Chennai: Living The True Indian Culture

Valentine celebration was over, and I packed my bag for another leisure holiday. A friend of mine, Avinash, who stays in Chennai, invited me to his place on his birthday. I 'obviously' could not turn down his invite as I am a great fan of IPL (Indian Premier League) Champs- 'Chennai Super Kings'. Fortunately, my visit coincided with the beginning of IPL T20 Cricket Match. Avinash was waiting for me at the Kamaraj Domestic Airport. After a shower and a heavy breakfast at his home, I presented him an Esprit Wrist Watch.

To enjoy the weekend in the best possible way, he first took me to the Kapaleshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple, with a peaceful environment, is a perfect place for the religious minded people. While driving amidst the abundant green patches and the high-tech, high-rise buildings, I was actually overwhelmed by the vibrant aspects of the city. Sprawled over an area of 200 square kilometers with the Bay of Bengal on the east, this fourth largest city in India serves as the gateway to the rest of South India. Avinash told me that Chennai has witnessed a number of rulers like the Cholas, Pallavas, Vijayanagar rulers, Portuguese, Dutch and the British. The city keeps on reinventing itself and that is what I liked the most about Chennai.

Avinash offered me glimpses of the Parthasarthy Temple (dedicated to Lord Krishna), Guindy National Park and Snake Park (dreamlands for animal lovers), and the National Art Gallery (known for the rarest collection of old paintings and sculptures). The city itself was so lively, enthusiastic and vibrant that we were not feeling tired or hungry at all. Chennai is very encouraging in all perspectives of development as well. I observed a balanced pattern in modern technology and the traditional arts and crafts of the city. It was getting dark in the evening and we rushed to a famous restaurant Karaikudi. We ordered some authentic south Indian dishes. The décor was purely dedicated to the traditional ethics of the state. Even the waiters were dressed in Panchakacham (Dhoti, tucked in behind, in five folds).

At Avinash's home, I booked online tickets for the IPL Cricket Match between Chennai Super Kings and Delhi DareDavils, which was scheduled the very next day at 06:30 pm at the M A Chidambaram Stadium. The weather was quite pleasant next day. The maid who works at Avinash's place, was on leave, so we decided to get some sort of fast food and burgers packed from Mc Donald. We first went to the Anna Zoological Park (the biggest in south east Asia), situated at Vandalur, in the outskirts of Chennai. The zoological park, with more than 170 species of mammals, aviaries and reptiles, serves as a great place for fun as well as learning. I was also very curious to see the Fort St. George. However it was quite far, Avinash took me to that historical monument. It was the first British fortress in India (constructed between 1640 and 1653 and subsequently reconstructed in 1783). The fort boasts of being a home to many historical personalities like Thomas Pitt, Elihu Yale, Robert Clive and Lord Cornwallis. We saw a a number of artifacts belonging to the British colonial period and a few French antiques inside the Fort St. George.

On our way to the stadium, we had our lunch at Sarvana Bhavan and bought a few traditional and trendy merchandise such as Pattamara mats, the leaf and palmyra-fiber handicrafts, metal works, leather bags, shoes, etc. Chennai is world renowned for other materials like bronze and brass castings, traditional jewellery, stone carvings, and silk sarees. The match, too, was fantastic. Dhoni hit the maximum sixes and grabbed the match like an ideal skipper. My trip was simply outstanding. Plan a trip to Chennai and you will come to know that this wonderland is not all about Dhoti and Kurta only.

Kerala- The Extraordinary Painting Of Nature On The World Canvas

I wanted to experience heaven on earth, the treasure of nature's pristine beauty and the holidays, which are indescribably relaxing, pleasurable and memorable. And more importantly, I wanted a 'much needed break' from the monotony of the urban life. Fortunately, God sneaked me a wonderful opportunity to visit the rightly called 'God's own country', Kerala. One of my friends was going to Kerala for vacations and she asked me if I would like to join in. Thanks to my boss who spared me for a few days. Being a travel aficionado, I packed my bags and embarked on the journey with a big smile on my face. I did my some home work by browsing through some websites on Kerala, in order to make sure that we don't miss out any of its great attractions. The state offers a plethora of choices to please its tourists to the hilt. Kerala is what the National Geographic Magazine rated to be one of the 50 must-see destinations of the world.

Our first halt in Kerala was Cochin(also called Kochi), popularly known as the 'Queen of the Arabian Sea'. Cochin is also one of the best natural harbors in the world. Cochin greeted us with salubrious climate, gorgeous green environment, the mesmerizing views of the palm-fringed islands, the giggling of the sea waves, the picture-perfect sights of the houseboats and a feeling of being transported straight into the lap of Mother nature. What else can you ask for!

The exciting ferry ride took us to the houseboat where we were already booked. The houseboats on the Cochin backwaters are one of the most striking attractions . After a refreshing break during which we also feasted on the traditional cuisine of Kerala, we set out on our journey and visited the most exotic destinations of Cochin. The views of the Cochin backwaters offered us an experience cocooned in natural beauty. The description of Cochin is incomplete without the mention of the famous and beautiful Chinese Fishing Nets, which are very efficient means of backwater fishing.

Cherishing the natural beauty of Cochin in our hearts we made our way to the Dutch Palace, which reflects the great Indian mythological themes through beautiful murals. From floors to ceilings, everything was done to perfection. The notable feature of the floor is that despite of being made from the mixture of burned coconut shells, lime, charcoal, plant juices and egg white,it gives the impression of a marble floor.

Our next halt was the Jewish Synagogue whose history dates back to the 16^th century. It is known for its architectural beauty, especially for its tile work. It is festooned with hand painted tiles which were imported from China. Also notable are the wood crafts, arresting artifacts and gold and silver crowns.

Post lunch, we went to St. Francis Church, which was constructed in an impressive European style. Its lush green gardens are also refreshing. The church also boasts of brilliant paintings.

Last but not the least, and in fact one of the most important attractions in Cochin is 'shopping'. Pressed for time, we decided to dedicate some quality time to go on a shopping spree, before its too late, as we had to leave for Alleppy the next day. We bought a wide variety of appealing handicrafts, which included coconut shell items, bamboo canes, jewelery and some metal wares.

After shopping we went back to our houseboat and spent a great time there. After a wonderful dining experience we retired to bed, eagerly waiting to explore more treasures of Kerala.