In September 2014 we explored colorful Southern India for 3 weeks. From the rock-hewn temples that overlook Bay of Bengal to the palm-fringed shores of the Arabian Sea, southern India is brimming with natural splendor and cultural diversity. Today we explore Chennai City Tour a bustling hub of commerce from its inception in 1639 by the British East India Company. It is also the center of Tamil film industry; A.R. Rahman, composer of the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire, calls this city home.
We stopped to exchange currency near a building construction site. A laborer was carrying bricks on his head. We were captivated by his feat but he was more enamored because we were interested in him He went out of his way to impress us with his brick carrying capability.
What made the travel to Southern India extraordinary was our trip leader Sudhakar S Selwyn. Every day started with the excitement of what new discoveries Sudhakar would introduce us to. Today on our city tour of Chennai we stopped at the Body Guard (or Muneeswaran) Temple.
Muneeswaran is a guardian angel and people believe muneeswaran is protecting them from evil things and protecting them. People who buy a new vehicle and bus drivers will come to this temple and get a blessing from Lord Body guard Muneeswaran. Muni acts as a bodyguard and prevents any accident for the owner and the vehicle. Devotees offer drinks, hens, goats and cigars to the god. Our bus driver had a Muni priest, perform pooja (rituals) and bless our tour bus to ensure a safe trip.
Our Chennai City Tour gave us a very abrupt introduction to the bustle of a large Indian city. Monuments, buildings, all sorts of vehicles and people in a maelstrom of activity. The people we met were as interested in us as we were of them. Sudakar took us on a Metro Ride to the beach on the Bay of Bengal. After lunch we visited our first of many temples in Southern India - Kapaliswarar Temple. Kapaleeshwarar Temple is a temple of Shiva located in Mylapore, Chennai. The form of Shiva's wife Parvati worshipped at this temple is called Karpagambal "Goddess of the Wish-Yielding Tree." The temple was built around the 7th century CE in Dravidian architecture.
It was a hectic start to our Indian adventure. We settled in our newly blessed bus as we left Chennai for our Travel to Mahabalipuram first stop at Mahabalipuram.
The luxurious Radisson Temple Bay Resort was our accommodations in Mahabalipuram. This 5-star resort was like an oasis in the desert. I could have spent two-weeks here. But I was in India to see and do things so after settling in my room I headed out to explore Mahabalipuram . I met some people playing a game with chips called Carom. They explained the game and invited me to play.
- Southern India