Trip to Hogenakkal : As tourists

College days are the golden days in one's life, and you get the maximum out of you in those days. We, a group of 35 students planned a visit to Hogenakkal, a village in the Dharmapuri district in Tamilnadu. Hogennakal stands in the border of Tamilnadu and Karnataka. From our college it was around seven hours drive to Hogenakkal, so we decided to hire a bus. In between the journey, we had a short nap of 4 hours and the enthusiasm and expectation kept us awake.

The name: The main attraction of the Hogenakal is the falls and the name also came from this falls. Hoge in Kannada means smoke/fog and kal means stone/rock. In hogenakkal falls, when the water falls on the rock it looks exactly like fumes coming out of rock and hence the name Hogenakal.

The Place: After refreshing ourselves for some time we set our foot in Hogenakkal and as preplanned, the boat men greeted us, to take us for a ride in the boat. the rate is surely bargain-able as we were able to bring down the rate from Rs.250 to Rs.80 per head. We were astonished to see that it wasn't the usual boat but the kuttavanchi or the coracles that is going to take us for the trip. "An exiting and nail biting experience", if we say that in a sentence. the coracles were steered by a single Oar/paddle. The oarsman took us near the water falls and came back. My heart was pounding hard when he twisted and maneuvered the coracles through small hurdles. A feeling like we are in a roller coaster ride above the water. This natural falls made the place serene and panoramic where we stayed for a couple of hours and took snaps.
Reaching the other shore, we had food cooked out of the fresh fish, just cought, fried by the local women. The current was something to watch for in hogenakkal, and even the water was shallow, it took my whole effort to get in to the shores. In some area, the water was only below my waist level.

On our way back from the other bank, we became friendly with the boat men and we sung some songs in Malayalam, known popularly as the "Malayalam nadan pattukal", and the boat men also started enjoying that. From them, we got information about the Hogenakkal Natural Habitat and about the integrated drinking water project and a lot more. This was the dream location that was shot in many films, and some of the famous films and songs were, "Chinna Chinna Asai" in the Tamil film "Roja", various scenes of the Malayalam film "Naran" , And was the location for the song "Raath ka Nashaa Abhi" in the hindi movie "Ashoka"(many of these information were new to me). The boat man took us near the falls and we had a fabulous view from bottom. Every one was wonder stuck to see the beauty of the falls and we left the place with half mind, reassuring ourselves that we will be back, to see this beauty of "The Niagra of India" again.

Dharmapuri is 180 Kms from Bangalore and is around 420 Kms from Kochi.
Route:
  • Bangalore (NH 7)- Hosur- krishnagiri - Dharmapuri
  • If its from kochi then : Cochin > Thrissur> Palaghat > Kovai > Avanashi > Ellapalayam > Bhavani (NH 47) > Thoppur (SH 20) > Dharmapuri.

Stay / Hotels in Dharmapuri
  • KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) owned tourist Bungalow
  • Hotel Tamilnadu
Nearby attractions: Melagiri Hills(, for trekking and explorations).

Tips: Make sure that you are visiting Hogenakkal on those dry days (when its not rainy). Boating in Hogenakkal is not allowed when the water level is high. Try to make necessary arrangements first and get in touch with a travel or tour agent for a combined package to Hogenakkal

Compiled by: Mr. Mithun Antony
8:44 AM | , , , | 0 comments

Alappuzha : Venice of the East

Alappuzha is a small district in Kerala state of republic of India. The district is named aptly as the venice of the east(Baptized by Lord Curzon), because of its network of canals.

Area: 1,414 Sq. Kms.
Population: 177,079(2001 Census)
Language: Malayalam

Neighbours: Alappuzha is bordered by Pathanamthitta and Kottayam districts on east, Kollam district on south,Ernakulam district on north and the Arabian Sea on west.

Accessibility:
Alappuzha is approachable by rail, road and water. and have dedicated station for all these mode of transports,situated within the accessible limits of the town.
Nearest airport is in Kochi, at around 76 Kms away from Alappuzha.

History
Alappuzha, was a major commercial destination of travancore, the great visionary Diwan Raja Kesavadas, planned a lot for the city and made it in the current state, and he is alled as the father of the modern Alappuzha... (there isn't much change after that). Alappuzha have a considerable number of gujarati community, who came down to do business in alappuzha.Sri Kunjan Nambiar, the father of thullal(Ottan Thullal) have written and performed the
thullal in Ambalappuzha in Alappuzha. Ambalappuzha is also famous for the Palpayasam and velakali, and petta thullal for Sabarimala. Mannar, is famous for the brass utensils and nilavilakku, ...etc., and Chettikulanagara for its kettukazcha, and kuthiyottam.

Trivia
  • Alappuzha is famous for coir, and coir products for local and international market.
  • It is the tourism hub of kerala, with its unique house boat(converted Rice boats).
  • Alappuzha hosts the biggest water games known as the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
  • It is the only district in Kerala which dont have forest.
  • Kuttanad is a place where the farming is conducted below sea level.
  • First post office and first telegraph office in travancore was in Alappuzha.
Spirutual
Poomkavu church
Ambalappuzha Sreekrishna Temple
East and west Juma masjids
Chambakulam and edathua churches
CSI Church
Mannarasala temple
Kottamkulangara Temple
Chettikulangara Temple

Places to visit
Kuttanadu
Alappuzha Beach
Pathirmanal - 1 hour ride from Alappuzha in a boat
R block
Chavara bhavan
Krishna Puram palace
Kumaranasan Smarakam
Punnamada

Hotels
1. Royale Park
2. Arcadia
3. Pooppallys Heritage Home
4. Lemon Tree Vembanad Lake Resort, Alleppey, Kerala
5. Marari Fishermen Village Beach Resort
6. Raheem Residency
7. Palm Grove Lake Resort
8. Punnamada Backwaters Resort
9. Picasso Castle
10. Padippura residency

Tip: get a house boat and stay in the mid of the lagoon in the night. Make sure that you opt the food you need during the time of booking the house boat. If you need to have an inexpensive boat cruise, get in to the boat jetty in Alappuzha and catch a KWTC(Kerala Water Transport Corporation) boat to Kottayam and back if you need. It costs you less than you can imagine.
7:10 AM | , , , | 0 comments

Palayur Church: A pilgrimage that shouldn't be missed!

It was in the Diwali holidays that we planned for a long drive to Palayur. A pleasant sunny day to fill us with the energy that we need. We, a group of four started by the morning from Kochi in a car and on the way to our destination we had some food, essentially the Kerala Special, Birds of similar feather flock together, declaring a war over the food.

The route we took up was a turn from Choondal to Guruvayoor. A visit to the famous Guruvayoor temple would also be ideal if you are taking this route. After reaching Guruvayoor we diverted our journey to Palayur Church. Palayur is a part of Thrissur district, and is about 28 Kms, from Thrissur town. It was the serenity and the calmness that welcomed us in Palayur Church. The whole atmosphere was so pleasant and filled with vibes, that anyone who visits feels the presence of St. Thomas around. It is believed that this Church was built in the memory of St. Thomas who was the first Missionary who landed in India in 52 AD. fourteen statutues of St. Thomas welcomed us in the main entrance, these statues depict the different time line of the life of St. thomas. The front Door (jubilee Door) is carved in teak and potrays the Biblical events. The church conducts services like Sunday Masses, Novena at the pond, baptism ...etc.

Then we moved to the Historical Museum were belongings of St. Thomas from 52 AD were preserved as such. There was a statue of St. Thomas (about 100ft height) and the remenants of a boat, which is said to be as the one which was used by St. Thomas himself. Seeing all these and experiencing the magic feel of 52AD, we stayed there till 5 PM in the evening.

The Story:
It is believed that in the first centuries Jainism & Budhism were prominent at the surface level of indigenous community, some of them were Sun worshipers. In 52 AD when St Thomas came to Palayur, he saw some people taking water in their palms and throwing it up reciting their prayers. This pond was Thaliyakulam (a small pond near church).
When St. Thomas asked them the meaning of their ritual, and the answer was that they were offering water (Tharpanam) to their Sun God.
St Thomas replied that If you throw the water to your God, water would be suspended in air and shouldn't be coming down back to the pond if it is accepted by your God . On this the instant reaction was "IMPOSSIBLE!". The apostle then claimed that the God whom he worships will accept his offering, and then took some water from the Pond in his hands and threw it upwards, the water stayed in air like Stars. Seeing this miracle most of the people present there embraced Christianity. Some of the famous houses to accept Christianity were Cheran, Cheruvathoor, Pulikottil & Mandupal. One from each family were later ordinates as priests by St. Thomas.


Accessibility:
Nearest Airport : Kochi, 80 Kms
Nearest Railway Station : Thrissur, 30 Kms



Compiled by: Mr. Gregory Mathew
5:09 PM | , , | 0 comments

Tourist Spot : Puzhakkal River

A river with banks of boundless beauty and greenery is one of the right places to unwind oneself from the tensions and hassles of daily life. Last week, I visited a natural destination, a place to go for a boat ride and to spend the leisure time. Adatt Grama Panchayath Tourism Promotion Council (ATPC) has created an exquisite and mesmerising holiday destination near to the Thrissur town in Kerala. This river tourism centre is situated at Puzhakkal, a suburban area of Thrissur town.

This area was famous for the extensive stretch of paddy fields, now Puzhakkal is one of the most rapidly developing areas in Thrissur. This tourist spot is on the banks of Ambakkadu River and Puzhakkal River, which are the water channels of Chimmini Dam and Peechi Dam, used to irrigate the paddy fields here. The major tourist attractions here include motor boat ride, scooter boat ride and rowing boat ride. There is scope for almost three kilometers of water ride in both the rivers. A floating restaurant in the middle of the river is another outstanding attraction. This area is surrounded with 10,000 acres of Koll fields, which is a favourite destination for a number of migratory birds. We, a team of around 10 members experienced the soul and bliss of this wonderful natural zone

This destination is in the Thrissur – Guruvayoor route, near to the Shoba Smart City. Guruvayoor is around 20 Kms away from Puzhakkal and is well connected with a number of public and private transportation system.

We reached the Puzhakkal river tourism by 12 noon that day. The way to the river tourism was quite pleasing sans the recent developments in Thrissur city. Major automobile dealers have started their show rooms on this way, A national level tennis academy was also spotted, Lulu International Convention Center,(which is the largest convention center in Kerala state and second largest in India) & also Sobha Smart City showed how developed Thrissur is. We had our lunch from the typical restruant in the river village. Their food comprises of fresh water fish & all other natural condiments. Fresh Toddy right from the tree was too good. After lunch we spent our maximum time in the river. Pedal boats, row boats, kutta vanchi(in the shape of Kutta) & Kashmiri shikkara were some their major attractions. Among which kutta vanchi & Kashmiri shikkara were wonderful experience for all of us(we were seeying that for the fiorst time in our life). A place just to relax & leave all ur worries behind, This place have got the ambience of a vacation centre.

With camp fire, and other entertainments, the whole team spend our time there with ultimate pleasure and it was late night when we started back from there. I would recommend this place for a quick visit, as the place is well connected, and is very near to the cultural capital of Kerala. Comfortable to even the old people and the kids alike, who were with us, this place is going to find a sure place in the tourism map of Kerala. Even though scattered in a small area and attracts the local tourists, this place has the scope of developing itself in to one of the best destinations.

Accessibility:
Nearest Air port: Kochi : 100 Kms.
Nearest Railway station : Thrissur - 6 kms

Compiled by: Ms. Mary Tony
7:07 AM | , , | 0 comments

Munnar - A Place to Visit


The descision to visit Moonar/Munnar by mid June was a quick one that we made, There were two things in our mind. The first being complete the first 1000 Kms of the Maruthi WagonR that our friend, Gokul have and second was to doze out of the hassles of a busy week that we had at our office.

Gokul, Linish, Irene, Jomy and I started from Ernakulam at 4:45 AM so that we can reach Munnar at least by 9:00AM, which was approximately 135 Km from Cochin. It took us around 3 hours by car, my friend commented that it would have been 4 hours by bus. En route to this place you have several locations where you can stop by to see the water falls and enjoy the scenic beauty. Lying at an altitude of more than 1500 meters, Munnar houses the famous Nilakurinji flowers which blossoms once in twelve years. The major attraction are the tea gardens, where plantations were started when British ruled India, and they are still in business.

The weather was very pleasant when we went there. The usual rain that starts in the month of June didn't blocked us from enjoying the goodness of Moonnar. Munnar is a small place located in Idukki, a district of the state of Kerala in South India. Munnar's mesmerising greenery with mountain view, calmness and the cool and refreshing air attracts honeymooners and tourists throughout the year. It is also a weekend hideout location for domestic tourists like us, The scenic beauty on the Moonar - Thekkady route is commendable and will be in the memories of the traveler for ever.

Munnar as the name depicts is a confluence of three rivers. In malayalam (as well as Tamil), the word 'moonnu' means "three" and 'aar' means "river", hence the name Munnar, a shortened version of "Moonnu aar". Three streams, Madurapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala joins here in munnar.

Munnar is a commercial centre with one of the world's best tea estates. There are about 30 tea plantations in and around Munnar, and the taste of the blend that we get from the tea leaves of munnar is amazing. Among the number of plantations in Munnar, majority of the plantations are owned by Tata Group's Kannan Devan Tea Estate. Nurturing of tea in plantation to the process of manufacturing and packing is a not to be missed item if you are planning to visit munnar.

The tea estates, hills, lakes and forests in Munnar exposes it's beauty. The hills covered with the green sprouting tea leaves fills an effect of green carpet, covered over a wide area. From Munnar we accented the Top Station Route. This route was blessed with things that were pleasant to the eyes, like the flower show, Mattupetty Dam, Mattupetty Lake Side, Kundala Lake, attractive hills & finally Hill Station. Reaching top station we had the scope for trekking, which I wasn't willing to do, as Irene was with me. The guys were completely charged and was running around from place to place. The excitement to visit Munnar doubled after visiting all these places. We had food near the kundala lake and Irene had a good time enjoying the attention she was getting from the tourists around. Starting back from Munnar by around 5.30 PM, all of us had one thing common in our mind, "We will be visiting this place again".

Route we took: Cochin(Ernakulam) > Vytila > Thrippunithura > Muvattupuzha > Kothamangalam > Adimali > Munnar.
Distance: 135 Kms from Kochi(Approx)
Nearest Airport: Kochi (150 Kms. Approx)
Nearest Railway Station: Kochi / Alwaye
Attraction: Devikulam, Pallivasal, Sita Devi Lake, Attukal, Echo Point, Top station, Christ hills, and the Tea Gardens
Hotels in Munnar: There are star category and budget hotels in Munnar. Club Mahindra, Abad, Edassery, KTDC are some of the major groups that are having hotels in Munnar.


Tips: Carry ear plugs, and other cold resisting apparels, if you are sensitive to the cold and humid environment. If you are driving be cautious, and don't mix drink with driving. If Possible hire a bicycle and explore Munnar in the most eco friendly way!

Compiled By: Mrs. Marymol Jomy
7:27 PM | , , | 1 comments

The Bekal Fort – Kasargode - to the North end of Kerala

Kasaragod is a beautiful town poised at the northern extreme of the state of Kerala. Some of my friends and I planned to visit the Bekal Fort after attending a marriage in Kasargode. We were around 25 in number and it was a wonderful experience altogether. We started from Kochi by train and reached Kasaragod Railway station at 8:30 in the morning. From there we went to Nullipadi catching an auto rickshaw, to reach the house of a colleague. after a quick routine round up to make ourself fresh, we went to attend the marriage. After having a stomach full meal, we catch another auto rickshaw to reach the Bus stand to avail the KSRTC (Kerala State Road Transport Corporation) bus via Chandragiri to reach Bakel Fort. It took around 30 minutes to reach the destination.

The beautiful and numero uno Bekal Fort stands amidst the roaring but heart soothing music of the sea along with the eternal note of the connected and unending waves in its background. Bekal fort is the largest and one of the best-preserved forts in Kerala, and is 16 Kms to the south of Kasaragod on the National Highway at the northern end of the state of Kerala. The fort is a circular imposing structure rising 130 ft. above sea level stands on about 40 acres of land that runs into the Arabian Sea.

In the shape of a giant keyhole, the historic Bekal fort offers a superb view of the Arabian Sea from its tall observation towers, where huge cannons were placed centuries before. The fort is said to be more than 300 years old and is believed to have been built in the 1650's by Sivappa Naik of the Ikkeri dynasty. The entrance is in zigzag format and the trenches around the fort and the over all structure gives a clear cut view on the defense strategy which was there in those days. The Bekal Fort has been a source of attraction for tourists, historians, or any one who cares about the nature, for centuries for there inside the massive walls lie the memories of a glorious past. It is also developed as an exotic beach location by the Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC)

Outside the fort there is an old mosque built by the valiant Tippu Sultan of Mysore, and at the entrance is the Anjaneya(Hanuman) temple. In the middle of the fort there is an observation tower, and to reach there we have to climb a broad and wide flight of stairs. The structure, around 80 feet in circumference at the base and more than 30 feet in height, gives a magnificent view of the sea on three sides and the lush green landscape to the east. There are many underground passages, some known and some unknown, leading outside to various parts of the Fort. The sea view as well as the rock garden at the parking area has been developed where laterite boulders of various size has been utilized. Some trees are planted in the beach area under the under the social forestry scheme.

The Pallikere beach with its shallow waters is just a km. away from the fort. And Pallikkere is famous for the Pallikkere caps, which is a main cottage industry in that area. Pallikkere caps are been exported to various countries and the demand is huge during the seasons like Ramzan. Due to its historic relevance, the fort is now under the control of The Archaeological Survey of India. The entire Bakal site is now declared as a location of national heritage. Many historical artifacts like old coins ...etc., were unearthed by archeologists from the Bakel fort making it an interesting excavation site, for the people who are interested (Now under the control of the Archeological Survey). Bakal also came in as one of the five centers selected and supported by the Central Government of India to be developed into a stature of 'Special Tourism Area'. BRDC (Bekal Resorts Development Corporation) also aims to develop another 11 acres of land at the beach area for development of a water park, theme park …etc., in the near future

After enjoying some time in the beach, and walking through the fort, we came back to our colleague’s house catching a KSRTC Bus. Later that day we packed our bags and started our journey back from Kasaragod to Kochi.

What we missed and you shouldn’t

It wasn’t only the Bakal fort that is attractive in the Kasargode. There are other places of attractions in the district like the Anandashramam/ Nithyanadashramam, Madhur temple, Jain temple in Kanjhangad and Anandhapuram Temple. Anandhapuram temple is the only lake temple in Kerala and is considered as the moolasthana ( - the place of origin or the place where the idol was kept first)of the idol in Sree Padmanabha swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.

How to get there

Time to Visit

: Throughout the Year, Even in Rainy Season

Railway Station

: Kasargode

Nearest Air Strip

: Mangalore, 50 Km (Approx)
Karipur, Kozhikode, 200 Km (Approx)




Compiled by Ms. Bindiya Sadasivan
6:56 AM | , , | 0 comments

The four temples - Nalambalam - Pilgrimage

Malayalam month of Karkidakam in the South Indian State of Kerala is devoted for refreshing the spiritual inner sense and a month long observation of Ramayana masam. The month is also known as panja masam among the malayalees. It is very auspicious to visit the ‘Nalambalam’ during the month of Ramayana masam. The ‘Nalambalam’ as the name refers are four temples, which consists of Thriparayar – Sree Rama Temple ,Koodal Maanikkyam – Sree Bharatha Temple , Moozhikulam – Sree Lakshmana temple and Payamal – Sree Shathrugna Temple.

The Trip – A rare experience

We started our pilgrimage by 3:45 AM in the morning by visiting Edappally (in Ernakulam District)‘ Kottaram Ganapathy temple’ to remove all the obstacles(Lord Ganapathy is treated as Vigneshwara - the lord who removes obstacles). Usually the four temples are visited in a sequence

  1. Sree Rama

  2. Sree Bharatha

  3. Sree Lakshmana

  4. Sree Shathrugna


Thriprayar Temple - Where Sree Rama is at his Best

The first destination in our list was Thriparayar temple which is 22 KMs from Thrissur.

We reached there by 4:45. The Temple is situated in the banks of the river ‘Thivra’. The temple is well known for its architectural excellence.The idol of Sree Rama resembles the chaturbahu Vishnu four arms, bearing a conch, a disc, a bow and a garland. It is believed that the deity worshipped here possesses some of the amsha or part of Shiva as well. The idol is adorned with necklaces and other refined jewelry. Idols of Sreedevi(goddess of wealth) and Bhoodevi (goddess of earth) are on his side. Rama Idol here is in the form of the one who defeated Khara / Ravana.

The temple complex opens in to the river and feeding the fishes is an offering there. A Snake boat race is conducted in the months of August/ September in this river(Onam, the festival of happiness and prosperity also falls in the same time).


Koodal Manikyam – Irinjalakuda

After offering our salutes (with crossed hands and closed eyes) to the diety we left to Koodal Manikyam – Sree Bharatha Temple which is a place of solitude and have a bliss in the surrounding. One of the ancient temples of Kerala situated in Irinjalakuda, the temple has one of the Largest ‘Theertha Kulam’( sacred pond) where there is an another custom which is called ‘Meenutu’(feeding the Fishes). The fishes in the pond are considered to be ‘Devas’. The idol at Koodalmanikyam is also Chathurbahu with Conch, Chakra, Gada and Japamaala. The general belief, however, is that the Lord is Bharatha, the brother of Sree Rama.

This temple is said to have many deities in Unison in a single idol and there are no subdeities inside the temple compound. This is one of the rarest temples in Kerala where there is no Deeparadana.


Sree Lakshmana Temple - Moozhikulam

After an hour of spirutal offerings we continued our pilgrimage to Moozhikulam – Sree Lakshmana Temple which is very near to Athani (In Aluva – Mala Route). it is believed that worshipping Lakshmana wards off fear and serpent bites. The deities like Shiva, Ganapathi, Sree Rama, Sita, Hanuman, Sastha and Bhagawathi are also present in the temple complex. Outside the Chuttambalam(outer wall), Goshala Krishna is idolized. Offering Aval (rice flakes or beaten rice) to Hanuman is one of the major prasadams in moozhikulam.


Shatrughna temple - Payammal

The Payammal temple is about seven kilometers from Iringalakuda Koodalmanikyam temple in the Iringalakuda Mathilakam route. Shatrughna is considered to be the reincarnation of the Sri Chakra in the hands of Mahavishnu.

After praying in all these temples, called as the Nalambalam, we feel calmness, solitude and satisfaction in our heart.


Distances:

Ernakulam – Thriprayar – 50 Kms (Approx)

Triprayar – Trissur – 22 Kms (Approx)

Irinjalakuda – trissur – 25 Kms

Moozhikulam – Irinjalakuda – 8 Kms

Payamal – Irinjalakuda - 7 Kms


Tip: Get a train to Iringalakuda/ Kochi. From there, hire a taxi, you can visit all these places by 1:00 PM, provided you are starting by 3:00 AM. If you need to visit more places/ temples, get in touch with a tour company, and they will help you to draw a route which will be easy on your pocket. KSRTC, also provide regular services from Irinjalakuda, for the convenience of pilgrims

* this is not an exhaustive guide to visit Nalambalam. If you need some customised package for you you can always get in touch with us through the contact form in UAEexchangeravel.com.

Compiled by : Sandeep Ravindranath
8:22 AM | , , | 0 comments

A Trip to Pondicherry


Pondicherry, or Puducherry was always a fascination for me. This City of south east India locked by Bay of Bengal and Chennai got its freedom from french colonialism in 1954. This city is now a Union Territory of India and one of the two Union territories to have an elected government ruling them. Pondicherry consists of four regions, which are unconnected, Pondicherry, Karaikal, Yanam and Mahi. I had many wonderful experiences I had during my trip to pondicherry. I would always rate this as one of the greatest trips that I had as we had a wonderful team of around 12 and the journey was well planned and executed in the smoothest way possible.

Route:
Kochi(Cochin) – Chennai : Train (750 Kms . Approx.)
Chennai – Pondicherry : Mini Bus (250 Kms. Approx.)
Starting date : 13th August 2009 by Alleppey – Chennai Express Train

We reached Chennai at around 7:00 AM on 14th. We boarded the mini bus towards Pondicherry. The view on both the sides were really good. Lots of trees, lakes and villages passed by. In the bus, we had a great time by singing songs, having fun and other entertainments. We had our breakfast from a small hotel on the way. After three and a half hour's journey we reached Pondicherry. We had our accommodation in "Auroba inn", in some beautiful palm thatched huts. We booked some huts in advance and it was so nice and cozy in those little huts. Once we reached there, all of us took bath, got fresh and immediately joined together in the hotel and went ahead to have our lunch from Mourya Garden. After lunch, we went to a beautiful lake where there were boating, horse ride etc. We spent a lot of time over there and after that went to the beach front. We spent a lot of time over there and all of us played in the water and was wet in and out. The beach have a Gandhi statue installed there. The government administrative buildings and the remnants of french colony along with the bilingual signs created an impression that we are in a different place altogether.

Major places where we visited were
1.Auroville: A place that you must visit!
2.Aurobindo ashram / Museum
3.Pondicherry Beach (there is a beach near auroville as well!)
4.The Boat House

Hotels
Some of the Hotels in Pondicherry are
1.Ginger Hotels
2.Pondicherry Hotels
3.World Guest House
4.Dumas Guest House
5.Promenade

The trip was for two days and we started our journey back from Chennai on 15th August 2009 , 8.30 PM. A trip that will be in our heart for ever.

Tips: Plan and book things in advance. Try the air route to reach Chennai. If you are using road from Chennai, have your breakfast/food before you leave the outskirts of Chennai. Bring the necessary things with you, and try to dine in the french restaurants. Don't bring any liquor to Pondicherry, because the land of wine(in India) offers you almost all the blend in a low price which you won't find any where else in India.


Compiled by : George Trevele
11:45 AM | , | 0 comments