Exploring the South for Christmas

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Hi all, and Merry Christmas!

I've got up to quite a bit since I last posted. so...starting at Kolkata...

Well I managed to go down with 'flu in Kolkata.....so one day I hope to return and actually see something of the city, rather than just 4 walls and a TV... (does anyone know how The Siege ends? Power went down just before the end.....) In Kolkata I boarded a train for Chennai, a 1676km (further than Land's End to John o'Groats) journey which took me from 14.30 one day, to 18.30 the next. Armed with my trusty huge novel, MP3 player, and newly brought colouring book (great invention) it passed relatively quickly.

At Chennai I managed to meet up with Sam and Jen remarkably painlessly... (from now on you can also look at jenstanley or sam_w - both also on travelblog, as they're reporting on the same trip). In Chennai we fully embraced Indian culture by going to see James Bond (I now feel as though I've seen a very long trailor, as at least 40mins, possibly an hour was cut out, I'm going to have to rent it at home to find out what actually happens...) and eating at a swish hotel....

From Chennai we actually did embrace Indian culture, by getting the bus to Kanchipuram. Kanchipuram is one of the seven holiest cities of Hinduism (along with Varanasi etc) and is full of temples. We went to explore just a few of the 70-odd that the town contains. These were my first south Indian temples, most of which are actually in a temple complex - a large gateway, which opens up to a large area, with one or more temples within it, and frequently a bathing pool for devotees. Unfortunately here, as everywhere, money is of the utmost importance, and therefore many priests (genuine or otherwise) appear, trying to persuade us that we have to pay in order to have a ceremony that will make us pure enough to enter the buildings. Mostly we sort this by not going into the builings, as they are great from outside - but some of the smaller temples have had no money-grabbing guardians, and we have been able to go in. One particular temple in Kanchipuram was wonderful inside - very little to see as it was dark, but full of burning oil lamps, and a brahmin chanting in the inner sanctum, with the smell of the oil and insence filling the air.

Kanchipuram is also famous for its silk, so obviously I had no choice but to buy myself a silk sari...

From Kanchipuram we boarded another bus to Mamallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram). This is another backpacker mecca, similar in many ways to McLeod Ganj in the north - same shops selling the same things, and more restaurants serving up quasi-European food. Its on the coast, so a perfect place to chill out for Christmas. So unfortuantely I don't have very much of interest to report on from here - wouldn't want to make anyone jealous with tales of lazy days by the pool, and fresh seafood at every meal....

Mamallapuram does have more to it than seafood and pools however. On Christmas day we went to the local Children's Home, who put on a special dance performance - and we also went back the day we left to donate some of the toys we recieved for Christmas. We also went to see the Shore Temple, apparently one of the most photographed sites in South India - its amazing that it has survived, as it is right on the shore, and Mamallapuram was badly hit by the Tsunami 2 years ago - the town is still full of rebuilding (though being based on tourism it has recovered quickly - tourism seems to bring much more money much faster than most others forms of livelihood).

Currently, I'm in Pondicherry - which was owned by the French for many years, and is therefore full of white-washed villas, on streets with names like Rue de Saint Louis. Tomorrow we're off to Auroville, a whole town/Ashram dedicated to the teachings of Aurobindo Gose. It's (not totally flatteringly) reffered to by my guidebook as "probably the most New-Age place in India".

Just to let those who have requested it know the plan - we're going to Thanjavur, then Madurai, then Kanniyakumari (the Southermost tip of India). Then moving into Kerala, back into Tamil Nadu to cool off in a hil station or two, then Hampi , Mysore and others in Karnataka, then a week in Goa. Then Jen and Sam will go their own seperate way, and I'll probably spend a while in Maharastra and Rajasthan before heading back to Delhi and home.

I'm planning on going home earlier than originally planned - I've found a course at SOAS in London that I would really love to do this coming September, so I'm going to go home probably end Feb/start March so I can work for 6 months to save up to afford it!

Still having photo issues (ie finding a net cafe that allows CDs/USBs and has a decent upload speed, but hopefully will get more up soon!)

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Comments

[Jen's Dad]

Happy New Year
Hi Rachael, interesting to read your blog in paralell with Jen and Sam's and I am glad you are having an interesting trip - seems to have done you all a power of good meeting up so enjoy the new year and the rest of your trip John