Budget hotels in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Population: 61 million
Capital: Chennai (Madras)
Area: 130,069 sq km
Best Time to Visit: January to April and September
Main Language: Tamil
Literacy Rate: 65%

Tamil Nadu is located at the southeast edge of India. Karnataka and Kerala are to the west and Andhra Pradesh is to the north. The main attraction of Tamil Nadu is its magnificent temples and towering gopurams (gateway towers), which can be seen all over the state. In Tamil Nadu there are more than 30,000 temples, which have earned it the name “Land of Temples.” Tamil Nadu also has nice beaches, some good hill stations and wildlife reserves. It is also the home of the Bharat Natyam classical dance form.

There are many temples that can be visited, but Madurai and Srirangam (Tiruchirapalli) are likely to be the most interesting. Both places have very impressive temples, and the cities that they are in are pleasant and have good facilities.

Mamallapuram has impressive monuments and is a nice place to spend a couple days. Kanchipuram has a number of outstanding temples. Tamil Nadu has two good hill stations, Kodaikanal and Ooty. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Anamalai Sanctuary are two good parks worth visiting. Vedantangal, near Chennai, has a large bird population in the winter.

About 85% of the population speak Tamil. Most people in Tamil Nadu speak at least a little English. Because of a strong pride in their local language, many of the people refuse to speak any Hindi at all. People greet each other in Tamil Nadu by saying vanakkam, which means namaste, or “respectful greetings.”

The weather in Tamil Nadu usually reaches a high of 32°C (90°F) during the day, and it is usually hot all year around. The northeast monsoon brings plenty of rain from October to December.

Hotel taxes in Tamil Nadu are one of the highest in the country. It is 15% to 20% depending on the price of the room.

History
The Mauryan Empire, which controlled most of India in the 3rd century BC, never ruled Tamil Nadu. During this time Tamil Nadu was ruled by three dynasties: the Pandyas, Cholas and Cheras. In the 4th century AD, the Pallavas gained control of a good part of Tamil Nadu. In the 9th century, the Chola kingdom became dominant and eventually ruled most of South India. The Pandyas ruled from 1175 until 1300. Starting in the 14th century, certain parts of Tamil Nadu were ruled by the Vijayanagar Empire.

During the British rule, Tamil Nadu was part of the Madras Presidency, which consisted of parts of present-day Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. In the 1950s these different states were divided according to the language spoken by the people in each respective state.

Temples in Tamil Nadu
Most of the Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu are dedicated directly to Lord Vishnu, not his avatars (incarnations). Some of the most important Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu are Ranganatha Swami in Srirangam, Varadaraja Perumal in Kanchipuram, Lord Sarangapani at Kumbakonam, and Alagar Koil near Madurai.

Lord Siva:Element linga. Siva is worshiped as five elements—sky or space in Chidambaram, water in Tiruvanaikkaval, fire in Tiru­vannamalai, earth in Kanchipuram, and air in Sri Kalahasti, Andhra Pradesh. The Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram is one of the most famous Siva temples in India.
The most important Parvati temples are Meenakshi at Madurai and Kamakshi in Kanchipuram.

Subrahmanya (Kartikeya), the son of Lord Siva and brother of Ganesh, has important temples dedicated to him. There are six main temples of Subrahmanya located at Tiruttani, Swamimalai, Palani, Thiruparankunram, Parlamudir­cholai, and Tiruchendur.

Nearby Chenna

Tiruvottiyur
Enfield motorcycles are made at Eicher Motors in Tiruvottiyur, 8km south of Chennai. You can visit the factory if you call the manager in advance at 543-066.

There is the Goddess Tripuransundari Temple and other temples in Tiruvottiyur.

Tiruneermalai
There is a Divya Desam temple here called the Sri Ranganatha Perumal Temple. The Brahmanda Purana recognizes this place as one of the eight svayam vyak­ta ksetras, or holy places where Lord Vishnu manifested himself. The Lord is seen in four postures here:

Neervannan—standing
Lord Narasimha—sitting, Lord Ranganatha—lying down, and Lord Trivikrama—walking.

The Neervanna Perumal Temple is at the foot of the hill. Tiruneermalai is about 10km from Chennai.

Tiruvallur
There is a Vishnu Divya Desam temple here called Sri Veeraraghava Swami Temple. The deity of Veera­raghava is Lord Vishnu lying on Adi Sesa, with Lord Brahma coming out from his navel. The temple has a huge intricately carved gopuram. This temple is about 5km north of the railway station.
It is believed that Lord Vishnu killed the demons Madhu and Kaitabha here at Veeksharanya Ksetram. Tiruvallur is 42km from Chennai, on the railway line between Chennai and Arkonam (Arakkonam).

Tiruttani
There is a hilltop temple here dedicated to Subrahmanya, which is reached by climbing 365 steps. It is said to be the place where Subrahmanya married Valli, one of his two consorts. There are over 100 dharamshalas for pilgrims here, as this temple is popular. Tiruttani is between Chennai and Tirupati, 70km from Chennai.

Thiruvidaventhai (Tiruvadantai)
One of the Divya Desam temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu, Sri Nritya Kalyana Perumal, is here. The main deity is 3m (9 ft) tall and is called Sri Lakshmi Adi Varaha. Lord Varaha wears a garland made from 108 shalagram-shilas. There is a big festival here on Vaikuntha Ekadasi (Nov/Dec). This temple is about 40km south of Chennai, going towards Mamallapuram (10km north).

Between Chennai & Mamallapuram

Cholamandal Artist Village
At this place (492-6092) there are a large number of painters and sculptors that you can watch doing their crafts. There is a gallery here exhibiting paintings and sculptures. There are shops here selling what they make. Prices range from Rs 2000 to Rs 30,000. This place is 18km south of Chennai. They accept credit cards. Open daily 10 am to 6 pm. You can get here by taking buses #19, #19R, #19S or #51RR.

Muttukadu
At Muttukadu, 30km south of Chennai on the way to Mamallapuram, is Dakshinchitra (091 04114; Chennai: 044 491-8943) which is a handicraft village which is built in a traditional 19th century style. Produced here are sculptures, ceramics and glass objects. It has craft shops and restaurants. A one hour tour is Rs 250 for foreigners and Rs 100 for Indians. If you have a student card it is Rs 50. Open daily except Tuesday. Buses #19 and #49 come here from Chennai.

Covelong Beach
Covelong, about 40km south of Chennai and 20km north of Mamallapuram (30 min), has a nice, deserted beach. Located here is the Taj Group’s Fisherman’s Cove (Chennai 044 822-2827), which has a beautiful location and a good pool. Rooms are $110/120 and a sea-facing cottage is $150.

Crocodile Bank
There are over 5,000 crocodiles in this wildlife crocodile farm. It was set up to protect the local crocodiles and has been very successful. The crocodile population has expanded from 15 to over 5,000. Here you will find the saltwater crocodylus porosus, the world’s largest crocodile, which can grow to over 8m (25 ft). There are also fish-eating gharial. Feeding time is 4.30 pm. Also here is a Snake Farm where snakes are milked to collect venom. In other places the snakes are milked until they die, but in this place they are milked for a while and then released back to the wild.

This place is about 15km north of Mamallapuram on the road to Chennai. If you come by car you can stop here on the way between Chennai and Mamallapuram. Open daily except Tue 8.30 am to 5.30 pm. You can get here by taking bus #19C or #119A, or by riding a bike from Mamallapuram.

Sriperumbudur
Pop: 13,000

This is the birthplace of Ramanujacarya. Sriperumbudur is 40km southwest of Chennai, halfway between Chennai and Kanchipuram. There is the large Adi Kesava Vishnu Temple here. There is also a murti (statue) of Ramanujacarya that he personally embraced out of appreciation of its exact likeness of him. It is one of three Ramanuja deities installed during his lifetime. The deity is always decorated with an opulent crown, necklaces, earrings, and other ornaments of diamonds and gold.

There are regular buses to here from Chennai and Kanchipuram.

Vedantangal Bird Sanctuary
Vedantangal, 85km southwest of Chennai and 35km south of Chengalpattu is one of the best bird breeding sanctuaries in India. There are several kinds of herons, pelicans, black cormorants, storks, egrets, spoonbills, grebes and many other types of birds. The birds come from November to March; with the largest number in December and January. There can be over 25,000 birds in the sanctuary at one time. It is best to visit in the early morning or late afternoon. Entry Rs 1.

The Forest Rest House has three good rooms with bath. It should be reserved in advance (especially in Dec and Jan) with the Wildlife Warden in Chennai (044 413-947), 50 4th Main Rd, Adyar.

There are around five buses daily to here from Chengalpattu. You could also take a bus to Maduranthakam, 8km east, and then from there get one of the regular buses or a taxi (Rs 250) to here.

Madurantakam
Population: 27,000

There is an important beautiful Sita-Rama Temple here, wherein Sita and Rama are holding hands. It is said that while Rama was in the forest for 14 years he came to this place. As he was leaving, the sage Vibhandaka requested him to visit here on his way back to Ayodhya. When Sri Rama, Laksman and Sita were returning to Ayodhya, after Rama killed Ravana, the Pushpaka Vimana (flower airplane) that was carrying them would not move when it reached this place. Sri Rama held Sita’s hand to help her get down the steps of the Pushpaka Vimana.

Sri Ramanuja met one of his gurus, Maha Purna (Peria Nambi), in Maduran­takam and was initiated under the Bakula tree in the Rama temple. In the temple there are a cakra (disc) and a conch that are said to have been used at the initiation cere­mony of Ramanuja. The pancha-samskara molds are in the shrine for Peria Nambi and Ramanuja, which is north of the flagstaff in the temple.

Madurantakam is 90km south of Chennai between Chingleput and Villupuram. Trains heading south from Chennai stop here. There are regular buses from Chennai and Chingleput.

Gingee (pronounced Senjee)
Phone Code 04145

Gingee, 37km east of Tiruvannamalai, has an impressive fort built primarily in the 16th century by the Vijayanagar Empire. Some parts of the fort date to the 12th century. The fort was later controlled by the Marathas, Mughals, French and British.

Inside the fort, which is on top of three hills, are temples, a ruined mosque, an audience hall, and a large cannon on top of the citadel. The surrounding area is peaceful and beautiful. It is a pleasant place to visit, because there are few people or salesmen around. You can see the fort in a few hours. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm. Admission: Foreigners/Indians Rs 250/2

It takes about 25 minutes to climb up to the fort. To get to the fort from the town you can get a bike-rickshaw for around Rs 40 roundtrip with a two hour waiting time. You can rent a bike near the bus stand. It may be a good idea to carry water with you.

Practicalities
There are a few basic places to stay in the town of Gingee.

Devi Lodge (04145 22-2210), about 1.5km east of town on the road to Pondicherry, has rooms for Rs 80/110.
Shivasand (04145 222-2218) has decent rooms and a vegetarian restaurant.

There are regular buses to here from Tiruvannamalai. Request to get off at the fort, 3km west of the town. Pondicherry is 70km east, to which there are direct buses. You can also take a bus to Tindivanam (45 min) and from there another bus to Pondicherry (1½ hr).

Tirunallar
Located here is the Tyagaraja Siva Temple. In this temple is a shrine dedicated to the nine planets (nava-graha). The planet Saturn has an altar inside the outer wall of this Siva temple. Saturn’s blessings are overwhelming, but its wrath can cause great misery. Saturn was made powerless when King Nala took shelter of Lord Siva here. This is the most famous Saturn temple in South India.

A big festival is held here every time Saturn moves from one sign of the Zodiac to another. It celebrates the release of King Nala from the clutches of Saturn. Tirunallar is 8km south of Karaikal (which is in the Union Territory of Pondicherry), near the seashore and 160km east of Tiruchirappalli.

Pichavaram
Pichavaram, 15km east of Chidambaram, is a sea resort. There are interesting mangrove forests and backwaters. About 10 buses a day go there from Chidambaram.

TTDC Aringar Anna Tourist Complex (041445 89232) has cottages for Rs 150 and dorm beds for Rs 50.

Sri Mushnam
There is an impressive stone temple here that houses the beautiful deity of Lord Varaha, who is named Vrid­dhakola (Bhuvaraha). This deity is said to have manifested from a shalagram-shila. The Lord looks very proud wearing silver armor, with his hands on his waist and head held in an air of victory. It is said that this deity was manifest when Lord Varaha rested here, after killing Hiranyaksa. Sri Mushnam is about 40km west of Chidambaram.

Vaitheeswarankoil
This town, about 25km from Chidambaram, has the interesting Viadanatheeswarara Temple dedicated to Lord Siva and Parvati. It is said that by bathing in the temple tank here one will be cured from illnesses.

Vaitheeswarankoil is also known for its Nadi astrologers. They read from palm leaves to predicts a person’s future. Astrologers charge from Rs 200 to Rs 1500 for a reading. It is best to avoid the touts, who will charge a high price to find an astrologers.

Sri Bhakkiam Lodge (04364 79460), South Car Street, near the temple, has decent rooms.
Abirami Lodge (04364 79311), Mayiladuthurai Rd, has rooms.

Tirukkadaiyur
There is a Siva-linga in the Amritaghateswara Temple here. It is believed that anyone that visits this temple will not meet Yamaraja (the god of death) at the time of death. A visit to this place is supposed to be equal to performing 100 Aswamedha-yajnas (horse sacrifices). This huge, beautiful temple has some of the most intricately carved sculptures in India.

The story of the temple is that when Yamaraja came to take Markandeya away, Markandeya clasped onto the Siva-linga to save himself from Yamaraja’s shackles. Yamaraja threw a noose to catch hold of Markandeya, which also encircled the Siva-linga. Lord Siva is said to have then come out of the linga and killed Yamaraja. The clasp marks and the mark of Yamaraja’s rope are still on the linga.

Tirukkadaiyur is about 40 northeast of Kumbakonam, between Mayuram and Tranquebar.

Nagappattinam
There is a temple here with three full-sized Deities of Lord Vishnu, standing, sitting, and lying on Ananta Sesa. This temple is one of the 108 important Vaishnava temples. Sundaryarajan, the main deity, stands over 5m (15 ft) high. His upper body is made of shiny black stone, but his weapons and body are covered with solid silver.
Nagappattinam is about 70km east of Thanjavur (Tanjore) on the seashore. There is the TTDC Tamil Nadu Hotel (2389), Thonitturai Salai, near the railway station, which has rooms that are a good value for Rs 250 and Rs 350 with A/C.

Tiruvarur (Tiruvalar)
Phone Code: 04366

Tiruvarur, located about 55km from Thanjavur, going due east towards Nagappattinam, is the birthplace of Tyagaraja, the musical composer saint who lived in Tamil Nadu in the 18th century.
Tyagaraja Siva Temple

This beautiful temple dedicated to Lord Tyagaraja was built between the 13th and 17th centuries. In the inner sanctum is a bronze Siva-linga with a seven-headed cobra over it. It is one of the largest temples in South India. The outer walls of this massive temple are 300m (846 ft) long and 200m (666 ft) wide. On each side of the temple is a huge, splendid gopuram. It has a hall with over 800 pillars. There is a bathing tank called Kamalalayam which is one of the biggest tanks in India. There is a temple dedicated to Sri Kamala (Lakshmi) in the middle. The ceiling and outer walls of the inner sanctum have vivid paintings of Lord Siva and other deities.

King Mucukunda is said to have installed the Siva-linga, which is called Achaleeswara. Achaleeswara means “the immovable Lord.” The story of the temple is that there was a king named Samatkara who performed austerities here. When Lord Siva appeared before him, he begged Lord Siva to be present forever at this site. Lord Siva said he would remain here forever immovable and that even his shadow would not move. The shadow of the Achaleeswara-linga never moves and can be seen only in the eastern direction. It is said that someone who is to die within six months will not see the shadow of the linga.

This temple has the biggest temple chariot in Tamil Nadu, which is used during the interesting 10-day festival in March.

Practicalities
Near the bus stand on Thanjavur Rd are several hotels.

Sekar (22525), near the post office, has rooms for Rs 125.
President (22748), 33C Thanjavur Rd, half a km from the bus stand, has basic, clean rooms with bath for Rs 85/120.
Hotel Selvies (22080; fax 22424), 1 Kattukara St, near the bus stand, has clean, good rooms for Rs 125/225 (Rs 35 extra for a TV) and Rs 450/550 with A/C.
Royal Park (21020; fax 21024), 1km from town, has rooms for Rs 250/350 and Rs 450/550 with A/C. It has two restaurants, one of them is vegetarian. It is the best place in town.

There are frequent buses to Thanjavur and Nagappattinam.

Palani
Pop: 76,000 Area
Phone Code: 04545

Located here is one of the six major Subrahmanya (Kartikeya) temples, dedicated to his form as Sri Danda­yudhapani. Subrahmanya is standing with a stick in his right hand. Dandam means stick and dandayu­dhapani means “having a stick as a weapon in his hand.” Here Subrahmanya is a sage who has renounced all connections with the world. This temple is on a 135m (450 ft) high hill; 659 steps have to be climbed to reach the temple. Around 200,000 people come to the Tai Pusam Festival in Jan/Feb. The 10-day Panguni Uttaram Festival in April draws large crowds of people. This is a rich temple.

Palani is 119km from Madurai on the railway line between Dindigul and Coimbatore. There are well-furnished dharamshalas here. Some places to stay are the basic Devasthanam Rest House and Sri Venkatewaram Lodge. The best place in town is Ganpat Palani (42294), 103 Poonga Rd, which has rooms for Rs 150/200 and Rs 350 with A/C.

Tirunelveli
Pop: 135,000 Area
Phone Code: 0462

In Tirunelveli, there is the large 7th century Kanthimathi Nellaiyappar Temple dedicated to Parvati and Lord Siva. In the temple enclosure are two temples, the north one dedicated to Lord Siva (Nellaiyappar) and the southern one to Parvati (Kanthimathi). Each of these two temples has enclosures of over 150m by 120m. The temple has musical pillars, a golden lily tank, a valuable jewelry collection, and a 1000-pillar hall, with beautiful sculptures. In the Mani Mandapam there are musical pillars that make unique musical sounds when struck. This temple has a large Nandi bull. There is a popular Cart Festival in June/July. Tirunelveli is between Madurai and Kanyakumari, about 90km northeast of Kanyakumari.

Right next to Tirunelveli is Palayamkottai. St Francis Xavier stayed here in the late 16th century. In Palayamkottii, there is St John’s Church, which has a 35m spire. There is a big festival at the church in early September.
The Krishnapuram Temple is about 13km from Tirunelveli. There are intricately carved, life-size sculptures on this temple.

Where to Stay and Eat
Hotels are often full on the weekends between April and June.

Blue Star (24495), 36 Madurai Rd, is a modern, budget place. It has a good veg restaurant.
Sakuntala International (71760), Trivandrum High Rd, has rooms with hot water and some rooms have A/C and a TV. It is a good value. It has a good veg restaurant.
Barani (23234), 29 Madurai Rd, is a modern place with rooms with hot water. It has a veg restaurant.
Sri Janakiram (24451), 30 Madurai Rd, near the bus stand, has modern, clean rooms with hot water. Recommended.
Hotel Aryaas (339-000), 67 Madurai Rd, has modern rooms with hot water. It has a terrace restaurant. Recommended.

Travel
There are trains to Chennai (16 hr), Kanyakumari and Madurai. There are buses to Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai and Kanyakumari.

Tiruchendur
Pop: 78,000 Area
Phone Code: 04639

The Tiruchendur Temple is a gigantic seashore temple dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya (Kartikeya), the son of Lord Siva. Of the six major Subrahmanya temples this is considxe "Tiruchendur" ered the second most important, next to the temple at Palani. The 41m (135 ft) high gopuram is on the western side of the temple instead of the east, because of the sea on the eastern side. Tiruchendur is 80km northeast of Kanyakumari.

It is said that Subrahmanya came here from Kailash to kill the demon Surapadman and his brother, who had a sea-fort called Mahendra-giri. There is a festival every year in Oct/Nov to celebrate this event.

There are Lord Vishnu Deities and many other deities in this temple. Lord Venkatesa Perumal Vishnu is standing facing east installed in a hollow of the rock. In another shrine is reclining Pallikonda Ranganatha (Vishnu) and Gaja Lakshmi. Near this shrine are shrines dedicated to the 12 Alwars devotees.

About 200m south of the temple on the seashore is a 4.2m (14 ft) well that has a flight of stairs with 34 steps. The water of this well is highly sulfurous in smell and somewhat salty. Inside this well is another small well that has crystal clear sweet water. The sea at Tiruchendur is good for swimming.

Practicalities
Hotel Tamil Nadu (4268), near the temple, has rooms for Rs 110 and Rs 225 with A/C. There is a rest house by the temple for pilgrims.

Tiruchendur is about halfway between Rameswaram and Kanyakumari, on the seashore.

Nagercoil
Pop: 190,000 Area
Phone Code: 04652

Nagercoil is a major junction for buses coming in and out of Kerala. It is 18km northwest of Kanyakumari.

The main deity in the Temple here is Nagaraja (king of the snakes), who is silver-plated and garlanded. There is also a deity of Lord Krishna. There are snakes inside a small hut, behind the temple. There is a sacred pipal tree, which pilgrims circle.

The Tirukkurulappan Temple is 3km north of Nagercoil in Tiruvannparisaram (Tiruppatisaram). It is a one of the 108 Divya Desam temples.

Where to Stay
Tower Lodge, near Tower Junction, which is not far from the bus terminal, and Azad Lodge are recommended places. There is also the Sri Swaminatha Lodge by the long distance bus station.

Rajam Hotel (32581; fax 04652 32589), MS Road, near the center of town, two km for the railway station, is the best place in town with rooms for Rs 350 and Rs 500 with A/C. It has a roof garden. All rooms have hot water and cable TV.

Travel
Rail There are trains to Thiruvananthapuram (2½ hr), Kollam, Kochi, Chennai, Delhi (60 hr, Fri only), and Mumbai (48 hr, twice weekly).
Bus Nagercoil is a major bus junction, which has two busy bus stands—one for local buses xe "Nagercoil" and the other for long distance ones. There are buses to all over Tamil Nadu, such as Rameswaram (8 hr) and Madurai (5 hr), as well as buses to Kerala to such places as Kovalam (2 hr), Thiruvananthapuram (2 hr), and Kollam. If you are going from Thiruvananthapuram or Kovalam to Madurai, you can easily get a bus to Nagercoil and from there get one of the frequent buses to Madurai.

The nearby Padmanabhapuram Palace is a popular tourist place. To get there from Nagercoil you take buses #11 or #29. There is a direct bus to the Adi-kesava temple from Nagercoil.

Hogenakkal
Phone Code: 043425

Hogenakkal, 175km south of Bangalore in the Melagiri Hills, has impressive waterfalls. It is a relaxing place at the confluence of the Kaveri (Cauvery) and Chinnar rivers. There are many people here who give massages. It is traditional to take a boat ride in a coracle boat, made from stretched hides.

Where to Stay and Eat
You can rent rooms here in people’s homes.
Tourist Rest House, next to the bus stand, has basic rooms for Rs 100 to Rs 175.

Hotel Tamil Nadu (54447) has rooms for Rs 400 and Rs 600 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 80. The price is more on the weekends.

Travel
There are buses to Dharampuri (45km east) and Bangalore.

Yercaud and Salemn
Phone Code: 04281

Yercaud is a peaceful hill station at 1500m, 35km from Salem. It has a nice artificial lake and there are pleasant places to walk in the area. This place can be visited while traveling between Madurai and Chennai.

Where to Stay—Yercaud
The places near the lake can be noisy, because of loud speaker blasting in the area.

Hotel Tamil Nadu (22273), near the lake, has rooms for Rs 400 and Rs 600 with A/C. A dorm bed is Rs 90. During the high season, prices are much higher.
Shevaroys (22288; 22387), close to the lake, has well-maintained rooms with bath for Rs 550/750 (Rs 700/900 high-season). It has a good restaurant and is the best place in town.

Where to Stay—Salem
Coimbatore Lodge (0427 63649), Venkatrosa St, has small, basic rooms with common bath.
Woodlands (0427 67272) has mid-range rooms and a good A/C restaurant.
National (0427 54100), Bangalore Rd, has comfortable mid-range rooms.
Salem Castle (0427 448-702), A/4 Bharathi St, Swarnapuri, is a modern place with a pool that has clean comfortable rooms with TV. It is the best hotel in town.

Travel
From Salem there are trains to Chennai, Coimbatore, Kochi, Delhi, Rameswaram, Madurai, Bangalore and Vellore.

There are frequent buses between Yercaud anxe "Salemn" d Salem, and regular busesxe "Yercaud" to Tiruchirapalli, Coimbatore and Pondicherry.

Calimere (Kodikkarai) Wildlife Sanctuary
This is a coastal sanctuary, located about 90km southeast of Thanjavur, in the Palk Strait between Indian and Sri Lanka. Many migratory water birds (around 250 species) come here between December and February, including many flamingos (around 5,000), herons, plovers, teals, shovellers, sandpipers and curlews.

During the spring, a variety of birds come to eat the wild berries. There are also spotted deer, blackbuck and wild boars. From April to June there are almost no birds here. The rainy season is worst here from Oct to Dec. Entry Rs 10, camera Rs 10, video Rs 50. You can rent a jeep to get around, or you can walk.

Practicalities
There is a Forest Dept Rest House in Kodikkarai, but you have to arrange food in advance. It is best to book this place with the Forest Dept in Thanjavur from Nov to Jan.

Poonarai Ilam, Kodikkarai, has fairly basic rooms with bath for Rs 25 per person.

PV Thevar Lodge, 40 N Main St, near the bus stand, has basic rooms with bath.

The usual way to get here is to first go to Vedaranyam (30 min, 11km) and from there to Kodikkarai. Txe "Calimere (Kodikkarai) Wildlife Sanctuary" here are rexe "Kodikkarai) Wildlife Sanctuary" gular buses from Vedaranyam to Thanjavur (4½ hr) and Nagappattinam, and less frequents buses to Tiruchirapalli and Chennai.

Kotagiri
Pop: 26,000 Area
Phone Code: 0423

Located at 1950m, Kotagiri, is a small hill station. It is a peaceful little village, 28km east of Ooty.

In the area is Elk Falls (6km) and Catherine Falls (8km). You can get a beautiful view of the area from Kodanad View Point (19km).

Where to Stay and Eat
There are some basic hotels here with rooms for around Rs 150.

Queen’s Hill Guest House, one km from the bus stand, has clean rooms for Rs 275. It is a friendly, well-located place.
Blue Star, near the bus stand, has modern rooms with bath for Rs 250.

Travel
There are regular buses to Ooty, Coonoor and Mettupalayam

Auroville

Auroville, 14km from Pondicherry, just over the border in Tamil Nadu, was opened as an experimental international community, coming from the vision of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. Auroville is around 50 square km. It was founded in 1968 as a place where all people could live together in peace, regardless of caste, creed or country. It was hoped that it would reach a population of 50,000.

Soil from 126 countries was placed in a container when the community opened in 1968. The opening ceremony was attended by the President of India and people from 121 countries.

It is made up of over 50 communities with about 1100 people from around the world, a majority of which are foreigners. Many of the houses have unique designs. Auroville’s motto is “Auroville belongs to nobody in particular but to humanity as a whole.” Since The Mother’s death in 1973, there has been disagreements over control of the community.

Information
There is a Visitor’s Information Centre (62239; fax 62274), near Bharat Nivas, open daily 9.30 am to 5.30 pm. Next door is a good vegetarian restaurant and the Boutique d’Auroville (9 am to 5.30 pm), which has books, gems, postcards and incenses.

If you would like to stay in Auroville contact Auroville Guest Progamme, Visitors Centre, Auroville 605101, e-mail guest@auroville.org.in. In Pondicherry you can get information about this place at La Boutique d’Auroville (27264 maybe 25128??), 12 Nehru St, west of the Canal.
The tourist office in Pondicherry conducts a tour that goes here (Rs 25). Auroville is spread out, so if you plan to stay for a while it is best to rent a bike to get around.

To get around you need either a bicycle or motorcycle. Some of the communities rent them or you can rent one in Pondicherry.

A 10-minute video about Auroville is shown daily except Sun at 10.30 am and 3.30 pm at the Visitor’s Centre.

Matri Mandir
The Matri Mandir is the spiritual center of Auroville. It is a domed structure, which has a crystal sphere in the meditation room. You must be completely silent inside. The Banyan tree to the side of the Matri Mandir was to be cut down during its construction. It is said that the soul of the tree protested to The Mother in a dream and the location of the temple was shifted.

The gardens are open between 9 am and 5 pm. Visitors can only enter the Matri Mandir between 4 to 5 pm. You have to get a pass (free) at the Visitor Center before 3.30 pm to enter. To go to the meditation period between 5 and 6 pm, you have to get your pass stamped and then come back the next day.

Where to Stay and Eat
You can stay with one of the many community groups here. They prefer serious people interested in the project who want to stay a week or more. Rooms range from Rs 100 to Rs 500, depending on the facilities offered. Sharnga, Samasti and Centre all have places to stay. You can contact the Boutique d’Auroville in Pondicherry or the Visitor Centre in Auroville about arranging a room .

Centre Guest House (62155), near the Matri Mandir, has rooms to stay at.
Palms Beach Cottage Centre, in Chinna
Mudaliarchavadi Village, which is on the way to Auroville from Pondicherry (9km away), has rooms with common bath for Rs 100/175. It has a good garden. You can get meals here.
Cottage Guest House is just off the main road coming from Pondicherry, near the road that turns off to Auroville in the village of Chinna Mudaliarchavadi. Basic rooms with common bath are Rs 90/150 and rooms with bath in the new building are Rs 225. They have a meal restaurant.

There is a good restaurant next to the Visitor’s Center where you can get a good meal for Rs 35. They also have snacks and baked goods. The Upahar Restaurant is a good place

Travel
Most people come here on the coastal road from Pondicherry and turn off at the village of Chinna Mudaliarchavadi. You may have to ask where the turn-off is located, as it is poorly marked. You can also get here by going on the Pondicherrxe "Tirunallar" y to Chennai road, turning off at Promesse, about 1km after the police station.
To get around Auroville you will need your own transportation, as everything is spread out. If you come by bike from Pondicherry you can expect to ride about 30km, there and back. The road can be rough at places.

Buses only go to the villages of Chinna Mudaliarchavadi and Periya Mudaliarcha-vadi, from where you have to get an auto-rickshaw to the Matri Mandir. An auto rickshaw roundtrip from Pondicherry should be around Rs 200 and a taxi Rs 500.

The daily PTDC city tour of Pondicherry goes to the Matri Mandir.

Coimbatore

Pop: 1.5 million Area
Phone Code: 0422

You may come here while traveling to Ooty or one of the other hill stations in the Nilgiri Hills. Coimbatore is an industrial city with nothing to see or do.

Information
The railway station is in the southwest part of the city. The two major bus stands are about two km north of the railway station. There is another bus stand, Ukkadam, which is one km south of the railway station.

You can change money at the Bank of Baroda and State Bank of India on Bank Rd. Canara Bank is on Oppankara St. TT Travels, 102A-Block Raheja Centre, avanashi Rd, about a five-mintue drive north of the railway station changes money efficiently.

Some bookshops are: Landmark (Lakshmi Plaza, 1089 Avinashi Rd), Higginbothams and Pai (Big Bazaar, near the railway station).

A good e-mail and fax facility is Best Business Centre (235-538; fax 233-894), on Kalingarayan St, near the Zakir Hotel. There is also e-mail facility at Netserf (235-983), 205 Vivekananda Rd (Rs 100 per hour) and the Residency Hotel (open to non-guest).

Where to Stay—Lower
The Retiring Rooms at the railway station are Rs 175 and Rs 225 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 60.
Guru (223-0341), opposite the railway station, has cheap basic rooms. It has a veg restaurant.
Hotel Sivakami (230-0271), Davey & Co Lane, has basic rooms with bath for Rs 320/360. It is a friendly place.
Zakir Hotel, Sastri Rd, has basic rooms for Rs 160/200.
Sri Ganapathy Lodgxe "Coimbatore" e (223-0632), 1 Sastri Rd, near the State bus stand, has decent rooms with bath for Rs 240/300.
Hotel Shree Shakti (223-4225), 11/148 Sastri Rd, opposite the State bus stand, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 310/490. It is convenient for an early morning bus.

Where to Stay—Middle and Higher
TTDC Tamil Nadu (223-6311; fax 223-03511; Email: ttdcitd@vsnl.net), Dr Nanjappa Rd, near the State bus stand, has rooms with bath for Rs 525/700 and Rs 800/1050 with A/C and TV. It is a good value.
Gateway, 517B Oppanankara St, is close to the Ukkadam (local) bus stand.
Sri Aarvee (243-3677), 311A Gandhi-puram, has clean modern rooms with TV for Rs 600/700 and with A/C for Rs 700/800.
Hotel Blue Star (223-0635; fax: 223-3096), 369 Nehru St, has good rooms with bath for Rs 550/650. The rooms in front can be noisy. Some rooms don’t have windows.
Nilgiri’s Nest (221-7247; fax 221-7131; Email: nilgiris@md3.vsnl.net.in), Avanashi Rd, is a well-managed place with comfortable A/C rooms for Rs 1500/1700. It is a good place.
Hotel City Tower (223-0681;; Email: hotelcitytower@sify.com3), Sivaswamy Rd, off Dr Nanjappa Rd, a few minutes walk from the State bus stand, has modern rooms with TV for Rs 1160/1300 and Rs 1500/1800 with A/C. It has two good restaurants. It is a well-managed, recommended place.
Hotel Surya International (221-7751; fax 221-6110: Email: Suryaint@rnd2.vsnl.com), 105 Racecourse Rd, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1700/1850. It has a good restaurant.
The Residency (220-1234; fax 220-1414; Email: rescbe@vsnl.com), Avinashi Rd, has good modern rooms for Rs 2800/3200. It has e-mail and fax facilities.

Where to Eat
Royal Hindu Restaurant, near the railway station, has good vegetarian food.
Indian Coffee House is on Raman Koil Rd.
Dakshin, Shree Annapoor Hotel, 47 E Aroklasamy Rd, RS Puram, has a good A/C vegetarian restaurant.
Annalakshmi, 106 Racecourse Rd, is a very good veg restaurant. It is managed by devotees of Shvanjali. Open Mon to Sat for lunch, noon to 3 pm and daily for dinner from 6.30 to 9.30 pm. It is recommended, but is not cheap.
Cloud Nine, Hotel City Towers, is a very good rooftop restaurant, with good views (high-priced).
Dasa is a higher-end A/C veg place with good food and ice cream.

Travel
Air The airport is 10km northeast of the city. It costs around Rs 150 by auto-rickshaw or Rs 250 by taxi to get downtown. From the airport, bus #20 goes to the bus station and buses #10 or #16 to the railway station (Rs 25).

Indian Airlines (239-9833), Trichy Rd, has flights to Delhi (1 daily, $275), Mumbai (1 daily, $140), Chennai (6 weekly, $85), Trichy (4 weekly, $75) and Kozhikode (1 daily, $40). The Air India office (213-393) is on Trichy Rd.

Jet Air (221-2036) has flights to Mumbai and Chennai.

Train To get to Ooty you get the Nilgiri Exp #6605 at 5.30 am to Mettupalayam (1 hr) and from there you take the miniature train (7.45 am). This trip takes around 4½ hr. To get the Nilgiri Express it is best to stay near the station or arrange transportation to the railway station the night before, because it can be hard to find an auto-rickshaw early in the morning.

Bangalore Cheran Exp #2674 (10.30 pm, 9 hr); Chennai Shatabdi Exp #2024 (7.25 am; 7 hr, except Wed), Cheran Exp #2674 (10.30 pm, 9 hr); Kozhikode (Calicut) West Coast Exp (4½ hr). The Rameswaram Exp goes to Madurai (6 hr) and then to Rameswaram (13 hr). The goes to. There are also daily trains to Delhi and Kochi.

Bus From the State bus stand, buses depart to Ooty (3 hr, 90km, every half-hour), Coonoor, Bangalore (9 hr, 2 daily) and Mysore (11 hr, 3 daily). You can book some long-distance buses in advance (9 am to 8 pm).
The Ukkadam bus stand on Cross Cut Rd, 5 minutes from the State bus stand, has buses to Ooty (frequently), Pollachi (frequently), Chennai (11½, 7 daily), Mysore (20 daily), Trichy (5½ hr, 12 daily), Pallani (every half hour), Dindigul, and Madurai (6 hr).

Near Coimbatore

Black Thunder Water Theme Park
This is a state-of-the-art water theme park, 40km from Coimbatore, with a large pool with waves, water slides, and a canal which you can float along. Admission is Rs 200 for adults and Rs 150 for children. Men must wear Bermuda-style bathing suits. Open 10 am to 6 pm. There are regular buses to here from Coimbatore and Ooty. Outside food is not permitted in the park.

Chennai (Madras)

Pop: 6 million Area
Phone Code: 044

Chennai has been renamed from it former name of Madras to its Tamil name. It is the capital of Tamil Nadu and the fourth largest city in India. It is a fairly pleasant city to visit. There is not much to see in Chennai, and the main reason travelers come here is to make travel and business arrangements.

There are two monsoon seasons here, June to August and October to November to early December. It is hot all year around here. The end of December to March is the best time to visit.

History
The city of Chennai was founded in 1639 by Francis Day of the British East India Company. It was the site of their first settlement in India. The East India Company started building Fort St George in 1640. A town grew up around the fort, which was called George Town. The Mylapore, Triplicane, and Tiru­vottiyur areas of Chennai, where the Parthasarathi and Kapaleeswara Temples are located, are ancient.

The British and French fought over the city in the 18th century. In 1746 the French captured it and most of it was destroyed, but it was returned to the British two years later. The city was rebuilt, but by this time Calcutta had started to become the main city of British India.

Madras lost some of its importance, but it remained the most important city in South India. It became the capital of the Madras Presidency in the 19th century.

Robert Clive arrived in Madras in 1743 and worked as a clerk. He was captured when the French took the city in 1746. After he escaped, he became an officer in the East India Company’s army and later he became the governor of Madras at the age of 30.

Orientation
Chennai extends for more than 15km north to south along the Bay of Bengal. There are three main areas of town that most travelers visit.

Near Periyar EVR High Rd are the two railway stations: Central and Egmore. From Egmore, trains depart mostly to cities in Tamil Nadu. From Central, trains depart to places mainly out of state.

In the northeast area of town is George Town, which is the old part of the city. There you’ll find cheaper hotels, bazaars, and restaurants in this area. The bus stations are also located here. NSC Bose Rd is the main east-west road in George Town. Parry’s Corner, at the intersection of Prakasam Rd (Popham’s Broadway) and NSC Bose Rd, is one of the main areas in George Town.

South of Periyar EVR High Rd, is Anna Salai (Mount Rd), which is where the banks, airlines offices, bookshops, tourist offices, restaurants, and high-class hotels are mainly located. South of this area are some interesting old temples.

South of the Anna Salai area is the Mylapore area, where the Kapaleeswara temple and San Thome Cathedral are located, and further south is Guindy National Park and St Thomas Mount.

Street Name Changes

Old Name- New Name
Mount Road - Anna Salai
Triplicane High Rd - Quaide Milleth Salai
North Beach Rd - Rajaji Salai
South Beach Rd - Kamaraj Salai
Popham’s Broadway - Prakasam Rd
Poonamalee High Rd - Periyar EVR High Rd
Mowbray’s Rd - TTK Rd
Adam’s Rd - Swami Sivananda Salai
Edward Elliot’s Rd - Dr Radhakrishan Salai Pycroft’s Rd - Bharati Salai

Information
The useful Government of India Tourist Office (2846-1459; fax: 2846-0193), 154 Anna Salai, books tours and hotels, arrange an approved guide (Rs 300 for half a day), and rents cars. Open Mon to Fri 9.30 am to 5 pm; Sat and bank holidays 9.30 am to 1 pm. They give out the monthly Hallo Chennai! They can give a computer printout on major places. Buses #11 and #18 from Central station or Parry’s Corner come here. There is also a tourist counter at the airport, but it is not as useful.

The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) (2846-0285), 29 Victoria Crescent, at the intersection with C-in-C Rd, is open weekdays 6 am to 7 pm and Sat and Sun 6 am to 2 pm. They arrange city tours and can book ITDC hotels in other cities.

The Tamil Nadu Tourist Office (TTDC) (2536-7850:fax: 2538-1567), 143 Anna Salai, arranges tours and travel (weekdays 10 am to 5 pm). They also have counters at the Central railway station and at the Thiruvalluvar Transport Corporation (TTC) bus stand. You can book TTDC hotels at the Hotel Tamil Nadu (582-916).

Other state tourist offices—Kerala, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh—are at 28 C-in-C Rd and are open Mon to Fri 10 am to 5 pm. The Orissa Tourist Office is at Gee Gee Building, 2nd Fl (near Anna Theatre), and the West Bengal Office is at 787 Anna Salai.

Automobile Association of South India (852-4601) is in the American Express Building, 187 Anna Salai.

Hallo Chennai! and Aside are two widely available publications that have good information about what’s happening in Chennai.

Tours
The ITDC Chennai tour (daily, 1.30 to 6 pm, Rs 75) goes to Fort Saint George, the museum, St Mary’s Church, the Government Museum, Kapaleeswara Temple, Valluvar Kottam, and the Snake Park. It begins at their office at 29 Victoria Crescent, C-in-C Rd. ITDC tours can be booked at their counters at 154 Anna Salai from 6 am to 7 pm, and other ITDC counters around the city.

The TTDC half-day Chennai tour (7.30 am to 1.30 pm and 1.30 to 6.30 pm, Rs 80) goes to Fort Saint George, the Government Museum, Kapaleeswara Temple, Marina Beach, Elliot’s Beach, and the Snake Park. It begins at 143 Anna Salai and then goes to the Express bus stand in George Town to pick up more passengers.

There is a daily tour to Tirupati (Tirumala) run by the Tamil Nadu Tourist Development Corporation and by ITDC. The tour takes at least 15 hours, much of it spent traveling to and from Tirupati. The tour allows for a two-hour wait for special dar-shan, but on weekends and other special days it can be much more. So even though the tour is scheduled from 6 am to 9 pm, the bus may sometimes return after midnight. The fare includes breakfast, lunch and the Rs 30 “special darshan” fee.

There are also tours operated by both ITDC and TTDC to Kanchipuram, Thirukkazhukundram and Mamalla­puram. It departs at 7.30 am and returns at 6 pm. It also goes to the Crocodile Bank. This is a very rushed tour, as both Kanchipuram and Mamallapuram can easily take a day each just to see the sites, but if you are in a hurry it is a good tour.

There is a seven-day tour that goes to Bangalore, Sravanabelagola, Belur, Halebid, Mysore, Srirangapatnam, and other places.

There is another seven-day tour conducted by the TTDC. It includes Tiruchirappalli, Srirangam, Kodaikanal, Madurai, Kanyakumari, Suchindram, Tiruchendur, Rameswaram, Thanjavur, and back to Chennai. It starts at 7 am on Saturday and ends around 6.30 pm on Friday.

Money
Thomas Cook (2827-4941) has an office in the Eldorado Building, 112 Nungambakkam High Rd, that changes travelers checks quickly and efficiently. Open Mon to Fri 9.30 am to 1 pm and 2 to 4 pm. They charge an extra fee to change non-Thomas Cook travelers cheques. They also have offices in Egmore (2825-8417), 45 Ceebros Centres, Montieth Rd; George Town (2534-2374), 20 Rajaji Salai; and at the International airport (open 24 hr).

American Express (2852-3638) is at G-17 Spencer Plaza, 769 Anna Salai (10 am to 6.30 pm).

There are branches of the State Bank of India on Rajaji Salai in George Town and on Anna Salai. They also have branches at the International (24 hr) and Domestic (5 am to 8 pm) airport terminals. Central Bank of India, Montieth Rd, in the Egmore area, gives advances on Visa cards. HDFC bank, Monteith Rd, HSBC, Rajaji Salai give advances on MasterCard and Visa.

There is a branch of Bank of America (852-5285) at 748 Anna Salai; Citibank (852-2151) at 766 Mount Rd; and a Grindlays Bank at 768 Anna Salai.

Post, Phone & Internet
There is a poste restante service at the Anna Salai Post Office in the Egmore area, at the northern end of Anna Salai. The address is Poste Restante, Anna Salai Post Office, Anna Salai, Chennai, 600002. Open for poste restante: Mon to Sat 10 am to 6 pm. The post office is open Mon to Sat 8 am to 8.30 pm and Sun 10 to 5 pm. This post office is a good place to post packages. There is an efficient packing service outside. The GPO is on Rajaji Salai in George Town.

There is a 24-hour telegraph office at the GPO and Anna Salai post offices.

At Prakash Services (534-0214; fax 534-1022), 146 Thambu Chetty St, in George Town, you can send and receive faxes and e-mail at a cheaper price than most other places in town. They are open 24 hours for phone calls and for e-mail, weekdays 9 am to 7 pm. Their email address is MDSAAAS53@giasd01.vsnl.net.in.

In the Egmore area you can send a fax from Worldwide Technologies (852-4289), 704 Spencer Plaza, 769 Anna Salai.

Some courier services are DHL (825-41020), 44/45 Pantheon Rd, Egmore; Skypak (427-237), 19 Rutland; and DHL Express (583-548), 13 Sunkurama Chetty St.

You can send and receive email at the Net Cafe (826-3779; e-mail: netcafe@india.com), 101/1 Kanakasri Nagar, Cathedral Rd, near the Music Academy. You can also browse the internet. They charge Rs 30 for 60 minutes. Open daily 8 am to 10 pm. Web Surf (825 4908), Hotel Imperial Complex, 6 Gandhi Irwin Rd has internet access for Rs 30 per hour. Internet Zone, 1 Kennett Lane, Egmore is an A/C place with good connections.

Also to use the internet is Enternet, which has two branches, one at 36/3 Taylors Estate, Station View Rd, in Kodambakkam and the at 225, SI Plaza, 2nd floor, 129 GN Chetty Rd, near the Anna Flyover. It costs Rs 25 \per hous. Open daily 8 am to 10 pm.

Dishnet, 2nd Floor, Apex Plaza, MG Rd, Nungambakkam (7am to 12 midnight) has plenty of terminals and good connections (Rs 35 per hour).

Photography and Others
For film developing there is Photo Emporium, 46 Anna Salai; GK Vale, 107 Anna Salai, and Konica, 3 Nungambakkam High Rd.

You can get a good view of the city from on top of Tarapore Tower.

Non-guest can use the swimming pool at the Ambassador Hotel. The YMCA pool at Saidapet and some pools along Marina Beach are open to the public.

Visa Extensions, Permits, and Tax Clearance
The Foreigners’ Registration Office (2827-5444), Shashtri Bhavan Annex, 26 Haddows Rd, usually takes a few days to issue a visa extension. You must have four identical passport photos. Open 9.30 am to 1.30 pm and 2 to 6 pm. Buses #27J and #27RR from the Connemara Hotel take you there.

If you are going to the Andaman Islands by boat you need to get a permit. You get the form from the Directorate of Shipping Services (5\222-6873), 6 Rajaji Salai in George Town. You then hand in this form at the Foreigners’ Registration Office with two photos and you will usually get the permit within a day. If you are going to the Andaman Islands by air you can get the permit when you arrive at Port Blair.

You get an income tax clearance certificate at the Foreign Section, Office of the Commissioner of Income Taxes (827-2011, ext 4004), 121 Uttamar Gandhi Rd. This takes about an hour.

Shopping
The city’s main shopping areas include Parry’s Corner, Anna Salai (Mount Road), Panagal Park, and Pondy Bazaar. There are many shops on Anna Salai, which include handicraft shops, government emporiums, and modern shops.

Spencer’s Plaza, 769 Anna Salai, and Alsa Mall, Montieth, near the Government Museum, are indoor shopping malls. Spencer’s Department Store, 769 Anna Salai, is an Indian attempt at a department store (not to say it isn't a good place). You can get clothes, utensils, handicrafts, imported food, etc.

The Central Cottage Industries Emporium, Temple Towers, 476 Anna Salai, Nandanam, has an excellent selection of high quality handicrafts.
Victoria Technical Institute (VTI) (852-3141), 765 Anna Salai, has high quality sculptures, paintings, wood carvings, brassware, hand-embroidered linen, pottery, wall hangings, clothing, and greeting cards.

Poompuhar Sales and Show Room, 818 Anna Salai, is a Tamil Nadu government emporium, which has a good selection of expensive handicrafts, sculptures and textiles.

You can get Kanchipuram cottons at the Tamil Nadu Handloom Weavers’ Co-Operative. Two good stores to get jewelry at are Bapalal, 24/1 Cathedral Road, and Vummidi Bangaru, 603 Anna Salai Road.

Handloom House, 7 Rattan Bazaar, George Town, has high quality cottons and silks. India Silk House, 846 Anna Salai, has very high quality silks. Cottage Industries Exposition, opposite the Taj Coromandel, has very high quality clothes and textiles. Khadi Gramodyag Bhavan, 844 Anna Salai, has hadmade cotton khadi material and other items.

Radha Silk House, (RASI) (494-0528), 1 Sannadhi St, Mylapore, near the Kapaleeswara temple, has high quality silk items, and is a popular place with foreign tourists. It has many excellent silk items, including saris, scarves and ties. In the basement are many gift items, which include sculptures, brassware, carved wooden boxes, and paintings.

Musee Musical (849-380), 67 Anna Salai, sells sitars, drums and flutes. AR Dawood & Sons, 286 Quaide Milleth Salai (Triplicane High Rd), is a good source of musical instruments.

Bookshops
Higginbothams, 814 Anna Salai (Mount) Rd, is a good book store with one of the best selection of spiritual and travel books I have seen. They have stalls in the domestic airport and Central station.

The Bookshop in Spencer Plaza is good.
Landmark Books, in the basement of Apex Plaza, 3 Nungambakkam High Rd, has an excellent selection and is one of the best bookshops in India. Giggles Book Shop, in the Connemara Hotel is good. Giggles & Scribbles, Wellingdon Estate, 24 C-in-C Rd, has a good selection of books, including hard to find books on India. Fountainhead (826-310), 27 Dr Radha-krishnan Salai, and Odyssey, (412-933), 15 1st Main Rd, both have a good selection of books. Karnatic Music Book Centre, 14 Sripuram First St, Royapettah, has books on Carnatic classical music and classical Indian dance.

Libraries
The American Center Library (2811-2000), Gemini Circle, Anna Salai, at the US Consulate is open daily except Sun 9.30 am to 6 pm. A daily membership is Rs 30 a day.

The British Council Library (2852-5002), 737 Anna Salai, is open Tue to Sat 11 am to 7 pm. To visit you can take out a temporary one month membership for Rs 100.

Alliance Francaise (2827-9803: Web Site: http://www.af-madras.org), 3/4A College Rd, Nungambakkam, is open Mon to Fri 9 am to 1 pm and 3.30 to 6.30 pm and Sat in the morning. It has French books, movies and classes. Max Mueller Bhavan (826-1314), 13 Khadar Nawaz Khan Rd.

Foreign Consulates Include:
France
16 Haddows Rd (827-0469)
Germany
22 C-in-C Rd (827-1747)
Japan
60 Spur Tank Rd, Cheput (826-5594)
Malaysia
6 Sri Ram Nagar, Alwarpet (434-3048)
Netherlands
64 Armenian St
Singapore
2nd Floor Apex Plaza, 3 Nungambakkam High Rd (827-3795)
Sri Lanka
9-D Nawab Habibullah Rd, near Anderson Rd (827-2270)
Russia
14 San Thome High Rd
UK
24 Anderson, Nungambakkam (827-3136)
USA
Gemini Circle, 220 Anna Salai (827-3040)

Travel Agencies
American Express (2825-3592), G-17 Spencer Plaza, Anna Salai; and Thomas Cook (2827-4941), 112/G/4 Nungambakkam High Rd and at Ceebros Centre,( 2855-4600), 45 Montieth Rd, Egmore, (855-3276), are both very good.

Sita World Travel (827-8861), 26 C-in-C Rd; Trade Wings (864-961), 752 Anna Salai; and Travel Corporation India (868-813), 734 Anna Salai, are reputable travel agencies.

Hospitals
Apollo Hospital (827-7447), 21 Greams Rd, is a good private hospital open 24 hours for emergencies. Malar Hospital (491-2581), 52 1st Main Rd, near Adyar Bridge, is a good place with good lab facilities and good specialists (open 24 hr). Chennai Kaliappa Hospital (493-6390), 43 2nd Main Rd, Roja Anna Malai Puram, is a good place. It has 24-hour emergency service.
For eye test and glasses there is Lawrence and Mayo, 68 Anna Salai.

Fort Saint George
The fort was begun around 1640 and was finished on Saint George’s Day, April 23. It was huge. It is located in George Town, about half a km south of Parry’s Corner. Fort St George is an interesting place with old ruins and a scale model of how the fort used to look. It was the first major structure built by the British in Chennai. Many of the fort’s buildings are now being used as government offices, such as the Legislative Assembly and Tamil Nadu Secretariat. At places the fort’s walls are 6m (20 ft) high.

Many of the fort’s original buildings were destroyed by French attacks. Still remaining is the house of Robert Clive, which is now used as offices. One room is open to the public, but there is not much to see. The house of Arthur Wellesley is about 100m away, but is now in ruins. Also here is the house of Elihu Yale, the former Governor of Madras and the founder of Yale University in the USA.

The Fort Museum, in the Exchange Building, has a good collection of items dating to the British Raj including a weapon display, a good stamp collection, paintings of Fort St George’s governors and other British personalities, uniforms, and items belonging to Robert Clive. The signatures in the visitors’ book of King George V and Queen Mary, who visited in 1906, can be seen. Open daily except Fri 9 am to 5 pm. Admission free.

Saint Mary’s Church, South Asia’s oldest Anglican English church, was built in 1680. It is south of the Fort Museum, past the State Legislature. It is the oldest British building still standing in India. The walls of the church are 1.3m (5 ft) thick and are bombproof. In this church there is a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper. Clive was married in this church in 1753. There is a pure silver plaque in the church presented by Elihu Yale. Open daily 9 am to 5 pm.

George Town
Located north of Fort St George is the old city, which was used by the British. Located in George Town is an assortment of British administrative building, 18th and 19th centuries church, and old mansions. Praksam Rd (Popham’s Broadway) was the main commercial street in Chennai until the beginning of the 20th century. At the present time this area is crowded and fairly dirty. There are interesting bazaars here, including Evening Bazaar and Burma Bazaar, which has many western goods.

The High Court Building (1892), on the south border of George Town, is a red sandstone Indo-Saracenic building at Parry’s Corner. The central tower is 50m (165 ft) high. It is said to be the second largest court building in the world, next to the one in London. You can walk around inside and see the building. Court No 13 has the most interesting design. There is a guided tour Mon to Sat at 10.30 am and 2.30 pm.

West of the High Court is the Law College. The Head Post Office is an Indo-Saracenic building built in 1884, located on Rajaji Salai, in the east part of George Town. The beautiful Armenian Church, on Armenia St, east of Popham’s Broadway, was built in the 18th century. North of the Armenian Church is the Catholic St Mary of the Angels, which was built in 1675.

The Old Lighthouse (1844) is located north of the fort near the High Court Building.

Government Museum
This museum, established in 1857, is on Pantheon Rd, south of Egmore Station. It has an excellent Archaeological section (stone sculptures), an art gallery, and a bronze gallery, which has the largest collection of South Indian bronze statues in the country. It has an impressive set of large standing deities of Rama, Sita, and Laksman. On one side of the bronze gallery the deities are related to Lord Vishnu and on the other to Lord Siva. There are many sculptures of Nataraja (dancing Lord Siva), and there is an excellent 11th century bronze sculpture of Nataraja. There are early Buddhist sculptures from the ruins of Amaravati and other places.

There is an Art Gallery, which has Mughal miniatures, portraits of famous British personalities and ivory carvings. The Art Gallery is located in one of the finest example of Indo-Saracenic architecture in India. There is also a Children’s Museum. The museum is open daily except Friday 9.30 am to 5 pm; admission Foreigners/Indians Rs 250/5, camera Rs 10, video Rs 50. There are free tours at 10 am, noon, 2 pm and 4 pm.

St Andrew’s Church (Kirk)
It was finished in 1821 in the classical style. From the top of the 55m (180 ft) steeple you can get an excellent view of the city. It has a circular seating pattern and a grand large blue dome with gold stars. The church has an active congregation. It is just northeast of Egmore railway station. Services on Sunday are 9 am and 6 pm.

St George’s Cathedral
Located south of Anna Salai, this white Anglican church was built in 1816. It has a 40m (132 ft) tower. There is an interesting colonial graveyard northeast of the cathedral. It is open 8 am to 6 pm and is located on Cathedral Rd, near the US Consulate.

Sri Parthasarathi Temple
The Parthasarathi Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, was built in the 8th century by the Pallava kings. Additions were made by the Chola kings and later by the Vijayanagar kings in the 16th century. This temple is one of the 108 main Vishnu Divya Desam temples. The impressive vimana (tower) over the central shrine is partially covered with gold and is called Ananda Vimana.
The presiding deity, Parthasarathi, is a form of Lord Krishna. During the battle of Kurukshetra, when the Bhagavad-gita was spoken, Lord Krishna became the chariot driver (sarathi) of Arjuna (Partha). The deity here is named after that form of Krishna. There is a separate shrine for Sri Ranganatha (Lord Vishnu), who is lying on Adi Sesa, with Lord Brahma on a lotus coming out from his naval. There are shrines dedicated to Lord Rama, Sri Varaha, Sri Narasimha and Sri Andal.

There is a festival called Teppam in Feb/March at the Karveni temple tank during which the deities are seated on a beautifully decorated illuminated teppan (boat) and taken round the temple tank.

Non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple, but converted Hindus may be able to enter. Waiting in line to see the deity takes about a half hour on a normal day. You can, however, buy a special darshan ticket for Rs 10 to bypass the line. This temple has good maha-prasada. Open 6 am to 12 noon and 4 to 10 pm.

The temple is located in the Triplicane area of town. It’s a little hard to find. Most people know where it is, but even three blocks away they cannot easily explain how to get there. It is on Peter’s Rd, about three blocks east of Triplicane High Rd, near Besant Rd.

ISKCON Temple
It is located on Burkit Road, T Nagar (434-3266). The Deities here are Rukmini-Krishna. Satyabhama, one of the eight main wives of Krishna, is also on the altar. There are also Deities of Jagannath, Baladeva and Subhadra, and Gaura-Nitai. It is a small place with no overnight guest facilities. There is a Sunday feast program for the public.

To get to the ISKCON temple you can take the #11A bus from Mount Road or any bus to Nagar Terminal in the south-central part of the city. The temple is a ten-minute walk from the bus station. Once you are in the area most people know where the Hare Krishna temple is located. It is near the Sharadha Vidyalaya Girls School.

Marine Beach
The north end of Marine Beach starts at Fort Saint George and extends south for 12km to San Thome Cathedral. It is one of the largest city beaches in the world. It is a good place to walk around in the morning or early evening. Swimming and sunbathing are not usually done here. Across from the beach are many interesting British-built colonial buildings.

There is a poorly maintained Aquarium on the seafront, near the junction of Kamarajar Salai and Bharathi Salai. South of the aquarium is the Ice House, where ice was stored after being brought from North America. There is a Sunday Market on the beach.

Birla Planetarium
It is located in Kotturpuram (416-7511). It has English programs at 10.30 am, 1 pm and 3.45 pm; admission Rs 10. It is closed on Monday.

Kapaleeswara Temple
Kapaleeswara Temple is an ancient Siva temple in the Mylapore area with an intricately carved gopuram, towering 37m (120 ft) high. The temple has a large Siva-linga and a deity of Subrahmanya (Kartikeya). There are also bronze images of the 63 Shaivite Nayanmar saints. Two of them are from Mylapore.

In the courtyard of the temple is a shrine dedicated to Parvati, the consort of Lord Siva, in the form of a peahen worshipping a linga. This commemorates when Parvati allowed her attention to be distracted from Siva when she saw a peacock beautifully dancing at a distance. Siva became angry because of this and cursed her to become a peahen. Parvati became a peahen (mayil) and came to Kapali-nagar (present day Mylapore) and started to do rigorous austerities to please Lord Siva. After many years she became successful and rejoined Lord Siva. Thereafter this area became known as Mayilapore or Mylapore.

In 1566 the Portuguese destroyed the original temple. The present temple was built in the 16th century by the Vijayanagar kings.

Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum. Important festivals are the boat festival called Tai Pusham (Jan/Feb), when deities of Siva and Parvati go around the temple tank in a decorated boat; and Brahmotsava (March/April), which celebrates the marriage of Siva and Parvati. On the eighth day of the festival the 63 bronze images of the Nayanmar saints are taken in procession onto the streets to meet the deities of Siva and Parvati. During the Vasantha Festival (May/June) there are musical concerts.

The temple is open 4 am to noon and 4 to 8 pm. It is located in the southern suburb of Chennai off Kutchery Rd in the Mylapore area. Bus #21 from Anna Salai or the High Court comes here.

San Thome Cathedral Basilica
This church (1504) is built over the tomb of the apostle St Thomas. It is believed that St Thomas came to India in 52 AD and that he died in 78 AD, 26 years later. At this time his body was buried near the sea. About 1,000 years later, his remains were moved to a site further inland and a church was built. In 1606 the church was renovated and made into a cathedral. It was rebuilt as a basilica in 1896 in the neo-Gothic style. This cathedral has a 55m (180 ft) steeple. Pope John Paul II said a mass here in 1986 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of San Thome’s status as a basilica.

It is located at the southern end of the Marina on Kamarajar Salai (South Beach Rd) in the Mylapore area. Open daily 7 am to 7 pm. The small museum here has a 16th century map of South Asia and is usually open Mon to Fri 9 am to noon and 3 to 6 pm.

Little Mount and Saint Thomas Mount (Great Mount)
Little Mount is a complex of caves and two churches located 6km southwest of the southern edge of the Marina, 8km south of the center of the city. It is believed that the impressions in the rock-cave here are Saint Thomas’s handprints. There is a church here built by the Portuguese in 1551 and a newer church built in 1971 called Our Lady of Health. Behind this church is a holy water spring, which is said to have been created when St Thomas hit the rock, so that the people who had come to hear him could drink some water. You can get here by the commuter train (get off at Saidapet).

About 5km south of Little Mount, is Saint Thomas Mount (Great Mount), which is where St Thomas is said to have been killed. Our Lady of Expectation Church, reached by walking up over 100 steps (90m), was built by the Portuguese in 1523. The altar is said to mark the exact spot where St Thomas died. It was constructed over a site that had a church built by Armenian traders a thousand years before. There is a painting over the altar that is said to have been painted by St Luke. The cross made of stone, which is said to have been hand-carved by St Luke, is said to have bled in 1558. When the Portuguese rebuilt the church they found what is believed to be the tomb of St Thomas, which contained a few bones, a lance head and a pot which had bloodstained dirt in it. These relics can be viewed on request. You can get here by commuter train.

South Chennai

Guindy National Park, 1km south of Little Mount, has deer, chital, black buck and monkeys. There is also a Snake Park (open daily except Tues 9 am to 5 pm; admission Rs 3, camera Rs 5, video Rs 100), which has over 500 species of snakes and monitor lizards, alligators, and chameleons. You can get here by the commuter train. It is not a very interesting park.

Valluvar Kottam, south of the Nungambakkam district, 5km south of Little Mount, is a memorial to the poet Thiruvalluvar. Located here is a huge 33m high stone temple chariot, which weights 2,700 tons. There are engraved verses from Thirukkural by Thiruvalluvar, which is considered to be a Tamil classic. Next to the memorial is an auditorium that can hold 4,000 people. Open daily 9 am to 7 pm.

The Theosophical Society Headquarters (413-528), Besant Ave, near Elliot’s Beach, has several shrines and a library which contains many religious and philosophical books (open daily 8 to 10 am and 2 to 4 pm, Sat 8 to 11 am). It is a peaceful place and it has a gigantic 400-year-old banyan tree, which is one of the largest in the world. The Theosophical Society, established in 1875 by Colonel Olcott and Madame Petrovna Balavatsky, preaches the equality of all religions. Its headquarters moved to Chennai in 1882. It is also known as Besant Gardens.

Music and Dance
Chennai is known for its Bharat Natyam dance performances. The Government of India Tourist Office (852-4785) has a list of cultural events. In the Hindu Express newspaper, on page 3, there is a list of events and their Friday edition has a list of the events for the following week. The Indian Express also list events.

During the Carnatic Music & Dance Festival, performances by famous dancers and musicians are held in various venues in Chennai from mid-December to mid-January. You can contact the Government of India Tourist Office for information about the festival.

The Music Academy (827-5619), Dr Radhakrishnan Salai and TTK Rd, has many Bharata Natyam Dance and classical Carnatic music performances. A good seat is around Rs 200. The Daily Hindu or the tourist office lists what events are happening here. There are many performances here during the 3-week Music Festival starting in mid-December.

Kalakshetra (Temple of Art) has dance and music performances. It is a school dedicated to dance, music, weaving and traditional crafts, which takes up a large 100-acre campus in south Chennai in the Tiruvanmiyur area. Students live here and study under a guru using traditional methods.

There is bunk class for Rs 1100, but foreigners are usually not allowed to take this class. There is 2nd class (four to six-berth) for Rs 2600, 1st class (two or four-berth) for Rs 3000, and deluxe (two-berth) for 3600. Meals on board cost about Rs 120 a day.

Chennai Hotels

Around Egmore Station and on Poonamallee High Rd, between Central and Egmore railway stations, there is a good selection of mid-range hotels and a few budget places. The cheapest hotels are in the George Town area, between North Beach Rd, NSC Bose Rd, and Mint Rd. The high-range hotels are mostly on Anna Salai (Mount Rd) and the roads that run off it. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a room in Chennai, especially in December and January.

Lower—Anna Salai (Mount Rd) and Other
Broadlands (2845-5573), 16 Vallabha Agraharam St, by the Star Cinema and Triplicane High Rd, is a very popular place with backpackers. Very clean rooms with common bath are Rs 250/300 and Rs 370 with bath. Larger doubles are Rs 550. It has dorm beds for Rs 100. It is usually full of budget travelers and is a good place to meet people. It is an older place, which has a few nice courtyards. They rent bikes. Usually the higher the room number, the better the room, the rooms on the upper floor are better. A prepaid taxi to Broadlands is about Rs 35 from Egmore station. This is the type of place you immediately like or don’t like.
Sam Mansions, 29 Quaide Milleth Salai, not far from the Broadlands Hotel, has rooms with bath for Rs 380. The rooms are better than those in the Broadlands, but it lacks the atmosphere.
Hotel Himalaya (847-7522), 54 Quaide Milleth Salai, is a clean place that has good-size rooms with hot water for Rs 250/300. It is well-managed and the rooms have balconies. It has a vegetarian restaurant.
Hotel Comfort (2858-7661; fax 2845-9671), 22 Vallabha Agraharam St, near the Broadlands, has modern rooms with TV for Rs 400/450 and Rs 700 with A/C. The rooms on the ground floor can be very loud, as noise carries down the hall from the lobby.

Lower—Egmore
It is best to get a hotel as early as possible in this area. By the afternoon it can be very difficult to find a room.
There are Retiring Rooms at Egmore and Central railway stations for Rs 225 for a double room and Rs 850 for an A/C room. Dorm beds are Rs 90.
Salvation Army Guest House (532-1821), 15 Ritherdon Rd, has clean, quiet rooms with common bath for Rs 200/250 and dorm beds for Rs 50. Checkout time is 9 am.
People’s Lodge (853-5938), 18 Whannels Rd, is an old, popular place with basic double rooms with bath for Rs 125/175. It is usually full.
Dayal De Lodge (822-7328), 486 Pantheon Rd, has rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 225/300. It is quieter than other hotels in the area.
Sri Laksmi Lodge (825-4576), 16 Kennet Lane, has good, clean, quiet rooms with bath, built around a courtyard, for Rs 250/350. A room with common bath is Rs 150/200. Should be booked in advance.
Alarmel Lodge (825-1248), 17-18 Gandhi Irwin Rd, just opposite Egmore Station, has rooms with common bath for Rs 80/110. This place is usually full.
Hotel Majestic, Kennet’s Lane, has rooms with common bath for Rs 125/160 and Rs 150/200 with attached bath.
Tourist Home (2825-0079), 21 Gandhi Irwin Rd, opposite the railway station, is a recommended, popular place with good rooms with attached bath for Rs 400/550 and Rs 700 with A/C. It is often full.
Hotel Impala Continental (825-0484), 12 Gandhi Irwin Rd, has clean rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 200/275 and Rs 425/475 with A/C. It is a good value and is often full. It is a large place built around a quiet courtyard. You can rent a TV for Rs 40. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Vagai (834-959), nearby at 3 Gandhi Irwin Rd, by Egmore Station, has rooms for Rs 400/450 and Rs 600 with A/C. It has a veg restaurant.
Hotel Imperial (2819-3954), 6 Gandhi Irwin Rd, has room for Rs 250/400 and Rs 650/750 with A/C. It is built around a courtyard and has two restaurants. It is a decent value.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu (589-132), 3 Periyar EVR High Rd, has double rooms with bath for Rs 350. Some of the rooms are poorly maintained and noisy.

Lower—George Town and Other
The Hotel Surat (589-236), 138 Prakasam Rd, above the Madras Cafe, has rooms with common bath for Rs 125/200 and Rs 175/225 with bath. The front rooms can be really noisy.
Katheeja Mansions (535-2252), 117 Angappa Naicken St, at the corner of Erablu Chetty St, has singles with common bath for Rs 175 and Rs 250/350 for a double/triple with bath. An A/C room is Rs 400.
TTDC Youth Hostel (589-132), by Central Station on Poonamallee High Rd, has poorly maintained rooms with attached bath for Rs 300 and dorm beds for Rs 70. It can be a little noisy.
The Youth Hostel (412-882), 2nd Ave, Indira Nagar, in south Chennai, has dorm beds for Rs 30 for members and Rs 50 for non-members. You can also camp in the garden. It is best to call in advance to reserve a bed. They have cheap thali meals.

Where to Stay—Middle
Egmore The Kanchi Hotel (827-1100; fax 827-2928), 28 C-in-C Rd (Ethiraj Salai), is a recommended place that has large rooms with hot water for Rs 700 and Rs 1000 with A/C. The rooms have small balconies and are built around a courtyard. This hotel has two veg restaurants, one on the rooftop and the other on the ground floor. A good value.
Hotel Pandian (825-2901; fax 825-8459), 9 Kennet Lane, is a good value with comfortable, clean rooms with cable TV for Rs 600/700 and Rs 850/950 with A/C. It is a popular place. It has a good restaurant and accepts credit cards.
YWCA Guest House (532-4234; fax 532-4263), 1086 Periyar EVR High Rd, has very clean good-sized rooms for Rs 450/550 and Rs 650/750 with A/C. It has a nice garden. It takes both men and women, and is a good value, so it should be booked well in advance. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Chandra Towers (825-3344; fax 825-1703), 9 Gandhi Irwin Rd, has modern, smallest rooms for Rs 1000/1200. It has a good restaurant and a 24-hour coffee shop.
Dasaprakash Hotel (2825-5111; fax 2611-0892), 100 Poonamallee High Rd by Central railway station, is a recommended place with clean rooms for Rs 650/800 and Rs 800/1000 with A/C. It has a quiet landscaped roof garden. It also has a good veg restaurant that packs lunches.
Hotel Palm Grove (2827-1881), 5 Kodambakkam High (MGR Salai) Rd, Nungambakkam, is a good place with clean rooms for Rs 900/1100 and Rs 1000/1300 with A/C. Some rooms have small balconies and there are cottages.
Udipi Home (825-1515) is a well-managed place with clean rooms for Rs 260/370 and Rs 400/480 with A/C.

Other Areas The Hotel Ranjith (2827-0521; fax 2827-7688), 9 Nungambakkam High Rd, is a good place, near the consulates and airline offices. It has very clean rooms with TV for Rs 950/1200 and Rs 1550/1750 with A/C. It has two restaurants, one veg and the other non-veg.
New Woodlands Hotel (2827-3111; fax 2826-0460), 72/75 Dr Radhakrishnan Rd, Mylapore, is a recommended place with a pool (non-guest can use for Rs 100). Clean and well-maintained rooms with hot water and A/C are Rs 900/1000. It has a good vegetarian restaurant and a pool table. Rooms have a balcony and a western toilet.
Nilgiri’s Nest (2827-5222; fax 2826-0214), 58 Dr Radhakrishnan Salai, in the Mylapore area, has modern, good, clean rooms for Rs 1350/2300 with breakfast included upto Rs1900/3200. It has a good restaurant. It is a good place.

Where to Stay—High
Most of the high-end hotels are on Nungambakkam High Rd, southwest of Anna Salai. Some are located just off Anna Salai. Most of these hotels have a pool, central A/C and a Continental restaurant.
New Victoria (2825-3638; fax 2825-0070), 3 Kennet’s Lane, close to Egmore Station, has rooms for Rs 1300/1500 and A/C deluxe rooms for Rs 1550/1900. It is modern, clean and quiet.
The Grand Orient (Madras International Hotel) (852-4111; fax 852-3412), 693 Anna Salai, is a good place with comfortable rooms for Rs 1250/1900. It is clean and quiet. It does not have a pool.
Hotel President (2853-2211; fax 2832-299), 16 Dr Radhakrishnan Rd, Mylapore, is a large place with good-sized rooms for Rs 1500/2000.
Nearby, the modern Hotel Savera (2827-4700; fax 2827-3475), 69 Dr Radhakrishnan Rd, has comfortable rooms for Rs 2500/3000. It has a pool.
Residency Hotel (2825-3434; fax 2825-0085: Email: resmds@vsnl.com), 49 GN Chetty Rd, has rooms for Rs 2400/3000. It does not have a pool. It is well-managed. It has a Chinese restaurant and 24-hour coffee shop.
Indian Express Guest House (858-6614), Club House Rd, near the Government of India Tourist Office, has spacious, clean A/C rooms for Rs 1400/1600, with breakfast.
The four-star Ambassador Pallava (2855-4476 fax 2855-4492), 53 Montieth Rd, has modern comfortable rooms for Rs 2850/3300 and much higher. Non-guests can use the pool for Rs 250. The restaurant here has good buffets.
Quality Inn Aruna (825-9090; fax 825-8282), 144 Sterling Rd, Nungambakkam, has a pool, health club and a nice lobby. Rooms are Rs 2600/3200. It has a very good restaurant.

Where to Stay—Luxury
Hotel Taj Coromandel (852-0123; fax 852-3361), 17 Nungambakkam High Rd, has excellent rooms for $160/170 and an impressive lobby. It is conveniently located and has a good pool. The best rooms are the big older ones which have a verandah facing the pool.
Taj Hotel Connemara (285-20123; fax 285-23361), Binny Rd, near Anna Salai, is a first-class luxury hotel with comfortable rooms for $150/160. It has a pool and a good bookshop. Some rooms have a river view. It is usually booked from December to March.
Welcomgroup Chola Sheraton (2828-0101; fax 2827-8779), 10 Cathedral Rd, has rooms for Rs 4000/4300 to Rs 6900/7200. It has a marble lobby, a pool and a health club.
Park Sheraton Hotel & Tower (2499-4101; fax 2499-7101), 132 TTK Rd, is a very luxurious place with an opulent lobby, health club and pool. Rooms range from $120/140 to $190/200. It has three very good restaurants.
Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza (234-8976), 1 GST Road, has rooms for $140/150.
Away from the downtown is the five-star, Trident Oberoi (234-4747; fax 234-6699), 1/24 GST Rd, which has pleasant gardens and a pool. It is convenient to the airport, which is 4km away. Rooms are $140/170. The best rooms face the pool. It has a convenient 12-hour rate. One of its restaurant has Thai food.

Chennai Restaurants

Copper Chimney (827-5770), 74 Cathedral Rd, is a popular place with an elegant decor. It is open 7.30 to 11.30 pm. A meal cost around Rs 200.
Fruit Shop (823-3548), 11 Greams Rd, makes fruit juices with mineral water. The “sheikh shake” made of dates and nuts is good. No artificial items are used. Open 10 am to 8 pm.
Madras Cafe, Prakasam Rd, in George Town, has good, cheap thalis.
Bhoopathy Cafe, opposite Egmore station, is a good place.
Omar Khayyam, in the Hotel Imperial in Egmore, is good.
Vasanta Bhavan, at the intersection of Kennet’s Lane and Gandhi Irwin Rd, Egmore, is a popular place.
Hotel Tirumulai, Quaide Milleth Salai, Triplicane, serves good thalis on banana leaves and has good dosas.
Srinivasa Hotel, Ellis St, Triplicane, is a good place.
Aavin, Anna Salai, near the Government tourist office, has good lassis, cold milk and ice cream.
Hotel Palmgrove (827-7161), 5 Kodambakkam High Road, has two restaurants. One, the Menaka, is a South Indian place with good thalis and the other, Oorvasi, is an A/C tandoori restaurant.
Nilgiri Dairy Farm, next to Nilgiri’s Nest Hotel, Dr Radhakrishnan Salai, is a good supermarket. It is closed Tuesdays.

Where to Eat—Pure Vegetarian
Chennai has some of the best vegetarian restaurants in India.
Mathura Restaurant (831-777), Tarapore Towers on Anna Salai, is one of the better vegetarian restaurants in India. It is a big, very popular place and is recommended. The Vegetable-pulau, Vegetable Imperial, and Macaroni are all very good. They have a good lunch thali for Rs 75.
Woodland’s Drive-In (471-981), 29/30 Cathedral Rd, 6 am to 9 pm, serves excellent food and is a recommended place set in a garden.
Also recommended is the New Woodlands Hotel (827-3111), 72/75 Dr Radhakrishnan Road, which serves good thalis, South Indian, and tandoori food.
Balaaji Woodlands in the Vee Yes Hotel is a good restaurant.
Yamuna Restaurant, at the lower end of Anna Salai, is a good place. It is clean, reasonably priced, and has tasty food, good lassi and ice cream.
Hotel New Maharaja, 307 Quaide Milleth Salai, by Broadlands, has cheap meals. The “limited meal” (not on the menu and only during lunch) is dirt cheap. It also has good ice cream and sweets.
Hotel Dasaprakash (825-5111), 100 Poonamallee High Road, (9 am to 6 pm) and AVM Dasa (House of Dasaprakash Ice Cream), 806 Anna Salai, are excellent places. They have salads, ice cream and meals for around Rs 150.
Annalakshmi (855-0296), 804 Anna Salai, managed by devotees of Shivanjali, is an excellent place. A thali is Rs 150 and the special thali is Rs 250. Open daily except Mon, noon to 3 pm and 7.30 to 10 pm.
Saravana Bhavan, 77 Usman Rd, T Nagar, near Ranganathan Street Market (Mambalam Station), is a very good, popular place that serves cheap South Indian food. They have a deluxe “Tamil Nadu meal.” On the ground floor they serve snacks, and on the upper floor there is an A/C restaurant. They have a lunch thali, and from 3 to 11.30 pm they serve North India food and pizzas. They have several other branches in Chennai. They have a branch on NSC Bose Rd in George Town.
Matsya Restaurant, at the Udipi Home Hotel (825-1515), 1 Hall Road, Egmore (7.30 am to 12 midnight), is a recommended A/C place.

Restaurants in Luxury Hotels
Hotel Connemara The Rain Tree Restaurant has an excellent outdoor location and good Chettinad cuisine. Some nights they have live classical Carnatic music and Bharata Natyam dance performances. A meal here costs around Rs 400. In the Verandah Coffee Shop there is an excellent lunch buffet for Rs 300. There is also a good bakery.
Ambassador Pallava The Other Room has very good Continental dishes. A main dish is about Rs 100 and the excellent lunch buffets are Rs 200.
Welcomgroup Chola Sheraton The Peshwari has really good Northwest frontier cuisine. The pleasant rooftop (good views) Sagari restaurant has a lunchtime buffet and good Chinese food. There is a dinner buffet in the 24-hour coffee shop, the Mercara.
Welcomgroup Park Sheraton It has the excellent Dakshin South Indian restaurant. The Residency has Indian, Chinese and Western cuisine.
Hotel Taj Coromandel There are buffet meals in the Pavilion restaurant. During dinner a different cuisine is featured each night. Golden Dragon has good Chinese food.
Trident Oberoi The Shanghai has good Thai and Chinese food.

Chennai Travel

Local Travel
There is a 25% over the meter charge for auto-rickshaws. An auto-rickshaw from Central or Egmore to Anna Salai or Triplicane is about Rs 30.

Bala Tourist Service (822-4444), 132A KH Rd, rents cars for the day at reasonable prices.

You can rent a moped or motorcycle from U-Rent Services Ltd (491-0838), 36 2nd Main Rd, Gandhi Nagar. A moped is around Rs 100 for a day. You can rent a Kinetic Honda from Vee Rent (828-1275), 15/1 Raja Bather St, near Pondy Bazaar police station for Rs 150 a day. Picnic Hotel (588-828), 1132 Periyar EVR High Rd, also rent motorcycles.

Local Train
There is a suburban railway that can be used to go from Central station to Egmore, Egmore to George Town, and to the airport. There are both second and first class compartments. It runs between 4.30 am and 11 pm and is usually only crowded during the rush hours (7 to 9 am and 5 to 7 pm). You buy a ticket before getting on the train.

The train route is: North Beach (near the Head Post Office), Fort, Park (Central station), Egmore, Nungambakkam, Kodambakkam, Mambalam, Saidapet (Little Mount Church), Guindy, St Thomas Mount, and Tirusulam (airport).

Taxi Warning In Chennai the taxi drivers can take advantage of tourists. They often refuse to use the meter and will then ask 4 or 5 times the normal fare.

Local Buses
The seats on the left side of the bus and in the back are usually reserved for women.
Parry’s Corner to Egmore and Central stations—Numbers 9, 9A, 9B, 10, 17D, 17E, 17 K.
Egmore to Wallajah Rd (for Broadlands)—22, 27B, 29A
Egmore to Anna Salai and Triplicane area—16, 23C, 27, 27B, 27D, 29, 29ACentral station and Parry’s Corner to Triplicane High Rd (Broadlands)—31,32, 32A
Parry’s Corner to Anna Salai—11, 11A, 11B, 11D, 17A, 18, 18J
TTC bus stand on Esplanade Rd to Anna Salai—30, 31, 32
Airport to Anna Salai—18J, 70J
Airport to Parry’s Corner, 18R, 52, 60
Anna Salai to Mylapore—21

To/From the Airport
There are pre-paid taxis at the airport that cost about Rs 200 to most of the bigger hotels and Rs 225 to the railway stations. A taxi to Mamallapuram costs Rs 650 from the airport. An auto-rickshaw to the airport costs about Rs 100 during the day and Rs 150 at night.

There is an airport bus (Rs 50 during the day and Rs 80 at night) that goes to the major hotels, Broadlands, and ends at Egmore Station. You buy a ticket at the counter next to the taxi counters. If the counter is closed, you purchase a ticket on the bus. Taxi drivers may tell you that the bus is not running when the counter is closed.

Public buses can be very crowded and it is not such a good way to get to the airport, especially if you have heavy luggage. Buses #18J, #52, #52 A-D, and #55A start at Parry’s Corner and run along Anna Salai to the airport.

The suburban train from Egmore Station stops at Tirusulam station, which is about half a km from the airport. The train runs from 4.30 am to 11 pm and takes about 20 minutes. This train is often packed during rush hours.

Travel
Air At Meenambakkam Airport, 17km southwest of the city center, there are two terminals—one International and the other Domestic; about a minute walk apart. There is a 24-hour post office in the International terminal and a Tamil Nadu Tourist Counter by the exit, which can help arrange accommodations. There is a free phone that can be used to call hotels right after you collect your baggage in the International Airport.

From Chennai there are direct international flights to and from New York, London, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. There are also flights all over India.

Air India flies to New York, London, Singapore, Kuwait and Kuala Lumpur; British Airways flies to London; Singapore Airlines to Singapore; and Malaysian Airlines to Kuala Lumpur.

There are flights to Bangalore (5 daily, $75), Bhubaneswar (3 weekly, $190), Calcutta (2 daily, $210), Kochi (1 daily, $110), Colombo (2 daily, $140), Delhi (6 daily, $245), Goa (5 weekly, $135), Hyderabad (2 daily, $140), Madurai (daily, $85), Mumbai (8 daily, $160), Port Blair (1 or 2 daily, $200), Pune (daily, $160), Tiruchirapalli (6 weekly, $80) and Thiruvananthapuram (daily, $110).

International Airlines
Air France
Pelican Air, Whites Rd (825-0295)
Air India
19 Marshalls Rd, Egmore (855-4477)
Air Lanka
76 Cathedral Rd (826-1535)
Brithish Airways
Khalili Centre, Monthieth, Egmore (855-4680)
Cathay Pacific
Spencer Plaza, 769 Anna Salai (825-6318)
Gulf Air
52 Monthieth Rd
Kuwait Airways
55 Monthieth Rd, Egmore (826-1331)
Lufthansa
167 Anna Salai (852-5095)
Malaysian Airlines
498 Anna Salai (434-9291)
Qantas
Eldorado Building, 112 Nungambakkam High Rd (827-8680)
Singapore Airlines
167 Anna Salai (852-1872)
Swiss Air
191 Anna Salai (826-1583)
Thai International
198 Anna Salai (450-440)
Domestic Airlines
Indian Airlines
19 Marshalls Rd, Egmore: open 8am to 8 pm (855-3039; fax 855-5208)
Jet Airways
43 Montieth Rd, Egmore (855-5353)
Sahara
(827-1961; Airport 233-0056)

Train There are two railway stations in Chennai. Chennai Central is bigger and is connected with most of the major cities in India from the north, east, west, and a few southern cities. From Chennai Egmore, metre-gauge trains depart to cities all over the south. Both stations are on Periyar EVR High Rd, in the north part of the city, 1½ km apart, not far from the hotels on Gandhi Irwin Rd. There is a prepaid taxi stand at Chennai Central railway station.

The reservation office at Chennai Central is on the upper floor of the building, next to the station. There is a “Tourist Cell” that handles tourist quota bookings and Indrail Passes. It is a useful office, but you must purchase tickets with foreign currency. It sells tickets for trains that depart from either station. In this same reservation office you can make reservations for trains that originate in Calcutta, Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and many other places (at different counters). Open Mon to Sat 8 am to 8 pm, and 8 am to 2 pm on Sunday. The booking office at Egmore Station, up the stairs near the main entrance, has no tourist counter. There is a Railway Booking Counter at the airport.

Chennai has very good rail connections. From Egmore, the Rameswaram Exp #6701 (8.45 pm) goes to Rameswaram (18 hr) via Tiruchirappalli (10 hr). Rameswaram Sethu Exp #6713 (1 pm, 15½ hr). To Madurai, the Pandyan Exp #6717 (8 pm, 11 hr) and the fast Vaigai Exp #2635 (12.25 pm, 8 hr) via Tiruchirappalli (5½ hr). Trains also depart from Egmore to go to Thanjavur (9 hr) and Chidambaram (6 hr).

Most other trains depart from Chennai Central. Bangalore Lalbagh Exp #2607 (3.45 pm, 6 hr), Brindavan Exp #2639 (7.15 am, 6 hr), Bangalore Mail #6007 (10.10 pm, 7½ hr), and the fully A/C Shatabdi Exp #2007 (6 am, 5 hr; except Tue); Calcutta Coromandel Exp #2842 (9.05 am, 28 hr), Howrah Mail #6004 (10.30 pm, 33 hr); Coimbatore Shatabdi Exp #2023 (3.10 pm, 7 hr); Delhi Tamil Nadu Exp #2621 (10 pm, daily, 34 hr), Grand Trunk Exp #2615 (4.30 pm, 37 hr), Rajdhani Exp #2433 (12 noon, 29 hr; Fri, Sun); Guntakal (for Hospet) Chennai-Mumbai Mail #6010 (9.40 pm, 9 hr); Hyderabad Charminar Exp #2759 (6.10 pm, 13 hr); Kochi (Cochin) Alleppey Exp #6041 (9.30 pm, 14 hr); Mettupalayam Nilgiri Exp (8.15 pm, 10 hr) Mumbai Chennai-Dadar Exp #1064 (6.50 am, 24 hr), Chennai-Mumbai Exp 6012 (11.45 am, 26 hr); Mysore Shatabdi Exp #2007 (6 am, 7 hr; except Tues), Chennai-Mysore Exp #6222 (10.35 pm, 12½ hr); Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) Trivandrum Mail #6319 (6.55 pm, 17 hr); Varanasi Ganga Kaveri Exp (5.30, 39 hr; Mon, Sat).

There are four express trains a day to Tirupati Shatabdi Exp #2035 (5.45 am, 2½ hr), Saptagiri Exp #6057 (6.25 am, 3 hr), Chennai Tirupati Exp #6053 (1.50 pm, 3 hr). Sometimes in the busy season the tourist quota can be totally used up for a train to Calcutta and you may not be able to get a train for a week. You could take a train to Tirupati and can usually book a train for the next day, as there is a daily direct train from there to Bhubaneswar and Calcutta.

Bus There are two long-distance bus stations in Chennai—Thiruvalluvar (Express bus stand) and Broadway—opposite each other, in George Town, by the High Court building off NSC Bose Rd.

The Tamil Nadu state bus company, also called the Thiruvalluvar Transport Corporation (TTC), has a reservation office (534-1835) upstairs, where you can book a bus in advance for most places. The booking office is open daily 4 am to 11 pm. You can get the Bus Route Guide & Map at the enquiry office downstairs for Rs 5. It has a good map of Tamil Nadu and a detailed schedule of the Thiruvalluvar bus routes.

Thiruvalluvar station mainly serves just Tamil Nadu. Broadway station has buses to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. The station is chaotic, but there are young boys here that will help you get on your bus for a few rupees. You can purchase tickets for some buses at the Tamil Nadu Development Corp Tourist Office.
State buses to Mamallapuram (2½ hr, 60km, Rs 10) leave from Broadway State bus station on Prakasam Rd. The #188, #188 A/B/D and K are faster buses and the #19C and #119A take a little longer. If you take the #19 and #119A along the coast you can get off the bus at the hotels just north of Mamallapuram. From the Mofussil bus stand near Esplanade you take the #19A, #19C, and #68 buses to get to Mamallapuram.

Public buses to Kanchipuram leave from Parry’s Corner by the High Court where the Esplanade meets First Line Beach. Buses #41 and #76B take two hours. Express buses to Tirupati (#802, 4 hr) depart from the Thiruvalluvar bus station at 8.15 am, 3.30 pm and 8.30 pm. There are many regular buses to Tirupati, but they are slow, taking indirect routes.

There are private bus companies that have deluxe video buses that go to Madurai, Bangalore, Tiruchirappalli, and other places. They charge about the same price as the state buses, but are more comfortable, except they may have noisy videos. Their offices are mainly in the Egmore area.

Buses From Chennai To:

Bangalore 9-11 hr 30 daily
Chidambaram 5-7 hr 20 daily
Hyderabad 18-20 hr 4 daily
Kanchipuram 2 hr 45 daily
Kanyakumari 16-18 hr 6 daily
Kumbakonam 7-8 hr 5 daily
Madurai 10 hr 15 daily
Mamallapuram 2-3 hr 50 daily
Mysore 16 hr 1 daily
Pondicherry 5 hr 60 daily
Rameswaram 14 hr 1 daily
Thanjavur 11 hr 13 daily
Tiruchirappalli 8-9 hr 30 daily
Tirupati 3-4 hr 20 daily
Tiruvannamalai 5-6 hr 20 daily
Thiruvananthapuram 17 hr 4 daily

Boat to Andaman and Nicobar
Boat schedules often change, so you should ask present timings.

The MV Nancowry departs from Chennai to Port Blair every 10 days. The trip takes three or four days. Once a month the boat goes via Nicobar. Foreigners can not go to Nicobar and they can not use this boat between May and August.

You get a ticket for this boat at the Directorate of Shipping Services (522-6873), near Gate 5, 6 Rajaji Salai (opposite the Customs House) in George Town. Foreigners have to get a permit to visit the Andaman Islands before purchasing a ticket (see visa and permit section in Andaman Island chapter).

Chidambaram

Pop: 69,000 Area
Phone Code: 04144

The name Chidambaram comes from chid–human thinking, consciousness, and ambaram–the expanse of the skies or heaven, or “expanding consciousness.” It is near the coast, 60km south of Pondicherry on the way to Thanjavur. It is the home of the famous Sabhanayaka Nataraja Temple, which was built by Vira Chola Raja in the 10th century. Nataraja is a deity of dancing Siva. From 907 to 1310 Chidambaram was the capital of the Chola kings.

Orientation and Information
The Chidambaram temple is in the middle of the town surrounded by East Car Street, South Car Street, West Car Street and North Car Street.

The GPO, State Bank of India (does not exchange money) and shops are on these streets.

The Tourist Office (22739) is next to the Hotel Tamil Nadu.

You can change money at the Indian Bank, 64 S Car St; State Bank of India, Pava Mudali St; and Central Bank, 62 Bazaar St.

The GPO is on North Car Street. Postal Code 608001.

There are places to rent bikes on South Car St (Rs 2 a hour).

Sabhanayaka Nataraja Siva Temple
This is the original temple dedicated to the Nataraja form of Lord Siva (the Celestial Dancer), where Lord Siva is found in his famous Ananda Tandavam dancing pose, with one leg in the air and having four arms. He defeated goddess Kali in a dance contest. It is a huge temple, which takes up an area of about 40 acres.

It is said that there has been a temple here for thousands of years. A Kashmiri king,

Simhavarman II (550-575 AD), came here in the 6th century in the hope that by bathing in the tank near the ancient Nataraja Temple he would be cured of leprosy. After bathing in the tank, he quickly became cured. He then arranged to have the temple enlarged and the 3,000 priest who had come with him from Kashmir stayed to serve in the temple. The priests are known as Dikshitars and they have a knot of hair in the front of their heads. They marry amongst themselves.

The present 10th century temple was begun during the reign of Vira Chola Raja. The temple was expanded over the next 500 years. The western gopuram, which has 108 dance poses on it, dates from the 12th century. The eastern gopuram, which is covered with elaborate sculptures, dates from the 13th century. Raja Krishnadeva Raya of Vijayanagar reconstructed the temple in 1520.
The outer wall is 550m (1800 ft) long and 450m (1480 ft) east to west. The temple is spectacular with four huge gopurams towering almost 50m (165 ft) high. The north and south gopurams are 49 metres high. The east and west temple gopurams are elaborately carved with the 108 classical dancing postures of Nataraja. Siva is believed to have invented 108 different dances out of which the most famous is the “Tandava.”

Non-Hindus are technically not allowed in the inner sanctum. The Dikshitars act as the guides for the temple. It may be a good idea to hire one because they can enable you to bypass the ban on temple entry.

The temple is in the northern part of the city. It takes at least an hour to see it. The temple is open from 4 am to 12 noon and 4.30 pm to 9 pm. The evening 6 pm puja is the most interesting. On Friday nights, Nataraja is carried on a palanquin in procession, with priests triumphantly carrying tridents and torches.

Third Enclosure
If you enter the western gopurams and turn left, you come to the Siva-ganga tank, which measures 100m (330 ft) by 50m (165 ft).

In front of the northern gopuram is a shrine dedicated to the nine planets. There is a 13th century temple dedicated to Subrahmanya (Kartikeya) in the northwest part of the temple. In this temple are paintings depicting pastimes from the Skanda Purana. South of this temple is the 12th century temple dedicated to Parvati, who is known here as Sivakamasundari. It has 17th century ceiling paintings, some of which depict the curing of Hiranya Varna Chakravarti of leprosy.

There are five halls within the temple. In the northeast corner is the Rajah Sabha (14th to 15th century) which is the hall of 1,000 (actually 999) pillars. It is 102m (340 ft) long and 57m (190 ft) wide. The pillars are finely carved granite monoliths. During festivals, the deities of Lord Siva and Sivakamasundari are brought here for abhishek (sacred bathing).

In the south part of the temple, there is a Nandi shrine, Siva’s bull carrier. In the southwest corner of the temple is a shrine containing one of the largest deities in India of Ganesh (the elephant-headed son of Lord Siva). If you stand with your back to Ganesh inside the entrance mandapa, you can see the carving of two devotees of Nataraja: on the right side is the sage Patanjali, who has a snake body, and on the left is Vyaghrapada, who has a human body with tiger’s feet.

Second Enclosure
On the north side of this enclosure is the Mulathana, which has the svayambhu-linga (self-manifested linga) that was worshiped by Vyaghrapada and Patanjali. On the east side is the Deva Sabha, or “Hall of the Gods,” which is where the Dikshitar Brahmin temple managers have their meetings. Located here are bronze deities, which are used during processions.

The Nritya Sabha (Dance Hall), in the southwest part of the second enclosure, marks the place where Lord Siva out-danced Kali. It is carved like a giant chariot. In this hall are 56 pillars with carving on them, which represent different dance poses. The sculptures in this hall are considered to be some of the best in all of India.

Inner Enclosure
What is unique about this Siva temple is that within its compound there is also a major Divya Desam Vishnu temple dating to the 14th century. This shrine is dedicated to Govindaraja, Lord Vishnu, who is reclining on Ananta Sesa. The deity is worshiped by Sri Vaishnava pujaris (priests).

Chit Sabha (Chit Ambalam), the inner sanctum of Nataraja, is a beautiful room covered with hammered silver, leading into the main altar, with doors and steps of solid silver. The roof of the temple is gold-plated, therefore it is called Ponnambalam (pon–gold, ambalam–temple).
The deity of Lord Siva is made of five metals. In two of his hands are the drum of creation and the flame of destruction. The Lord is worshiped here in two forms— Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, and as the Akasha-linga. To the left of Nataraja is a curtain with a string of golden bilva leaves in front of it. Behind this curtain is the Akasha-linga, know as the Rahasya or “secret”, which is made of the most subtle element, ether (akasha), or space. This linga is one of the five element lingas. It is invisible.

In the Kanaka Sabha a crystal linga is worshiped, which is said to have emanated from the crescent moon on the forehead of Lord Siva.

Two large bells, drums, cymbals and nagaswarams (reed-wind instruments) are played loudly during worship.

Temple Story
The story of the temple is that Kali (Parvati) was once the patron goddess of the Tillai Forest (what is now the city of Chidambaram). Lord Siva came to this forest to dance for two of his devotees, the sage Patanjali, who had a half-snake and half-human body, and Vyaghrapada, who had a human body with tiger’s feet. Vyaghrapada (which means “tiger feet”) was given the claws of a tiger, so he could climb trees to get flowers to worship Lord Siva. They worshiped the svayambhu-linga, a self manifested Siva-linga, which is now in the Mulasthana shrine of the temple.

Kali did not like Siva being there, so she challenged him to a dancing contest and the loser had to leave the forest. Lord Vishnu was the judge. For a while they were tied, but then Siva did a dance where his leg went over his head—the Ananda Tandava. At this point Kali knew she could not compete and she left.

Temple Festivals
There are two main festivals, one in May/June and the other in Dec/Jan. Both are ten-day festivals ending with a cart festival on the ninth day. On the tenth day there is an abhishek (bathing of the deities) in the Raja Sabha thousand-pillared hall.

The best time to come is for the Natyanjali Festival in February or March. During the last five days of the festival, dancers come from all over India to pay homage to the Lord of Dance. These festivals are popular, so you have to arrange accommodation in advance.

Places To Visit
The Khillai Kali temple, in the northern part of town, was built by the Chola king Kopperunjingan. Open 9 am to 1 pm and 3 to 6 pm. The 4 pm puja is an interesting time to visit.

Annamalai University, 2½ km east of the center of town, is an important center of Tamil education and Carnatic music.

Where to Stay
Star Lodge (222743), 101-102 South Car St, is one of the better basic places and is a good-value with small, clean rooms for Rs 90/110. Hot water in a bucket. It has a good restaurant. Some rooms don’t have windows.
Hotel Raja Rajan (22690), 162 W Car St, has clean, small rooms with bath for Rs 75/1000.
Deen Lodge (22602) has rooms for Rs 75/90.
Shameer Lodge 2(22983), Vemigopal Pillai St, opposite the railway station, has small basic rooms with bath for Rs 120/140.
Ramyas Deluxe (23011), South Car St, is one of the best cheaper places. Rooms are Rs 80/120, a deluxe double is Rs 175, and with A/C for Rs 300.
PM Lodge, 15 S Sanathi, has basic, cheap rooms.
Shameer Lodge (22983), Venugopal Pillai St, has rooms with bath for Rs 50/70.
Kalyanam Lodge (22707), 10 Venugopal Pillai St, has rooms for Rs 60/90 and with A/C for Rs 350.
Ramanathan Mansions (22411), 127 Bazaar St, has good-size rooms that are a good value. It is relatively quiet and is friendly. It is one of the best budget places.
RK Towers (21077), near the bus stand, has nice rooms for Rs 150, deluxe rooms for Rs 200 and with A/C for Rs 350.
Hotel Saradharam 2(21336; fax 222656: Email: hsrcdm/2vsnl.com), 19 VGP St, opposite the bus stand, has large clean rooms with TV for Rs 550/600 or Rs 850/900 with A/C. They accept major credit cards. It has two good restaurants and a small garden.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu (238056: fax: 238061), on Railway Feeder Rd, is one of the nicest places in town. It has rooms for Rs 270/340 and A/C rooms for Rs 550/650. Some of the rooms have seen better days. Dorm beds are Rs 60. A TV is Rs 50 extra. The restaurant serves Indian and Chinese food.
Akshaya (220192;fax: 222265: Email: akshayahotel@satyam.net.in), 17 E Car St, is a modern hotel by the temple, with rooms for Rs 300/430 and Rs 650/750 with A/C. It has a rooftop veg restaurant serving Chinese and Indian food.
The railway Retiring Rooms are a good value with large, clean rooms for Rs 80/110, but the bathrooms are a little run down.

Where to Eat
Star Lodge has a popular restaurant that serves good veg food. A thali is around Rs 20.
There are restaurants at the Hotel Mahalakshmi and Udipi Hotel.
Akshaya Hotel (22181), 17/18 E Car St, has a rooftop vegetarian restaurant open in the evening, with a view of the temple’s gopurams.
Bhagyalakshmi, South Car Street, has good South Indian thalis (with unlimited rice) for Rs 30. Good vegetarian place.
Hotel Saradharam has two popular restaurants. The Pallavi is a good veg restaurant, which serves both South and North Indian food. The non-veg Anu Pallavi serves Indian and Chinese food.

Travel
Air The nearest airport is in Tiruchirappalli, 167km southwest.

Train Chidambaram is on the main line of the Southern Railway, from Chennai Egmore to Rameswaram. From the temple to the train station (2km) is a twenty-minute walk or a Rs 10 cycle-rickshaw. There are railway retiring rooms and a post office on platform one.
There are trains to Chennai (243km, 5½ hr, 4 daily), Kumbakonam (2 hr, 4 daily), Thanjavur (3 hr), and Tiruchirappalli (4 hr). There are two direct trains daily to Tirupati and one train to Rameswaram (11 hr).

Bus There are buses to Thanjavur (9 hr, 3 daily), Pondicherry (60km), Chennai (5-7 hr, 20 daily), Mamallapuram, Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), Kumbakonam, and Madurai. The bus station is about three blocks east of the temple (about 1km), in the center of town. Bus #157 is the fastest bus to Chennai.

Coonoor

Pop: 52,000 Area
Phone Code 0423

Coonoor (1850m) is a hill station, surrounded by tea plantations, on the miniature train line between Mettupalayam and Ooty. The bazaar area where the trains and buses stop can be a little hectic. Upper Coonoor, where many of the hotels are located, is much more peaceful.

Sim’s Park is a large, beautiful botanical garden, with a Japanese garden. There is a flower show here in May.

Dolphin’s Nose (8km) and Lamb’s Rock (5km) are two good viewpoints.

Where to Stay and Eat
Sometimes it can be har-d to get a room here, so it is best to get one early in the day. It is possible to get a good discount in the off-season.

Lakshmi Tourist Home (223-1022), Kamrajpuram, has basic rooms from Rs 275/325.
Vivek Tourist Home (223-0658), in Upper Coonoor, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 350/400 and Rs 550/600 for a deluxe room with a TV.
YWCA Guest House (223-4426), in Upper Coonoor, is a nice, old colonial house with a nice garden. It is friendly and very popular. It has rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 400/550. It is often full, so you should call in advance and reserve a room.
Blue Hills (223-0103), Mount Rd, near the bus stand, has clean rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 450/600.
Velan (Ritz) (223-0632; fax: 223-0606); 223-0606, Ritz Rd, Upper Coonoor, has spacious rooms for Rs 1400/1800. This is a really nice place. It has balconies with good views. A good value.
Wellington Riga, 3km from town, is a new, modern, upper mid-range place.
Taj Garden Retreat (Taj) (223-0021; fax 223-2775; Email: retreat.coonoor@tajhotels; Web Site http://www.tajhotels.com) is a first-class old luxury hotel with very comfortable cottage-style rooms for $90/100 in the low season and $130/140 during the high-season. It is in a good location, has a pool, a beautiful garden and a good restaurant. It has a really good lunch buffet.

Where to Eat
Vinayaka, TDK Pilai Rd, has good veg food.
The Only Place, Sims Park Rd, is a good place.

Travel
Coonoor is between Mettupalayam (28km) and Ooty (18km) on the miniature Blue Mountain train line. There are regular buses to Kotagiri.

Gangaikondacholapuram

Gangaikondacholapuram was established as a capital city by the Chola ruler Rajendra I (1012-44). The reason to come here is to see the huge magnificent Brihadiswara Temple. The name of this town means “the town of the Chola who conquered the Ganga.” There is a huge temple tank that had pots of water from the Ganges emptied into it by subser­vient kings to the Chola court.

Beside the Brihadiswara temple, there is not much to see except a few ruins and the Archaeological Museum, two minutes east along the main road. The temple is closed between noon and 4 pm. There is nothing in the town other than a few cold drink stands.

Gangaikondacholapuram is 61km northeast of Thanjavur (Tanjore) and 35km northeast of Kumbakonam. There are regular buses to Kumbakonam (every hour) and a few to Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) and Chidambaram. It is a good idea to bring a torch (flashlight) with you, as parts of the temple can be dark.

Brihadiswara Temple
Brihadiswara Temple is a large Siva temple that can be seen from a distance because of its enormous 55m high vimana (tower over the altar). Rajendra Chola built this temple in 1025 to celebrate his victorious expedition to the River Ganges. This magnificent temple was built in the same design as the Brihadiswara Temple in Thanjavur, which was built by his father. The temple has a huge wall resembling a fort and an assembly hall containing over 150 pillars. It has many detailed impressive sculptures on it.

You enter the temple compound through the east gopuram and then you can see the huge Nandi facing the inner sanctum. When you enter the temple there is a shrine dedicated to the goddess Durga in the form of Mahishasuramardini. There is a shrine that houses Kailasanath. Kailasanath is a name for Lord Siva, who is the lord (natha) of Kailash (a mountain in the Himalaya where Siva lives). The Ganesh temple in the southwest part of the temple is interesting.

The main mandapa (hall) and inner sanctum are 100m long and 40m wide. You pass two huge dwarapalas (doorkeepers), when you enter the closed mandapa. The inner sanctum has a massive Siva-linga enshrined in it, but the temple is no longer used for worship. On the northeast wall is a carving of Siva blessing Chandikesvara, one of his main followers, which is considered a masterpiece of Chola art. This hall has many impressive sculptures. There are sculptures of lions along the base of the main temple sanctum.

The temple is open daily 6 am to noon and 4 to 8 pm.

Kanchipuram

Pop: 189,000 Area
Phone Code: 04112

Located 70km southwest of Chennai, Kanchipuram is known as the “Golden City of Temples.” It is considered one of the seven main sacred cities of India. It has over one hundred temples now, but at one time it is said to have had about one thousand. Kanchipuram is believed to give eternal happiness to one who goes there. It is said that “Ka” (Brahma) “anchi” (worshiped)

Lord Vishnu at this place and that is why the city was given the name Kanchipuram. Puram means “city.” Kanchipuram is 71km (45 miles) southwest of Chennai on the Vegavati River, and 64km west of Mamallapuram. While Kanchipuram has some outstanding temples, the town itself is not so interesting. Most people just see the temples here in a day and leave.

Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallavas rulers from the 7th to 9th centuries. It was also important during the Chola, Vijayanagar, and Nayaka periods. It is an ancient place. It was mentioned in the Mahabhasya, written by Patanjali in the 2nd century BC.

Ramanujacharya lived in Kanchipuram during his youth, and Sri Chaitanya visited here 500 years ago. Four of the Alwars—Pey Alwar, Poygai Alwar, Bhutatt Alwar, and Thirumalisai—were born within 50 miles of Kanchipuram.

Kanchipuram is famous for hand-woven silk fabrics and saris. The weavers use the highest quality silk and pure gold thread. This place is known to be the best source of high quality hand-woven silk items, and Varanasi is known to be the best place for machine-made silk items.

Orientation
The city of Kanchipuram is on the north bank of the Vegavati River. The bus stand is in the center of town on Kamaraj Street (also called Kossa St), which goes north-south through the center of the city. The railway station is in the eastern part of the town, about 2½ km from the river. The temples and hotels are scattered within about 3km of the bus station, in the center of town. Siva Kanchipuram is west of the railway station, and Vishnu Kanchipuram is about 3km southeast.

Information
The temples are well spread out across the city and you need at least four hours to see the major ones. You can have a cycle-rickshaw driver take you around to the temples for Rs 50 to Rs 100, depending on how many temples you go to see. An auto-rickshaw tour of the temple is Rs 150 to Rs 200 plus extra for waiting time.. You have to visit the temples either in the morning or late afternoon, as they are closed between 12.30 and 4 pm .

The tourist office (631-502) is at the Hotel Tamil Nadu, Kamatchi Amman Sannadhi St. The Archaeological Survey of India office is helpful. It is located opposite the Kailasanatha Temple.

The State Bank of India (22987), 16 Gandhi Rd, only accepts travelers checks. Some other banks change cash.

The Head Post Office (22080), Railway Rd, is open Mon to Fri 9 am to 5 pm.

Internet at Dishnet, 81C Kamaraja St (Hours: 9 am to 9 pm) for Rs 25 per hour.

In the summer, temperatures are between 21ºC (70ºF) and 37ºC (98ºF), and in the winter the range is 20ºC (68ºF) to 29ºC (84ºF).

Local Transportation
You can hire a taxi from KGT Travels (24179), 66D Salai St. You can hire a bicycle from the cycle shop on Sannadhi St. (outside the Varadaraja Perumal Temple) for Rs 10 per day.

Kanchipuram Temples
The city is divided into two main parts—Siva-kanchi, which is the northern suburb, and Vishnu-kanchi, which is the extreme east section of town. There is a group of Jain temples south, across the river. Kailasanatha and Vaikuntha Perumal temples were the most important temples built by the Pallavas. Varadaraja, Kamakshi, and Ekambareswara temples were originally built by the Cholas, but were added onto by the Vijayanagar and Nayaka rulers. Most of the temples are open from sunrise to 12.30 pm and from 4 pm to sunset. Many temples restrict entry to Hindus only.

There are thirteen Divya Desam temples in the area of Kanchipuram. If you visit these temples you should take into consideration that some of the less popular temples may have the same priest doing the worship at more than one temple. This means that you may come to one of these temples and it may be closed. If possible, it is best to try to find a rickshaw driver who knows what time each temple is open.

Brahma’s Yajna
It is said that once Saraswati asked her husband, Lord Brahma: “Who is greater, Lakshmi or I?” Brahma replied that Lakshmi was definitely better. Hearing this reply, Saraswati left her husband.
At this time Brahma was preparing to do a big sacrifice. When his consort, Saraswati, refused to participate in the sacrifice, Brahma began the sacrifice alone. Then in great anger, Saraswati transformed herself into the fast-flowing Vegavati River and came rushing towards the yajna (sacrifice) area. Upon Brahma’s appeal for help, Lord Vishnu laid himself across the river’s path and foiled goddess Saraswati’s efforts. She also tried to stop the yajna in other ways. At the end of the yajna, Sri Varadaraja emerged from the yajna. At Brahma’s request Lord Varadaraja agreed to stay in Kanchipuram in that form and give darshan to his devotees.

Sri Varadaraja Temple
This is a major Vishnu temple built by the Vijayanagar kings in the 12th century. It is counted along with Tirupati and Sri Ranganatha (in Srirangam) as one of the major Vaishnava temples in South India. Varada means the “bestower of benedictions,” and raja means “king.” Thus, Varadaraja means the “king of those who give benedictions.”

There is a beautiful garden inside the walls of the temple. The Deity of Sri Perundevi Thayar goes every Friday to this garden and there is a festival there. There is a Narasimha deity when you first enter the main temple area, called Yoga Narasimha Swami.

This temple has a 30m (100 ft) high gopuram originally built in the 11th century and later renovated in the 16th century by the Vijayanagar kings. The 100 (actually 96) pillar mandapa, which has exquisite sculptures, is one of the beauties of India. Mainly avatars of Vishnu, and scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, are carved on the pillars.

The main hall is supported by giant pillars, each carved from a different rock. There are also riders on horseback, beautiful figures of Rathi and Manmatha, and a massive chain carved out of a single stone.

The temple covers about 23 acres, which is one of the biggest areas covered by any temple in India. The temple’s outer walls are 365m (1200 ft) by 545m (1800 ft). Ananta-tirtham, the temple tank, is north of the 100 pillar mandapa hall. The temple ratha (cart) is 18m (60 ft) high. It is beautifully carved and very old.

The temple has an exquisite collection of temple jewelry that may be seen if you give a donation. One of the necklaces is said to have been given by Clive, the British Governor of the Madras Presidency. It is said that Clive came on the day of the Garuda-seva festival of Lord Varadaraja and that he presented his wife’s necklace to the priest to adorn the Lord. The necklace is known as Clive Makara­-kandi and is used to decorate Lord Varadaraja on the Garudotsavam day.

The original deity of Lord Varadaraja (Atti Varadar), who is said to have been installed by Lord Brahma himself, is in a silver casket inside the temple tank.

The deity is taken out every forty to fifty years for 45 to 48 days (some say 10 days). The last occasion was in 1979 and the next will be around 2019. The story is that Lord Brahma had Visvakarma, the architect of the demigods, make a wooden deity of Lord Varadaraja. The utsava-murti is said to have emerged from Lord Brahma’s sacrificial fire. It was felt that the wooden deity would be ruined if constantly exposed and worshiped. Therefore the deity was immersed in the temple tank, and a granite deity was installed in its place.

Ramanujacarya used to regularly come to this temple in his youth. He is said to have met the great Vaishnava acharya Alavandar for the first time in the courtyard of this temple.

The main festival is the Brahmotsava Festival in May-June, which is attended by hundreds of thousands of people. During this festival the deity is carried in procession. The main event is the Garudotsavam.

The main deity is located up a flight of stairs in the back of the main temple and is a little hard to find. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple, which means not into the second courtyard. Converted Hindus may be allowed to enter, but are expected to wear traditional dress and tilaka. This temple is at the southeast end of the city, near the river, just off Thirukatchinambi Koil Road. The temple is open 8 am to noon and 4 to 7 pm. There is a Rs 10 camera and Rs 50 video fee.

Sri Vaikuntha Perumal Temple
This Lord Vishnu temple was built in the late 8th century by Parameswara and Nandi Varman II. It has three sanctums, one above the other, where Lord Vishnu is standing, sitting, and reclining.
This temple has a three-storey, 20m high vimana tower over the central altar, a pillared hall, and paintings on the walls. Its sculptures depict the wars fought between the Pallavas and the Chalukyas.The outer wall has lion pillars.

This temple is not very big. It is near the corner of East Raja St and Kamakshi Amman Sannathi St, in the center of the town, 1km southwest of the railway station.

Kailasanatha Temple
Rajasimha Pallava built this sandstone temple, dedicated to Lord Siva, in the late 7th century. His son, Mahendra Varman III added the front later. It is the oldest temple in Kanchipuram. It is one of the earliest examples of Dravidian architecture and it is one of the most beautiful temples in Kanchipuram. Kailasanatha means “Lord of Mount Kailash.” It is famous for its sculptures. Most famous of these is the sculpture of Ardhanariswara, who has a vina in her hand.

There are fresco-style paintings on the inner walls of the shrine. The outer wall of the temple has 58 small shrines showing different aspects of Siva. The architecture resembles that of the Shore Temple in Mamallapuram. There is a major festival here during Siva-ratri in Feb/March.

Non-Hindus can enter the inner sanctum. Open 8 am to noon and 4 to 6 pm. It is on Putteri Street, in the western part of the city, about a km from the bus station.

Sri Ekambaranatha Temple
This temple is dedicated to Lord Siva and is the largest temple in Kanchipuram. This temple is also known as the Ekam­bareswara Temple. The Pallava kings built parts of the main temple, but the rest of the temple complex was mainly built in the 16th and 17th centuries. It has the towering 60m (188 ft) high Raja Gopuram, which was built by Krishna Deva Raya of the Vijayanagar Empire in 1509. No two towers of the temple are opposite each other, nor are the walls of the temple parallel to each other. There are almost no right angles in the temple. It has a 1,000-pillar hall (actually 540). Most of the pillars are intricately and beautifully carved.

There is a mango tree behind the inner sanctum (main temple) that is said to be 3,500 years old. It has four branches, said to represent the four Vedas (sacred Hindu scriptures). Each leaf of this tree is a different shape. The name of the deity itself is believed to have been derived thus: Eka-Amra-Natha, meaning the “Lord of the Mango Tree.” The fruit from each branch has a different taste. In the path around the tree is a Siva-linga made of 108 small lingas and another one made up of 1008 lingas. You should circle around the tree clockwise (the other way is considered inauspicious).

The huge linga is known as the Prithvi-linga, or earth linga, and is one of the five xe "element lingas" element lingas of South India. The other four are the Agni-linga (fire) at Thiruvannamalai, the Appu-linga (water) at Jambukeswara, the Vayu-linga (air) at Kalahasti, and the Akasha-linga (ether) at Chidambaram.

The story of the temple is that while Lord Siva was meditating, Parvati playfully covered his eyes for a moment. This resulted in the earth being covered with darkness for years. This angered Siva who cursed Parvati to go to earth and do severe penance. She came to earth and created the earth linga and worshiped it under a single (eka) mango tree in Kanchipuram. Siva sent different obstacles to test Parvati’s sincerity. When he sent a flood, she clasped to the linga so tightly that imprints were made on it.

It is believed that if a woman seeking a child worships here, her desire will be fulfilled. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum. This temple is between North Made and West Made Streets in the northwest part of the city. Open 6 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 8 pm. There is a Rs 5 camera fee.

There is a Vishnu temple within the temple complex, which is one of the Divya Desams shrines. The Vishnu deity in this temple is named Nilathingal Thundatthan Vishnu.

Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple
This temple is dedicated to goddess Kamakshi (Parvati). Kamakshi means “one who has eyes full of love.” Just in front of Sri Kamakshi is the Sri Chakra. All worship and sacrifices are offered to the Sri Chakra. Sri Kamakshi Amman Temple is one of the three main holy places of Shakti worship in India, the other two being Varanasi and Madurai. This temple has a golden gopuram and fine carvings. It was built by the Cholas in the 14th century and the gopurams were built during the Vijayanagar period. The gopurams are painted a variety of bright colors.

The Sri Adi Varaha Perumal Temple, one of the Divya Desam temples, is located within the temple’s walls. This shrine is located to the left of the entrance to the inner sanctum (altar) of Kamakshi Amman. In the northeast part of the Pancha-ganga temple tank there is a shrine with three floors, each having a Vishnu deity in a different posture: standing, sitting, and reclining.

An annual Car Festival is held on the ninth lunar day in Feb/March and draws a large crowd. The deity is taken on procession on a magnificent, huge wooden temple cart. Normally the temple carts are kept on Gandhi Road.

On Tuesdays and Fridays at around 8 pm there is an elephant procession with fireworks and music. This temple is considered to be auspicious for marriage blessings. It is just off Odai Street, in the center of town. Open 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 8.30 pm.

Sri Ulagalandar Temple
This temple is dedicated to Trivi­krama (Vamana), who is called Sri Ulagalandar, “the Lord who measured the world with his three steps.” This deity is nearly 11m (35 ft) in height. Trivikrama is another name for Lord Vamana, who begged from Bali Maharaja the amount of land that he could cover in three steps. The right foot of the deity is in a lifted position, indicating that the Lord has already covered the earth and heaven. His left foot is pressed on the head of Bali Maharaja. A lamp, fixed to a big stick, is used to enable one to get a full view of the deity.

This temple has four Divya Desams shrines in it—Peragathan (Sri Ulagalan­dar) and Ooragam (always referred to together), Neeragham, Karagham, and Karvannam shrines. The shrine of Adi Sesa, called Ooragam, is next to Ulaga­landar Perumal. Ooragam means snake. Adi Sesa is the divine snake used as a couch by the Lord. There is an annual festival here in Jan/Feb.

Sri Vijaya Raghava Temple
This Divya Desam temple is in the town of Thiruputkuli, about 7km from Kanchipuram. Vijaya Raghava means literally “Rama the Winner.”

On a hill to the east of the tank is a temple dedicated to Jatayu. The Vamana Purana says that Jatayu, who was killed by Ravana, was cremated at Thiruputkuli.

Sri Ramanuja studied under Yadhava Prakash in Thiruputkuli. There is a mandapa here where Ramanujacarya studied the advaita philosophy from Yadhava Prakash, in order to master it, so he could defeat it. Since Ramanuja kept refuting the advaita philosophy taught by Yadhava Prakash, he was expelled from the ashram.

Sri Ashtabhujam Perumal Temple
Lord Vishnu has eight hands in this Divya Desam temple. Ashta means “eight” and bhuja means “hands.” It is said that goddess Saraswati let loose an army of demons to ruin the sacrifice performed by Brahma. These demons were all killed by Lord Vishnu. She then sent Sarabha, an unnatural type of ferocious beast with eight legs. To defeat this beast Lord Vishnu assumed this form with eight arms equipped with eight weapons.

It is also said that the crocodile caught hold of the leg of Gajendra the elephant in the temple tank here. When Gajendra cried out in despair to the Lord, Vishnu came and killed the crocodile with his chakra (disc).

There is also a deity of Varaha, Lord Vishnu in his boar incarnation, in this temple. This temple is opposite the Yathoktakari Temple, about 1½ km from the Varadaraja Temple.

Pandava Dootha Perumal
This Divya Desam Vishnu temple is located by the Ekambareswara Temple. The main Vishnu deity is in a sitting posture, facing east. The huge deity is 7.5m (25 ft) high, to signify the Viswarupa (universal) form of the Lord. It is said that Janamejaya, the great-grandson of Arjuna, performed penance here to get the darshan of Lord Krishna in his form as an envoy (representative) of the Pandavas to the Kauravas, before the Kurukshetra war.

Sri Deepa Prakasa Temple
In this temple the presiding deity of Lord Vishnu is named Sri Deepa Prakasa, which means the “luster of the lamp.” It is said that Lord Vishnu is known as Deepa Prakasa, because he intercepted and made a lamp out of the fire that goddess Saraswati started in order to burn the sacrificial site, where Lord Brahma was performing an Asvamedha sacrifice. Another story says that Lord Vishnu appeared as a big light to dispel the darkness that Saraswati created to spoil the sacrifice.

This is the birthplace of Sri Vedanta Desika, a great acarya and author in the Ramanuja-sampradaya. By the shrine of Deepa Prakasa, there is a shrine dedicated to Sri Desika, near the place where he was born.

This temple is located about half a km west of Sri Ashtabhujam Perumal Temple.

Sri Yathoktakari Temple
In this temple, Lord Vishnu, called Lord Bhujagasayana, is in a lying posture. The main deity is known as Lord Yathoktakari, because he accepted the request of Tirumalisai Alwar, his devotee, to get up, follow him out of Kanchipuram, and again return and lie down. Yathokta means “as requested” and kari means “a person who did it.”

Sri Alagiyasingar Temple
Lord Vishnu is known here as Mukunda Nayaka. It is said that Lord Vishnu took the form of Narasimha and fought with the demon Kapalika to save Brahma’s yajna. This temple is about half a km from the Deepa Prakasa Temple.

Sankaramandam Math
Kanchipuram is one of the four main seats of the followers of Sankaracharya. The present Acharya (the 69th) is highly revered all over India. Located here is the samadhi of the 68th Acarya, the highly respected Sri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swami, who left his body in January 1994, at the age of 100. This is a peaceful place.

Shopping
Kanchipuram is famous for its silk products. The silk saris are hand-woven and some take two weeks to complete. Some have borders made of pure gold or silver. There are several shops on the road to the Sri Varadaraja Temple. Even though silk saris are produced here, because of the many tourists that come here, the prices are often higher than in Chennai. To get a decent price you have to take your time and bargain hard.

Nalli Silks, 54 Nellukkara Street, is one of the biggest silk shops and has a good reputation. Kamatchi Co-optex, 182 Gandhi Rd; Srinivas and Co, 135 TK Nambi St; Srinivasan Silk House, 17 TK Nambi St; Thiruvallur Co-perative Society, 207 Gandhi Rd; and Murudan, on Railway Rd, have good names for silk items. Sri Swami Silks, 116 TK Nambi St, has a good selection of silk goods.

You can see saris being made at Handlooms Weavers Service Centre, at 20 Railway Station Rd, by the post office. They can give you sound shopping advice. Open only on weekdays.

Where to Stay
Ashok Travellers Lodge, near the railway station, is a basic, cheap place.
Rajam Lodge (22519), 9 Kamarajar St, has basic rooms with bath for Rs 100/120.
Raja’s Lodge (22603), 20 Nellukkara St, near the bus station, has basic rooms for Rs 100/140 and with A/C for Rs 450. It is not very clean, but it is adequate.
Sri Rama Lodge (22435), next door at 21 Nellukkara St, has basic rooms with hot water for Rs 100/150 and Rs 300/400 for a room with A/C. It is better than the other budget places. Some rooms have a small TV. It has a good, cheap vegetarian restaurant.
Sree Kusal Lodge (223342), 68C Nellukkara St, has clean rooms for Rs 155/275 and Rs 500 with A/C, hot water and TV. It is one of the better cheaper places.
Sri Krishna Lodge (22831), 68-A Nellukkara St, across the street, has basic rooms with bath for Rs 100/140. The sheets may be dirty.
Hotel Jayabala International (224348), 504 Gandhi Rd, has basic singles with common bath for Rs 250. The clean doubles are much nicer and go for Rs 425/600 and Rs 700/750 for an A/C room. It is conveniently located, but can be noisy. It has a good veg South Indian restaurant.
A good place to stay is the Hotel Tamil Nadu (22553; fax 22552), Kamatchi Sannathi St, near the railway station. Normal rooms are Rs 550 and comfortable A/C rooms cost Rs 600 and Rs 750. The rooms have hot water, and are good-sized and clean. It is full most of the time, so it is best to book a room in advance at a Hotel Tamil Nadu in another city.
The best place in town is the modern Hotel Baboo Soorya (222555' fax 22556), 85 East Raja Veethi, which has comfortable, clean rooms with Star TV for Rs 400/600 to Rs 700/800. There is a 20% luxury tax. It is a recommended place with a good vegetarian restaurant. They accept some credit cards.

Where to Eat
Near the bus stand there are several cheap vegetarian places with thali meals for Rs 20.

One of the best places in town is the restaurant at the Hotel Baboo Soorya, 85 East Raja St. which serves South and North Indian vegetarian food.
Hotel Saravana Bhavan, inside Jaibala International, has good South Indian food, such as masala dosas (Rs 15). It also has ice cream.
Sri Saravana, 546 Gandhi Rd, has good cheap South Indian food, and quick service.
Abirami, Kamaraj St, does not look like such a nice place, but the food is decent.
Srinivasa Vilas, 98 Kamaraj St, serves cheap South Indian thalis.
Rama Lodge has a cheap vegetarian restaurant, with good dosas.
Sri Vela, Railway Station Rd, is a good South Indian place.

Local Travel
A bike-rickshaw tour of the five major temples should be about Rs 75, but you will be asked for Rs 150 or more. The temples are too far apart to walk from one to another.

You can rent a bicycle for Rs 6per hour (Rs 45 for a day) at stalls near the bus station, or at the bicycle shop on Sannadhi St, just outside the Varadaraja Perumal Temple.

KGT Travels (222-4179), 66D Salai St, can arrange a taxi.

Travel
Air The nearest airport is in Chennai, 71km northeast.

Rail From Chennai Beach Station one has to go via Chingleput (Chengalpattu). There are three trains that go to Kanchipuram from Chingleput at 8.20 am, 5.30 pm and 8 pm. The trains going back to Chingleput leave Kanchi between 6 and 8.30 am and at 6 pm. To go by train to Chennai takes about twice as long as the bus. From Chennai you can go to Kanchipuram by first going to Arakkonam (Arakonam) from Chennai Egmore Station on the Chennai to Bangalore line. There are only two connections between Arak­konam to Kanchipuram—at 7.50 am and 5.20 pm and from Kanchipuram to Arakkonam at 9.30 am and 6.45 pm.

Bus There are regular buses to and from Chennai (2 hr, #828 or #76B), Tirupati (3 hr), Tiruttani, and Vellore (2½ hr). There are five direct buses a day to Mamallapuram (2 hr, #212A). There are many buses to Chingleput (Chengalpattu, 1 hr), and from there you can get another bus to Mamallapuram. There are direct buses to Bangalore, Tiruchirappalli (Srirangam, 7 hr), and Pondicherry (3 hr).

There are buses that go directly to Tirupati. There are also buses to a small town near Tirupati, and then you have to get another bus for another 20-minute ride.

The bus stand is on the corner of Nellukkara St and Kamaraj St, in the center of town. Public buses from Chennai depart from Parry’s Corner by the Law Court.

Others A convenient way to get to Kanchipuram is to get a tourist taxi from Chennai, which should be around Rs 1200 roundtrip plus driving around in Kanchi. Both ITDC and TTDC operate daily conducted tours from Chennai to Tirukkalukundram, Kanchipuram, and Mamallapuram. This tour is rushed.

Kanyakumari

Pop: 20,000 Area
Phone Code: 04652

Kanyakumari is located at the southernmost point of India, where the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian Sea meet. It is considered a holy place to bathe. The moonrise and sunset over the ocean here are impressive. During the full moon there is both a dramatic sunset and moonrise. On the full moon day in April you can see both the moon and sun together on the same horizon. It can be visited on a day trip from Kovalam.

The extreme southern-most point of India is marked by two rocks half submerged in the sea called Pitru-tirtha and Matru-tirtha. Many people come to bathe at Kumari Ghat, which is right on the tip of the cape.

The Kanyakumari temple is a popular pilgrimage place. The sand at Kanyakumari is seven different colors. It is said that Lord Siva married the goddess Parvati here, and the seven different colors of rice thrown at the wedding were turned into the seven-colored sands of Kanyakumari. The beach here is not so suitable for swimming.

There is an excellent view from the Lighthouse (3 to 7 pm).

Information and Tours
There are two main roads going through town. One goes north to the railway station (1km), and the other goes west to the bus station, half a km away. The main shopping area and the hotels are mainly near the junction of these two roads. The Kumari Amman temple is at the southern end of town, next to the shore.

There is a Tourist Office (46276) on Main Rd, north of the Gandhi Memorial (Mon to Fri 10 am to 5.30 pm). The TTDC can be contacted at the reception desk of the Hotel Tamil Nadu on Beach Road, by the Gandhi Mandapa.

The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) conducts a tour from

Thiruvananthapuram that leaves at 7:30 am and returns to Thiruvananthapuram around 9 pm. It covers Kovalam, Padmanabhapuram Palace, Suchindram, Nagercoil, and Kanyakumari. You can start the tour at Kovalam at 8.30 am. The bus does not return to Kovalam in the evening, but returns to Thiruvananthapuram.

Practical Information
Canara Bank, Main Rd, changes cash and American Express and Thomas Cook travelers cheques. Also the State Bank of Travancore changes money.

The GPO, Main Rd, is near the Canara Bank. Postal Code: 629702.

Kumari Amman Temple
Located on the shore is the temple of the goddess Kanya (the virgin goddess), who is doing penance. The sage Parasuram is said to have installed this deity. The history of this temple is that the demigods prayed to the goddess, an incarnation of Parvati, to destroy the demons. Soon after appearing, she was betrothed to Lord Siva. Knowing that if she married she would lose interest in killing demons, Narada Muni tricked Lord Siva so that on the way to the wedding he turned back home to Kailash. So after destroying the demons, the goddess, a most charming deity to see, still waits in her temple for her husband to arrive. Sri Chaitanya visited this temple.

The deity of the goddess Kanya wears a brilliant diamond nose ring that is said to emit a powerful ray, which makes ships crash against the rocks near the shore. Therefore the seaside, eastern gate, of the temple is only opened on special occasions.

The temple is open 4.30 to 11.45 am and 5.30 to 8.45 pm. Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum. Men must wear a dhoti and be bare-chested to enter the inner sanctum.

Vivekananda Memorial
There are two rocks, known as Pitru-tirtha and Matru-tirtha, about 500m from the coast, where Vivekananda meditated in 1892. There is a ferry that goes there. The Vivekananda Memorial (1970) on the rock is open daily except Tues 7 to 11 am and 2 to 5 pm. Admission Rs 10.

Also here is Sri Pada Parai, the footprints of Kanya Devi. They are installed here in a small shrine, which marks the spot where she performed penance.

You get the ferry (every half-hour) about 100m north of the Kumari Amman Temple. If it is hot you may want to wear thick socks, as you have to take off your shoes before entering and the stone floor can get very hot.

Gandhi Memorial
The Gandhi Memorial is constructed so that at noon on October 2 (Gandhi’s birthday) the sun’s rays falls on the spot where his ashes were kept for public view (marked by a bxe "Gandhi, Mahatma" lack marble box), before being put into the sea at this place. It is located next to the sea at the end of Main Rd. Open daily 7 am to 12.30 pm and 3 to 7.30 pm. Admission Rs 5

Other Places
There is also the Vinayaka (Ganesh) Temple and Guganathan Temple. The beautiful St Mary’s Church is in the north of town.

Where to Stay—Lower
It can be difficult to find a room, so it is best to get here early in the day, especially from December to February and on weekends. During the high season from November to January, April/May and during festivals, not only can the prices be more than double the ones quoted here, but it may be hard to find a room at all. Rooms are usually rented out for 24 hours. Over all, accommodations here are much overpriced and are not such a good standard.

DKV Lodge is one of the best budget places. It has rooms with bath for Rs 200.
Raja Tourist Home and Gopi Nivas Lodge are north of the Vinayakar Kovil Temple and have decent basic rooms for Rs 140/170.
Township Rest House, on the Main Road, has rooms for Rs 175/230.
Tri Sea Lodge has rooms with bath for Rs 150. It is one of the better budget places.
Kaveri Lodge and Hotel Narmada on Kovalam Rd, have rooms for Rs 225.
NRS Lodge has clean rooms that range from Rs 150 to Rs 600. Off-season the Rs 800 rooms are less than Rs 500.
Vivekas Tourist Hotel (346192). Main Rd, has clean room with bath for Rs 350/450.
Retiring Rooms at the railway station are Rs 100/150.
Retiring Rooms, upstairs in the bus station, are Rs 270 during the season (Oct to Jan) and Rs 190 in the off-season. Rooms have bath and hot water. Dorm beds are Rs 65 (Rs 30 off-season). Some rooms have balconies and a view of the sea. It is a good value.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Sangam (346351; 346627), on Main Road, has double rooms with hot water for Rs 700 and deluxe A/C rooms for Rs 1200. Some rooms have a balcony. Their front rooms are noisy.
Hotel Tamil Nadu (346257), west of the temple, is good but usually full. Rooms with bath are Rs 450 for a small double, Rs 700 for a normal double, and Rs 950 with A/C. A dorm bed is Rs 50 and a room with a common bath is Rs 175. Many of the rooms have views of the sea.
Maadhini (346787; fax 346657), E Car St, is a good modern place and some of the rooms have excellent views. It has clean double rooms for 500 and rooms with a view of the sea are Rs 700 and Rs 1100 with A/C. It has a good restaurant.
Manickhan Tourist Home (346387) has rooms for Rs 400/450 and a room with a view of the sea, A/C and a TV for Rs 900.
Hotel Samudra (346162; fax: 346627), near the temple, has rooms ranging from Rs 550 to 750 and comfortable A/C rooms with TV for Rs 1200. It has a veg restaurant. It is a good place.
Kerala House (346229), sea-front by the Hotel Tamil Nadu, has standard large rooms with bath and large windows. Some rooms have great seaviews. Rooms are Rs 500/625, Rs 700 for 3 people, and Rs 150 for each additional person.
Cape Hotel (46222) has double rooms for Rs 180 and rooms with A/C for Rs 220. Some rooms have a good view of the cape.
Lakshmi Tourist Home’s (346333; fax 346627), East Car Street, has rooms with a seaview, hot water, balcony, and a TV for Rs 500 during the off-season. Larger rooms with hot water and TV are Rs 800. During the high season fromms are Rs 600 to Rs 700, a triple room for Rs 550, and rooms with A/C and a seaview are Rs 1200. The rooms with a seaview are much better than the other rooms.
Shree Bhagavathi Lodge (346298), across the street, has nice, clean rooms for Rs 350 for a double and Rs 400 for a triple. Some rooms have balconies with a seaview.

Where to Eat
Palace Hotel, in the center of town, has good cheap meals.
Saravana, close to the temple, has good vegetarian meals. It is air-conditioned. They serve South Indian, Gujarati, Chinese and Rajasthani meals at lunch. It has very good dosas.
Family Restaurant, north of the temple, has good South Indian snacks all day and meals from 10 am to 3 pm.
Sankar Guest House, Main Rd, has a good vege­tarian restaurant.
Manickhan Tourist Home has a good restaurant.
Sanga Restaurant in the Hotel Samudra is a higher class place.
Sri Ramdev Restaurant, on the main road to the temple, has north Indian veg food.

Travel
Air The closest airport is in Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), 86km north.

Train The weekly Himsagar Exp (12.30 am, Fri) goes to Coimbatore (12 hr), Chennai, Vijayawada (30 hr), Delhi (62 hr), and from there to Jammu (74 hr). This is the longest train trip in India. The train to Mumbai, the daily Kanniyakumari Exp #1082 (48 hr), departs at 5 am. It stops at Thiruvananthapuram (2½ hr) and Ernakulam (8 hr) on the way. The daily passenger train to Thiruvananthapuram (5 pm, 88km) takes 2½ hours. The Kanniyakumari-Chennai Exp #6122 (3.15 pm) goes to Chennai (17 hr) via Madurai (6 hr).

The railway station is about 1km north of the center of town.

Bus The bus station is about half a km (15-min walk) west of the center of town. The reservation office is open 7 am to 9 pm.

There are buses to Chennai (703km, 16 hr, 7 daily), Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum, 2½ hr), Rameswaram (409km, 9 hr), and Madurai (245km, 6 hr, 3 daily). There are regular local buses to Nagercoil. Nagercoil is a major bus junction, with two large bus stations. You can get buses for all over South India from there. From Kovalam (4 daily) you get the bus to Kanyakumari at the bus stand near the Ashok Beach Resort.

Kanya Travels operates private buses to Chennai, Rameswaram, Madurai, Bangalore, Ooty, Kodaikanal and Tirupati.

Suchindram Temple
This beautiful temple, built mainly in the 17th century, is 13km north of Kanyakumari. It contains a linga, known as Sthanumalaya Swami, which is considered to be Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma in one form. When you enter the temple, you see a laurel (konnayadi) tree that is about 2,000 years old. In the hollow of the tree there is a linga of the Trimurti—Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva. It is said that the sage Atri and his wife resided here and the three gods—Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva—appeared here in the forms of Chandra, Dattatreya, and Durvasa Muni, thus answering their prayers. They are then said to have assumed the form of the Maha-linga, which represents the Trimurti. The bottom of the Maha-linga represents Brahma; the middle, Vishnu; and the top, Siva.

The seven-storey gopuram (entrance gate) is 40m (132 ft) high. There is a huge, white carved Nandi bull in this temple, said to be over 800 years old. At the entrance to the main temple are two large doorkeepers, and on two nearby pillars are two huge yalis. A yali is a lion with an elephant trunk.
It is said that Indra was advised to perform penance here to be relieved of the curse of Gautama Muni. He was cursed for misbehaving with Gautama Muni’s wife, Ahalya. He worshiped the Trimurti here and is said to have been passed through burning ghee to purify himself. Because it is believed that Indra comes to worship the Trimurti from midnight to dawn, the daily rituals are over by dusk, so the night is free for him to perform worship. Suci means “purified” and indram means “Indra.” Suchindram means “the place where Indra was purified.”

There are about 30 shrines in this temple. By the side of the inner sanctum, there is the main deity of Vishnu, made of eight metals. To the right as you enter the temple are Sita-Rama Deities. Across from them is an 5.5m (18 ft) high Hanuman (including his tail). As you enter the temple, to your left is a Ganesh temple. In front of this shrine is the Navagraha Mandapa which has carvings of the nine planets and the signs of the zodiac on the ceiling.

There are numerous sculptures of the Ramayana and Mahabharata carved on the temple. In the Alangara Mandapa, which is to your right as you enter the temple, there are four musical pillars carved out of a single block of granite. Each pillar gives the sounds of a different instrument: mridanga, sitar, tambura, and jalataranga. On Friday around 6 pm, there is a special sunset ceremony with a procession and music. Non-Hindus can enter this temple.

Kodaikanal (Kodai)

Pop: 33,000 Area
Phone Code: 04542

Kodaikanal is a hill station located 2133m (7040 ft above sea level in the Palani Hills, in central Tamil Nadu, 120km northwest of Madurai. It is a nice place to walk around, boat on the lake, or to just take it easy. There are great views on the way up, and there are good viewpoints in the area.

Kodaikanal is the most beautiful hill station in South India and it does not usually get too cold.
In terms of the weather, the best times to come here are April to June (the high-season) and August to October. During May and June, the hotel prices are really high. The monsoon is really bad in November and December. The temperatures are between 12ºC and 20ºC in the summer and 7ºC and 16ºC in the winter. It can get quite chilly in the winter, especially at night, and you will need warm clothing.

Orientation
The main street is Anna Salai (Bazaar Rd), where the bus stand, most restaurants and the cheaper hotels are located. Most of the higher priced hotels are away from this area.

Information
The Tourist Office (41675), Anna Salai, a two-minute walk from the bus sxe "Kodai" tand, runs a day-tour for Rs 125 to sixe "Kodaikanal" tes in the area (4 hr, two daily).

The State Bank of India, Anna Salai, is next to the tourist office. There are money changing facilities at the Hotel Tamil Nadu. Canara Bank, Anna Salai Rd, does cash advances on Visa cards. Glen Travels, Seven Roads Junction gives cash advances on credit cards and cash travelers' cheques, but they charge a good size commsission.

The CLS Bookstore, opposite the bus stand, has English books.

The Post Office is a large building located on Anna Salai. Postal Code: 624101.

Internet connections at Alpha Net, PT Rd (Rs 50 per hr).

The District Forest Office has a book called Kodaikanal Beauty in Wilderness (Rs 20), which has a list of local treks in the Kodaikanal area (open 10 am to 6 pm).

Kings Tours and Travels, Woodville Rd, can arrange plane and bus tickets.

Van Allan Hospital (412-273) has good doctors.

Hiking in Area
Nature Trail (42791; Email: naturetrailskodihotmail.com) arranges good walks in the area. Fees are around Rs 2000 per person per day which includes everythi. For groups the price is cheaper per person.

A guide can be hired from the tourist office (Rs 65 to Rs 90 per hour) for walks in the area.

Lake Area
There is a 5km path that surrounds the lake. The Kodaikanal Boating Club rents out rowboats and paddleboats for Rs 20-25 per half-hour. A horse ride is Rs 25 for a short ride or Rs 100 per hour. It is a pleasant place to ride a bike (which can be rented near the lake).

Bryant’s Park and the Botanical Garden, just south of the lake, was established in 1902. It has nice flowers and trees, including a rose garden and a greenhouse with cactuses in it. It is well-maintained.

If after entering Bryant’s Park, you go right past the painted tree stumps, you come to Coaker’s Walk which is a 15-minute walk that leads to the Greenland’s Youth Hostel. On a clear day the walk on this path is great, but most of the time it is misty and not much can be seen. There are telescopes near the western end of Coaker’s Walk, which give a good view of the surrounding countryside.

Observatory Road Area
Some of the best scenery in Kodai is along Observatory Road. Pillar Rocks is a group of granite cliffs, about 8km southwest of town. The views of the surrounding countryside from Pillar Rock are great. The walk here is mainly on a flat road. To get here you follow Observatory Road west, out of town. You pass a small waterfall on the way.

At the fork in the road, you head right toward the Observatory (no visitors allowed where the instruments are located). It has a small museum, which is open daily 10 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm (Only Friday in the off-season).

If you head left at the fork past the toll booth, you come to Green Valley View, from which you can get a great view of the surrounding countryside, but only on a clear day.

The 18-hole Kodaikanal Golf Club (40323) is just past Green Valley View. It costs Rs 150 per day; club rental Rs 100 to 150.

If you walk along the road another half-hour, you come to the roadside projection, from which you can get a good view of Pillar Rocks on a clear morning. About a 45-minute walk further on, there are several paths that go through the forest. Many people walk around here. You can get a good view of Pillar Rocks from this area.

Other Places
Flora and Fauna Museum, 5km out of town along Law’s Ghat Rd, has one of the best orchid houses in South Asia. Open daily except Sun 10 to 12 noon and 3 to 5 pm. Admission Rs 1

About one km past the museum is Silver Cascade Waterfall. It can be a crowded place.

Chettiar Park, 3km northeast of town, has kurinji flowers that come into bloom every 12 years. The next scheduled time is in 2006.

Where to Stay
During the high season most of the places more than double their prices. Checkout time is usually 9 or 10 am.

Where to Stay—Lower
Greenland’s Youth Hostel (241099; Email: greenlandsyh@rediffmail.com), St Mary’s Rd, Coaker’s Walk, about 1km from the center of town, is a friendly, popular place with back-packers. There are great views from here. It has double rooms for Rs 340 to Rs 470 (Rs 520 high-season) and dorm beds for Rs 100. It has hot water from 7 to 9 am.
Yagappa Lodge (241235), off Club Rd, has rooms with bath (hot water in a bucket) for Rs 300 and with running hot water for Rs 340. It is a very good, quiet place, with good views. The price doubles in the high season.
Zum Zum Lodge, near Club Rd, has really basic rooms for Rs 75 in the off-season. The price rockets up in the high-season.
Everest Lodge (40100), 20 Anna Salai, has small rooms for Rs 150/300 and dorm beds for Rs 70. It is a decent value.
Hotel Sunrise (4041358), Post Office Rd, a couple minutes from the bus stand, has rooms with hot water during the day for Rs 355. There are great views from here.
International Guest House (45420), Anna Salai, has small, clean rooms with bath for Rs 200/250. Hot water in a bucket.

Where to Stay—Middle
Snooze Inn (40837) has clean rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 350 (Rs 550 high-season).
Hotel Astoria (240524: Email: astoria1@vsnl.com), corner of Anna Salai and Wood Will, has rooms with TV for Rs 600 (Rs 800 high-season).
Hotel Sangeeth (40456), opposite the bus stand, has comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 250 (Rs 450 high-season). It is a good value.
Taj (40940: Email: enquiry@villaretreat.com), off Club Rd, has rooms with bath ranging from Rs 600 (Rs 750 high-season) to Rs 650 (Rs 900 high-season). There is hot water in the morning and evening. It is a friendly place and there are great views.
Hotel Tamil Nadu (41336), Fern Hill Rd, has rooms for Rs 350 (Rs 550 high-season) to Rs 550 (Rs 750 high-season). Good views. It could be better maintained.
Hilltop Towers (240413; fax 240415: Email: httowers@rnd3.vsnl.net.in), Club Rd, has good, comfortable, modern rooms for Rs 750 (Rs 1100 high-season) and better rooms for Rs 850 (Rs 1200 high-season). It is well-managed, and has a good restaurant.
JS Heritage (41323; fax 40693), PT Rd, is a new, well-managed place with clean, comfortable rooms for Rs 500 (850 high-season) to Rs 1000 (Rs 1700 high-season).
Hotel Jewel (41029; fax 40518) has comfortable rooms with hot water and TV for Rs 400/450 (Rs 600/800 high-season). It is a good value.
Hotel Garden Manor (40461; fax: 42187; Email: sealord@vsnl.com), Lake Rd, is large rooms for Rs 700 (1200 high-season) to Rs 850 (Rs 1300 high-season). It has a pleasant garden.

Where to Stay—High
Kodaikanal Club (41341), Club Rd, near the lake, is a colonial building which has rooms with bath, TV, heater and hot water for Rs 900 (Rs 1000 high-season) plus a 15% service charge. It has a billiard table, tennis courts and a video room. During the high-season it is fully booked months in advance.
Valley View Hotel (40181) is a modern hotel with comfortable rooms for Rs 450 (Rs 1400 high-season) and Rs 600 (Rs 1700 high-season), with meals included in the price. The rooms in the front have great views. It has a good vegetarian restaurant. 9 am checkout.
Carlton (240071; fax 241170), Lake Rd, is an older, five-star, luxury, colonial place, which has well-kept lawns and is in a secluded location. It has a billiards room and a tennis court. The cottages overlook the lake. Checkout 9 am. Rooms with teak furniture and wooden floors are Rs 6500 from April to 15 June and 16 Dec to 15 Jan. At other times rooms are Rs 5500, including meals. They accept major credit cards. It is usually full.

Where to Eat
Daily Bread (40485), 3 Maratta Shopping Complex, Anna Salai, is a popular place that serves 20 types of breads and several types of cake.
Tibetan Brothers Restaurant has very good Tibetan food.
Silver Inn Restaurant has Continental food, including good pizza.
Sornam Restaurant, Fern Hill Rd, opposite the TTDC, has good South Indian food. The butter dosas are good.
Eco-Nut, Seven Junction Rd, has cheese, peanut butter, brown bread and very good health food items.
Wang’s Kitchen, Hospital Rd, has good Chinese food.
Trattoria Venice is a very good Italian restaurant, which has lasagna and pizza.
Hotel Punjab has good food.
Tava Restaurant, in the Hotel Jewel, is a very good vegetarian place.
Manna Bakery and Vegetarian Restaurant, Bear Shola Falls Rd, has very good food. Dinner (7 pm) should be booked in advance. It has pizza, cakes and doughnuts. Recommended.
Chef Master, Hospital Rd, has good Keralan, Continental and Chinese food.
Carlton, Lake Rd, has good buffet meals (Rs 300). The dinner buffet is 7.30 to 10 pm.

Local Travel
Taxis are expensive here. Minimum price is Rs 70 and for the day is Rs 700

There is a place that rents bikes near the corner of Club and Bazaar Roads (Rs 25 per day). Outside the Carlton Hotel there is a place that rents mountain bikes for Rs 7 per hour and Rs 55 per day.

Travel
Train The closest railway station to Kodaikanal are Kodai Road (trains to Chennai and Madurai) and Palani (trains to Rameswaram and Madurai), which are both around 3 hours away by bus. There is a railway booking office next to the Hilltop Tower Hotel on Club Rd (Mon to Sat 9 am to 5 pm, Sun 1.30 to 5 pm), where you can book long-distance trains.

Bus There are regular buses to Kodai Road (for the railway station, 80km), Palani (65km) and Dindigul. There are buses to Coimbatore (2 daily, 200km), Chennai (2 daily, 510km), Madurai (3½ hr, 120km, 9 daily), Bangalore (12 hr, 1 daily), Kumily for Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary (4½ hr, 1 daily) and to Tiruchirappalli (200km).

KSRTC booking office, PT Road. (daily 9:30 am-5pm

Deluxe private buses run between Kodaikanal and Udhagamandalam (Ooty). During the monsoon these buses do not run.

Kumbakonam

Pop 162,000 Area
Phone Code: 0435

Kumbakonam is one of the oldest places in South India and was the capital of the Chola kings in the 7th century. It is 350km south of Chennai, 70km southwest of Chidambaram, and 40km northeast of Thanjavur. The rivers Kaveri (Cauvery) and Arasalar flow on the two sides of Kumbakonam.

There are about 18 templ.es in the center of town dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva. There is also a rare Brahma temple here. The Sarangapani Temple is one of the most important Vishnu temples in South India. Kumbakonam is named after Kumbakarna, the brother of Ravana.

Information
The Indian Bank and State Bank are opposite each other on TSR Big St. They may not change money. The closest place to change money is Thanjavur.

The post office is on Head Post Office Rd, near the Mahamakam Tank.

There is a place to hire a bicycle opposite the New Diamond Lodge, Nagesvaran North St.

The town is a little spread out, but most of the temples are within walking distance of each other. All the temples in Kumbakonam are closed between 12.30 and 4.30 pm.

NOTE Some of the temples have impressive jewelry collections, which often can be seen for a donation.

Sarangapani Temple
This temple is considered to be one of the most important Vishnu temples in South India, along with Srirangam and Tirupati. Seven of the Alwars sang the glories of this temple. Most of the temple was built by the Nayak kings between the 13th and 17th centuries, but the central shrine dates to the end of the Chola period. It is the largest Vishnu temple in Kumbakonam, and it has a gopuram 44m (146 ft) high.

There are many deities in the temple. The Lord’s consort is Sri Komalavalli (Lakshmi), whose shrine is located in the north part of the temple, to your right as you enter the temple. The main central shrine resembles a chariot, with elephants and horses carved on the basement. There are many carvings on the walls of this shrine. Bathing in the Hema Pushkarani Tank next to the temple is considered very auspicious.

The temple has two big carts. It also has a silver cart for special occasions, such as the first day of Tai (January-February). On Vaikuntha Ekadasi there is a big festival in the temple. Another big festival is Mattai Adi in January-February.

Kumbeswara Temple
This is the largest and oldest Siva temple in town. Its main gopuram is 38.5m (128 ft) high and it has many intricately carved sculptures on it.

There is an excellent collection of silver vahanas (palanquins) used to carry the deities at festival times. There is a shrine dedicated to Adi Vinayaka (Ganesh). It is said that Vinayaka came to this place before Lord Siva. There are also images of the 63 Nayanmar Shaivite poets. It is located in the center of town.

Rama Swami Temple
The Nayak King Raghunath built this temple in the 16th and 17th century. This temple has Deities of Lord Rama and his three brothers. As you enter the temple there are several exquisite pillars with sculptures of events from the Ramayana. On the walls around the temples are beautiful paintings of the Ramayana pastimes.

Nageswara Temple
This is a Siva temple that dates to 886 AD. The sculptures in this temple are some of the best of the Chola period. Statues of Dakshinamurti (Siva as a teacher) in the south, Brahma, and Ardanariswara (Siva, as half man and half women) in the west are on the outside walls of the inner shrine. The rays of the sun enter the inner sanctum through the openings in the gopuram three times a year. The rays of the sun fall right on the Siva-linga, and this is considered to be worship by Surya, the Sun god.

Sri Cakrapani Temple
This is an important temple dedicated to the all-powerful disc of Lord Vishnu. The cakra (disc) of Lord Vishnu is called Sudarsana, which means “auspicious vision.” The Sudarsana cakra is always concerned with annihilating the demons. The illuminating principles in this world such as the sun, the moon, and fire emanate from the effulgence of Sudarsana. Similarly, illumination by knowledge also comes from Sudarsana, because with the illumination of Sudarsana one can distinguish one thing from another, the superior from the inferior.

Mahamakam Tank
A major festival is held at the sacred Mahamakam Tank once every 12 years, on the full moon day in the month of Magh (Jan/Feb), when Jupiter passes over Leo. At this time the waters of the Ganges, Yamuna, and seven other sacred rivers (Godavari, Kaveri, Krishna, Narmada, Saraswati, Tungabhadra, and Sarayu) are supposed to flow into the tank. As many as two million people came in February 1992. The next major festival is in 2004.

Every year there is a smaller festival in the month of Magh, when the image of Lord Kumbeswara is taken on procession. The tank covers an area of 20 acres and is by the railway station.

Temples in the Area
A temple dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya is in Swamimalai, 6km from Kumbakonam. The Kampahareswara Siva Temple at Thirubuvanam is 8km away.

Where to Stay—Lower
New Diamond Lodge (243-0870), 93 Nageswaran North St, has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 80/95 and with bath for Rs 140/200.
Chellam Lodge (23896), nearby at 57 Ayikulam Rd, has clean rooms for Rs 80/120.
Pandiyan Lodge (243-0397), 52 Sarangapani East St, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 150/250 and is a good value.
PRV Lodge, 32 Head Post Office Rd, has rooms for Rs 100/130 and Rs 550 with A/C.
Kasi Towers, 140 TSR Big Street, by the Hotel AAR, has basic rooms for Rs 100/140 and rooms with A/C for Rs 300.
Femina Lodge (421-369), 8 Head Post Office Rd, has clean double rooms with bath for Rs 200. It is a good value.

Where to Stay—Middle
There are no upper-class hotels in Kumbakonam
Hotel ARR, (242-1152), 21 TSR Big Street, is a good place with rooms for Rs 400/450 and Rs 700/800 with A/C. It is centrally located, near the temples.
VPR Lodge and Hotel Siva (421-820), 104 TSR Big St, share the same reception. The VPR Lodge has basic rooms for Rs 125. The Hotel Siva has large, but featureless rooms with hot water for Rs 250 and Rs 400 with A/C. The rooms are really impersonal.
Hotel Tamil Nadu (30422), Poompuhar Rd, nears the Art College, north of town, has rooms for Rs 150 and Rs 350 with A/C. Rs 50 extra for a TV. It has a nice garden.
Hotel Raya’s (242-2545; fax: 242-2479), 28-29 Head Post Office Rd, near the Mahamakam Tank, has smallish, clean, modern rooms for Rs 650/850 and Rs 900/1000 with A/C.
Hotel Athitya (242-1794), 11-12 Thanjavur Main Road, is in a quiet part of town and has rooms that are a good value for Rs 550/600 with bath and Rs 650/700 with A/C. It has a restaurant.

Where to Eat
Arul Restaurant, Sarangapani East St, opposite the Pandiyan Lodge, is a good vegetarian place with thalis ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 50. It has an A/C room upstairs.
PRV Lodge, 52 Sarangapani East St, has a good, cheap vegetarian restaurant. A thali meal is Rs 18.
Hotel ARR has a vegetarian restaurant along with a non-vegetarian restaurant.
A&A Veg Restaurant, Ayikulam Rd is a good reasonably price vegetarian good place.
Hotel Raya’s has a restaurant.

Travel
Kumbakonam is on the bank of the Kaveri River, 68km southwest of Chidambaram and 311km south of Chennai.

Train The railway station is just east of the Mahamakam Tank, about 2km from the main temple area. There are trains to Chennai (8 hr, 4 daily), Chengalpattu (6½ hr), Tiruchirappalli (3 daily), Chidambaram, and Thanjavur (3 daily). There is a good train to Chennai at about 8.30 am which takes about 8 hours.

Bus The bus station is north of the Mahamakam Tank, southeast of the center of town, about a ten-minute auto-rickshaw ride from the main temple area. There are regular buses to Chidambaram, Pondicherry, Madurai, Coimbatore, Tiruchirappalli (4 hr), Chennai (7½ hr, 4 daily), Tiruvannamalai and Bangalore. Buses depart to Thanjavur (half-hour) via Dharasuram and Gangaikondacholapuram every few minutes.

Dharasuram
The impressive Airavateswara Siva Temple is located across the Arasalar River in Dharasuram, 5km southwest of Kumbakonam. Architecturally it is one of the finest and most important temples amongst those built during the Chola period. This temple was built by Raja Raja II (1146-63) in the 12th century. Airavateswara means “the Lord of Airavata,” who is the elephant carrier of Indra. This temple has impressive sculptures. The hall in the northwest part of the temple is especially interesting.

You enter the temple through two gateways. After you pass the second gate you come to a large courtyard, 240m east to west and 100m north to south. In the center of the courtyard is the temple. In front of the temple are columns with small, detailed sculptures on them. The temple is entered from the south. You then enter a hall with pillars which have pastimes of Siva carved on them. The main mandapa (hall) is connected to the main sanctum (altar). In the niches approaching the main shrine are fantastic carvings.

In the inner shrine there are impressive sculptures: one of Ardhararisvara with eight arms and three heads, and a Nataraja with four arms with snake hoods over his head. On the outside west walls there is a sculpture of Siva coming out of a linga. On the north wall there is Brahma and Dakshinamurti (Siva) is on the south wall.

There is a museum in the northeast corner of the temple. There is a priest here who speaks good English and is a guide for the temple. This place can be reached by a short bus ride from Kumbakonam or a nice bicycle ride from there.

Madurai

Pop: 1,200,000 Area
Phone Code: 0452

Madurai is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu, next to Chennai. This interesting city has a good atmosphere and is a popular place to visit. It is one of the oldest cities in India, over 2,500 years old. Madurai is situated on the banks of the Vaigai River.

The highly impressive Meenakshi Temple is in the center of the old town and is the main reason why people come here. An average of 10,000 people visit daily. The foundation of the town and temple were built by the Pandyan king, Kulasekhara. It is a place of pilgrimage specifically meant for the devotees of Lord Siva, therefore it is called Saivaksetra, the place where Lord Siva is worshiped. Sri Chaitanya came here on his South India tour.

History
Madurai was the capital of the Pandyan Empire from the 4th century till the 10th century. In the 10th century the Chola took over Madurai. It was regained by the Pandyans in the 12th century and they ruled it until the 14th century.

Madurai was invaded by the Delhi Sultanate in the 14th century and for a short time became a Sultanate under Malik Kafur. Then it came under the control of the Vijayanagar kingdom in the 15th and 16th centuries. During this time the Meenakshi Temple was greatly expanded and some of the temple towers were built. From 1599, Madurai was ruled by the Nayak dynasty. Tirumala Nayak (1623-59) built the Raja Gopuram and Teppakkulam Tank.

In 1736 the East India Company took control of Madurai. They torn down the city’s walls and filled in its moat. The moat used to be located where the Veli streets are now and this marks the boundaries of the old city.

Orientation
Madurai is situated on both banks of the Vaigai River. The old city, south of the Vaigai River, is surrounded by four streets—North, East, West, and South Veli Streets—which were made by the British when they filled in the moat that surrounded the city. The main shops, important offices, bus, and railway stations are on West Veli Street, 1km west of the temple. The temple is in the center of the old city, as are many of the lower-priced hotels. The Anna Bus Stand, museum, and higher-class hotels are north of the river, northeast of the Meenakshi Temple. Main streets are arranged in an irregular grid that go concentrically around the temple. The closest streets to the temple are East, South, West, and North Chitrai Street.

Information
The Tourist Office (233-4757) at 180 West Veli St, provides a free map of Madurai, and can arrange car rental and a tour guide. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5.30 pm. They also have tourist counters at the airport and railway station.

There is a daily Tour to Rameswaram that departs at 7.30 am and returns around 6 pm. It goes to most of the major places and is a convenient way to visit Rameswaram. You can arrange this tour with local travel agencies. The tour bus picks you up at your hotel.

The GPO is at the corner of N Veli St and Scott Rd. The poste restante (No 8) is open 10 am to 5 pm. You can send faxes from here.

There are bookshops on West Veli St including Malligai Bookshop, 11 W Veli St. Higginbothams Book Shop (24528), W Veli St, has a decent selection.

Hospital: Government Hospital (532-535), Panagal Rd, across the Vaigai River. Better is the private Jawahar Hospital (42023) 14 Main Rd, KK Nagar, north bank of the Vaigai River.

Shree Meenakshi Tours (39339), 97 Vakil New Street, is an established travel agency.

Internet facilities at Mahizham Internet Browsing Centre, 80-A, 3rd Floor, Nethaji Road (web site: http://www.koolal.com).

Foreigners' Reporting Office (344007), is near the Southern Tower of the Sri Meenakshi Temple.

Money
You can change money at the State Bank of India (33524), 6 W Veli St, across from the train station; and at the Central Bank of India, 15 Meenakshi Rd. At the Andhra Bank, on W Chitrai St, they accept Visa and MasterCard, but not currency.

There are ATM at UTiI Bank, at Madhurai Junction station, Canara Bank, West Perumal Maistry St and HDFC, West Veli St.

Meenakshi Temple
This 17th century temple has two sanctuaries: one dedicated to Lord Siva as Sundareswar (“Lord of Beauty”) and the other to Meenakshi, his wife. Meenakshi holds a parrot and a bouquet. It is a huge temple, in which you can get lost. Tirumala Nayak built the present temple in the early 17th century, but its history goes back to the Pandya kings, 2,000 years ago. It has some of the most impressive gopurams (temple towers) in India. It is estimated that there are 33 million carvings in the temple. This temple has some of the best architecture in India. About 10,000 people visit the temple every day. Around 25,000 people come on Fridays, which is the day sacred to Meenakshi.

The temple has a hall with a thousand pillars (actually 985). There is an interesting art gallery and museum in this hall. The museum can be visited while the temple is closed in the afternoon, between 1 and 4 pm.

The temple is open daily 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 9.30 pm. Outside the Meenakshi Amman Shrine there is temple music between 6 and 7.30 pm and 9 and 10 pm. Every night at around 9.30 pm there is a dramatic ceremony during which Lord Siva is carried into the bedroom of Parvati. He is taken back to his temple around 6 am each morning.

The inner sanctums are restricted to Hindus only, but everyone can go anywhere else on the temple grounds. It is interesting to visit the temple both during the day and at night, as the dark corridors, with lamps burning here and there, are very impressive.

Temple Story
The story of the deities is that Meenakshi was born—with three breasts—out of the yajna (sacrificial) fire that the Pandyan king, Malayadhwaja, was performing to get a son. The king was told that one of the breasts would disappear when Meenakshi met the man she would marry. It is said that Meenakshi conquered the world defeating all the gods and demons. She then set out to conquer Lord Siva. When she met Lord Siva on Mt Kailash her third breast disappeared. Siva told her to return to Madurai, and eight days later he arrived in the form of Lord Sundareswar to marry her. Their wedding is celebrated in a grant fashion every year in Madurai.

Meenakshi means “one who has eyes like a fish.” Just as a mother fish has to just glance on her spawn to develop life in them, so in the same way her worshiper’s spiritual life comes alive when goddess Meenakshi glances at them.

Temple Information
There is a detailed explanation of the temple called History and Description of Sri Meenakshi Temple, which you can purchase at stalls inside the temple.

There is a Rs 25 camera fee payable at the temple office inside the southern gate, to the left as you enter. After taking a few pictures, I was asked by a regular-looking guy whether I had my camera ticket, so it is best to pay in advance. I know of another person who was asked whether he paid the camera fee a few seconds after taking his first picture.

The main section of the temple is closed between 1 and 4 pm, even for taking pictures. But the halls in the eastern part of the temple, including the 1,000 Pillar Hall and the Ashta Shakti Mandapa, are open during this time.

Non-Hindus are not allowed in the inner sanctum. There is a Jewel House next to where the vehicles of Meenakshi and Sundareswar are kept. This impressive collection of jewelry can sometimes be seen for a donation.

Temple Complex
The outer wall of the complex is 259m by 221m (847 by 792 ft). The temple has 12 large gopurams, or gates. The main entrance is on the eastern side of the temple. There are four huge gopurams with beautifully painted colored statues on the outer wall. The southern tower, built in the 16th century, is the largest one and is 48.8 metres (170 ft) high with a 33m by 22m (108 by 67 ft) base. It has over 1,500 sculptures on it. There are two huge yalis, which are like a combined lion and elephant, on both sides of the tower. The diameters of their eyes are 75 cm (2.5 ft), which gives an indication of the size of their bodies. The west tower, which is the first tower to be seen if you are coming from the railway station, is 47m (154 ft) high and has 1,124 sculptures on it. The north tower is 46m (152 ft) high and has 404 sculptures on it.

The eastern gopuram, built in the 13th century by Maravarman Sundara Pandyan, is the oldest tower. The eastern gate, which in most temples is the main gate, is never used. The reason for this is that one of the priests of the temple jumped off this gopuram when the Palace officials levied taxes on the temple servants. After this incident, the tax was immediately stopped. The gate is supposed to be haunted by his ghost.

People instead enter to the left of the eastern tower directly in line with the entrance to the Meenakshi Temple. There are beautiful sculptures of Ganesh and Subrahmanya on the sides of this entrance. There is also a scene of Sri Meenakshi’s wedding. This entrance leads to the Ashta Shakti Mandapa (Eight Goddesses Hall), where there is an interesting market. There are sculptured pillars decorated with carvings of the eight Shaktis (goddesses) and Siva’s 64 miracles performed at Madurai. There are also paintings in this hall that depict the birth of Sri Meenakshi.

A small hall connects the Ashta Shakti Mandapa to a large hall (43m by 33.5m) called the Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa. In the small hall there are 2.4m (8 ft) tall statues of a hunter and Parvati.

The Meenakshi Naicker Mandapa has 110 pillars, each of which is 6.7 m (22 ft) high. On each pillar is a figure of a yali, which is like a combined lion and elephant. There is a 7.5m (25 ft) high Thiruvatchi (frame of lamps) that contains 1,008 lamps.

Going straight from the Ashta Shakti Mandapa, you enter the seven-storey Chitrai (artistic) Gopuram, which has 730 sculptures on it. This leads to the Mudali Pillai Mandapa. This hall has scenes from the Puranas on its walls.

The Portramaraikulam Tank (Golden Lotus Tank), also called Swarnapushpakarini, is where Tamil literature was presented and then put in the tank. The manuscripts (in the past they were written on leaves) that floated were considered great works of literature, and if they sank, they were dismissed. Pilgrims either bathe, or wash their feet and hands in the tank before entering the inner sanctum. The tank is 50m by 36m (165 by 120 ft).

On the west side of the golden tank by the Meenakshi shrine is the Oonjal Mandapa, or Swing Mandapa, which has a swing where the two presiding deities are worshiped every Friday (6 to 7 pm). The six main Subrahmanya temples are painted on the walls of this Mandapa. Next to this is the Kilikootu Mandapa, the hall of parrots. There used to be parrots here that chanted the name of Meenakshi, but now you won't find any parrots. It has beautiful sculptures of the Pandavas, Vali, and Sugreeva (the king of the monkeys). There is a Yali here that has a stone ball that revolves in its mouth.

Next to the Kilikootu Mandapa is the main entrance to the Meenakshi shrine, also known as Amman Koyil, or “mother temple.” The roof of the main shrine is covered with gold.

Across the corridor and next to the tank is the small Rani Mangammal Mandapa, which has an 18th century painting showing the marriage of Meenakshi and Sundareswar. In the hallway there are also sculptures from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Walking north from the Meenakshi shrine brings you to the Sundareswara shrine. By the doorway between these two shrines is a huge 2.4m (8 ft) tall monolithic Ganesh, Mukuruni Vinayaka, said to have been found when the Mariamman Teppakkulam tank was excavated.

In front of the Sundareswar shrine are carvings of the Navagraha (nine planets). Next to this is the Kambathadi Mandapa, where there are carvings of the ten incarnations of Vishnu and the wedding of Meenakshi.

At the entrance of the Sundareswar Temple are 3.6m (12 ft) tall dwarapalakas (door-guards). In the southern part of this temple are shrines dedicated to Saraswati (the Goddess of Learning) and the 63 Nayanmars (important devotees of Siva). In the southwest corner is the utsava-murti (the deity taken out of the temple for processions). In the north section one can see Durga, Siddhi and Lakshmi (goddess of fortune), as well as an ancient Kadamba tree and a well. In the northwest corner is Kasi Visvanath. There is a tunnel in this enclosure which is said to have once been connected to the Thirumalai Nayak Palace. In the next enclosure is a Lord Nataraja shrine, where Lord Siva is dancing with his right foot raised.

If after leaving the Sundareswar Temple you go straight (east), you come to the Vira Vasantharayar Mandapa, which has 46 pillars and a large Nandi, the bull carrier of Lord Siva. There is a large arch of lights in this mandapa.

The Thousand Pillar Mandapa was built in the 16th century. Each pillar is intricately carved. It is a huge hall, 75m (250 ft) by 72m (240 ft). There is a large deity of Nataraja (dancing Siva) at the far end of the hall. There is an interesting museum and musical pillars in this hall. The musical pillars are just inside the entrance to the right. The museum is open 8 am to 8 pm.

When you exit this hall you come to the Thirukkalyana Mandapa. This is where the marriage ceremony of Sri Meenakshi is performed each year in April/May.

Between the north gopuram and the Thousand Pillar Hall on North Adi Street there are five musical pillars, each made of 22 rods carved out of a single block of granite. Each of the rods of the pillars produces a different note when struck.

Near the pillars is a mandapa with 16 pillars called Tattu Chutur Mandapa, built in 1172.

Koodal Alagar Temple
This is a Vishnu temple located 2km west of the city, that has three altars, one on top of the other, in which Lord Vishnu is in three different poses: sitting, standing, and reclining. The main deity of the temple is Koodal Alagar, who is in a sitting posture. Above the shrine of this deity are the altars of Sri Ranganatha, in a reclining pose, and Sri Surya-narayan Perumal, in a standing pose. There are intricate woodcarvings here, including one of Lord Rama’s coronation. This is one of the 108 Divya Desam temples. There is a Navagraha (nine planets) enclosure in this temple.

Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank
This huge tank, 300m (1000 ft) by 285m (950 ft), is located 5km east of the Meenakshi Temple. This is where the Teppam Float Festival takes place, during which the deities are taken out on decorated boats in Jan/Feb. The tank is fed water from the Vaigai River through underground channels. It is usually only filled during the Teppam Festival. While digging up the earth a huge Ganesh was found, which is now installed at the entrance of the Sundareswar Temple, in the Meenakshi Temple. From the State bus stand, you catch bus #4 or #4A to get here.

Thirumalai Nayak Mahal Palace
This interesting Indo-Saracenic palace is about 1½ km southeast of the Meenakshi Temple. The Nayak rulers built it in 1635. Architecturally, it is one of the best palaces in India, but there is not much left of it. Thirumalai Nayak’s grandson dismantled much of the palace and used it to build another palace in Tiruchirappalli.

The audience hall, Swarga Vilasam (Celestial Pavilion), has a 20m-high dome without a single girder or rafter to support it. It has excellent stucco work on its domes and arches. There are more than 200 columns, some over 12m high.

There is a museum in the palace dealing with the history of Madurai. It has Pandyan, Buddhist and Jain sculptures. Here you’ll find a beautiful sculpture of Narasimha and a deity of Lord Vishnu, both dating from around the 9th century. Open daily 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm.

There is a Sound and Light Show on the history of Madurai and the life of the Nayaks, in the evening (English show: daily 6.30 pm, admission Rs 5).
The palace is a 15-minute walk from the Meenakshi temple. Buses #11, #11A, #17 and #38 from the State bus stand come here.
Mangammal (Tamukkam) Palace, Gandhi

Museum & Government Museum
The Gandhi and Government museums are located in the 17th Century Queen Rani Mangammal Palace, about 5km northeast of the temple, on the other side of the river. The Gandhi Museum is one of the best in India. It contains the blood-stained dhoti worn by Gandhi when he was assassinated. It also has an interesting History of India Display. The History Exhibit begins when Europeans first arrived in India and goes until Independence. There is an exhibit that documents Gandhi’s life. Open Sat-Thursday 10 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5.30 pm; free.

Next to the museum is the Gandhi Memorial Library, which has reference material and books which are about, and by, Mahatma Gandhi. Admission: Daily: 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm. Camera/Video Rs 10/50.

There is a small garden in front of the palace dedicated to Gandhi. It contains a replica of the hut in which Gandhi stayed between 1936 and 1946 and a memorial pillar where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were placed.

The Government Museum has local archeological exhibits, 19th century weapons, good bronze sculptures, paintings, musical instruments and stamps. Open daily except Fri 9 am to 5 pm; free.

To get here you can take buses #1, #2 or #3 from the State bus stand to the telecommunications tower. From there it is a half km walk.
Rajaji Park, about 200m west along Tamukkam Rd, is a fancy playground with slides and motorized rides for children.

Festivals
The Chithirai Festival in April/May is the most important festival. It celebrates the marriage of Meenakshi (Parvati) with Sundareswar (Lord Siva). The two deities, riding on a golden bull and wearing pearl crowns, are brought on a spectacular procession around the town. Lord Alagar’s (Vishnu) procession to the bank of the Vaigai River on the full moon day is one of the most interesting events of the festival. Lord Vishnu rides on a real-gold horse-chariot to his sister’s wedding. Meenakshi is considered to be the sister of Lord Alagar.

For 12 days in late January or early February there is the Teppam (Float) Festival, during which Sri Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswar ride on decorated boats (Floats) around the Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank. It is a very popular festival. During the Avanimoola Festival (Aug/Sept), temple carts are pulled around the streets of the city.

Madurai Area

Alagar Koil (Azhagarkovil) Temple
Alagar Koil is an important Vishnu temple, 18km northeast of Madurai, at Alagar Hill. Around the temple are ruins of an ancient fortified town. The presiding deity is Alagar (the beautiful). The gopurams of this temple have recently been repainted, making them look outstanding.

Alagar, who is Meenakshi’s brother, was supposed to give her away in marriage to Sundareswar, but he arrived late for the wedding. This pastime is replayed at the Chitrai Festival. On the fourth day of the nine-day Chitrai Festival, Lord Alagar goes to Madurai to attend his sister Meenakshi’s wedding. This is a grand event and hundreds of thousands of people attend this festival. The panels in the Meenakshi Temple show carvings of Vishnu giving Meenakshi away in marriage, thus telling a different story.

Alagar Koil is one of the most ancient temples in India. All twelve Alwars visited this place. It is stated in the Mahabharata that both Yudhisthira and Arjuna came here. It is said that

Koorattalwar, the chief disciple of Ramanuja, got back his eyesight by worshipping the deity here.
The processional deity, Sundararaja, is made of very valuable gold called Aparanji gold. There is a shrine dedicated to Lord Narasimha, known as Jwala Narasimha, located behind the inner sanctum. Every day he is bathed with milk, curd (yogurt), and other items to cool down his anger. There is a big opening in the ceiling, just above his head, through which his anger and fury can pass out. There is a deity of Sudarsana-cakra said to be 2,000 years old in this temple.

There are temples on the hill dedicated to Siva, Bhairava, Subrahmanya, and Vinayaka (Ganesh). This place is one of the places dear to Subrahmanya.

Non-Hindus are not allowed in the temple, but converted Hindus may be allowed to enter the temple. You take bus #44 from the State bus stand on West Veli St to get here.

Thirupparankunram
At this place is a temple dedicated to Subrahmanya (Kartikeya), which celebrates his marriage to Indra’s daughter, Devayanai. The temple was carved out of a mountain. This temple is one of Subrahmanya’s six sacred abodes. Open 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 to 10 pm.

Thirupparankunram is 8km southeast of Madurai, on the main railway line. From Madurai, buses #4A, #5 and #32 from the State (PRC) bus stand come here.

Uramellaneyan Temple
The Uramellaneyan Temple is in Tirukkottiyur, 10km south of Tirupattur, and 50km east of Madurai. There are two Deities of Lord Narasimha here. One shows him chasing Hiranyakasipu, who is trying to elude his grip, and the other shows him tearing the body of Hiranyakasipu to shreds.

This is the birthplace of Tirukkottiyur Nambi (Goshtipurna), one of Ramanuja’s five gurus. He initiated Ramanuja into the secret of the sacred mantra. It is said that Ramanuja received the secret mantra from Tirukkottiyur Nambi after 18 visits. Sri Ramanuja then publicly explained the inner meaning of the mantra from the temple tower to all the Vaishnavas who had assembled there.

Shopping
Madurai is known for it cottons and batiks. The interesting Prithu Mandapam Market is just inside the eastern entrance of the Meenakshi Temple. Krishnamoorthy Cloth Store is a good place to get cloth here.

Parameswari Stores, 21 E Chitrai St, outside the southern gopuram of the Meenakshi Temple, has good silk-cotton mixture products. Madurai Gallery (34064), at Cottage Expo Crafts, 19 N Chitrai St, has handicraft products and good jewelry. Handloom Society Hall, 24 W Chitrai St, has high quality handmade cottons.

Khadi Emporium, Town Hall Rd, has good wooden carvings and gift items. Cooptex Sales Emporium, W Chitrai St, has saris and good fabrics.

Madurai Hotels

Where to Stay—Lower
Most of the cheaper places are along Town Hall Rd, Dindigul and West Perumal Maistry St, not far from the railway station and the State bus stand.
There are big, clean, noisy railway Retiring Rooms for Rs 75/125, which are usually full. Dorm beds are Rs 25.

New College House (224-2971; fax: 234-8900; Email: info@newcollegehouse.com), 2 Town Hall Rd, is a good cheap Indian-type place with a variety of rooms for Rs 275/350. It is best to see a few rooms here before choosing one, as some can be really dreary. They also have A/C rooms.
Hotel Times (342-651) 15 Town Hall Rd, is a well-managed place with clean rooms for Rs 250/350 and Rs 500 with A/C. It is a good value.
Hotel Ramson (340-407), 9 Permal Tank St, has rooms with bath for Rs 130/160.
Hotel Grand Central (743-940) 47 West Permal Maistry St, has big rooms for Rs 150/200 and with A/C for Rs 400.
Hotel Santosh (542-692), 7 Town Hall Rd, has basic rooms with bath for Rs 90/125.
Natraj Lodge, between the temple and railway station, is a good place with a view of the temple for Rs 120.
Ruby Lodge (742-253), 92 West Perumal Maistry St, has rooms with bath (bucket showers) for Rs 100/125. It has an outdoor restaurant.
Hotel Ragu (34566), 23 Town Hall Rd, is a good value, having rooms with bath for Rs 75/100.
The new Hotel Dhanamani (342-701/3), 20 Sunnambukara St, has singles with common bath for Rs 110, rooms with a bath for Rs 160/200 and with A/C and cable TV for Rs 600 . It is a good value.
Hotel Ravi Towers (341-961; fax 343-405: Email: Booking@RaviTowers.com), 9 Town Hall Rd, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 200/250 (TV is Rs 40 extra) and A/C rooms for Rs 450/600.
Sree Devi (234-7431), 20 W Avani Moola St, is a good value. It has a great view of the Meenakshi Temple from the roof. It has good double rooms with bath for Rs 350 and Rs 800 for an A/C room. A rooftop A/C room is Rs 1200 with a great view.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Aarathy (233-1571), 9 Perumal Kovil West Mada St, by the State bus stand, has clean rooms with hot water and Star TV for Rs 350/450 and A/C rooms for Rs 700/800. Some rooms have balconies with a view of the street below. There is a good view of the Meenakshi Temple from the upper floors. Squat toilets. Checkout 24-hr. The elephant from the temple close by comes to the restaurant out front and hangs around for a while at about 7 am. It is a popular, recommended place. There is a good outdoors vegetarian restaurant in front of the hotel.
Hotel Chentoor (350490; fax: 350499: Email: chentoor@eth.net; web site: http://www.hotelchantoor.com; email: chentoor@maduraionline.com), 106 West Perumal Maistry St, has rooms for Rs 550 and Rs 1000 with A/C. Many of the rooms have a view of the temple. The rooftop Emperor is a good vegetarian restaurant serving South Indian, Tandoori and Continental foods. Open 6 am to 12 midnight.
Hotel Supreme (234-3151; fax 234-2639; Email: hsupreme@sancharnet.on), 110 West Perumal Maistry St, has good-sized rooms for Rs 650 up to Rs 995 for an A/C room. It is a recommended place and it has a very good rooftop vegetarian restaurant. It has a travel counter, currency exchange facilities, 24-hour STD phone, and takes major credit cards. Deluxe rooms have a balcony with a view of the temple.
Arya Bhajann Hotel is good.
Hotel Thilaga (740-762), 111 West Perumal Maistry St, has clean, small rooms with bath, hot water and TV for Rs 200/225 and with A/C for Rs 400. Some of the rooms can be noisy.

There are two TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu hotels in town. The Tamil Nadu Hotel across the river is better, and all rooms there have a bath with hot water, but it is not conveniently located. The one at Wet Veli St (233-7471) is centrally located and has clean rooms for Rs 300/350 and Rs 500/600 with A/C and a TV.
Tamil Nadu Star (537-461; fax 533-203), across the Vaigai River on Alagarkoil Rd in a quiet location, costs Rs 250/300 for a regular room and Rs 350/450 for an A/C room. A TV is Rs 85 extra. It has a restaurant.
International (234-1533, 740-372), 46 W Perumal Maistry St, has rooms with cable TV and balconies for Rs 300/350.
Hotel Prem Nivas (234-2532;fax 234-3618; Email: premnivas@eth.net), 102 West Perumal Maistry St, is a good place with rooms with bath and cable TV for Rs 250/350 and Rs 500 with A/C. It is popular with budget travelers. It has a good A/C veg restaurant. Recommended.
Hotel Keerthi (741-501; fax 741-510), across the street at 40 West Perumal Maistry St, has good rooms with hot water for Rs 200/250 and A/C rooms for Rs 300 up to Rs 500.
Hotel Park Plaza 342112; fax: 343654: email: plaza@md4.vsnl.net.in), 114 West Perumal Maistry St, has comfortable spacious A/C rooms with cable TV for Rs 850/1100. It has a rooftop restaurant. They accept credit cards.
The Duke Hotel (234-1154), 6 N Veli St near W Veli St, has clean rooms with hot water and TV. The non-A/C rooms are a better value.

Where to Stay—High
Pandyan Hotel (253-7-090; fax 533-424), across the river on Alagarkoil Rd, has central A/C and is excellent. It has comfortable rooms for Rs 2500/2700, with 35% added on for sales tax and luxury tax. It has a good garden and a bookshop, but no pool. You should ask to see some rooms, as some are good and others are run-down.
ITDC Madurai Ashok (537-531; fax 537-530), also across the river on Alagarkoil Rd, has spacious comfortable rooms for Rs 1700/2100. It has central A/C, a good bookshop, and a nice pool that non-guests can use for Rs 75. This is a good, well-managed place. An auto rickshaw should cost Rs 45 to here and a taxi Rs 75. Expect to be asked for much more.
The luxury Taj Garden Retreat (260-1020; fax 237-1636; Web Site: http://www.tajhotels.com), Pasumalai Hills, 5km from the downtown, on a hill overlooking the city, is the best place in town. There are rooms in the original old colonial house and in newer cottages. It has a pool, tennis court and gardens. Rooms start at $120/135. There are also deluxe cottages with private terraces for $145/170. An auto-rickshaw to here costs about Rs 140.

Where to Eat
New College House has a cheap veg thali type restaurant.
Hotel Vasantham, West Perumal Maistry St, is a cheap thali place. Main dishes are around Rs 15.
Jam Jam Sweets, West Perumal Maistry St, is a famous sweet shop with the locals.
Priya Restaurant at the Hotel Prem Nivas, 102 W Perumal Maistry St, is a good, A/C place with Indian and Chinese food.
Arya Bhavan, 241 West Masi St, a few blocks west of the temple, is a very good, popular veg place. It has good snacks and Indian sweets. They serve South and North Indian food in the garden.
Ruby Restaurant, West Perumal Maistry St, is a popular non-veg place. It is in a garden.
Surya Restaurant at the Hotel Supreme, 110 West Perumal Maistry St, is one of the best places in town and is recommended. It has an A/C restaurant on the ground floor. Good lunch thalis are Rs 75. There is also a rooftop restaurant that has a good view of the Meenakshi Temple gopurams. It is very popular with foreigners. They serve Indian, Continental and Chinese food. The rooftop restaurant is open from 5 pm to midnight. Main dishes Rs 45.
Temple View, Hotel Park Plaza, 114-115 W Perumal Maistry St, is a rooftop restaurant that has a great view of the temple.
The Park, inside the Hotel Park Plaza, serves Continental and South Indian food. Main dishes are around Rs 35.
Pandiyan Hotel has a good lunchtime buffet, which is a good value, and Indian and Chinese food in the evening.
Madurai Ashok has a very good restaurant, but it isn’t cheap.
Taj Garden Retreat, Pasumalai Hill, has a good dinner buffet for Rs 320 on Sat and Sun. It is a very good place with live music on the weekends.

Local Travel
The #44 bus goes to Alagar Koil Vishnu Temple. The #4 and #4A buses go to Mariamman Teppakkulam Tank; #1 and #2 buses go to the Gandhi Museum and Hotel Tamil Nadu; #3 bus to the Anna bus stand; and #5 bus to the Tiruparankundram Rock-cut temple. You get these buses at the State bus stand.

You can hire a bicycle near the Uma Lodge on W Perumal Maistry Street and at a shop on W Veli St, across from the Hotel Tamil Nadu.

Travel
Air The airport (671333) is 14km south of the downtown. From the airport to downtown is Rs 150 by auto-rickshaw and Rs 250 by taxi. Bus #10A goes from the State bus stand to the airport, but may take a while. There is a Tamil Nadu tourist counter at the airport.

There are flights to Chennai (1 daily, $115) and Mumbai (1 daily, $185).

The Indian Airlines office (741-232/4, Airport 741-433) is at the TVS Building, 7A West Veli St. Air India (42471) is opposite the railway station on West Veli St.

Jet Airways (526969) has flights to Chennai.

Rail Madurai Junction Railway Station is a 20-minute walk west of the Meenakshi temple on West Veli Street, and just a few minutes walk from the main hotel area.

There are no direct trains to Delhi or Mumbai from Madurai. There are trains to Chennai (8-15 hr, 6 daily), Rameswaram (7 hr, 5 daily), Kanyakumari (6 hr, 4.10 am) and Tiruchirappalli (145km, 2½ to 8 hr, 8 daily). The Rameswaram-Chennai Exp #6102 (3.20 pm) goes to Chennai (14 hr) and stops at Thanjavur (5 hr), Chidambaram (8 hr), and Chengalpattu (13 hr) on the way. The Chennai-Vaigai Exp #2635 (12.45 pm) departs from Egmore Station and takes 9 hours to get to Madurai stopping at Tiruchirappalli (Trichy) on the way. To Rameswaram there are three trains a day that take 5 or 6 hours. It is quicker to go by bus, which only takes 4½ hours.

Bangalore Madurai-Bangalore Exp #6731 (7.50 pm, 12½ hr); Chennai Vaigal Exp #2636 (6.20 am, 8½ hr), Pandiyan #6718 (7.15 pm, 9½ hr); Chengalpattu Nellai Exp #6120 (9.30 pm, 10 hr); Coimbatore Madurai-Coimbatore Exp #6708 (6.10 am, 4 hr), Rameswaram-Coimbatore Fast Passenger #6716 (9.10 pm, 7 hr); Kanyakumari Chennai-Kanniyakumari Exp (4 am, 6 hr); Rameswaram Tirupati-Rameswaram Exp #6799 (10.30 am, 5 hr), Rameswaram Exp Fast Passenger #6715 (6 am, 5 hr);

Thiruvananthapuram Madurai-Quilon Exp (10.25 pm, 7 hr)

To get a tourist quota ticket you have to go to the Rail Tourist Information Counter in the main lobby (6 am to 8.30 pm). With the help of a member of their staff you can jump to the front of the long queue (line) upstairs. The tourist quota reservation office on the ground floor is very helpful. They take you inside the office and arrange your ticket in a hassle-free atmosphere. They can also arrange tickets that depart from other cities from here. This is a good place to arrange your train tickets. Upper Class booking is to the right and is open 9.30 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm.

There is a prepaid auto-rickshaw stand outside the main entrance of the station.

Bus There is good bus service from Madurai to all parts of the South.

Long distance buses mainly arrive and depart from the fairly new Central Bus Station (Mattuthavani)., which is 5km northeast of the center of town north of the Vaigai River, and cost about Rs 30 to get to from downtown. From here there are buses to Chennai (11 hr, 20 daily), Bangalore (9 hr, 20 daily), Tirupati (14 hr, 5 daily), Mysore (1 daily), Pondicherry (8 hr, 1.15 and 10 pm), and Mangalore. There are hourly buses to Chennai and 12 super-deluxe buses go there daily.
You can book seats in advance for the Thiruvalluvar buses at the main bus stand (7 am to 10 pm).

From the Arapalayam bus stand buses depart to destinations within Tamil Nadu and places in Kerala. There are many buses to Coimbatore. There are nine buses a day to Kodaikanal (4 hr, Rs 25). Buses #7A or #JJ come here from the State bus stand.

The Palanganatham bus stand, in the southwest part of the city, 5km from the center of town, serves cities in South Tamil Nadu and South Kerala, such as Kanyakumari (7 hr) and Thiruvananthapuram (7 hr, 10 daily). Buses #7 and #7J come here from the State bus stand.

You can book super-deluxe video buses to Chennai and Bangalore from private bus companies. They may also try to sell you a ticket to other destinations promising a super-deluxe bus and instead sell you a ticket on a state bus for double the normal price. This is a normal thing that the travel agents in Madurai do. Be careful of hustlers at the bus stands. They may help you get a bus ticket at an inflated price.

Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram)

Pop: 12,000 Area
Phone Code: 04113

Mamallapuram, located 60km south of Chennai on the Bay of Bengal, means “the town of Mamalla, the great wrestler.” Mamalla is the title given to the Pallava ruler Narasimha Varman I, who built many of the temples here. The previous name Mahabalipuram means “the town of the great king Bali,” from whom Lord Vamana (Vishnu) begged three paces of land. This town was an ancient port of the Pallavas kings, who ruled from Kanchipuram from the 4th to the 8th centuries. It is believed that most of the carvings were done under the patronage of the Pallavas kings, Narasimha Varma I (630-668 AD) and Narasimha Varman II (700-728).

The rock carvings here are divided into three zones: the main group of carvings on the slopes of the hill, the Shore temple to the east, and the Pancha Ratha (Five Chariots) temples to the south. The temples here are among the earliest examples of monumental architecture in South India. They were made mostly between the 5th and 8th centuries. Most of the cave temples are carved out of a granite hill that is close to the sea. The Five Rathas are located south of this area.

The Shore temple is located right next to the sea.
Besides the famous Shore temple, there are 14 cave temples, 8 monolithic rathas, and a number of other smaller rock sculptures. Many of the monuments are floodlit at night. There is a dance festival here during January and February.

Mamallapuram is one of the more visited places by foreign tourists in South India. It is a peaceful town with a good atmosphere and is a pleasant place to stay for a few days or more, just to relax. It has a good selection of cheap accommodations and good restaurants. It has a good beach, but I did not see anyone swimming there, as the water was very rough and appeared extremely dangerous.

Orientation
East and West Raja Streets, which run north-south, are the main streets in town. The bus station is between the two streets. The carved cave temples are to the west of the village, away from the sea. The Five Ratha temples are to the south of the village and the Shore temple is to the east of the village, right next to the sea. East Raja Street turns into Kovalam Rd at the north end of town. If you head north out of town along Kovalam Rd you come to a series of good middle-class hotels.

You can get a good view of the area from the lighthouse, which is open from 2 to 4 pm, or you can just climb to the top of the hill.

Information
The Tourist Office (42232), north end of E Raja St, is one of the first buildings you see when you come from Chennai. It is located at the beginning of the village and is open from 10 am to 5.45 pm. Besides doing a good job of helping you with the local sites, they can also help you with travel information.

You can change travelers cheques at the Indian Overseas Bank, TKM Rd, or at the larger hotels. You can hire a bike on the main road by the bus stand.

The STD/ISD phone booth, 137 E Raja St, opposite the Indian Overseas Bank, is open 24 hours. The post office is near the tourist office. Postal Code: 603104.

You can arrange a guide at the Archaeological Survey Office on E Raja Street, south of the bus station. They publish a guidebook that gives a good explanation of the sites.

Dr Gladys Indira is supposed to be a good doctor. Her office is near the bank.

Hemnath Travels (42301), Othavadai; and GG Travels, Gazebo Restaurant, 102 E Raja St, are established travel agencies. Metro Tours (42456), 137 E Raja St, can arrange tickets and taxis.
You can get a good Ayurvedic massage at Sri Murugan Guest House.

Tours
There are tours operated by both ITDC and TTDC conducted from Chennai covering Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram, and Tirukkalukundram. It leaves at 7.30 am and returns at 6 pm. This is a quick way of visiting these places, as you can easily spend at least a day in both Mamallapuram and Kanchipuram.

Mamallapuram Dance Festival
The festival runs from the beginning of January till the beginning of February. Except for one continuous week of daily dances, there are classical Indian dances only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Arjuna’s Penance. You can ask for information about the festival from the Tamil Nadu Tourist Office in Chennai or other major cities.

CAUTION The current by the Shore temple is very dangerous and many people have drowned there. There are some areas south of the Shore temple where people swim, but it pays to be very careful.

Talasayana (Sthala Sayana) Perumal Temple
The Sthala Sayana Perumal Temple is one of the important Vishnu Divya Desam temples. It has a fairly big gopuram (entrance tower). This temple is not far from the bus stand, in the center of town. The Palanquin Festival in Oct/Nov is a major festival.

Arjuna’s Penance (The Descent of the Ganges)
This is considered to be one of the great works of art in India. It is an artistic masterpiece. It covers a rock wall 31m (96 ft) by 16m (40 ft), and has over 100 figures carved on it. One carving of an elephant is 5m (16 ft) long. There is an interesting relief of a cat meditating, while rats freely play around it.

There are two schools of thought about this sculpture. One school says the sculpture depicts the story of Arjuna undertaking penance to get a powerful weapon from Lord Siva to destroy his enemies. To witness this, visitors rushed from the heavens and earth.

Another school says that the scene depicts the penance of Bhagiratha, to save the souls of his ancestors. After a long penance he brought the Ganges down to earth. The cleft in the rock depicts the Ganges descending to the world.
It is next to the Talasayana Temple. To take a photo, the light is best in the morning.

Hill Area
To the left of Arjuna’s Penance is Krishna Mandapa. It shows Krishna lifting Govar-dhan Hill in order to protect the people of Braj (Vrindavan) from the fury of Indra.

Up the hill behind Arjuna’s Penance is a good place to just wander around and see the other cave temples and carvings. On top of the hill is a peaceful place with a good view of the countryside. There are ten cave temples on the hill.

When you come to the top of the hill, if you make a left, you come to the interesting Varaha Cave temple. The Varaha sculpture shows Lord Vishnu taking the form of a boar to rescue the earth. The Lord is coming out of the ocean holding the earth. There is a sculpture of Vamana (Trivi­krama), Lord Vishnu as the dwarf Brahmin incarnation, on the southern wall of the cave. There is also a sculpture of Gajalakshmi, Lakshmi being bathed by two elephants (gaja), and a four-armed Durga.
If you continue to your left you come to the Rayala Gopuram, and a little further is the Ramanuja Mandapa.

If you make a right when you come up the hill from Arjuna’s Penance you come to the Ganesh Ratha, a monolithic temple that is 3.3m (11 ft) by 6m (19) ft and 8.5m (28 ft) high. To the west is the Pidari Rathas and the Valayankuttai.

If you keep walking up the hill (north) you come to Krishna’s Butter Ball, which is a huge almost totally circular boulder, that stays balanced on top of the hill. A little further is the Trimurti Cave, which contains bas-reliefs of the trinity—Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva.

South of Arjuna’s Penance, at the highest point of the hill, is the Olakaneswara Cave Temple, or “God of the Flaming Eye.” It used to be used as a lighthouse until the beginning of the 20th century. Close by is the new lighthouse (open 2 to 4 pm), from which you can get a good view of the area. Photography is strictly banned from the lighthouse.

Below the old lighthouse is the Mahisasuramardhini Mandapa (Durga Cave). There is a sculpture in this cave that shows the goddess Durga fighting with the buffalo-headed demon, Mahishasura. There is another sculpture of Lord Vishnu lying on Sesa Naga in his cosmic sleep. The carvings in this cave are especially good.

Pancha Rathas (Five Chariots)
The Five Rathas are named after the five Pandava brothers and their wife Draupadi, the heroes of the Mahabharata. They do not have anything to do with the Pandavas, and are not really chariots. Actually they are unfinished monolithic temples carved in the 7th century from large granite boulders. They are located about one km from the center of town, past the lighthouse. There is nothing around them.

The Dharmaraja Ratha is shaped like a pyramid and is 10.5m by 9m and 10.5m high (35 by 29 and 35 ft high). It has many detailed carvings on it. There are sculptures of Ardhanariswara (Siva and a female as one person), Harihara (Vishnu and Siva combined), Brahma, and King Narasimha Varman I.

The Bhima Ratha has a wagon-shaped roof and is north of the Dharmaraja Ratha. It is 7.8m by 7.5m and 14.5m high (26 by 25 and 48 ft high). Its bottom level is incomplete, except for the lions. The Arjuna Ratha contains Vishnu and his carrier, Garuda. It is 8m by 9m and 10.5m high (27 by 29 and 35 ft high). It has carvings of Indra with his elephant. Behind the Arjuna Ratha is an excellent sculpture of Nandi, Siva’s bull carrier.

The Draupadi Ratha, which is dedicated to Durga, and the Sahadeva Ratha are the smallest temples. Near the Sahadeva Ratha is a life-size sculpture of an elephant.

Shore Temples
The beautiful Shore temple is a two-towered structure built in the 7th century. This impressive temple is a World Heritage Monument. There are actually two temples, one facing east and one facing west. The one facing east is a Lord Siva temple with a Siva-linga. The other temple is a Vishnu temple with a 2.5m Maha-Vishnu sleeping on Ananta Sesa carved onto a granite boulder, facing east. Lord Vishnu’s pastimes are carved on the outer wall of the Vishnu temple.

A wall has been built around these temples to protect them from the ocean. These temples are one km from town, right next to the ocean. The Rs 5 admission also includes the Five Rathas.
North of Town

North of the main sites is the Tiger Cave (8th century), the Mukundanayanar Temple, and the Atiranachanda Mandapa. At the entrance of the Tiger Cave shrine, which is dedicated to Durga, are carvings of tiger heads. The Tiger Cave is in a peaceful area about 5km north of town. You can get there by taking a Chennai bus or by renting a bike. There is a sign posted on the right side of the road, but if you’re coming via the beach there is no sign.

Kapaleswara-tirtha is located at the foot of a hill, about 2km north of town. There is a Siva-linga called Kapaleswara and also a pond.

School of Sculpture & Museum
There is an official state School of Sculpture on E Raja Street. Open 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 6 pm. The Government College of Sculpture (42261) is 3km north of the center of town, on Covelong Rd. You can visit the school, but you should first make an appointment.

Local carvers give lessons to people on how to make stone carvings. People stay a week or two and learn how to make their own masterpieces. It looks quite relaxing.

The Archaeological Museum, on W Raja St, by the lighthouse (daily 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm), has a collection of Pallava sculptures that were found in the area. They also sell good postcards at a reasonable price.

Shopping
This a good place to get soapstone carvings, as they are produced here. Poompuhar Handicrafts Emporium, near the Shore Temple, has a good selection of high quality products. Himalaya Handicrafts on the main street has used books.

Where to Stay—Lower
The room rates here are very reasonable. During the Mamallapuram Dance Festival in January it may be hard to find a room on the weekends.

You can get very cheap rooms in the houses of the local villagers, on the way to the Pancha Rathas. The rates are about Rs 75 for a night or Rs 350 for a week. Facilities may be very basic, with outhouse toilets and no electricity. Ask around in the restaurants about rooms for rent. You can also ask the touts around the bus stand, but if you go with them the price will be higher.

Mrs Rajalaxmi’s has rooms with common bath and bucket showers for Rs 150.
Tina Blue View Lodge (242319), a seven-minute walk from the bus stand, is a good place with single rooms for Rs 150 and doubles with a balcony for Rs 250 to Rs 500.
Victory Guest House (43179), 5 Othavadai Street, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 200. It does not charge tax (or at least didn’t).
Close by, near the beach, is the popular Lakshmi Lodge (242463; fax: 242511; Email: lakshmilodge2002@yahoo.co.in), Othavadai St, which has good clean rooms for Rs 155/220 to Rs 450/800. The upstairs rooms are better. It has a rooftop restaurant.
A little down the road is the Ramakrishna Lodge (242331, 42431), 8 Othavadai Street. It is a good place with clean rooms with bath starting at Rs 175/225. The problem with both these places is that there is a temple nearby that blasts extremely loud music from 4.30 till about 7.30 am in the morning and again at other times in the day. It is hard to believe that everyone on the street is not totally deaf.
Murugan Guest House (242552), next door near the beach, is a good place with downstairs rooms for Rs 200 and Rs 300 upstairs.
Uma Lodge (242697) has clean rooms with bath for Rs 300 and without bath for Rs 1750. There are larger rooms for Rs 350 to Rs 600. The upstairs rooms are better. The good Pumpernickel Bakery is in this hotel.
Vinayak Cottages (242445), East Raja St, has clean double rooms for Rs 375 and very good cottages for between Rs 550 and Rs 800. The cottages are a good value.
Mamalla Bhavan (42250), on the main street, right next to the bus stand, has Indian style rooms with common bath for Rs 100 and rooms with attached bath for Rs 125. It is a good cheap place and is quiet at night.
Victory Guest House (42179), 5 Othavadai St, has rooms with bath for Rs 250.
Magesh Lodge (42201), 129 East Raja St, has clean, basic rooms for Rs 300 and Rs 400 for a deluxe room.
Selva Vinayaga (42445), near the hospital, has very good cottages with private bath for Rs 200 to Rs 250.
SRP Lodge, 50 Thirukkula St, is a recommended place that has rooms with bath for Rs 160 and other rooms for Rs 100.

Where to Stay—Middle, In Village
There is a government tax of 20% on rooms above Rs 200.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu Unit II Camping Site (42287), by the Shore Temple, is a good place with rooms ranging from Rs 350 to Rs 550 and dorm beds for Rs 60.
Hotel Surya (42292), 1 Thirukula St, has clean rooms for 200/300, Rs 500 with A/C and deluxe for Rs 700. They overlook a lake. It has a nice garden and it is well-managed.
Mamalla Bhavan Annexe (242060; fax 242160; email: mamalla@md3.vsnl.net.in), 105 East Raja St, is a good value with clean, well-maintained rooms with bath for Rs 600, Rs 850 with A/C, and Rs 950 for a deluxe room. It has a good vegetarian restaurant. It is a well-managed, recommended place. Accept credit cards.
Hotel Veeras (42288), right next door, has comfortable rooms for Rs 300 and Rs 500 with a fridge and A/C. It has a restaurant and is well-managed.
La Vie en Rose (42068) has good, clean rooms for Rs 350/550.

Where to Stay—Middle and High By Beach
There are a group of good hotels north of town along the beach and the road going to Chennai. Some of these places are very good values. Many of these places have a swimming pool, a restaurant and accept credit cards.
Ideal Beach Resort (242240; fax 242243), about 3½ km from the town, is a really nice place and is highly recommended. It has cottages and normal rooms for Rs 1500/1600 and A/C cottages for Rs 1700/1900. It is popular with foreigners and is well-managed. It has a good pool, which non-guest can use for Rs 100.
Golden Sun (242245; fax: 242900), 3km from town, is an excellent place with rooms for Rs 1100/1200 and A/C rooms for Rs 1400/1550. It has deluxe sea-facing rooms for Rs 1000/1100 and a good pool in a nice garden. It has a health club and disco. The rooms facing the sea are the best value.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu Beach Resort (242287; fax 242268; Chennai: (044) 830-390), 2km from town, is an excellent value with a very good swimming pool (open to non-guest). Rooms cost Rs 500 and Rs 850 with A/C and hot water. It has a nice garden and the rooms have a view of the sea. This is a very good choice.
Mamalla Beach Resort (242375) has rooms for Rs 200/250 and A/C rooms upstairs for Rs 650/850. All rooms have hot water. It does not have a restaurant, but serves food in the rooms. It is set back a bit from the sea.
Silversands (42228; fax 42280), 2km north of town, has rooms and cottages for between Rs 900/1400 and Rs 1400/2000. The suites and villas have a view of the sea and are Rs 2800. It has a pool, health club and a good restaurant.

Just 500m from Mamallapuram is the well-located ITDC Temple Bay Ashok Beach Resort (42251; fax 42257), on the beach by the village. It has a view of the Shore Temple, a nice garden and a pool, which can be used by non-guest for a fee. It has nine luxurious stone cottages with kitchenettes on the beach for Rs 1900/2600 with seafacing balconies and also 34 A/C rooms in the main building.

Where to Eat
The best restaurants are usually in the hotels.

Hotel Veeras, 106 E Raja St, has a good restaurant.
Sunrise Vegetarian Hut (42758), 7 Otthavadai Street, the same street that the Rama Krishna Lodge is on, is a pure vegetarian restaurant. The idlis are good. It is not cheap.
Sagar (42472), opposite the Government College of Architecture, has North Indian thalis during lunch and dinner.
La Vie en Rose, nearby, has good French food.
Gazebo (42525), E Raja St, serves Indian and Chinese food. It is one of the best places in town.
Moonrakers (42566), Othavadai St, is a popular place with travelers. It has good food and a good sound system.
Mamalla Bhavan, by the bus stand on E Raja St, is a cheap veg thali (Rs 20) place that also has good South Indian dishes. They make good masala dosas.
Mamalla Bhavan Annexe (42260), on the main street, has the very good Golden Pallate veg restaurant. They often have live classical Indian music outside in the courtyard in the evening. They serve Indian and Continental food. They have a good Dosa Platter for Rs 50 and good ice cream. Recommended.
Pumpernickel Bakery, on top of the Uma Lodge, 15 Othavadai St, is part German and part Nepali managed. It has good cakes, breads, sandwiches, Chinese, and full meals. It is a laid-back, recommended place.
Tina Blue View has a pleasant atmosphere and food. It is on the balcony of the hotel and it has a good view of the sea and temple.
Curiosity Restaurant has good food and breakfasts.
Silver Sands Hotel has a very good restaurant in a nice setting.
Ideal Beach Resort has a good restaurant serving Indian, Continental and Sri Lankan cuisine. It is located in a nice garden.

Local Travel
You can rent a bicycle (Rs 20 a day) or a moped (Rs 150 a day) at the Lakshmi Lodge. There are also bike shops on E Raja St, near the bus stand. Motor scooters and Enfields can be rented from Metro Tours (42456), 137 E Raja St, or Indhu Motor Works, across from the Town Hall, for between Rs 150 to Rs 300 a day. Nathan Cycle Works, across from TTDC, rents bicycles (Rs 20 per day) and motorcycles (Rs 250 per day).
Auto-rickshaws and taxis can be found near the bus stand. You will have to bargain hard to get a decent price for an auto-rickshaw.

Travel
Air The nearest airport is in Chennai.

Rail The nearest railway station is in Chengalpattu (Chingleput), 29km west of Mamallapuram and 60km south of Chennai. From there you can get a bus or taxi to Mamallapuram. If you’re coming from Chennai, it is best to take a bus to Mamallapuram.

Bus From Chennai (2½ hr, 60km) private buses to Mamallapuram leave from Parry’s Corner (next to the High Court Building) at the intersection of NSC Bose Road and Popham’s Broadway. State buses to Mamallapuram leave from Broadway station. The #188, #188 A/B/D and K are faster buses, while the #19, #108B, and #119A take a little longer. Young boys hang around the bus stand to help you get on the right bus for a rupee or two. From the Mofussil bus stand, near Esplanade in Chennai, you take #19A, #19C, and #68 buses to get to Mamallapuram.

There are regular buses to Chengalpattu and Kanchipuram (2 hr, 65km, 5 daily, Rs 15) via Tirukkalukundram. There are several buses a day to Pondicherry (3½ hr, 95km, Rs 20).
Taxi By taxi it takes an hour and a half to get from Chennai to Mamallapuram. The cost is about Rs 600. To take a day excursion from Chennai to here costs about Rs 1000. To Pondicherry is Rs 750. You can get a taxi near the bus stand in Mamallapuram for a long distance trip, but the prices are inflated and you really have to bargain to get a decent price.

Tirukkalukundram (Paksitirtha)
Tirukkalukundram means the “Hill of the Sacred Kite” (tiru—sacred, kaliki—kites, kundram—hill). It is 14km west of Mamallapuram, 60km southwest of Chennai, and 65km east of Kanchipuram. This place is famous because of two birds that have come here to eat almost every day for hundreds of years. Sri Chaitanya came here 500 years ago.

There is an interesting, large Vijayanagar temple dedicated to Lord Siva at the base of the hill with huge gopurams. There is a tank called Sangu-tirtha (sangu means conch) at the southeast end of the village. Every 12 years there is a Valampiri (right-turned) conch-shell found in it that is then displayed in the Siva temple in the village. To have possession of a right-turned conch-shell is considered good luck, and it is considered auspicious to just look at such a conch.

Bhaktavatsleeswar Temple
This Siva temple is on top of the 165m (500 ft) high Vedagiri Hill. It is said that two birds (Neophran vultures) have come here daily, since time immemorial, to receive food from the temple priest. It is said that these two birds are two sages who were cursed by Lord Siva. It is believed that they have their bath at Varanasi, their food here, their rest at Chidambaram, and they worship at Rameswaram. You have to climb hundreds of steps to the top of the hill. As it is a fairly tough climb, it is possible to be carried up.

The priests prepare food and offer it to the Siva-linga. A priest then puts the rice in two silver pots and the birds come and eat it. The birds are seen for about 15 minutes, after which they fly away. Sometimes the birds eat out of the priest’s hand. The birds usually arrive punctually every day between noon and 1 pm. Several people have told me that they saw the birds come and eat. When I was there the priest came out around 12 noon, but the birds did not come to eat that day and everyone left disappointed. At least I did.

Academic scholars accept evidence found recorded on the temple at the bottom of the hill that these birds have come almost daily for at least a thousand years.

Travel
There is no place to stay here. There are a few small shops where you can get cold drinks in the village. This place would normally be visited on a day trip from Mamallapuram, Kanchipuram, or Chennai. The closest railway station is 9km southwest at Chingleput.

There are regular buses from Mamallapuram (14km, 30 min). You can stop here on the way from Kanchipuram to Mamallapuram by bus. There is a tour bus from Chennai that goes to Mamallapuram, then here, and then to Kanchipuram, all in the same day. This tour usually does not arrive in time to see the birds, which is the main reason to come here.

You can ride a bike to here from Mamallapuram between December and February, when it is not too hot. It is a beautiful ride. You can also get an auto-rickshaw or taxi from Mamallapuram.

Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary
Phone Code: 0423

Mudumalai is the home of about 25 tigers, 700 wild elephants, leopards, panthers, 1,000 gaur (Indian bison), bears, bonnet monkeys, horned antelopes, flying squirrels, hyenas and eagles. As the animals are quite elusive, you will need a combination of luck, patient and a good eye to see anything. There are also reptiles, such as pythons and big monitor lizards, and many species of birds. The park is 320 sq km. The vegetation varies from forest to grassland and swamps. There are over 200 species of birds in the park. You can get a free book, called Birds of Mudumalai, at the WWO office in Ooty.

The best time to come is January to June. It rains very heavy here in October and November. Sometimes the park is closed in April or May because of bushfires.

The headquarters of the park is the village of Theppakadu in the middle of the park. Mudumalai is 60km from Ooty (2½ hr drive) and 100km from Mysore. The bus to Mudumalai usually takes the Sighur Ghat Road, which has beautiful views.

Seeing the Park
You first have to go to the Park Reception Office (252-6235, Open Daily 7am-6pm), where you can book elephant rides (Rs 200 for 4 people) or a 45-minute bus tour (Rs 70 per person). There is usually a long waiting list.

The elephant tour can be booked in advance with the Wildlife Warden in Ooty on Coonoor Rd (very advisable during the high-season). Tours are from 6.30 to 9 am and 4 to 6 pm. Tours usually follow Circle Road, ending at a viewpoint where you get a good view of the 150m high Moyar River Waterfall. On these tours it is unlikely that you will see too much, maybe a peacock or chital (spotted deer). Entry to the park is Rs 5, camera Rs 10, and video camera Rs 500.

There are 45-minute bus tours (Rs 70) that depart at 7 am and 4 pm. You are more likely to see something during the morning tour. The minibus is better than the nosier green truck.

There is an Elephant Camp about 150m from the reception center. At 6 pm, two elephants do puja, ringing a bell with their trunks at the small Ganesh temple, which was built in the 1970s. After offering puja the elephants circle the temple and kneel down before the deity of Ganesh. They are then fed and you can take part in feeding them sugar cane. After the feeding, an English-language film is shown about the park.

There is an Elephant Show on Saturdays and Sundays (Rs 20) at 6 pm. The show consists of elephant races through an obstacle course, elephant dancing and elephant soccer.

The sanctuary used to allow private vehicles, but they are now banned. Headlights are not allowed at night in the park because of the fear of poaching. Many people hire a nighttime jeep to go to the park. The park bans this, and I personally would not do it. Also it is unlikely that you will see anything on a night tour.

It is banned for visitors to stroll around the park by themselves, without a guide. Rangers do not like it and will fine you. Also a tiger may eat you.

Where to Stay and Eat
Most of the hotels have their own restaurant and this is where most people eat. You should book a hotel in advance, especially on a weekend or during the high-season.

Theppakadu
You can book accommodation for places run by the Forest Department at the Wildlife Warden (44098), 1st Floor, Mahalingam Building, Coonoor Rd, Ooty; or with the Wildlife Warden, Kargudi. You are usually only allowed to stay one night in places run by the Forest Department, but sometimes they allow you to stay another day or two.

Forest Department Dormitory, at the reception center, has dorm beds for Rs 30.
Forest Department Log House, around a five-minute walk from the reception center, has three rooms for Rs 250/359, with a porch to sit on. It is often full. It overlooks the river and is a good value.
Forest Department Sylan Lodge, next door overlooking the river, has rooms for Rs 350/450.
TTDC Youth Hostel, five minutes from the reception center, has dorm beds for Rs 40. It can be noisy at night.
Peacock, 4km west of Theppakaku in Kargudi, has dorm beds and a restaurant.
Hotel Tamil Nadu (252-6249) has rooms for Rs 600 and dorm beds for Rs 90. It is well located and has the best restaurant in Theppakadu.

Masinagudi and Bokkapuram
Masinagudi is a small village, 7km east of Theppakadu.

Belleview Resort (56351), 1km south of Masinagudi, has rooms for Rs 175/300 and dorm beds for Rs 70.
Hotel Dreamland (252-6127) has clean rooms with a TV for Rs 350. You can sometimes get a discount.
Travellers Bungalow has rooms for Rs 150/250.
Mountain Rest House (56337), Masinagudi, half a km from the bus stand, has nice cottages for Rs 500. They arrange a jeep tour to some waterfalls (Rs 300), where it is possible to see wildlife.
Chital Walk Lodge (252-6256), 7km east of Masinagudi, near the turnoff to Valaitotam, has rooms for Rs 1000.

There are good places in Bokkapuram, 4km south of Masinagudi. These place usually should be booked in advance with a travel agency in Bangalore or at Seagull Travels in Mysore.
Blue Valley Resorts (56244), Bokkapuram, has comfortable cottages for Rs 900. They have porches with a good view. The restaurant serves Indian and Continental food.
Jungle Hut (252-6240; fax: same), half a km away, has a pool and comfortable rooms for Rs 3100/1400. They arrange safaris and treks. It has a good restaurant. Recommended.
Monarch Safari Park (56326) has comfortable cottages with bath and TV for Rs 1000/1200. It is in a beautiful, peaceful place.
Bamboo Banks (252-6222), 1½ km from Masinagudi, is a family-run place with rooms for Rs 1950 to Rs 2500. It has a good restaurant.
Forest Hills Guesthouse (56216) has large, clean rooms for Rs 650/800. It is a friendly place and is a good value.
Jungle Retreat (252-6470; fax 2526469; Email: jungleretreat@yahoo.com) has double rooms for Rs 1000 and Rs 1700 for a triple. You can camp here with a tent for Rs 200. It has a good outdoor restaurant.

Local Travel
There are buses every couple of hours between Theppakadu and Masinagudi. A taxi or jeep is Rs 60 for the same trip. A shared jeep (every half-hour) is Rs 7. The places in Bokkapuram will normally send a vehicle to pick up guests in Masinagudi. To go between the places in Bokkapuram to Masinagudi by jeep is about Rs 50. It is allowed for people to walk between Theppakadu and Masinagudi (8km).

Travel
Theppakadu is on the bus route between Mysore and Ooty. There are buses from Ooty (1½ to 2½ hr), Bangalore, Mysore and Hassan to Theppakadu. The buses from Ooty come by the Sighur Ghat road (1½ hr), which is a tough ride with good views, or via Gudalur (2½ hr).
From Ooty to Masinagudi by jeep is about Rs 500.

Udhagamandalam (Ooty)

Pop: 90,000 Area
Phone Code: 0423

Ooty is known as the “Queen of Hill Stations.” John Sullivan established Ooty as a Hill Station in 1821. Maharajas built houses in Ooty, which made it an exclusive place. The tombs of John Sullivan’s wife, son and daughter can be visited in the cemetery of St Stephen’s Church, but Sullivan is buried in his motherland, England.

Ooty is very popular with Indian tourists. The main season is from April 1 to June 15, at which time the temperature is about 25°C during the day and the nights can be chilly. The Monsoon season is from July to August. September is also a good time to visit. From November to March it can be quite cold, going down to freezing, 0°C.

As hill stations go, Ooty is not very good. It is expensive and overcrowded during the high-season, and during the winter months it is very cold. Most foreign tourists just spend a day or two. One of the best things about the place, is the journey up on the miniature train.

Orientation
Ooty is a big place. The railway station and bus stand are near the east side of the lake. Most of the hotels are a kilxe "Udhagamandalam" ometre or more from the railway station, and a 25-minute walk to Charing Cross, which is the main town center.

Information
The TTDC Tourist Office (244-3977), Commercial Rd, Charing Cross, is open from Mon to Fri 10 am to 5.45 pm. They organize a tour of Ooty, Mudumuali and Pykara (daily 9 am to 8 pm; Rs 200); and another tour of Ooty and Coonoor, which goes to Dodabetta, the botanical gardens, Sim’s Park, Dolphin’s Nose and Lamb’s Rock (9 am to 6 pm; Rs 90).

The State Bank of India, Town West Circle, accepts only American Express and Thomas Cook travelers checks in US dollars and pounds sterling. The Big Shop,(244-4136), changes most travelers cheques, but not at a good rate. Thomson Travels (244-3111) Church Hill Rd (Mon-Sat 9am-6pm) is a good place to change money.

The GPO is near Town West Circle.

Higginbothams Bookshop, near the tourist office, has a decent selection.

Gymkhana Club (244-2254) has a beautiful, well-maintained golf course, which permits temporary membership. Lawley Institute (42249) is a club that has tennis, boating on the lake, billiards and badminton.

MB and Company (244-2604), Commercial Rd, near Charing Cross, books airline tickets.

Mudumuali Wildlife Sanctuary Reservations
To book Government accommodations at Mudumuali Wildlife Sanctuary or elephant rides (usually heavily booked), you contact the Wildlife Warden (44098) in the Mahalingam Building, Coonoor Rd (Mon to Fri 10 am to 5.30 pm). You have to contact the Warden to get permission to trek around the Nilgiri Hills. He may have trekking maps and may be able to arrange a guide.

Botanical Gardens
It is a beautiful, well-maintained garden, which was established in 1847. It has the largest rose garden in India and a map of India made out of flowers. There is a nice rock garden and a 20 million-year-old fossil tree. Open daily 8.30 am to 6.30 pm; Rs 5, camera Rs 25, video camera Rs 500.

Nilgiri Hills
On top of Mt Kitsch i a popular viewpoint.

From the top of Mt Dodabetta (2620m; 8,700 ft) there are good views of the surrounding countryside. It is about 10km east of Ooty, off the road to Kotagiri. It takes about 1½ to 2 hours (8km) to climb to the top and there are good views on the way. It is a fairly easy climb to the top. Buses come here from the Central bus stand and stay for around 20 minutes before going back to town.

Miniature Train Ride
One of the most interesting things about coming to Ooty is the trip up on the miniature train. There are outstanding views of the Nilgiri Hills. The best views are on the left going up and the right coming down. A unique thing about this train is the locomotive is in the back, which pushes the train up the hill instead of pulling it up. It passes through 16 tunnels and goes over 250 bridges.

The train runs from Mettupalayam to Ooty going via Coonoor.

Other Places
East of the Botanical Gardens is a Toda Mund (village) which has a few huts. Raj Bhavan is the summer home of the governor of Tamil Nadu.

Saint Stephen’s Church, up the hill from Charing Cross, 1km west of the gardens, was built in the 1820s from wood taken from Tipu Sultan’s palace in Srirangapatnam that was brought to Ooty on the back of elephants. There is a cemetery in the back, which contains former British residents.

Ooty’s Lake, on Commercial Rd, 3km southwest of Charing Cross, is a popular place, but is polluted. You can rent a petal boat (Rs 30 per 30 min) or rowboat (Rs 15 per 30 min). You can ride a horse for Rs 50 to Rs 100 per hour, depending on how hard you bargain. Let them come up to you. There is a good children’s playground near the lake (Rs 2).

Wenlock Downs, about 8km from the bus stand, has an 18-hole golf course.

Fernhill Palace, just southeast of the lake, used to be the summer palace of the Maharaja of Mysore. It is now a luxury hotel and is worth seeing.

Shopping
Tibetan Refugees’ Market, Garden Rd, near the Botanical Gardens, sells wool blankets and good sweaters. The Big Store, Commercial Rd, between Charing Cross and the Lower Bazaar, sells handicrafts, silver jewelry and Toda shawls (Rs 250).

Where to Stay
During the high season (April to June) you should reserve a room in advance, because at this time many of the hotels are full and are double price or more. Ooty is more expensive than most places in India. The cheaper and middle range hotels often charge extra for heating. There is a 30% tax added to the price of higher-class rooms.

Where to Stay—Lower
YWCA (244-2218), Ettines Rd, has rooms for Rs 400 (Rs 500 high-season) and dorm beds for Rs 150. It is often full.
Tourist Lodge (244-4357), Walsham Rd, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 250 (Rs 350 high-season). Some rooms have a balcony. Bucket hot water in the morning.
Surya Holiday Inn (244-2567), Upper Bazaar area, has clean rooms for Rs 150/250 (Rs 400 high-season). It is a decent place.
TTDC Youth Hostel (244-3665; fax: 244-4369), Charing Cross, has rooms for Rs 350 (Rs 500 high-season) and dorm beds for Rs 125.
Sabari Lodge (244-2735), Upper Bazaar area, has basic rooms with bath for Rs 300 (Rs 400 high-season). Hot water in the morning.
Hotel Mount View (244-4182), Etiennes Rd, a pleasant older house that has large, clean rooms with hot water in the morning for Rs 600.
Reflections (244-3834' Email: reflectionsgh@yahoo.co.in), North Lake Rd, 5 minutes from the railway station, has rooms with hot water for Rs 350 (Rs 450 high-season). It is a pleasant place to stay with a view of the lake. Best to book in advance.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Dasaprakash (244-2434), Ettines Rd, near the railway and bus stations, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 250 to Rs 650 in the low-season and Rs 400 to Rs 750 in the high-season. It has two veg restaurants.
Hotel Khems (244-4188), Shoreham Palace Rd, has comfortable rooms for Rs 800/1000 (Rs 1050/1250 high-season).
Nilgiri Woodlands Hotel (244-2451; fax 244-2530; Email: nilgiris_woodlands@yahoo.com), Race Course Rd, 1km from the railway station, is an older colonial building, which has clean comfortable rooms with TV for Rs 550 (Rs 700 high season) and cottages for Rs 900 (Rs 1100 high season). It is in a quiet, pleasant location.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu (244-4371: fax 44369) has good clean rooms for Rs 500 (Rs 800 high-season). A TV is extra.
Lake View (43904; fax 43579), W Lake Rd, is a good mid-range place with comfortable rooms for Rs 650/750.
Hotel Nahar (244-2173; fax: 244-5173; Email: nahar@rnds.vsnl.net.in), Charing Cross, has rooms with TV for Rs 1350 (Rs 1550 high-season) to Rs 1600 (Rs 1800 high-season). The rooms in the new building in the back are better. It has two veg restaurants.
Regency Villa (244-2555, 244-3097; fax 244-3097; email: regency@sancharnet.in) is a nice colonial building that has spacious comfortable rooms ranging from Rs 950 to Rs 1500 and cottages ranging from Rs 850 to Rs 1250. It has a British Raj atmosphere.

Where to Stay—High
Southern Star (24403601), 32 Havelock Rd, on a hill about 2km from town, has clean comfortable rooms, some recently renovated, for Rs 2900.
Holiday Inn (244-2955), Gem Park, Sheddon Rd, is a nice modern place with rooms for Rs 1900/3400.
Comfort Inn Aruna, Gorishola Rd, is an older place with central heating that has clean, comfortable rooms for Rs 3000 to Rs 4000.
Taj Savoy Hotel (244-4142; fax 244-3318; Email: savoy.ooty@tajhotels.com), 77 Sylkes Rd, has really comfortable rooms for $85 in the low-season and $150 in the high season. Rooms have a fireplace and a bathtub. It has a very good restaurant and nice lawns.
Fernhill Palace (Taj) (234-3910; fax 244-3318), has luxury rooms for $105 ($160 high-season). It is the former hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore (built 1843) and has antique furniture and nice suites. It is surrounded by 40 acres of beautiful gardens and forest. It has a very good restaurant. It is a good value.

Where to Eat
Tandoori Mahal, Commercial Rd, has good food.
Hotel Nahar has two good vegetarian restaurants and a snack bar that serves ice cream and good snacks.
Nilgiri Woodlands has good economically priced thalis.
Shinkow’s Chinese Restaurant, 42 Commissioner’s Rd, has very good Chinese food. A main dish is around Rs 60.
Ooty Bakers, Charing Cross, has a great selection of baked goods, including cakes, breads and pies.
Hot Breads, Charing Cross, has good pizzas, delcious breads, snacks and baked goods..
Hotel Savoy has good Indian, Continental and Chinese cuisine. Buffet lunches and dinners are Rs 300. It is a high-class place.
Fernhill Palace has good food, in a luxurious setting.
Hotel Dasaprakash (244-2434), Ettines Rd, near the railway and bus stations, has two veg restaurants. Friendly, efficient service. Good, reasonably priced South India food and all-you-can-eat Thallis.
ilgiri Woodlands Hotel (244-2451; fax 244-2530; Email: nilgiris_woodlands@yahoo.com), Race Course Rd, 1km from the railway station, has has an excellent restaurants with individual mains dishes, South Indian and very reasonably priced thalis.

Travel
Train The miniature Blue Mountain train ride up to here from Mettupalayam (4½ hr, 45km) is an interesting way to get to Ooty. The train is supposed to depart from Mettupalayam at 7.45 am, but may be delayed depending if the Nilgiri Express from Chennai arrives on time. It goes via Coonoor (27km), arriving in Ooty at noon. It returns to Mettupalayam at 3 pm (3½ hr). During the high-season, another train departs from Mettupalayam at 9 am and Ooty at 2 pm. During the high-season, there are three trains a day, and the train may not run during the monsoon.

The Nilgiri Express #6605 from Chennai (8.15 pm) to Mettupalayam arrives at 6.30 am, timed to connect with the departure of the miniature train. This same trains departs from Coimbatore at 5.30 am. The train from Mettupalayam to Chennai departs at 7.30 pm. From Mettupalayam there are three trains a day to Coimbatore and Bangalore.

Bus There are state buses to Coimbatore (every half-hour), Coonoor (1 hr, every 15 min), Kotagiri (1 hr, every 15 min), Mysore (5 hr, 22 daily), Bangalore, Chennai (15 hr, 3 daily), Thanjavur (10 hr), Tirupati (15 hr) and Kanyakumari (14 hr).

The private bus companies have buses going to many places and their offices are mainly around Charing Cross. Blue Mountain (43650), Charing Cross, books luxury buses. Sometimes the deluxe buses are actually crowed minibuses (often worst than a local bus), so you should ask exactly what kind of bus you are going on.

To get to Mudumuali Wildlife Sanctuary (2½ hr, 67km, Rs 16), you take the bus to Mysore, which goes via Masinagudi, the village next to the park. You can also take the bus to Masinagudi on the Sighur Ghar road.

In Ooty Area
In the area of Ooty are several tea plantations, which can be visited if you call in advance. National Tea Plantation and Dhanalakshmi Tea Factory can be visited. Both places are in Coonoor, 27km from Ooty.

Pykara, 20km from Ooty, is a peaceful village with a nice lake. You can rent a boat to ride on the lake for Rs 40 per half-hour. Three km away is Pykara Dam, where there are rocky waterfalls, which are best-viewed in July and August during the rainy season.

Mukurti Peak, 35km from Ooty, is a nice place to walk to.

Rameswaram
Pop: 39,000 Area
Phone Code: 04573

Rameswaram is one of the four dhamas, or kingdoms of God. The other three are Badrinath, Puri and Dwarka. It is known as the Varanasi of the South. Rameswaram is located at the southeastern end of the Indian Peninsula on the Gulf of Mannar. It is on the eastern side of an island, which is the shape of a conch shell, 55km by 12km.

There is a major, very popular Lord Siva temple here called the Ramananthaswami Temple. It is said that Lord Rama, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, bathed at Dhanushkodi, where the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean meet.
Rameswaram is a small town and except for seeing the temples and holy places, there is not much to see or do.

Orientation
The temple is in the center of town, right next to the sea. It is surrounded by West, North, East, and South Car Streets. This is where the shopping area and most of the hotels and restaurants are located. The Hotel Tamil Nadu is a little north of town. The bus station is 2km west of town.

Information
The Tamil Nadu Tourist Office (21371), 14 East Car St, is open from 10 am to 5 pm. There is a tourist information counter at the railway station, which is open when trains arrive.

There is a Temple Information Office on the east side of the temple.

You can change money at the State Bank of India, N Car St. The Indian Bank (21234), W Car St, changes travelers checks.

The Government Hospital (21233) is located near the railway station.

The post office and telegraph office are on Mela Street. There is post office east of the temple near the police station.

The beach by the Tamil Nadu Hotel is decent and is relatively empty.

Tour
There is a bus tour to Rameswaram that departs from Madurai at 6.30 am and returns at 7 pm. It goes to the Ramanathaswami Temple, Gandhamadhana Parvatham, Laksman Teertham, Agni Teertham, a temple where there is a floating rock, and Indira Gandhi Bridge. It does not go to all the places in the area, but I considered it a good tour. You can arrange it at many of the travel agencies in Madurai. You are picked up and dropped off at your hotel. The only problem with this tour is it goes in a minibus, which can be very uncomfortable if you sit in the back.

Sri Ramananthaswami Temple
This is one of the major Lord Siva temples in India. The name of the deity, Ramananthaswami, indicates that Lord Siva is a great personality whose worshipable deity is Lord Rama. This temple is famous for the 1,220m (3,700 feet) long beautiful corridor that goes around the temple. Parts of the present temple were built in the 12th century. Many additions have been added over the years. Udayan Sethupathi of Ramnad expanded the temple in the 15th century and his statue is found near the southern entrance of the temple. The temple covers 15 acres. The eastern gopuram is 53m (175 ft) high.

This temple is about 200m from the sea, facing east. It is open from 4 am to 1 pm and 3 to 9 pm. Non-Hindus are not allowed into the inner sanctum to see the deities but can walk around the rest of the temple. You have to wait in line about half an hour on a normal day to get a close view of the Ramanantha-linga.

The important festivals are during Maha Siva-ratri (ten days during Feb/March), Brahmotsavam (ten days during March/April), and Thirukalyanam (July/Aug), which celebrates the marriage of Siva and Parvati.

The sea at Agni Teertham, about 250m from the temple, is a sacred bathing place, and it is said that if you take bath there all your sins are washed away. It is traditional to take bath at Agni Teertham before entering the Ramananthaswami Temple.

Camera fee: Rs 25/ Hours; Daily 5am-1pm, 4pm-9:30pm.

Temple Story
It is said that Rama installed the Siva-linga in the Ramananthaswami Temple on his return to the mainland from the island of Lanka, after killing Ravana. Rama wanted to install a Siva-linga in Rameswaram to absolve himself of the sin of killing Ravana, who was a Brahmin. Rama sent Hanuman to Mount Kailash to get the linga. Hanuman was late, so when the auspicious time for the installation neared, Sita made a Siva-linga out of sand. This linga was then installed by Rama and is known as the Rama-linga, because Lord Rama installed it.

At that time Hanuman came with the Siva-linga from Kailash. He was disappointed to find a linga already installed. Rama told Hanuman that he could remove the linga made by Sita and install the one that he brought in its place. Hanuman took hold of the linga with his hands and could not move it. He then wrapped his tail around it and tried to pull the linga out, but it did not move. The linga is said to still have the marks of Hanuman’s tail on it. To pacify Hanuman, Rama had the linga that he brought, the Viswa-linga, installed alongside the Rama-linga. He ordered that puja (worship) be performed first to the Viswa-linga. This is still being done today.

Temple Complex
As you enter the main eastern entrance there is a deity of Hanuman trying to remove the sand Ramanatha Siva-linga. There is a 1,220m (4,000 ft) long beautiful corridor, which goes around the temple, with large sculptured pillars that are elaborately designed and carved. It is the longest temple corridor in India. The corridor is 9m high and 5m to 6m (17 to 21 ft) wide. It is 264m from east to west and 200m from south to north. There are 1212 pillars in the north and south corridors. These temple corridors are an impressive sight.

If you proceed straight from the east entrance you come to the huge bull carrier of Lord Siva, Nandi, who is 5m long and 3m high. You then come to the Ramanathaswami Siva shrine. In the principal sanctum (altar) is the linga of Sri Ramanatha. This is the linga that Sita made and Rama sanctified.

The Viswa-linga, installed by Hanuman, is to the right of the Ramanatha-linga, on an altar along the north wall. Vishalakshi, his consort, is next to him on another altar.

The shrine of Parvathavardhini, the consort of Sri Ramanatha, is left of the Rama-linga. You can enter this shrine through a corridor to the left of the main altar.

Behind the Sri Ramanatha shrine, between the second and third walls, is a shrine dedicated to Lord Vishnu called Setu Madhava. Tradition says that if you bathe in the tank near this shrine and offer worship to this Lord Vishnu deity you receive all the benefits of bathing in Setu.

Temple Teerthams– Bathing Tanks
There are 22 teerthams (tanks) in the temple in which pilgrims traditionally bathe in before seeing the deities. Each tank is said to give a different benefit. Many pilgrims bathe in all 22 tanks before seeing the deity.

These bathing tanks are 1) Maha-Lakshmi; 2) Savitri; 3) Gayatri; 4) Saraswati; 5) Setu Madhava, will receive the blessing of Lakshmi and purification of heart; 6) Gandamadana, will receive wealth and sins will be absolved; 7) Kavatcha, you will not go to hell; 8) Gavaya; 9) Nala, one will go to heaven; 10) Neela; 11) Sankha; 12) Sakra; 13) Brahmahatya Vimochana, Brahma was absolved from his sins; 14) Surya; 15) Chandra; 16) Ganga, attain wisdom; 17) Yamuna, attain wisdom; 18) Gaya; 19) Siva; 20) Satyamrita; 21) Sarva; and 22) Kodi.

Gandhamadhana Parvatham
This two-storey temple is on a small hilltop, about 2.5km northwest of the Ramananthaswami Temple. There is a set of Lord Rama’s footprints on a Chakra here, and the small Ramjharoka Temple. There is a good view of the island from here. It is said that Hanuman made his great leap to Lanka from here. Open 6 to 11.30 am and 3.30 to 6.30 pm.

Kothandaramasvami Temple
There are deities of Rama, Sita, Laksman, Hanuman and Vibhishana bowing to Rama here. It is said that Vibhishana, Ravana’s brother, surrendered to Lord Rama at this place. A series of paintings inside the temple tells the pastime. In 1964 a cyclone wiped out everything in the surrounding area. The only thing left standing was this temple. It is located about 8km from Rameswaram, or about 6km from the southernmost tip of the island going toward Dhanushkodi. Open 9 am to 5 pm. The temple has no electricity and therefore no lighting after dark.

Dhanushkodi
This is the place where the Bay of Bengal meets the Indian Ocean. It is said that here Lord Rama destroyed a small bridge with his bow at the request of Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravana. Pilgrims are supposed to bathe in the small lagoon here called Ratnakara. This is a place to offer sraddha to the ancestors. It is said to be especially auspicious to bathe here in May. It is a nice place to visit.

Dhanushkodi is about 20km southeast of Rameswaram. To get to Dhanushkodi you can share a four-wheel drive vehicle (Rs 500) as far as the road goes, which is about 3km from the end of the island. Buses from the local bus stand, on the east side of the Ramanathaswami Temple, go about 2km pass the Kothandaraswami Temple. From there you have to walk the rest of the way into what seems like the middle of nowhere, as there is no road. It is a tough place to get to. There used to be a railway line to Dhanushkodi, but it was destroyed by a cyclone several years ago.

Other Places
There are places connected with the Ramayana in the area. There is a temple near the bridge that you cross to enter Rameswaram where there is a floating rock. When Lord Rama went to Lanka with the monkey army, they crossed the ocean on a bridge of floating rocks. The floating rock in this temple proves that floating rocks exist. Near this temple, close to the bridge, is Laksman Teertham and Rama Teertham. Lord Rama is said to have bathed in these two tanks. Kodi Teertham is a spring that Lord Rama is said to have created by shooting an arrow into the ground.

It is said that at Jata Teertham, Rama washed his hair to get rid of any sins that he might have incurred in the battle at Lanka. This place is 4km from Rameswaram, going toward Dhanushkodi. Next to this place is the Papahareshwar Temple.

Where to Stay
As this is a major pilgrimage town, sometimes lodging can be tight. If possible, reserve a room in advance from a Tourist Bungalow or at a Tamil Nadu Tourist Office. During a festival, if you arrive late in the day, it can be hard to find a place to stay. Also from the middle of December to the end of January you may have a problem getting a room here, especially late in the day. Often music is broadcast on loud speakers from the temple all day, so the places near the temple can be noisy.
Gujarati Dharamshala, about a five-minute walk from the temple, was recommended to me as a cheap, very basic place.

Temple Devasthana, North Car St, has small, clean rooms for Rs 50/75.

There are good-sized, clean Retiring Rooms (21226) at the railway station for Rs 100/125. Dorm beds are Rs 20. The rooms can be noisy because they are right next to the station.
Santhana Lodge (21229), South Car St, has basic Indian style rooms with bath for Rs 50/60.
Alankar Tourist Home, West Car St, has basic rooms with bath for Rs 110. The Alankar is a little better than the rest of the cheap places.
Santhya Lodge (21329), W Car St, has rooms with bath for Rs 125/150 and Rs 175/250 with A/C. The rooms in the new building are better. Off-season half price.
Swami Ramanatha Tourist Home (21217) has clean basic rooms with bath for Rs 200.
Devasthanam Lodge (21241) has rooms for Rs 150/200.
Hotel Maharaja’s (21271; fax 21161), 7 Middle St (the street that goes west from the west temple gate), has good clean rooms with balconies and bath for Rs 175/250. It also has A/C rooms with cable TV for Rs 550. Triples Rs 350. 24-hour check-out.
Island Star Hotel (21472), South Car St, has clean rooms for Rs 200 and with A/C for Rs 600.
Hotel Venkatesh (21296), Sithi Vinayagar Kovil St, has good rooms with bath for Rs 200/250 and with A/C for Rs 350. Rooms with four beds are Rs 350. The last two places are a little better than the other hotels listed above.
Hotel Chola (21307), North Car St, has airy clean rooms for Rs 150, triple Rs 200, four-beds Rs 300.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu (21277; fax 21070) in the northeast end of town, in a quiet area near the beach, has doubles with bath and hot water for Rs 300/350 and Rs 600 with A/C and TV. It is the best place in town. Dorm beds Rs 60. All the rooms have a sea view. It is often full, so you should book in advance at a Tamil Nadu tourist office.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu II (21071), near the railway station, has basic rooms for Rs 175.
TTDC Hotel Tamil Nadu Mandapam (41512), 14km west of Rameswaram on the mainland, has basic rooms for Rs 300 and dorm beds for Rs 60. Tour groups use it, so it is often full.

Where to Eat
There are many cheap, basic vegetarian places here. Most of them are not very good.

Hotel Abhirami, Sannadhi St, is one of the better South Indian restaurants. It has good service and the dosas and tomato rice are good.
Hotel Guru, next to the temple’s east entrance, is a South Indian place with decent cheap thalis. It is one of the better places in town.
Gujarati Bhojanalay, Sannadhi St, has Gujarati food.
Hotel Ashok Bhavan, W Car St, has South Indian thalis for Rs 20. It has dosas, and idlis in the morning.
The Sri Ganesh, Ashok Bhavan, and Hotel Ariya Bhavan are simple thali places on West Car Street. There is a place run by the Devasthanam Trust located opposite the eastern gate of the temple. The Vasantha Bhawan is at the State Bus Stand.
Hotel Tamil Nadu has a restaurant.

Local Travel
Regular buses go between the bus stand and the temple (Rs 2).

Bicycles can be rented at a shop by the temple entrance or at the Hotel Tamil Nadu for about Rs 15 per day or Rs 2 an hour. This is a good way to get around town, as some of the places are a good distance from the center of town.

Travel
Air The closest airport is in Madurai, 167km away.

Train There are trains to Madurai (5½-7 hr, 5 daily), Chidambaram (11 hr, 1 daily), Coimbatore (12½ hr, 1 daily), and other places. There are two express trains, the Setu Exp 6713 (7.10 am, 18 hr) and the Rameswaram Exp #6701, 2.25 pm, 18½ hr), that go to Chennai daily (666km). They do not stop in Madurai, but go through Tiruchirappalli. There are three daily passenger trains to and from Madurai (164km, 6 hr) including the Rameswaram-Coimbatore Exp #6716 (4.10 pm, 3 hr).

The Rameswaram Exp #6702 (daily, 12.30 pm) takes 6½ hr to get to Tiruchirappalli. The Rameswaram-Tirupati Exp departs to Tirupati (6 am, 23 hr).

There are regular buses from the railway station to the Ramananthaswami Temple.

Bus The bus station is 2km west of town. There are buses to Chennai (14 hr), Madurai (4½ hr, 20 daily), Kanyakumari (9 hr), and Tiruchirappalli. You can get a bus to Thanjavur and Pondicherry via Madurai. To get to Kerala it is easier and quicker to go by bus than to go by train. There are regular buses to Nagercoil, which is a major bus junction in southern Kerala. There you can connect to other places in Kerala.

From Rameswaram you can get a non-stop tourist bus to Madurai for Rs 150. This bus picks you up at your hotel and drops you off at a hotel in Madurai. You arrange it with your hotel or a travel agency.

Srirangam
Sri Ranganathaswami Temple
Srirangam is located 2km north of Tiruchirappalli. The main deity is Lord Ranganatha, or Lord Vishnu, reclining on Sesa Naga. This temple is the foremost of the eight self-manifested shrines of Lord Vishnu (Swayam Vyakta Ksetras). It is also considered the most important of the 108 main Vishnu temples (Divya Desams). This temple is a highly recommended place to visit. It was sung about by all the Alwars (the Tamil Vaishnava saints), except Madhurakavi.

Sri Ramanujacarya made the Srirangam Temple his headquarters. His samadhi (tomb) is within the premises of the Srirangam Temple. Sri Chaitanya, Sri Vallabha-carya, and the Dalai Lama visited this temple.

The Srirangam Temple is the largest temple in India. The temple complex covers 2½ sq km or 155 acres. It is on a 600 acre island surrounded by the rivers Kaveri and Kolladam (Coleroon). After Tirupati, this is the second most visited Vaishnava temple in South India. Over the roof is the Sriranga vimana, which is gold-plated. The temple has a great collection of jewelry.

Each morning at 6.45 am, a cow with her head facing away from Lord Ranganatha and an elephant facing the cow are brought before the altar. Thus when the deity’s doors are opened the first thing that Lord Ranganatha sees is the rear end of a cow and the head of an elephant, which are both considered very auspicious. I was told that instead of a conch-shell being blown, the elephant blows his trunk. This is the most auspicious time to see Lord Ranganatha.

The puja (worship) of the temple is done according to the regulations of the Ramanuja-sampradaya. It is a traditional belief that Adi Sankara installed the Janakarsana Yatra at Srirangam and Dhanakarsana Yatra at Tirupati to attract pilgrims.

The main festival in this temple is on Vaikuntha Ekadasi in December. At that time Lord Ranganatha is brought into the “Thousand Pillar Hall” under a golden dome.

Information
The maha-prasada booth is next to the Garuda Mandapa Hall, near the entrance of the fourth enclosure. There is very nice maha-prasada lemon rice and sweets. There is a Rs 20 camera fee. It is a good idea to engage a guide, as the temple is very large and there are many temples in the complex. The temple is open from 6.15 am to 1 pm and 3.15 to 8.45 pm.

There are many temples and places to see here beside the main shrine dedicated to Sri Ranganatha. Non-Hindus are not allowed in any of these temples, but converted Vaishnavas may be allowed to enter to see the Deities. Non-Hindus can enter many of the halls and view the outside of the temples, which are very interesting. It is a huge place and it can easily take four hours to see everything.

On a normal day there is a wait of about a half hour to see Lord Ranganatha. There are shrines in the temple for Sri Rama, Narasimha, Chakrathalwar, Garuda, etc. There are also shrines dedicated to Vedanta Desika and all the Alwars.

Temple Design
There are seven walls (prakaras) around the temple. The temple has 21 gopurams (towers). The main southern entrance 13- storey gopuram, called Raja-gopuram, is the largest in India. It was finished in 1987 and is 72m (235 feet) high. The passage under this tower is about 30m (100 ft) long. The other gopurams were built between the 14th and 17th century. The temple tank is outside the temple, west of the seventh enclosure.

Seventh Enclosure (Chittai)
Inside the outermost walls, which are 875m (2880 ft) by 750m (2475 ft), there are houses and a bazaar. In the seventh enclosure, by the southern gopuram, is a Vamana temple (Lord Vishnu as a dwarf Brahmin). In the southwest corner of the seventh enclosure there is a fairly large temple dedicated to Sri Andal.

Sixth Enclosure
The Jagannath Temple that marks the spot where Sri Chaitanya stayed while in Srirangam is inside the northwest part of the sixth enclosure. Also within the sixth wall are the houses of the Brahmins who serve in the temple. Within this enclosure are the temple’s processional carts.

In the southeast corner of the sixth enclosure there is a temple dedicated to Manavala Mamunigal, the daughter of the Sultan of Delhi, who became very devoted to Sri Ranganatha. There is a painting of the Princess hanging on the wall of this shrine.

Fifth Enclosure (Ahalankan Thiruveedhi)
Before you enter the fifth enclosure (some say fourth enclosure) you have to remove your shoes.

The Rangavilas Mandapa hall is directly in front of the southern gate. Next to this (to your left as you enter the southern gate) is the small, intricately carved Venugopala Temple. Inside the porch of the Venugopala Temple there are paintings which show Krishna having pastimes with the gopis (cowherd-girls). Near this temple there are stairs that lead up to the roof of a nearby building. From there you can get a good view of the gopurams and temple area and can take photos of the gold-plated Sriranga Vimana and the gopurams. To go on the roof you have to get a ticket at the information booth in front of the Venugopala temple.

To the left (west) of the south gate is the Vasantha Mandapa hall and the Chakrathalwar Temple, which is dedicated to the Sudarsana Cakra of Lord Vishnu. To the left of the Venugopala Krishna Temple is a shrine dedicated to Andal.

There is an interesting Museum with bronze and stone sculptures a short walk to the right of the southern gate. The museum is open from 10 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm. Next to the museum is the Samadhi shrine of Ramanujacarya, where you can see his actual body. Srirangam was the preaching headquarters of Sri Ramanujacarya, who spent a good part of his life here.

The Shehsaraya Mandapa (Horsecourt Hall) is on the east side of the temple. It has 8 intricately carved monolithic pillars of men on rearing horses.

On the same side of the temple (northeast side) is the impressive “Hall of a Thousand Pillars.” Each of the 5.5m (18 ft) granite pillars is intricately carved. This hall actually has only 953 pillars. In the center of the hall is a pedestal shaped like a processional car. During Vaikuntha Ekadasi, the processional deity is brought to this pedestal before going on procession.

You can keep proceeding around the temple to the Sri Ranga Nachiyar Lakshmi Temple.
To get to the Sri Ranga Nachiyar Temple from the inner enclosure (inner sanctum), you have to retrace your steps to the 3rd courtyard, because the Paramapada Vasal Gopuram (gate of salvation) on the north side of the third enclosure is always closed, except during the last 10 days of the 20-day Vaikuntha Ekadasi festival. At this time the Lord passes out this opened gate. So you have to proceed out the south gate of the third enclosure until you reach the Garuda Hall, and then you can proceed around the temple (north).

You then exit out the north gate and reach the goddess Sri Ranga Nachiyar Lakshmi Temple, on your left, in the northeast area of the temple. Lakshmi is the consort of Ranganatha. Inside this temple there is the sacred Bilva tree along the north wall.

Along the northeast wall near the Sri Ranga Nachiyar Temple is a shrine dedicated to Vedanta Desika, a famous Tamil Nadu Vaishnava devotee. There is also a temple dedicated to Lord Narasimha by the entrance of the Sri Ranga Nachiyar Temple.

Fourth Enclosure (Alanadan)
Within the fourth enclosure is a huge statue of Garuda and the Garuda Mandapa Hall, which is a beautiful hall with intricately carved pillars. The Garuda Mandapa Hall has 212 pillars. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful halls in the temple. Next to the Garuda Mandapa (to the right of the entrance gate) is the Surya Pushkarani Tank, which is named after the sun-god.

In the northeast corner of this enclosure is the Chandra Pushkarani tank, the moon-pond, where Vibhishana first placed the deity of Sri Ranganatha when he brought the deity here. Next to this tank are shrines dedicated to Lord Rama, Krishna, and Vishnu lying on the serpent Ananta Sesa. Toward the southeast corner of this enclosure is a storage area for the sacred vehicles (vahanas) of the Deities, which are used for processions.

Third Enclosures (Kulasekharan)
To get to the third enclosure you go through the southern Aryabhattal Gopuram. The dwajasthamba (flag staff) and bali-peetam (sacrificial altar), both gold-plated, are in front of the inner sanctum. To the left of the entrance gate are shrines dedicated to Lord Vishnu Dasamurti, Lord Hayagriva, and the goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Learning).

Second and First Enclosure (Raja Mahendran Prakara)
After passing through the Nazihiketan Vasal Gopuram, you have entered the last enclosure. As you enter, there is a deity of Krishna to your right. Large mirrors have been put in the corners to reflect the Lord when he issues from the sanctuary (altar).

In the southwest corner is the storeroom of the temple’s treasures. Amongst the large amount of golden items owned by the temple is a gold vessel given by King Edward VII of England in 1875. Behind the deity (north side) is the Tiruvannazhi, the sacred well, and in the northwest corner behind the deity is the Yajnasalai. In the northeast corner is the shrine of Vibhishana.

In the east part of the east corridor, up some stairs, is the Arjuna Mandapa. From there you reach the Nachiyar and Serakulavalli Nachiyar shrines. To the south, at a lower level, is the Kili Mandapa. Kili means parrot.

The innermost enclosure is the sanctum of Sri Ranganatha. It is square inside, but circular outside. The steps of the sanctum are named after Kulasekhara Alwar. On the upper parts of the walls are paintings that are about three centuries old. They depict the 108 important Vaishnava Divya Desam temples.

Above the main altar is the RangaVimana (golden tower). On the four sides of the Ranga vimana are carvings of four forms of Lord Vishnu. On the south side is Para-Vasudeva, on the west is Acyuta, on the north Ananda, and on the east Govinda.

Deities on the Main Altar
The main deity is Lord Ranganatha, or Lord Vishnu, reclining on Sesa Naga. He is 6.4 m (21 ft) long. Lord Ranganatha is in a recumbent pose with his right shoulder facing south. He is on a couch provided by the coils of the celestial serpent Adi Sesa, who has five raised and wide-open hoods. Near his feet are seated his two consorts, Sri Bhu and Sri Neela. In front of Lord Ranganatha is the utsava-murti of Lord Vishnu, called Sri Manavala Perumal. This deity is taken out of the temple for processions. Along side Lord Ranganatha is Tiruvaranga, who was worshiped as a substitute during the Muslim period, when the original could not be found. At the feet of the Lord is Vibhi-shana, the brother of Ravana.

Story of the Deity
The deity of Sri Ranganatha was first worshiped by Lord Brahma. The deity was later given to King Ikshvaku to worship, and he brought the deity to his capital, Ayodhya. Eventually Lord Rama worshiped Sri Ranganatha. When Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana, came to Ayodhya, he requested permission to take Sri Ranganatha to his capital in Lanka to worship. He was allowed to do so on the condition that if he placed the deity on the ground, he would not be able to move the deity from that spot. Vibhi­shana agreed and proceeded to carry the deity south to Sri Lanka. On his way he placed the deity on the ground at Sri­rangam, on the bank of the Chandra Pushkarani tank. Since that time Sri Ranganatha has stayed at Srirangam.

It is said that the deity faces south, instead of the traditional east, so as to face Vibhishana in Sri Lanka, to grace him and his kingdom. The sanctum (altar) faces south and the main entrance is also from the south (normally it is from the east). It is believed that Vibhishana goes to Sri­rangam every 12 years to worship the Lord.

Jagannath Mutt & Sri Chaitanya’s Footprints
Jagannath Mutt is a beautiful little temple which marks the place where Sri Chaitanya spent the four months of the rainy season in 1510. The house of Vyenkata Bhatta used to be here. The temple has many paintings depicting Sri Chaitanya’s pastimes at Srirangam. In the center hall of the temple there is a diorama of Sri Chaitanya and a deity of Lord Jagannath. The family descendants of Vyenkata Bhatta still live in Srirangam.

This temple, situated in the northwest corner of the sixth enclosure, is a ten-minute walk from the main entrance of the Srirangam Temple.

About 100m from the south gopuram of the Srirangam Temple, there is a small temple that contains the footprints of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Festivals
Vaikuntha Ekadasi is celebrated for 20 days in Dec/Jan on the Sukla Ekadasi day of the Tamil month of Margazhi. On Vaikuntha Ekadasi day, Lord Ranganatha, wearing a garment of rubies, goes out of the temple in a magnificent procession through the Parampada Vasal gate (gateway to salvation) and goes to the 1000-pillar hall. After Vaikuntha Ekadasi, there is a 10-day festival for Sri Ranga Nachiyar, the goddess Lakshmi, who is brought onto the streets in procession.

In January and April the Lord is taken out of the temple on his processional cart. In March there is a Water Festival at the temple tank, which is outside the temple and west of the seventh enclosure. The Lord and his consort are put on an illuminated boat at night and taken to the stone pavilion in the middle of the tank and offered worship there.

During a nine-day festival in March/April the Lord goes to the temple of Sri Nachiyar, at Woraiyur, to meet his consort. This festival includes several processions, an abhishek (sacred bathing), and a quarrel between the Lord and his consort.

Srivilliputtur

Pop: 70,000 Area
Phone Code: 04568

Srivilliputtur is 70km southwest of Madurai by rail, going towards Thiruvananthapuram. There are two major temples in this town: the Vatapatrasayee Temple and the Sri Andal Temple. Srivilliputtur is the birthplace of Peria Alwar and Sri Andal.

In the southwest part of town there is a small Krishna, Rukmini, and Satyabhama temple. Four km north of town is the Tirupati Srinivasa Temple on top of a 30m (100 ft) hill. Southwest of town there is a large Siva temple. Srivilliputtur is a fairly large town.

Bombay Lodge (20907), 885 Tenkasi Rd, a five-minute walk from the bus station to the left after leaving the station, has clean budget rooms, some with A/C. It is a good value, well-managed and recommended. It has a very good veg restaurant.

Nearby, the Srivilliputtur Forest, is a wildlife sanctuary, which is the only known home of the grizzled squirrel, but they are hard to find.

Vatapatrasayee Temple
The main deity in this temple, Sri Vatapatrasayee, is a light-blue Lord Vishnu deity reclining on his couch of Adi Sesa. The deity is so large, that he is viewed from three doorways.

On the side of the temple is the original tulasi garden that was cared for by one of the 12 Alwars named Vishnu Citta (Peria Alwar), around the 8th century, the father of Andal. He used to make flower garlands for Lord Vishnu with the flowers grown in this garden.

Sri Andal Temple
Next to the Vatapatrasayee Temple is a temple dedicated to Sri Andal, who is said to have merged into the body of Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam. Sri xe "Andal, Sri" Andal, also known as Godadevi, is considered to be an incarnation of the Goddess of Fortune, who was married to the deity of Sri Ranganatha. She wrote two works Tiruppavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi, which express her burning love of God.

There is a shrine dedicated to Peria Alwar next to the tulasi garden, south of the main shrine. Peria Alwar had a dream in which Lord Vishnu requested him to bring Andal to Srirangam so he could marry her. When she saw the image of Sri Ranganatha she merged with him.

The gopuram of the Sri Andal Temple is 60m (192 ft) high and has 13 storeys. This is the second highest temple tower in Tamil Nadu, the highest being at Srirangam.

For festivals, the temple has a wooden cart that has 9 gigantic wheels. It is said to be the biggest temple cart in India. The cart is over a hundred years old and requires 3,000 people to pull.

Thanjavur (Tanjore)
Pop: 220,000
Phone Code: 04362

Thanjavur was the capital of the Chola Empire from the 9th to the 13th centuries. The Chola dynasty controlled a good part of South India and Sri Lanka. They celebrated many of their victories by constructing temples, financed by the defeated party. There are over 70 temples in Thanjavur, the most important being the famous Brihadeeswara Temple, which is the main reason to come here. Thanjavur is situated halfway between Tiruchi­rappalli (60km) and the coast. It is 35km southwest of Kumbakonam and 334km south of Chennai.

In Thiruvaiyaru, 14km away, there is a Carnatic classical musical festival in January, in honor of the Carnatic music saint, Thyagaraja.

Getting Your Bearings
The Grand Anicut Canal divides the city into a northern and southern part. The old city is between the Grand Anicut Canal in the south and the Vadavar River in the north. The Brihadeeswara Temple is in the southwest part of the old city on Hospital Rd, by the canal. The palace is in the center of the city, about 1km from the canal.

Most of the hotels, souvenir shops, and the tourist office are on Gandhiji Road. The railway station is about half a km south of the canal at the southern end of Gandhiji Road (Railway Station Road). The bus station is in the south part of the old city, by the canal.

Information
There is a Tamil Nadu Tourist Office (223017) at the Hotel Tamil Nadu on Gandhiji Rd (daily 9 am to 4 pm). There is also a Tourist Office across from the GPO. They organize a temple tour of Thanjavur and the area. Open Mon to Fri 10 am to 5.30 pm.

The Canara Bank on South Main Rd is a good place to change travelers cheques. State Bank of India, Hospital Rd. The Hotel Parisutham change money after banking hours, but at a bad rate.

The post office is on Gandhiji Rd, near the railway station, and is open daily 10 am to 4 pm and Sun 10 am to noon. The telegraph office next door is open 24 hours. Postal Code 643001.

Internet at BBC Net, NKM Rd (9am-9pm) for Rs 25 per hr and Netcafe Internet Zone (338148), Gandhiji Rd (9am-11pm) for Rs 25 per hr.

Brihadeeswara Temple
This magnificent Siva temple was built in 1003 AD by King Rajaraja I, the Chola King. It is considered one of the grandest temples in India. The main shrine is dedicated to Lord Siva. The story of the temple is that King Rajaraja, being unable to cure his leprosy, was instructed by his spiritual teacher to bring a Siva-linga from the Narmada River and construct a temple for it. He went and got a linga from the river and then the linga started to grow and became huge. King Rajaraja then had to build a huge temple to put it in.

This temple is unique because the vimana (the tower over the altar) soars into the sky, while the gopurams (the towers over the entrance) are small. The 14-storey tower of the temple is 64 metres (216 ft) high, making it the tallest temple in South India. There has been continuous worship at the temple for more than 1,000 years.

The temple is capped by a single 80 ton (73,700 kg) monolithic solid granite block. This enormous stone is said to have been moved up an incline that started 6km from the temple. The sikhara, a spherical dome, is octagonal and rests on top of this granite block. The shadow of the sikhara never falls on the ground.

The temple is entered through a 30m high gopuram guarded by two impressive dwarapalakas (door guards). You then come to a giant Nandi (bull of Lord Siva), which is carved out of a single stone. It is considered to be the second largest in India, next to the one at Lepakshi. It is 3.7m high (13 feet), 6m long (16 feet), 2.5m wide, and weighs about 25 tons. It is said that it grew in size every day until a nail was driven in its back to keep it from growing.

In the inner sanctum is the gigantic Maha-linga, 3.5 metres (10½ feet) high and 7½ m (25 ft) in circumference. It is said that when the linga was taken from the Narmada River, it kept increasing in size; which is why the linga is known as Brihadeeswara. There are over 250 lingas in the temple.

There are fresco paintings on the ceiling and walls of the inner sanctum dated to the Chola period. These often cannot be viewed, but there are reproductions of the paintings in the museum.

There is a 16.5m (55ft) high temple dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya that is considered to have some of the best carvings in South India. Also here is a shrine dedicated to Ganesh. There are many Vaishnava sculptures on the gopurams.

There is a deity in this temple of Jwarahareswara who controls fever. It is believed if a person has a chronic fever, it will subside if they offer sandalwood paste to this deity. Many people have experienced this.

Beyond the western wall of the temple is the giant Seppunaikan Tank. The Siva-ganga Tank is a sacred tank in the temple courtyard, within a 100-pillar mandapa (hall). There is a nice garden here.
There are three hallways that encircle the temple. The third hallway is always open. The inner hallways, where the Siva-linga is located is open from 6 am to 1 pm and 4 to 8 pm.

Unless you get special permission from the Archaeological Department of Chennai, you cannot enter the inner sanction. Non-Hindus can go every­where in the enclosure except the room where the Siva-linga is located and the halls that approach it.

On the south side of the courtyard is the interesting Archaeological Museum, which has exhibits that give a good history of the temple’s restoration and the Chola Empire. There is also a good collection of sculptures. The museum is open daily 9.30 am to 1 pm and 4 to 7 pm. Chola Temples by C Sivaramamurti is sold here for Rs 10. It includes a good description of this temple and the ones in Gangaikondacholapuram and Dharasuram.

Thanjavur Palace
This interesting palace was built partly by the Nayaks around 1550 AD and partly by the Marathas. The Sangitha Mahal (Durbar Hall or Hall of Music) on the first floor has a fine auditorium with excellent acoustics. The grand Durbar Hall was used for public audiences. The walls and ceiling are intricately painted. The former armory is 57m (190 ft) high and was used as a lookout. From the top of the bell tower there is a good view of the area (Rs 2). Camera/video Rs 35/200.

In the Royal Museum are portraits and items used by the royal family such as weapons, costumes and musical instruments. The museum is open 9 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 2.

The Palace contains the Saraswati Mahal Library, which dates back to 1700. The library has over 40,000 volumes in Sanskrit, Tamil, Marathi, and English. The volumes are mostly paper manuscripts and palm leaves. It is closed to the public. There is a museum here with books from the collection on display. There is a palm leaf that has the entire Ramayana written on it and a beautifully illustrated Mahabharata.

Open daily except Wed 10 am to 1 pm and 2 to 5 pm.

The Art Museum has an excellent collection of bronze deities and statues, and stone sculptures from the Chola period, dating from the 9th to the 12th century. There is also a collection of Tanjore glass paintings. The museum is in an audience hall with huge pillars. Open daily 9 am to 1 pm and 3 to 6 pm, except government holidays; admission Rs 3.

Next to the palace is the Tamil University Museum, which has a stringed musical instrument collection, beautifully carved silver jewelry boxes, and a good coin collection. There is also a wood and ivory chess board that can be converted to a pallanguzhi board.

Schwartz Church
Southeast of the palace, just north of the Sivaganga Tank, is the Schwartz Church. It was built by Raja Serfoji in 1779 in appreciation of his teacher, the Danish missionary FC Schwartz who died in 1798.

Shopping
R Govindarajan, 32 Kuthiraikatti St, Karantha, has a good selection of Tanjore paintings, wood carvings, brass items and antiques. They produce many of the paintings upstairs.

Poompuhar Handicrafts, Gandhiji Rd, near the Hotel Tamil Nadu, is a government emporium with a good selection of quality items.

Where to Stay—Lower
Most of the hotels are on Gandhiji Rd, between the railway and bus stations, or on Trichy Rd, behind the railway station.

There are six big clean railway Retiring Rooms at the station. A double room is Rs 80 and with A/C Rs 160. It is usually full.
Raja Rest House (230515), by the Hotel Tamil Nadu, has rooms with bath for Rs 150/200. It has a large, peaceful courtyard and is a friendly place. It is a very good value and is a recommended budget place. Ask to see a few rooms.
Ashoka Lodge (30021), 93 Abraham Pandithar St, has nicer rooms on the second floor than the first, but it isn’t such a good place. Ask to see a few rooms. Rooms are Rs 100/150 with common bath, with bath for Rs 150/200 and Rs 500 with A/C.
Sri Mahalakshmi is centrally located.
Hotel Anand, 1 Racquet Court Lane, and Hotel Arun, 24 State Bank Road, are both nice places.
Hotel Karthik (30116), 73 South Rampart St, opposite the bus stand, has fairly basic rooms (bring you own sheets) with attached baths with squat toilets for Rs 90/180.
Hotel Yagappa (330421), off Trichy Rd, near the station, has rooms with bath for Rs 300/350 and Rs 800/950 with A/C.
Tamil Nadu Lodge (331088), off Trichy Rd, near the station, has rooms for Rs 125 to Rs 300.
Hotel Valli (331584), 2948 MK Rd, has rooms with bath for Rs 285/325, Rs 400 with TV and Rs 750 with A/C. They have rooms with 3 to 6 beds. It has a veg restaurant.
Hotel Tamil Nadu II (20365) is run down. Rooms are Rs 175/275.

Where to Stay—Middle & Higher
Hotel Tamil Nadu, (331421; fax 331970), Gandhiji Road, is one of the best places to stay. It has both Indian style and western style bathrooms with hot water in the morning. Most rooms have balconies, set around a courtyard garden. It was once a Maharaja’s guest house and is a good value with good service. It has comfortable, clean rooms for Rs 450/500, with TV Rs 600, and Rs 900 with A/C. It is usually over booked. You can book in advance at a Tamil Nadu Tourist Office or a Tamil Nadu Hotel in another city.
Hotel Sangam (339451; fax 336695: Email: hotelsangam@vsnl.com), Trichy Rd, has A/C rooms for $80/110. It has a pool and a garden.
Oriental Towers (330724; fax 330770; Email: tnj.hotowets@sanchar.net), 2889 Srinivasam Pillai Rd, has rooms for $45/55. It has good facilities, including a pool.
Pandiyar Residency (30574), Cutchery Rd, is a new place. All rooms have a TV, and the deluxe rooms have a view of the temple.
Hotel Parisutham (331801; fax 330318: Email: hotel.parisutham@vsnl.com), 55 Grand Anicut Canal Rd, is the best hotel in town, and everything looks neat and clean. It has a good pool and comfortable A/C rooms with a fridge for $70/95. It also has suites.

Where to Eat
Ananda Bhavan serves good, cheap thali meals (Rs 15). It is near the bus stand on Gandhiji Rd.
Padma Hotel, Ananda Bhavan, Gandhiji Rd, opposite the Hotel Tamil Nadu, has simple, good vegetarian meals.
The restaurant on the ground floor in the Hotel Karthik is a good popular place, with reasonably priced veg meals.
The rooftop Golden Restaurant, Hospital Rd, is a good vegetarian place. Recommended.
Sathars is a good place, which is open late.
Oriental Tower, 2889 Srinivasam Pillai, has a very good restaurant.
Hotel Parisutham has the very good Geetham vegetarian restaurant in it. The Les Repas serves both Chinese, Continental and South Indian breakfasts (Rs 75). It has real good sizzlers (Rs 125) and good thali lunches (Rs 75). Open daily 10 am to 2.30 pm and 7 to 11 pm.

Travel
Air The nearest airport is in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy), 60km away. It is a small airport with flights to Chennai and Madurai.

Train There are trains to Chennai (9 hr, 3 daily), Chidambaram (3 hr, 4 daily), Rameswaram, Madurai (6 hr, 2 daily), Villupuram (for Pondicherry) (6 hr, 190km), Tirupati, Kumbakonam (1 hr) and Tiruchirappalli (1½ hr, several). The railway station is south of the Anicut Canal, about 2½ km from the center of town.
Chennai Cholan Exp #6854 (9.20 am, 9 hr), the Rameswaram Exp #6702 (8.25 pm, 9½ hr); Chidambaram Cholan Exp #6853 (9.20 am, 2½ hr); Rameswaram Sethu Exp #6713 (10.30 pm, 7½ hr); Tiruchirappalli Cholan Exp #6853 (5 pm, 2 hr).

Bus There are two bus stations in the south part of the old town, near the junction of Hospital Road and Gandhiji Rd—TTC bus stand and the Municipal (State) bus stand. Regular buses depart from the local Municipal bus stand to Kumbakonam (1 hr) and there are buses to Tiruchirappalli.

The long distance TTC Thiruvalluvar (Mofussil) bus stand is 4km south of the center of town. Rickshaws into town are around Rs 30 and there are frequent local bus into center city. Frequent buses go to Madurai (8 hr, 9 daily) and Tiruchirappalli (1½ hr, 10 daily). There are also buses to Chennai (9 hr, 20 daily), Tirupati, Chidambaram (9 hr), and Pondicherry (6 hr, 2 daily). There is a computerized booking office (7.30 am to 9.30 pm).

Tiruchirappalli (Trichy)



Pop: 850,000 Area
Phone Code: 0431

This city is famous for the Srirangam Temple and the Rock Fort. Along with Tirupati, the Srirangam Temple is one of the most important Vishnu temples in South India. Tiruchirappalli is 145km northeast of Madurai and 320km southwest of Chennai. It is known for short as Trichy or Tiruchi.

Tiruchirappalli means “city of the three-headed demon.” The city was named in memory of a fight Lord Siva had with a three-headed demon named Trisiras.

This town has been inhabited for at least 2,000 years. The Pallavas and Pandyas fought over this town. In the 10th century the Chola gained control. When the Chola dynasty fell, the Vijayanagar kingdom from Hampi took over. Eventually after the Vijayanagar kingdom collapsed the Nayaks of Madurai ruled the city.

Tiruchirappalli is one of the main cities in the world where artificial diamonds are made.

Orientation
Trichy is spread over a wide area. In the north, the Kaveri River borders the city. Most of the hotels, the tourist office, bus stand, and railway station are all in the Cantonment (Junction Rd) area in the south part of the city. The Rock Fort temple is about 2½ km north of this area, about half a km from the Kaveri River. This is the busy center of town.

Srirangam is on an island in the middle of the Kaveri River, 2km north of the Rock Fort. Sri Jambukeswara Temple is about 2km east of the Srirangam temple, on the same island.

Information
The Tourist Office (246-0136) is at the Hotel Tamil Nadu, 1 Williams Rd, Cantonment, opposite the bus station. Open 10.30 am and 5.45 pm. You can get a good map of the Trichy area for Rs 3. There are also tourist counters at the airport and at the Tiruchirappalli railway station (7 am to 9 pm).

The #1 bus, which departs from the road next to the State bus stand, goes to the Srirangam Temple (half-hour), passing the Jambukeswara Temple and the Rock Fort temple on the way. Some of the #1 buses do not go to Srirangam.

There is a low-stocked Higginbothams Book Shop by the Rock Fort temple. You can rent a bicycle for Rs 15 a day at a few places by Junction Rd.

You can change money at the State Bank of India on Dindigul Rd, north of Jenneys Residency. Tata American Express Foreign Exchange, Williams Rd and UAE Money Exchange (401613), Royal Rd (Hours: Mon-Sat 10 am-5pm. ATM at HDFC Bank, 10th Cross, Thillai Nagar and ICIC Bank, next door.

Sea Horse Hospital (462-660), 6 Royal Rd, is a good private hospital.

T he GPO, Dindigul Rd, is open Mon to Sat, 8 am to 7 pm. Head Post Office, Bharatiyal St. Postal Code: 620001.

Internet at Net Ppint, Rockins Rd and Mas Media, Royal Rd.

Bath in the Kaveri River
To take bath in the Kaveri, you walk out of the main (south) gate and continue down the road for about a kilometre. There is a bathing ghat at the end of this road, which has chains for people to hold onto so they are not swept away by the extremely strong current. It is a good idea to bathe here instead of trying to find a more secluded place. The river is dangerous to swim in, and it is hard to find a secluded spot. In April or May the river may be dry.

Sri Jambukeswara Temple (Thiruvaanaikkaval)
This temple is an important Siva temple, with interesting architecture. There are many deities and beautiful sculptures in this impressive temple. In this temple is the Appu-linga (water), one of the five xe "element Siva-lingas:Jambukeswara Temple" element Siva-lingas. The base of the Appu-linga is submerged in water, which comes from a spring in the inner sanctum. The linga is under a holy Jambu tree. Jambu is a guava tree, and iswara means “the Lord.”

It is said that Lord Rama came here after killing Ravana and Kumbakarna. It is also said that an elephant once worshiped this linga. Hence the Tamil name Thiruvaanaikkaval (aanai in Tamil means “elephant”). The goddess in this temple is Akhilandeswari.

This temple has seven gopurams and five surrounding walls. The fourth wall is 10.5m (35 ft) high, 2m (6 ft) thick, and about 755m (2500 ft) by 455m (1500 ft) long. Inside this wall is a mandapa (hall) with 800 pillars and a tank fed by a perpetual spring.

Non-Hindus cannot enter the inner sanctum. This temple is located two km east of Srirangam temple, on the same island in the middle of the Kaveri. The #1 bus passes it on the way to the Sri­rangam Temple. Open 6 am to 1 pm and 4 to 9.30 pm; camera Rs 10.

Rock Fort Temple
It is on a huge 83 metre (273 feet) high rock, said to be one of the oldest rocks in the world—over 3.8 billion years old. There is not much left of the fort, which was used by the Pallavas and Nayaks. The Thousand-pillar Hall, which you see as you walk up the stairs, was mainly destroyed by an explosion in 1772.

From the top of the hill you have a great view of the city and the Kaveri River. You can also see the Srirangam Temple on the other side of the river. There is a hall with a bell weighing about 2½ tons, which has a diameter of 1.2m (4 ft) at the base.

It is said that this rock is one of three pieces blown off Mount Meru by Vayu (the wind god). One time Vayu challenged Adi Sesa to a show of strength. So Adi Sesa coiled around Mount Meru, and Vayu tried to loosen his grip. Because of their fight, the whole world had unprecedented hurricanes and storms. In spite of this, the wind-god could not loosen the grip of Adi Sesa. Lord Siva then asked Adi Sesa to loosen his grip, which he did. It is said that at this time Mount Meru broke into three pieces. One chip is said to have fallen at the site of the Rock Fort, one in Kalahasti, and another in Sri Lanka.

You walk up about 430 steps cut into a tunnel through the rock to get to the Ganesh or Vinayaka temple at the top of the hill. Halfway up, there is the Sri Thayumana Swami Temple dedicated to Lord Siva. The linga is a projection of the rock on which the temple is located. Non-Hindus cannot enter the inner sanctum of this temple. There are also cave temples with beautiful sculptures of the Pallava era (7th century).

The entrance to the fort is in Chinna Bazaar. The Fort is open 6 am to 8 pm; admission Rs 1, camera/video Rs 10/50.

Other Places
Teppakulam Tank is a large artificial tank near the Rock Fort.

The City Museum, off Bharatiyar Rd, half a km from the GPO, has an unimpressive collection of sculptures, coins and other old items found locally. Open daily except Fri 9 am to noon and 2 to 5 pm; free.

In Chinna Bazaar they sell handicrafts and flowers. Located near Chinna Bazaar is Saint Joseph’s Church, which is a Catholic church modeled after Lourdes Basilica in France. It has a sandalwood altar. Nadir Shah Mosque is about a half km south of the church, near the City railway station. St John’s Church (1812) is an interesting church dating back to the British Raj.

Alagia Manavalan Temple
This is one of the Divya Desam Vishnu temples. It is the birthplace of Tiruppaana Alwar. It is about 2km northwest of Trichy Fort Railway Station.

Where to Stay—Lower
Most of the cheap hotels are located in the Cantonment area, the new part of town by the bus stand and railway station. Rooms facing the street in this area can be very noisy. There are cheap, basic dharamshalas by the Srirangam Temple for the many pilgrims that visit the temple.

The railway Retiring Rooms are Rs 250 for a double and Rs 300 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 70.
Modern Hindu Hotel (246-0758) has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 120/160 and A/C rooms for Rs 200/300.
Guru Hotel (246-1881), 13-A Royal Rd, and the Vijay Lodge, 13-B Royal Rd, are both decent cheap places with rooms for around Rs 180/250. It is best to get a room in the back, as the restaurant is very noisy
Hotel Lakshmi (24-60-098), 3-A Alexandria Rd, is a recommended place with good rooms with bath for Rs 250/300.
Hotel Aanand,(241-5545: fax: 241-5219: Email: hotelaanand@hotmail.com1 Racquet Court Lane, is a good place that has rooms with bath for Rs 300/400 and A/C rooms for Rs 500/600. It has an outside restaurant.
Hotel Arun (241-5021), 24 Dindigul Rd, has rooms for Rs 275/310 and with A/C for Rs 600/650.
Sarada Lodge (246-2216), McDonald’s Rd, is a good, quiet place.
Hotel Ajanta (241-5501/4), Junction Rd, has rooms with bath for Rs 250/300 and with A/C for Rs 600/700. It has a vegetarian restaurant.
The older Hotel Aristo (426-1818), 2 Dindigul Rd, Cantonment, has rooms with bath for Rs 150/250 and Rs 350/400 with A/C. It has cottages with A/C for Rs 500/600. It has a good atmosphere with a peaceful garden and a large terrace.

Where to Stay—Middle
Most of the middle-class hotels are by the State bus stand. Most add a 15% sales tax onto the price of the room. The bus stand is a thirty-minute bus ride from the Srirangam Temple.

Hotel Ashby (246-0652), 17A Junction Rd, is an old British Raj style place, which is showing its age. The place has verandahs, a courtyard, and large rooms for Rs 300/400 and Rs 700/850 with A/C. It has a good outdoor restaurant.
Hotel Tamil Nadu (241-4346, 414-471; fax: 241-5725), McDonald’s Rd, Cantonment, is a better than average place with rooms for Rs 300/400 and Rs 500/700 with A/C. Some of the rooms have a TV.
Hotel Ramyas (246-1128; fax 246-2750), 13 William Rd, across from the bus stand, is a recommended well-managed place having clean, modern rooms with bath and cable TV for Rs 800/850 or Rs 1050/1200 with A/C. They take major credit cards.
Hotel Abhirami (246-0001, 241-5-001; fax: 241-2819.), 10 McDonald’s Rd, is one of the best values in the area. It has good rooms with TV for Rs 375/450 and Rs 600/650 with A/C. Recommended. It has a good A/C vegetarian rest It has 24-hour check-out, hot water and cable TV.
Hotel Gajapriya (246-1144), 2 Royal Rd, has spacious rooms with bath for Rs 250/400 and Rs 600/700 with A/C. It has a popular South and North Indian vegetarian restaurant, and a separate Chinese restaurant.
Hotel Mega (241-4092: Email: hotelmeega@satyamnet.in), 8-B Rockins Rd, is a good place having rooms with bath for Rs 275/400 and Rs 500/600 with A/C.
Hotel Mathura (241-4737; Email: mathura90@yahoo.com:Email: femina@tr.dot.net.in), right next door on Rockins Rd, has rooms for Rs 350/500 and Rs 700/800.
Femina Hotel (241-4501; fax 241-0615; Email: femina@tr.dot.net.in), 109 Williams Rd, is a three-star hotel with good-sized comfortable rooms for Rs 450/650 and Rs 900/1200 with A/C. It also has suites. It is well-maintained and some rooms have bath tubs. They take credit cards. You can reserve a room in Chennai by calling (044) 826-9168.

Where to Stay—Higher
The four-star Hotel Sangam (246-4700; fax 241-5779; Email: hotel.sangam@vsnl.com), Collector’s Office Rd, is a western style hotel with clean rooms for $50/95. It has a health club, sauna, and a pool. The best rooms face the pool. The attached Chembian Restaurant serves good thalis (Rs 60) on plantain leaves, pizza, and Chinese food. They often offer their roos at a discount, so it is a good idea to ask for one. (sometimes 40% off).
Jenneys Residence (241-4414; fax 461-451: Email: jenney@satyam.net.in), 3/14 McDonald’s Rd, is a western style hotel with clean A/C room for $45/65. Some rooms have bathtubs. It is the best place in town, and is in a quiet location. The rooms on the 4th and 5th floor are new. 24-hour checkout. It has two good restaurants, a South Indian and a Chinese restaurant. It has a pool, which non-guest can use for Rs 100.

Where to Eat
Kavithaa Restaurant, located down the road from the State bus stand, is a well-known cheap thali place. A veg thali is Rs 20 during lunch.
Vasantham Bhavan Restaurant, in the Abhirama Hotel, by the State bus stand, is a very popular vegetarian place.
Hotel Mega, 8-B Rockins Rd, is a decent vegetarian restaurant where you can get what you ask for.
Woodlands vegetarian restaurant in the Hotel Femina has very good North Indian, South Indian, and Chinese food. It has a good thali. Open 11.30 am to 2 pm and 5 to 10 pm. Recommended, but not cheap.
Sangeetha Restaurant, in the Hotel Aanand, is a good outside restaurant. Dishes are around Rs 20.
Rajasugam Hotel has a popular outdoors vegetarian restaurant.
Vasanta Bhavan Sweet Stall and Vegetarian Restaurant is a simple place near the Rock Fort that serves snacks and dosas.
Skylord, Municipal Office Rd, in Chinna Bazaar by the Rock Fort, is a good, cheap Indian vegetarian place.
Peaks of Kunlun, in Jenneys Residency, serves good Chinese and Continental food (daily 2 to 11 pm). Main dishes are Rs 60 to Rs 120. In the same hotel is the good upscale Suvai vegetarian restaurant.
The maha-prasada at the Srirangam Temple is good and is spiritually purifying.

Local Travel
The #1A or #1B buses go between the State bus station and the Red Fort, Sri Jambukeshwara Temple and the Ranganathaswami Temple.
Buses #7, #58, #59 and #63 go to the airport (30 min).

You can hire a bike at some shops on Junction Rd.

A possible travel agency is Asian Travels (27660), LIC Building, in the Cantonment area. Kavria Travels, in the Hotel Sangam, can arrange a tourist taxi.

Travel
Air The airport is 8km from the center of town. To get to the airport costs Rs 175 by auto-rickshaw and Rs 300 by taxi.

There are flights to Chennai (6 weekly, $110), Coimbatore (4 weekly, $95. The Indian Airlines office (248-0233; Airport: 420-563) is at the Railway Co-operative Mansion, 4A Dindigul Rd opposite the Aristo Hotel.

There are two flights a week to Sri Lanka on Air Lanka. The Air Lanka office (246-0844) is located at the Hotel Femina.

Rail Tiruchirappalli is on the main Chennai to Madurai and Chennai to Rameswaram lines. There are trains to Chennai (5½-11 hr, 10 daily), Rameswaram (7 hr), Chidambaram (4 hr, 4 daily), Thanjavur (2 hr, 4 daily), Madurai (2½ to 7 hr, 7 daily), and Tirunelveli.

Bangalore Bangalore Exp (9.45 pm, 11½ hr); Chennai Vaigal Exp #2636 (6.20 am, 8 hr), Pandiyan #6718 (10.45 pm, 8 hr); Chidambaram Cholan Exp #6853 (8 am, 4 hr); Madurai Vaigai Exp #2635 (6 pm, 3 hr), Pallavan Exp (3.10 am, 3½ hr); Mangalore #6531 Exp (9.45 pm, 16½ hr); Rameswaram Chennai-Rameswaram Exp #6701 (7.35 am, 6½ hr); Tirupati Tiruchchi-Tirupati Exp #6802 (2 pm, 15½ hr).

The Rock Fort Exp and Cholan Exp #6854 from Chennai Egmore to Tiruchirappalli take about six hours. To get to Mysore you take the 6 am train to Erode Junction (4 hr) and then from there you get a bus (5 hr). To get to Mamallapuram you take a train to Chengalpattu and then a bus from there.

Bus There are two bus stands right next to each other, the State bus stand and the Thiruvalluvar bus stand (23680). At the State bus stand you buy your ticket from the conductor when the bus arrives. Express buses say “Fast” (in English) on the front of the bus. There are frequent buses to Thanjavur (1½ hr, every 15 min) and Madurai (3 or 4 hr, 15 daily). Bus #1 brings you to the Srirangam Temple and the Rock Fort.

The Thiruvalluvar buses, originating in Tiruchirappalli, can be booked in advance. There are buses to Nagercoil (8 daily), Kanchipuram (7 hr, 3 daily), Tirupati (9½ hr, 4 daily) via Vellore, Chennai (8 hr, 20 daily), and Bangalore (3 daily). There are four super-deluxe buses to Chennai from the Thiruvalluvar station.

You can also get private super-deluxe buses to Chennai (7 hr). Both KPN/RR Travels, outside the Hotel Anand, and AKM Travels, opposite the Hotel Tamil Nadu, offer this service.

Tiruvannamalai

Population: 132,000
Phone Code: 04175

There are over 100 temples in this town. The most famous temple is the Arunachaleswara Temple, dedicated to Lord Siva and Parvati. This town is 85km south of Vellore.

Also located here, about 2km southwest of town, is the Ashram of Guru Ramana Maharishi, who died in 1950.

You can change money at the State Bank of India, Kosamadam St.

Mt Arunachala
Mt Arunachala is considered to be a linga of Lord Siva. It is traditional to circumambulate the mountain, which is 13km around. You can get a map at the Ramanashram that describes the holy places in the area of the mountain. The inner path, which begins near the Annamalai Ashram, is more pleasant than the main road that goes around the mountain. It is traditional to do the walk barefooted.

Arunachaleswara Temple
It is at the foot of Mt Arunachala and is one of the largest temples in all of India. It has a 60m (198 ft), 13-storey high, beautifully sculptured gopuram and a thousand-pillar hall. The Vijayanagar ruler Krishnadeva Raya (1502-29) built most of the temple, but the inner part of the temple dates back to the 11th century. The temple has four enclosures. Hours: 6 am to 1 pm, 5 pm to 10 pm

In this temple is one of the five element lingas, the fire-linga. There are also temples dedicated to Subrahmanya and Parvati on the premises. There is an intertwined neem and bodhi tree on the north side of the temple, which devotees circumambulate and then make an offering to have a happy marriage and healthy children.

If you enter the temple from the eastern gate, on your right is a thousand-pillared hall, which is where the temple elephant usually hangs out. On your left are the large Sivaganga tank and a Subrahmanya shrine. Just before you enter the next enclosure, on your right is the Parthalia-linga.

Within the next enclosure is a shrine dedicated to the consort of Lord Siva and a Nandi bull facing the temple of Lord Siva. Within the enclosure are deities on the walls, such as Siva, Parvati, Subrahmanya, Ganesh, Venugopala (Krishna) and Lakshmi. The inner shrine dedicated to Lord Siva is open for non-Hindus.

Thousands of visitors come during the 10-day Kartika Deepam (Karttigai) celebration in November/December, during which, a huge bonfire is lit on top of the hill. This fire represents Lord Siva. The fire burns for many days and can be seen for kilometres.

The temple is located about 2km from the railway station and bus stand.

Ramanashram
This is the ashram (222-2491) where Ramana Maharshi (1879–1950) lived for the last 20 years of his life. He stayed in Tiruvannamalai for almost 50 years. The ashram is located at the base of Mt Arunachala about 2km southwest of town. Open: 8 am-11am @ 2pm-5pm.

It is possible to stay in the ashram, but it is best to reserve a room in advance during the winter as it is often full at this time. You are supposed to write in two months in advance for reservations and then you will be sent a confirmation letter. Those who stay at the ashram can also take good meals there. Write Sri Ramanashram, Ramanashram PO Tiruvannamalai 606603. It has a web site: www.rtanet.com/ramana.

Virupaksha & Skandasraman Caves
If you follow a path near the northwest corner of the temple, behind the ashram, for 20 minutes you come to the Virupaksha cave. Ramana Maharishi stayed here from 1899 to 1916. There is a Siva-linga inside the cave and a bench outside the cave which was built by him.

Ramana Maharishi later moved to the Skandasraman cave, a few minutes more up the hill, where he lived from 1916 to 1922. The Ramanashram Ashram looks after these caves.

Where to Stay
Aruna Lodge (323-291), 82 Kosamadam St, is a basic place, about 200m east of the temple entrance. There is a good view of the temple from the roof. It is the best budget place in town.
Udipi Brindhavan Hotel (22693), 57 Anna Salai, has very basic rooms with bath for Rs 80/100 and A/C rooms for Rs 325. It has a good, cheap thali restaurant.
Park Hotel is a clean place with basic rooms for Rs 80/100. Rooms have big windows with a view of the temple.
Hotel Trishul (222-2219), 6 Kanakaraya Mudai, 3 minutes from the temple, has rooms for Rs 550/650 and Rs 850/950 with A/C. It has a good vegetarian A/C rooftop restaurant, with a good view of the temple.

Travel
Tiruvannamalai is over 100km south of Kanchipuram and 185km southwest of Chennai. It takes about two or three hours to get here by train from Vellore, which is due north. The train station, about half a km from the temple, is on the line between Madurai and Tirupati, and there is a daily train in each direction. The Madurai-Tirupati Exp #6800 departs daily to Tirupati (10.55 pm, 6 hr). The Tirupati-Madurai Exp #6799 goes to Madurai (9.25 pm, 13 hr) via Chidambaram, Thanjavur, and Trichy.

The bus stand is about 2km north of the temple. There are frequent buses to Gingee and regular buses to Pondicherry (3½ hr) and Chennai (5 hr).

Vellore
Pop: 400,000
Phone Code: 0416

Vellore is 145km west of Chennai. The Jalakanteswara Temple and the Vijaya­nagar Fort are interesting. Vellore is not a major place to visit and the town itself is not very interesting, but it is worth stopping here if you are passing through the area.

The Christian Medical College Hospital is one of the best tropical disease hospitals in India.
Practical Information

The State Bank of India (21291), Officer Line Rd, changes money. The Head Post Office, Officer Line Rd. Postal Code: 632004.

Christian Medical College Hospital (22102) is on Officers Line Rd. It is said to treat over 2,000 people a day.

Vellore Fort
Bommi and Thimma Reddy built this large fort in the 16th century during the reign of the Vijayanagar king Krishnadeva Raja. The fort was captured in the 17th century by the Adi Shahis, the Muslim rulers from Bijapur. It was then taken by the Marathas, and later taken by Daud Khan of Delhi in the early 18th century. The British took control of this fort in 1768 and controlled it until Independence. After the British killed Tipu Sultan they imprisoned Tipu’s son and daughter in this fort.

There is a big moat around the fort that is still filled with water. At one time it was full of crocodiles. The fort, which is well preserved, now contains the Jalakanteswara Temple, a church, a mosque, courts and a police training center.
There is a Museum here that contains old sculptures, paintings and handicrafts. Open daily except Fri 8 am to 8 pm.

The modern CSI Church, opposite the fort, has an old British cemetery, which contains graves of British officers killed in the final campaign against Tipu Sultan.

Jalakanteswara Temple
This large, impressive Siva temple was built around 1566 in the Vijayanagar style. This ancient temple is named after Jalakanteswara, or “Lord Siva residing in the water.” The temple has a Nataraja Siva deity on the northern altar, and on the western altar is a Siva-linga. This temple has just recently been reestablished as a place of worship.

The temple is famous for its magnificent sculptures. There is a 30m (100ft) high, seven-storey gopuram made of blue granite, which is flanked by two carved dwarpalas (door guards). The carvings in the kalyan mandapa (pillared hall) are some of the most impressive in India. The outer pillars have sculptures of rearing horses and dragons. The inner pillars have sculptures of yalis, which are lion-like creatures.
This temple is located in the Vellore Fort, near the north wall of the fort. Open daily 6 am to 1 pm and 3 to 8 pm.

Where to Stay
Most hotels in Vellore have 24-hour checkout. The cheap hotels are on Babu Rao St and Ida Scudder St, near the hospital and bus stand.

Mayura Lodge (25488), Babu Rao St, is a recommended budget place. It has clean rooms for Rs 65/95.
Hotel Solei (22996) has rooms for Rs 80/120. It is decent, but some rooms do not have windows.
VDM Lodge (222-4008), 13 Beri Bakkali St, has rooms for Rs 125/175 and Rs 300/350 for a better room with a TV. It is a friendly place.
Srinivasa Lodge (222-6389), 14 Beri Bakkali St, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 150/240.
Nagha International Lodge (222-6731), 13 KVS Chetty St, has modern rooms that are a good value for Rs 175/260. An A/C room is Rs 650.
Hotel Park Avenue (20799), 3 First Main Rd, Anna Nagar, is a good place with rooms for Rs 150/250 and A/C rooms for Rs 400.
Hotel Ganga (23033) has rooms for Rs 400 and Rs 450 with A/C.
Hotel River View (222-6751), Katpadi Rd, 1km north of downtown, is a recommended, well-managed place with clean, modern rooms with cable TV for Rs 500/650 and Rs 800/900 with A/C. It has a garden and three restaurants.
Hotel Prince Manor (222-7106), Katpadi Rd, is a clean, well-managed, modern place with rooms with cable TV for Rs 600/800 and with A/C for Rs 800. It is conveniently located near the railway station.

Where to Eat
Raj Cafe, in the India Lodge, across from the bazaar, is a good veg restaurant.
Lalit Vihar, KVS Chetty St, has Gujarati thalis for Rs 25.
Simla Ice Cream Bar, 88 Ida Scudder St, has good vegetarian North Indian food and naans.
Palace Cafe, Officers Line Rd, serves cheap unlimited thalis.
Shanti Sagar, Beri Bakkali St, near the VDM Lodge, is a popular vegetarian place that has a nice courtyard.
Hotel Karthik has a good vegetarian restaurant.
Chinatown, Gandhi Rd, has good Chinese food, serving noodles and rice.
Kings, in the Hotel Prince Manor serves a non-veg Indian and Chinese cuisine. Princes, also in the Hotel Prince Manor, is a good vegetarian place, which serves North and South Indian food and ice cream.
Ganga Restaurant, in the Hotel River, serves North and South Indian veg food.
Hotel Anand, Ida Scudder Rd, is a higher-class vegetarian place with an A/C room.

Travel
Train Vellore has two railway stations. The main railway station for Vellore is at Katpadi (4km north of Vellore). This is a junction on the broad-gauge Chennai-Bangalore line and the metre-gauge line that goes between Tirupati and Madurai. The line between Tirupati and Madurai goes via Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli.

From Katpadi it takes 4½ hours to get to Bangalore and 2 hours to get to Chennai. A daily train to Madurai (15 hr) departs at 7 pm. There is a passenger train to Tirupati (3 hr, 105km) at 9.15 am.

A bus from Vellore to Katpadi takes about 20 minutes. An auto rickshaw from the Katpadi station to Vellore is about Rs 35.

The Cantonment railway station is 2km south of town, and it is only on the metre-gauge line.

Bus The bus stand is a little east of the fort. Thiruvalluvar Transport Corporation buses that go to Tiruchirappalli, Madurai, and Tiruvannamalai—which begin in Vellore— can be booked in advance. There are also buses to Bangalore (3 hr), Tirupati, Thanjavur, and Chennai. PATC operates buses to Chennai (every 30 min, 3 hr), Bangalore (10 daily, 6 hr), and Kanchipuram (every 30 min, 2½ hr). The bus station is not user friendly.

Around Vellore

Vellamalai (20km)
The Vellamalai Temple is dedicated to Subrahmanya (Murugan in Tamil), the son of Lord Siva. The main temple is at the top of a hill and is carved from a giant stone. There is also a temple at the bottom of the hill. People tie cloth onto trees here to have their wishes fulfilled. From Vellore, Bus #20 comes here each hour. Sphere: Related Content