Thillai
Nataraja Temple is one of the architecture marvels situated in Chidambaram in
Tamil Nadu. Each pillar you see here has a different story to say.... Such
detailed inscriptions! The temple is still maintained and looks neat and clean.
Even though the heat wave has started in Tamil Nadu (we visited this place on
March 11{me and my friend, Aswathy}) if you are inside this temple, you feel
cool and relaxed. We visited the temple a day before Shiv-Ratri. So poojas were
being conducted by the local people as well as the foreigners! We went around
the temple and sat there for sometime enjoying the beauty of the place. Each
and every part of the temple has its own inscriptions and meaning for it.
Pichavaram
is just 25 mins away from Chidambaram We went to Chidambaram bus stand and took
a bus to Pichavaram. Direct buses from Pondicherry are available to reach
Chidambaram. You can also hire a vehicle from Pondy (Car, Bike etc) to access
these places.
The bus
journey was amazing. You should cross few villages and fields to reach
Pichavaram. The villages reminded me of our trip to Uttar Kannada District of
Hangal (Village exposure Programme which was a compulsory one to finish our PG
Course!) The fields and greenery made me nostalgic and reminded me of Kerala,
especially Aleppey (Kuttanad)
Pichavaram Mangrove
Forest can be accessed only through boat rides You can choose either row boat
or motor – boat We chose row-boat as we were only two people and the driver
promised us to take us to “the unexplored area”( Little more inside the forest)
if we paid him extra! We wore the “Life Jackets” and got inside the boat.
Thanks to the online reviews, we had our hats and sunscreen which saved our day!!!YAY……
We took out our phones (as we don’t have any other camera) and started clicking
pictures. We even clicked our selfies.
We were travelling to the open
mangroves, as the ‘boat rower’ told us {LOL….. Pardon my language…Boat Rower…..}
He mentioned that motor boats can only take us to the closed mangrove forests
and they won’t be able to travel to the interior most parts as the motor would
suffer damage if it hits the roots of the mangroves. Another set of people
rowed ahead of our boat in which the kids were too curious that they were
asking questions to their dad about mangroves. I realized that the kids of this
generation are sharper and smarter than we were. Thanks to the technology.
Technology is also a villain in their life reducing their physical activities
and opportunities for outdoor games unlike our childhood!
Sorry for
deviating from the topic…. I am amost done...
We explored
the mangrove forest and returned back within an hour. We relaxed for a while
and returned back to Chidambaram and then to Pondy!
Sweet
memories were created and added to our ‘book of life’ in which this visit will
be a ‘small topic’ under the ‘Chapter’ of our life in Pondy. I will keep
updating as I explore new places!
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