Day 76, Madurai [Sunday 17th February 2008]
Previous day: Day 75, Periyar National Park [Saturday 16th February 2008]
Next day: Day 77, Madurai [Monday 18th February 2008]
We pay our bill for Kairili Palace — Rs. 2750 for 3 nights' stay plus 2 dinners, 2 breakfasts and lots of coffee. It's an absolute bargain, and a great place to stay.
We walk across the border into Tamil Nadu — I hadn't realised we were so close! There's just a traffic barrier separating the two states. From there we get the bus to Madurai, several hours down the road. There we are going to see the Sri Meenakshi temple, the first in a long string of ancient temples which stretch out across Tamil Nadu. These temples are generally very large citadels, aligned in a square and surrounded by towering, colourful gopurams. They are built in the Dravidian architectural style, with stepped gopurams.
Initially I feel a little bewildered by the Sri Meenakshi Temple. Yes, the gopurams are colourful and gaudy, but they seem to lack the refinement of those at Belur and Halebid. The layout of the temple complex — confusing and disorderly. It's disorienting to walk around it, with endless passageways, rooms and temples seemingly going round in circles. But the difference is that this temple is alive. It's full of people, and is being used. And we're caught up in that. It isn't a museum exhibit, it's very hard to stop and observe it objectively.
The atmosphere around the temple is relaxed, while inside it's bustling with pilgrims and tourists, nearly all Indian. It's also very big. Big gopurams, long passageways lined with big carved columns, big statues. We decide to go back and have dinner, and come back for another look around the temple tomorrow.
We walk back to our hotel after a tiffin at a pleasantly ramshackle dhaba. After dinner we watch "A Good Year" starring Russell Crowe and Marion Cottilard.
Next day: Day 77, Madurai [Monday 18th February 2008]
Previous day: Day 75, Periyar National Park [Saturday 16th February 2008]