Autos of TN - A part of my backacking trip to Rameshwaram.....

In extreme contrast to the auto driver in previous post "transformation of Gujarat" are the autos of Tamil Nadu. Chennai autos are notoriously famous for charging anything that comes to their mind, refusing to ply to destinations other than what they have in their mind, rigged meters etc. 

But this happened in a town, far from chennai. I was on my backpacking trip across South India and I took a train from Vaideeswaran Koil to Chidambaram. The train was scheduled to leave Vaideeswaran koil by 3:30 pm and reach Chidambaram by 4:15 pm. Now that gave me ample of time to take photos of Chidambaram. 

Reaching the vaideeswaran temple in torrential rains, I bought a ticket to cover the 20 odd kms. Thanks to the largess of the Indian railways, the ticket cost me 5 Rs. Sadly, the train arrived a good 1 hour and 20 mins late, though the start point was just 15 kms away (Mayuram / Mayiladuthirai). 

When I alighted at Chidambaram station, roughly 1.5 kms from the temple, I thought I should take an Auto to reach faster, as the time was almost 6. Can try to get some pics in sunlight, that was dying fast in the sudden rains, that just stopped minutes before my train chugged in. 

So I asked the auto driver how much it would be to chidambaram temple, and he casually replied 80 rs. I realised there is no point haggling with him, and hence told him politely, "Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather walk". 

He started pointing to the board kept outside the station stating police has mentioned the fares. I'm not sure in which place in India 1.5 kms is 80 bucks in an auto, that too in a small town. May be it was a cultural shock landing from Mumbai to TN. But I kept walking ignoring him, stating the same, that I'd rather walk. 

Now he starts following me asking, "How much will you pay?"

I didn't want to haggle or bargain and I decided to walk. So I told him the same and kept walking. Then came his arrogant cocky reply. 

"People who walk shouldn't ask for autos in the first place". 

I stood, looked back and asked him, whether that rule is written in the board which shows "exorbitantly looting fares". As a customer, I am free to ask. If I don't feel it is worth it, I move ahead. 

I kept walking and soon other auto drivers get around him and ask what the problem was. Our hero was complaining that I said I would rather walk. I didn't look back, but I continued walking. Soon an auto pulled up to me and stopped. A polite driver got down and spoke to me. 

"Sir, those thugs are like that. They have put up such rubbish boards and are looting unsuspecting passengers. They are spoiling the lively hood of genuine people like me. Please don't walk carrying your heavy backpack just because those morons spoke trash. I will take you. Just pay 50 rs.". 

I thanked him for his kind gesture and told him that I've decided to walk. Hardly 10 mins of walk. It is not about the money. It is about how you treat a visitor. We are a country that says Athiti devo bhava. And it is a lesson for me at a right time that I should perhaps just ignore and keep walking. He now started requesting me. 

"Sir. I deliberately fought with them stating that I will take you to the temple in my Auto. Now if you refuse, those guys will make fun of me while I go back. I was so sure that you'd come with me". 

I could only sympathise with him. I realised his predicament. And I had to explain him mine. "I moved away stating I will walk. I didn't haggle when he said 80. Now if I get in to your rickshaw for 50, won't I look like like a cheap person and won't they make fun of me? Beyond all this, there's a divine calling that I need to walk. I have been taking trains, buses since days and have walked most of the distance. Just another kilometer". 

He looks at me for one last time and says, "Sir, for me. I will drop you free.". 

I ask him back, "What is the name of the god in Chidambaram?"

Nadaraja, he replied. 

"Isn't it clear that he has already told me the same? Nada (walk) - Raja"? 

He understood. All he could say was sorry for the behaviour of the looting gang. I gathered pace and reached the temple complex in the next 5 mins.  When I stepped in, it was time to leave the rest of the world behind as I was greeted by a wonderful sight of Rudrabhisheka with milk for the Subramanya swami on the occassion of Kritigai that finally culminated in the Rudrabhisheka of the Spatika Lingam and the statue of Rudra, with a glorious darshan of the Chidambara Rahasiyam.... 

The transformation of Gujarat...

I'd been there earlier in 2000. So when I went there again after a gap of 13 years, I was surprised. How people behave at grass-root level would perhaps show how good or bad the place is. 

I firmly believe Yatha Raja, Tatha Praja. 

Here's our Auto driver for the day in Gujarat. My friend and I decided to be a bit adventurous and decided to take the Auto from Ellis Bridge to Adalaj Stepwell. 

We checked with the Auto driver who was outside our hotel the previous day and told him that we'd like to spend atleast a couple of hours there in Adalaj and asked him how much would he charge. He said he goes by the meter. 

We'd asked him to come by 10 am the next day.While we waited for 15 to 20 mins, thinking he hasn't reached, we thought of going out and checking out other autos. To our surprise,  he was there sharp by 10 am, but the hotel security guards apparently didn't let him get in as he couldn't recollect our hotel room number or the names. He was waiting outside for us. 

He suggested that he takes us to to a place called Baba Harir nu vav. 

Baba Harir Nu Vav is an amazing step-well in the heart of Amdavad. A hidden gem truly. While we went exploring those dark, bat filled stairwells, absoltely spell bound by the intricate carvings, our Auto driver sat there patiently, not hurrying up at all. 

Enroute to Adalaj from Harir nu vav

Post that we proceeded to Adalaj stepwell. Yet again an amazing place with intricate carvings! We offered to have lunch with our Auto Driver. He declined the same stating that he doesn't have lunch while driving as he feels sleepy. Hence we too decided to have a late lunch after reaching back Amdavad and settled for buttermilk. We bought him a pack of Amul Buttermilk. After a couple of hours of photoshoots, we decided to return back to Amdavad as our regular restaurant closes by 4. 

We reached our place by 3:30 pm having spent 5 hours with our Auto driver, who took us around 46 kms on the road. We asked him how much do we pay? He looked at his meter and stated 450 rs. We were surprised that the whole fare came to just 450. We gave him 50 rs more, which he declined. We were short of words to describe our feelings. I was so used to being swindled by Auto drivers in Mumbai (I totally avoid autos in Chennai and Bangalore). I asked him whether he manages to make both ends meet with his regular income. He smiled and asked back to me whether I feel happy giving him 450. "I hope you agree that 450 is a honest fare, sir", he stated in English. 

We shook hands as we parted ways, and I asked him what his name was. When he told me his name, I asked him for one last time, "Mohammad Bhai. Will you join us for lunch atleast here?"

He smiled and said thank you and cranked his auto and drove away. 

Yatha Raja, Tatha Praja......

The Lost Pandyas of Chola Kingdom

Ever wondered how Rajaraja chola's Shiva ended up being called Brihaddeeswara? When he built it, apparently, he just called the temple as Periya kovil, which is infact what the locals refer to it till date - the Tanjai Periya Koil.

The cholas didn't have the practice of building separate shrines for Parvati, and Rajaraja chola was no exception. When completed in the 11th century, the Big temple was a collossal structure, but it didn't have the shrine of his consort. Incidentally, even during the chola reign from 1000 AD till 13th century, Madurai was ruled by the chola vassal kings who carried the surnames chola pandian! Post the demise of Rajaraja Chola, there was a revival in the Pandian dynasty. The revived Pandian kings took back not only Madurai, but also the chola headquarters of Tanjore along with the chola kingdom.

And in the brief period they ruled that lasted less than 150 years, one of the pandian king built the shrine for Parvati right in the temple complex and the goddess consecrated there was called Ulagamuludaiya naachiyar. The 150 year of pandian rule started with son of Vikrama pandian, jatavarman kulasekara pandian 1 (who ruled from 1190 AD till 1210 AD) and went on till Vira Pandyan IV (1309 to 1345).

Now around this time there was a war amongst the pandyans as to who'd succeed and that caught the attention of Malik Kafur who invaded the south and started his attack on Tanjore. The powerful vijayanagara empire thwarted the attempts of Malik Kafur and brought Tanjore and Madurai under them. Madurai and the whole pandya and chola kindgom including tanjore was ruled by the tax paying nayaks who reported to the vijayanagar kingdom for a while.

The goddess Ulagamuludaiya naachiyar was called in sanskritized version as Brihannayaki - or the big goddess as she presided over the big temple. And duly lord Shiva was was earlier called Peruvudaiyar was also sanskritized to go with his consort's name as Brihadeeshwara, almost 2 centuries post he was consecrated. This happened thanks to the addition to the temple by the nayaks or the vijayanagara empire.

It was the Pandyan kings who's lost in history rule of 150 years that gave the goddess shrine in Tanjore. Finally, it was the Vijayanagara empire that anointed the name Brihannayaki that led to subsequent name change for shiva from Peruvudaiyar to Brihadeeshwara...

That made way for Rajarajeswaram to be called as Brihadeeshwaram....

Tribulations of Lord Shiva!

I heard my wife sing a song one day. The Pallavi went like Thandhai Thai Irundhal ulagattil umakkindha thazhvellam varumo ayya?

Immediately smitten by a song of profound meaning, I asked her to tell me the whole song and found out from her that this was in an old CD of mine, a collection of songs by N C Vasanthakokilam.

The song that captivated my mind with wonderful imagery and snippets from the past was penned by Sri Ponnaiah Pillai. He inturn based his research on the Periya Puranam.

Below is the rough translation (can do no justice to the lyrical beauty expounded in beautiful tamil by Ponnaiah Pillai), of the song set to Raaga Shanmukha Priya.

thandhai thaai irundhaal ulagattil umakkinda thaazhvellaam varumo ayyaa

anda migunda shri ambala vaanare arumaiyudane petru perumaiyudan valharttha

Would you have undergone such tribulations had you had Parents who lovingly gave birth to and proudly raised the temple resider who fills the whole universe?

kallaal oruvan adikka udal shilirkka kaalin sheruppaal oru vaedan vande udhaikka

One hit you with stones and a hunter kicked you with his feet wearing slippers

villaal oruvan adikka (gaandhibhamenum) kooshaamal oruvan kai kodaaliyaal vetta

One hit you with a bow (called Gandiva) and another shamelessly chops you with an axe.

koottatthil oruvan pittaa paeyaa ena thitta veeshi madurai maaran pirambaal adikka

And in a crowded place, one abused you as a mad man and a ghost and the king of wide spread Madurai caned you

anda velai yaarai ninaindhiro ayyaa

When all this happened who did you think off?

Thandhai thaai irundhal ulagattil umakkinda thaazhvellaam varumo ayyaa

Would you have undergone such tribulations sir, had you had Parents

Now, It was too much for me to resist from finding about the ones who heaped such travesty on Lord Shiva and perhaps trace out the place where it happened.

For people like me, it is easy from childhood bed time stories that the hunter who kicked shiva with a shoe adorned leg was Kannappa nayanmar. And the name Gandiva itself is a straignt give away that it was Arjuna who hit Shiva with a bow. And it was Pittukku Man sumandha padalam (the episode of carrying sand to build the dam on vaigai river in return for rice cake) where the Pandiya king Arimarthana pandian, caned Shiva. And for movie buffs, who'd watched Thiruvarutchelvar starring Shivaji, one knows it was Sundaramurthy nayanmar who called Shiva a mad person and a devil himself. One can't associate Axe with anyone other than Parashurama himself.

However, I had no clue of who hit Shiva with stones. And the thought was gnawing me for weeks. Who? Why? Where? What? And the search engines were working overtime.

Thanks to my wife again, the person was traced out to be Saakkiya Nayanaar.

Having found out all the persons, It was interesting to find out the stories of each episode and perhaps find out any part of history lost in translation.

The subsequent posts will explore the 5 episodes separately and try to trace the events to the place and time they happened.

Lastly, if not for the great periyapuranam that's 1000s of years old (during the Idai changam of Madurai of the past), such interesting episodes would have remained as myths....

Let us look at Arjuna's act first....

Our Lost Legacy - Part 3

Udaipur - The city of lakes. The heart of Mewar. A city rich in legacy, art, culture and stories of the Ranas. Lake Pichola is undoubtedly the star attraction with various shops and point of interests dotted all around it. There is a huge foreigner attraction here and there are hotels where they repeatedly screen the Bond flick Octopussy. Yes, Octopussy was shot in Udaipur.
I zeroed down on Karohi Haveli for a stay here and explored all of the city by foot mostly. Every corner has surprises waiting to grab your attention.
Here's some sneak peak of Udaipur.

The grand durbar hall at Udaipur Palace


Jag Nivas

Karohi Haveli - the place where we stayed

Udaipur Lake Palace - now a hotel

Dance of the Bawai

The Puppet Show

Mor Chowk at City Palace

Our Lost legacy - Part 2

Rani Ka Vav
Behind this architectural marvel, resides a love story lost in time. While the rest of the world celebrates the Taj to be the epitome when it comes to monument for love, Rani Ka Vav is a beautiful poem, very subtle and is a tribute not just to love. It was also a period where women of India walked with pride and equality. This, is from a Queen in memory of her husband.
Some of the pictures from Rani ka Vav
It is all about War


And Love (Manmadha with his bow and arrow)


Finest stepwell, that is in the pending UN heritage list

The geometrical patterns on the walls

And every column had a sculpture beckoning you.

Our lost legacy - Another trip to the glorious past!

Our lost legacy - Another trip to the glorious past!

5 days of consecutive holidays were up for Deepavali. It was planning time on yet another trip. I needed to get away from the fireworks. Further I wanted to spend all the time with my daughter and show her things she'd enjoy and learn things from. This time I singled upon Udaipur as the place.
To make the trip more fruitful, I roped in two of the finest ancient structures of north Gujarat in to the itinerary - The Sun temple at Modhera and Rani Ka Vav at Patan. I'd further booked a nice haveli at Udaipur overlooking the Pichola lake. Apart from Udaipur Palace, the Puppet show and the Rajasthan traditional dance was high on my todo list along with a promised shopping tour for antiques and art materials.
My car had the complete suspension work done. I was looking forward to the long drive from home to the first stop - Mehsana.
Here are some teaser pics before I start on the travelogue.
The pillars that still stand testimony - Sun temple at Modhera

A reflection of our glorious past - Sun temple Modhera


Ancient treasures - Sun temple Modhera

The stepped tank at Sun temple - Modhera

The mighty elephants that carried the world - Sun temple Modhera