Prayers of gratitude, I cannot express here but the sceneries of country side during the journey were also of spiritual solace, tried to click a few from a running vehicle.
While most of the journey was thorough NH( excellent toll roads), SH were bumpy, "Under repair", "Men at work" roads, and since it was in the night, the headlights of oncoming vehicles were blinding and slightly dangerous if one is not alert.
But the journey from Tiruvaiyaru to Trichy on Village roads were a sensory feast. We travelled on narrow roads flanked with channels of Cauvery and Coleroon( kollidam) and there were many more little rivulets like kodamurutti ( Tiruvaiyaru means land of 5 rivers all tributaries of Cauvery)...although not in full glory, it was lovely to see water in the rivers and at Grand anicut.
Little shrines on the river banks, irrigated lands,lotus and lily laden ponds, traditional thinnai homes, dung plastered huts, coconuts dried on the road ( for making copra and oil), daily village scenes.... It was very humbling to see such simple life with less comforts compared to the city life we lead.
What lovely sights all along!!
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Your pictures evoke memories of rural Tamil Nadu of the past. In some places its still the same but mostly the vistas have become dirty and crowded and not aesthetic at all with hideous buildings.
ReplyDeleteYes, the village roads right from Kumbakonam to Tiruchi through Thiruvaiyaru is a nice way to sample the Cauvery and the culture it sustains. Its a nice leisurely drive, although the highway option is far quicker but more plastic.
Did you go to the Panchanatheeswar temple in Thiruvaiyaru. Majestic temple, not very famous and therefore no crowds. Its a good place for some spiritual solace.
Great trip of yours and thanks for writing this travelogue. Chettinad goes into my bucket list thanks to you.
We visited our ancestral deity near Thiruvaiyaru and yes panchanatheeswar temple has a serene atmosphere...such a huge temple but did'nt visit this time.
DeleteLike you mentione concrete constructions have marred the visual beauty especially i have notpublished the picture taken from rock fort temple...such an eyesore..an aerial photo has only terraces of apartments. Thanks Ramesh for reading the series and leaving interesting comments....glad you find chettinad worth going...I would suggest this belt to anybody interested in art, architecture, history, cuisine( especially non veg) antique:)
Oh Wow ! What is your ancestral deity ? Mine is there too - Anandaganapathy in Umayalpuram.
ReplyDeleteUmayalpuram Sivaraman's place....nice to know...ours is Vadugakudi kalyana Murugan ...family deity is siruvacchur madhurakali near trichy.one of my old post link if interested...http://shreshar.blogspot.in/2011/06/our-ancestral-village-vadugakudi.html...
DeleteOh Wow! Traveling on such beautiful countryside roads is an experience in itself. Such beauty, peace and calm too!
ReplyDeleteYou said it all, Shilpa...it truly is meditative to journey through places where your roots belong.
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