Marunthuvazh Malai, Kanyakumari

Marunthuvazh Malai

If one wish to undertake a trek near Kanyakumar then, Marunthuvazh Malai (which also has abundance of unique native medicinal plants) located on the Kanyakumari-Nagercoil highway is a treat for the trekker. It was believed Lord Hanuman dropped a piece of earth as he was carrying a mountain with a life-saving herb, Sanjivani, from the Himalayas to Sri Lanka during the Rama-Ravana war. This chunk of earth is called Marunthuvazh Malai, which is literally translated to "hills where medicine lives".

Marunthuvazh Malai Sign Board

Marunthuvazh Malai forms the southernmost tip of the Western Ghats and is about 11 kilometers from Nagercoil and 7 kilometers from Kanyakumari. It stretches for more than a km, reaching a height of 800 feet at the highest point.

On Oct 9 2011, decided to experience Marunthuvazh Malai and reached the foothill at 7 A.M. The locals advised that it will be a 2 hour journey to the top and not to expect shops or rest rooms on the way. For the first 30 minutes, one can enjoy the well laid out staircase after that, the arrows painted on rocks assist the trekker to the top. The water bottles and snacks in my backpack came in handy at several times as some portion of the trail tested my endurance.

Initial stairs at Marunthuvazh Malai

Unpaved path to the top

Painted arrows assist trekkers

Once on the top, it is a visual treat to see the coconut grooves around the hill in the background of  Kanyakumari seas. After spending 30 minutes enjoying the panoramic view and the breeze and offering prayers at the small shire of Lord Hanuman, trekked back downhill with ease.

Lord Hanuman Temple at the top

Rock Carving at Marunthuvazh Malai

Rock Carving of Lord Krishna at the foothill

Once at the foothill, the tender coconut water (cost Rupees 10) offered the prefect solution to quench my thirst. Wouldn’t have traveled even half a kilometer back home, the sight of Nongu (palm fruits) on the road side shop made me to take a short break again. Each fruit cost less than Rupees 10, but the joy of having them fresh right after a good trek is priceless. Most vendors offer fresh Plam fruit soaked with Nannari Syrup (Nannari Sarbath). Nannari root is used to prepare the concentrate and Nongu-Nannari offer an excellent natural way to reduce the body temperature. My advice is, don’t miss to try it out. As mentioned after a good trek, I guarantee that you will crave for more of these delicacies.

View of Marunthuvazh Malai 

Quick Facts:

Trek	Marunthuvazh Malai
Trek Duration	3-4 hours
Trek Difficulty	Challenging for new trekkers, but one can find people from all age groups between 10 and 60.
Expected Cost	Nil (No Entry Fees)
Location	Hill situated on the Kanyakumari-Nagercoil highway at Potraiyadi (or Pottaiyadi) Junction
How to reach	Well connected by public transport system and private vehicles from Nagercoil and Kanyakumari
Nearby Attraction	Thanumalayar Temple at Suchindram and Kanyakumari

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Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Tomb of Qutb Shahi Sultan

If you happen to plan any travel during the holy month of Ramzan, Hyderabad is the place to be. Also while you are there, don’t forget to savor its signature dish, the haleem. One can find literally hundreds of haleem outlets in the old city of Hyderabad including the famous Pista House http://www.pistahouse.in

Charminar

Here is a little help if you are planning your weekend in the old city: On day one, visit the cultural symbol of Hyderabad - the famous Charminar, shop around crowded bazaar around the Charminar and have a delightful haleem at a place like Pista House.

Remember, it is not easy to reach or move around in this part of old city during Ramazan, given the bumper-to-bumper evening traffic in the area, but it is worth a trip.

If you still have the energy left in you, drive to Lumbini Park adjacent to Hussain Sagar Lake and enjoy a Laser show at 7 P.M, followed by the boat ride to the famous Buddha statue, which is in the middle of Hussain Sagar Lake.

Crowded road which lead visitors to Charminar
(Don't ask me where the road is!!)

On the second day, visit the Golconda fort in the morning, which is about an hour drive from the city  (approximately 10 Kilometers) and the tombs of seven Qutb Shahi sultans which lies about one kilometer from the Golkonda fort.

Buddha statue @ Hussain Sagar Lake

Even if you are young and energetic, am sure a two hour trek in the Golkonda fort would make you to plan an attack on the nearby kitchen. But the best way to satisfy yourself is to drive back to the city and visit the Pradise Restaurant at Paradise Circle, M.G. Road, for the world famous Hyderabadi Biryani followed by traditional desserts like Qubani ka meetha - Apricot Pudding or Double ka meetha - Bread Pudding topped with dry fruits or Faluda, a cold and sweet beverage. Another option would be the Kamat Hotel, for the best South Indian vegetarian food. Kamat Hotel is near Ravindra Bharathi and opposite to Birla Temple.

After lunch, a visit to Salarjung Museum is recommended, which is one of the best known Art Museums of the world (http://www.salarjungmuseum.in). Highlights are the Double Statue (http://www.salarjungmuseum.in/images/double_statue.jpg), the Musical Clock - every hour, a timekeeper emerges from the upper deck of the clock to strike a gong as many times as it is the hours of the day and the amazing marble sculpture, Veiled Rebecca chiseled by an Italian sculptor Giovanni Battista Benzoni. (http://www.salarjungmuseum.in/images/statuebig.jpg) 

Golconda Fort

Tomb of Qutb Shahi Sultan

Other Tourist Attractions in Hyderabad are 

• Birla Mandir, NTR gardens and the Necklace Road near the Hussain Sagar Lake
• The Nehru Zoological Park, also known as the Hyderabad Zoo (www.hyderabadzoo.in)
• Ramoji Film City, the world's largest Film City (www.ramojifilmcity.com)

How to reach Hyderabad

Hyderabad is well connected by Road, Rail and Air from all parts of India

Word of Caution

Watch out for the Telangana movement before you plan your trip to Hyderabad as it could ruin your holiday plan in a big way.

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Gingee Fort, TamilNadu - Part I

Gingee Fort  (Krishnagiri)

On August 13th 2011, organized a trek to Gingee Fort as India was about to celebrate the 65th Independence Day on 15th. Gingee Fort also known as Chenji, is one of the few surviving forts in Tamil Nadu, India.

View from Krishnagiri

What else can be an ideal place to visit for this celebration, than the one where one can relive our history - the Gingee fort which is termed as the “Troy of the East” by the British and almost impregnable by the redoubtable Maratha ruler, Shivaji.

The Gingee Fort complex is on three hillocks. In fact all the three hills together constitute a fort complex, yet each hill contains a separate and self-contained fort. The main fort is, is called Rajagiri (King Hill) and to reach the top one has to undertake a challenging trek for over an hour. The Krishnagiri (Queen Hill or Ranigiri) is much easier to trek takes about half an hour.

The plan was to drive down to Thiruvannamalai (approximately 4 hour to cover 190 Kilometers from Chennai) and take the darshan of Lord Shiva first (Temple visit takes approximately 2 hours) and then to have our breakfast at Thiruvannamalai before driving to Gingee. Gingee is an hour drive (approximately 35 Kilometers) from Thiruvannamalai and is on the highway (National Highway 66) which connects Thiruvannamali and Chennai.

At the top of Krishnagiri

As per the plan, started at 3 A.M in the morning from Chennai and reached Thiruvannamali at 7 A.M, had our darshan before driving to Gingee for our trek to Ranigiri. Next 3 hours was spend trekking to the top, munching the Guava, Apple and snacks we bought, enjoying the landscape of boulders, the rocky outcrops and the way the fort and buildings integrate with the landscape. It is truly a beautiful historical site. It was 3 P.M when we reach back down and it was too late for another trek to the King Hill as they close the site at 4 P.M. So we decided to drive back to Chennai and visit the other hill some other time.

Gingee is definitively a beautiful historical site, that is not to be missed if you happen to visit Chennai or Pondicherry. Visitor are expected by buy entrance ticket (Rupees 5 / person) and are expected to carry their own drink and snacks as there is no help or shops at the top.

Will share my Rajagiri experience in subsequent post (Gingee Fort Part II).

Thiruvannamalai Temple Gopuram

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Trek to Dzongri (Yuksom, Sikkim)

Greenish Sikkim

Recently I undertook my second visit to Himalayas an 8 days trek to Yuksom, Sikkim. Started off  from Chennai by Chennai-Calcutta Flight (Indigo @ 8.15 A.M, cost Rs. 4000) on 25th April morning to reach Calcutta at 10.30 A.M and after a brief tour of Calcutta city took train from Calcutta Sealdah station to New Jalpaiguri on the same night (Padatik Express - Train No. 12377, cost Rs. 270). 


Reached New Jalpaiguri  at 9.30 A.M on 26th morning and after freshening myself at a local restaurant, drove in a taxis to Yuksom. (Approx. 125 km, took approx. 7-8 hours, and paid Rs. 3500 per vehicle). Our first night stay was at The Red Palace Residency, Yuksom (http://www.hotelredpalace.com/yuksom.htm), an awesome place, which I never imagined is possible in a remote hill station. Red Palace also arranged a camp fire, around which we had our dinner. I would definitely recommend this place for your stay in Yuksom. It is bit expensive, but worth it.

View of snow caped mountains near Tshoka

On 27th, we started to trek to Bakhim/ Tshoka. We covered an distance of 15 Kilometers and scaled1000m (Altitude) in 11 hour. Our overnight stay was in tents (Cost Rs. 50 per person. A cabins would costs Rs. 100). Tshoka is 3005m above the sea level. In my opinion, undertaking 15 Kilometer trek, is like streching bit too far, but i am on someones schedule so didn't have much choice. The recommended approach in situation like this is to walk at your own pace, never try to keep up with others, take short breaks, refill your energy level by having nuts and dry fruits in small quantities and drink enough fluids to avoid dehydration. Don't ask me where I got the nuts and fruits from. Remember you carry a big rucksack, which should contain all you needs for the entire trek.   

Snow covered tent were we stayed in Dzongri

On 28th, we trekked to Dzongri. It was a 9 Kilometer trek, but again have to scale another 1000m in 7 hours. During the trek, rain gears came in handy as we experienced rain, hail and snow. Few of my fellow trekker got wet, and I could see the alarming rate at which wind was able to strip the body of its core heat.  Our guide mentioned that a relative low wind speed of 10 to 20 miles per hour can have a dramatic and potentially fatal effect on a wet trekker. The best prevention is to not get wet in the first place by taking wind proof and water repellent outer clothing when undertaking trek. If at all if some one gets wet as in our case, the action plan is place the victim inside a tent so that they are protected from the wind and cold and then  replace the victim's wet clothing with dry clothing and place them in a sleeping bag. Provide warm fluids (soups) immediately.  Fortunately, situation didn't turn for worse and things came under control within an hour. After having our dinner, headed down to our cabin for the overnight stay at Dzongri, which is 4030m above the sea level.



Snow, Hail and Rain experience



On 29th, I experienced a sensation of unease and discomfort in the upper stomach with an involuntary urge to vomit (Nausea). Fortunately the schedule was light and the only activity was to trek to a view point in Dzongri. The beauty of this 1 hour trek was it was though the snow covered trail path.   

Snow covered Trail Path 

On 30th, Got up at 3 A.M and trekked for one and half hour to view the sun rise (Mt. Kabru). Wow. What we experienced is an awesome Himalayas in a different form. After spending about 30 minutes and after having our customary group photos, trekked back to our camp, had our breakfast before trekking back to Tshoka for the overnight stay.

Black Kabru (in the center) North Kabru ( right) and Sough Kabru (left)

Trek team enjoying the Kabru view

View of  Kabru in bright sun



Trekker Group



On 1st May, after a day long down trek reached Yuksom in the evening. What makes this particular day interesting was the fact we need to cross 3 mountains. Which means 3 times, you climb up and then go all the way down to cross a river, then you again climb up another mountain. My personal experience is that it is easy to climb up than going down. Having good trekking shoes on days like this really helps.




Yaks assisting trekker

 

On 2nd May, while the entire trek group (about 40) planned to visit Norbughang - The Stone Throne and Dubdi Monastry, I hired a taxi and drove back to Bagdogra (nearest airport to New Jalpaiguri) to catch my return flight to Chennai (SpiceJet @ 3.25 PM). Reached Chennai at 7.15 P.M and was back in bed at 10 P.M

  

Quick Facts:

Trek:	Dzongri (Yuksom, Sikkim)
Route:	The route to the Dzongri is greenery with snowcapped mountains and gushing streams. Very popular trek route in Sikkim
Duration:	8 days (New Jalpaiguri to New Jalpaiguri)
Expected Cost:	Rupees 10,000 per person (including Houses/Tent and food, taxi from Jalpaiguri to Yuksom)
Best Period:	September-October
Travel Document:	For Indians, any valid ID regonized by government of India such as driver license, PAN, and for foreign nations, in additional to Indian visa, must obtain inner line permit (ILP) to visit Sikkim. The permit can be obtained from all Indian Embassies & consulates. Do consult with your travel agent before undertaking visit to Sikkim.



Snow covered mountain in Dzongri



Intro into Trekking World

Trekking means a journey to be undertaken on foot in areas where motorized transport is generally not available.  Trekking is only for pleasure and exercise,  The duration of your trekking plan depends on you. It can be day long trek or can be go for 2-3 weeks depending on your interest. Theoretically trekking can even go on for months. Whatever may be the duration, meticulous planning and trekking gear plays an important role in all trekking expeditions.

What constitutes the essential trekking gear?  A sturdy backpack (which can be used up to 10 Kilo or 20 pounds), the light pair of trekking shoes or boots, warm clothing (depending on where you are planning), flashlight or torch light, first aid kit and a few small packs of eatables like dried fruits, nuts and cookies or biscuits.

The right backpack and the trek shoes are so important that it can make a big difference between enjoyable trip and unforgettable painful trip. Trekking usually is the multi-days joyful walking trip and which lets you to  enjoy nature in its wonderful form;,  snow tops,rugged hills and beautiful valleys. So make sure your backpack is good and big enough to carry what you need  and your shoes doesn’t make you to growl in pain midway.

What about Food and accommodation? Trekkers ends up in one of the two options, either make use of lodges/hotels run by the local people or tented camping. Most lodges meet all the basic requirements for trekkers to stay overnight - a dormitory, a restaurant, toilet and a shower room. The quality of food offered may vary from lodge to lodge but most serve simple meals. If you prefer the second option, ensure you carry enough food and water as you may end up in a place where you may not be able to get anything .

What to expect on a given day? Obviously trekking is often  less structured and all you need is essentially data on  pre-determined track and the final destination for that day. As everything  is greatly depends on the weather conditions and the  topography of your targeted destination, be prepared to meet the unexpected challenges, while with nature at its perfection.

Suggestion for Shopping Trekking gear? Consider this as your starting point if you are novice trekker: www.wildcraft.in/.

Visit to Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar - Part III

Sun Temple at Konark

Amazing stone carving at Konark

After having our lunch on Dec 26th, drove to Konark (65 Kilometers from Bhubaneswar), to visit the Sun Temple. 13th-century Sun Temple is also known as the Black Pagoda. The temple is one of the most well renowned temples in India and is a World Heritage Site. The temple takes the form of the chariot of Surya, the sun god, and is heavily decorated with stone carving. The entire complex was designed in the form of a huge chariot drawn by seven spirited horses on twelve pairs of exquisitely decorated wheels.


After our Sun temple visit, we had an option of either visiting the beautiful beach at Konark or go for local shopping. Beach is about 3 Kilometers and it one of the most clean and beautiful beaches of India. The guide mentioned that it is a delightful beach which is a pleasure haunt for tourists visiting Orissa, but advised against swimming as currents can be strong.

Instead of beach, we opted for shopping and the best way to enjoy shopping in Konark was to take a leisurely stroll through the markets which is near the temple complex. Souvenir options includes miniature stone sculptures, wood carvings, sea shell items, beautifully embroidered umbrellas (attracted me the most). One other place suggested for shopping in Konark is the Government run emporiums. Relish the local delicacies fish fry prepared in Bengali-style if possible.

After shopping for few hours, drove back to Bhubaneswar for the night stay. Most tourist prefer staying either in Puri or Bhuaneswar even though Konark provides decent lodging facilities.

Sun Temple at Konark

Early morning on Dec 27th, drove to Cuttack, one of the oldest cities of Orissa. We took a dip in the River Mahanadi before visiting the Aishwarya Ganesh Murugan Temple, which is very close to Cuttack Barabati Cricket Stadium. Next we visited the famous Chandi Temple on the Chandi Road (Near Baramunda Bus stand) In the evening we visited Praja Devi or Biraja Devi temple in Jajpur. Jajpur is about 130 Kms from Bhubaneswar and once the capital of Orissa. This temple is also referred as Navi gaya. It is one of the 51 Shakthi Peetam. This temple was build in the 13th Century. After having our dinner at Jajpur, drove back to Bhubaneswar.

Like to share the two unpleasant experiences too. One on our way back from Jajpur to Bhubaneswar, the vehicle broke down and we were stranded on the road for 3 hours. Second was at the Bhubaneswar railway station when we had to take the Coromandel express train to Chennai the next day morning. We reached the railway station 1 hour in advance. We were waiting at Platform 4 as suggested by the railway authorities. Thanks to the railway authorities, they have to divert our train to Platform 3 at the eleventh hour and we (25 members - most of them are above 50 years old) were made to  run from one platform to the other as our train was approaching the station. We knew, train stops only for 5 minutes at Bhubaneswar station, so it was one of the most exciting 5 minutes.  Luckily all of us boarded the train and the ordeal came to an end.

Magnificent Wheel around Sun Temple



Carving on the Wheel

Special Thanks to D. Anuradha, ( a lawyer by profession), who put extra efforts and  arranged excellent tour for a small fee. She can be reached at 9445232661. She arranges food, accommodation and train tickets for all the tours she undertakes. The cost of this Orissa tour worked out to be Rs. 5500 per person.

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Visit to Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar : Part II

Shanti Stupa at Dhaulagiri

Christmas 2010 was action packed day for me. On 25th morning first visited Dhaulagiri followed by a visit to Udayagiri and Khandagiri, which are  reminiscent of influence of Buddhism and Jainism in Orissa. 

Dhauli hill (9 Kilometer from Bhubaneshwar) holds the distinction of being the place where Emperor Ashoka renounced war and embraced Buddhism. One can visit Emperor Asoka pillar - Shanti Stupa (a monument dedicated to world peace) at Dhaulagiri. 


Udayagiri and Khandagiri (5 Kilometer from Bhubaneshwar) face each other across the road. They have a number of carved caves. It is believed that most of these caves were carved out as huge residential blocks for the Jain monks. Generally caves are single storied but one could see a few of them in Udayagiri as double storied also.  One require little bit of stamina to climb the small hill ( Udayagiri and Khandagiri), but it is worth to put that little effort if you are physically fit. If you are above 60 years or have trouble in walking in unpaved paths, better avoid this place. 

Lingaraj Temple

Lingaraj Temple

Once back to Bhubaneswar, in the evening visited Lingaraj temple and Sri Tridandi Gaudiya Math (which is near the Lingaraj temple on the Kapilswar Road). The temple of Lingaraja, the biggest of all at Bhubaneswar is more than 1000 years old, dating back in its present form to the last decade of the eleventh century, though there is evidence that parts of the temple have been there since sixth century AD. In the elegance of its proportions and the richness of its surface-treatment, it is one of the most finished and refined manifestation of temple architecture in India



On Dec 26th morning visited few more temples in Bhubaneswar. Though the list below seems endless, one could visit most of it  in a short time as they are  located very close to each other. It was so close that we ended up in walking to all the temples rather than useing the vehicle, which we have hired for the purpose.

Parasurameswar Temple Carvings

* 7th century, Parasurameswar Temple, small but lavishly decorated temple.  One visit to this temple makes you wonder about the skills and effort one must has put to create such a master piece.


* Brahmeshwar Temple is a fine specimen of innovative and mature Orissan style of temple building. The sculptural details stands testimony of the expert workmanship of the Orissan artists of the era.

Parasurameswar Temple

* 10th century Mukteswar & Siddheshvara Temples.


* Kedar Gouri Temple – Dedicated to Lord Siva (who is also called the Kedareswar) and Goddess Gouri. The temple is situated within the same premises next to the Mukteswar Temple


* 11th century Rajarani Temple dedicated to Lord Brahma.


* 12th century  Ananta Vasudeva Temple, only important Vaishnava temple standing in Bhubaneswar, Unfortunately, much of the carvings has worn out due to the softness of the stone.

Mukteswar Temple

Will share my Konark (the Sun Temple) experience in Part III.

Visit to Puri, Konark and Bhubaneswar - Part I

Puri Temple : Singadwara  

During Christmas holiday season (2010), visited Orissa along with 25 others. It was no wonder that Orissa is often referred as the museum of India's sculptural and artistic heritage. I have no doubts after my visit that the temples and monuments of Orissa are among the most magnificent gems of religious architecture the world has ever produced. I am not sure which one impressed me the most : The magnificent Sun Temple at Konark or the majestic temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri, which is also renowned for the spectacular Rath Yatra chariot festival or the glorious temples of Bhubaneswar.

We stayed at Sidhi Mandap (Near Kedar Gauri Temple), Old Town, Bhubaneswar-2 for a period of 4 days, and visited Puri, Konark and Cuttack as per the schedule below. Bhubaneswar is well connected both by Air and Road and Rail from all major Indian cities like Chennai, Visakhapatnam and Calcutta. We opted for the train journey from Chennai to Orissa  and then hired van for the next 4 days to cover the places in Orissa. It is not advisable to bet on state bus services for your local visits as they are poor and often uncomfortable. Plenty of Auto rickshaws and taxis are there for roaming around in the city if you prefer to hop-in and out instead of engaging a vehicle for the whole day.

Golden Triangle of East India

Orissa Tour Schedule: 
22nd – On board Pondicherry-Bhubaneswar Express   from Chennai (10 P.M).
23rd – Day long train journey, reached Bhubaneswar at 8 P.M
24th – Visit Puri
25th – Visit around Bhubaneswar
26th – Visit Konark
27th – Visit Cuttack
28th – On board Coromandel Express at Bhubaneswar
(6.20 A.M)
29th – Reached Chennai at 4 A.M



Lord Jagannath

Our first place of visit was Puri. On Dec 24th morning, drove to Puri (60 Kms), and visited Lord Jagannath temple (build in 12th century). The temple is dedicated to Lord Krishna. The  temple has four gates facing the east, west, south and north directions and are respectively called Lions Gate, Horse Gate, Tiger Gate and the Elephant Gate. We entered the temple though Singadwara (Lion Gate) and offered our prayers to Krishna. Then visited the numerous smaller temples and shrines which are within the temple complex. The temple of Mahalakshmi has an important role in rituals of the main temple. It is said that preparation of naivedya as offering for Jagannath is supervised by Goddess Mahalakshmi.  Two important shrines not to be missed at any cost are Narasimha and Vimala Devi. This temple is also referred as Padha gaya or as one of Shakthi Peetam. Narasimha is exactly behind Lord Jagannath and you need to climb few narrow steps to have the darshan. Also do take time to visit the Mukti Mandapa or Pillared hall on raised platforms within the temple complex meant for religious congregations. The Kanchi Ganesh Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesh is also another notable shrine. Tradition says the King of Kanchipuram gifted the  Ganesh idol.

Puri Temple

Since we visited in the month of December, we weren't fortunate to see the Puri Rath Yatra. Orissa state comes in to a lime light in the month of June-July because of Jagannath Rath Yatra. People from all across Orrisa and from various parts of India come to take part in this auspicious occasion. It is a well know fact that Orissa  receives by nearly 8 - 10 lakh pilgrims during this famous festival.

Night View of Puri Beach

The local guide mentioned that non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple, but they can view the temple proceedings from the flat roof of the nearby  Raghunandan Library. He also added that one has to pay a small fee (Rs. 10 or Rs. 20) to climb up the roof.

Finally in the evening after  visiting to beautiful Puri beach we decided to return back to Bhubaneshwar. While you are in  the Beach, one could undertake elephant, camel or horse rides for fun.

Check out http://www.jagannatha.net/puri.html for some more information about Puri. Will post my Bhubaneswar (Part II) and Konark(Part III) experience in few days.

Note for Shoppers:

From Bhubaneswar if you travel 20 Kms towards Puri/Konark, there is a place known as Pipili. Pipili is famous for patching cloth design locally known as Chandua. Do take time for shopping in Pipili if you ever visit Bhubaneswar.