The Navagraha Tour around Tamil nadu

Navagraha Temples
1.Suryan - Thirumangalakudi
2.Budhan - Thiruvankadu
3.Sukran - kanchanoor
4.Sani - Thirunallar
5.Guru - Alangudi
6.Kethu - Keezhperupallam
7.Sevai - Vaitheeswaran Kovil/Puttirukku Velur
8.Chandran - Thingaloor
9.Raghu - Thirunageswaram

A cluster of nine temples in the temple belt of the erstwhile Chola empire of Tamilnadu is referred to as the Navagraha temples -that bear the common thread of their association with the nine celestial bodies referred to in Indian astrological beliefs.

1.Surya (The Sun) - Suriyanar Koil - 3 Kms. from Aduthurai which is on the Kumbakonam- Mayiladuthurai Road

2.Chandra ( The Moon) - Thingaloor - 1.5 Kms. from Thirupayhanam
which is on the Kumbakonam-Thiruvayyaru Road

3.Angaraka ( Sewai )- (Mars) Vaitheeswarankoil - 4 Kms. from Mayiladuthurai
on the Chidambaram Road

4.Budan ( The mercury) - Trivenkadu - 10 Kms. SouthEast of Sirkali

5. Guru ( The Vyazhan) (Jupiter) - Alangudi - About 15 Kms. from Kumbakonam
on the way to NeedaMangalam

6.Sukran (Velli) - (The Venus) - Kanjanoor - An interior village on the
Mayiladuthurai - Kathiramangalam Road

7.Sani ( The Saturn) - Thirunallar - On the way to
Peralam - Karaikkal. 5 Kms from karaikkal

8.Raghu - Thirunageswaram - About 7 Kms from
Kumbakonam - Karaikkal Road

9.Kethu - Keezhaperumpallam - Near PoomPuhar
Mayiladuthurai - Poompuhar road

Guruvayur Temple Rules

THE TEMPLE CUSTOMS

1. Only Hindus are allowed to enter the temple.
2. The temple pond on the northern side is known as Rudratheertham. Devotees can purify themselves by taking bath here and can enter the temple preferably with wet clothes.
3. Follow the temple rules and regulations, so that all can comfortably worship the Lord.
4. Do not enter the temple wearing shirt, banyan, pyjama, lungi, chequered clothes, chapels etc. There are facilities to keep them outside the temple.
5. Co-operate with the Temple officials, who are always ready to guide and help the devotees.
6. Do not take video camera, mobile phone, radio, tape recorder etc. inside the temple wall
7. Do not take, camera inside the Nalambalam
8. Do not touch on the big altar stone (Balikkallu) by foot
9. Immediately after marriage , the couples should not enter the Nalambalam.
10. Do not spit in the temple premises
11. Do not retain babies and children for a long time within the Nalambalam.
12. The receipt for the remittance for offerings (Vazhipad) can be obtained from the booking counters on the ground floor of the oottupura. Be careful not to get deceived by fraud agents for such bookings.
13. Receipts obtained for the feeding of the poor etc. should be put inside the box for the purpose in front of the booking counter.
14. Such items as miniature human figures, replicas of hands, legs, eyes, abnormal body eruptions etc. made of gold and silver can be obtained from the temple official, who are available near the Kodimaram (Flag-staff). Keep these on the platform of the Kodimaram and offer prayers. Put the amount you wish to offer in the Bandaram (Hundi). Do not buy these items from outside, which are fakes.
15. Udayasthamana Pooja, Vilakku, Bhagavathy Chuttuvilakku, Namaskaram, Krishnanattam and offerings of the like , have to be booked in advance.
16. Ornaments and such other costly offerings can be put in the Bhandaram.
17. Enter the temple with an absolute sense of devotion.
18. Take special care of your valuables.

Guruvayoor Appan Temple

Guruvayur, the abode of Lord Sree Guruvayurappan, is located 29 kms north west to the cultural capital of the 'God's own country', Kerala. This narrow coastline strip of land on the south western edge of Indian subcontinent is one of the 10 paradises in the world. The geographical and bio diversity of Kerala with the coastline beaches and stretches of backwaters lined with the swaying coconut palms on one side and evergreen forests of the western ghats with very rich wildlife on the other side makes it a real paradise to the alien traveler.
According to the legends, the idol worshipped here is more than 5000 years old. But there are no historical records to establish it. In the 14th century Tamil literature 'Kokasandesam', references about a place called Kuruvayur is made. As early as 16th century (50 years after the Narayaneeyam was composed) many references are seen about Kuruvayur. In ancient Dravidic, Kuruvai means sea, hence the village on the coast may be called Kuruvayur.

Malaysia Photos in September 2006

Genting Highlands , Batu caves, K.L.Towers

Poovar Floating cottages - Kerela in August 20th 2003

Poovar Island Resort lies on virgin and unexplored Poovar Island in southern Kerala. The picturesque sights from the resorts make staying here a memorable affair.
Name: Poovar Island Resort
Rooms: Cottages and Villas
Location: 2 km From Poovar Bus Station, 28 km From Trivandrum Railway Station and 32 km From Trivandrum Airport
As you disembark at the Poovar Island Resort, on the waterfront are 10 elegant floating cottages, each one connected to island by a bridge. Built on hollow lightweight concrete hulls, the cottages replicate traditional Kerala architecture. The cottages are built with Teak wood panels in a very traditional design & thatched grass roofs. The cottages are anchored to platforms of laminated floors and are quite impervious to the light swells of the bay. There is a pleasant swaying sensation to lull you into a lazy doze on a bright sunny afternoon. The Floating Cottages are air conditioned with Hot water, Telephone & Tea/Coffee maker in the room. The Cottages also give you a breathtaking view from the private balcony facing the estuary.

I went here to celebrate my 3rd wedding Anniversary.MlL ,Gopal thambi,Shakthi anna and kids traveled along with us. It was a memorable traveling vacation for both of us.

Goa - Club Mahindra with Charu,kids,dad & Mom in December 2005

We went to Goa in December 2005 along with my Dad and mom.the Resort was a very beautiful place.
Built in characteristic Goan architectural style, the resort is a heaven for luxury lovers with its exquisite decor, luxurious comfort and breathtaking views. The air conditioned rooms and suites with attached balconies make it a perfect place to sip on a drink, relax and get cozy. You can also enjoy a Goan siesta and spend the day in peace and tranquility.

The Great Romantic getaway

Langawi Malaysia in September 2006

Slip away to a place that is an ideal romantic getaway. Be captivated at the heart of a jeweled cluster of 99 islands famed for its myths and legends of princesses, mythical creatures, heroic warriors and epic romance. Ignite the flames of passion with a moonlight stroll under the stars and an intimate candlelight dinner on the Boardwalk that overlooks the endless ocean. Escape to our private island for an ambience drenched in romance and privacy. Spice up your love life on an exhilarating 20 minutes cable car ride and bask in the island's bright sunlight and mystical aura with your special someone. At Taman Sari Spa, opt for the couples’ package for a romantic and relaxing spa treatment. Welcome to Awana Langkawi Spa & Island Resort. Relaxing. Captivating. Romantic.
Langkawi is an archipelago consisting of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, south of Thailand, 30km off the mainland coast of northwestern Peninsular Malaysia. The islands are a part of Malaysia's Kedah state, but are adjacent to the border of Thailand. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi (Langkawi Island), 478.5 square kilometers, with an estimated population of 100,000.

Suratapalli Palikondeeshwarar - 2006 March 29th

The Pallikondeswara temple in Surutapalli, near Chennai, is unique because it is only at this place that Lord Siva is seen resting His head on the lap of Goddess Parvathi.

This village is on the Chennai-Tirupati route and can be reached easily from Puthur which is about 8 km. (Some of the APSRTC buses stop just outside the temple. A person travelling from Chennai has to cross Poondi and Uthukottai. Surutapalli is midway between Uthukotai and Nagalapuram.)

Rajagopuram is small compared to other temples, but its beauty is rich. The temple is crowded on Pradosham day, participating in the pradosha puja brings immense satisfaction and pleasure.
He rested for a few seconds in the lap of Goddess Parvathi (again to show the world that nothing is achieved without tribulations and sufferings.Benefits of Praying Him at this hour include peace, sakala sowbhagyams, spiritual tranquility, promotion, getting back lost wealth, clearing of obstacles in marriage proposals, union of separated couples etc.

Darshan Time: 6.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.

Canopy Walkaway - Taman Negara Malayasia 2006

CANOPY WALKWAY
Let your spirit of adventure take you to new heights: the canopy, which is the top layer of vegetation in a forest. The world's longest such walk, it winds over 530 meters in the forest canopy allowing you to view the rich and diverse flora and fauna at the very summit of the forest, 45 meters above the ground.

Malayasia Taman Negara - Nusa Lodge in September 2006

Taman Negara, literally "national park", is the site of the oldest rain forest in the world and is estimated to be 130 million years old! Undisturbed for a millennia, it maintains a natural habitat for a variety of flora and fauna, many of which have become highly specialized and are inter-linked with other species in both parasitic and symbolic ways.
The Park at a Glance

Size : 4,343 sq. km.
Highest Point : Gunung Tahan (2,187 meters).
Flora Fauna : Over 10,000 species of plants, 350 species of birds. Local mammals include mouse deer, barking deer, tapirs, wild boars, elephants, leopards, tigers, and monkeys.
Recreation : Bird watching, cave exploration, jungle trekking, white-water rafting, fishing, guided nature walks, mountain climbing, and more.

Getting There

Jerantut, a town in Pahang, is the main entry point to the park.

By Road : The journey take approximately 3 - 4 hours form Kuala Lumpur or Kuantan via private or public transport (e.g. taxi, bus, rented cars).

Saraswathy Kuthanoor temple near Kumbakonam

Sri Saraswathi Temple is situated at Koothanur, It is around fifteen kilometers away from Mayiladuthurai, of Nagapattinam District of Tamilnadu, India. We visited this place in August 2004.

Pichavaram Mangove swamps

This is Pichavaram mangrove swamps.I visited along with Charu,kids,Gopal ,Srilekha and Shakthi anna in August 2004

munnar April 2003

Coorg Trip

we stayed in Club Mahindra resort in coorg.
The most fantastic experience we had in coorg was bathing the elephants and the magnificent Tibetan monastery.
Dubbare elephant camp
Located 42 kms from the resort on the way to Kushalnagar. This is an Elephant training camp, where you get a chance to give bath to Elephants and get to feed them.
Tibetan Monastry
Located 42 kms from the Resort on Madikeri Bangalore highway at Bylukuppe, this is the second largest monastery in India where you get to meet Tibetan monks. The place is famous for its recently built "Namdrolling Monastery" golden temple.
Abbey falls
Just 7 km from Madikeri town is the Abbey Falls, as remarkable and striking as you would see anywhere. The narrow road to Abbey Falls is a combination of steep ups & downs, twists & turns, wriggling through the green & dense foliage of surrounding coffee plantations.

Binsar cottage room view

Names of some of the places I visited - from August 2000

1.Malaysia - September 2006
(Lankawi ,Penang ,Taman Negara , and Kuala Lumpur)
2.Yelagiri
3.Navagraha Tour (TamilNadu)
4.Thiruchendur
5.Tirupathy
6.Pondicherry
7.Madurai
8.Mysore -Bangalore
9.Kanniyakumari
10.Trivandrum
11.Palani
12.Tirutani
13.Swamimalai
14.Pazhamudir solai
15.Vaideeshwaran temple
16.Kanchipuram
17.Tiruporur
18.Guruvayoor
19.Athirapalli - Kerela
20.Trichy
21.Thanjavur
22.Chengalpet
23.Wallajabad
24.Kadumbadi village
25.Porpandhal Village
26.Cumbum
27.Vedanthangal
28.Yerkadu
29.Cuddalore
30.Thiruvanamalai
31.Chidambaram
32.vallakottai Murugan
33.Thiruverkadu
34.Melmaruvathur
35.Periyapalayam
36.Nithyakalyana swamy temple
37.Tirunelveli
38.Coimbatore
39.Thirumakudal village
40.Mangalam village
41.Kumbakonam
42.Saraswathy temple -kuchanoor
43.Pulicate lake
44.Pichavaram
45.Marudhamalai
46.Nallathoor anjaneyar temple
47.Kalahasti
48.Rameshwaram
49.Thiruvanaikaval
50.Surutapalli - Sri Pallikondeswarar
51.Prathyagraha devi temple
52.Poompuhar
53.Coonoor
54.Theni

Our trips with Club Mahindra Resorts

Travel History
1.Munnar - From April 4th 2003 to April 9th 2003
2.Poovaar Kerela - From August 20th to August 27th 2003
3.Goa - From December 8th 2003 to December 17th 2003
4.OOty - From 20th March to 24th March 2004
5.Kodaikanal - From 23rd June to 26th June 2004
6.Coorg - From 2nd February to 5th Febrauary 2006
7.Binsar,
Nainital and Corbett- from 22nd Setember to 30th September 2006
8.Thekaddy - 25th to 29th July 2009.

Highland Resorts - Mahabalipuram - Jan 2003

Mahabalipuram January 2003

Our first vacation was to a local resort called "Highland Resorts " near Mahabalipuram in 2003 January.
Charu ,kids and myself went for 4days trip. It was a lovely break from our daily routine.From then onwards we traveled frequently to several destinations around India.