VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

VERY IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

If you're reading this post on your mail box via e-mail subscriptions, there's a chance sooner or later, you'll stop getting the mails! If you're reading this post through reader or on your blogger dashboard, my blog updates might get stopped soon. 
Well, Google Reader is retiring on July 1, 2013 and we don't know about Google Friend Connect and Feedburner, but GFC has gone to 'other widgets' section and adsense for Feedburner is already gone! 
That's really depressing!!! Anyways, here are my alternatives for you to be updated on my upcoming blog posts!

FOLLOW on GOOGLE PLUS & NETWORKED BLOGS

Follow MY TRAVELOGUE on Networked Blogs

SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES where I UPDATE REGULARLY on Blog Posts

Follow @Bhushavali

Bhushavali in Pinterest

On the other hand, my other blog, FASHION PANACHE & BHUSHAVALI Brand page can be FOLLOWED HERE!

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P.S: I had already posted the same earlier. I'm re-posting it, in case you've missed it earlier...

Keezhur Monument - Mangalam Sacred Grove (Pondicherry aka Puducherry)

After Sivaranthakam, where I saw the the beautiful banyan tree, the next option for the day was open. Ofcourse Auroville is there and Villianur has 2 ancient temples, but then to keep up with the spirit, I wanted to see another Sacred Grove! Another sacred grove in the tiny little Pondy??? 

Well, here's the surprise part, Pondy has not 1 or 2 by 105 sacred groves varying from 2 hectares to 0.2 hectares in area!!! I looked out to find the nearest sacred grove and there was this little village called Mangalam. But before Mangalam, there's was another historically important spot not to be missed, located very very closeby - Keezhur! Yes, there's a Keezhur in Kerala as well. Both are not the same. 

So what's the historical importance of Keezhur. Well, to know that, we've gotta know a bit of Indian political history. India was a colony of western countries for over 2 centuries. While a major portion of India was under the British, there were some sockets that were under French, Danish and Portuguese. Pondicherry aka Puducherry was under French rule - French India. British India got its Independence on 15th Aug, 1947. However French India did not get its Independence then. So Pondy was still under French. 

Only in 1954, a voting happened for the French governed sockets towards the merger with India. On 18th Oct 1954, representatives of all these sockets took part in the voting, in the presence of French and Indian delegates in which 170 votes were for merger with India and only 8 against. From that day on, these sockets became came under Pondicherry Union Territory governed by Indian Central govt. 

This voting happened here in Keezhur!!!!! A memorial to commemorate the place, was built in 1972. The memorial was a very contemporary, modern marble structure. Sadly, when I ventured here, the place was locked and the we couldn't find the person who has the key. I have no clue what's inside that building!

From there, on the way back to Villianur is another little village called Mangalam. Apart from Sivaranthagam, Mangalam is also one of the 105 Sacred groves of Pondy. 

Unlike Sivaranthagam which is taken care by a single lady, Mangalam belongs to 2 groups. Sadly both the groups have left the place to the mercy of nature and have been fighting towards who owns the rights of the temple. The temple is a bit dilapidated... The place is more forest like. A bit disheartened, we set out, back to Villianur.
Btw, Villianur is a buzzing little town where you'll easily find autos and there are a couple of hotels and a all women police station. So safety or easy mode of transport shouldn't be a trouble at all! Infact our breakfast was at a little veg mess, just opp. to Women's Police Station. I was taken by amusement when the hotel said they won't serve coffee or tea, coz there are quite a few tea/coffee kiosks in the same road!!!

TO GET THERE:
To reach Sivaranthagam: Refer my last post
Sivaranthagam to Keezhur: 3 km
Keezhur to Mangalam: 8 km via Sivaranthagam towards Villianur
Enquire for Iyyanar Koil in Mangalam and the locals will easily direct you!

Sivaranthagam Sacred Grove (Pondicherry aka Puducherry)

Nurturing the National Tree of India!!! 
Shooting location of Life of Pi!!!

I'm pretty sure, you've heard of the movie 'Life of Pi'. It won Oscars in 2013. A major portion of this movie was shot here in India, esp. in and around Pondicherry aka Puducherry. One of the shooting location was a sacred grove in the quaint little village called Sivaranthagam, which has a huuuuuge banyan tree!  

Pic Courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/LifeofPiMovieUK

This is the pic taken during the making of the film with the hero Suraj Sharma and director Ang Lee! See the banyan tree at the background? That's what I'm talking about... I tried finding the video clip from the movie, but I couldn't. Do let me know if you come across it...

Recently I came to know of the location of this tree through The Hindu newspaper and set out to this place. Its located enroute to Villupuram from Pondicherry. So my first destination was Pondy and from there I took a local bus to a little town called Villianur. Enquiring here, revealed me that there's a once a day town bus to Keezhur that went via Sivaranthagam which I felt was pointless to wait for. Autos are aplenty here. I took one and thank God, the driver knew of this sacred grove pretty well. 

Maheshwari's grandson in the old temple structure

The present structure of the temple

Puravi - Terracotta Votive figures of Horses

Btw, what does Sacred Grove mean? Sacred Groves are little groves or woods or mini forests that belong to a temple or has a religious significance. So what's the religious significance here? Yup, there a mini temple below the huge banyan tree. The temple is called Ponni Amman Temple. The original temple has been here since the past few decades. However the present structure was built in 1994.

More than the temple, the tree is what totally took me by awe. More than the tree, it was the tree's care taken who took me by awe all the more. She is Maheshwari! Fondly called Amma!!! She is simple, clad in a saffron shirt and skirt and her matted locks wrapped as a bun atop her crown!

How minuscule is she beside the tree!!! 

She came here when her son was a toddler and this tree and temple has been her home ever since. The donations by the devotees are the only source of livehood for her. When she arrived here decades ago, the tree was little too, like her son. She nurtured the tree. Nurtured is a simple word to say. What she did was PHENOMENAL. 

Its a banyan tree and the essential characteristic of the tree is the aerial prop roots. The roots emanate from the branches and grow towards the ground. What she did was to wrap each aerial root with soil and manure, in a bag, in rainy days and help them grow soon. Once it hits the ground, she dug pits and planted them, again with soil and manure and placed a few heavy stones upon them, so they don't spring back. 

Once the roots hold on to the soil and ground, she removes the rocks! She ties up the roots that are closer to the stem, along with the main stem. She applies wet mud between them, so they hold on well!!! She has been doing this for decades and has planted several hundreds and may be thousands of roots! 

When she came here the tree was hardly 3 metre circumference at the stem. Today its 36 metres!!! The area the entire banyan tree covers - I have no idea!!! Its huge, covering several grounds of land! The number of birds, insects, snakes surviving because of this tree - may be millions!!! 

There are quite a lot of ant hills within and around the tree. Many a times abandoned ant hills become homes of snakes. She says there are 3 big snakes inside the main stem of the banyan tree which comes out at night! There are several smaller ones too!!!

With her daughter-in-law & grandson

Today her son is a strong young man and does manual labour in the nearby town and is married.  They have a little 10 yr old boy. Her son's family lives in the nearby town to facilitate his work and the kid's schooling. But she has made the tree her home... She has built a little house beside the temple and that's her home. When I went there, the daughter in law and grandson were there, thanks for the summer school holidays! 

 

I really didn't feel like leaving the place. I could stay there all day long - the chirps of the birds, hustle of the leaves, 2 awesome stray dogs that she takes care of, a few cocks & hens, cooling breeze, significantly lower temperature than the outside world!!! She was such a loving lady who almost hugged me when I was leaving! I never wanted to leave!!!!!

With my mom & our auto driver!

Do visit the temple. No matter what's your religion, the tree and the lady are worth the visit! And as I always say, as I specified in the Traveler Tips page (Temple tour section, Pt. 2), give her generously. If you do not want to give in cash, give her in kind like grains, spices etc. Its not just for the temple. Its for her. Its for the tree. Its for Mother Earth. Its for the Rain. Its for the several millions of living things that depend on that tree!!!

P.S.1: Where has my Puma El Ray been??? It was here..... I know it sounds Greek & Roman! Check out my other blog, Fashion Panache to know what am I talking about. 
P.S.2: Check out here to know what I wore for this trip...

TO GET THERE:
From Pondicherry: 18 km via Villianur, Vadamangalam, Ariyur towards Keezhur.
From Villupuram: 25 km via Kolianur, Valavanur, Ariyur towards Keezhur.
From Villianur: 9 km via Ariyur towards Keezhur.
You're in the right track if you spot Sri Venkateshwara Medical College & Hospital when you come from Pondy and you've overshot when you come from Villupuram.
Several town buses are available from Pondy to Villianur.
A few buses are available from Villianur that goes to Keezhur via Sivaranthakam, but its pointless to wait for it unless you know its timings. Even if you know, returning from there would get difficult. Best way is to hire an auto for a round trip. Ask the auto driver for Ponni Amman Koil at Sivaranthagam. They will all know it!

Dedicated to my mom!

Gingee aka Chenji Fort (Villupuram - Tamil Nadu)

My First Ever (proper) Travelogue!

Well, ever since I was a school kid, I used to write about the places I visit (with my parents, at that time, ofcourse!) in a notebook. I wouldn't term those as travelogues. They were just pointers of what I saw in those places written in, well, bullet points! So what was the first ever decent travelogue that I wrote? No, its not the first post of this blog. Its this!!!!! 

I wrote it when I was in 11th grade about the trip to Chenji along with my entire batch for school excursion! It was published in the Tamil Magazine called Gokulam by the house of Kalki Magazines a decade ago in 2002!!!!

 Here's the coverpage of the magazine and the actual article! Its in Tamil.... 

Click to enlarge the image and read the article!!! 
Right click on open image in new tab to enlarge further more.

Srirangam Musings (Trichy - Tamil Nadu)

Well, this post wraps up the Srirangam series and this is all about the musings on the trip! Remember I already mentioned about the 'Turkish' Fish Spa in Cauvery! Btw, below pic is  of me getting off the river, carrying the entire huge skirt of the traditional outfit of Tamil Nadu, Pavadai Davani! Lolz!

Cats were everywhere just beyond the 4th compound wall of Srirangam - the wall beyond which is purely only temple! Actually there was a mom cat and some 6-7 kittens!

 I shot this pic at night, when I went for Tirumanjanam (making the Lord, sleep) and returned by after 10 at night and shot this kitty at that time. Somehow the lighting in this pic, reminded me of Rembrandt's paintings!

The beautiful flowers tied up as strands and circles, ready to Lord's decoration!

Btw, travelling within the temple is especially made easy for elder citizens! Thanks to these recently introduced cabs!!!

The best part of Srirangam was food!!! Food at the Prasadham counter was so yummy. Esp. the Puttu (sweetened rice powder) and Puliodharai (tamarind rice)... Another factor, of what made food so special was this hotel in Srirangam called Sri Ragavendra Annapoorani Homely Mess. Its run by V.Gopala Iyengar & Family. Here's their ph.no: 0431-2432001; 9442040606. Make sure you have food there. Food is simple south Indian but very very yummy! Its very small and can accommodate only 12 people at a time. But the wait to eat is absolutely worth!!! How cute is this message on the board, outside the hotel!!!

Btw, here are the links to the entire series:
Srirangam Ranganathar Temple:
Overview Part 1
Overview Part 2
Vayyali Festival
Thaer Festival
Vellai Gopuram & Seshagiri Rayar Mandapam
Ayiramkal Mandapam & Chakrathazhwar Sannidhi
Venugopala Sannidhi
Mettazhagiya Singar Sannidhi

Around Srirangam Ranganathar Temple from this trip:
Gopurapatti Amaleeswarar Temple
Srinivasanallur Kuranganathar Temple
Allur Temple Tour Part 1
Allur Temple Tour Part 2
Andanallur Temple

Around Srirangam Ranganathar Temple from Earlier trips!
Pallava and Pandya Cave Temple
Trichy Temple Tour Part 1
Trichy Temple Tour Part 2
Bhoologanathar Temple
Mukkombu Dam
Pettavaithalai Temple
Thirupparaithurai Temple
Kulithalai Kadambar Temple
Manathattai Agraharam

Well, on the other hand, I'm holding a Summer Spl. Skincare Giveaway on my other blog, Fashion Panache. Don't forget to check that out by clicking the image below!!! :)