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 Part 11
For more pics
of our latest journey TRICHY to INDIA, click on the Image! |
 Heading for the temple city of
Trichy in north eastern Tamil nadu, we passed through valleys
with
beautiful mountain ranges on both sides and lush rain forests inveigled
in misty clouds. We were seated in an AC coach with families and
hindus of all generations around us. Towards the end of the trip
torrents of rain suddenly came pouring down and everyone became hastily
preoccupied
with trying
to pull down the blinds to avoid getting drenched.
 The golden dome of the Krishna temple on the Rock fort hill.  The last steps leading up to
the Hanuman temple. In the vicinity of the stairs two men were
undertaking a
ritual by smashing
coconuts with all their strength into a trough.
 Click on the NOTES to listen to devotees chanting in the Sri Ranganathaswamy temple!  Down town Trichy.  Previous page! |
 In
India there are people all over the place, even occasionally sitting on
the rail road tracks. Once in 1997,
on our journey from
Calcutta up to the Himalayas, the train had to stop at several
occasions to avoid running
over herds of grazing goats while there were even
rumors about a segment of rail having been stolen which caused for a
major delay! On this, our latest
journey things were seldom that dramatic though we noticed the
engine drivers usually kept their signals going non stop both night and
day, just to play it safe.  Finally we arrived at Trichy
train station where the usual haggling with rickshaw drivers began
which eventually brought us to a hotel which seemed decent enough
although we had to urge them to fix a thing or two before we could
settle in.
 Carina trying to find some place
to eat in the
chaotic city of Trichy.
 A view from the Hanuman temple
on the summit of the Rock fort hill
facing the gigantic Sri Ranganathaswamy temple area with its countless
gopurams and smaller temple buildings spread out in the distance.
 Click on image for the next set of PICS! |
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camera.
Apparently it is to the belief of most hindus that
people of the west are out to "steel" their holy monu- ments by
selling photos
of these items to the west world press and thus transforming
them into
(as they see it) commercial junk. At times
it felt almost
as if we were carrying out the virtues of Dame Edna, poking our
camera
into peoples private affairs (or should I say parts) while knowing we
had
kindly paid the admission fee (along side of all the other expenses)
for bringing in our "magic box" stupid as it may seem!