Magnificent Tamil Nadu

In this age where every tourist destination has to be packaged and given an epithet, many destinations in India struggle to find the right word. How can a single word represent the varying splendour of history, culture, cuisine, natural beauty and everything else wonderful that doesnt fit into any of the three categories just mentioned. When I decided to do a road trip across Coastal Tamil Nadu, I looked up the tourism website - the chosen word was "Enchanting." After my trip, the word magnificent comes to mind. The staggering towers of the temples, the imposing fortresses.. Yes, the word magnificent fits just fine.

In the span of three days, 1200 km, covering only about a third of the state we were able to transcend a journey across millenia. from beholding the site of the Ram Setu at Rameshwaram to the glorious temples of the age of the four empires leading up to the Colonial fortresses of a more recent era.

One aspect of the trip that really surprised me rather pleasantly was the quality of the roads. Barring the odd goat(aadu) that got my goat by straying on to the middle of the road and standing its ground- we were able to make quick progress right through. The super quick highway from Trichy to Madras deserves special mention.

Starting out from Chennai along the East Coast Road we made our way to Rameshwaram in a span of two days stopping over at Chidambaram (a fabulous temple), Pichavaram ( a mangrove forest reserve that will be even more stunning in the Bird season after the Rains), Tranquebar( A Danish (yes, danish not dutch) Fort ( the special attraction I see here is the old governors bugalow on the beach converted into a resort), Vailankanni ( the famous church) and Nagapattinam (Overnight stop).

At Rameshwaram while we did the customary visit to the temple, our real destination had been the tip of the land that separates India from Sri Lanka, the site of the famous Bridge of folklore. This piece of land is also the site for the ruins of Dhanushkodi ( Bow's end - Rama's Bow) which was washed away in the Great Cyclone of 1964. To get to the land's end one has to travel on a lorry which drives across the last stretch of wet sand. Getting there around Sunset to see the water closing in from both the sides of this thin strip of land is a sight to behold.

For the return journey we chose to take the inland route via Chettinad ( Karaikudi) and Trichy in order to save time. The highlight of the return leg was the breakfast a a restaurant called Annapoorni at Karaikudi. For travellers who plan to get to Karaikudi around lunch time they should plan ahead and arrange for a traditional chettinadu food meal.

Definitely a trip I am glad I did. And on a slightly different note, I read an article on my return which talks about how the Baluchis from Baluchistan in Pakistan are people who speak a Dravidian language ( similar to Tamil). Fascinating to say the least!