Chennai...Again...3/2006

Sama

I did it...

I registered for another course at my yoga school in Chennai for March 2006...hey, I just got back from Chennai on October 1! and my nose and sinuses are just starting to recover....

Am I crazy? well, gotta start saving all my yoga teaching dollars again....vennakkam Chennai!

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MY INDIA, 2005-2010
"Once you have felt the Indian dust, you will never be free of it." (Rumer Godden, 1975)

Nick-H

That'll be vannakam

(but I've no idea about how many Ns or Ks to put in it )

Yes, I expect you're crazy, but not half as crazy as I am

How long are you coming for?

Nick-H

Namascaram is easy to spell ...but more religious.

And hey! I can't spell anyway. If a Tamil person asks me to check their English on a document I say, yes, but don't take my word for the spelling. They look at me with complete lack of comprehension -- I guess bad spelling doesn't happen in Tamil!

LavieQ

yeah, hard to mis-spell in Indian languages as they are syllabaries - i.e. each sound/syllable has an alphabet equivalent. For example, Namaskarm has 6 syllables/sounds (the ss and mm are)

Na - Ma - ss - ka - ra - mm

Each of which is represented by a Tamil/Hindi/etc. syllable. So, chances of missspelling are lower. However, people to pronounce the words very differently, which can contribute to bad spelling if one writes down the sounds/syllables one hears.

Gee, I think I set out to clarify and now this reads confusing. Well, whaddayagonnadu, eh?

LaVieQ

Nick-H

No, LavieQ: I see exactly what you mean. I guess that is what makes English difficult.

Sama

only a typo on my part, Nick. here, people just usually say "namaste!"

The course is 2 weeks, but I plan (hopefully) to stay one month. I want to experience some of those Indian trains....

Nick-H

Namascaram is Southern Indian form, Tamil certainly, I think Malayalam too, don't know about Telegu or Kannada ---an expert will be along in a minute.

We are experiencing trains this weekend. When I asked (from UK) my lady to book tickets to Trivandrum I didn't think to check out the route etc. It is a sixteen hour trip!

ksrao801

It is Namaskaram in Telugu and Kannada. The 'c' Nick write in Namascaram is to be pronounced with a sound 'k' like kite. The Roman transliteration used by Telugu and Kannada speaking people is Namaskaram (in Kannada the last m is omitted - it is Namaskara). For vanakkam, the usual way is one 'n' and two 'k's.

Nick-H

Well, Eight minutes!

Not bad, eh? Only on IndiaMike

Thanks ksrao

Sama

Think of it as a grand learning experience, Nick. And you said I was brave taking that bus ride to Pondicherry.....

You will have to tell me all about it -- I want to train it to Madurai and/or to Rameswaram next March.

Nick-H

Oh, Madurai would be a short hop by comparison! (I think... I'm no train buff).

Anyway, train experts abound here, but I would say not to worry about Indian train travel at all. Our weekend return journey was long, but some Indian train journeys can take several days, so I should't complain about over-night! It was entirely comfortable and easy going.

It was quite fun watching the 'PNR' status changing on the website, and it was only on the Friday that we knew that we would get our 2-AC berths that evening.

Our 3-AC return berths were surrounded by small children, and we were lucky to be able to upgrade to peaceful 2-AC, without any bribe or inducement, although the tip added to the upgrade charge produced a grateful smile.

But many IMers wouldn't call AC travel 'travel' even! For them the fun and adventure is in the Sleeper Class carriages. I can understand, but for this aged middle-ager, peace and space is worth paying for on a journey. I'll save the Mass-of-Humanity Indian experience for shopping trips!

Sama

I did it -- I booked my Lufthansa flights this morning -- leave for Chennai on 3/3, return to Chicago 3/31.

My yoga intensive is 2 weeks, after that I have 13 days to play. Hmmm....is there anyone I want to visit in Chennai...?

For all you experts out there, how many days should I spend in Madurai? I mean, to see things, but not "overstay" -- one day is too short I assume, how many would be "too many" and not worth it? What about getting from Madurai to Rameswaram? Or should I forget Rameswaram and just go back to Pondy, which I love.....

want to take train from chennai to madurai -- how long a ride? which class ticket?

suggestions on a 13 day travel itinerary? I'm sure you all have suggestions!

shanti!

Digital Drifter

Depending on your interests, it can be just 1 day. If you arrive at night/Early morning by Pandian Express, you can make it to the Meenakshi temple in the morning and tiruparan kundram temple(Murugan temple) in the evening and return by the 10 pm train in the evening to Madras.

The temple is right opposite the station, about a 1KM away. Ask for Town Hall road and keep walking down that road in direction of the temple towers.

There is no need to take an Auto. If you go early in the morning, you are spared the heat and dust and can comfortably explore the temple, say go in before 8AM.

Say it takes 3 hours for you to come out. Either you take rest OR decide to go to the Rock cut Temple 5kms away. Buses A14, A5, 48 series will go towards that place. check the direction, they dont changes the sign-boards and you might be going the other way towards Anna Bus stand.

Again, depending on the time, you can go there during the evenings when it's cooler or finish it all of in 1 shot, return to madurai city, plop into a guesthouse, get some sleep, see the nightlife around the 4 square streets around the temple and wander back into the station.

College House restaurant/lodge is on town hall road.

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citybell

Following trains are available to Madurai:
Morning around 7:00am called Koodal express.arrival by3pm
Afternoon around noon time called Vaigai express.arrival in Madurai by 9pm.
Around 8pm, Pandyan express arrival next day morning by 6am.
In the night there are other trains that pass thru Mdurai.

The best trains would be Vaigai express..day time train easy to get reservation.It has sitting 2class and an a/c sitting class.

If you prefer to spend the night then Pandyan express but reservation being difficult suggest advance reservation.

will give you exact train timings later.

There is a train direct to Ramesahwaram express from Chennai.

Suggest one day or max two days would be enough. Suggest you to visit Kodai from Madurai if you have visited there sofar.It's a Hill station.
You can also visit Thekady(Kumily) takes about 4 hrs by road one way where there is a Wild Life sanctuary.Don't miss it if you not visited yet.

You can also go to Rameshwaram from Madurai as there are so many frequesnt buses (and ofcourse trains though not many).

March would be a bit hot specially in Madurai. so take care.

nirola

hey
if u are curious about temple ........ the best place to see tht is MADURI, of course.

there are local tour operaters who takes to near by temple and must seeing temple after Meenakashi temple is KARTIK (dont know the official name) (near maduri) temple do visit tht temple its an ancient temple

these operaters starts takes around rs150 at the most and cover various museums ,and also , "to be seen things" yes, one fort is also there besides other things . and these tour man leave u in the evening near Meenakshi temple .

and if u have to go to Rameswarm u can get a bus (from bus stand tht is stituated outside the city- i forget the name) and it will take 4-5 hours and u will be in Rameswarm at 4 or 5 in the morning

so dont miss this if u r in Madurai and like to see whole of tht in one day

hope tht will help u