Going to Gangaikondacholapuram?

peuks · Feb 9th, 2008, 19:08

Hallo,

who has been to the place with this unspeakable name - Gangaikondacholapuram - i am thinking about putting it on the travel-list, but in beginning of april...and i am worried it might very hot that time. any experience?
how to get there fastest?

We plan: Mamallapuram, Pondy, Gingee, Tiruvanamalai, Chidambaram. In only 2 weeks.

Thanks for any information.

VSK Sharma · Feb 9th, 2008, 19:45

Hi,
The place is 100 km from Trichy and you have regular bus service to the place. Yes April will be hot so plan for early morning or evening trip to the place. Well you have not mentioned Tanjavur which is a must visit and Gangai-konda-cholapuram is 71 km via Kumbakonam and lower Anicut.
Do some more search and make your plan carefully so that you can cover maximum. Bus service is very good in TN.
Have a good time.
VSK

peuks · Feb 9th, 2008, 19:51

Thank you! Yep, we re still planning. thanjavur we already visited 2 years ago - daytrip from trichy. i am just afraid of the heat and keep thinking: coastline, coastline...

VSK Sharma · Feb 9th, 2008, 20:04

Your fear is justified.

peuks · Feb 9th, 2008, 20:15

I know. sigh.
did you hear about : Alambara Fort ? where is this ? cant find it in my travel-book. how about gingee? worth to go in the heat? i imagine it Hampi-like ?

VSK Sharma · Feb 9th, 2008, 20:28

The place Gingee is mostly visited by people coming from outside India and I do not think the place is like Hampi. The fort wall can be seen running over the surrounding hills. Till now I had not heard the name of this Fort. Seems Alambara fort, is a dilapidated fort, near Pondicherry, India.
VSK

peuks · Feb 9th, 2008, 20:41

I found one entrance by Backpakker, saying Alambara Fort is on the beach enroute to Pondy ... never heard before.Cant find it in any of my books.

Jorge Reverter · Feb 9th, 2008, 22:29

The best place to stay is Kumbakonam. From there Gangaikondacholapuran is at 40 km., Thanjavur 37 km., Dharasuram 8 km, Swamimalai 5 km, and even Tranquebar (Tarangambadi) a very interesting former danish colony in the seaside is only at 62 km. Most of this places are World Heritage Sites.

Jorge

backpakker · Feb 9th, 2008, 22:37

april-may will be hot if you are planning Tamil Nadu. Take an AC car if you cant handle the heat. Your itinerary sounds good..do add Kumbakonam and Tranquebar ..just replied to your query on alambara ..its a stop over enroute to pondy and gingee is not like hampi, but worth a visit

bijapuri · Feb 9th, 2008, 23:12

Gingee is a climb- in April, I'd try very hard to get there by first light. Not many sculptures or anything, but a nice workout, superb views and great atmosphere.

You actually have a choice of hills to scaramble up. I can't remember how I managed to find what I now believe was indeed the main hill, but ask around if you can find anyone to ask. There was only a lone softdrink vendor in the whole place when I visited some years back.

While you're laboring up the hill, it'll be easy to relate to archival accounts of vast numbers of troops dying from heat during the campaigns of the 18th century around S. India!

alambari fort:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/clickfl...29886/sizes/o/

slakhs · Feb 11th, 2008, 01:54

A few links on Alambara (try also searching for alamparai), not exactly an Hampi

http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/14/s...1400010100.htm

http://vandalurnaren.blogspot.com/20...g-history.html

http://allurneedz.blogspot.com/2007/...-lie-near.html

Cheers
Slakhs

snonymous · Mar 26th, 2008, 22:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by peuks

Hallo,

who has been to the place with this unspeakable name - Gangaikondacholapuram - i am thinking about putting it on the travel-list, but in beginning of april...and i am worried it might very hot that time. any experience?
how to get there fastest?

We plan: Mamallapuram, Pondy, Gingee, Tiruvanamalai, Chidambaram. In only 2 weeks.

Thanks for any information.

Last weeks Frontline magazine has an excellent article with splendid photographs of Gangaikondacholapuram, and the Brihadeeswara Temple of Thanjavur. http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2506...8250606500.htm

You may find it of use. After reading about it, I am planning to go myself, but at a more pleasant time of the year. Having said that, this part of TN is always warm even in the so called winter months. Best is to go outdoors early [everything opens very early in TN], stay indoors in the afternoon and then venture out again after 4pm. You get excellent textiles in TN, cotton, silk and cotton silk, both for garments and home linen, furnishings, so do some shopping too ! Enjoy your trip.

Scandojazzbuff · Mar 26th, 2008, 23:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by peuks

I know. sigh.
did you hear about : Alambara Fort ? where is this ? cant find it in my travel-book. how about gingee? worth to go in the heat? i imagine it Hampi-like ?

Gangaikondacholapuram is a great temple and worth seeing. It is one of the best Chola temples and should be combined with visiting Dharasuram, which is nearby.

I drove past Alambara Fort on the way to Pondi from Mammalapuram. We stopped outside and my driver told me not to bother. Considering what was on our plate, he was probably right and he knew the area like the back of his hand. You would do well to hire an a/c car and driver as the heat will have you wilted like a sunflower without water.

snonymous · Mar 27th, 2008, 14:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scandojazzbuff

Gangaikondacholapuram is a great temple and worth seeing. It is one of the best Chola temples and should be combined with visiting Dharasuram, which is nearby.

I drove past Alambara Fort on the way to Pondi from Mammalapuram. We stopped outside and my driver told me not to bother. Considering what was on our plate, he was probably right and he knew the area like the back of his hand. You would do well to hire an a/c car and driver as the heat will have you wilted like a sunflower without water.

What is at Dharasuram? Thanks

Scandojazzbuff · Mar 27th, 2008, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by snonymous

What is at Dharasuram? Thanks

Another great temple.

Feb 9th, 2008, 19:08	#1
peuks Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Europe Posts: 17	Going to Gangaikondacholapuram? Hallo, who has been to the place with this unspeakable name - Gangaikondacholapuram - i am thinking about putting it on the travel-list, but in beginning of april...and i am worried it might very hot that time. any experience? how to get there fastest? We plan: Mamallapuram, Pondy, Gingee, Tiruvanamalai, Chidambaram. In only 2 weeks. Thanks for any information.

Feb 9th, 2008, 19:45	#2
VSK Sharma Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pune,India Posts: 404	Hi, The place is 100 km from Trichy and you have regular bus service to the place. Yes April will be hot so plan for early morning or evening trip to the place. Well you have not mentioned Tanjavur which is a must visit and Gangai-konda-cholapuram is 71 km via Kumbakonam and lower Anicut. Do some more search and make your plan carefully so that you can cover maximum. Bus service is very good in TN. Have a good time. VSK __________________ http://himalayancamping.com/index.php

Feb 9th, 2008, 22:37	#9
backpakker Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 164	april-may will be hot if you are planning Tamil Nadu. Take an AC car if you cant handle the heat. Your itinerary sounds good..do add Kumbakonam and Tranquebar ..just replied to your query on alambara ..its a stop over enroute to pondy and gingee is not like hampi, but worth a visit __________________ www.backpakker.blogspot.com

Feb 9th, 2008, 23:12	#10
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,598	Gingee is a climb- in April, I'd try very hard to get there by first light. Not many sculptures or anything, but a nice workout, superb views and great atmosphere. You actually have a choice of hills to scaramble up. I can't remember how I managed to find what I now believe was indeed the main hill, but ask around if you can find anyone to ask. There was only a lone softdrink vendor in the whole place when I visited some years back. While you're laboring up the hill, it'll be easy to relate to archival accounts of vast numbers of troops dying from heat during the campaigns of the 18th century around S. India! alambari fort: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clickfl...29886/sizes/o/ __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Feb 11th, 2008, 01:54	#11
slakhs Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: London Posts: 71	Some links on Alambara A few links on Alambara (try also searching for alamparai), not exactly an Hampi http://www.hindu.com/mp/2004/02/14/s...1400010100.htm http://vandalurnaren.blogspot.com/20...g-history.html http://allurneedz.blogspot.com/2007/...-lie-near.html Cheers Slakhs __________________ Chennaispot

Feb 9th, 2008, 19:51	#3
peuks Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Europe Posts: 17	Thank you! Yep, we re still planning. thanjavur we already visited 2 years ago - daytrip from trichy. i am just afraid of the heat and keep thinking: coastline, coastline...

Feb 9th, 2008, 20:04	#4
VSK Sharma Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pune,India Posts: 404	Your fear is justified.

Feb 9th, 2008, 20:15	#5
peuks Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Europe Posts: 17	I know. sigh. did you hear about : Alambara Fort ? where is this ? cant find it in my travel-book. how about gingee? worth to go in the heat? i imagine it Hampi-like ?

Feb 9th, 2008, 20:28	#6
VSK Sharma Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pune,India Posts: 404	The place Gingee is mostly visited by people coming from outside India and I do not think the place is like Hampi. The fort wall can be seen running over the surrounding hills. Till now I had not heard the name of this Fort. Seems Alambara fort, is a dilapidated fort, near Pondicherry, India. VSK

Feb 9th, 2008, 20:41	#7
peuks Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Europe Posts: 17	I found one entrance by Backpakker, saying Alambara Fort is on the beach enroute to Pondy ... never heard before.Cant find it in any of my books.

Feb 9th, 2008, 22:29	#8
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,137	The best place to stay is Kumbakonam. From there Gangaikondacholapuran is at 40 km., Thanjavur 37 km., Dharasuram 8 km, Swamimalai 5 km, and even Tranquebar (Tarangambadi) a very interesting former danish colony in the seaside is only at 62 km. Most of this places are World Heritage Sites. Jorge

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