Mini Day out to Mahabalipuram -Pallavas Dynasty.

 

How to reach : From Chennai , take East Coast road .. Drive 50 - 60 Kms to reach Mahabalipuram

Tourist Places Near by : Mutukaadu, Tiger cave, Crocodile park, Mayajal (Mall), Resorts and Theme Parks on the way...

April 7^th Weekend was my normal visit to Chennai to spend my Lovely time with my friends, . The Plan seems to be ok for One day, How about the next day...Just sleep?? Not at all!!! So I decided to travel Mahabalipuram, one of the busiest weekend spot. The temperature already touched 40 degree in Chennai..Is it possible for me to withstand the heat if I travel the whole day…?.. Ha ha “For a Passionate traveler and Photographer Weather doesn’t matter”... Whenever I go to my prem Home, I tried to control myself from sleeping in Memory foam Bed... Wow Man “AC+ A sleep in the memory foam” is an awesome feel… I asked Mom to wake me up at 7.00 AM next day so that I can reach Mahabalipuram before I feel the hotness... Next day, "Always Unexpected things happen to me". Its 10 AM ,thought of cancelling the trip and returning back to day dreams…Thought for a while, Had a Quick shower and breakfast. In 30 Minutes I am set to travel. Chapatti packed with delicious Kuruma for Lunch, A set of Water bottles to suppress the body heat...Boarded the Local Bus from Perambur to thiruvanmaiyur, the travel was almost went for 90 minutes…Waited for Mahabalipuram bus for 15 minutes but no indication of bus arriving. At last Volvo Bus arrived, Boarded the Bus. In Chennai  “Bus fare will be affordable by all class people”… Had a 10 minutes nap, Recalled my college trip to Mahabalipuram with my sweet 57 friends seven years back and now ,I am alone traveling..Furious Volvo gone tired of jogging in Chennai traffic, Entered the ECR Road and the speed touched at least 110 KMPL…

 Rocking Journey Heated up now. On the way had a window visit of the famous hot weekend Spots MGM, Maayajal (Lovers Destination), Crocodile Park and Mutukaadu... An hour passed by reached Mahabalipuram , Stepped out of the bus a hot French kiss from sun directly all over the body...Road filled with Young lovers, Family people and Business Magnets...

Took the Road moved towards my right which leads to Arjuna's penance Filled with detailed carvings, including a family of elephants and monkeys.. The temple measures 27 meters in length and 9 meters in height. Tourist guides helping out the foreigners and describing the beauty of the Indian Mythology..First time in my life, I am admiring the beauty of the sculptures .Architecture was awesome..Clicked some snaps of the beautiful sculptures and moved on to the next place. 

http://www.mahabalipuram.co.in/arjuna_penance_mahabalipuram.php...   

On the way came across a huge Krishna Butter Ball rock. What a massive rock!!!.. People who haven’t got the resting place in nearby trees rested on the shadows of the rock and chit chatting with cracking jocks…

Had a sip of water to energies myself and walked towards Rayar Gopuram. Rayar Gopuram is believed to be an unfinished structure at Mahabalipuram. This is one of the many structures which are believed to be left incomplete by the Pallava architects. It is thought that the work on the stones was stopped abruptly due to some invasions. Wherever we go, we emboss your finger prints..Collection of names embossed in the Rayar Puram sign Board... he he

http://admirableindia.com/tamil-nadu/trip-to-mahabalipuram-or-mamallapuram-chapter-7-rayar-gopuram

To relax myself, rested for a while….All over 360 degree, I can see only Couples sitting and speaking in Love languages. Odd Man out, they Looked me like an alien...Time for Lunch, Tasted Chapatti with delicious Kuruma.. I don’t know when I closed my eyes, slept almost for 30 minutes after mini heavy lunch… Thank god My Love Nikon was safe...Had a quick visit to light house and nearby caves (Mahisha mardini cave).. 

On the outlet of the caves there were Handicrafts shops filled with Beautiful sculptures...Clicked some snaps of it and had a chat with the shop fellows. How much the sculptures cost?? And where to do they export these sculptures?? And so more..There were some sculptures which cost about 60 K… I can hear the internal voice of the artist 

 

“I express myself in sculpture since I am not a poet.”...

Even though we invented machines which make our life simple, high precision work is engraved by hand using Chip Carving Knife... On the way of Five Rathas', I saw n number of handicraft shops. Each design is unique and beautiful. Time almost 4 PM , I need to finish off roaming Mahabalipuram  in next one hour and board the bus to Chennai , Pack the things and return to Bangalore. Collected the entry ticket Visited Five Rathas. five monolithic pyramidal structures named after the Pandavas (Arjuna, Bhima, Yudhishtra, Nakula and Sahadeva) and Draupadi. An interesting aspect of the rathas is that, despite their sizes they are not assembled — each of these is carved from one single large piece of stone... Asusal Few snaps with some silhouettes of the Rathas and moved on..

Eyes gone tried, had coffee.. No difference in tiredness.. Saw a cute white puppy playing around, licked me for a while... My tiredness vanished away after playing for a while with Puppy… 

http://www.mahabalipuram.co.in/panch_rathas_at_mahabalipuram.php

A Kilometer walk from five Rathas to reach the shore temple, Area nearby the shore temple is well maintained by the government…   Birds flocking and circling the Shore temple Gopuram nonstop…  Mind said "Sun is almost going to set, Finish the trip without soaking leg in sea water" but my heart said “Don’t care dude, enjoy the day time is yours”… Sea water touched my feet...Awesome feel… 

A beautiful Lyrics crossed my Mind 

"kadal meenaga irundhaval naan

unakena karaithandi vandhaval thaan

thudithuridhe tharayinile thirumbivitten en kadalidame .."

Missed the Chennai bus, waited for almost 90 minutes no show of bus..At last Furious Volvo arrived…

 As Planned next day in Bangalore with beautiful memories.. "Moments Captured"...