Escape To Thekkady, Kerala

Periyar Reserve, Spice Gardens, and Lake Safaris make Thekkady the ultimate Kerala escape, which can easily be combined with nearby Vagamon for a complete regional itinerary. 

This beautiful detour was an addition to our Vagamon weekend trip. Because our visit to the Periyar lake safari was unplanned, we had to wait in line for spot tickets and could only secure seats for the afternoon cruise. Yet, every journey holds its own unique charm, and this impromptu drive to Thekkady was no exception. 

Leaving behind the misty meadows of Vagamon, a scenic 1.5-hour drive covering roughly 45 kilometres via Elappara and Kuttikkanam took us down a winding, roller-coaster road framed by lush green streams and rolling tea estates. Nestled in the stunning Cardamom Hills, this area perfectly blends wild nature with agricultural beauty, where local spice plantations sit right next to the deep, protected Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.

To reach the safari itself, visitors must leave their private vehicles at the Anavachal Parking Area and board the mandatory forest department shuttle buses. These eco-buses transport you directly through the protected forest zone to the boat landing and back. 

The highlight of this travel circuit is the 1.5-hour boat safari on Periyar Lake. This sprawling 26-square-kilometre artificial reservoir was formed in 1895 after British engineer John Pennycuick constructed the Mullaperiyar Dam across the Periyar River to divert water to drought-prone regions. This historic project submerged a dense river valley, leaving behind the iconic dead tree trunks that still poke above the water's surface today and transforming the man-made lake into the vital heart of a thriving forest ecosystem.

Cruising these waters gives us a front-row seat to wildlife gathering at the shoreline, making it highly likely to spot herds of wild elephants, sambar deer, gaur (Indian bison), wild boars, and smooth-coated otters. The lake is also a haven for vibrant birdlife like darters, egrets, and kingfishers resting on the submerged trees. 

To experience this smoothly, my advice to travellers is to plan a comprehensive itinerary, touring aromatic cardamom and pepper plantations and watching traditional Kalaripayattu martial arts in the evening. 

The park schedules five daily boat departures at 7:30 AM, 9:30 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:45 PM, and 3:30 PM, with the 7:30 AM morning slot being the absolute best for spotting animals in the crisp air. Because seats sell out rapidly, booking tickets well in advance online via the Periyar Tiger Reserve official website or the KTDC platform is highly recommended, costing around ₹150–₹255 for adults plus separate sanctuary entry and shuttle bus fees. 

The Chariot of the Sun, Konark, Odisha

Our visit to the Konark Sun Temple was part of a wedding trip to Odisha, and our tight itinerary could only squeeze in a few hours at this magnificent monument. 

Yet, the moment we approached it, we were met with an unparalleled visual treat. The entire structure is sculpted from Khondalite and Chlorite stones that beautifully shift colors in the changing sunlight, turning from a dusty golden amber in the afternoon to a deep, dramatic bronze at twilight.

This sensory masterpiece is a class apart of 13th-century engineering. Built around 1250 CE by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty, the temple was erected to celebrate his military victories and assert his right to rule. Today, every square inch of the temple walls reads like a piece of "poetry in stone," featuring remarkabe carvings of celestial dancers, royal hunting processions, mythical beasts, and uninhibited erotic art.

The Sun temple structured like a chariot, is most famous for the brilliant harmony of art and astronomy. Its seven rearing stone horses symbolize the days of the week, while its twenty-four monumental wheels act as precise astronomical sundials that also represent the twelve months and signs of the zodiac. 

Historically dubbed the "Black Pagoda" by European sailors, the temple’s massive two-hundred-foot main tower collapsed over the centuries due to shifting coastal sands, severe cyclonic storms, and the loss of a mythical central magnet that legends say held its iron beams in perfect balance. Following sixteenth-century military raids and subsequent abandonment, the structure fell into dereliction. To prevent the complete collapse of the surviving assembly hall (Jagamohana), British engineers stepped in and filled its interior entirely with sand in 1901.

Beyond the shifting sands, a haunting local folklore hangs over this monument—the legend of Dharmapada. 

It is said that 1,200 artisans labored for twelve years but could not fix the temple’s heavy crown stone (kalash). Facing execution by the king if they failed, the chief architect’s twelve-year-old son, a prodigy named Dharmapada, secretly climbed to the peak under the cover of night and solved the structural puzzle. Yet, to protect the craftsmen from the king's wrath and ridicule, the young boy leaped from the temple's summit into the river below, trading his life for their glory. Locals whisper that the main tower ultimately fell because it was built upon the tragic tears of Dharmapada's sacrifice.

Today, this long-sealed monument is undergoing an extraordinary revival. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has commenced a delicate project to extract the century-old sand using non-vibrating mechanical tools and robotic trolleys. By safely relieving the immense internal pressure and installing a hidden steel framework, scientists hope to prevent an internal cave-in. Through this high-risk mission, archaeologists aim to protect the surviving architecture, discover hidden 13th-century panels, and finally decipher the exact physical causes behind the tragic fall of Konark’s grand tower.

As twilight faded and the first evening lights began to glow against the stone, the grand silhouette of the temple left a timeless impression. In its quiet majesty, Konark stands as a connect between the terrestrial and the cosmic—a stone chariot frozen in place, yet carrying the eternal spirit of ancient India forever forward into the light.

Belur & Halebidu, Karnataka

Our trip in March took us west toward Karnataka. Our destination was of newly crowned UNESCO World Heritage Sites known as the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysala.

To truly appreciate these monuments, one must understand the fierce political and spiritual landscape of medieval South India. History says, a hill chief named Sala founded the Hoysala dynasty around 1060 CE in the Western Ghats. For decades, the Hoysalas lived as vassals to the Western Chalukya Empire. But everything changed when King Vishnuvardhana, a brilliant military strategist broke the shackles of subjugation by winning a legendary victory over the mighty Chola Empire at Talakad in 1116 AD. To permanently etch this triumph, Vishnuvardhana shifted the empire's focus from bloody warfare to mind-boggling artistic expression, commissioning the legendary Chennakeshava Temple. This kicked off a golden era where 12th-century artists treated dense grey soapstone not as rigid rock, but as soft, yielding wax.

Our journey began in Belur, sitting peacefully on the banks of the Yagachi River, where the star-shaped Chennakeshava Temple rises as a breathtaking tribute to Lord Vishnu. Stepping onto the wide stone courtyard instantly draws us into a maze of unbelievable detail. The 42 celestial dancers, or Madanikas, adorning the outer eaves, showcase precision. From a damsel admiring her reflection in a mirror to a panicked dancer shaking a lizard off her clothes, the craftsmanship is detailed enough to reveal individual stone beads, delicate fingernails, and entirely hollowed-out jewelry.

Chief among these is the famous Gravity Pillar, a massive stone column engineered to stand entirely on its own weight—so precisely balanced that guides can slide a thin piece of paper completely underneath it. Nearby stands the mesmerizing Narasimha Pillar. This intricately carved marvel once rotated freely on ball bearings, and it remains so densely blanketed in miniature deities that visitors practically need a magnifying glass to fully appreciate its microscopic grandeur. 

Next, a short drive through the rustic countryside bring us to Halebidu, the magnificent former capital once known as Dorasamudra. Here, the Hoysaleswara Temple stands as a massive, twin-shrined Shiva temple that feels less like a building and more like an endless, open-air art gallery. Even though past invasions left it roofless, the sheer structural genius on display takes your breath away. Walking along the base of the outer walls, we are flanked by an unbroken band of carvings stretching for hundreds of metres, featuring over 2,000 uniquely detailed elephants symbolizing strength, alongside lions for courage and horses. 

Guarding the entrances are two colossal, highly polished Nandi bulls, carved from single blocks of stone so perfectly burnished that they reflect light like smooth black glass. Just a short walk away, inside a walled complex holding three beautifully preserved Jain basadis (temples) and a hidden, geometric stepped well whose stone stairs sink elegantly into the earth.

Walking among these monuments makes us realize that the Hoysala masters did not just build places of worship; they left behind an interactive library of ancient life, fashion, engineering, and storytelling. It becomes profoundly clear that empires inevitably may crumble, dynasties fall, and rulers fade into the pages of textbooks, true art—trapped in grey soapstone nearly nine hundred years ago, still speak vividly to anyone willing to stop and listen.

Our long-time wishlist to visit this land of the Hoysalas finally got ticked off. It's truly a journey that bridges the gap between raw history and breathtaking art. The stones of the Hoysalas tells us a story that will be etched in our memories forever...

Sojourning the shores of Mahabalipuram, Tamilnadu

If you want to get immersed in vast stone boulders telling ancient stories through sculptures and carved caves, a visit to Mahabalipuram is a must.

A scenic 1.5 to 2-hour drive south of Chennai lies Mahabalipuram, a coastal town, home to some of India's most spectacular 7th-century UNESCO World Heritage monuments. From gravity-defying boulders, to intricate open-air canvases, these structural wonders showcase the pinnacle of Pallava artistry.

Whether you are an architecture enthusiast or a curious traveler, these four iconic sites deserve a prime spot on your travel bucket list.

1. Arjuna's Penance: 

Imagine a massive storytelling canvas carved across two giant granite boulders. Arjuna's Penance is an open-air relief that features over 100 intricately detailed sculptures of gods, sages, and remarkably realistic, life-sized elephants.

What makes this masterpiece truly legendary is its clever ancient engineering. The Pallava sculptors utilized a natural cleft between the rocks to channel water during heavy rains. This brilliant design perfectly mimics the mythical "Descent of the Ganga" river from the heavens, creating a living, piece of art.

2. Pancha Rathas: 

The Pancha Rathas represent an architectural laboratory from the Pallava reign. Instead of building from the ground up, ancient sculptors carved five distinct temple models out of a single, sloping pink granite hillside.

As you walk through the complex, you will see a fascinating experimentation with roof styles, floor plans, and elevations. It was this exact site that ultimately went on to define the classical Dravidian architecture. While the structures are popularly named after the epic Pandavas  from the Mahabharata, they actually hold no historical link to the characters.

3. Krishna’s Butterball:

No trip to this coastal town is complete without stopping by Krishna’s Butterball, a massive 250-tonne natural granite boulder that seems to completely defy the laws of physics.

Balancing precariously on a steep, smooth rock slope, this giant boulder has remained completely unmoved for centuries, surviving earthquakes, storms, and human attempts to slide it down. Today, it stands as the town’s most popular photo spot, where visitors love posing as if they are holding up the giant stone.

4. The Shore Temple: 

Perched right on the edge of the roaring ocean, The Shore Temple is a testament to timeless endurance. For over a millennium, this striking stone temple has stood its ground against the ocean’s salty fury and relentless erosion.

It captures pure magic at the break of dawn and turns profoundly mystical when darkness falls over the Bay of Bengal.

Know Before You Go

* Timings: All monuments are open daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.The Shore Temple stays open till 9.00PM

* Tickets: A single, combined entry ticket covers all major monuments. It costs roughly ₹40 for Indian citizens and ₹600 for foreign nationals.

* Vehicle parking: There is ample free and paid parking spaces available near all monument locations.

The Misty Lake

As we strolled on the path so neat,

With puddles splashing at our feet,

Overlooking the lake open wide,

Where tiny waves danced side by side.

We sat to watch the waters change,

From blue to grey, nature so strange!

The skies darkened with a frown,

And the clouds played around the town.

As mist moves in and softly spins,

Through drizzling rain, breeze begins..

Fading the scene in gloomy white,

Like sleepy toys tucked in for the night.

Winds on trees rustle through air,

To chase the mist and stir my hair.

As we bid adieu, the shadows grow,

We leave the lake for home's warm glow... 

Jagannath Temple, Puri, Orissa

A wedding in Bhubaneswar last year,  made our long awaited trip to the Jagannath temple, Puri, possible. 

The Jagannath Temple at Puri, Odisha, is a Hindu pilgrimage site and one of the Char Dham. This temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath (Vishnu), and his siblings Balabhadra and Subhadra. 

Unlike most Hindu shrines that use stone or metal, the idols of the Gods are made of neem wood. These idols are  replaced every 12 to 19 years through a ceremony, Nabakalebara.

The story of Jagannath 

According to legends, the first Jagannath temple was commissioned by King Indradyumna. The king upon hearing the powers of the deity,  Lord Neela Madhaba sent a priest, Vidyapati, to locate the deity, which was worshipped secretly in a cave by the sarvar tribals. Vidyapati marked his way back from the cave and led King Indradyumna, to the place. But to their surprise the idol could not be found. The king took a fast at Mount Neela till a celestial voice guided him to build a temple. 

He constructed a temple for Lord Vishnu and following the divine vision, created the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra, and Sudarshan chakra from sacred wood. 

It is believed Sage Narada was directed to bring the Divine Log of wood to the altar. Shri Visvakarma, disguised as a carpenter, came forward to carve the idols. He asked for 21 days to complete the job and not to be distributed. On the 14th day the anxious queen urged the king to open the door. At the altar stood the unfinished idols and the carpenter had vanished. A divine voice directed King Indradyumana to install the unfinished idols, at the temple near the Kalpabata tree. 

The Jagannath Temple at Puri, was built during the 12th century, and is a masterpiece of Kalinga architecture. It features a 65-meter tall curvilinear spire (Rekha Deula) and a massive complex spanning over 400,000 square feet. The structure consists of four main, interconnected halls—Vimana (sanctum), Jagamohan (porch), Natamandapa (dance hall), and Bhoga Mandapa (offering hall)—surrounded by high fortified walls, the Meghanada Pacheri. 

Sri Panduranga Temple, Tamilnadu 

The Thennangur Panduranga Temple in Tamil Nadu is modeled after the Puri Jagannath Temple in Odisha, featuring similar Kalinga-style architecture.The entrances of the temple are of gopurams (south Indian style) and the main shrine is that of the Puri Jagannath Temple.

 It features a 120-foot tall tower adorned with a gold kalasam, Sudarshana Chakra, and a saffron flag. The main idol, brought from Pandharpur by Swami Haridas Giri 500 years ago, depicts Lord Panduranga at 11 feet and his consort Rukmayee at 8.5 feet. This temple also includes rare idols, such as Achyutaraja Perumal, and a 16-pillared Maha-Mandap which is used for weddings and cultural activities during festivals.

 

City of Dawn, Auroville, Tamilnadu

 Auroville, near Pondicherry, is a unique experimental township founded in 1968 by The Mother( Mirra Alfassa) based on the vision of her guru Sri Aurobindo. It is a unique international cultural community focused on realizing human unity in diversity and transforming consciousness. The city, designed by Roger Anger a French architect, is organized into four zones (Residential, Cultural, International, and Industrial) with the Matrimandir at the centre. 

During our recent trip to Pondicherry we took a guided tour within the sprawling 4500 acre Auroville. The tour highlighted the diverse aspects, including its residential communities, cultural and educational centers, and industrial units. The township is focused on sustainable practices - having an independent internet station, waste to fertilizer units, solar towers, water tanks using rainwater and borewells, farms, bakery and dairy farm for their daily use and even a brick manufacturing unit used for their constructions.

A residential house 

The Residential Zone is designed for living, rejuvenation, and fostering community life. It features various residential communities with apartments and individual houses. This zone is home to around 4,000 permanent residents from 59 countries as of today. The interesting fact is there's no cash transaction within and each resident is given an aura card loaded with an equal amount to be spent monthly. The buildings utilize locally made bricks and have incorporated solar panels.

Solar kitchen 

Essential services like the Solar Kitchen- a community kitchen which serves lunch, Pour Tous Distribution - a distribution unit which supplies food products and ready to eat meals on pay what you can basis, the Santé Institute - a healthcare center, Mahalakshmi Senior's Home, and the main library are located here for the benifit of the residents.

Healthcare center 

Cultural Zone: includes educational institutions like Future School- high school with IB curriculum, Transition School - primary & middle school, the Youth Center and Sports grounds. This zone also features the well known Kalabhumi music studio which is a music rehearsal space with amphitheatre and has an array of instruments where Aurovillians practice, teach and collaborate.

Products of Auroville

The key buildings in Auroville's International Zone are Bharat Nivas, Savitri Bhavan, and the Unity Pavilion, which are all important centers for cultural exchange, education, and events.  Bharat Nivas houses the Kalakendra Art Exhibition Hall and Sri Aurobindo Auditorium, while Savitri Bhavan - serves as a hub for studying Sri Aurobindo's teachings. The Unity Pavilion is notable for its Peace tables where meditation to inculcate the  importance of peace is conducted around this table on a weekly basis.

The Industrial Zone includes the Auroville Earth Institute - an organisation promoting earth technology for low cost, low energy buildings. The Center for Scientific Research (CSR)- an international voluntary organisation working towards renewable energy and a number of small-scale manufacturing units such as Shraddhanjali, which manufactures artistic utility items, and Colours of Nature – a natural fabric dyeing unit. 

Spirulina production unit

Our tour guide halted at the spirulina production unit where the volunteers served a refreshing drink of its paste and highlighted the importance of this superfood. 

The drink served 

The one-hour tour in the minivan was brief to absorb the expanse of this self sustaining land but the insight into Mother's futuristic vision left us awe-inspiring.

Senior's home

Distribution unit

Note - Auroville township has received endorsements from UNESCO through resolutions passed in 1966, 1968, 1970, and 1983. Since 1980, the Ministry of Education oversees the township, which is governed by the Auroville Foundation Act of 1988 passed by the Indian Parliament. This act formalized the foundation's structure and aims to facilitate Auroville's development in accordance with its founding charter. 

Mysuru Palace, Karnataka

The Mysuru Palace is a symbol of the resilience of Mysuru's people and it's rulers. This monument, has faced numerous challenges throughout its history. The current structure, is the fourth palace on the site, built as recent as 1912, after a fire that razed it in 1897.

Its origins trace back to the 14th century. The Wodeyar family built it as a wooden fortress and later expanded it in1638.  Following political instability  in 1704, the palace fell into neglect and in 1793, Tipu Sultan demolished it.

After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799, the crowned young prince, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III,  commissioned a new palace in 1803. This was later destroyed by fire during the princess's wedding in 1897. Queen Regent Kempananjammanni Vanivilasa Sanndihana hired a British architect Henry Irwin to design a new palace, which was completed in 1912, at a cost of Rs. 41,47,913 which we see today 

Mysuru Palace, is an example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It honors the legacy of Mysuru and the Wodeyars, similar to the significant Mughal and colonial buildings of yesteryears. 

This three-storied palace features square towers with domes, an ornate Durbar Hall, and a Kalyana Mandapam with stained glass ceiling. 

Notable treasures include intricately carved doors, a golden howdah, and a jewel-encrusted throne which are displayed only during Dasara. The palace complex also houses a Residential Museum, temples, and shrines. During normal visiting days most of the exhibits are closed.

The main attraction of the palace is however the illumination with 97,000 electric bulbs. This stunning view can be glimpsed for few minutes after the light and sound show, public holidays, and for a longer duration, during Dasara celebrations. 

The entry to this palace is as - Adults - 120/, children -70/, foreign nationals -1000/

The palace is open all days from 10.00am to 5.30pm 

Shravanabelagola, Karnataka

 

Shravanabelagola, is located about 150 km from Bangalore, Karnataka and has  been a significant center for Jain art, architecture, religion, and culture for over two thousand years. The town became prominent when Bhagawan Bhadrabahu, a key Jain Acharya, arrived from Ujjain with his disciples. Influenced by him, emperor Chandragupta Maurya settled in this area and passed his kingdom to his son to rule.

A notable landmark in Shravanabelagola is the 18-meter tall monolithic statue of Lord Gomateshwara, a revered Jain saint. It is situated atop Vidyangiri hill and is recognized as one of the tallest and most graceful monolithic statues in the world.   The statue is carved out of a single piece of granite and stands at 57 feet. It is regarded as one of the largest free-standing statues in the world. It symbolizes the Jains ideolgy of peace, non-violence, and renunciation. 

History of Lord Gomateshwara (Bahubali) 

Bahubali, the son of the first Jain Teerthankara, Lord Adinatha, fought his brother Bharatha for the throne in a duel that tested various skills. Although he won, Bahubali was disillusioned by the pursuit of material wealth and chose to renounce his kingdom and worldly pleasures. He entered in a deep meditation, embodying spiritual tranquility.  Bahubali meditated motionlessly in a standing position for a year, during which plants grew along his legs. After this period, he attained Kevala Gyana and became a respected figure among the Jain community.

In 981 AD, Chavundaraya, the prime minister of the Ganga Kingdom, commissioned a statue of Bahubali in this meditative pose. 

Nearby on Chandragiri, houses memorials and basadis of various other Jaina sramanas or monks who meditated and lived here, including the last Rashtrakuta king, Manyakheta.

Mahamastakabhisheka is a significant event held every twelve years at Shravanabelagola, where the statue of Bahubali is anointed with various substances, including water, turmeric, and gold flowers. This event draws thousands of tourists and pilgrims, with the next celebration planned for 2030.