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Gangaikonda Cholapuram: The Pride of Cholas
In June 2017, we had the chance to explore the magnificent Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple, a remarkable place that holds a significant piece of South Indian history. This temple, located in Tamil Nadu, India, stands as a testament to the Chola dynasty’s architectural and artistic prowess. The history The history behind the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple is quite interesting. It was built during the reign of Rajendra Chola I, the son of the famous Chola king, Rajaraja Chola I. In the early 11th century, Rajendra Chola I embarked on a victorious military expedition that led to the conquest of the Ganges region, earning him the title “Gangaikonda,” which means “the one who…
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A Masinagudi Weekend
Our trip to Masinagudi started on a Saturday morning at 6:30 AM. The route we took from Bangalore to Masinagudi was the Kanakapura – Malavalli – Nanjangud – Begur – Gundlupete – Bandipur – Mudumalai – Masinagudi. We stopped for breakfast at the Saviruchi Restaurant just after entering Malavalli town. As we entered Bandipur, it was already nearly mid-day. We came across herds of deer and troops of monkeys. We were checked at the crossing into Mudumalai by the forest guards to see if we were carrying any single use plastics with us. Vehicles with commercial plates are required to pay a ‘green tax’ during entry based on the size…
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Toda Temple, Ooty – A peaceful tribal village in the hills
The Todas are a tribe that have lived in Tamilnadu along with the other tribes such as Kurumbas and Badagas. The Toda settlements are called munds and there is one such mund with a temple in their traditional half-barrel shape at the top of the hills that form the Botanical Garden campus in Ooty. A smaller model of the temple is at the entrance of the Botanical Garden and it is also where one can buy Toda-made handicraft items. The trek to the top of the Botanical Garden is scenic and is best taken at a leisurely pace as the last stretch involves quite steep slopes. The below snapshot shows…
