A snip of southern India


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March 29th 2005
Published: March 29th 2005
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I can't be certain how many times the telephone rang before my eyes opened and began focusing futilely on the predawn void of the hotel room ceiling...The rude awakening continues in short high pitched bursts prompting my arm into fumbling wantonly for it's source:
'Hello'?
'Your taxi is ready sir.'
'Thank you'.
Tiny radioactive specks of green inform me its ten past five; a time my body clock clearly refuses to recognise as I lie motionless mustering the energy to haul my traumatised body from its slumber...
sleep reclaims me...
'Allaaaahhh 'o' Akbaarrrrr!' (God is great!)
A muezzins impassioned call to prayer reverberates through the still sleeping city of Madras and into my darkened sleepy world, summoning me back to reality.
'El salat hairun min ul naum'! (prayer is better than sleep!)
A week of blissful idleness had ensured this was the first time I'd heard it. How invasive and yet beautifully peaceful it sounds.
I'm to meet my mother and a friend at the airport in under an hour. And as I travel through the still of night past those who've just surrendered themselves to god at such an ungodly hour, I ponder the next three weeks...
This will be
KathakaliKathakaliKathakali

Cochin
the fourth time my mother has visited me on my travels, and if everything goes to plan she'll experience three weeks of adventure and I'll experience three weeks of pampered leisure.
Isn't relativity sublime?
P.S. I apologise for this crap blog and my failure to keep you informed of my recent movements. I've been in Goa now for two weeks of drunken debauchery... and it's affected my ability to perform even the simplest of tasks ;-)








Additional photos below
Photos: 21, Displayed: 21


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Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

...one of the many elaborately decorated gopuras, or gates, surrouding the temple.
Chinese fishing nets, Cochin.Chinese fishing nets, Cochin.
Chinese fishing nets, Cochin.

...operated by lowering into the sea and literally scooping out the fish.
A deity on the top of a gopuraA deity on the top of a gopura
A deity on the top of a gopura

Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
The Golden Lotus tankThe Golden Lotus tank
The Golden Lotus tank

Sri Meenakshi temple, Madurai
A shaven pilgrimA shaven pilgrim
A shaven pilgrim

Sri Meenakshi temple, Madurai
 Varkala at dusk Varkala at dusk
Varkala at dusk

...arguably keralas best beach, backed by a cliff lined with restaurants and shops.
A stone LotusA stone Lotus
A stone Lotus

Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai
Backwaters, Kerala.Backwaters, Kerala.
Backwaters, Kerala.

We travelled on a houseboat for 24hrs through the tranquil backwaters of kerala.
pampered 'n' pinkpampered 'n' pink
pampered 'n' pink

cruising the backaters
Police in PondicherryPolice in Pondicherry
Police in Pondicherry

...wearing Kapis (caps). A reminder of the French colonial days.
A Kolam, PondicherryA Kolam, Pondicherry
A Kolam, Pondicherry

It's traditional for women to decorate the entrance to their homes with rice flour decorations, as an offering to small creatures who will eat it and bring luck to the home.
Jew Town, Cochin.Jew Town, Cochin.
Jew Town, Cochin.

...the first Jews arriving here in 70 AD, and this has been a centre for spice trading ever since.
Kathakali performance, Cochin.Kathakali performance, Cochin.
Kathakali performance, Cochin.

Kathakali is a dramatised presentation of a play, common throughout kerala based on the Indian epics.
Munnar.Munnar.
Munnar.

surrounded by the manicured tea estates of some of the world's highest commercially grown tea.


1st April 2005

beautiful photos. u are a talented person. - "simon"
9th December 2005

Your pictures are amazing. They remind me of the time I spent in South India almost a year before your trip. Seeing these pictures make me more remeniscent than looking at my own, which contain many of the same images.
16th October 2006

You have great writing skills. Are you a novelist?
29th March 2007

You are a man of many faces! Interesting, how u got the "'El salat hairun min ul naum'! (prayer is better than sleep!) " phrase right! Your blogs are always an interesting read. Way to go!
11th February 2010

!!!!!!!!!!!!!
14th August 2010
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

good looking
This temple is one of the most impressing temples in india.Ihope that if it kept so cleen and neet defenetly it will become apart of wonders
16th September 2010
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

good
i like this temple very much but i also want to know the story behind this temple.pl.mail.me
24th September 2010
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

beautiful
it so baeutiful like my eye i want to see it originally .
14th October 2010
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

madurai temple
hga
12th December 2010
Petrol pump attendant

attractive pictures ....I ever seen
This are really very attractive photos which make me encorage to visits those places.. and also make me bound to visit those palce too........
18th January 2011
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

nice
it is very nice but front one board is there it should be remove
28th February 2011
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

icannotexpress in words. superb
in that century it feels imaging. how they made it. its unbelievable
21st March 2011
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

It was most powerfull
Iam mosuri venkata uma lakshmi bharathi
31st March 2011
Elephant March, Kerala

thrissur
keralastateall elephentphotos
5th August 2011
Elephant March, Kerala

Elephants
They are part of our culture, The numerous cultural events, festivals, all have their presence, Elephants http://www.pixelshots.blogspot.com
17th September 2012
Sri Meenakshi Temple, Madurai.

wonderful
very exiting i cannot express in words

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