This was our first road trip after we changed the car a month ago. We decided to choose a place that is worth a 2 day visit. Hence booked our hotel in Chidambaram "Hotel Grand Palace Stay", that looked and actually is the biggest hotel in Chidambaram and I should say decent as well. We left Chennai on 08/1/11 by Six'ish and without a stop drove to Pondy on the ECR. Finished our breakfast at AAB and visited the Ashram and did some shopping. After an hour and half started our journey through cuddalore and reached Chidambaram around noon. The road from Pondy to Cuddalore was a nightmare coz of the bad roads, nightmarish bus drivers. Beyond Cuddalore once again was a breeze on the national highway 45A.
After freshening up and post lunch we started to drive to "Gangaikondacholapuram", the capital of Rajendra Chola (Son of Rajarajacholan). It was an architectural marvel and since I have never visited Thanjavoor, I could least imagine how this place would look like. I was awed by the chola architecture. Had a good time at this place and after an hour's time drove back to Chidambaram where we halted for the night.
Enroute to Gangaikondachozhapuram
At the entrance of the temple "Replica of the big temple at Tanjavur"
Enroute to Pichavaram from Chidambaram
The next day visited the Chidambaram temple post breakfast. Though am religious, I did not enjoy this temple much because of the money looting by the so called Dikshithars. I couldn't find anyone without interest in making money there and hence I lost the interest of even looking at the god and praying.
After that we started our drive to "Pitchavaram". Pichavaram has the world's second largest natural mangroves after Sunderbans. The road from Chidambaram is ok kinds, and the interior drive of over 12 kms was kind of rugged. But the bliss was the natural beauty on either side of the road. The entire stretch had a huge canal flowing on the left and paddy fields to the right. So though a tough drive, it was a bliss for the vision.
We reached Pichavaram and decided to take a row boat for 2 hours. After we started the boat ride the boatman actually was trying to sell something to us. He was asking for money so that he could take us in a different route. Otherwise the boat ride would have been for 2 hours only on the outer area of the lake. Though I was hesitant on paying anything extra, my husband after much haggling freezed upon a rate with him and he agreed to take us deep inside the mangrove forest. I have to admit that I do not repend for that extra money that we paid the boatman.
Truly the sight was amazing and I am sure until you pay these guys some bucks you will never see such beauty. The boat ride through the mangroves, and deep inside is an experience that cannot be explained.
So there ended our ride and we decided to hit the highway soon as we wanted to reach Chennai before dark. Landed in Pondy for lunch and then on were cruising back on ECR.
Pichavaram
The natural mangroves
With the new baby it was an amazing drive during the weekend!!
After freshening up and post lunch we started to drive to "Gangaikondacholapuram", the capital of Rajendra Chola (Son of Rajarajacholan). It was an architectural marvel and since I have never visited Thanjavoor, I could least imagine how this place would look like. I was awed by the chola architecture. Had a good time at this place and after an hour's time drove back to Chidambaram where we halted for the night.
The next day visited the Chidambaram temple post breakfast. Though am religious, I did not enjoy this temple much because of the money looting by the so called Dikshithars. I couldn't find anyone without interest in making money there and hence I lost the interest of even looking at the god and praying.
After that we started our drive to "Pitchavaram". Pichavaram has the world's second largest natural mangroves after Sunderbans. The road from Chidambaram is ok kinds, and the interior drive of over 12 kms was kind of rugged. But the bliss was the natural beauty on either side of the road. The entire stretch had a huge canal flowing on the left and paddy fields to the right. So though a tough drive, it was a bliss for the vision.
We reached Pichavaram and decided to take a row boat for 2 hours. After we started the boat ride the boatman actually was trying to sell something to us. He was asking for money so that he could take us in a different route. Otherwise the boat ride would have been for 2 hours only on the outer area of the lake. Though I was hesitant on paying anything extra, my husband after much haggling freezed upon a rate with him and he agreed to take us deep inside the mangrove forest. I have to admit that I do not repend for that extra money that we paid the boatman.
Truly the sight was amazing and I am sure until you pay these guys some bucks you will never see such beauty. The boat ride through the mangroves, and deep inside is an experience that cannot be explained.
So there ended our ride and we decided to hit the highway soon as we wanted to reach Chennai before dark. Landed in Pondy for lunch and then on were cruising back on ECR.
With the new baby it was an amazing drive during the weekend!!
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