Rajgir - The Crown of Magadha Kingdom

Rajgir, the first capital of Magadha Kindom that later on became the Mauryan Empire, has a lot of tales to tell every inquisitive visitor with a keen interest in history. This city is not just mentioned in the epic "Mahabharata" but also finds a place in Jainism and Buddhism scriptures and has a cluster of attractions spread across 3 lanes- defining Incredible India. This tiny town in the remote part of India has more than enough to give treasure hunters sleepless nights.

Sone bhandar Caves is the ultimate mysterious challenge and more like an Indiana Jones moment in Rajgir. This simple looking cave could very well be your elite luxurious retirement bonanza. If only you could decipher the inscription on the caves. Legend has it that incredible amount of gold and precious stones are hidden here and cracking this code would be the key to this treasure. When Britishers failed the intelligence test of our forefathers they resorted to brute force by firing canon balls in the hope of getting their hands on the booty. Needless to say their choice was not a smart one.

En-route to sone bhandar is Maniyar Matt dedicated to serpent Goddess. This structure resembles a well and has some interesting images such as Ganesh with snakes wrapped around, a six armed dancing Shiva and a four armed Vishnu. Sadly though most of these images have been ruined.

Bimbisar Jail or barely the remains of it today. If not for the board by Bihar Tourism, this place left us perplexed as to what should we see. It just looks like any other barren land. However, we were told that there was an underground prison where King Bimbisar was imprisoned by his son Ajatashatru. The site for the prison was chosen by the King himself, over looking the Griddhakuta hill. This hill is believed to have been used by Buddha to preach and the King being a disciple of Buddha wanted this privilege.

Another striking and almost unbelievable yet a pretty convincing place that makes you question your own reasoning ability is Lord Krishna's Chariot marks left on a very hard rocky surface. There are two tracks that run parallel to each other for several meters. It is very firmly believed that these are the wheel tracks of Krishna's Chariot. We believe Hindu Mythology is completely factual or one hell of a grand illusion.

Head to Brahma Kund to experience one of the many hot water springs in India. This is one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites. People strongly believe that the water here has great healing powers. The many temples around the hot water spring offer a very charming and serene ambience. We sat there immersed in thoughts losing track of time. The only downside to this place appears to be self declared pseudo priests and guides who offer unwanted advice and charge a fee. You will find many of them who may ruin your time there. It would be a better idea to stay away and not encourage such people as you never know how much they might end up charging you.

Vishwa Shanti Stupa is a breathtaking beautiful pagoda built on top of a hill and can be accessed via rope way or a tedious trek. The stupa is home to 4 statues of Buddha made of gold depicting birth, enlightenment, teaching and passing away of Lord Buddha. There is also a monastery and the views of the valley from here are amazing.The tickets for the rope way are issued from 8 am to 4.30 pm and keep in mind there is a one hour lunch break.  A round trip ticket for the rope way is priced at Rs 60.

On the way to Shanti Stupa stand the ruins of  Jeevak Aamravan, a residence cum hospital that was run by Jeevak Kaumarbhritya. Jeevak was a renowned physician in the royal court of  Bimbisar and Ajatashatru. He even treated Lord Buddha and there are accounts of his medical practice mentioned in literatures in Pali language.

There are beautiful tongas in Rajgir that slowly ferry people around. These colorful tongas were our best friends. They offer a package deal for most of the tourist attractions at a government set price of Rs 450 per tonga. However, if you want to visit attractions that are not mentioned in the package you will have to shell out a little more.

Rajgir is a very tiny town so most people prefer a day trip and hence this place offers very few basic stay options. Most of them are very old homes converted to hotels. Rajgir offers 3 very good stay options- Hotel Nalanda Regency near bus stand, Siddharta Hotel near Brahma Kund and Gargee Gautam Vihar Resort on the same road as Nalanda Regency. There is not a single 5 star property in Nalanda. Annapurna Restaurant in Nalanda Regency is the best deal to dine in the whole of Nalanda and Rajgir. They have a wide range of cuisines to choose from and serve awesome food. They offer excellent service and have a reasonably priced menu.

We stayed at Hotel Ratnagiri near bus stand, this budgeted place is one of the best stay options in Rajgir. This relatively new building which quite honestly is a rare sight in Rajgir offers compact rooms with clean sheets and soft pillows. Do keep in mind that there are frequent power cuts in Rajgir, this property has 24 hour power backup. Another plus is that it is walking distance from the railway station and tongas are readily available.

Another thing to keep in mind while travelling is though Indian Railways is a boon to a traveler, at the same time it can ruin your travel plans all together. Our train from Patna to Rajgir was late by over two hours, so do set aside buffer time to accommodate any such delays.

Courtallam Natures Own Water Spa

Courtallam, a tiny town in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, is blessed with abundant natural beauty and offers the best waterfall experience in India. There are several waterfalls spread across this town where people could experience one of the best gifts nature has to offer mankind. The icy cold water crosses huge forests before cascading down and is believed to  have therapeutic properties as the forests are known for their medicinal herbs. This otherwise quiet town comes to life with the onset of Southwest Monsoon, and one can experience the periodic drizzle, cool breeze, waterfalls in full throttle and views of beautiful mountains in the backdrop making this places a wonderland.

The feel of taking bath in a natural waterfalls is rejuvenating. The gushing water descends from several feet above breaks at several rocks and then separates into different streams reducing the flow and comes crashing down on us, it is definitely once in a lifetime experience. It can easily outrun any of the luxurious and excellent spa treatments. The wonders of Mother Nature are so tough to put in words. The main falls of Courtallam is a three tier massive water body towering several feet high.

If you are a first time visitor here, the gigantic waterfalls and crowd could easily freak you out but please do shed all your inhibitions, conquer your phobias and once you stand at the rocks where the waterfall breaks you are guaranteed to fall in love with this place. Initially the threshold is a couple of minutes and the more you enjoy the feel of ice cold water hitting you on your back and shoulders, the longer you would want to stand under these majestic falls. Rightly so, it is called the Spa of South India. Courtallam has its own charm and is kind of addictive in a positive way.

 The waterfalls are open 24 hours and attracts hordes of people, all the waterfalls are divided into designated men and women sections. There is a designated area for women to change. Even late in the night, the waterfalls are open for people to take bath and it looks like day time with several shops doing brisk business.  Late in the night, you see vendors selling steaming hot herbal tea locally known as "Chukku Kapi," it is very good for health and feels excellent after a cold bath. Several hotels serve piping hot food throughout the night. The cycle of life in Courtallam goes like - Wake up- Eat- take Bath for long hours- Eat- Sleep- Repeat. Life rolls by very slowly, the surroundings are so calm and serene with nature at its best.

En-route to the falls are several shops that sell hot and cold beverages, seasonal fruits, plenty of snacks and abundant toys for kids. Courtallam is known for its exotic fruits such as Mangosteen. They definitely are the sweetest and taste heavenly. Early morning and late night are perfect time to visit the falls and enjoy the serenity of the place. During season time, which is from July to September, the climate is excellent.

There is high presence of law enforcement personnel, strict laws are implemented so that tourists can have a peaceful and joyful time at the waterfalls. There are no storage units to keep valuables or cash so it would be better to carry very minimal stuff such as a towel and cash in a plastic zip lock bag. Using soap, shampoo, oil, detergents is a strict no no and violators face hefty fines.

Another striking feature of the waterfalls is that there are carvings of many Shivlingas on the rocks where the water falls with full flow. Very close to the waterfalls is an ancient temple Kutralanathar temple dedicated to lord Shiva. This beautiful temple has excellent carvings and several few thousand year old idols. The view of the falls from the temple and the thundering sound of water crashing on rocks is a phenomenal experience. Within the same compound is a jack fruit tree that is believed to be as old as the temple. You can see a demarcation on the walls with different shades and this shows how high the water level rose when several years ago massive floods engulfed this temple. The temple is open from 4 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 6 pm.

A couple of kilometers from Courtallam is the Kashi Vishvanathar Temple in Tenkasi which is considered as the Kashi of Southern India. The highlight of this temple is its magnificent Gopuram. The brightly colored colossal monument towers 180 feet high adorned with excellent carvings. This  temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and many Hindu mythological creatures take center stage here. This temple is famous for its massive monolithic avatars depicted in stone and as you enter the main sanctum you are greeted by massive monolithic carvings on either sides the temple, an ingenious construction dating several thousand years ago. The beauty was not limited only to sculptures, they beautified even the minutest things such as the water drain channels that captures your attention and you tend to forget the purpose that it serves. The water management system is ingenious and works fine till date. This talks a lot about their dedication there was no room for concentrating only on the important features, every part of the temple was given equal importance.

To ensure that the temple was lit with natural light at all times of the day, the temple was constructed in such a way that they left openings in the ceilings for natural light to seep in and fill the temple with a beautiful golden light and bright up the entire temple. The walls of the temple have ancient inscriptions carved so that several generations can read and gain knowledge. A phenomenal feature of this temples is the cool breeze that constantly flows and pushes one in the direction of the temple. This phenomenal super natural effect can be experienced under the massive Gopuram as one enters the temple. The temple is open on all days from 4 am to 12 pm and from 4 om to 9 pm.

Down south India is known for its passion and love for food. By far, the best South Indian Non Vegetarian meal that we had was at "Koorai Kadai" hotel in Tenkasi. This humble restaurant attracts hordes of food lovers from across the country as it serves an extensive variety of non vegetarian delicacies, all cooked to great perfection. It was here that we tried for the first time, the dry fish curry 'Karuvadu Kulambu'  and it was excellent. Had we not been told it was dry fish, we would have never guessed as it was not tangy but spicy and filled with flavors. It is not just the non vegetarian food, but even the simplest food that was exceptional such as rasam which had the perfect amount of pepper and flavors of various other spices. Their  'Kola Urundai' or minced mutton cutlet is a sensational delicacy and a must try. This beautiful little ball of joy is only 10 bucks. Their service is also excellent for a place that is this famous and the owner, a kind old humble man, took out time to show his gratitude to our compliments. The pricing of their food is unbelievably inexpensive.

Another gem of an eat out around Courtallam is 'Rahmat Parota Stall' in Sengottai 6 km from Courtallam. This place also known as 'Border Kadai' is a local superstar. This road side food joint gives a feel of a dhabha and like the name suggests it serves excellent parota, an Indian bread. It is famous for amazing and spicy pepper 'Natu Koli' or country chicken, the burst of flavors in your mouth and the tender, juicy chicken will make you crave for more. The only place maybe where country chicken can easily pass off as broiler chicken. The parotas are soft, small and melt in your mouth and the non vegetarian curry or "Salana" along with parotas is the reason why this place is always crowded. It is intriguing as well as very exciting to see close to 7 people work in tandem to prepare parotas on a massive scale. They use a huge tawa and in one shot over 80 parotas are cooked. There are plenty of autos that ply throughout the day till late in the night to Tenkasi and Sengotai from Courtallam. Private and state run buses also ply between these destinations.

Courtallam is easily accessible by road and rail. The nearest railway station is Tenkasi and from here autos would be the best way to reach Courtallam which is 8 km away. The nearest airport is in Tuticorin. Madurai is also an option, and there are plenty of trains that ply between Madurai and Tenkasi. A distance of 150 km can be covered in 3 hours. The best part would be to take an early morning train and throughout the journey you can spot peacocks dancing in the massive fields and welcoming the early morning sunshine. It is quiet a sight if you love birds. Also, you can spot the massive Goparum of the famous Srirangapatnam Temple from the train tracks itself. If you do have the time, it would be a good idea to include this place as well in your itinerary. There are plenty of stay options in Courtallam catering to all budgets.

Mahabalipuram - Photo Tour Of Coastal Town With Rich Legacy

Mahabalipuram, fondly called as 'Mahabs' by locals rides with rich history, legacy and was mostly developed by the Pallava rulers. This town is mentioned in the Vaishnava Hymns written between the 6th and 8th Century. However, evidence such as Roman coins and pottery found here states that the town dates back to early Historic times. This ancient historic coastal town  buzzed with activity as this was a busy seaport and it was from here that Indian traders sailed to South-East Asian Countries. The mariners also called it "Seven Pagodas" as there were Seven Pagodas standing tall on the shore, of which, only one survived- the Shore Temple.

The Pallavas were renowned for promoting unique styles of art and architecture and this town stands as a fine example with its stunning rock cut or monolithic group of monuments and shore temples. 

The Magnificent Lighthouse with its beautiful tales of a bustling trade hub and a seaport.

Climbing the Light House to see the entire town, the roads, the sea and the breathtaking view of the Shore temple leaves you in awe.

There is a museum adjacent to the Light House which is worth visiting to know more about the port History. Deep Sea buoys are laid to mark shipping channels in the Bays and to prevent mishaps from rocks and wrecks. This Buoy was in use at Gulf Of Kutch.

The temples portrayed scenes from the epic Mahabharata depicting the Descent of the Holy Ganges and Arjuna's Penance. The story mentions Arjuna, one of the Pandava Brothers, performed severe austerities in order to obtain Shiva's weapon.

The following panel of Mahishamardani Cave depicts the battle where Goddess Durga killed the demon Mahishasura, who was considered unconquerable. The scene portrays Goddess Durga riding a lion in pursuit of Mahishasura with a bow and arrow.

The other panel of Mahishamardani Cave depicts Lord Vishnu in Tranquility State on a seven hooded serpent.

One of the many Cave temples in Mahabalipuram.

A village scene from the Krishna Mandapa Cave depicting their daily lives.

Varaha Cave Temples

The following panel depicts Four armed Goddess Durga standing on a lotus under an umbrella. This panel stands for victory over ignorance.

Trivikarma Panel depicting Lord Vishnu  overcoming the Demon king Bali.

The most prominent sculpture of the Varaha Cave is Lord Vishnu in his incarnated form of Varaha lifting Bhu Devi, Mother Earth, from the sea.

The Gajalakshmi Panel representing Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity. She is portrayed with her hands holding a Lotus flower surrounded by attendants and elephants.

Lord Krishna lifting the mythical Govardhan hill to provide shelter to villagers from torrential rains showered by Lord Indra.

The Massive Natural rock boulder,  popularly known as Krishna's Butter Ball, atop a hilly slope is no less than a wonder. It does a perfect balancing act defying all rules of Gravity.

Trimurti Cave temple- This is believed to be dedicated to the three Lords- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

The view of Bay of Bengal from the Shore temple.

The Shore Temple, is the only temple of a series of seven temples and the remaining now submerged in the sea.

The Pancha Rathas, perfect examples of Dravidian style architecture are monolithic rock cut temples.

Monolithic Five Rathas or Chariots dedicated to the Five Pandava Princes.

5 km from Mahabalipuram towards Chennai is the Tiger Caves.

Apart from the stellar monuments, there has been proof of many other monuments that have been submerged under the mighty Bay Of Bengal.