9.50 PM, 28 July 2025: A mountain of clothes smiling from a corner of the room. Or, are they grumpy for not being sunkissed and smelling fresh? Can't predict. Thanks to the weather. It could be both. Just like I was this morning.
Had forgotten that it's not a hotel and that I was back to adulting -- washing and drying clothes would not really end. I rather gear up for Part 2 of the road trip kahani (story), exactly a week after the night we said goodbye to Ganesh mess (my husband halfheartedly, because he did not get a porotta for dinner).
After Rameshwaram's night views and sounds, we knew that "seeing" the sun rise the next morning sounded like a distant dream.
Anyway, since enquiries were done the previous night, the guys did not have trouble finding tea early in the morning. Dhanushkodi beckoned soon after. After what seemed like a drive through a road away from the vagaries of city life, we were soon on a road that offered scenic views of the Arabian Sea on one side and the Bay of Bengal on the other. While I told my brain the hundredth time that Bay of Bengal was on the eastern side (also, West Bengal is on the East of India's map), my smarter friend looked at the direction of the sun and predicted the Bay of Bengal on the left.
Beautiful beyond words, we arrived at Dhanushkodi-- "Land's End", end of Indian mainland, from where, according to legend, Lord Rama built the bridge to Sri Lanka to bring Sita back from Ravana's kingdom. Also known as a ghost down, this place is said to have been destroyed by a cyclone in the early 1960s.
Remnants of a city stared at us as the breeze—or rather, the winds—showed us a sample of what might have transpired years ago. Each sand particle seemed to move with the winds, making us feel as if we were in a motion picture ourselves!
There was a deserted church, a railway station, a post office probably, and much more. In the eeriness were vendors selling sea shell knick-knacks, trying to make a living. Some people did not leave the land after the destruction, because as illogical as it may sound, for them that was what they knew as "home."
And from there, we returned to the hotel, but not before we had a glimpse of Kalam House (thanks to my pestering. I had read about a floor having been turned into a mini shopping hub of sorts. It's a different story that the shopping hub seemed to have diluted the essence of the place that once housed one of the most humble human beings India ever produced.)
With a book of poems by Kalam, a few key chains with his quotes, I walked out feeling a little nostalgic and a little disheartened—it could be maintained better. The area that leads to the place was littered beyond "usual".
And so continued our journey from there to the Panchmukhi Hanuman Temple and the floating stones on display there with a person explaining the plausibility of a road to Lanka made by the monkey God (from Indian mythology). Commercialisation's magic wand made the whole experience feel inadequate. But Madurai beckoned and we had a few more hours to go before we reached our next hotel.
What fascinated us was the Villondi theertham, a well inside a sea—made by Lord Ram for his wife when she felt thirsty. I looked at my husband who was busy holding my hand, just in case I strayed to the nearby shop to take home another memorabilia!
From a highway laden with green pieces of land on both sides, we passed by towns and villages—stretches of nothingness, with a town and its people breaking the monotony at times.
Soon (about 3 hours later), we reached Madurai. The ladies in the car sat starry eyed as saree and jewellery shops lined the streets near our hotel. 'Madurai Sungudi cotton saree' clinked inside my head and I smiled to myself secretly, remembering my granny's beautiful sarees that refused to age with time.
After checking into what looked more like a dormitory than a hotel, we stepped out into the streets. Colours and more colours greeted our eyes. Tamil Nadu in all its glory! Soon, the guys sat as silent spectators (or bunked to go have idlis) while we reached a local shop that had sarees in almost all the colours and types we could ever think of!
After giving away a small fortune to the owner of the shop, we walked out with probably more bags than the sarees as they felt we could advertise their place further with those kattapais (strong bags with wooden handles, quite common in Tamil Nadu).
Then, to pacify the disgruntled husbands, we decided to land at our next destination-- a place that sold bun porotta and curry. While the way it's made can put Healthify app to shame, it was an experience that we will treasure for a long time.
What's a Madurai trip without a Famous Jigarthanda? We got amazing Basundi too as a cherry on the cake! (Both are desserts that one should definitely try).
We walked home through the bustling streets to call it a night soon after that.
Next morning, all four of us, braved the half sleepy dogs to reach Madurai Meenakshi temple. We were the first customers for a mogra (jasmine flower) gajra seller. He did a quiet little prayer, lit lamps and started his day.
The scene of the sambrani smoke, people in their temple-visit-finery made for great visuals! After braving a queue on empty stomach, we came out feeling a sense of calm and with vibhooti that smelt divine.
The kalyana mandapam, and a few other places were under renovation so we missed admiring the beauty of the gopurams. The moment we stepped out, the sight of glass bangles pulled me like magnets. Without doubt, you know the rest of the story!
We soon went to Sree Sabarees, quite popular for their mini tiffin. Post that, Prema Vilas awaited with fresh halwa, and other mouth watering desserts. They send parcels too, if you are interested (no branches).
After relishing the delicacies, it was time to head back to the city that's "home". With heavy hearts (and tummies), we said goodbye to the streets that greeted us wholeheartedly with Tamil paasam (affection).
On our way back, our Tamil ponnu (lady) also introduced us to a roadside healthy millet preparation (kambu koozh) that took away all my road trip drudgery in an instant!
P.S. Almost a month later (that's the time it took to complete this one!), the fridge magnets and my overloaded phone remind me of the trip and that it's time to move the images to a safer location.
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