At the magnificent Kochi Castle we felt as if, we were transported back in the era where the castle was alive and buzzed with life. The castle also exhibits some old paintings and murals depicting the history of life at the castle and offers some great insights. Trip to Kochi castle is a must and also don’t forget to capture the breath taking view in your camera, from the top floor of the castle.
After the playful evening at the Kochi backwaters, the next day of the itinerary expected us to visit the Kochi Castle. It is closer to the Comfort Hotel, so we decide to walk to the palace and also explore the city on our way to the destination. The Kochi Castle was built in the 16th century and was originally called Otakasaka. It takes its name after the hill which inhabits the castle. The castle was built to shield the Kochi city and one can even notice the partially burnt structure which was damaged when fire broke in the castle in early 17th century. The castle has never faced an attack and hence has maintained its decorum. At the entry of the castle we were entertained by a gang of volunteer tour guides. We hesitated for a while, but their way of approach appealed to us. They showed us an unseen part of the castle which we had not noticed before. Like it was some trick. A structure without the knowledge of its history is, just a structure. We hired a guide to show us every bi and corner of the castle history and also learnt all the tricks that dwelled in the castle. The stories told by the guide were so colourful and intriguing in a way, which we had never thought about it. Kochi castle is also very calm in its surroundings and is enveloped with a fine view of the tranquil civic of Kochi. The castle reflects ancient Japanese structures covered with wooden beams and pointed roofs. What I like most about the castle is that it does not have a museum feel to it and love the part where it has restored every bit and pieces of the old world sense to it.
At the magnificent Kochi Castle we felt as if, we were transported back in the era where the castle was alive and buzzed with life. The castle also exhibits some old paintings and murals depicting the history of life at the castle and offers some great insights. Trip to Kochi castle is a must and also don’t forget to capture the breath taking view in your camera, from the top floor of the castle.
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This was my second last day in the city of temples and ironically I was visiting a mosque this day. Since I had only one more day to go, I wished to make the most of my remainder days in Madurai. This famous mosque can be accessed from the Periyar or the Central Bus Stand and also from the Madurai Junction. With such a strategic location of the mosque, the mosque therefore finds a great place in the heart of the city. The Kazimar Big Mosque and Maqbara, Madurai is a very important religious place for the Muslims and for the believers in all religion; this place also finds great attraction. The place has a great history and is said to have been constructed in the 13th century when the Hazrat Kazi Syed Tajuddin from Oman received the premise from the Pandyas. It is huge and can hold as many as 2500 people at once. The mosque also has the maqbara or the shrine of the descendants of Prophet Muhammad within its premise. The mosque has a distinct aura within it. A certain sense of divinity and peace invaded me as I spent some substantial time in the precinct. Also, there is a Madrasah inside the Mosque, where numerous students learn Arabic. The management of the mosque is really worth mentioning because the services were immaculate and the Board of trustees that look after the mosque continues the legacy well. I tried my best to offer my prayers in the traditions of the Muslims; whether or not they were authentic in nature does not matter because I am sure the prayers must have reached the Almighty. The Kazimar Big Mosque and Maqbara, Madurai despite being the place of worship for the Muslims gave me the kind of peace that the temples provided. I felt blessed. Time was slipping out of my hands and as the day concluded I made preparations for the next day’s sightseeing to Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam, Madurai for yet another exciting albeit last day in Madurai. If only I could hold back some of the moments spent here, then it would have added to my pleasure.
Goripalayam Mosque, Madurai : I decided to visit the goripalayam mosque with my cousins. This mosque is one of the largest and most popular mosques in Madurai. This mosques consist the graves of mughal rulers Madurai Hazrat Sulthan Alauddin Badusha and Hazrat Sulthan Shamsuddin Badhusha. It is said that word “Goripalayam” is derived from the persian word “Gor” which means grave.
Madurai has so much on offer, while there are bundles of history to soak and understand, true to its name, the city also has temples in abundance. One such unmistakable and must-visit temple is the Koodal Alagar Temple, Madurai. Located in the heart of the city, the temple is located very close to the Meenakshi Temple. I had a fair idea of the travel time that it would take to the temple from my hotel. The significance of the temple lay in the fact that it is one of the 108 divyadesams or the holy abodes of Lord Vishnu. Madurai has so much on offer, while there are bundles of history to soak and understand, true to its name, the city also has temples in abundance. One such unmistakable and must-visit temple is the Koodal Alagar Temple, Madurai. Located in the heart of the city, the temple is located very close to the Meenakshi Temple. I had a fair idea of the travel time that it would take to the temple from my hotel. The significance of the temple lay in the fact that it is one of the 108 divyadesams or the holy abodes of Lord Vishnu. I left the Koodal Alagar Temple, Madurai soon after the darshan and came to the hotel to have a relaxed stay at the hotel. Much of the property too remained unexplored and so much still remained to be understood about the significance of the temple. It could have been nice if there were guides in the temples but I was not able to find one. A quick internet session explained the long and complicated history behind the temple that most believe. The stories felt all fairy-like and rather seemed unbelievable but faith is such a powerful force that it not only binds people together but also makes them believe in the unbelievable. The next day I would make the trip to the Madurai Kamaraj University and that sure would be fun because the university is one of the most recognized in the country.
The day had started quite normally but I knew that soon the day would get special. I was to visit the Gandhi Museum - Madurai and that would make the day special for sure. Built by donations and contributions of the Indian citizens, the Museum of Gandhi was created on the premise of the palace of Rani Magammal, which had been renovated for the purpose. I had my breakfast in the quietness of my room and got ready rather quickly because the rental car was on its way to take me to the museum. Madurai, its people and sightseeing in the city were all agreeing with me, and I was having so much fun that there was no other place in the world where I would want to be other than in Madurai. Soon I was on my way to the museum and the moment I reached, I was taken aback by the sheer size of the Museum building. The important relics that the building housed were being done full justice by the imposing exteriors of the museum. I entered and went through the courtyard to the main exhibit areas. The information counters has enough literature on the history of the museum and the various important relics and replicas that it has. The place was inaugurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in the year 1959. Some of the important exhibits in the Museum premise include an original letter written personally by Mahatma Gandhi to Narayanan Sathsangi of Devakottai, a letter addressed to Adolf Hitler and also a congratulatory letter written by Mahatma Gandhi to Subramania Bharati, a great poet and freedom fighter. I went through the visual biography of the great man, which has all the information about him right from his childhood till his last days. Amongst other notable items at the Gandhi Museum - Madurai is the blood stained replica of the clothes of Mahatma Gandhi, which were his last. The day was finally coming to an end and as I was returning back to my hotel, everything about Bapu kept repeating in my psyche. It had to be an early night for me because the next day I planned on visiting the Koodal Alagar Temple, Madurai.
Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, Madurai : This is a picture of the gorgeous aayiram kaal mandapam which means “The Hall with thousand pillars”. This beautiful monument is located in Madurai city in Tamil nadu. It was built in 1569 AD by the Nayak dynasty. Highlight of this place is the musical pillars that produces a different note when you tap on the pillar.
Now that my stomach was full, I was once again ready to be treated with the sightseeing delights of Madurai. My next stop was American College, Madurai which I knew for a fact that is one of the oldest colleges of Southern India and has quite a prestige in the whole of India. The college premise has separate sections in the campus. There is the Chapel at the center of the college, the Main Hall, the Daniel Poor Memorial Library and the Main Gate, which is also worth mentioning because it bears the special name of the Washburn Gate. The year of establishment of this college is 1881 and the buildings and other constructions here have been designed by the British Architect Henry Irwin. I reached the college and sought permission to see the college from the inside. The first thing that struck me about the college was the red brick buildings, which were done in the Saracenic styles. There was ample greenery around the buildings and this added to an appeal to the college which made it more peaceful and conducive to the learning that takes place here. The institution is a part of a vast amount of history which kind of dwarfed everything around it with its magnanimity. I moved around on my own from buildings to buildings soaking it all in. I could see some of the students and professors collaborating near a room, which possibly was a laboratory of sorts because the students had worn white overalls. Some of my research on the internet had informed me that there are altogether six wings here - the Arts and Humanities wing, the Research wing, the Science wing, the Management Studies wing, the Co-curricular courses wing and the Teaching, learning and assessments wing.
Some of the stalwarts of this prestigious college are Padma Shri Govindappa Venkataswamy, who is the founder of the Aravind Eye Hospital, also the founder of HCL Technologies - Shri Shiv Nadar and many other notable alumni. The mere mention of the grand history of this American College, Madurai filled me with pride for having witnessed this college in person. I bade farewell and the next day I had Gandhi Museum on my agenda. The Meenakshi Temple continued to instill in me a sense of reverence and I felt lucky that I was able to have the ‘darshan’ of the deity in this lifetime. The heat of the afternoon sun was getting to me and I was hungry too. What better cuisine to have while in South India than the South Indian food. The appams, dosas and idlis were calling and I made way to the Murugan Idli Shop, quite popular in Madurai, for eating the yummiest food ever. The cuisine is very light and nutritious and it is always better to have it from a shop that serves it best. Hence, the outlet has been the favorite for all the locals and the tourists alike. The interiors of the shop was a picture of humility much like the cuisine it served but the true essence was in the variety they offered and in the taste of the food. I had a long look at the menu card; there were so many dishes that I wished to sample but I obviously could not have had any more than my usual fill. Yet, I may have ordered more than what I could have because by the time all the food came, my table was full. It was a tad embarrassing but who cared, I was on vacation! I ate well, tucking in all the different varieties and loved the chutneys and the sambhar that they provided with the main course. It was by far the best meal that I have ever had while on a journey. The Murugan Idli Shop, Madurai had evolved from a very small shop and now the firm has a chain of successful restaurants in many areas of Southern India. Much of their success is because of the consistency they provide in the food, the quality control and the taste which has been the same since years now. Very quickly then, I exited from the shop and hired a taxi to go to the American College, Madurai. I hoped that I would be on time to visit one of the oldest colleges in India.
My first morning in Madurai - the temple city and befittingly, I made my first trip to the Meenakshi Temple, Madurai and I was truly feeling blessed. This temple is dedicated to Shiva- Parvati and the chief deity here is Meenakshi, the other name for Parvati. Madurai is synonymous with the temple and tourists visiting Madurai have the Meenakshi Temple definitely on their agenda. The popularity of the temple is such that it is estimated that close to 15,000 visitors come to the temple every day while on Fridays the number increases by another 10,000. The temple has prominent reference in the Tamil literature and it continues to hold a very significant position in the lives of all the people who live in Madurai and also for the people who visit Madurai for whatever reason. The temple architecture is very important since it is allegedly believed that the city of Madurai has been redesigned in accordance with the Shilpa Shastras and also in reference with the shape of the temple. The temple is one of the few temples that have four gateways or gopurams as they are called, in the four directions. The gopurams are adorned by miniature carvings that have depictions of animals, demons and Gods. It is also believed that the temple has always been in the center of the city like a lotus and the streets emanating from the temple premise are like its petals. I was in awe of the aura that the temple generated. It is like this inseparable part without which nothing would click in Madurai. Like an old guardian under whose custody Madurai flourished or breathed. I ventured around the Meenakshi Temple, Madurai and came across the Temple Tank. Much has been written online about this temple tank and it still remains a mystery to me how the temple tank is considered a judge for the literary works. It is believed that the poorly written transcripts would sink in the tank while the better ones would float! With so much history and in the presence of such divinity, I may have lost track of time. But it was lunch time and I made my way to the Murugan Idli Shop, Madurai.
My Train Travel from Bangalore to Madurai by Tuticorin Express - My Ticket to Complete Bliss24/4/2014 Life has a way of binding you sometimes. Though my work pressures as a pharmacist is not so pressing that I cannot take intermittent breaks yet formulating plans and moving away from responsibilities are generally very difficult. So when a certain plan materializes, I make sure that no hurdle should come in my way and my vacation. I have always been the spokesperson of my family since childhood; easygoing, frank and talkative is the way most describe me. Visiting new places and learning about their history remain my passion and the trip to Madurai was my ticket to visit the ancient city and I was excited beyond words. It all commenced with my train travel from Bangalore to Madurai by Tuticorin Express and it was as though on cue, I got a holiday from work too. I had the whole day at my disposal to pack for my trip. The train was to depart from the station around 9:20 in the evening and I was bang on time to take my reserved seat for the travel. The railway station was abuzz with activity; people moving hither thither purposefully to embark on the journeys of their choices for their respective reasons. I often think that it would be very interesting to take a small corner in the railway platform one of these days and observe the people passing by, see their mannerisms and their hustle. It can reveal so much about them, but only if I had that kind of free time. But this day was special, I was to go to Madurai, and my itinerary had already been chalked out, every little detail planned. I prefer it this way because it gives me a certain control over the situations and also make me anticipate things. It was an overnight journey and I would reach Madurai at about 7:20 in the morning. I had every intention to sleep off all through my journey so there would likely be no events to write about my train travel from Bangalore to Madurai by Tuticorin Express. But once in Madurai, I would write all about my choice of hotel - the Sangam Hotel Madurai.
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Sharing is what I always believe in, since childhood I have been most expressive kid in my family. Making new friends, jelling up with people, traveling or participating in any event, I have always been in the fore front. Hello friends this is Soumya Shetty a Pharmacist, I love reading, travelling to places, visiting spiritual places the rich history behind the existence attracts me. Moreover, at the same time I too enjoy shopping with friends, movies, food, and parties. Most importantly, “sharing” so here is crazy Soumu sharing her experiences and life with you friends. Hope you would like being part of my life’s journey.
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