Week of 17 March 2014
On Monday morning, I take a bus for Madurai. After a hectic six hours drive in old coughing bus, we reach Madurai city. Hotels and guesthouses everywhere. I have to visit several ones before giving up: no big and light room in a charming guesthouse here for budget traveller. My hotel is dark in a gloomy street but I guess it will be OK for one night. I go for dinner in the small narrow and packed city center. Not much charm here, Except for a few bookshops where I buy Tamil and malayalam guidebooks. I go to bed hoping that I will like Madurai better tomorrow. On next morning, I have a simple breakfast and go to visit Meenakshi Temple, dedicated to goddess Parvati and lord Shiva. I feel impressed by the beauty and magnificence of the temple and its immense heavily decorated gopuras. Photographs are forbidden. After my visit, I take a rickshaw to the Gandhi Memorial Museum to learn more about the life and achievements of Mahatma Gandhi. There is a group of school boys and girls there, visiting with their teacher. They are so quiet and listening. Outside in the street I get to taste and appreciate my first jack fruit. Finally, my day visiting Madurai was better then expected and I am happy I stopped there on my way to Chennai. I have a dinner in the street and head to the close train station by feet where my train leaves around 9PM.
When I arrive in Chennai by 6AM, I go directly to the YWCA hotel because it is close to the train station and I never tried a YWCA. Great choice! It's such a nice place, set in the middle of a little park, full of charms, with comfortable, clean and clear rooms. The staff is very kind too. I like Chennai people at once. They are so easy to love as they are very friendly and smiling. Very soon, I meet two boys at the sugar cane stand in front of Madras University and, as they have nothing to do, they propose to visit the city with me. What a great day we had! Full of laughs, long walks, pictures, good sights and good food too.
The day after, I have what i believe to be my last idli wada as I am to fly to Malaysia in the afternoon. Then I go for a walk on the beach. Not the cleanest but it's nice to hang around with locals till the opening time of Vivekananda Lilam. I like that museum very much. So many details and beautiful pictures about the life of swami Vivekananda. You can view a short film on his historic speech at the Parliament of World's religions in Chicago in 1893 (part of Columbian world exhibition), and meditate a few minutes in the quiet meditation room. I especially like two pictures of him, one where he meditates eyes almost closed like a beautiful Buddha, and the other one where he is dressed like an errand monk (that he was for some time). one of the boys I spend the day with the day before makes me the surprise to wait for me in the museum and say goodbye. I have what I believe to be my last masala dosa and then it's time to take my flight for Kuala Lumpur.
Good bye Mother India! I love you and I will be back soon.
Madurai.
Meenakshi temple. No pics allowed inside.
Gandhi memorial Museum. Very pedagogic.
My first jack fruit. Delicious.
Chennai.
University of Madras.
Charming Mosque of thousands lights [only one left].
Valluvar Kottam monument. Having fun.
Triumph of labour
Ramakrishna Math.
Swami Vivekananda Ilham.
My 2 favorite pictures of swami Vivekananda (found on google, pics were forbidden in the Museum).
The Beach.
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