Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort, Tamil Nadu, India: Ending Where It Began

I crossed the street, unfazed by what was becoming a familiar scene of bedlam: Tuktuks hurtling from all directions, sidewalks hosting a welter of portable stalls, cows strolling alongside pedestrians, merchants coming up with the most imaginative ways to lure tourists to their shops, and locals that gape at us until we're out of their sight or follow us around until their interest wanes.

The hubby on the other hand was still in his wary state of mind.

Oh, you know, the usual grandeur of India.
  Fort atop an ancient rock. Like, billions of years ancient.  

We had just returned to Tiruchirapalli the day prior, where our six-day India jaunt began. Quite weary from the constant move around the state of Tamil Nadu and templed-out to the bone. Remarkably, we managed to follow the rough itinerary I constructed for that day without engaging in a debate. My hunch was because hubby saw only one temple on the list.

Or maybe because India was feeding us well.

After a perfunctory stop at Trichy's clock tower and a surprisingly interesting visit to Our Lady Of Lourdes Church, we were finally making our way to the site I was most excited to see. Tiruchirapalli's Rock Fort.

Approaching the peak.    Uneven steps carved out of the rock.   

The fort lords over the town at more than eighty meters high. Within the fort complex is a temple complex, with temples constructed in various periods (two of which, I believe, are dedicated to Lord Ganesha) since 580 AD. Reason why it is flocked by local pilgrims day in, day out. The Rock Fort is every bit imposing — well, except for its seemingly discreet entrance, concealed by a slew of souvenir shops. If not for the map we took photo of, we would have lost our way. Admission two years ago was only 3 rupees, camera fee 20 rupees. 

We removed our shoes before getting in the main entrance.

Although the height sounds intimidating, we reached the top in less than twenty minutes with our leisurely pace. I was hassled more than a couple times by women who questioned (in sign language) my preference of wearing an anklet around just one ankle. We never found out what the fuss was about.

Could they be waiting for the sunset too?

Thank you, India.

I briefly sat on a spot away from prying eyes. Even away from the hubby who looked fixated at something in the distance. For a few minutes I watched devotees climb up the stone steps. I watched them gasp and grin. I watched them enter and exit Ucchi Pillayar Temple. There was an organized chaos that I could not understand, kinda like how I could not understand how Vietnam's traffic disorder can be read by its people.

If you've been to India, you know what I mean. And it's uniquely beautiful.

I let the wind blow my silent, bitter farewell. And I asked forgiveness to no one in particular for the misjudgement and ignorance I had once upon a time towards a country that — cliche ahead — changed my life. Okay... So maybe that apology was for myself.

Thank You, India Series:

Thanjavur, India: Brihadisvara Temple (Brihadeeswara Temple)

St. Mary's Cathedral, Madurai, India: That Eve We Lost An iPhone
Madurai, India: Gandhi Museum And Its Resident Dinosaur (I Kid You Not!)
Madurai, India: Thirumalai Nayak Palace
Madurai, India: Meenakshi Amman Temple
Aboard India's Modes of Transport
Arrival Turned Fans Day
Thank You, India
How To Apply For An India Tourist Visa In The Philippines


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Thanjavur, India: Brihadisvara Temple (Brihadeeswara Temple)

Under the fiery Tamil sun, hubby and I trampled on Thanjavur's dusty streets. To which direction, we were quite unsure, yet we rambled on. Minutes ago, we just hopped off a bus that traveled from Tiruchirappalli. As I looked up and down what appeared like a major road, the lack of foreign tourists and absence of the infamous Indian gridlock made me wonder, "Is this worth the trip?".


It was February, two years ago. Summer was off to an early start in the state of Tamil Nadu. The pavement beneath our soles was ablaze, each step we took was such chore. Funny how templed out we were when prior that day we had only seen one since we arrived in the country. That's India's hard-to-handle intensity for you.


From a distance, we caught sight of Brihadisvara Temple's fortified walls. That worn out map could be trusted after all. Unlike Madurai's Meenakshi Amman Temple, this one's far from multihued. Its shades mainly played with a palette of browns. A characteristic that made me fall for it.


This temple dedicated to Shiva is one of the Great Living Chola Temples (a collective of Hindu temples in south India) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At about a thousand years old, it's looking mighty preserved. From the structures to some of its frescoes.


Brihadisvara Temple or Brihadeeswara Temple is also known as "Big Temple", named so for an obvious reason. Its complex is so massive that it will prolly take you a couple of hours or more to take everything in. Best appreciated when you visit with a knowledgeable guide to point out all the awesomeness of Dravidian architecture.


Since we came by ourselves, we wandered clueless and aimless. Occasionally tailed a few tour groups with the letter L on our foreheads. Because we lacked objective and purpose, I had random realizations like... My bare feet could amazingly tolerate the sizzling floor. And that the grassy area on the temple grounds is a popular hang out for young Indian couples. Also, for the nth time that trip, I longed to touch our then five month-old Luna who we left in the Philippines.


And well, I spent the rest of the arvo stalking (and sometimes cuddling) cute Indian tots who stray away from their parents. An activity cut short when we decided to see nearby Thanjavur Maratha Palace, which by the way failed to entertain us like Brihadisvara Temple did.
 

Thank You, India Series:

St. Mary's Cathedral, Madurai, India: That Eve We Lost An iPhone
Madurai, India: Gandhi Museum And Its Resident Dinosaur (I Kid You Not!)
Madurai, India: Thirumalai Nayak Palace
Madurai, India: Meenakshi Amman Temple
Aboard India's Modes of Transport
Arrival Turned Fans Day
Thank You, India
How To Apply For An India Tourist Visa In The Philippines


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Madurai, India: Gandhi Museum And Its Resident Dinosaur (I kid you not)

"Four kilometers, is it? Let's walk.", I was being stubborn. And well, the hubby was being cheap as usual. It was February last year. We just hopped off a bus we took from Vandiyur Mariamman Thepakkulam, one of the largest temple tanks in south India (Yes folks, they build temples on artificial islands in the middle of water tanks in India!). Had I not recognized the street, I would've doubted what the bus driver's head bobble meant (Which should generally mean "I hear yah" or "right on" but sometimes used to say "I don't understand but I'm saying yes".)

Gandhi Memorial Museum, housed in Tamukkam Palace.
I was wilting in the heat, yet I led the way. I thought, four kilometers can't be gruesome cause yah know, three kilometers is the usual lap used for fun runs. Look, I ain't a runner so I just assumed that four kilometers is a wee bit less "fun". Such assumption made us ignore the rickshaw driver who offered 60 INR for a ride to our next destination, Gandhi Memorial Museum. He followed us for a good half hour (A round of applause for his patience.) and for every hundred meters, his price dropped: 55, 50, 45...

Bridge over bustling river.
40 INR was his last price. He got off our backs when we crossed a bridge. A long, long bridge. No idea how long, but let me tell you, we finally hailed a tuktuk when we reached the other side. We were clueless as to where we should head next anyways, plus we were worried that the museum might close soon. The cost of tuktuk ride, 40 INR. I know, we should have just hired the rickshaw instead. Less carbon emission.

Pardon me if I had too much fun. This is sooo 1954 Godzilla. Uhm, out to get them religious relics.
As the tuktuk pulled in the museum's driveway, a dinosaur came into view. I chortled, choked, and coughed at the same time (I found out it's humanly possible.). Beside Gandhi Memorial Museum? Really? Then it made sense when I read a sign, Government Museum Madurai. Alongside other smaller signs Archaeology, Anthropology, Numismatics, Zoology and Folk Art. The dinosaur may belong to the neighboring museum, but it looked like it's guarding Gandhi's.

These locals were more keen on taking photos of/with us than taking photos of artifacts. Remember Thirumalai Nayak Palace?
Though Godzilla immensely sparked our curiosity, we chose to carry on with our Gandhi Memorial Museum visit. The museum is housed in Tamukkam Palace, former summer palace of queen regent Rani Mangammal from the ol' Madurai Nayak kingdom. The palace itself is well maintained, and it's free admission. The artifacts however, could use a more fabulous presentation (But hey, that's just me.). Visitors should come prepared for some heavy reading. All those text boxes could easily burn a couple of hours. Throw in a few more minutes for that emo moment when you view Gandhi's blood-stained clothes and famous round specs.

Garment worn by Gandhi when he was assassinated.
It could be a bit of an anti-climax if you've been to the more engaging temple tours earlier in the morn, but I reckon it's still worth the visit. Especially if you feel like doing something less tiresome after getting lost heaps of times in the maze-like passages of Meenakshi Amman Temple. Besides, the narration of the British occupancy and the Indian independence movement from the Indians themselves is an interesting read.

Didn't expect I'll be up for a retro pictorial. Will someone pass me a pair of bell-bottoms?
We left the museum just before closing time. And because we weren't in a rush to get back to our Couchsurfer's house, we decided to walk all the way to the bus stop where we alighted earlier. We retraced the tuktuk's trail and our own footsteps. Back at the bridge, I faced an onslaught of Indian kids asking for a pen. Even though I didn't have one on me, they happily posed for a photo.

Little did we know that we were to stumble upon a magnificent pink cathedral later that evening... And lose an iPhone.


Thank You, India Series:

Madurai, India: Thirumalai Nayak Palace
Madurai, India: Meenakshi Amman Temple
Aboard India's Modes of Transport
Arrival Turned Fans Day
Thank You, India
How To Apply For An India Tourist Visa In The Philippines

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Madurai, India: Thirumalai Nayak Palace

"Kling kling dance! Kling kling dance!", an elderly Indian woman raised her hand brimming with silver jewelry into our sightline, referring to the anklets with bell charms that she was selling - a common (if not compulsory) ladies' accessory in India. I muffled my chuckle with a sarong and motioned for her to come closer.

I surveyed her merchandise while she buckled several varieties of kling kling dance around my ankles. Our travel buddies for that day, Couchsurfers Thea and Camilla from Denmark, refused to be embellished with silverware and merely watched my leg turn into a mobile mannequin right before their eyes.

Thirumalai Nayak Palace's courtyard, where regular performances are staged.
Though extremely cheap at 20 INR, I only bought a piece to stick to our budget for the day. It took a while to brush off the persistent peddler for she was pushing another anklet on a hard sell (I realized days after during our Tiruchirapalli Rock Fort visit that it is imperative to have on both ankles, which I'll explain on another post). She seemed upset, but pasted a red bindi on my forehead as a freebie before scurrying away.

Hubby and I followed the two Danes who led the way to Thirumalai Nayak Palace's ticket booth to pay for admission: Foreign adults 50 INR, still camera 30 INR. There was no queue, but we waited for about half an hour for the lone attendant who came from an unannounced, extended lunch break.

Freebie bindi, sitting on my sixth chakra.
The palace's gate opens out to its capacious courtyard that's utilized for light & sound shows and other performances. This was actually the only section our group was able to see due to time constraints. And well, because a foreign traveler's maundering within the palace grounds (or in any tourist site in India for that matter) is no walk in the park.

Unless you're a celebrity whose walk in the park usually involves being photographed by paparazzis. Ours surely don't.

Because more and more people squeezed in the frame, we ended up with an awkward group shot like this. And a gazillion others.
The mere presence of the Barbie-esque Dane sprung forth a commotion among the local men. Just as we entered the gates, we were photographed here and there. From a distance, and in our faces. We felt like stars who just walked onto the red carpet. I suppressed the urge to do a beauty queen wave, for no one will get the joke. And they'll probably wave back.

We managed to duck out for a few minutes behind the cloisters, where we finally had the chance to amble peacefully by ourselves. So peaceful that I heard the teeny-weeny chimes of my kling kling dance.

My stares of admiration resulted to a stiff neck.
Thirumalai Nayak Palace, constructed in 1636 AD, served as King Thirumalai Nayak's home. Obviously this ain't something you could call a humble abode. Fact is, the king intended it to be one of - if not the most grandiose palace in South India. I must say... Job well done, your highness. Same goes to you, anonymous Italian architect.

I shielded my eyes from the blinding sun's rays as I looked up the marvelously carved and painted ceilings. The intermingling of Islamic and Dravidian architecture produced such stellar progeny.

Locals whiling away the lazy afternoon at their fave, fantabulous hang out.
Just as we emerged from the cloisters, a fresh batch of curious local tourists surrounded us for snapshots. Unanimously, we were no longer game for it. We all scampered towards the exit and left them bobbling their heads in bewilderment and confusion.

Amidst the noise, my kling kling dance's bell charms echoed across the courtyard. That impressive lil thang.



Thank You, India Series:

Madurai, India: Meenakshi Amman Temple
Aboard India's Modes of Transport
Arrival Turned Fans Day
Thank You, India
How To Apply For An India Tourist Visa In The Philippines

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Random 11 of 2011

2011's a year of fulfilling dreams: Living in Baguio, visiting India, backpacking with my parents, flying our daughter overseas for the first time, and finally kicking off our round-the-world vagabonding. Each waking day, I am thankful that everything's falling into place and we never take this opportunity for granted. The hubby and I strive hard in keeping our online jobs so as to continue this unconventional nomadic lifestyle... Until we get tired of it.

There's really nothing more I could ask for right now. Okay, except pinakbet for Noche Buena.

I've been to five countries plus one SAR this year, and here are eleven random travel moments off the top of my head (because it's a gargantuan task to select which trips to categorize under "The Best Of"):

1. Mt. Cabuyao hike, Benguet. An easy, breezy day hike with my mounaineeresque friends. My first after giving birth four months prior.


2. Being part of SEAir's Winter Batanes Tour. It gave me the chance to not only revisit Batanes but also to meet a wacky bunch of bloggers: James, Izah, Leon, Mike, Bless, and Batanes maven Engr. Joseph Dy (thanks Engr. for this photo!).


3. Eating Indian food in India. One of my fave cuisines everrr.


4. I was sorta forced to attend the Panagbenga Festival. I actually thought it was just going to be some chaotic parade, but hey, it was beautifully chaotic.


5. Took my geologist sis-in-law (who lives in Australia) to Mt. Pinatubo. For her, it was a dream trek come true.


6. Entering Dambulla Cave Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site (that dates back to the 1st century BC) in Sri Lanka.


7. Brought the whole family to Macau. It was my parents' first time to travel overseas. Luna's too.


8. My application for a U.S.A. visa was unexpectedly approved. Luna and I tagged along the hubby's business trip in California (sponsored by the company). We managed to squeeze a few sightseeing jaunts, such as our accidental visit in San Simeon where we saw elephant seals in their natural habitat.


9. Spent my 31st birthday hiking at Greater Blue Mountains, Australia.


10. Flew back to California and stayed for a month for the hubby's work. We braved the winter cold in San Francisco for an Alcatraz tour.


11. Climbed up Piramide de la Luna with our little Luna in Teotihuacan, and watched Aztec dancers stomp along the Avenue of the Dead while the sun slowly dipped. Surreal. We'll be here in Mexico for Christmas and New Year's eve as well.



To describe 2011 as awesome, is such an understatement... I raise my jigger of mezcal to more adventures mi amigos. I am sooo ready for you 2012! Salud!

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Madurai, India: Meenakshi Amman Temple

Waking up to the smell of fresh bread whether it's just been pulled out of the oven or fished from a frying pan, is my ideal morning (it used to be garlic fried rice but I guess that's the effect of constant displacement on me). Pair that with the aroma of brewed tea with milk, and I'm in brekkie heaven.

Our nostrils were beckoned.

Shervin and I emerged from our room, cautious not to disturb anyone slumbering. We were couchsurfing at a Sudanese's home in Madurai (one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities). Bakri, our host, offered us his bedroom. He, and his friends who came over the eve before for a PlayStation all-nighter, slept in the living area.

Meenakshi Amman Temple complex, view from a nearby shop's rooftop.
Surprisingly, at half past seven in the morning, everyone was up. We walked to the kitchen where we heard a hushed chatter. The entire gang was there, including the two Danish couchsurfers Thea and Camilla who were occupying Bakri's housemate's bedroom. We sat on the floor and joined the getting-to-know-you conversation.

Sweet morning delight.
When Bakri finished working the stove, we all moved to the dining area and laid newspapers on the table to use as placemats. Us guests sat and excitedly waited for brekkie to be served. Our meal consisted of omelette with onions and a type of sweet Sudanese bread (pardon me Bakri if I keep forgetting the name) that's got a falafel texture, except it ain't made from fava beans nor chickpeas. Its texture also sorta resembles that of Lil Orbits Mini Donuts' (remember them?), except it's got the shape of an obese que-kiam. The whole bunch of bread was dusted with powdered sugar.

A backdrop depicting the old and the new.
Unmindful of the calorie and sucrose overload, all of us ate with much gusto (we needed heaps of energy anyway) while Bakri gave instructions on how to get to our destination via public transport. Soon after we finished our nth helping, we cleaned the table and grabbed our day packs. We headed to the bus station on foot, Bakri led the way.

Herds and herds of pilgrims pouring into the halls.
Thea and Camilla agreed to join us for a couple of tourist spots. We bid farewell to our gracious host as we hopped on the bus. Our ride took almost twenty minutes, and only cost us 7 INR. The conductor gestured us to alight at our stop.

Approaching the temple complex, we were swarmed by touts and self-appointed guides. We managed to get rid of them except one. We let the most persistent guy who promised a "very nice view of temple from rooftop" lure us to The Museum Company, a shop that sells local textiles, furniture and trinkets. We were well aware of such scam, but curiosity got the better of us.

A dry Porthamarai Kulam (pond with the golden lotus).
The view from the rooftop of the three-storey shop, actually, didn't disappoint. And the shopkeeper didn't have to bug us with his sales pitch because Thea bought a decor to hang on a Christmas tree (she's collecting Christmas tree ornaments from around the world). I too purchased a couple of cheap stuff, a paper mache jewelry box for my grandma and a wooden bookmark for Luna to use someday. The shopkeeper's mood immediately changed from indifferent to giddy. He let us leave our shoes in the shop, and he lent Shervin a sarong to wrap around his legs for he was wearing shorts.

A parade of multihued saris.
Out of the shop and into the complex we went. At the gates, men and women separately passed through the guards, sometimes frisked. Bags were inspected. Visitors with ciggies were reminded not to smoke inside. Everyone should be barefoot beyond this point.

Meenakshi Amman Temple is a 16th century architectural marvel. Its twelve gopurams (gateway towers) are carved with a gamut of gods, goddesses and heavenly bodies. All of which, colorfully painted. Inside the temple complex, you'll find yourself in a labyrinth of halls with different shrines.

Even a robotics engineer with a smidgen of spirituality asked for an elephant blessing. For uhm, 10 INR.
Everywhere we turned, there were devotees praying. Or taking photos of us with their mobile phones. Locals smiled a whole lot, and we smiled back at each one of them. We felt more exhausted smiling than strolling along the vast expanse of the temple grounds.

My spiritual conquest failed due to the fact that we were never left alone. And poor tall-blonde-and-beautiful (and I bet Ms. Photogenic) Thea had to pose every so often, as requested by her admirers. We only lasted for an hour inside the complex.

A young lady rockin' my sunnies, which she borrowed after we were photographed together.
We searched with great difficulty for the exit. And ironically, found peace outside the walls. We sat to collect ourselves. I heaved a sigh. That was just the first of the four sights we're visiting for the day.



Thank You, India Series:

Aboard India's Modes of Transport
Arrival Turned Fans Day
Thank You, India
How To Apply For An India Tourist Visa In The Philippines

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Tiruchirappalli To Madurai: Aboard India's Modes of Transport

It seemed barely roadworthy. Had I not lived in the Philippines I would have felt uncomfortable in that rusty, rickety bus. Shervin and I sat at the very front, the unsafest seat (think head-on collision), but the one that offers the same unobstructed view of the road as that of the driver's.

Through the window we waved farewell to Harrish and Harry, who waved back as they walked away, leaving us in the hands of the bus conductor whom they gave specific instructions to regarding our destination.

Bull on wheels. Our bus to Madurai, stationed at Trichy's Central Bus Stand,.
Such nice blokes those two. Earlier that afternoon, they picked us up from Tiruchirapalli Airport, where we met in person for the first time. Weeks prior that day, Shervin announced on his programming tutorial site about our trip in India. Though a lot of his student followers responded and offered to show us around, only Harrish and Harry actually did so because it happened to be uni exams week. We were happy nonetheless, to be welcomed by them upon arrival, rather than an overcharging cab driver.

We were warned that the ride (fare only 49 INR!) might take five hours instead of three because of terrible traffic and the gazillions of stops to pick up and drop off passengers. The trip was a bit anticlimactic, which worked out well for us since we've been traveling for 24 hours already (Philippines-Singapore-Malaysia-India).

The bus never became packed (there are heaps of buses servicing the Tiruchirappalli-Madurai route), no quirky mishaps to speak of, and the landscape parallel to the highway reminded me of the view from the Philippines' SCTEX. Nothing too uh-mazing. Well, except the occasional crossing of cows freely wandering.

After three hours and thirty minutes of uneventful ride, we parked at a major bus station where everyone disembarked. The conductor pointed to the ground and said "Madurai". Had he not mentioned the place I would have thought he was referring to his shoes.

First of only two tuktuk rides during our 6-day Tamil Nadu trip.
We bobbled our heads in understanding and stepped off the bus, relieved that we got to our destination earlier than expected. Though we had the complete address of our Couchsurfing host, we didn't have any idea on how to get there. I gave the address to the taxi driver who approached us. He slightly bobbled his head (which seemed like a half-yes, half-heck-I-don't-know-but-come-with-me-anyway) and led us to his tuktuk. Because I doubted his bleary response, I asked if there's a public phone anywhere nearby. He offered his mobile.

I called Bakri our host, and let him talk to our driver for directions. After they hung up, our driver looked more confident and turned overly jolly. We weaved through rush hour traffic disregarding pedestrians and red lights for about twenty minutes and screeched to a halt in front of a 'checkpoint'. The guardhouse made us realize that we've just entered a residential village.

The driver redialed our host's number, perhaps to say that we're already there. In just five minutes a guy on a scooter arrived. It was a friend of Bakri's. He said he went to the train station to pick up two more Couchsurfers who will be staying at their house that night.

Our tuktuk followed the scooter to the house. We paid the driver 200 INR plus a 20 INR tip as we got off. When we entered the house, we were greeted by a bunch of people playing video games. Not one is Indian. I was disconcerted. Definitely not disappointed but it made me think that I must have missed a few info on our host's profile page. They're all Africans and they were speaking Arabic (I recognized so because I used to work in the Middle East). My first guess was that our hosts could be from Sudan... and eventually I proved myself correct.

"Great, I shouldn't have bought that shot glass as present." I thought.


Thank You, India Series:

Arrival Turned Fans Day
Thank You, India
How To Apply For An India Tourist Visa In The Philippines

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Snapshot Saturday: Boys On The Bridge

These Indian boys huddled with me for a photo while their mums on the balcony look on.
We walked about five kilometers, and were on our way to the bus stop from Gandhi Memorial Museum when a group of boys ran toward us asking for a pen. We replied we don't have any. Shervin and I didn't question what it's for and I asked for a photo with them instead.

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Arrival Turned Fans' Day

Tarlac-Angeles-Singapore-Kuala Lumpur-Tiruchirappalli-Madurai. Whew! Day and a half travel frenzy en route to our Couchsurfing host's house in India. A bit crazier than our 3 countries in one day experience.

It took 3 planes, 3 buses, 2 jeeps, 2 cabs, 1 minibus, 1 trike, 1 tuktuk, and 1 motorbike to take us there. Yes, we love punishing ourselves in the name of cheapskate backpacking. But I will not bore you with the details of our transit from the Philippines to Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. In fact, I want to start talking about India anyway because there's just so much to blabber about!

Tiruchirappalli Airport.
The flight to Tiruchirappalli from Kuala Lumpur takes about three and a half hours, similar to the flight from Clark Field to Kuala Lumpur. Out of all the passengers, there were only three of us foreign tourists: My hubby Shervin, me and a Caucasian hippie-ish guy. This demography made us feel like we were heading to the wrong destination.

Tiruchirappalli, also called (and more easily pronounced as) Trichy, is a city in the state of Tamil Nadu. I can still remember where I first encountered such tongue twisting name. Back in 2009 at the LCC Terminal in Kuala Lumpur (I believe KL-Trichy is Air Asia's first ever Malaysia-India route), waiting for some flight. Randomly read it on the departures board. We were on our South East Asia In Six Weeks trip then and I remember promising to myself that I shall go there one day.

That one day indeed happened. Except I didn't expect it to happen so soon. Except... I didn't expect it to be Shervin's meet and greet with two of his fans.

Now before we all snicker in unison, I'd like to share with you guys that he does robotics stuff and face recognition stuff (I use "stuff" a lot when describing his jobs because I so can't understand his, uhm, stuff). He's got free programming tutorials on his website too, very popular to university students. So when he announced on his site that he'll be visiting Trichy, he was bombarded with inquiries and invitations. Hence, I dubbed our trip "Shervin's India Promo/Autograph Signing Tour".

Hari, Shervin and Harrish (with matching mustaches).
Unfortunately, our arrival date was exams day. And mind you, Indian students are uber hardworking. Only two students agreed to take some time off reviewing and pick us up from the airport.

When we got out of the arrival area, we scoured the mosh pit of cab drivers offering rides. As we stepped away, a couple of guys awkwardly approached us. The students didn't scream nor cry nor faint nor dab a red dot on Shervin's forehead upon seeing him. They cautiously walked toward us, reading our faces, wondering if we are who we are.

I raised my hand for a subtle wave. They did the Indian nod or head bobble (which by the way I subconsciously did too the entire trip) as a response. We started chitchatting after successfully shooing the cab drivers as we strode to the street, off the airport grounds.

We crossed to the other side, alongside cows roaming freely and waited for a bus to central Trichy. We let two buses overflowing with passengers pass, and got on the third one which was semi-full.

It started to sink in, I was finally in India. I found myself smiling at everyone, who smiled back and didn't stare in a creepy way. My heart was filled with sheer ecstasy amid the hot bus ride. A lady stood from her seat and motioned me to take it. And by the way, the uni students paid for our fare. The hospitality we felt during our first few minutes in Trichy was overwhelming, contrary to what we foresaw.

The distance from the airport to Trichy bus stand (main bus terminal at city center) is about 5 kilometers. Because we got caught up in rush hour, even with a maniacal driver, it took us almost twenty minutes to get to our destination.

We thought it was best to head straight to Madurai, also known as Temple City, instead of staying for one night in Trichy. We chose to explore the latter on our last two days since we'll exit India via the same airport.

Our first (out of countless!) Barota/Parata and Dosa.
The bus to Madurai departs from the central bus stand too and the trip will take three to four hours. So we asked Hari and Harrish where we could grab a bite. They took us to Shri Sangeetas, just a few meters away from the bus stand. Upon their request, we were served barota/parata and dosa. I'll just describe them as very filling for now, because South India food deserves a separate post.

I let Shervin spend some err, quality time with his fans. I can imagine how thrilled they were meeting someone they idolize in flesh, and have a photo with him too! And how equally thrilled we were meeting genuinely kind strangers on day one... Which gave us the impression that India is indeed incredible!


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Thank You, India

"Thank you India
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity
Thank you, thank you silence."
- Thank U, Alanis Morissette

I now dig Alanis, and why she was singing nude in that music video. You'd have to experience India to find out yourself. When we left the country, I felt like I was born again.


Madurai's Thirumalai Nayak Palace
It seemed odd choosing Tamil Nadu over its more popular siblings like Uttar Pradesh (where Taj Mahal is), Goa and West Bengal. Thing is, Shervin and I planned this trip last year when I was still six months pregnant. We were contemplating then whether we'll take our baby with us or not. And so we researched on cities with the least malaria risk. Hence, we bought cheap tickets to India to its southern region.


Thanjavur's Brihadeeswarar Temple
We ended up not bringing Luna though. She's still fragile at five months, and she won't remember such trip anyway. We'd only be punishing ourselves and exposing her to several risks had we lugged her around.


Tiruchirappalli's Rock Fort.
Our six-day stint took us to three cities, and we wandered around these sites:

Madurai
1. Meenakshi Temple
2. Madurai's Thirumalai Nayak Palace
3. Mariamman Theppakulam
4. Gandhi Museum
5. St. Mary's Cathedral

Thanjavur
1. Brihadeeswarar Temple
2. Thanjavur Palace

Tiruchirappalli
1. Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple
2. Our Lady of Lourdes Church
3. Rock Fort

With the exception of Indonesia, our budget in India was much less than elsewhere in Asia. We only spent P2,590 ($60) each for accommodation, food, internet usage, and admission/camera fees for temples and museums. At such cost, it was even a splurge trip (because I'm a huge fan of their food and I adore Indian trinkets!).

Coming soon are stories about Shervin's fans day, Sudanese Couchsurfers, paparazzi moments, almost losing an iPhone and iPod, conversations with locals, and a lot more misadventures.


Trip's Nitty Gritty

1. We spent P10,928 each for 5 flights. Clark-SG, SG-KL, KL-Trichy, Trichy-KL, KL-Clark. Our tickets for KL-Trichy-KL-Clark were purchased during a zero ringgit Air Asia sale. But then we spent loads for Clark-SG-KL because we totally forgot we didn't have a flight to KL yet and ended up buying regular-priced tickets with Tiger Airways.

2. At the time of our travel, 1 Indian rupee is equivalent to .96 centavos.

3. Their electric sockets/plugs have three round prongs, adaptors can be bought for Rs 20 from a hardware store.

4. Budget accommodations are at Rs 400, midrange at Rs 700 and posh at Rs 1,200.

5. Most of the temples we visited don't ask for admission fee but they do charge for camera/videocam. Rs 30 each.

6. Vegetarian meals in small canteens are only Rs 30-50, Rs 60-80 if with meat like chicken or bits of mutton. Locals eat with their hands. You'll be given spoons, but hey... when in India, do what the Indians do. Bring hand soap though cause some canteens/restos don't have 'em.

Piping hot milk tea's Rs 5-13.

7. Internet's Rs 10 half hour, Rs 15-20 1 hour. Internet shops are also called "browsing centres".

8. Tamil Nadu is well networked by bus. Short distance rides are only Rs 3-4.50. During rush hour, be prepared for a sardine-packed/overflowing bus. At such time 2 conductors attend to passengers, one at the front and one at the rear.

Buses are numbered so don't worry about trying to reading Indian alphabets! You'll also find a lot of locals speaking English, it's very easy to go around.


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