The South of India is a nice place. I have been here earlier too and having travelled to China, realised, the best way to bridge a language barrier is to speak in your own. It works. Trust me, reader, it does. So, armed with couple of Tamil words to keep us company, we reached Kodaikanal amidst beautiful plain highway roads giving way to winding getaways. The drop in temperature was exactly why we had headed for the hills in the first place. The bungalow we moved into, brimmed with the contents of L's black bag. You name it, and it was there -- salt, sugar, tea leaves, khakra, butter, spices. We sat down to unroll the rest of the plan parchment over Yippee noodles.
L would head for Chennai in two days' time on Monday, while M and mine tickets were done for the same on Wednesday, from Madhurai. Now this was one place I had never been to and really wished to see the Meenakshi Temple. Some faint idea governed within me that it was a place lit up daintily in the evenings. We were slated to visit it on our return from Munnar on Wednesday. The day in Chennai we would visit Mahabalipuram. This was thus the plan. Having finished up the dinner, the three of us retired early to cave in the energy for an active day-out in Kodai.
L was stunned to find the roads packed. The extended weekend holiday had brought everyone to the streets, in spite of which, we managed our 7 kms cycling and walking up and down the not so quaint town. The normal shopping and visiting curio shops later, we returned to cook a fabulous pasta. We built the appetite for which with backyard grown corns. Local vegetables have a calling. Some chopping and card games later, we took in the chill of the night. The next day too, we spent in the town after visiting the Kurunji Temple. Boating in the lake was a delight and we discovered the magic of local fruits in butterfruit (avocado) and passion fruit. As you would get from the tone of this paragraph, it was a very eased out stay at Kodai. Till the last night brought about in me a sudden apathy towards Munnar. I was literally crying that I would stay back in Kodai and L and M didn't know what to do!
Cutting short on the dramatics of the last night, I take you reader thus to Madhurai (http://www.hotelrathnaresidency.com), where we decided to visit Meenakshi Amman Temple with L, and put her on the train, and then leave for Munnar the next morning. This deviation of plan was a regular by now for our driver and we thoroughly enjoyed the temple. In the town we met L's friend who was cute and warm and took us out for lunch. Early next morning, M and me left for Munnar. The drive, as usual, was brilliant and I was not quite ready for the sudden elevation in the Western Ghats. It actually took a toll on my health as did the TN and Kerela checkposts on our driver's! He was harassed, and deeply embarassed. I must add a thank you to the TN police at the check-post for not, yes, NOT, recognising West Bengal as a part of India. I have never felt more foreign in my own country! As we entered God's own terrain, we were stopped because seven elephants had suddenly crossed the path. Ever since, the drive got narrower and greener in patches. There were endless Tata tea and coffee and spice plantations, yet, it was no where close to the drop in temperature as it was in Kodai.
We checked into this lovely place (http://redsparrowmunnar.com) which lured me with its bathroom more than anything else. Like bridges, I have a thing for great loos! The rest of the Munnar day was spent not so well in that the body gave way. I was queasy and unfit and achy all over, feverish too. So having visited the other side of Munnar already, in a look out for a proper place to check-in, we decided to stay put. The next morning, we left for the Attukal waterfalls. Needless to say, I missed L. As we were approaching towards the dairy farm, it started raining heavily and we went in to the lovely CSI Church instead. What it gave was a beautiful view of the valley, flowered in colours that one from the city could never imagine flowers could wear.
As the rain turned into a drizzle, we took the road to return to Madhurai, and were greeted farewell by the similar greens and yellows and oranges and purples and maroons. Veridian and rustic, this stretch remains special because like us, it is distinct in its individuality. I battled the queasiness on our way down too and finally like G had breathed a heavy sigh of relief having crossed the two Kerela and TN checkposts, I too realized, many be this time, the mountains were a tad bit too strenuous on my age. What happened next was no where near to where any of us could have imagined. Read on!
The mountainous hairpin bends ended at a place called Munthal (http://www.onefivenine.com/india/villages/Theni/Bodinayakkanur/Munthal), where I requested G to give me the wheels for the next five minutes. It was five to three pm. Our train from Madhurai was at eight thirty pm. We were well within time and having finished about 75 curvy kms, it was a continuation of NH 49 on plains. As I took to the steering, I felt fitter. This was my first highway driving and the five minutes soon extended to Theni, where we met the monsoons (as sudden as our plans), complete with stormy air and waddling people on the waterlogged roads. I drove on. NH 49 felt like home. I was overtaking trucks and buses with indicators and lights. I have never felt more rush in myself before (may be I did after I wrote The Kitchen Knife). We clocked the rest of the 100 kms to Madhurai with me at the wheels and making it at around 4 35 pm. G requested to drive within the city. As I parked diligently to pass him the driver's seat back, he said in his broken english "Sooo-paah!" and added a thumbs up. Compliment for life that would remain.
We walked into Meenakshi Amman (http://www.maduraimeenakshi.org) and retraced our steps from the day before the last. The live carnatic music of the priests and the travelling of the gods in their palkis was an ocassion to devour! Having done everything on time, we returned for dinner at Rathna Residency and boarded the Pandian Express to get back to Chennai. I was utterly disgusted to find our seats were on the side berths (on ac-two-tier, they are a 'criminal waste'). So, I wrote Part I of this Travel Diary last night on the train. We reached Chennai Egmore early this morning to be recieved by L and get to her home, where I am writing this now.
It is a pleasure to be in Chennai without switching on the fans. We did bring the rains. We return to Calcutta tomorrow where I must find a way back to my thesis. So reader, you must have understood we dumped Mahabalipuram and stayed true to our indecisive planning thorughout. What have I learnt on this trip? Perhaps this that sometimes, the reassuring familiarity of city lights and living is more inviting than bends and plains are, and that as humanbeings, we are only, forever changing, evolving. I have travelled well. How I wish I were in Punjab this December!
PS: Waiting for that to change too :)
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