Vellore - Palani - Curtrallam - Rameshwaram - Vellore: A Round Trip in Vista VX

[AppU]

Good coverage and pictures AppU

Absolutely its not the confusion with the names AppU and appus, its an error I make while typing.

Did you get a parking place near the hill entrance at Palani? Most of the times it will be crowded, and during festival days its just ruled out.

And the cattle on the road are on the way to Pollachi market and from there they will be transported mainly to Kerala.

Thank you Ram sir,

Yes, I got parking just opposite to winch, though the temple was little bit crowded, we had a wonderful Dharshan like never before.

Nice roads AppU.
Beautiful pictures ! Hope you had a great time.
Ram Sir. Call me anything - I do not have any problem :D

Always wanted to visit Shirdi, Tirumala, Palani, Madurai etc. Tirupati is the only place done. Lots of other places left. Hope we will visit in near future

Thanks for the detailed info AppU !

Thank you for your complements buddy

From the list of you, Shiridi is pending in my List. hope will do the same soon.

Please visit the places you have in your list very soon. we are in south and we have so many wonderful, Historic and amazing temples here. So we have to spend some time to visit it.

Still Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi pics are pending, hope you will like those

@Appu

One more great travelogue from you and I envy you for visiting so many places in south(especially temples) which are my favorites and wanted to visit them always and end up not getting time.

Excellent pics and narration buddy, more than this TL, I really appreciate your efforts in taking your parents to all those places which every parent feel proud and glad about it and I respect you for this who think about the parents and their wishes always(not like the sons leaving their parents in India and enjoying in US, no offense particular on anybody as we our self have such people in our relatives)

Thank you for your kind words Gurrala.

I believe, my parents visited only few places in their lifetime. So, I decided to show them more places which they not covered. Yes, of-course LEH is also in my list

AppU, Great writeup with some neat pics
I just love TN roads. They are well maintained, neat and clean. Did you do any high speeds??
Waiting for more.

Thank you fyzy :)

I've touched 150Kmph for few mins. but, 90% of the time I was doing between 110-120Kmph, so that my parents don't feel any difference.

 

[AR Ram]

Good write up and pictures AppU.

I think water flow was less in curtrallam.

 

[AppU]

Good write up and pictures AppU.

I think water flow was less in curtrallam.

Yes, Ram sir.

The water flow was less. I heard that there was heavy rain in south Tamilnadu and thought there will be heavy flow on the falls. But, once I reached there only I came to know, the water flow was less from the past one week

 

[mukeshus]

Excellent pics and narration Appu.

Will be waiting for your experiences of Dhanushkodi.

 

[AppU]

Continuation...

After vacating the room at Curtrallam, we headed towards Rameshwaram around 11Am.

Route taken : Curtrallam - Tirunelveli - Ottapidatram - Sayalgudi - Ramanathapuram - Uchipuli - Mandapam - Rameshwaram > 280 Kms.

While starting from Curtrallam, I called to our TAI fellow member Mr.Mastiandroid05, Who was on trip from B'lore to Kanyakumari & Rameshwaram on his Cute Nano. I called him and informed that I started from Curtrallam and will be there at Rameshwaram around 5Pm.

Again the roads are really good through out the full stretch, So that I could able to do 110+Kmph.



Entering Tirunelveli City:



Actually we tried to buy "Tirunelveli Halva" at " Iruttu Kaddai"(World Famous shop for Halwa). But while enquiring the local people, we came to know that the shop will be available after 4Pm only. So we continued our trip.

Roads after Tirunelveli:









We don't know that "Kattabomman Palace" was located on the road which we passed (Veerapandiya Kattabomman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


A small break:


Way to go :


Meanwhile received a call around 2:00Pm from Mastiandroid saying that he reached Rameshwaram. He already booked the room there, so he stayed there and he enquired the time limit to visit Danushkodi with the lodge guys. Lodge guys said that the last cab will leave to Dhanushkodi is 4Pm, so he informed the same to me.

So my parents decided to visit dhaushkodi in the evening and Planned to visit temple in the morning. By the time was 2:15Pm. Still for me 90Kms more to reach Rameshwaram. I informed to Mastiandriod about my plan and we (Me and Mastiandriod)decided to go Dhanuhkodi together.

Road towards Dhanuhkodi Via Ervadi:












The Roads are really good, but the Goats are the speed breakers. they are crossing the roads every where, we have to be very careful in this stretch.
Even they are sleeping on the road itself, some goats doing WWF fight in center of the road :(.

As we are running out of time, we skipped our Lunch. but Whity won't run with empty stomach, so we filled Whity's stomach with Diesel before entering Ramanathapuram.

Fun Moment: While overtaking a Dizre, found a checkpost at the left and that guy waveing hand to stop my car, But I'm in right lane and I didn't stopped there exactly. so Once I back to left lane after overtaking I stopped the car and saw the guy still asking me to come back. So I went back, and asked him what he needs, he said that we need to collect ticket to cross Pamban Bridge. I asked why they let the Dizre to pass. They replied that car belongs to Rameshwaram Government official

After buying the ticket we headed towards Rameshwaram and I called to Mastiandriod and informed that I reached Temple and standing in-front of west Gopuram.

Finally Reached Rameshwaram:

 

[Highway Ranger]

Nice travelogue, nice pictures.

Looks like the travel bug has bitten you.

 

[AppU]

At 3:30Pm:
I waited in-front of Gopuram for the arrival of Mastiandriod. He said that he took the room just opposite to the temple. He identified my Vista and we had a small intro and we headed towards Dhanushkodi. There is point at 10Kms from Rameshwaram Temple to get the cab to go to Dhaushkodi. we headed towards that point.

Meanwhile we came to know that Mastiandroid is a Telugu guy, so my parents started to communicate with him in Telugu. I informed that we skipped our lunch to visit dhanushkodi today itself, so he shared some biscuits and chocolates from his bag. we felt like traveling with a relation

Once we reached that point. I parked my Vista and got the Maxi cab to visit Dhaushkodi. cab guys charged Rs.100 for each. I got a place next to steps, It helped me to capture so many pics during the journey ;)

Heading towards Dhanushkodi:











After crossed some sands, Driver manually disabled the 4*4 and proceeded to drive. Those guys following some marks and signals. If one guys switched ON the headlights, other guy stopping his van and letting the opposite guy to go.

Manully disabling the 4*4:




Towards Dhanushkodi:



















Saw some people there, later came to know that there is Village

 

[AppU]

Found some cabs was standing there, So I thought Our cab will stop there. but the driver doesn't stopped and proceeded further.


Traveling on the Border of India:




































At this point Driver Engaged the 4*4 and proceeded further:

 

[AppU]

Beautiful ride on Indian Border:

















After 20Mins of Ride, we finally landed here, the end of India, From here Srilanka is just 15Kms. Ram-Sethu Bridge is visible from here.


A real 4*4:


Some shops are also available here:


What a beautiful view:






Of-course, Mastiandriod(Left) and Myself(Right):

 

[AppU]

The Sand was clearly visible and the sea with tides are called as Male sea and the Calm Sea is called as Female sea.

One More thing Guys, I never such a colorful see anywhere so far

very clear Sea:



Male sea with tides:




Calm Female Sea:



People Enjoying the Beauty,including us:



Happy Family Enjoying the Sea:


Some Guys Taking Risk


Small walk on the Border of sea:



Willing to drive this Jeep



What a Combination..

 

[AppU]

A Sweet Panorama shot:


The time was 5:30Pm, Sun ready to getting ready to leave for the Day:




After spending some good time of 30Mins we returned to cab. Driver tried to start the cab, but the cab doesn't started. So, he manually pumped the Diesel to start the cab.


Now we headed towards Dhanushkodi town,

A small video while starting from the Border of India:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NppFROxb4w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCNZd9TXbGY


Till we reach the Dhanushkodi town we spotted so many eveidence of the 1964 cyclone:




























Here is Dhaushkodi Town:



Will be Continued..

 

[AppU]

Excellent pics and narration Appu.

Will be waiting for your experiences of Dhanushkodi.

Thank you Buddy , Still some more pics are about to come

Nice travelogue, nice pictures.

Looks like the travel bug has bitten you.

Thank you HR :)

Yes HR, the same Bug which bitten you

 

[AR Ram]

Nice updates AppU.

All these vehicles are locally altered into 4WD. And the life will be maximum 5 years because of driving near the sea water.

 

[mukeshus]

Thank you Buddy , Still some more pics are about to come



Thank you HR :)

Yes HR, the same Bug which bitten you

Thanks for those refreshing pics.

Looks like crowd was less.

We had approximately paid 148/- per head during the peak season of year end.
There seems to be a construction near that temple, that structure with roof was not there.

Yes waiting for the old tree and the ruins of church, small well of sweet water.

Heard from our guide that Kshatriya movies was shot in Dhanushkodi.

Thanks for posting the pics of Pamban bridge which I had missed during my trip.

Did you happen to visit Gulf of Mraine Zoo?

 

[appus]

Thanks AppU for the detailed images as always you do in your Travelogues.
Why cant we take our vehicle if it is 4x4 ? will they allow or you have to be in their vehicle?

Haunted place ! Scary feeling ! Will definitely visit there once.
Thanks again