In Mahaballpuram & disappointed

butterball · Dec 19th, 2003, 09:55

I'm now in Mahaballpuram and it's turned out to be a lot of things I'd hoped it wasn't ( ie a bit of a "scene" etc.. arghh...)

I've got around 5 days left ti'l I have a flight from Chennai back to Trivandrum ) and was hoping to see Pondicherry - but am now wondering if that no too is going to be more of the same etc ?

I originally wanted to head back to Trivandrum via a train with a stop in Trichy ( which is more of what I like - biger city, no muesli breakfasts, some dim dingy seedy bars etc etc ) but all the trains are heavily wait listed - so I had to book a flight from Chennai instead.

Do I carry on to Pondi ?

How interesting / busy is Kanchipuram ? ( ie is it worth a night's detour - is it a city or just a small town ? ) I've no guide book & no suggestions of any good places to stay there - any offers ?

Any other offers to bail me out of this one ?

Thanks

bijapuri · Dec 19th, 2003, 10:09

me, I think Pondy is absurd

But you still have time to hit Thanjavur!
Take the Chola express, around 09:00 hrs or so, from chingleput/chingalpatu (??) it is a day train and you wont need reservations, there are chair cars, you'll get into TJ in the afternoon.

Just my opinion

angelika · Dec 22nd, 2003, 17:13

I agree with Bijapuri. Pondicherry is absurd

I'd liked Kanchipuram. It is a small (little bit dirty) town (for India) with lots of wonderful South Indian temples, where you can sit on the ghats for hours!
and great vegetarian South Indian food ---> dosas, idlies mmmmh

bijapuri · Dec 23rd, 2003, 01:53

yeah, Kanchi is cool, and very near, and saree heaven, if that is opf interest. Perhaps you would like to be on our committee . . . . .

picklepak · Dec 23rd, 2003, 04:48

Pondicherry is absurd? Or do you mean Auroville, which is right next door? I might be included to agree with that... all those foreigners with unhappy faces, surprising to see in India. The ashrams there could be worth visiting though.

Butterball what do you mean Mamallapuram is a "scene"? I've never been there.

radz · Dec 23rd, 2003, 09:10

Kanchipuram is small town ,but its one of seven scared citys is India,
temple town,where you turn you will
bump in temple only

).If you would like to interested to see ,
16th century temples,then its must visit.
Kancheepuram is famous for Silk too

.
My fav is "Kailasanather temple"its so beautiful old temple.

Only thing all templs will close 12 noon,then reopen 4 pm.

Pondicherry,its not bad,if you interesd mediation short of things,
like to see Auroville ,then you visit Pondy

.

wonderwomanusa · Dec 23rd, 2003, 18:09

Quote:

what do you mean Mamallapuram is a "scene"? I've never been there.

He/she appears to be complaining that good Western-style food is available. I think it's great to be able to get calimari, muesli, and brown bread once in a while... and one can always vote with their feet.

But if Mamallapuram is too Westernized, what does Butterball expect to find in a former French colony? A friend staying there is most happy to get French bread in the morning with her coffee!

I was in Mamallpuram last week and left after four days -- but didn't see any evidence of "scene" as in people settling in for months at a time, drug use, etc.

The food, in fact, is great there. But if Butterball wants to get away from such activity, it's easy enough to walk to Mamalla Bhavan or any of the Indian hotels and stay where there are veg restaurants and little foreign influence.

As of last week, there were more Kashmiri shopkeepers than Western tourists and they were driving me nuts with their "oh, my friend, come to my shop, I have beautiful things."

I'm back in Puri, where the weather is cool and much less humid -- and the food is a bit more "rustic."

maree · Dec 23rd, 2003, 18:13

Mammallapuram.... mmmm.... prawns.

bijapuri · Dec 23rd, 2003, 23:17

there seem to be 2 mahabs . . . . One is downtown, the other in the beach resorts north of town. I love catching a taxi from the airport upon nightime arrival in Chennai from USA, and waking up to my first day in India on a deserted beach! However, next day I'm outa there. I haven't stayed in town in many years.

Dec 28th, 2003, 01:36

some name , butterball..some imagination ..just kidding

DianeShen · Oct 15th, 2004, 17:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by bijapuri

there seem to be 2 mahabs . . . . One is downtown, the other in the beach resorts north of town. I love catching a taxi from the airport upon nightime arrival in Chennai from USA, and waking up to my first day in India on a deserted beach! However, next day I'm outa there. I haven't stayed in town in many years.

I guess the beach is Ideal Beach Resort you're talking about?
If it is, I've just been there last weekend...
It's around 15 minutes by auto from Mamallapuram (3~4K)
Rs150 is required for entrance.. but it's clean and nice. A great place to spend the whole day swimming, reading and sleeping

Jorge Reverter · Oct 15th, 2004, 22:40

Buterball,

As Bijapuri and all others says, Pondicherry is absurd. Nothing specially interesting in town. The only thing is probably Sri Aurobindo's Ashram and some pricey french food in the restos. Auroville worth the visit if you are near there (at least, is something different).

I agree with Maree about King Prawns and fish in Mahabal., the place is nice for avoiding Madras and resting after a hard trip to the temple towns in TN.

Kanchipuram is only at about 70 km from Mahab. and probably you'll find there some of the best temples in India and best sarees too. You have some basic and clean hotels in town.

If you have ennough time go to Thanjavur or at least to Chidambaram ( 60 km south of Pondich.), from there you can have a look in the astrologuers town Vaitiswarankoil and see your past and future life in theirs leafs..., you can even sleep there in a new hotel.

butterball · Oct 15th, 2004, 22:57

.. thanks Jorge..

My original post was nearly a year ago !

I DID eventually go to Pondi - and LOVED it ! I didn't go to Auroville which I was not interested in, but stayed in Pondicherry itself, and just really enjoyed the place... Not too big, nice market, good food ( NOT the overpriced, poorly cooked 'French / Euro stuff ) and hired a scooter for 70 IRS per day !

I also took some of my best pictures to date there..

Fortunately I'm back for 6 months in November & will have PLENTY of time to visit more of TN in depth..

Still though Mahabs was, well,.. no more than OK

GeorgieL · Oct 28th, 2004, 15:52

Butterball - I'm heading to TN in January (probably only have about 3 weeks), so any highlights you come across up to then would be most appreciated.

6 months - lucky you!

butterball · Oct 28th, 2004, 21:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgieL

Butterball - I'm heading to TN in January (probably only have about 3 weeks), so any highlights you come across up to then would be most appreciated.

6 months - lucky you!

Too right !

A well earned 'career break'.. I'm probably going to take long term accoms. in Varkala / Kerala - and do lots of 'mini tours' around TN, Karnataka and head up to Kolkata and Thailand for a couple of weeks..

Can't wait.

Dec 19th, 2003, 09:55	#1
butterball Mine's a Haywoods... Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: London .. sometimes ;o) Posts: 676	In Mahaballpuram & disappointed I'm now in Mahaballpuram and it's turned out to be a lot of things I'd hoped it wasn't ( ie a bit of a "scene" etc.. arghh...) I've got around 5 days left ti'l I have a flight from Chennai back to Trivandrum ) and was hoping to see Pondicherry - but am now wondering if that no too is going to be more of the same etc ? I originally wanted to head back to Trivandrum via a train with a stop in Trichy ( which is more of what I like - biger city, no muesli breakfasts, some dim dingy seedy bars etc etc ) but all the trains are heavily wait listed - so I had to book a flight from Chennai instead. Do I carry on to Pondi ? How interesting / busy is Kanchipuram ? ( ie is it worth a night's detour - is it a city or just a small town ? ) I've no guide book & no suggestions of any good places to stay there - any offers ? Any other offers to bail me out of this one ? Thanks

Dec 19th, 2003, 10:09	#2
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	me, I think Pondy is absurd But you still have time to hit Thanjavur! Take the Chola express, around 09:00 hrs or so, from chingleput/chingalpatu (??) it is a day train and you wont need reservations, there are chair cars, you'll get into TJ in the afternoon. Just my opinion __________________ 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

Dec 23rd, 2003, 09:10	#6
radz Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: India Posts: 748	Kanchipuram is small town ,but its one of seven scared citys is India, temple town,where you turn you will bump in temple only).If you would like to interested to see , 16th century temples,then its must visit. Kancheepuram is famous for Silk too . My fav is "Kailasanather temple"its so beautiful old temple. Only thing all templs will close 12 noon,then reopen 4 pm. Pondicherry,its not bad,if you interesd mediation short of things, like to see Auroville ,then you visit Pondy . __________________ My Photo gallery

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Dec 22nd, 2003, 17:13	#3
angelika Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Munich - Germany Posts: 109	I agree with Bijapuri. Pondicherry is absurd I'd liked Kanchipuram. It is a small (little bit dirty) town (for India) with lots of wonderful South Indian temples, where you can sit on the ghats for hours! and great vegetarian South Indian food ---> dosas, idlies mmmmh

Dec 23rd, 2003, 01:53	#4
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	yeah, Kanchi is cool, and very near, and saree heaven, if that is opf interest. Perhaps you would like to be on our committee . . . . .

Dec 23rd, 2003, 04:48	#5
picklepak Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 274	Pondicherry is absurd? Or do you mean Auroville, which is right next door? I might be included to agree with that... all those foreigners with unhappy faces, surprising to see in India. The ashrams there could be worth visiting though. Butterball what do you mean Mamallapuram is a "scene"? I've never been there.

Dec 23rd, 2003, 18:13	#8
maree Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: New Zealander in Bangkok Posts: 850	Mammallapuram.... mmmm.... prawns.

Dec 23rd, 2003, 23:17	#9
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	there seem to be 2 mahabs . . . . One is downtown, the other in the beach resorts north of town. I love catching a taxi from the airport upon nightime arrival in Chennai from USA, and waking up to my first day in India on a deserted beach! However, next day I'm outa there. I haven't stayed in town in many years.

Dec 28th, 2003, 01:36	#10
sharp_in1008 Posts: n/a	some name , butterball..some imagination ..just kidding

Oct 15th, 2004, 22:40	#12
Jorge Reverter Maha Guru Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Murcia - Spain Posts: 1,110	Buterball, As Bijapuri and all others says, Pondicherry is absurd. Nothing specially interesting in town. The only thing is probably Sri Aurobindo's Ashram and some pricey french food in the restos. Auroville worth the visit if you are near there (at least, is something different). I agree with Maree about King Prawns and fish in Mahabal., the place is nice for avoiding Madras and resting after a hard trip to the temple towns in TN. Kanchipuram is only at about 70 km from Mahab. and probably you'll find there some of the best temples in India and best sarees too. You have some basic and clean hotels in town. If you have ennough time go to Thanjavur or at least to Chidambaram ( 60 km south of Pondich.), from there you can have a look in the astrologuers town Vaitiswarankoil and see your past and future life in theirs leafs..., you can even sleep there in a new hotel.

Oct 15th, 2004, 22:57	#13
butterball Mine's a Haywoods... Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: London .. sometimes ;o) Posts: 676	.. thanks Jorge.. My original post was nearly a year ago ! I DID eventually go to Pondi - and LOVED it ! I didn't go to Auroville which I was not interested in, but stayed in Pondicherry itself, and just really enjoyed the place... Not too big, nice market, good food ( NOT the overpriced, poorly cooked 'French / Euro stuff ) and hired a scooter for 70 IRS per day ! I also took some of my best pictures to date there.. Fortunately I'm back for 6 months in November & will have PLENTY of time to visit more of TN in depth.. Still though Mahabs was, well,.. no more than OK

Oct 28th, 2004, 15:52	#14
GeorgieL Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: London Posts: 13	Butterball - I'm heading to TN in January (probably only have about 3 weeks), so any highlights you come across up to then would be most appreciated. 6 months - lucky you!

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