Weekend Getaway: 17. Ramdevarabetta and Cocoon Market

Date: 19th Oct 2014

Travelers: Arun, Shilpi, Harsh and Aarush

Route: Bangalore - Ramnagara

Distance: 55Km one way.

Weather: Pleasant. Started raining on the way back.

Road Condition: Good. Last 3 Km was 2 lane road but ok. Once you enter the arch, keep going straight.

Difficulty of climbing: Easy. 384 steps.

Ganesha temple at the beginning.

Carry water. There is a small shop down but not sure of the quality.

Both the kids ready to climb up. Steps laid till the top.

Small deviation to take rest and click some pics.

Tired but happy. Harsh very happy to walk on rock than climbing steps.

 All set to climb up again after the snack break.

 Yeah a bit more. yes, yes good.

 Nope we are definitely not climbing this one.

Small one showing big one the dangerous game monkeys play.

Nice cool place to rest. Relax and enjoy the breeze.

 View from top of the hill.

Shot of Bangalore - Mysore train from the top.

12:15:45 :)

 Ram temple atop the hill.

Ramnagara is rightly called the Silk city. Its the center for all the cocoon trading.

Cocoon from various states like AP, Maharashtra, TN and other parts of KA comes here.  

People here were nice and explained how cocoon comes and they also cut a shell to show the moth.

 Cocoon's arranged as per the quality.

On the way back home.

Tiruchendur

Date: Sep 30 2014- Oct 1 2014


Travelers: Arun, Shilpi, Harsh, Muthusamy, Vijayalakshmi, Saraswathi, Sneha


Route: Karamadai(Coimbatore) - Dindugal - Madurai - Tuticorin - Tiruchendur

Distance: 430Km one way


Weather: Hot in noon, Pleasant evening.

Road Condition: Very Good till Tuticorin. Tuticorin - Tiruchendur is average.

Transport: Amsam Travels karamadai.
Tavera.  Didn't want to take my KA registered car for reasons everyone know ;).

Cost of Transport:
8Rs per Km, 1500 rent per day, 300Rs Driver bata.

Driver Vijay was good.

Salt pans in tuticorin.

Must try thoothukudi (tamil name for tuticorin) macroon in some bakery.

Stay: Hotel Tamilnadu. 1300Rs per room per night.

As always TTDC has hotels at right place. Temple was 5 min walk from hotel.

Access road to hotel was very bad. Too dirty and pigs roaming on the roads. Stinking.

Room was good. Bathroom clean.

Few minor issues at hotel were there was no phone in the room. Had to go down to restaurant to order food.

There was no health faucet.

There was no hanger in bathroom.

Since only 6 rooms was booked they only had dosa for dinner.

View of sea from temple.

There are few priest standing in front who will take you directly inside the inner sanctum. 100Rs per person. They will get the special entrance for you.

They will also send you inside a cave to worship in pancha lingam.

Bad thing is the security who manages the queue will also ask for money.

Temple is so close to the sea but still not affected by Tsunami. Even if there are scientific reasons explaining it, just wondering how did they select the location.

Also we cannot rule out the promise made by water god to Lord Muruga that he will not to cross the boundary :)

Getting ready for the dive.

Yes this is the dive. Safely holding hands and jumping.

Night shot from the hotel room.

Sunrise at Tiruchendur.

Enjoying the sunrise.

Peacock (Lord Muruga's Mount) ready to take off from gopuram.

Peacock at hotel. As in kanyakumari here too there are many peacocks. Early morning you sure can see them dance.

There is a belief peacock dance before rain but i see them do it in morning when there is no chance of rain. I think they just stretch out after a good night sleep.

See full length peacock dance in below video.

Colorful shops on the way to temple.

Restaurant:

Unlimited Idly, Dosa and noodles with sambar and chutney. Sambar was too good. Restaurant manager was very kind.

 Enjoy a tasty buffet breakfast and a beautiful peacock dance.
 

Just in front of the restaurant.