himself by banging against the wall near the Kalyanamandapa .The two red marks are said to be his blood stains when the merchant gorged his own eyes out. The village is said to be called Lepa –akshi , meaning a village of the blinded eye. The melancholy is a bit addictive, then the beauty of the pillars take you away from the tragedy, the silence is mesmerising and the solitude seductive. “ You can still see Virupanna’s ghost here.. the eyes bleed..” the guide’s voice trails, but I am lost in the world of myths and epics.

This article was published in Yahoo.com recently and an abridged version in my column, Inside Story in The Hindu.

Skywatch Friday– a haunting tale in Coorg

This Skywatch, we visit Coorg to hear a haunting tale behind an ancient temple. For more lovely skies around the world, do visit Skywatch every Friday.

I was gazing at the reflection of the dome in the waters when the temple bells shook me out of my reverie. It has now become a habit with me. Almost at every portal of a temple, I stop by to hear sagas of intrigue and passion and tales of Gods and demons. I often lose myself in these myths that lend an air of mystery to these monuments. A haunting tale , I believe echoes from the silent walls . But I wasn’t prepared for this story. “ This temple was built because of a ghost ! “exclaimed my driver a while ago as he pulled into the parking lot of the Omkareshwar temple.
It was dusk in Madikeri and there was a slight nip in the air .” You mean, its haunted ? “ I asked giving him a quizzical look and looking up at the domes of this early 19^th century temple built in the Indo sarcenic style. The lights came on giving it an ethereal feel as the reflections danced in the waters of the tank below. I felt a slight shiver although I dismissed the ghost story and went right in.
The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva , however did resonate with a tale of a king haunted by a ghost . It was the early 19^th century, when Coorg was ruled by the Haleri king Lingaranjendra, whom the history books paint as a tyrant. Violent, whimsical and with an eye for women, the king hardly fought wars during his reign. Instead he hunted tigers and women with equal vigor and was known to have a veritable zoo in his court and an ever increasing harem.
Our story starts one summer morning when a poor Brahmin comes to Madikeri with the intention of giving his daughter away to the Raja’s harem, as he was unable to take care of her. He however changed his mind and left Madikeri after listening to stories about the king from Subarasaiah, another Brahmin who lived in the town. When the king heard about the incident, he mercilessly beheaded Subarasaiah’s sons besides slaughtering the Brahmin as well.

Lingarajendra went to sleep that night only to be woken up by Subarasaiah staring at him .The visits continued as the king became distraught as the spirit hovered around him. The dead Brahmin had become a demon or a Brahma Rashasa . Tantriks finally advised the king to build a Shiva temple and bring a linga from Varanasi to appease the demon . The king however did not recover fully and died within a year.
The temple built in IndoSarcenic style has domes and turrets and overlooks a beautiful pond with a mandapa in the middle. A light they say perpetually glows from the sanctum. Even today, I hear, the spirit of the demon roams freely in the sacred grove within the temple premises where the Brahma Rakshasa resides.
The twilight hour slowly turned dark as the starry night sky reflected in the waters as I left the temple. The story left me wondering why mortals sometime behave more like demons.

Visit Penang - the Pearl of the Orient in Malaysia

I am on a nostalgic journey these days , visiting and revisiting countries that I had been to in the distant past, like Malaysia for instance. My memories are however rather fresh . I visited Penang, the island state that takes its name from " the island of areca nut palm " , also referred to as the Pearl of the Orient.

It was the first time that I saw a colourful trishaw, in bright yellow, decked with colourful flowers . Born and bred in Chennai , rickshaws are not really new to me as we have used it as kids to go to schools and near by places. But what really fascinated me about these "beca" as they are called locally here is the way they are spruced up and decorated. And unlike the Indian counterparts , these are pedal powered and not pushed by people, who drag your weight along the roads. The trishaws form almost a part of the tourist attractions here and it is highly recommended to take a ride along George Town in one of these vibrant vehicles.

George Town, the capital is a World UNESCO site , named after the British King George 111. A fort was built by the British here in the 18th century when they set it up as a trading post for the British India Company, George Town is very much reminiscent of the colonial era. Another similarity that brought me back from Malaysia to my hometown is the very own Fort St George here, built by the British in Chennai when they found the settlement, Madras almost 400 years ago.

As you go for a ride around the old commercial centre in Malaysia, you can see warehouses and godowns that stretch to the sea. Take a walk by the ocean side or shop for curios in the many shops that line this area or just go for a ride in the trishaw listening to your rider narrate stories.

Bringing home the Ganesha

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A little girl is putting finishing touches to the Ganesha that she is hoping to sell from the streets of Malleshwaram, Bangalore. I love the festival but the loudness is a bit jarring to the ears. Please celebrate Ganesha with a little concern to the environment also.

Birding in Ganeshgudi–the many shades of blue

In Ganeshgudi, you see many shades of blue when you go birdwatching. The Tickell’s Blue and the white bellied flycatchers, the verditer , the monarch, the malabar whistling thrush, the asian fairy blue bird and the blue capped rock thrush show off their plumage as you gaze at them lovingly through your lens. Here are some birds that make you go blue in your face…

Asian Fairy Blue Bird above and the Blue capped rock thrush below


The verditer above and the malabar whistling thrush below


Tickell’s blue above and the white bellied flycatcher below

The monarch

Batu Caves - Murugan and Iguanas in Malaysia

My earliest memory of Batu Caves was seeing a man carrying an iguana on his shoulder and walking down the 272 steps . I gasped in surprise and shock and it was my first sighting of the iguana. The towering statue of the Tamil God Muruga was standing in front of us . My second memory was that of the best ever masala dosa that I had ever eaten in all of Asia, excluding India of course.

Being an Indian and a Tamil, I wanted to head to Batu Caves, where millions of Tamils all over Asia converge for the Thaipoosam festival that falls in the month of January or February. A three day colourful festival, Thaipoosam usually starts with a procession where the deity is in a chariot and is taken around from the Mariamman temple in Chinatown to Batu caves. Thronged by tourists, locals and devotees, this festival is a must see if you happen to visit Malaysia around this time.

Photo courtesy - Auswandern Malaysia

But this limestone cave is not just a religious destination - it is a tourist destination for all adventure seekers who would love to do some rock climbing while exploring a dark and dingy cave with their stalactites and stalagmites.

Batu Caves , named after the River Batu and the adjacent village is a series of caves and cave temples that were once the home of ancient tribes. As you explore , the darkness blinds you and you get into a world of fruit bats who now nest here. The "Vel " shaped entrance gave it a religious significance as it became synonymous with the Tamil God, Muruga who is also worshipped as a warrior deity in parts of South India. But whether you are a tourist looking for a spiritual experience or a dash of adventure, do not miss Batu Caves on your next trip to Malaysia

Skywatch–my village down south

 

My ancestors come from a beautiful village called Kallidaikuruchi located down South in India in a district called Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu district. I visited this place early this year and I am still mesmerised by the trip . All around you are views like this with The Western Ghats for company. This is no picnic spot or destination..just a piece of natural beauty on the road enroute to Manimuthar Falls/Dam.

To see more beautiful skies around the world, visit Skywatch.

A Beautiful Trip with the Train

I love trains and for sure everyone loves old trains. Well, we got a beautiful small gauge train in Romania and you should come to visit Maramureş and travel by this lovely old beauty. I did it last summer with my friends and was a dream day. It is called Mocăniţa and it lives from Vişeu de Sus village. Info from the site: “The Swiss association „Hilfe für die Wassertalbahn“, located in Bern, Switzerland has been involved with the Vişeu de Sus forestry railway since 2000. The Association is officially registered in Switzerland and according to its articles of constitution aims to „support CFF Vişeu de Sus with material, logistical and financial support, to prevent the line from abandonment. In particular the operation of steam locomotives shall be enabled for the future.”” So because of that I have met some beautiful people who take care of everything, they are from Romania and also from Switzerland and love to do it and you can see it because they always smile. From the site: “The Vaser Valley - with its length of some 50 kms - climbing from Vişeu de Sus to the end of line near Comanu, is rather different from other valleys of the Carpathian mountains. With the exception of a few logging camps, the valley covers a vast area devoid of human population. It is accessible only by railway, along with a handful of logging roads that link key points on the line.” The postcards that you can buy from the train station are gorgeous (see below) and the ticket is like an old cardboard ticket used for a long time in Romania – you should keep it like a souvenir. At halfway is a buffet and the Romanian cuisine will make you not want to leave from Maramureş.

PS: the text was also used on Quality of Romania blog.

47.701358,24.438912 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Romania For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Top 3 - Must dos in Langkawi Islands in Malaysia

You have not one but over an archipelago of 100 islands to choose from when you visit Langkawi. However if you are a traveller in a hurry, then ensure that you have at least experienced these interesting experiences.

Photo Credit - Andy Lawson, Flickr .

1. The Cable Car
Take the cable car up the mountains and rainforests to get some outstanding panoramic views of the islands. As you go up the ropeway, from the foothills of Gunung Machinchang, taking in the scenery, you can see cascading waterfalls surrounded by jungles . Atop is a curved pedestrian bridge called the Skybridge, almost 125 metres long . If you are the adventurous type, you can even trek up here.

2. Pulau Payar Marine Park
Go underwater to get a glimpse of Malaysia’s ancient marine life . The life under the sea will dazzle you with all the colours in this marine park. You can go snorkelling here as this is one of the best diving site. The park centre is a great way to get oriented here. There are reefs built here, some are manmade built with old boats and tyres. If you are not into diving, then there are several hiking trails around as well.

3.Crocodile Farm
Want to see a live version of Man versus the Wild, then visit the Crocodile Farm to see a confrontation of humans and crocodiles here.  All these crocodiles and of course, the men are however well trained . Walk around the farm and you can see a sea of crocodiles being fed. Besides various species, you can also see baby crocodiles in a pool of their own

What are your recommendations for Langkawi ?

Birding in Bandipur

It is not a good idea to bird while you drive down Bandipur as parking is not allowed here. But I could not resist stopping for a few seconds when  the husband sighted this streak throated woodpecker on the tree.

Travel Tuesday–Play of light in Padmanabhapuram palace

It is beautiful to see the sheer amount of wood and the play of light in this palace , built near Kanyakumari by the Venad kings. The Venad kings started their reign over Travancore from this region before moving base . The ancient palace ringed in by the Western Ghats stands as the testimony to the origins of the dynasty. It is believed that the ruler Marthanda Varma dedicated his kingdom to his family deity Padmanabha and Padmanabhapuram lost its significance when the capital was eventually shifted from here to Trivandrum in the 18^th century .
This was one of the places we visited in the Naanjil Naadu tour. To see more Naanjil Naadu stories, visit here

A weekend getaway to the Nilgiris

I had been dreaming of the Nilgiris for the last few weeks. They kept surfacing in my conversations and thoughts. So I decided to head out there this weekend. I am going to be in Coonoor and hope to roam around if the weather holds. I have no agenda and I hope to just relax and take it easy . See you guys next week and have a great weekend.

 Backpacker has loads of updates and stories coming up for you this week ; so stay tuned. Ciao !

Win a Vacation - All you have to do is to make up an excuse !

Want to Win a Vacation - Now come up with a whacky excuse for it...

Win a Vacation is a contest by Club Mahindra where participants must submit a video to YouTube where they attempt to describe within 5 minutes telling us why they need and deserve a vacation. The videos will be evaluated by both, a jury panel & YouTube viewers. The winning entry will be chosen in accordance with the Official Rules. The winner will get a fully paid vacation by Club Mahindra. The prize will be awarded to participant with the highest score along with the judges vote. All you need to do is record your wackiest excuse on why you need a vacation and upload it to our YouTube channel. The crazier the excuse is, the more chance one has to win a vacation. 

Duration of the Contest: The WIN A VACATION Contest ("Contest") shall commence from 28th Aug and will close on 15th Oct (both days inclusive). Last date for entries is 28th Sept.

For details visit here

Skywatch Friday–a view of a town from atop a temple

In India, small towns and villages are often defined by their temples. The moment you walk into any town, your eyes turn upwards as you scan the height of the Gopura or the tower of the temple. Most photographs will show you the montage of sculptures carved on these tall Gopuras, but very rarely you see images of the town itself .  The temple in Suseendram is the nucleus of the town and as we climbed up the gopura, I saw a different perspective of the town with the Western Ghats bordering it. The town was getting ready for the temple festival and one could feel the energy .





Suseendram is one of the first places we visited in the Naanjil Naadu tour. For stories on Suseendram, click here. For posts on Naanjil Naadu, visit here.
For beautiful skies around the world, visit Skywatch

Five places to visit in Naanjil Naadu

 
Ringed in by oceans and mountains , my journey took me to the erstwhile land called Naanjil Naadu that has been sung about from the days of Sangam era. Today, the region is identified as a part of Kanyakumari and Nagercoil districts, where God’s own country, Kerala first had its origins. Scattered with temples, forts, rock cut caves, palaces with paintings, inscriptions and carvings – there are monuments left behind by these rulers as souvenirs of their reign.



The INTACH tour organised by Tamil Nadu chapter took us to towns and villages, to deserted lakes and forts, to the banks of small rivulets, up a hillock, into dense forests to look for the remnants of the many dynasties that ruled Naanjil Naadu .The Ay rulers from Sangam era reigned here till the 9th century . Early Pandyas had built monuments that led us towards Tirunelveli. The Cholas had left their stamp here ,and the Venad rulers who were the founders of modern day Travancore state ruled from Padmanabhapuram palace here. However everything is not just about heritage. Steeped in cults, we learnt about both facts and folklore, while I got lost in the landscape painted in front of me - natural, social, political, historical, spiritual. While we visited several obscure and nondescript towns and deciphered several inscriptions with the help of our expert guide, Dr V Vedachalam, retired senior epigraphist from Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department, these are the five places in Naanjil Naadu that I would like to visit again.


1. Chithraal

Angels and celestial beings apparently hovered around this hillock and hence it is referred to as Thirucharanattumalai . I would believe this as this is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The scene is virtually breathtaking. The sky is clear, the floating clouds touch the distant peaks of mountains, the greenery is refreshing and the breeze comes calling. An abode of Jaina monks, Dr Vedachalam explains to us that “charanathar “according to Jainism refers to those celestial beings who fly in the skies and are seen in places of worship or living spaces which could be mounds or mountains too.



The rocks are carved with bass relief sculptures depicting Thirthankaras and yakshis that date to the 9^th-10^th centuries. There is the serene Mahaveera, the snake hooded Parshvanatha along with Neminatha, the yakshis - Padmavathy and Ambika, also known as Dharmadevi looking out into the open. Right atop the cave is a small structural temple dedicated to Bhagavathy deity. Sitting beside the rock, I look out for angels as hillocks surround us in the distant horizon with pools of water reflecting the colours of nature.

2.Thirunandikarai

Deep inside a dense rubber plantation, a stream flows besides an ancient Shiva temple . There is not a soul in sight. If you squint through the woods, a path takes you down to a rock cut cave temple with empty cells. The temples are located in Thirunandikarai, which gets its name from the stream, erstwhile a river called Nandiaaru.

While the Shiva temple built in the 10^th century resembled the architecture style of Kerala monuments, the rock cut cave temple was probably built around the 7^th century was probably a Jaina monument. As the birds sing to the dawn, we walk up to the cave temple and see traces of early paintings on the walls. Inscriptions here refer to Vikramaditya Varaguna of the Ay dynasty and even to Raja Raja Chola, who had celebrated his birthday here. The lush greenery, the birds, the sun streaming through the woods, the silence – Thirunandikarai takes you to a different world, one of peace and beauty.

3.Padmanabhapuram palace

The origins of the present day Kerala begins here as this was where the Travancore state was born. Built in the 1600 by the ruler, Iravi Varma, the palace is located inside a fortress with the backdrop of the Western Ghats around it. The moment you step inside the palace, you enter a world as old as 400 years old. Even the 300 year old clock tower shows you the time. Made of jackfruit wood and a combination of granite, coconut shells, egg white , the palace takes you into the King’s Council Chambers, the Mother’s Palace, the Performance Hall among several other chambers. Pillars made of jackfruit wood, galleries of paintings, brass lamps and wooden sculptures, a wooden cot with more than 60 pieces of tree trunks all give it an unique Kerala stamp. It is believed that the ruler Marthanda Varma dedicated his kingdom to his family deity Padmanabha and Padmanabhapuram lost its significance when the capital was eventually shifted from here to Trivandrum in the 18^th century .


 

4.Vattakottai

This is my all time favourite . I am standing at Vattakottai, a circular sea port and am encircled by the sea with the mountains at the backdrop. Built in the 18^th century by the Travancore kings, the fort was apparently constructed by a Dutch Naval officer De Lannoy who was initially with the Dutch East India Company but eventually became the commander of the Travancore army. The symbols of two elephants and a conch shell stand silently in this picturesque fort which hardly looks like imposing. And as many fort lores say, a tunnel was apparently built here too, but it is now closed. But as you gaze at the blue waters with the low hanging clouds and the waves retreating from the shores, one cannot imagine this was once a battlefield.


5.Parthivapuram

An idyllic little village with an idyllic little temple, Parthivapuram or Parthivasekarapuram seems like just another Indian hamlet, but for the fact that it goes back to the 9^th century . One of the oldest places we visited, the Vishnu temple in Parthivapuram was built by one of the oldest dynasties who have ruled right from the Sangam era – the Ay Dynasty . King Karunandadakkan . Dr Vedachalam gives us a very interesting insight into this village. A copper plate found here informed us that there was once a vedic school here in the 9^th century. The Ay rulers had clearly mentioned details regarding the education system, the basis of selection, discipline related issues and even a code of conduct for the students. As we sit in the portals of the temple, listening to stories, we are literally transported to a different era.

This was published in Yahoo recently .  You can read more stories on Naanjil Naadu here. A story on Thirunandikarai was published in my column, Inside Story in The Hindu Metro Plus

Travel–Some of my best lessons have come from the road

In my journey called life, I have had several teachers holding my hand, shaping my beliefs, strengthening my resolve, inspiring me to push my boundaries and helping me to learn from my mistakes. From spiritual gurus, to family , to tutors at educational institutions, to some friends and mentors, I have had many teachers. And yet, some of my best lessons in life have come from my journeys on the road. And I would like to share some of them with you.

1.Travel has helped me to shape my attitude to a large extent in the recent years. It has taught me a wee bit of patience, tolerance and an ability to take things as they come. It has made me self reliant and independent and has helped me develop a quick presence of mind and grasping power.

2. Many a time, when things go beyond me, travel has helped me to realize to accept the situation as is. It has given me confidence, a bit of resilience despite the many anxieties and the panic attacks that I have faced in life or while travelling. I am still learning to live and deal with all my fears and insecurities, but travel is helping me to shed some inhibitions along the way.

3. It has humbled me. When you walk into a large square full of people or visit an ancient monument or gaze at a mountain from the valley, you realize you are a speck in the universe. A dot whose worries and joys melt with the elements. It helps you to realize that your big ego lives and dies with you.

4.Travel has given me a strong sense of grounding rather than a fake sense of achievement or pride. It has helped me realize what I can do, what I cannot and has helped me to live and accept it. It prepares you for the best and worst in life. It helps you realize that even if you fly business class, you have to deal with turbulence.

5. Of course , travel has helped me to merge with the milieu ; I try to blend in , but I still retain my individuality. Travel has taught me to experience ; it is also adding a little layer called “experience” to me.

6. It has opened doors, widened my vistas and has given me a sense of both reality and fantasy. It has made me empathetic, rational at times and has woken the dormant “me “.

7.Travel has given me a strong sense of balance. It has taught me to be on my guard and not to try foolhardy things in the name of adventure. I push my limits, only when  I understand my body and mind completely. I have also tried to understand the atmosphere and the sensibilities around me, before attempting anything new.Travel however has also made me learn something new at every step. It has made me try new things, explore new vistas and push me beyond some boundaries.

8.Travel has taught me to accept and understand change. It has taught me to live with it. It has helped me realize that everything in life is transient, even this moment as I explore something new. It has taught me to be a bit flexible and adjust, which is a bit trying at times. It has also helped me realize that plans can always change at the last minute and I should go with the flow.

9.Travel has helped me to break some prejudices. I am still trying to accept things unconditionally but I have learnt to drop baggage and let go of some unwanted weight along the way. On a different note, I have to learnt to pack light and travel with whatever I have with me , keeping functionality as the thumb rule 

10. Most importantly travel has made me discover a new facet of me. I am my best companion when I travel. It has helped me to understand me as a person and live with my frailties and foibles.

I hope to be healthy always and be on the road all the time and keep learning, discovering..May this journey never end ..

Travel Tuesday - Getting poetic in Athirampally

Our forest officers are poetic as well. I was driving through the dense Athirampally - Vazhachal forests , when I saw this board , dedicated to Frost's Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening

A tour of Naanjil Naadu

There is a certain fascination, a sense of a timeless journey, an anticipation of a discovery when you look at a map. Pouring over the colourful piece of paper that marked countless villages and towns, I stood there ,imagining the contours of the map changing while we took a journey down history. We were looking at a map of the present day Nagercoil and Kanyakumari districts in Tamil Nadu, but the stories took us to the times when parts of the region was referred to as Naanjil Naadu.

Ruled by various rulers from the Sangam Age to Travancore kings , with a bit of influence from the Cholas, to early Pandyas, this region had the reign of the Ay rulers, the Venad kings and had also seen battles fought between the Cheras and the Pandyas. Ringed in by oceans and mountains, the locale is scattered with  temples, forts, rock cut caves, palaces with paintings, inscriptions and carvings - monuments left behind by these rulers as souvenirs of their reign. God’s own country found its origins here, long before , Kerala the state was formed. Steeped in cults, we learnt about both facts and folklore, while I got lost in the landscape painted in front of me - natural, social, political, historical, spiritual.

We travelled to towns and villages, to deserted lakes and lush fields, to the banks of small rivulets, up a hillock, into dense forests to look for the remnants of the many dynasties that ruled Naanjil Naadu.The Ay rulers who had reigned for a long period from Sangam era to even 9th century had  left their stamp here. Temples such as Parthivasekarpuram are testimony of their workmanship. Early Pandyas had built monuments that led us towards Tirunelveli. The Venad rulers who were the founders of modern day Travancore state ruled from Padmanabhapuram palace here.

Our guide and expert, Dr V Vedachalam, Retired Senior Epigraphist from Tamil Nadu State Archaelogy Department told us that one of the earliest references to Naanjil Naadu dated back to a song sung by the legendary poetess Avvayar in the Sangam era . The song was in praise of the generosity of a Naanjil Valluvan, a tale of how the Vallavan had sent an elephant loaded with sacks of rice to people who had asked him for a small quantity of rice.

The landscape of the present merged with the past as we heard snippets of legends and history woven together . We stopped by the monuments to step into the milieu of the those times. One of our earliest stops was to Suseendram, where the temple was amidst a flurry of festivities.Dedicated to the trinity - Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, the shrine was also thronged by devotees who worshipped Hanuman, an 18 feet tall diety. Dr Vedachalam however took us around the temple to show us some nondescript rocks tucked away behind the shrine. As we crowded around him, we saw various inscriptions  that dated back to the Chola and Pandya periods. We then climbed up the dingy dark tiers of the Gopuram, disturbing the bats residing there to see some of the most colourful paintings lost in the darkness here. Deities and mortals found expression in rich tapestry of colours as the walls were painted by the artists of a bygone era, only to be vandalised by locals.

Naanjil Naadu tour for me was not just about a dynasty or a religion. The influences were varied, as Dr Vedachalam explained that most of the monuments had altered as beliefs and cults changed over the passage of time.   We were at the Nagaraja temple at Nagercoil when we learnt of the cults relating to Jaina yakshis and snake worship and how they had been woven together and transformed over a period of time.  Jainism had been prevalent here in ancient periods and several Jaina sites tucked away in hillocks  took us back to the era.

As we climb a small hillock called Chitharal near Kanyakumari,  Dr Vedachalam explained to us that the site was known as  Thirucharanattumalai in the ancient times. “Jains believe that this is the abode of the monks who had lived in the natural caves here. In fact “charanathar “according to Jainism refers to those celestial beings who fly in the skies and are seen in places of worship which could be mounds or mountains, sometimes inside towns and living spaces too,” he said.

Atop the hillock, the rocks were carved with bass relief sculptures depicting Thirthankaras and yakshis. There was the serene Mahaveera, the snake hooded Parshvanatha along with Neminatha, the yakshis - Padmavathy and Ambika, also known as Dharmadevi looking out into the open. Hillocks surrounded us in the distant horizon as we saw pools of water reflecting the colours of nature.

Dr Vedachalam said that the sculptures dated back to the 9th-10th centuries as inscriptions referred to the patronage of the AY dynasty ruler, Vikramaditya Varaguna who reigned around the period. More inscriptions written in “Vattaezhuthu “ (one of the oldest Tamil scripts) referred to monks and nuns who had lived here .

Right atop the cave was a small structural temple dedicated to Bhagavathy. Dr Vedachalam said that it was earlier a Jaina temple as the yakshi cult gave way to the Bhagavathy cult over the passage of time. A later 19th century inscription in Malayalam belonging to the Travancore king Moolam Thirunal Maharaja referred to the shrine here.

Our journey took us into fields and plantations. We were inside a dense rubber plantation, watered by a small stream called Nandiaaru . Watching the morning sun streaming through the trees and listening to the call of the birds, we were in the village of Thirunandikarai, which literally translated to the banks of the River Nandi, bordering Kerala. We stumbled upon a Shiva temple that resembled most monuments built in the architecture typical of the state. The sanctum was circular in this 10th century shrine , which had a few inscriptions that dated to the period.

However, nestled behind the temple, a path led us through the dense plantations to a rock cut cave temple, probably a Jaina monument that dated to 7th century or even older. The frescos painted on the walls of the caves had completely faded ,though some of the outlines still existed, leaving us to guess the images.  An inscription mentioned that an 8th century monk called Veeranandi had stayed here and spread Jainism in the region.

Dr Vedachalam told us that an 11th century inscription relating to Raja Raja Chola was found here and it indicated that the monarch had celebrated his birthday here and had defeated Muttom . Inscriptions relating to Vikramaditya Varaguna of the AY dynasty were found here as well.

Our journey took us to more temples such as Tiruvattaru, more rock cut caves as in Rettai Pothal, palaces like Padmanabhapuram, forts like Vattakottai , reservoirs like Veeranarayanam and finally we ended up inside the jungles  of Western Ghats to visit Nambiyaaru , a temple located uphill close to Thirukkurangudi shrine. We had travelled across the districts - Nagercoil, Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and even to villages close to Kerala border. We climbed hillocks, went on the sea shore,  crossed rivers, drove though the mountains and forests to revisit the Naanjil Naadu of those days. We had probably travelled back to the Sangam era in just three days as we travelled down the historic and spiritual route.

This story was published in Sunday Herald recently. Coming up soon is Five places that you must visit in Naanjil Naadu, an article published in Yahoo. For more Naanjil Naadu posts on backpacker, read here.