To Dhanushkodi and Back ....

 Road Trip! 1700 km, 7 days, 3 destinations, lots of pit stops, lots of food, and lots of fun...
Perhaps one of the best road trips I have been to in a really long time. It was the perfect 40th Birthday; Celebrating 4 decades of existence on this beautiful planet, doing the one thing I am so passionate about
So, the plan was Bangalore - Madurai - Kanyakumari- Rameshwaram - Dhanushkodi and back. And boy was it an experience! It was a food and culture-filled experience...

After much deliberation on flying, taking the train, bus, etc... we zeroed in on driving. Since I do not drive and my husband was the only person driving the entire trip, I had to plan extensively on our pitt stops and breaks.

Why did we choose Tamil Nadu as our first long road trip? Good question ... it was just the food. My daughter is very picky about what she eats and she is a tiffin person ( Idli, dosa any time of the day). So considering this, Tamil Nadu was the perfect first long road trip that would ensure she is eating properly and keep me at peace and allow me to enjoy the entire trip. 

There are multiple routes for road trips across Tamil Nadu. Each route covers some of the most culturally magnificent places. 

Thus began the much-awaited Road trip through beautiful Tamil Nadu. 

First Stop - Madurai ... 

Madurai is about 8 hours from Bangalore. We took our first big break in Salem and then smaller breaks for coffee on the way. Reached Madurai by late evening. 

We had a 2 day plan in Madurai mainly to see the Meenaskshi Amman Temple and Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal. 

And of course to taste the much-talked-about Jigarthanda. This was definitely on my list as I had no clue what it was which made it more intriguing. 

Meenakshi Amman Temple is a UNESCO world heritage site. Calling it magnificent is an understatement! We spent close to 2 -3 hours inside the temple, walking around and looking at the beautiful architecture. 

Inside the main temple hall, there is the 'Aayiram Kaal Mantapam' ( 1000 leg hall literally translated from Tamil to English ) a huge hall with 1000 pillars. Too bad they did not allow me to take pictures. But it is so fresh in my mind; The intricate art and symmetry of the pillars and the sculptures are mind-blowing. 

Also do not miss the museum inside the temple, there are some beautiful statues and some scriptures which is displayed. There is a huge Nataraja statue along with a hall, apparently, this hall was used by students of Bharatanatyam for their Arangetrams. 

Once out of the Temple you enter the main street of Madurai, the heart of Madurai. There are eateries, shops, and just lots of people around. We had a lovely lunch and headed back to the hotel to rest . 

The next agenda was to go to the light and sound show in Thirumalai Nayakar Mahal. 

There are 2 shows that happen in the evening, one in Tamil and one in English. 

Thirumalai Nayakar was a King who ruled Madhurai in the 16th century. This palace is well maintained and the light and sound show is a must-do. Very nicely orchestrated, the storytelling is good and you will be involved throughout the show. 

Our show was done by 7.30 PM and we wanted to go have dinner in a 100-year-old Iyengar mess in Madurai. There is this place called Gopu Iyengar Tiffin Center which is a pure veg eatery. It is a tiny little place about 200 sq ft with just about 5 tables inside and a cash counter. There was a list of menus outside and as per my research, their Vellaiappam and Kathrikai bajji is to die for. Unfortunately, we were too late for the specials as we took a while to find the place. 

Just about 5 mins from Meenakshi Amman temple, one can easily miss this place if you are new. It is situated at a corner and you won't spot it till you stand right in front of the eatery. 

So, with all their signature dishes off the menu, we were left with Plain dosa and Idli. But that was equally yummy. 

I must talk about food in Madurai...

Like I said it is a foodies paradise. The very famous Murugan Idli shop should be on your list for amazing food any time of the day. We pretty much ate at least 1 meal there as it was a unanimous favorite, especially my Daughter's favorite ghee dosa. 

And before we left Madurai I finally tasted the coveted Madurai Jigarthanda... It is a sweet drink with milk, almond resin, khoya, fruits, and custard in layers ... It is a sweet tooth's delight, but for someone like me who is not a big fan of sweets, I got high after drinking it!

Fun Fact: As you might notice, Jigarthanda is not a Tamil word for a drink that is claimed to have originated in Madurai. Jigar and Thanda are not Tamil words, it means cooling the heart. This was invented by the Mughals and was brought to Madurai in the 17th century. Since this was something very new, it became an instant hit in Madurai. Hence the famous Madurai Jigarthanda. It is just a far-off cousin of the Falooda that you get in the Northern parts of India. 

Back in our hotel, we had to be well-rested for the next day's drive. 

Next stop Kanyakumari ......