MADURAI
Located on the banks of the Vaigai river, Madurai city goes back over two and a half thousand years. It’s one of the oldest cities in India. It is famous for the Meenakshi Temple, one of the biggest in India. Hundreds and thousands of pilgrims pour in from all parts of the country, throughout the year and it gets extremely chaotic. There is heavy security at all entrances, much to the delight of tourists.

There is no general entry fee, but photographers need to purchase a ticket. An additional ticket is required if you intend to visit the small museum inside. It has some interesting ancient sculptures and paintings and is worth seeing. Half a day is a recommended viewing time for the temple.


RAMESWARAM
Rameswaram is an extremely important place in the Hindu religion, thus it is has not been exploited by the film industry or tourism and remains an unspoilt beauty of southern India. The people of Rameswaram give you good advice just as you enter the town. They say ‘Avoid Plastic Bags’. It’s written all over in bold white paint. It’s not surprising that India’s current president Prof. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born and brought up in a small village in Rameswaram.

Like Madurai, Rameswaram is known for its temples. Besides the main temple, there are plenty of smaller ones. According to the epic story of the Ramayana, it is said that Lord Ram built a bridge from Rameswaram to Sri Lanka using rocks that float on water. Samples of ‘Floating Rocks’ can be seen at one or two temples. They cost between ninety to three hundred rupees.

Auto-rickshaws are the best way to travel within the town. They charge you a hundred and fifty rupees for a tour of the entire place. One can hire bicycles too.

There are only about twenty to twenty five hotels and lodges in this small town. They are occupied mostly by pilgrims who come from different parts of the country. Rameswaram is known as the ‘Varanasi’ of the south.

The beaches are deserted. They are beautiful, white sand, pure blue water, migratory birds and no people. As you go further away from the main town, you proceed to this fishing village called ‘Thanuskodi’. Fishing is the only occupation of the people. They weave their nets and gear up their other equipment during the day. The actual act of fishing happens during the night and early morning.


KANNIYAKUMARI
Kanniyakumari is the southernmost place in India. It is where the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal meet the Indian Ocean. The three great seas can be differentiated distinctly by their colour. This is quite an amazing and unique spectacle.

Kanniyakumari is famous for its sunrise and sunset. Unlike any other place in the world it is possible to see the sun rise and set from the same spot each day throughout the year. On a full moon day, the moon is equally visible whilst sunrise is taking place.

In a big city like Mumbai, most working people would wake up by 7:00 am. In the twenty two years that I have lived in Mumbai, I do not recall watching the sunrise. In Kanniyakumari, over five thousand people gather at the beach as early as 5:00am to witness the sunrise. They wait patiently for over an hour before the ‘golden ball of fire’ shows up. Drums are played and prayers are offered at sunrise every single day. It is a refreshing change. Markets, shops, restaurants and bars open immediately after sunrise, if they have not opened already.

Kanniyakumari is the location for the southernmost church in India. It is a spectacular sight and visited frequently by tourists. Another attraction of Kanniyakumair is the Swami Vivekananda memorial (or rock) which was built in dedication to the Indian philosopher Swami Vivekananda who was said to have meditated and died here. This memorial is on two rocky islands projecting from the sea about 400m offshore. Not surprisingly, Kanniyakumari is a popular destination for Swami Vivekananda’s followers, so there are many Bengalis here, and some Bengali hotels and restaurants too.