Trip to Pondi and Mahabhalipuram

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Trip buddies, me with Jisha again set out for our next tour - this time around the only plan being - We start Friday 25th evening. Bus - Kallada travels to pondy from Edapally at 5:30 pm. Reach pondy Saturday morning. Booked hotel Abirami for saturday. Checkout on Sunday and proceed to Mahabalipuram. Hotel booked till Wednesday. 30th wed checkout and proceed to Chennai. Evening 4:20 flight to Kochi. Best thing is I had to know of nothing; Mera Jisha arranged for everything - The best birthday gift I ever had.

It is said that Well begun is half done - we did start well, but the beginning of the trip was not that very well.

Hotel booked in Pondi was:

Hotel Abirami Residency – Pondichery
No. 92 Anna Salai, Pondicherry - 605001.
+91 0413-2229881 to 83

Yes, mentioning the full address, because they cheated us. We had booked this hotel via Makemytrip - but when we reached the hotel there were no rooms. Thank fully an auto driver helped us find another one.

Sathishni joined us soon. It was so nice meeting her after years - 8 years to be precise - spend some time chatting and we were very hungry.

Had good lunch from A2B - Adayar Anand Bhavan. Met Surjith, Kajori and family there. Visited Manakula Vinayagar Temple;Sri Aurobindo Ashram; Matrimandir (Aurovilla),
Gandhi statue, Promenade Beach, Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Aayi Mandapam (monument), Gateway to Pondichery -

Next day had been to 'Kaasha khi Asha' & Bharathi Park.

Also indulged in the variety of cuisines available in this town during Pondicherry tour. From South Indian to authentic French and Vietnamese delicacies.

From there took a local bus to Mahabalipuram - where everything welcomed us with open arms and joy. Hotel Pallava Dynesty was a good one. We spend that evening in the shore temple 

and beach. Loved being into the seawater - which I missed in Pondi.

Next day we went to Dakshina Chitra where tradition came alive; 

and on return went site seeing to the rest of Mahabhalipuram viz:
• Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots) – five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. An interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled – each of these is carved from one single large piece of stone.
• Light House, built in 1894 - we did climb the 93 steps untill the top. 

The first light was commissioned here in 1887. With a circular masonry tower made of stone, it became fully functional in 1904. Its source of light comes from dis-chargeable lamps, which rotate in bowls of mercury. Beneath it is the old light house, also known as Olakkanesvara Temple, it is India’s oldest lighthouse, built around 640 CE during the reign of Pallava king Rajasimha. This lighthouse/temple is categorised as one of the “Group of Monuments” at Mahabalipuram that were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. Currently, the Pallava era lighthouse is a protected monument, maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Like the Shore Temple, the Olakkannesvara Temple is a structural temple. Its name translates to “flame eye.” It is situated directly above the Mahishasuramardini mandapa on a hillock which provides scenic views of the town. Prior to the construction of the new lighthouse at this site in 1900, the roof of the Olakkannesvara Temple served as the lighthouse. The climb is not too steep. Stone steps have been chiseled out of the rocky hill to assist visitors. On each of the four walls are chiseled different avatars of Shiva. On the exterior walls, there are two sculpted images in the niches of the ardha-mandapa. Enclosed within pilasters, these images of Shiva as Kalari killing “Kaala” (Yama) are later additions, not attributable to the Pallavas. On external walls of the main shrine, there are other niches or devkoshtas; on the south wall the sculpture is of Shiva as Dakshinamurthi under a tree in seated posture, on the west face an image of Shiva and Parvati seated on Kailash Mountain with Ravana trying to shake the mountain. There is another image on the north wall is of Shiva in the posture of Nataraja. I heard hat sometime towards the end of the eighteenth century, the sivalinga was stolen from the temple.

 

• Krishna's Butter ball. - One of my favourate spot since childhood. 

Mahabhalipuram, not sure why, has always been one of my most favourite places in the world. 

The day after had been to the 'City of Thousand Temples'; the second holiest place in India next only to Varanasi. Had been to Kamakshi Amman Temple, dedicated to Devi Shakti; Ekambareshwarar shrine - where Lord Shiva is worshippe in the form of Prithvi (earth, the Ulahalanda Perumal temple representing the 'Vamana Roopam' sacred Vishnu shrine of Vaikunta Perumal - which also had golden lizarad, also visited a SSI where hand-woven silk fabric was being manufactured, and did buy some sarees as well; a memorable product of Kancheepuram craftsmen.

The samosa and crispy Jilebi from Mahabalipuram bus-stop on returning was really yummy - taste still lingers.

The days away from the real life was over very soon with good memories, and had to return to real life. We started early - but did visit Mylapore - reminising the good old times - with food from Sangeetha - covering Ramakrishna Mutt,

 Kapaleshwara Kovil, St. Thome church (only church in India, and one of the three in the world - to be build on the apostel of Jeasus - others being in Rome and Spain); Luss church, and Marina Beach; enroute Chennai airport for our return flight; 

Loved to see that even Chennai airport paid tribute to the Majestic Mahabhalipuram. 

via. Tvm. Well - did not know that there was still something awaiting us, first flight over the mighty meeting of three seas - all this ended with yummy dinner prepared by Jisha's mom - the best of all the food we had.

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  Pondicherry is a quaint little town that echoes remanents of its French legacy even after 70 years. It got its freedom and was made into a union territory of India in 1964. We enjoyed driving through its green alcoves, arbours and avenues. Tree lined streets with three storied colonial buildings and cobbled streets remind us of its bygone years. Then there is the Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville the peaceful international community centre plus a lot of churches and temples to view.

We decided to go to the Rock Beach we sneaked out and drove to the beach and walked on the promenade that runs along the entire length of the coastal beach. After a refreshing couple of hours, we went back to the hotel,  and drove off to Mahabalipuram 

This city is all about rocks and rock sculpting. On both sides of the highway sculptors were seen selling their beautiful stone sculptures, except the they were way, way beyond our pockets and purses. The group of temples at Mahabalipuram were cut out from rocks, built of rocks or monolithic rock carvings. There were many huge round rocks precariously poised in a gravity defying manner atop other rocky surfaces. Several brave tourists were seen posing for photographs beneath them and around them. We did not dare to venture into such adventurous acts, just in case the rocks ( after all these years) suddenly decided to agree to the pull of gravity and logic! Anyway, off we went to Chennai after a sumptuous food and stay.