This is one trip I wanted it to be cancelled. I was absolutely in no mood to travel. Did only because I committed to attend my friend’s marriage and he already booked rooms. Initially planned to do a Karaikudi, Trichy, Thanjavur and Kumbakonam circuit but thanks to the extended weekend lockdown of religious places (which I was happy) we did only Kumbakonam and visited a couple of places enroute.
Day 1 – A soothing start
9/6/2021
It was one of the days, the weather gods were kind on us. With slight drizzle and not so hot weather we started our journey to Kumbakonam from Madurai. As usual I have it as a rule that we start early. 6 AM is my usual start time while driving and that’s when started too.
Viralimalai
Our first stop was Viralimalai Murugan Temple. We reached there within an hour. We had to make a round to know the exact route of entry because map was playing tricks but we got the right path after completing a circle. Parked our car in its due place and proceeded to the temple.
We had to climb few steps to reach the temple. There is a route directly to the temple premises but we wanted to walk so took the steps. Weather was one of the major parts for liking this exercise. After walking half the distance, I could hear peacock’s sound. I thought it’d be somewhere far but it was right there near the entrance of the temple. And it was just not one but many.
After spending some time looking at that, we proceeded towards the temple. The temple was literally empty when we entered. So, it was so peaceful. There was a veranda near the temple from where we saw the dance of peacock too. It was a sight to behold. After spending some time there, we got down and went to Shri Sangeethas Restaurant for breakfast. A tried and tested restaurant in the neighborhood. Surprisingly I met my friend Vignesh Sudhakar, from whom I copied my Infy compre. Well, those were the days…
Srirangam
Next stop we went to Sri Ranganatha Swamy Temple in Srirangam. The whole place had a great vibe to it right from the entry gates. Felt as if we were going to ancient times of kings. As per our initial plan we were supposed to stay in Trichy for a couple of days and cover temples there but it didn’t materialize but the whole trip was planned because of mom’s wish to go to Srirangam so we chose to visit just this temple enroute to Kumbakonam.
Being a famous temple, I was skeptical about the parking but Google guided me in the right way. We entered via West gate, literally none were there. Plus, the breeze hitting our face, it felt heavenly. We took a good two to three hours to go around the temple. It was a superb experience and the temple was huge. As it was closing time, we knew that no other temples would be open so decided to eat lunch on the way to Kumbakonam and sleep. And visit nearby temples in Kumbakonam.
Kallanai
The route from Srirangam to Kumbakonam was fantastic. Not sure whether that was the mainstream route but with waterbodies and greeneries, it was a lovely drive. After about an hour’s drive we reached Kallanai Dam. It was not part of plan but when I asked, my dad asked to stop. He says ‘no’ to everything generally so when he said ‘yes’ I decided to stop. There was drizzles and we had to walk a long way so I was scared whether it’d rain but luckily it didn’t. Kallanai dam isn’t a great spot to visit but there was a fair happening nearby. May be that would interest few. We didn’t visit there.
At the end of the dam there was a museum called Karikala Cholan Manimandapam. The museum is worth spending some time. Actually, if you’re planning like me, after Srirangam you can have lunch, visit Kallanai, spend some time in museum and fair and go to next temples enroute. But I wanted to take rest and majorly wasn’t in a mood for it, so from there we drove straight to Padma Hotel in Thirivaiyaru which the locals suggested as a good place for meals. Food was average. Interesting thing there is, when we asked for parking, everyone unanimously said that we could park in bus stand and walk to the restaurant. Loved that culture. So easy.
Kumbakonam
Around 4.30 PM, we reached Kumbakonam Home Stay which my friend had booked for us. It was actually not a home stay but flats converted to rooms. Guess it’s a culture in Kumbakonam and surroundings to name everything as Home Stay or may be for tax benefits. Whatever, the room was spacious and lovely. I immediately dozed off for a compulsory nap.
We got up and ordered a brilliant filter kaapi from the hotel. Got the taste of Kumbakonam first up. We asked the reception about how to plan for sightseeing the forthcoming days. He gave us a temple tour map and guided us on how we could go about it. By the time we decided to take a walk to the nearby temples, it was already dawn. We first visited Kalahasteeswarar Temple and few small temples nearby like Bagavath Vinayagar, Yanaiyadi Ayyanar etc. Even small temples there was pretty old and had a lot of history about it. In Yanaiyadi Ayyanar temple they gave us a booklet to know about its history.
We couldn’t find any interesting restaurants nearby. So, when we were about to return back, we asked in a sweetshop nearby about good restaurants there. He suggested Hotel Venkataramana, citing it as a pretty old establishment. We liked thy name itself and had dinner there. Onion dosa there at least had quarter kg onion in it. But we were too tired to relish it. We came out and had Masala Milk in Ramesh Snacks nearby, which was highly crowded. We took a different path to reach the hotel, which was deserted. So decided we’d never take that path again.
Day 2 – A taxing day of temple walks
9/7/2021
Suryanar Kovil (Sun)
The key to cover maximum points is to start early and thus we started by 6 AM for the first spot. Got up at 5 AM, sipped our coffee and quickly got ready and our first point out of Navagraha tour was Suryanar Temple. Early morning drive was again lovely. There was little bit of crowd around the temple. We got to know they would have been people like us who started early morning and got there by that time.
Inside too there was a bit of crowd but after seeing the main deity we didn’t wait for any pooja and got out so that we would save some time. Mom said that we could have prasadam there as breakfast but I told we could do that in next temple as it was still early. So had Rava Laddu and came out from there. There was a Rolls Royce standing outside, around which people were crowded. I thought it’d be some celebrity and I too looked who was inside it but couldn’t find who it was.
Kanjanoor Temple (Venus)
Our next stop was Agniswarar Temple in Kanjanur. In Navagraha circuit, this temple is referred for Sukran, even though the main deity is different. We thought the whole crowd which was there in Suryanar temple would be there but it was empty. Few were sitting at the entrance which made us think that temple was not open yet but once we went inside, we got to know it was open. We quickly went around the temple.
Our next stop was quite far from there and it was time for breakfast, so we stopped at Hotel Sadhabishegam for breakfast. From the outside it looked like a good restaurant and food indeed was decent. More than food, restrooms become a major choice for choosing restaurants in highway. So, we chose this.
Vaitheeswaran Koil (Mars)
We reached Vaitheeswaran Temple in sometime. We were skeptical whether to visit Vaitheeswaran temple or not because it was far off from the main circuit and we had already been there by chance during our previous temple visit around Thirukadaiyur. This temple was for Sevvai (Mars). Contrary to what we thought the temple wasn’t much crowded so we had good darshan. As usual people were compelling us to buy salt and pepper at the entrance and we too bought it.
Generally, I don’t feel saying ‘no’ to the temple because, one of my friends while going by this route said that his dad wanted to visit the temple the last time they went around that route but he didn’t stop. The next week, his dad expired. Somehow that got registered in my mind and doesn’t let me skip the temple if we’re in that route.
Thiruvengadu (Mercury)
Our next stop was again not so close to the previous temple but the temple was quite free. Within half an hour we reached Swetharanyeswarar Temple. There was nadaswaram and abhisegam going inside which was amazing. After spending few minutes, we hurried from there but someone followed us and gave a vethalai (some sort of gift). They were the ones who were doing the pooja. One priest was rumouring to other saying that Nayanthara was in some temple. I thought it was their group who did the pooja but it was the Rolls Royce family whom we saw in Suryanar Kovil. Guess they were some high officials in Turkmenistan. I read it in the license plate.
Keezhaperumpallam (South Lunar Node)
I remember visiting Ketu temple last time around because someone mentioned that people go there to pray that marriage should happen to them. Once I entered the Nagannathaswamy Temple, the old feelings got back to me. It too was not crowded and peaceful. We knew that time was up and we couldn’t complete remaining temples of Navagraha circuit that day.
From there directly went to Aathurar Briyani in Mayiladuthurai. We thought we’ll have lunch in Kumbakonam but the journey was long and this place looked tempting. I didn’t really feel like eating non veg but had it. My mom was commenting on how my dad and I were with pattai and having biryani. My dad liked the dalcha that they gave.
There was lot of traffic enroute so we reached room only around 2.30 PM and immediately went for nap. I couldn’t sleep properly like I wanted. I was having disturbed sleep even though I was tired so woke up in an hour and got ready for second round of temples.
Swamimalai
We went to Swaminatha Swamy Temple by 4.30 PM. As it was just the opening time, there was absolutely no crowd. We had coffee in some road side shop, even that was amazing. Within ten minutes we saw the main deity. Due to corona, the temple queue was designed in such a way that one can’t sit there. So, we came back thick and fast.
Thiruvalanchuzhi Vinayagar Temple
Enroute to Airavatesvara Temple, we spotted a nice ancient temple called Kabartheeswarar Temple (called as Thiruvalanchuzhi temple in popular terms) The temple was fabulous. Old and peaceful with beautiful carvings adoring the wall. This one was not there in the list and one of the many surprise package. A small Ganapathi idol immersed in white ash was so cute to watch.
Airavatesvara Temple
Probably one place which gets mentioned in every article about Kumbakonam but never talked about by locals much. May be because its more of a UNESCO site than a temple. Airavatesvara Temple is somewhat outside the main city but not quite far. I try to avoid this word as much as possible but once I entered the temple, it reminded me of Hampi. Guess many shootings happen there, the temple looked very familiar and outright majestic. In a way reminded me of Angkor Wat too. And the fact that we were there right at sunset, made the moment magical.
Thenupuriswarar Temple
With satisfaction we set off to Thenupuriswarar temple in Patteeswaram because I wanted to see Airavatesvara before sunset. Like all temples even Thenupuriswarar had huge roads around the temple premises and not crowded at all. It was one of the many temples where the lingam and light surrounding it made me zone. It’s an ecstatic feeling. When I was telling it to my mom, she told, “if at your age you could feel like it, imagine at my age, how I’d be feeling”. I was happy that I made my parents happy.
Adi Kumbeswarar Temple
From there we hit the road to the city to visit temples there. Our first stop was Adi Kumbeswarar Temple through which the city got its name. The temple just like others were old and majestic.
Ramaswamy Temple
We had Sarangapani temple in the list next and while trying reach it through Google maps, it played tricks and got us into a market street which was one way, which got me tensed. I thought I was going to be big hassle but the crowd didn’t bitch me, so somehow crossed the place and parked the car, in not-so-great place. On getting down we got to know that it’s Ramaswamy Temple and not Sarangapani Temple.
Sarangapani Temple
We asked the head priest of Ramaswamy Temple whether any temples would be open. He suggested us to go to Sarangapani Temple. Having lost the confidence to take car, we took a walk to temple, which was a big mistake. It got us too tired but we ended the day with Palliyarai Poojai so felt great. Woke up to Sun god and end with making the gods sleep. What better can you ask for? We were tired but immensely satisfied.
There was hassle again to find a place for dinner. We chose Gowri Shankar Hotel, for which we struggled to a lot to get space for parking. But finally did, had dinner and of course coffee too.
Day 3 – Pending city temple tour
9/8/2021
Tirunageswaram Temple (North Lunar Node)
It was one of the Navagraha temples we missed the previous day. So, we made it as the first point of the day. Tirunageswaram Naganathar Temple supposedly would be crowded because it’s a Rahu temple and people visit there especially for that. But when we visited, it wasn’t crowded like usual. So, we had a good darshan.
Oppiliappan temple
Oppiliappan temple was one of the temples which my dad kept on insisting from day 1. Called as Uppiliappan by many because there won’t be salt in their prasadams. Its actual name is Oppiliappan Temple. It wasn’t crowded too and the main deity was lovely. By chance we had saltless Puliotharai and amazing Sakarai Pongal.
Mahapratyangira Devi Temple
Not really a famous temple like the rest but it was in the route so we decided to check it out. Interesting thing is Mahapratyangira Devi Temple premises is in the middle of burial ground and the deity shouldn’t be kept at home. The main deity was furious.
We headed towards the city for breakfast and to cover remaining temples. Locals suggested Hotel Sri Pathmavathi Bavan which had a waiter who was a new entrant. He was taking care of us more than necessary, which was funny. We visited a small temple next and proceeded towards Maha Maham Tank.
Maha Maham
We initially planned to stay in Raya’s but as my friend had booked room, stayed there. Raya’s was just next to Maha Maham Tank, which was beautiful. There were deities all around the tank.
Kasi Viswanathar Temple
Right next to Maha Maham is Kasi Viswanathar Temple. Funny thing there was, at the entrance there was corona test happening for which they were scouting for people. They compelled us to take too, due to which we lost some time. One guy in cycle who came there, returned back seeing it. The temple as usual with Lingam was divine.
Abimukeswarar Temple
We thought we’d go around the tank in car and take a video. While doing so we saw another temple called Abimukeswarar Temple which we thought to be a marriage hall because of the marriage function happening in the hall next to it. Looks like that temple wouldn’t be visited by many so there were couples inside.
Nageswaraswamy Temple
We were not really keen on Nageswaraswamy Temple and one look at it inside, we were in awe. Just the sheer magnificence was spell binding. It made me think again that Kumbakonam is not a place where you hurry. You stay there and visit one temple per day and bask in its glory.
Chakrapani Temple
We went to Chakrapani Temple which we missed the previous day. The journey to it was horrid with heavy traffic. But somehow escaped without any scratches. That temple too was lovely. We got to know that time was up and with that we completed out temple tour.
We came out, bought few stuffs to take home. Attended friends’ reception in the evening as well as marriage the next morning. Thanks to him, had a great time in Kumbakonam which made my parents really happy and I felt like first time I did a proper road trip in car. Wish many more would come in future.
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