Just before London trip, we made a quick dash to Thanjavur/Kumbakonam and visited quite a few temples. The Brihadeeshwara (big) temple in Thanjavur a UNESCO world heritage monument was our primary destination. Its a great place, well maintained by ASI, without much tout hassles (relatively). The place was not crowded despite its fame, we were [...]

I have come to London for a short assignment. I dont see that much has changed in the 2 years since I was here. It is very cold and chilly, very different from the Chennai weather. It is just the beginning and it is predicted to be the coldest winter in several decades. It also [...]

Cuddalore (Pronounced Kadaloor) is situated about 170 Kms south of Chennai on the Bay of Bengal coast. It is 20 Kms from Pondicherry and is the headquarters of Cuddalore (former South Arcot) district. There is a blog about Cuddalore maintained by Jean Claude, where he has researched and written an interesting post on the History [...]

A comprehensive and centralised Indian National Portal has been launched yesterday. On first look, it looks impressive and professionally done. Lots of useful sections, especially the “How do I” section which guides us on the procedures for getting various things from the govt (like getting a DL or Voter ID etc). The ‘Kids corner’ is [...]

Pic: Kulavai lake in Chengalpattu
I have always loved this place near Chengalpattu railway station. A highway, Rail track, big water filled (mostly) lake and green mountains make a pretty picture. This also brings some nostalgic thoughts as my father’s native place was near here and we used to ply this route for our annual vacations [...]

Pic: The world famous Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram (now Mamallapuram). A UNESCO world heritage sight, this is one of the many wonderful monuments that abound in Mahabs. This was only my 2nd visit to the town and first to the temple itself. Personally, I did not feel this temple compares with any of the bigger [...]