A quick trip to Tirunelveli district

I had to make a real quick trip to a small town in Tirunelveli district. Usually I avoid
buses for long journeys, it is difficult to get some sleep. Even a reclining seat is not long
enough for, I am a tall bulky fellow. But you cannot beat buses for availability. Indian
trains are almost always booked full.

Pic of paddy fields and Tamirabarani river:

I used Avrmv travels for the first time , bus arrived at Perungalathur on time, considering
the chaotic traffic. Seats were comfortable. They played a Tamil masala movie. I had
difficulty sleeping but tried.

After an hour or do, they stopped at a road side cafe for dinner. It was a good time to
take a leak. Loos in Tamil Nadu are better, because you have to pay for it.
Picture of paddy fields in interior of the district.

After about 20 minutes bus started again. The National highway is good and high
speeds are possible. I must have dozed a little , when I woke up we were in Tirunelveli,
it was 5 AM.

Picture of Tamirabarani river as it crosses Kallidai town
It was another 30 minutes for my destination.
It was a cool morning when I arrived at a small town called Alwarkurichi. You can see
greenery everywhere. It is just after rainy season, so ponds were full.

I has some government business and it went smoothly because palms have been
greased. It is still to be admired, how frustrating it would be, if a transaction with the
government department was slow, despite greasing palms.

On my way back I used the same travel services and it was hassle free and I was back
in Chennai on time to report to work on time.

Overall , I have to admire the National highway system , which enables such quick
travel possible.

Trip to Sholingar

I was enquiring about nice climbs in and around Chennai. My friend suggested
Sholingur hill temple. He said it is a 1000 step climb to a hill top temple.
So on a Saturday , I went to Koyamedu bus stand. I got on a bus to Tirutani. Interesting
thing about bus conductors plying these routes is that they speak Telugu as well. After3
hours , I arrived in Tirutani, I was half tempted to visit Tirutani hill temple. I resisted and
has a breakfast in Tirutani.

Then got a bus to Sholingur. It was a bumpy rise. But the countryside is pretty and
people friendly. Bus services as always plentiful.

You could start seeing the hill temple long before you arrive in Sholingur. It is a
adrenalin rush. Surrounded by plains the hill raises abruptly to a thousand feet.
I kept pestering the conductor which is the correct bus stop. You have to get down at
Sholingur bus stand. Then on an autorickshaw to temple.
At the foot of hill you have leave your footwear. But all the steps are shaded. So you
won't burn your feet.

A look at the temple, from steps:

Also remember to get a stick, the temple steps are infested with clever,thieving
monkeys. These follow you quietly and try to knock down whatever you carry in your
hands. Even something as humble as a water bottle. So a stick helps. Idea is not to
bash the monkeys but to scare them with a cricket batsman like swing.

So now the actual climbing. There are 1300 steps. Carry water. Though midway there's
a little shop selling beverages. First few hundred steps you will feel energetic, later on
you will start panting and tiring. The view is beautiful. Take frequent breaks. Last 200
hundred steps are slightly steeper. Be prepared.

View from the top of the hill:

At the top the temple itself, beautifully perched and well maintained. Take a look inside
the glowing temple. The temple staff clean the temple with water a lot , so it is a little
slippery inside. Remember to carry a camera, there are nice views.
Keep some change with you, the temple staff may ask for tips. The beggars definitely
will.
On the way down, I just ran down the steps. I was pestered by some beggars, since I
was running it was easy to escape them.
At the end collect your footwear and return the stick !
I got a bus back home and I was back home for dinner.

View from top:

Vellore Trip Dec 2011

Vellore trip

Dec , 10, 2011

It was a mild Saturday. Just enough sun to lure me out. Setting aside
my budget concerns, I step out. As always armed with a water bottle
and biscuit packets.


Water contamination is endemic, you can never be too careful.
Recently the government has raised transport fares to balance their
books. In some cases doubling the fare.


I use a rickety auto to get to a nearby bus stop . Then on a bus to
Koyamedu bus stand.


It was 9 am.


The bus stand is busy as usual. And for a third world bus stand
reasonably good. Tamils have a talent for running public bus
transport.


I find a bus to Vellore in under a minute. Ticket cost is Rs. 100. Just
about $2. Having lived in the USA for couple of years , my brain
automatically calculates $ value of amounts. Only in India, I can
travel nearly 200 kilometers in under $2. If it was the US, I will need
a car, a much more expensive proposition.


I brace myself for sitting in a single position for long, I have a back
muscle that is prone to spasms, so I must not slump in my seat.
The bus journey for the first hour was dusty, so I had to cover my
nose. I tried to dose as much as possible, after an hour I could smell
green grass and I knew I had left the dusty city behind. Now I may
stop covering my nose.

Vellore Fort wall and moat

The bus is run by government, and the driver never once crossed the
speed limit, which is a relief. Indian roads are a death trap and most
drivers mistake public roads for Formula1 race track.


The national highway is in good shape. So the journey was pleasant.
All the to Vellore, you could see the roadside dotted with factories and
engineering colleges. Tamil Nadu is a industrially advanced state, by
Indian standards.


It was noon, by the time arrived at Vellore. I was hungry. Next to the
bus stand , I found good South Indian lunch for Rs. 42. Excellent
economy.


After lunch , I boarded a bus to Sripuram. Ticket cost less than Rs. 10.
In about 20 minutes, I was at the gates of the Gold Temple. I did know
what to expect, I have grown playing in great Tamil temples, none
Golden. At the reception I handed over my cell and other baggages.
Parting with his cellphone is difficult for a modern Indian.


The reception staff suggested I buy a Rs. 250 ticket to avoid long
queues. I hate queues. So I purchased a ticket.


I quickly made my way through long corridors. The garden
surrounding the temple is well-manicured and almost good as best
gardens I had the pleasure of visiting in California.


After a kilometer of long corridors, I could see the golden temple, my
pace automatically quickened. On the way one could see tourists ,
many of them from North India.


Finally the temple itself. A semi circular pond surrounds it. It is a
medium sized temple that you may see in a Chennai suburb except it
is gold-plated. The sight is mesmeric.

Temple inside Fort. ( not the golden one )

I sat in front of the deity admiring the golden temple. I tried my best
to see the gold-plated features. It contained standard motifs of South
Indian temples.


After 15 minted, I was ushered out. On the out I saw a very beautiful
cow and calf. Cow worship is a Hindu thing to do.
I made my way out and the staff ushered into another queue for
prasadam.


For the return trip to Vellore, the public bus was full and no other bus
in sight. So I took an auto at a cost of Rs. 100. The auto driver nicely
doubled as a tour guide.


The auto dropped me at Vellore fort. I quickly visited Jalakandeshwar
temple, for me it was just another South Indian temple.


The fort walls were huge and the moat impressive. It was funny that
once the fort was Vellore, right now Vellore surround the fort. I was
glad to see a medieval town has survived and morphed into a moder
town, even though Vellore has a long way to go before it is considered
truly modern by American standards.

Fort one view

My return journey was hassle-free, I was back in Chennai for dinner. I
was incredibly tired, but very pleased.