I had heard a lot about the temples of South India. Ancient temples are just a magnetic attraction to me. By nature, I am a religious person who love to go for religious places. What could be better option than the temples? So this time we, a group of seven friends planned a trip to south India temples. My wish to find God in nature seem to be fulfilled when I gave my consent to this tour.

Padmanabhaswamy Temple

The idea of going there was exciting as it was my first time of being there. We browse on web to know the tour details and finally got the suitable one. That is how we headed towards South India. The journey was enjoyable and comfortable as we all friends were very excited to see the ancient temples of South India. Thinking of it we reached Kerala, our first destination in South India tour.

Well, after reaching there, we all were set to embark on a spiritual journey. After taking rest and making ourselves comfortable, we got a brief about our tour plan.

We started with Padmanabhaswamy Temple, which was a unique experience. I was amazed to see the exemplary architecture of the temple. When we entered in this temple, we felt as if we have come to a place where all we can experience is tranquility and spirituality. The temple showcases architectural heritage of South India. Staying there for some time was really a holistic experience that helped us to gain inner peace due to its peaceful environ.

Our curiosity took us to Shree Krishna Temple in Guruvayur. The structure of this ancient temple was of typical Kerala style with mandaps, gopurams (gateways) and shreekovil. There, we saw many tourists who were also delighted to see the majesty of these temple like us. The guide told us that this temple is also known as ‘Guruvayoor Ambalam.’

Also, we got an opportunity to visit some other famous temples including Mannaarshala near Trivandrum and the Vadakkunnathar Temple at Thrissur. The glory of the South India temples reflects in its traditional architectural style.

During this tour, we also came across some of the finest examples of architecture in the form of Temples in Karnataka. We visited Iskcon Temple which is located in the Bangalore city. Built on a hill rock, this temple is a unique blend of glass and gopurams. You can experience spiritual harmony and tranquillity here. Our guide told us about the temple that it was constructed to promote the Vedic culture and spiritual learning. During the annual Krishna and Balarama Rath Yatra, this temple is visited by thousands of devotees.

Visiting Chennakesava Temple at Hassan was also a great experience. It allowed us to see an outstanding example of architecture. This magnificent temple was built with the amalgamation of granite and soapstone. Then, we went to see the Cave and Jain Temple at Badami and Virupaksha and Hemakuta Temples at Hampi which showcase great architectural style.

The South India Temple tour was once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Thinking of this amazing tour, we came back with inner peace and increased energy!

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Being a sensible wanderer, I’ve always planned trips that suited best to my pocket. And when asked by family to plan a lifetime memorable trip, which was supposed to be different from routine weekend gateways, I booked for one of the Kerala Tour Packages. After enjoying enough of temples, festivities, lip smacking dishes and water sports – I asked my Kerala travel agent to take me to some tranquil destination. As I was seeking true peace and relaxation – I was transported to Kumarakom along with my family. We first arrived at Kottayam Railway Station, and hired a cab for rest of the distance to Kumarakom.

My journey in the heavenly village of Kumarakom started alongside the Vembanad Lake. The beauty of this small town of Kottayam District lies in three small islands in the Vembanad Lake. I was booked in a luxurious houseboat in Vembanad Lake in Kumarakom that took me to a rich variety of marine and freshwater fishes. After exploring the serene waterways in Kumarakom, now I understand the excitement of tourists going for angling, which is undoubtedly an amazing expedition.

Mangrove forests, green paddy fields and coconut palm trees dotted alongside the lake offered perfect ambiance for my relaxing holidays. My houseboat (traditional Kettuvallom) had well furnished bedroom, living / dining area, kitchen, sun deck and all the modern amenities.

On my second day in Kumarakom, I desired to plan a short visit to the picturesque Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary. I was told that the dense greens at Kumarakom serve as natural home for a wide variety of birds. Egrets, darters, herons, teal, waterfowl, cuckoo and endangered Siberian Cranes can be easily spotted here. But unluckily, as I was visiting the place in chilly summers, I could not click much of those colourful creatures.

While driving back to my houseboat, I enjoyed mouth-watering dosa, idli, rice & fish with coconut chutney at a restaurant. Lastly, I decided to spend a couple of hours in the market area where I found the best quality of gold and spices (cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg, turmeric and ginger). Overall, it was actually a rejuvenating trip that boosted me up to explore next destination in Kerala.

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After exploring the contemporary city Chennai, I was planning to visit some traditional place in south India where I could experience the deep roots of Indian culture still retaining the age old glory. Therefore, I headed for Kanchipuram – the city of thousand temples in Tamil Nadu. It is just 75 kms from Chennai, so I preferred traveling by a taxi. I was booked in Hotel Tamil Nadu, which is a Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation unit.

While escorting me to my room, the bellboy told me that Palar River adds to the beauty of the place. Earlier the city was the capital of the Cholas but later Pallavas established their supremacy here in the 6th century, followed by the Vijaynagar rulers. My exploration started with Ekambaranatha Temple, which boasts of being the largest temple in Kanchipuram (covering over 20 acres). Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is famous for its 1000 Lingas. It exhibits true beauty and richness of the Dravadian style of architecture, which I captured in my camera also.

After spending an hour there, I stopped for a quick bite at a restaurant and enjoyed a lip smacking dosa. My next destinations were Kamakshi Amman Temple (dedicated to goddess Kamakshi or the incarnation of goddess Parvati) and Varadharaja Perumal Temple (built by the Cholas in 11th century).

Post lunch, I decided to spend a couple of hours in the colorful market streets of Kanchipuram. As the city is world famous for its hand-woven silk sarees with zari work, I decided to get a few for my mom and granny. I first visited Gandhi Road, which is famous for Silk Cooperative Society Showrooms. However, the variety of designs and colors available in cooperative societies is very limited but the best part is that these are less expensive because of being in government control. Contrary to this, the Mettu Street offers a much wider choice because of private merchants. As these merchants have a larger profit margin, their prices are always higher.

I honed my bargaining skills and dropped into one of the shops near the Varadaraja Temple. I bought a few sarees from Nalli, which is one of the famous and biggest shops in Kanchipuram. While wandering in these market streets I observed that shopping in Kanchipuram is not only about Silk Sarees. The shops were also loaded with decorative items, fruit baskets, jewelry boxes and idols of various Gods and Goddesses. This way, my trip to Kanchipuram was a great fun.

After exploring the contemporary city Chennai, I was planning to visit some traditional place in south India where I could experience the deep roots of Indian culture still retaining the age old glory. Therefore, I headed for Kanchipuram – the city of thousand temples in Tamil Nadu. It is just 75 kms from Chennai, so I preferred traveling by a taxi. I was booked in Hotel Tamil Nadu, which is a Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation unit.

While escorting me to my room, the bellboy told me that Palar River adds to the beauty of the place. Earlier the city was the capital of the Cholas but later Pallavas established their supremacy here in the 6^th century, followed by the Vijaynagar rulers. My exploration started with Ekambaranatha Temple, which boasts of being the largest temple in Kanchipuram (covering over 20 acres). Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the temple is famous for its 1000 Lingas. It exhibits true beauty and richness of the Dravadian style of architecture, which I captured in my camera also.

After spending an hour there, I stopped for a quick bite at a restaurant and enjoyed a lip smacking dosa. My next destinations were Kamakshi Amman Temple (dedicated to goddess Kamakshi or the incarnation of goddess Parvati) and Varadharaja Perumal Temple (built by the Cholas in 11^th century).

Post lunch, I decided to spend a couple of hours in the colorful market streets of Kanchipuram. As the city is world famous for its hand-woven silk sarees with zari work, I decided to get a few for my mom and granny. I first visited Gandhi Road, which is famous for Silk Cooperative Society Showrooms. However, the variety of designs and colors available in cooperative societies is very limited but the best part is that these are less expensive because of being in government control. Contrary to this, the Mettu Street offers a much wider choice because of private merchants. As these merchants have a larger profit margin, their prices are always higher.

I honed my bargaining skills and dropped into one of the shops near the Varadaraja Temple. I bought a few sarees from Nalli, which is one of the famous and biggest shops in Kanchipuram. While wandering in these market streets I observed that shopping in Kanchipuram is not only about Silk Sarees. The shops were also loaded with decorative items, fruit baskets, jewelry boxes and idols of various Gods and Goddesses. This way, my trip to Kanchipuram was a great fun.

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“Then come the lights shining on you from above. You are a performer. You forget all you learned, the process of technique, the fear, the pain, you even forget who you are, you become one with the music, the lights, indeed one with the dance.” This wonderful quote by Shirley Maclaine raced through my mind while treating my senses with the mesmerizing Kathakali dance performance in Kerala. Elated, I was dancing too, but in my heart.

Kerala is popularly known as God’s Own Country. I would like to add something to it: Kerala is God’s Own Country and its dancers are God’s Own Artists. How beautifully these artists express human emotions such as laughter, tears, madness, fears, hopes, faith, anger and happiness through dance.

After exploring the fascinating beaches of Kerala, I reached the Cochin Cultural Center to see the famous classical dance form of South India, Kathakali. This dance drama originated in South India in the 16th century and there are more than 100 classical stories which are the themes of this dance form. Initially Kathakali was performed only in the temples and palaces. However now it is performed on several celebrations and for tourism purposes also. For enjoying the dance to its fullest I asked the guide about the story of the dance in advance.

From graceful dance movements to fabulous facial expressions, eye movements, colorful and unique costumes and heavy make-up, everything about this dance form is captivating. I simply loved their colorful and bright make-up. The guide told me that the artists spend more than 2 hours to apply such a make-up. What a challenging task! Here the dancers still use herbal and home-made cosmetics for make-up. I think it would be apt to say that the dancers paint their faces in a creative way. And it is done according to the role of the character. Each character was powerfully depicted, from protagonist to the villain. There is also a difference in the make-up of the positive characters and negative ones.
The show was divided into three parts: dancers perform prayer, English narration of the story and finally the drama. It lasted for an hour and I know that its memories will last forever. I had never seen such a fantastic dance performance.

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“Architecture is a continuing dialogue between generations which creates an environment across time” is a quote by Vincent Scully which sits smug on the culturally rich city, Madurai. Among the temples that I have visited in South India, the Sri Meenakshi temple of Madurai has the most intense and striking atmosphere. It is probably one of the most interesting, exotic and fascinating temples of India, known for its outstanding and impressive architectural beauty.

The enormous temple complex is dedicated to Lord Shiva, known as Sundareshvara and his consort Parvati or Meenakshi that’s why it is called as Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple or Meenakshi Amman Temple. It is known for its supreme architectural wonder showcasing the affluent Dravidian Culture. The temple is built in the lotus shaped city Madurai and the outer towers of the temple are the landmarks of this city. The temple is constructed within a high-walled enclosure, at the centre there are two sanctums, one for Meenakshi and the other for Sundareshwara. It is surrounded by a number of smaller shrines, grand pillared halls and twelve impressive gopurams. There are soaring towers in the temple which are decorated with stucco figures of deities, mythical animals and monsters painted in vivid colours.

The elaborate layout of the temple overwhelmed me. There are many things in the temple that captivated my attention. some of them are the 14 magnificent Gopurams or towers including two golden Gopurams for the main deities that are elaborately sculptured and painted. The average height of these towers are between 45 to 50 meters. The towers are majestically adorned with the stone carvings of Hindu gods and goddesses, painted in brilliant colours.

Ashta Shakthi Mandapam which is located on the eastern entrance of the temple is truly beautiful. This hall derived its name from the eight statues of goddesses that are installed inside. Adjacent to this is the Meenakshi Nayak Mandapam, known for its sculptures on the pillars that portray the story of Lord Shiva’s Thiruvilayadals (miracles) and Meenakshi’s birth. This hall also has a lamp-holder with 1,008 lamps which are lit up during the festive occasions.

Orthamarai Kulam (Golden Lotus Tank) is a scared lake which is located inside the temple premises. On the western side of the lake are the Oonjal (swing) Mandapam and Killikoontu (parrot cage) Mandapam. On every Friday the idols of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar are placed on the swing in the Oonjal Mandapam and mantras are chanted. Lord Sundareswarar’s shrine is situated to the north of Kilikoontu Mandapam. Here Sundareswarar is worshipped in the form of a linga along with his 64 bhootaganas, 32 lions and 8 elephants attendants.

Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple celebrates at least one festival every month but the most important festival is the Chithirai Brahamostavam Festival or Meenakshi Thirukalyanam (The divine marriage of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar) which is celebrated in the month of April every year.

After visiting this magnificent temple I realised that this place is also the storehouse of Dravidian knowledge and culture. Inscriptions, sculptures, paintings and architectures are delicately interwoven with religious fervour which glorifies this historical marvel throughout the world and provides it an eminent place in India.

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While sailing through the mesmerizing backwaters of Kerala  I felt as if mother nature was smiling at me. I was completely absorbed in the celestial beauty of nature, with sun brightly reflected by the water, the water gently rippling, the swaying palm trees dancing to the tune of refreshing wind and above all a feeling of being at peach with my own self and nature. No wonder water is such an expressive feature of nature.

We were at Alleppy backwaters enjoying nature at its best. Alleppy is a wonderful city of Kerala, which is famed for its breathtaking backwaters. It takes pride in its scenic beauty, lush paddy fields and enchanting backwaters. It is a big hit with tourists who come here for an exhilarating experience from across the globe.

I and my friends were cruising across the backwaters on a traditional houseboat. Available in different sizes, these houseboats are called Kettuvallams. Fitted with modern comforts and decorated in a traditional style, these houseboats are the perfect means of exploring backwaters. They are eco-friendly and are made of bamboo poles, coconut fiber, ropes, bamboo mats, carpets etc.

While cruising through the backwaters we sighted some beautiful birds such as kingfisher, darter and cormorant. Sighting such beautiful birds was an overwhelming experience.

We also enjoyed delicious lunch at the houseboat. We relished sambar dosa and idli, which was very tasty. We rounded off our hearty meal with a famous dessert of Kerala, Palppayasam. It is a sweet dish made of sugar, ghee, spices brewed in creamy white milk. It is served with ‘boli’, a golden yellow sweet pancake.

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Flipping through the pages of Srishti, my favorite nature

based magazine, I came across a beautiful quote. It reads, “Forests, lakes, and rivers, clouds and winds, stars and flowers, stupendous glaciers and crystal snowflakes – every form of animate or inanimate existence, leaves its impress upon the soul of man.” No wonder Mother nature uplifts our souls through its wonderful attractions. I was more than happy as I was in a flight to God’s Own Country, Kerala. Undoubtedly this tourist destination of India needs no introduction. Everybody knows about it, but just knowing is not enough. One must visit this destination if one wishes to experience the beauty of a paradise.

I and my dear friends Shivani and Pallavi landed at Trivandrum airport in the afternoon. After covering a distance of 23 km from the airport I reached the Travancore Heritage Resort in the wonderful Kovalam. It is a beach town located on the western coast of India. It is one of the most famous tourist destinations of Kerala. Tourists from across the globe come here for rejuvenating holidays. There are three beautiful beaches in Kovalam- the Lighthouse beach, the Samudra beach and the Hawah beach.

We were booked in the beach grove guest room which offers overwhelming views of the sea. The resort is designed to blend in with the environment outside. After refreshing ourselves with some snacks and coffee, we set out for the Kovalam beach. As we reached the Lighthouse beach we were greeted by arresting waves, swaying palms, golden sand and cool breeze. What a wonderful feeling it was! Life was completely different here, simple yet sophisticated. And here the sophistication lies in the natural beauty. We enjoyed every moment at the beach. The beauty of sunset left me speechless.

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