Thirukazhukundram - Eagle Temple near Chennai

Recently I had an opportunity to visit the historic Thirukazhukundram temple. The temple is located near Chengalpet, about 60kms from Chennai. It is a temple located on a hill top. Apart from a great dharshan of lord Shiva, a visit to the temple offers a very refreshing experience with cool breeze and amazing locales, so pleasing to the eyes.

BRIEF HISTORY: The temple has a nice history backing it. Simply put, two sages on account of a curse get born as eagles (kazgugu in Tamil) on earth. They were destined to be on earth until all their sins were absolved and they attained nirvana. These eagles have historically been found to have hovered around the temple here and in fact they come to a specified location on the hill near the temple. It's been a traditional practice to feed these eagles at around noon every day. The observation of eagles have stopped in recent years. However, one could now have a sight of the eagle feeding point. This also explains the name of the temple and the village below. Thirukazhukundam literally stands for hill temple of the eagles.

REACHING THERE: The temple can be reached from Chennai by two routes. One could come via Tambaram and Chengalpet. If one comes in by this route, then one needs to get into Chengalpet town (avoid the by-pass road) and take a left near at a prominent junction (junction has a statue of Rajiv Gandhi). Thirukazhukundram is about 15 kms from the junction. Alternatively, one could come via Mahabalipuram. The temple is also around 15kms from Mahabalipuram. The nearest rail head would be Chengalpet.

FLIGHT OF STEPS: The hill-temple is open from 9AM to 12PM and then from 4PM to 6PM. To reach the temple, one needs to climb a series of 500+ steps. However, one need not panic about the number of steps. Each step is relatively small and well-laid. Further, there are benches put up along the way for pilgrims to take rest and climb the stairs in phases. The stair gate opens at 8:30AM in the mornings. It would be a god idea to reach the temple by around 9-9:30AM, as there could be delays in opening the gate.

MONKEYS GALORE: Like any other hill temple, the hill is laden with monkeys. So, one needs to be careful in terms of what they carry with them. Avoid taking any eatables openly in your hands. The monkeys are after any objects in plastic covers. So, avoid carrying any item in plastic covers openly. Also, avoid carrying water bottles, if possible. Monkeys do come after such bottles to quench their thirst. Although it's a great sight to see monkeys feeding themselves with the bottles, it is better to avoid them. Also, for those who are a touch afraid with monkeys around, it would be advisable to carry a stick with you.

VEDAGIRISWARAR: At the hill top is a temple for lord Shiva, assuming the title Vedagiriswarar, meaning the protector of vedas. The temple tower has a more rounded structure, similar to North Indian temples rather than the standard pyramid structure that we see across South India. The shiva linga in the temple is seen decorated with flowers and ornaments that would quickly remind one of Thiruvannamalai. With wonderful decorations and with oil lamps lit all around the karpagraham (sanctum), the linga is a very pleasant sight.

I am sure you would forget all aches in your muscle, having climbed 500-odd steps, the moment you witness the god in all the glory. The mere sight carries an amazing vibe that makes you feel fulfilled. You would definitely feel that all the effort was definitely a great worth. Behind the linga, one could see the statues of Somaskandar (Lord Shiva, Lordess Parvathy and Lord Muruga as a child) engraved on the wall. One interesting aspect of the temple is the fact that one would not observe the statue of Nandhi in front of the main linga as in all Shiva temples. In that sense, one could have a more direct face-to-face dharshan of the lord here. Apart from this, the temple also hosts statues of Ganapathy, Muruga and Lordess Sokka Nayaki.

Having had a fulfilling Dharshan, one could enjoy the cool breeze and amazing views the hill top has on offer. One could have a great view of paddy fields all the way till the horizon, the bustling Chengalpet town below and several water bodies that drain the region. The most interesting of them is a large temple tank called Sangu (conch) Theertham. The temple tank is clearly one of the biggest I have ever seen.

The way down from the hills is through a different set of stairs. On this route, one would find the Eagle feeding point as well as a couple of Shiv Lingas. There is also a small cave temple en route, but it remains closed. One could see wonderful sculptures carved inside the caves, although most of them appear to have worn down over time. The descent also offers better view of the town and the Sangu Theertham.

THIRUPARASUNDARI TEMPLE: There is a big temple located near the foot of the hill dedicated to Lordess Thirupurasundari Amman. The temple towers can in fact be viewed from the Vedagiriswarar Temple. This again would remind one of Thiruvannamalai, given the temple towers on all four sides of the temple compound. The temple towers are quite a tall structure with each of them having at least 7 tiers.

A small Shiva linga is also housed within this temple by the name Bhaktavatsaleswarar. This temple is quite an historic one housing several sanctums including one for lord Muruga. The main sanctum is dedicated to Lordess Thirupurasundari Amman. On the inner walls of the sanctum, one would find Abirami Sthothra mala engraved in marble. The temple also boasts of a huge pond, named after Nandhi, called the Nandhi Theertham. The pond is said to have curative properties.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISITS: Interested pilgrims could also visit Rudhrakoteswarar temple located within the town. This is a small temple dedicated to lord Shiva and a visit to this temple is said to be equivalent to performing penance with 1000 rudrakshas. One needs to take the straight road from Thirupurasundari Amman temple towards the Sangu Theertham and take a right turn there to reach the Rudhrakoteswarar temple.

SCHEDULING YOUR VISIT: You could possibly start from Chennai, reach Thirukazhukundram via Chengalpet, complete the dharshan of the three temples, spend the afternoon (when all temples are closed between 12Pm-4PM) at Mahabalipuram and then push for a couple more Vishnu temples along the route, namely Thirukadalmallai (in Mahabalipuram itself) and Thiruvidanthai (on the way back to chennai). In fact, both these temples are among the 108 Divya Desam temples.

In Thirukadalmallai, one would have a Dharshan of Sthala Sayana Perumal, where Lord Vishnu is seen in a reclining position. The uniqueness of this temple is that, unlike other places where the lord is in a reclined position on Adi Seshan (the snake), here he is found lying down on the floor. The lordess of the temple is called Nila Mangai, meaning lordess of the land. This temple is said to have been constructed as a pallava king feared the sea could possibly erode the sea shore temple in Mahabalipuram and hence wanted to construct a temple slightly away from the sea.

In Thiruvidanthai, one could have a dharshan of Nithya Kalyana Perumal, where the lord is seen holding the beloved lordess on his lap. The lordess here is known by the name Komathivalli Thayar. Both the lord and the lordess here are seen here in kalyana kolam (marriage costume). Alternatively, apart from these two temples one could also visit the famous Muruga temple Thiruporur, where the lord is known by the name Kandhasamy.

Temples in and around Madurai

I was on a trip to Madurai recently. This was just my first trip to Madurai and was long overdue. It was a two-and-half day trip, covering Madurai and Theni. The rain threat was always around and even before we started, I was busy praying rain should not play spoilsport. Luckily, it stayed away and allowed us the luxury of covering the various temples as planned.

My first halt was undoubtedly at the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. I have seen enough photos of the temple tower, tank and the goddess. Yet, the sight of these in person, left me spell bound. The intricate work on the temple towers, in specific, was literally out of the world. No surprise, the place was in contention for the wonders of the world. I am not going to verbally express my thoughts on the temple here, for partly it is not going to be justified and partly because there is already enough material on this on the web. So, let me share my thoughts on what other possible temples you can explore in and around Madurai.

1. KOODAL AZHAGAR TEMPLE: This temple is located right at the heart of the city and close to the Periyar bus stand. The temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is regarded as one of the 108 sacred Vishnu Temples in India (Divya Desam). The temple tower is a beautiful structure and unlike a typical pyramid structure, has a slightly more circular dome-like structure, that adds to the beauty. It's a relatively small temple and the primary lord here is known by the name Koodal Azhagar. Here, the lord is seen in a sitting posture with his consorts. One interesting aspect of the temple, which even some of the locals are not aware of, is that apart from the primary god, Koodal Azhagar, two other lords, namely Suryanarayanan and Seerabdhi Narayanar reside in this temple. The former is in standing posture and the latter in a reclined posture. The sanctums are located in two floors above Koodal Azhagar, thus making this temple a 3-tier structure, with each lord residing one above the other. This makes the temple really unique and worth a visit.

2. IMMAIILUM NANMAI THARUM SIVAN TEMPLE: This temple located at a walking distance from Koodal Azhagar temple has a very fascinating name. The name suggests that the lord is the protector across all issues and across all births. This historic temple dedicated to Lord Shiva has a very pious feel about it and makes for a quick visit.

3. TIRUPARANKUNDRAM: The famed Murugan temple is located at about 8kms from Madurai. It is one of the six primary abodes of Lord Muruga. This is the place where Muruga is supposed to have married Deivanai. This is a rock-cut temple where sanctums have been carved out of rocks. The interesting aspect of the temple is that one gets to have a darshan of five sanctums from a single stretch. The sanctums of Lord Shiva, Vishnu, Ganapathy, Muruga (with Deivanai) and Lordess Durga are placed just next to each other. The idols are quite large in size allowing for a more fulfilling dharshan for devotees.

4. NAGASAI TEMPLE: This is a Shirdi Sai Baba temple located enroute to Tiruparankundram. This is one of the earliest Sai temples in the country having been founded in 1943. The current statue however is a much newer one. The sai temple is well maintained and activities are carried out as in any Sai Baba temple across the world. You could probably close your day with a trip to the Sai Baba temple, where you can join the Bhajans and the mangala aarthi is taken at 08:00PM.

5. KURUVITHURAI GURU TEMPLE: This is a temple dedicated to Lord Guru/Dhakshinamoorthy. The temple is located about 25 kms North-west of Madurai and is about 8 kms from a place called Cholavandhan. The primary deity of the temple is actually Lord Vishnu (in a tall, standing posture). However, the temple is famous as Lord Guru's shrine. In fact, Lord Guru and Sakkarathazhwar are seen together in a single shrine and they are aid to have emerged Suyambu (on their own at this place). The beautiful stream that runs besides the temple adds to the beauty of the trip.

6. EDAGANATHAR TEMPLE: This Lord Shiva temple is located at Cholavandhan and can be combined with a trip to Kuruvithurai. In fact, the entry arch to the temple is relatively small and is on the road that leads to Kuruvithurai that one could miss it. However, the temple by itself is quite large in size and carries a mystic feel to it. The temple has a strong history and is said to have emerged as a symbol of saivism winning over jainism when there was a discussion on which was a superior religion. Leaving the duel aside the temple is definitely worth a visit for a wonderful spiritual feel it offers.

7. KALLAZHAGAR TEMPLE: This is a temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and is located about 20 kms north of Madurai. Similar to Koodal Azhagar temple, Kallazhagar temple is also considered one of the 108 divine Vishnu temples of India. Here, the primary deity Kallazhagar is seen in a standing posture. Kallazhagar is considered the brother of Lordess Meenakshi, who is said to have offered Lordess Meenakshi's hands in marriage to Lord Shiva (Sundareswarar). The temple tower is an astounding structure with wonderful sculptural work. The temple corridor pillars are also very intricately carved and is definitely worth exploring.

8. PAZHAMUDHIR CHOLAI: This is one of the six primary abodes of Lord Muruga, similar to Tiruparankundram. This is the abode where Lord Muruga seems to have shown himself in front of the famous Tamil lady poet Avvaiyar. This is a reatively small temple but with significant history. The temple is located about 4 kms from Kallazhagar temple. In fact, Kallazhagar temple is located at the foothill, while Pazhamudhir Cholai is slightly uphill.

9. NOOBURA GANGAI: If you move further uphill from Pazhamudhir Cholai, you would find Noobura Gangai. Not many who visit Pazhamudhir Cholai temple is even aware of Noobura Gangai. After travelling a km uphill from Pazhamudhir Cholai, one needs to walk about 60 steps to reach Rakkai Amman temple. From the foot of the Lordess (the rock beneath the statue), there is a natural spring that gets generated. Interested could have a quick bath as well in wonderful natural spring, although the set up is not great for having a proper bath. However, a look at the spurt in flow of clean, natural water is definitely worth a visit.

10. NARASINGAM: As you move from Noobura Gangai back to Madurai, one could make a visit to Narasingam. The temple located at an interesting set up is located just below a mountain range called Yanamalai (meaning Elephant hill, as it represents a sitting elephant). There is a huge lotus pond just outside the temple. The temple, as the name of the village indicates, is dedicated to Lord Narasimha, one of the forms of lord Vishnu. Narasimha is seen in a sitting posture here and is carved out of a rock in a small cave. outside is a large statue of the goddess. Plans are on to give a gold plating to the temple gopuram.

11. THIRUMOHUR: This is again one of the 108 sacred Vishnu temples of India. The temple is also strongly revered as the shrine for Chakkarathazhwar. The temple is an ancient one and also houses separate sanctum for Srirangam Ranganathar and Hanuman. The temple is located between Narasingam and Madurai.

12. THIRUVATHAVUR: This is an ancient Shiva temple located between Thirumohur and Madurai. So, it makes a nice finish to your Madurai trip and gets you back to Madurai. The place is also the birth place of Manikavasagar, the great Saivite poet.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: Madurai is about 450 kms from Chennai and is well connected by train and air. One needs to spend at least two days to explore these temples well apart from the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. Also, note that all these temples are closed in the after noon between 12PM and 4PM. So, one should plan the schedule of visits accordingly and use the noon time for covering the distance.

Have a great trip in this temple city!!!

Temples around Chennai - Tiruvalangadu, Thirupasoor and around Tiruvallur

If you are starting from Chennai and would like to visit some old, interesting temples on the outskirts of Chennai, then a half-day trip or even a day trip around Tiruvallur would be ideal. We did a half day trip around Tiruvallur. Since we had already visited the primary deity of Tiruvallur, Veeraraghava Perumal temple earlier, we skipped it for this trip. Instead, decided to check out a couple of old temples around the region, starting from Tiruvalangadu.

REACHING THERE: Tiruvalangadu is located around 50 kms from Chennai and is located on the Tiruvallur-Arakonnam stretch. The road is good in parts and at the best decent for the remainder of the journey. The nearest rail heads are Tiruvallur and Arakonnam. Tiruvalangadu too has a railway station served by the EMU (more popularly called the electric trains) from Chennai.

TIRUVALANGADU, RATHINA SABHAI: Tiruvalangadu is one of the Pancha Sabhais of Lord Shiva, where he is said to have performed his cosmic dance. Tiruvalangadu is called the Rathina Sabhai (meaning Hall of Rubies/Jewels). This is regarded the first of Sabhais (not sure of the reasoning) and is here that Shiva performed his famous Oorthava Thandavam, one where he raises his left leg up facing the sky. The reasoning behind the dance has an interesting history behind it.

To keep the story short, once there was a duel between Lord Shiva and Lordess Sakthi on who is superior. It was decided the verdict for the same would be decided based on a dance competition. During the dance, Shiva's left ear ring fell on the ground. Knowing that if the lord picks up the ring by hand, the competition would come to a close and Sakthi would be pronounced the winner, Lord Shiva picked up the ear ring from his left leg and wears it on the ear using his leg, thus signifying the reasoning behind the famous Oorthava Thandavam posture.

Rathina Sabhai, being the dance floor, has a separate sanctum within the temple. Although not strictly adorned with jewels, the place definitely carries a mystic feel. The primary deity here is known by Vadaranyeswarar. The Lordess is known by the name Vandarkuzhali (meaning one thronged by bees, like a flower). It is also believed that if one listens closely, one could hear the sound of bees within the sanctum.

The visit to the temple should ideally start with the Kali sanctum located in the outer boundary of the main temple. One needs to make a trip around the temple on the outside to reach the Kali temple. Here one finds the Lordess in a dancing posture, signifying again the dance competition that happened at this historic venue.

Tirvalangadu is also one of the five suyambu (meaning self-manifested) Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu associated with a kind of forest. Tiruvalangadu is associated with Banyan forest. In fact, the name Tiruvalangadu in Tamil essentially means Lord of the Banyan forest. However, there is hardly any banyan tree left in the region. The only one I could spot was the Sthala viruksha of the temple. It was quite an expansive, strong tree.

Despite the temple being famous and rich in history, the temple appears to receive limited patronage. In fact, the approach roads are not great, sign boards limited and the huge temple had quite a deserted look even on a Sunday. That was bit surprising, given its relative proximity to Chennai.

THIRUPASOOR: Our next halt was Thirupasoor. The temple is again a very ancient one and is believed to have been constructed by Karikala Chozhan, belonging to the early Chola dynasty. The temple has the distinction of having been sung by three of the four primary poets associated with Shiva temples. The temple is located on the main road that connects Tiruvallur to Tiuvalangadu. It is very unlikely you would miss this temple en route.

As one enters the temple, one could easily sense the strong history the temple represents and how it has stood the test of times. The temple is a reasonably big one and the lord here is known by the name Vaaseswarar. The Lordess is known by Than Kadhali (meaning my lover). The story being the lord was so awe-struck by the beauty of the Lordess that he proclaimed to the world that she is his lady love.

Thirupasoor is also one of the five Shiva temples associated with a forest. This is supposed to be a temple to have emerged within a Bamboo forest. Like in Thiruvalangadu, here too the only Bamboo tree was inside the temple. Wonder how the place would have been, had it still been a Bamboo forest. One interesting facet about the temple is the Navagraha sanctum. One would never find such wide spaced Navagrahas in any other temple. The temple walls around the Shiva sanctum are located with numerous inscriptions. They appear to be badly maintained and makes me wonder whether there is some untold history hidden there.

KAKALOOR HANUMAN TEMPLE: This is a relatively small temple around Tiruvallur, nevertheless a powerful one. The Hanuman deity here is a suyambu and is believed to be over 500 years old. The place can be reached by taking a sub-route from Tiruvallur. The temple was constructed by one of the disciples of Shri Raghavendra. The deity is relatively large in size with clear features. On one hand, Lord Hanuman is see here holding a flower.

TIRUVALLUR PANCHA MUKHA ANJANEYA TEMPLE: Away from an historic circuit of temples, this is one of the modern temples in Tiruvallur. The Viswaroopa Pancha Mukha Anjaneya statue at over 40 feet stands tall. The statue is made of green granite and very impressive. The temple is privately maintained and when we visited, the sanctum construction was still on. Although there were adequate sign boards leading to the temple,the approach roads were in real bad state. At one point, we even decided to make a return trip without visiting the temple. However, the sight of Lord Hanuman made us forget the strain taken.

PUTLUR ANGALAPARAMESWARI TEMPLE: This was like the best reserved for the last. Putlur is a small village locted on the Chennai- Tiruvallur route. The place also has a railway station. Putlur, as the name signifies, relates to Puthu, a termite made structure associated with abode for snakes and regarded sacred in Hindu religion. Here the Lordess herself resides in the form of puthu and not as an idol. The legend being that Lordess Sakthi was tired and wanted some water. While Lord Shiva was away to get water, the Lordess rested herself lying down resting on her arms. The puthu as it stands today, resembles such a posture of a pregnant lady and definitely makes for an interesting visit.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: The best way to schedule your trip is to plan it as half day trip from Chennai. Start early in the day, say by 6AM from Chennai and you should be able to complete visit to all the temples by 12PM. If its your first visit to the region, then you should definitely make a visit to Veeraraghava Perumal temple as well, being one of the 108 divya desams. Further, you could also consider visiting Hirudayaleeswarar temple and Bhakthavatchala Perumal temples at Tiruninravur, en route to Tiruvallur from Chennai. Tiruninravur is also a rail head in that route.

Thimmama - Hosting the World's biggest tree

This is one wonder, which has definitely not got its share of credit. Thimmamma, located near Kadiri in South India is a wonder that India should be proud of. Unfortunately, not many are even aware of this place or what it stands for. To get to the matter straight, Thimmamma is the place that hosts the world's largest banyan tree and probably the world's largest tree as well.

REACHING THERE: Thimmamma is located at a distance of about 35 kms from Kadiri. Kadiri in turn is located at Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh in South India. It is located at a distance of about 100 kms from Anantapur main city. Kadiri is also close to Puttaparthi, the abode of Satya Sai Baba. It is about 50 kms from Puttaparthi. The nearest major rail head would be Tadipatri (about 50kms from Anantapur) located on the Chennai-Mumbai rail route. The road from Kadiri is not so great and the directions/ signposts are also quite minimal.

ALL ABOUT THIMMAMMA: Thimmamma is the place that hosts the world's largest Banyan tree and very much possibly the world's largest tree. The tree is about 650 years old, but never bears a look of it. The tree very much looks fresh and could easily survive centuries. Now for its size: the tree has about 1200 branches and covers, not one or two, but 5 acres. Yes, you heard it right. A single tree covers 5 acres.

There is an old, rusted sign board that indicates the fact that this the world's largest banyan tree. In fact, it is tough to locate the board as it located at one distant corner near the entrance. This was certified as the world's largest banyan tree by the Guinness Book of World Records, way back in the late 80s.

There is a fenced entrance to the place. You cannot directly reach out and touch the tree. You go through a fenced path with the branches of the tree sprouting on both sides. It's a great sight to look at. On both sides till the horizon you would see a green patch and it's great to feel that all comes from a single tree. You do however get a chance to have a feel of some sub-branches of the tree and probably take a snap along with it to mark your presence at Thimmamma.

A digital camera can never capture the magnificent structure. You are bound to take a lot of pics hoping one of them at least would capture the splendour. Unfortunately, you are likely to end up disappointed. The best lens to capture the beauty would b your eyes.

There is a small temple dedicated to a lady, Thimmamma, who is believed to have planted the banyan tree. The place is also named after her. There is a folklore attached to Thimmamma and the place, about which you would find a brief description at the entrance to the temple.

Probably, you would just spend at most 1 hour at Thimmamma. But, having come here I am sure you would feel great that you have watched a natural wonder and a proud structure that has stood the test of times for centuries and at the same time, feel a bit sad that the place is yet to receive the recognition, it richly deserves.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISITS: There is a famous Lakshmi Narasimha temple at Kadiri which is definitely worth a visit. The statue of the lord here is said to sweat. One could visit Prashanti Nilayam, the abode of Satya Sai Baba, about 50 kms from Kadiri. Also, one could touch upon Lepakshi temple boasting brilliant architectural splendours, located 100 kms away from Kadiri. The statue of the Nandi bull here is said to be the largest in the world.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: If you are coming down from Anantapur, you could start the day with a visit to Lepakshi, then proceed to Thimmamma, visit the Kadiri temple and then either return to Anantapur or proceed to Prashanthi Nilayam. One can adopt the same route, if one is coming in from Bangalore as well. Lepakshi is about 150 kms from Bangalore.

Belum Caves - Amazing work of Mother Nature

Nature always has amazing gifts to offer to mankind and one such great wonder is Belum Caves, the largest cave system on plains of India, lying below agricultural fields. A walk down the caves truly takes one to a different world altogether... one that takes you towards the earth's crust.

REACHING THERE: Belum Caves is located in Kurnool district in the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India. The nearest major town in Tadpatri, from where the caves are around 35kms away. Tadpatri is also the nearest rail head and is located on the Chennai-Mumbai rail route. Other nearby towns to reach Belum caves would be Anantapur (90 kms away) and Kurnool town (110 kms away). The route from Tadpatri to Belum caves is good in parts, bad in parts and decent for the rest.

It is tough to miss out the entry to the caves. From afar, at least 5 kms away, you would be able to spot the name 'Belum Caves' painted on the hill top lying close to the cave system. Even, if you miss that, there is no way you would pass a blind eye over the huge statue of Buddha placed at the entrance to the caves. Statue of Buddha is not there without a good reason as the caves were once occupied by Buddhist monks.

BELUM CAVES: Belum caves is just about gaining prominence. Many have still not even heard of it. So, it definitely is a paradise unexplored. One of the three huge holes in the field serve as entry point to the cave. A nominal entry fee of Rs.40/- is charged. A descent of 15-20 steps takes you directly to the starting point of the cave. Being on the plains and involving limited physical efforts, it clearly is one cave that any one in the family, across ages, can reach and explore with ease.

Except a water bottle, one is not allowed to take any other belonging into the caves. There is a cloak room available outside the caves where belongings can be deposited. If you do not carry anything valuable, then you could just place your bags in the open lockers just besides the entry stair case. No eatables, including soft drinks are allowed. Apart from hygienic reasons to keep the caves litter-free, eatables are prohibited to avoid growth of bacteria inside the caves.

A group of visitors would be accompanied by a guide. These guides are made available by AP tourism and are free of cost. It is definitely worth to move through the caves alongside a guide, especially if it is your first visit. How to navigate and what to observe would be best known only to the guides. If you are a non-Telugu speaking visitor, you should be able to find a guide speaking either Hindi or English. So, language should not be a barrier here.

THE JOURNEY INSIDE: The caves is a complete natural formation of stalactites and stalagmites, essentially limestone formations. A walk through the caves completely could take up to 3 hours, especially if you have a camera at hand. The entire cave system is not an easy walk through. Although, it is not very tough to navigate, it could be physically exerting to some extent. One might have to pass through narrow openings, dark patches and a few rocky paths. Also, at several places, one essentially has to bend over to seep through. One also needs to be careful about rocky projections here and there along the path to make sure you do not bang into any of them.

All these might sound a bit scary. But, you can be rest assured it is not. These are all you would look forward to inside a cave and you do get it all at Belum caves. The walk inside the caves is definitely feasible for the entire family. Being under the earth's crust with limited ventilation, be prepared to sweat profusely. Credit should go to AP tourism for placing ventilation ducts at strategic points inside the caves. After a bit of exertion, a whiff of air comes as a great relief inside the caves. The caves are also lit appropriately. It offers enough light to click a few pics and yet is dull enough to keep the exploration natural and exciting.

IMAGINATIVE STRUCTURES: As you walk through, the guide would draw you attention to several interesting observation points inside the cave. Most of these would be structures formed by limestone that resembles a human or an animal or an object. All these are just figments of imagination, but that makes the trip quite interesting. I am sure as you walk through you would discover new patterns and imaginative structures that the guide has not made a mention of.

As I think through, there were several such very interesting structures we observed. The structure of a lion, a crocodile, a diwan, Lord Ganapathy, a five-hooded snake and India map to name a few. There were also certain earmarked locations. One among them was Kodi Lingam (meaning a crore lingas), where limestone formation on the roof of the caves would resemble a huge plethora of lingas. Then, there was Patala Ganga, the deepest point of the cave at around 150ft below ground level. There one can observe a natural formation of a linga with a narrow water stream below it.

One other interesting observation is a place where stalactite and stalagmite (one emerging from the roof and the other from the floor) meet to form a pillar. Further, interestingly, while returning we were given an option of walking back the same way we had come or take an adventure route through a dim lit passage with mini rocks all over the ground. We took the adventure option and had to pretty much squat through the passage. That added to the excitement and gave a nice little finale to the trip.

ENDLESS CAVES: Belum cave system is also called locally the Endless cave as no one knows where the cave system ends. Only certain sections of the cave have been developed for tourists and certain sections earmarked for future developments. So, probably in future the caves would have lot more to offer.

AMENITIES: While AP tourism should be credited for effective management of the caves, other amenities there requires a face lift. In specific, the restaurant facility is a big drawback. So, if you are planning a visit to Belum caves, it is better you carry food with you. After an exerting trip, I am sure you would want to have a happy meal, which unfortunately the place does not offer. There is also not a great hotel to stay near-by and one will have to halt in the near-by towns.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISIT: Tadpatri has two very wonderful temples that is worth a look. Chintala Venkatramana temple and Bugga Ramalingeswara temple. Both are unique in their own ways and speaks volumes of the great craftsmanship of Indian sculptors in those days. If you are in specific interested in arts and sculpture, then these temples are a must visit. I would probably make a post on them soon. So watch out the blog space.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: Anantapur is probably your best option for lodging overnight. So, if you do start from there, you could first cover the Tadpatri temples, probably visit Alur Ranganathaswamy temple and then push off to Belum caves. From here, you can proceed to Yaganti, the abode of Lord Uma Maheshwara and then to Nandyal, if you wish to make your next overnight halt or to Ahobilam to seek the blessings of Lord Narasimha.

Ellora and Ajanta Caves - Wonders that never cease to excite

Many would have visited the Ajanta and Ellora caves and I am sure there are many blog posts already on how amazing these caves are. I am not sure if this post adds much of a new information to what is available already. But, having visited the place recently, I want to document my amazing experience. So, here you go.

REACHING THERE: Ellora and Ajanta represent a series of caves in Maharashtra in Western India. The nearest town is Aurangabad. Aurangabad is relatively well connected with all major cities around Western India. It is located at a distance of around 215 kms from Pune and over 400 kms from Mumbai. Nashik, a famous religious town is also around 218 kms from Aurangabad. For more on Nashik, visit my previous blog post at http://travelwithguru.blogspot.com/2010/04/nashik-good-old-religious-town.html

Ellora caves are located at a distance of around 30 kms from Aurangabad. Ajanta is a further 100 kms from Ellora. Both these caves can be covered in a day from Aurangabad, provided you remind yourself that you would not spend too much time exploring the beauty of a single cave. It is definitely not without good reason that there are tourists spending a week at each of these wonderful caves to explore it in detail.

ELLORA CAVES: The sheer sight of the Ellora caves leaves you floored. The cave structure is so mighty extending over a significant landscape that you start to wonder where to begin. The signage which point to Cave 1-15 on to your right, Cave 16 straight ahead and Cave 17-36 to your left makes you feel all the more exciting. Yes, you heard it right. 36 caves collectively form the Ellora caves.

What is really intriguing is that the caves represent how well multiple religions thrived in the bygone era. Cave 1-12 belong to Buddhism, Cave 13-29 belong to Hinduism and Cave 30-36 belong to Jainism. But, what do these caves contain?... Well, Ellora is all about wonderful rock carvings. Each cave carries a treasure load of rock-cut sculptures that would leave you dazzled and speechless. These jewels seem to have been constructed over several centuries, some of them dating back to 6th century AD.

The biggest of them all is Cave 16, a monolithic Kailash temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The entire temple is supposed to have been carved out a single mountain rock by drilling holes right through. A simple carving out of a rock is by itself a real tough task and to have a full fledged temple carved out of a mountain is something well beyond imagination. How did the kings and craftsmen manage to achieve such a mammoth task in those days with hardly any technological advancement? How many people worked on this project? Who had the glorious vision to shape this wonderful piece of work? All these were some questions that crossed my mind as I kept staring at the entrance to Cave 16, the Kailash temple.

The entrance was gigantic in size, with among others, life size carvings of the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu. Once you step inside, you are welcomed with huge statues of gods and goddesses. There is an intricately carved stone pillar on one side and gigantic elephant statue at the other end. To the left, is a two-storeyed cave with huge rock cut statues of goddess Lakshmi. The hall at the upper floor of the cave is huge in size with magnificently worked pillars. Straight on is a series of steps that take you to the sanctum of lord Kailash, an amazing linga. You could move around the sanctum of lord Kailash to find more sculptural wonders.

As you walk around the building of the Kailash temple, you would find the exterior walls filled with exquisite carvings depicting the story of Ramayana and Mahabaratha, apart from depicting numerous other gods and goddesses.

As you move ahead towards the other caves, you are filled with great wonders. We obviously did not have the time to explore all caves in detail. So, we had to take the help of the officials there to suggest us the best caves to visit. They suggested caves 14 and 21 among the Hindu caves. These caves had breathtaking carvings of Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganapathy apart from several other mythological characters.

Then, we proceeded towards the Buddhist caves, which had their own charm. The officials suggested not to miss Cave 10. The cave had a huge statue of sitting Buddha in self realisation posture. The hall was well decorated with intricate carvings and had a well-ornamented dome. Then, we visited a few other Buddhist caves that carried various postures of Buddha and images from Jathaka tales. Quite a few of the Buddhist caves were arranged in multiple storeys and most of them seemed to appear like a prayer hall.

The Jain caves from cave 30 to 36 are relatively smaller ones and we quickly covered all of them. Interesting ones among them being cave 30 and cave 32. Cave 30 too is a monolithic temple structure similar to the Kailash temple. Cave 32 is probably the most magnificent of the Jain caves with beautiful sculptures of Mahavir and Tirtankara.

AJANTA CAVES: After immersing ourselves in great architectural splendour at Ellora, we pushed off to the Ajanta caves. Unlike Ellora, your vehicle cannot directly take you to the caves. The caves are located inside the forest, where one cannot take his own vehicle. We need to alight at a particular point from where we are take to the foothills of the cave by a special bus. The journey takes about 20 minutes and is a very interesting ride. The jungle environment definitely adds to the excitement.

Once we descend from the bus, we need to do quite a bit of climbing up the hills to reach the caves. The pathway is a bit steep and long and may not be ideal for the faint hearted. But, once up there, one would realise all the pain was worth it. While Ellora was all about sculptures, Ajanta is all about wonderful mural arts. Unfortunately, unlike Ellora which have stood the test of times, Ajanta cave paintings have deteriorated over time and we see now are sadly only a few shades of masterstroke that still remain. However, having said that, the authorities are doing their best to keep the existing painting remains well-preserved.

Ajanta has a cave structure of 29 caves spread over a vast area. Most of the caves carry a strong Buddhist influence. The caves are supposed to have been excavated between 2nd century BC to 7th century AD and were primarily used by Buddhist monks. However, these caves had been almost forgotten over time, until a British hunter managed to discover them around the 19th century AD.

The first few caves appear to be in better shape compared to the later ones. In order to protect the images from further damage, the caves are mildly lit and flash photography is strictly prohibited. So, the only real way of capturing the beauty there was through my eyes. Although, a touch disappointing to see the murals in the disintegrated state, I could not help fantasising how they would have looked in full splendour. The guides in each of the caves are well knowledgeable and guide you to important aspects that needs to be noticed in the caves.

Overall, a visit to Ajanta and Ellora is architecturally a very rewarding experience and given an option, one should never miss this UNESCO World Heritage wonder.

ADDITIONAL NEAR-BY VISIT: When at Ellora, one should not miss a visit to Grishnesvara Temple. It is one of the 12 jyothirlingas dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located just a few kms away from the Ellora caves. The temple is constructed out of sandstone and has a wonderfully designed vimana that is worth many a clicks. The shiva linga inside is a small one where one could offer pooja directly with milk and flowers.

SCHEDULING YOUR TRIP: The best way to schedule your trip is to reach Aurangabad the night before. You could complete a visit to Nashik and Shirdi and could halt at Aurangabad. The next day, you should be well on time to cover Ajanta and Ellora.

Have a great trip!!!