Chennai-Mahabalipuram-Kanchipuram (120 km) Part-1
The start of the tour is always exciting new jersey,group photo session,meeting new co-riders,new routes and flag off. With all set and done the peddling begins,the road bikes,the hybrid's,the MTB's and followed by support vehicles.On to the new route breezing past the hustle bustle of City Traffic we take on the ECR Road also called as "Vadagaperuvazhi" by the Cholas since this road facilitated trade with S.E.Asia. Crossing Kovalam and Tiruvidaventhai Temple were our first blushes with Heritage begin,this temple has some oldest inscription dating back to 11th Century,one mentioning about a gift given to temple by a Kerala Merchant of Kondungallur to feed and support the Brahmins. Moving on across further we zip past the Alavandar Shrine in Nemmeli,the Tiger's Cave a Theater for performing arts according to historian Pradeep Chakravarthy,we reach Neer Per Thurai (Mahabalipuram) the first of many Pitstops,this place was an important trade center for Horse imports and had a thriving trade with Kerala.The ancient Tamil Text "Pathu Pattu" 2nd Century AD,mentions this place as an happening city with free flow of Liquor and also of Drama's in the evenings.This place was an hub for Pallava's Art and Architecture and their fascination with stone,this port city contains the best of them that mentioning all requires another extensive page.The Vaishnava Saints called Alvars have sung about this place it is also the birth place of Bhudhat Alvar.This place witnessed large scale destruction due to sectarian clashes during the 10th Century between Saivas & Vaishnavas.Bidding adieu to Mahabalipuram for few a more days we cross the temple of Tirukazhikundram and reach Chengalpattu.Crossing the National Highway we are received by the vast expanse of the Palar River bed on one side of the road and towards Palayaseevaram a small hillock with an ancient Narasimha Temple from where the a beautiful panoramic view of the region is possible,we pedal towards Wallajah and reach the outskirts of Kanchipuram the sight of the ancient Western Gopuram of Lord Varadaraja Perumal Temple welcomes us and basking in the glory of the Fortress like Walls of this temple we reach our destination ... soon refreshing ourselves,the evening promenade of this Kanchipuram Temple town continues with the Day-1 (Part-2) of our Prelude.
The start of the tour is always exciting new jersey,group photo session,meeting new co-riders,new routes and flag off. With all set and done the peddling begins,the road bikes,the hybrid's,the MTB's and followed by support vehicles.On to the new route breezing past the hustle bustle of City Traffic we take on the ECR Road also called as "Vadagaperuvazhi" by the Cholas since this road facilitated trade with S.E.Asia. Crossing Kovalam and Tiruvidaventhai Temple were our first blushes with Heritage begin,this temple has some oldest inscription dating back to 11th Century,one mentioning about a gift given to temple by a Kerala Merchant of Kondungallur to feed and support the Brahmins. Moving on across further we zip past the Alavandar Shrine in Nemmeli,the Tiger's Cave a Theater for performing arts according to historian Pradeep Chakravarthy,we reach Neer Per Thurai (Mahabalipuram) the first of many Pitstops,this place was an important trade center for Horse imports and had a thriving trade with Kerala.The ancient Tamil Text "Pathu Pattu" 2nd Century AD,mentions this place as an happening city with free flow of Liquor and also of Drama's in the evenings.This place was an hub for Pallava's Art and Architecture and their fascination with stone,this port city contains the best of them that mentioning all requires another extensive page.The Vaishnava Saints called Alvars have sung about this place it is also the birth place of Bhudhat Alvar.This place witnessed large scale destruction due to sectarian clashes during the 10th Century between Saivas & Vaishnavas.Bidding adieu to Mahabalipuram for few a more days we cross the temple of Tirukazhikundram and reach Chengalpattu.Crossing the National Highway we are received by the vast expanse of the Palar River bed on one side of the road and towards Palayaseevaram a small hillock with an ancient Narasimha Temple from where the a beautiful panoramic view of the region is possible,we pedal towards Wallajah and reach the outskirts of Kanchipuram the sight of the ancient Western Gopuram of Lord Varadaraja Perumal Temple welcomes us and basking in the glory of the Fortress like Walls of this temple we reach our destination ... soon refreshing ourselves,the evening promenade of this Kanchipuram Temple town continues with the Day-1 (Part-2) of our Prelude.
- References to the above content : Pathu Pattu (Peruvanatu Padai 9.11.31), Tirumangai Alvar (Periya Tirumoli),South Indian Temple Inscriptions ASI Publications, A History of South India K.A. Nilakanta Shastri and Google Search. Also from the lectures by Historian Pradeep Chakravarthy on ECR Road
No comments:
Post a Comment