Great Living Chola Temples UNESCO World Heritage Site

We are now travelling in our own minivan for about 6 days, through Tamil Nadu into Kerala. This allows us to stop as we please along the way, and get to spots missed by many tourists.

On our way to Tanjore, we stopped at a series of 11th and 12th century Chola Temples, including Gangaikondacholisvaram and Airavatesvara temples. These were the appetizers leading up to the main course in Tanjore - the Big Temple (Brihadeeswara).















As is usual in this situation, pictures do not do these places justice.

*Note to my readers*

We are in Madurai, TN now, and will be heading on to the Periyar Tiger Reserve tomorrow for a couple of days, then on to boating the Kerala backwaters and a homestay there. I will be unlikely to be updating this blog for a while - don't worry!

Hope you are enjoying reading it at least 1/10th as much as I am enjoying travelling here. Namaste.

Auroville, India - cue weird music

Overheard, while gazing at the Matrimadir cosmic sphere in Auroville, India, trying to decide if the thing on top was a lightning rod, or a cell phone antenna:

"Stange, you never hear about the Dow here... what about the Dow...."

"It's at 8000, yes about 8000...."

"Funny, you never hear about the Dow....."



More about the lofty ideals of Auroville at:

http://www.auroville.org/

Pondicherry, c'est tres bon!

We arrived in Pondicherry (new name Puducherry), a former French Colony on the coast in Tamil Nadu state. It was January 26, Republic Day in India (also I hear, National Day in Australia, Happy one to Andrea!), and we started the day with a special ceremony at a school our guide Issac, helped set up and teach in (yes, he is beginning to sound like a saint).

The headmistress was a lovely lady from Durban, and she and all the parents made us feel so comfortable and welcome. There was a little flag raising ceremony, complete with flowers fluttering out of the opening flag, then the National Anthem, Pledge to India and a prayer. It was lovely and sweet.

Later that day, we toured the French Quarter of the town, walking down the "rues". Down near the beach we ran into a massive celebration of Republic Day - fantastic. Everyone in town was there, all dressed up in their finest, and it was a carnival atmosphere exceeding a typical Canada Day.


















As is typical in these things, the politicians babbled on for too long, so dancers that came from all corners of the country did not get to perform on stage.

We heard about this, and luckily we had Amanda with us - a very outgoing Australian teacher. She walked up to each group of dancers huddling around on the sidewalk and asked to take a group picture. After taking each picture she asked "Why don't you dance for us?". Well, typically, the teacher with the group would quickly appear with a ghetto blaster, everyone would scurry into place, and soon there was dancing in the streets.

I think she singlehandedly turned around the festival that afternoon. Where is was once quiet, was now a riot of music and dancing. You cannot plan this kind of travel experience - it just happens!

Heading South - Orissa - Andhra Prahesh - Tamil Nadu

After our wonderful private dance show, we were back to Puri, and one hotel room was still available, so we freshened up for our long trip going south.

We got to the train station on time, but for some reason the train was absolute chaos, and there was not a seat to be found in sleeper class. We were supposed to travel for about 2 hours, then change to another train, so we tried our luck in second class - standing room only.

I was kind of pissed off, but as we got rolling, the usual started happening to me. A nice guy tapped me on the shoulder, and asked where I was from/did I like India/ did I like Indian Railways? Turns out he was an Indian Railways staff person, travelling on his pass. He saw that I got on to cattle class, so he decided to get on too in the hope he could talk to me. It is so strange, you really are kind of a celebrity here, I am actually getting comfortable chatting with complete strangers. The group is joking about it, as an earlier person chatting to me told me I looked like James Bond (which one I did not ask!).

Anyway, unknown to me, while I was having this nice conversation, the ladies in the group were being harassed and groped. A quick call by Issac, our wonderful group leader, and we jumped off at the next station. And jumped I did, I was last off holding 3 packs, Issac yelling "do you have my suitcase?". "Well no, I have my hands full" as I threw the packs, and jumped from the moving train. Issac chased the train down the deserted platform yelling for his case - and of course the nice people on the train tossed it to him.

So, here we are in this creepy dark railway station in the middle of nowhere, waiting for our trusty SUV driver to rescue us - GAP had approved the extra expenditure given the circumstances.

Along comes the SUV, and we go hurtling into the night traffic at break-neck speed. Travelling the roads of India is super-scary, travelling them at night is just terrifying! Lights of huge trucks come towards you and swerve at the last minute, missing you by inches. We pass everything that moves, and manage not to hit anyone - I have no idea how.

Anyway, we make it to our next station, the train is early, on we hop, and this time we have sleeping berths together. We all snuggle in for a good night's sleep.

Next moring we awake to the chorus of vendors (chai-chai... chai-chai-chai), have a little breakfast and chai, then arrive at our destination, Vijayawada, at about noon. We tuk-tuk it to our very nice hotel. First observations, South India is much cleaner and nicer than the North.

We hit a couple of temples in the afternoon, including the Kanakadurga Temple, built right into the rocks.















Later that afternoon, we visit a more conventional temple high above the city. It is at this point we realize we are literally the only tourist in the city. Everyone is staring and fascinated by us - the brave ones coming up and asking to take our pictures, or to talk to us. I asked our guide why someone would want a picture of us when they have no idea who we are. He gave a great reply - If we go to a native Indian village tomorrow, and there is a woman there in traditional dress, would you want her picture? OK, I get it.

Next day was a very long travel journey further south to Tamil Nadu, and Issac's hometown of Mamallapuram. We transfer to a commuter train in Chennai, crossing town quickly, then south by luxury bus we happened to catch on a corner - Issac is really in his element here.

Beautiful hotel in Mamallapuram, with pool and rooftop restaurant - Ah nice.

Next morning we head out on bicycles to tour the town. We have our own private guide who shows us the highlights of this amazing town. We hit a group of rock temples carved out of solid rock, in an area with amazing natural rock formations as well. See picture of Neil saving the town from a rolling rock - hey, you would do the shot too if you were here!















After that temple, it was off to a couple of World Heritage Sights, namely the Shore Temple and the Five Rathas (chariots). Both were spectacular, and visiting them on bikes was lots of fun.

After the temples, it was off to a very special lunch at a village destroyed by the 2004 tsunami. The lunch was a whole RP 200, 100 of which went directly to village projects. Issac was greeted like a star, as he came to the village after the tsunami to help rebuild it. We watched the fisherman bring in and divide their catch, then went back to the village for our banana leaf lunch - including Coconut Fish!

We talked about the tsunami, and the effect it had had on the villager's lives. We learned that the government and charities were actually doing quite a bit to help things recover. We felt good to be part of the effort.


















Later that night it was out to a traditional dance performance, with the spectacular rock temple as a backdrop. It was the last night of a month long dance festival, and of course our trusty guide had gotten us seats near the front.

A Village Dance

We awoke the next morning by the lake, and were soon being served coffee, toast, spicy rice and omlettes for breakfast. I know GAP is a budget tour company, but this really did feel like luxury - again, they would not have us lift a finger, and we tried!

We did the reverse of the previous day, including Ox cart across the other island. Kathleen and Sylvia took a ride on the cart and we all had a good laugh. We got back in our comfy SUV, and headed out to the middle of nowhere, the last of the last rice paddies, over a gradually degrading road until the SUV could barely pass.

Our destination had been carefully arranged by our wonderful guide, Issac. With a days notice, this village orphanage could put on a dance show for us, complete with elaborate costumes. Again, there was not a tourist for miles around, or within the past few months, it would seem.

So, the dancers, that is another interesting story. This is a boys orphanage, but the dance is done dressed like girls. Don't ask me, I didn't make this up, it is just how it is..... To make things a little more interesting, one of the 9 dancers was a "real" girl. Spotted her pretty fast, and enjoyed a spectacular private performance, after they had served us lunch on a banana leaf, made specially for us.

The performance was somewhat like the dancing in Bali, but more athletic, with very "Cirque de Soleil" yoga towers being made with bodies. Headstands, flip over back bends, stuff we workshop and try in yoga class being pulled off with ease and in stacks - very impressive.
















After some photo ops, it was off to our hotel to clean up and pack for our overnight train journey further south in India - the adventure continues.

Camping on Chilka Lake

First of all, congratulations to Andrea and Laurie for guessing that the subject of this blog was going to be Chilka Lake, the largest brackish (salt/fresh mix) lake in Asia. Hmmm, where do I start...?

We stowed our bags in our cute hotel in Puri, loaded up a nice SUV, and the six of us were off, complete with 2 guides, for an overnight camping trip on Chilka Lake.

We drove thru the usual beautiful rice paddies and coconuts until we came to the edge of the lake. How nice to see an unpolluted and peaceful body of water in India. There was dinner to consider, so our guides picked up fresh caught lake fish from one place, and fresh prawns from another. A bucket of ice, and we were on our way. Oh yes, all other gear had been brought and packed by the guides, we did not lift a finger.

We arrived at our departure point, a small town on the edge of the lake, that seemed to be the jumping off point for transporation and supplies on the lake. There was also a centre with information about spotting the reclusive Irrawady Dolphin, that inhabited the lake. Our supplies were loaded on a long narrow boat, on we got, and were soon motoring our way across the lake in the blazing South India sun.

We arrived at an island in the middle of the lake that was not our destination, but a transfer point. We walked into a small native village, where we were truly the stars. Our guide, who helped design this whole GAP tour said that tourists virtually never visit this village, so everyone came out to have a look at the strange people.

Sylvia bought a bag of suckers (lollipops) from a vendor, and soon became the Pied Piper of the village. Every kid there loves her now. After a lot of fun and interaction there, our guides directed us to walk to the other side of the island for another boat ride to our island.

Along the way, we came across a cricket team waiting for their rivals to arrive from the mainland. We struck up a conversation, and soon Amanda, who teaches PE in Australia, was trying her hand at the bat. She did pretty good, so Kathleen and Sylvia also gave it a try. I was too embarrassed to try - a guy who couldn't play cricket, how sad. Oh well, it was a good laugh, and we said goodbye as they continued their warm-up.





















We sat in the shade near the lake, and soon an Ox cart caught up to us, complete with our luggage and gear. The ox headed into the water, and the stuff was off-loaded into a wooden canoe like vessel. Off came the shoes, we squished through the mud into the boat, and were off again, this time being polled (gondola style) across to our destination.

We arrived at a deserted island covered in Cassaurina trees, with a gentle sandy beach and shore. Tarps were quickly laid down, and all help unloading was refused, so we just chilled in the shade, reading our books and relaxing. Soon a campfire was burning, vegetables were being chopped, and before you know it we were being served a lunch of pekoras and fresh fruit right on the beach. You know how good food tastes while camping, and in India, with a little chili sauce on the pekoras..... Mmmmmmmmmm!
















We continued to just relax that afternoon, and truly felt recovery from the noise and pollution of Calcutta. This was just the opposite. The only other inhabitants of the lake, other than wildlife, were a few fisherman checking their crab traps. All the boats were polled, so not an engine to disturb the peace and tranquility.

At about 4:00, it was time for some activity. How about a sunset "cruise", i.e., fisherman polling us about the lake. Hey why not, so off we went as the hot sun now dropped and cooled off nicely. The sunset was spectacular, you know pictures can never really capture it, so we just lingered, then back to our campsite. Oh yes, it was not completely quiet, our peace was interupted by a few Irrawady Dolphins surfacing near our boat.

And campsite it was, the guys had set up ground tarps, tents, pads, sheets and blanket for us, and zipped up the tents so not a single mossy got in. A second campfire was lit for us to sit around, and soon fresh fish was brought out and grilled in front of our eyes in the open flames. Pop it on a banana leaf, grab a fork (yes, I know that's cheating) and soon we were feasting on the freshest of fish.

About half an hour later the rest of the meal arrived - rice, dahl, fresh prawn curry and more. Oh yes, forgot to mention that Issac our guide had obtained a bottle of vodka for us, so we were also well into cocktail hour... on a deserted lake in the middle of India.... cue commercial.... Increadible India......!

Puri, India

We travelled south by overnight sleeper train, arriving at Puri station early in the morning. We were greeted by an even more tropical landscape, typical rice paddies, coconut palms and bananas.

Puri is much smaller, so we were soon enjoying being whisked to our very nice garden hotel in cycle rickshaws. We arrived, cleaned up after our overnight train, and had a quiet breakfast in the flower garden - heaven after Calcutta. Don't get me wrong, I love the city, but after a while the dirt, noise, fumes and people really get to you.

We were off to a peaceful Ashram by cycle rickshaw again, then on to a lake temple which we could not get into as we were not Hindu.

We also saw another huge temple in the middle of the bustling town, and hit the local market.
















After a wonderful lunch, we headed out in India's newest auto rickshaw (it was gleaming) for an hour drive to Konark, a magnificent temple that some say equals the Taj Mahal.

It is in the shape of 7 rearing horses (I could not see that) and was being pulled on 24 huge chariot wheels (can't miss that one!). Very beautiful, in a lovely garden setting. As nice as the Taj...... no. But amazing, none the less.















Next blog will be one of the nicest couple of days I have ever spent...... stay tuned.