Escape Plan

Life as an adult can be hard unless and until we break the cycle with short trips. I am currently on probation period so sadly I can take only one leave per month at work. Still, I was persistent to escape somewhere. I felt like there was too much going on inside my head and I felt an urge to sort things out. So, I was going through some escape plans and that is when one of my Aunt’s homes in Pattukkottai popped on my head.

I have never been to her home. So decided to drop by and give her a visit. And when I was mentioning this to my parents, they told me, Karaikudi – A place which I have been wanting to visit for years, is also close to Pattukkottai. That’s it, booked a bus ticket and left for Pattukkottai on Friday night June 2nd 2023.

Day 1 At Pattukkottai

After a long and not-so-bad bus ride, I reached Pattukottai around 7:00 AM. On the first glance, Pattukkottai has more of a rural aura to it. So much green wherever you turn. It is also a good place if you are a bird watcher. I have encountered birds which I have never seen before, so colourful, like that one bright yellow bird which I saw(have no idea what its name is).

Took an auto from the Pattukkottai bus stop to reach my Aunt’s home which has a charm of its own despite being too hot for summer. Still, I loved every bit of time I spent there. The most memorable part for me being there was, the Puppy. The moment we met for the first time is my favourite. I was exploring my aunt’s home, since it was my first time there, so after a while, I stared out and there was this white and orange mix puppy standing opposite to her home, staring at me and wagging his tail. I waved my hand at him and immediately he started to run towards me, that’s when I realised that my aunt’s family cares for that cutie.

For half a day, I didn’t do anything but rest. I walked around, took photographs, played with the dog, taught him some tricks, ate rice and mutton gravy with some fish fry which my aunt cooked for me, and dozed off a bit. It actually relaxed me way more than any of you could imagine. Then, after lunch, we all went to my aunt’s childhood friend’s home. They had lots of plants and trees in their backyard. So I roamed there for a bit, and listened to all childhood stories and the gossip of my aunties.

By evening we decided to go out to Manora. I have no idea what it was and no intention to google it too. So it was around 4:00 PM, when my uncle, aunt, aunt’s friend, her son and myself left for Manora in the car. My aunt and her friend were so hilarious. So I was laughing during the entire ride. A part of me wanted to have the same kind of relationship with my best friend when I grow old like them. They were literally roasting and blasting at whoever overtaking us or driving in front of us erratically. Okay, now, lets me tell you why you should visit Manora once in your lifetime.

MANORA

Situated 20km from Pattukkottai, Manora, (for those who have seen my Instagram posts you could have already known) – its a fort built by Maratha Ruler Serfojii II sometime around 1814-15. The 75ft tall 8-storeyed hexogonal building stands erect overlooking the Bay Of Bengal. It has gone through so much renovation and is currently under the supervision of the Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department as well as the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation.

Walking around and exploring this architecture felt quite new. It has so many cave-like walkways that feel more like a labyrinth, besides, there is also a belief that there used to be a tunnel here through which people used to walk to Tanjavur which is like 60KM away from here. Though you aren’t allowed to climb to the extreme top of the tower through the staircase, it is worth spending your time here.

It is a go-to hangout spot for tourists as well as the locals. Knowing its touristic value, TN Government has set up a park close to it as well as a tea shop close to the shore. You can also go boating here. We went by 6 there so, the boating time was already over. Still, we starred at the waves for a while and moved to our next spot, Mallipattinam Harbour.

MALLIPATTINAM HARBOUR

It was quiet and serene, not many people were roaming around, so felt extremely at ease to walk around, stare at the beach, and relax a bit while watching the boats as they dance along to the rhythm of the waves. The breeze was quite strong that day. And by the time we decided to leave, the fisherman were also setting their boat to go for fishing.

Day 2 At Karaikudi

I was forced to wake up early at 5:00 AM the next day… That too on Sunday. It takes 3hrs to reach Karaikudi from Pattukkottai so no other way than to wake up early, brush, bathe… Pack and leave. My uncle dropped me at the bus stand, luckily the moment I got down from the bike Karaikudi bus crossed me and I immediately got on it and sat on a nice window seat. The bus was empty. Few old men were there… But it started to get jam packed along the way. The bus ticket price was 70 Rs. I leisurely sat and enjoyed the countryside view while taking in the fresh air. Had some whole truth bar along the way as I didn’t have breakfast. I reached Karaikudi around 8:45 ish… My cousin was waiting there for me.

Without him, my entire Karaikudi trip on that peak summer Sunday could have been a mess. I should give half of the credit to him to make my day the best. He is currently studying there to ace Govt exam. He brought his bike that day. In that town, sadly, there are very few cabs and autos, unlike Chennai where there are many cabs and autos. So, naturally if not for him and his bike, I probably could have visited very few sites.

Once I got down, we had breakfast from his regular dine spot. I had a ghee roast dosa, he had regular dosa. With the energy surge we gained from Dosas we went directly to Kanadukathan.

KANADUKATHAN

The glory of the Chettinadu Architectures in Kanadukathan reaches a common man in Tamil Nadu is through Tamil Movies. Its elevated beauty always has a huge fanbase. I am one among them and have always loved these houses. So I’m always keen to explore them. Along the roads, as I saw the old abandoned Chettinadu architecture I realised why there is always some hype behind them. In every home you find there is an overflowing art. Every building has been crafted and sculpted meticulously. With wood, tile, cement and bricks the Chettinadu architects have built wonderful artworks even at that point. Even though I wasn’t able to follow in the footsteps of my dad, I have always been passionate about drawing architecture. So being at Kanadukathan was a feast for my eyes.

I have captured the beauty of Kanadukathan homes through the lens of my Fujifilm and Google pixel so that I’ll illustrate them real soon. Though the renowned Kanadukathan Palace was not accessible to tourists currently, I was able to roam around the streets of town and barged into a few homes. For some I paid Rs 50 per person to visit, for others we just went in and went out without leaving any traces.

The entire locality to be honest looked extremely beautiful but also a bit sad. Numerous heritage houses that exist there are abandoned. Such stunning artworks are being left unattended. Such a sad state. I have heard my mom telling that some of my cousins who moved abroad have told their parents that eventually they will sell the home where they used to grow up. The home which their parents have put their heart and soul in building it.

When I think about it now, I don’t want to be like them, neither do I want my brother to be like them. No matter what, I would never leave our home to go lifeless or leave our hands. Until I stay on this earth I am planning to protect what belongs to my parents. Because our home after all carries all the memories and has seen the real us. Sometimes our home feels like a silent member of our family.

Coming back to Heritage Homes. After sweating out while exploring the town, my cousin and I decided to take a small break. We went inside a cafe set in a heritage house – Vadhyar’s House. We had panagam (traditional summer drink). And again went to a popular Heritage stay at Kanadukathan called Visalam. This yellow-washed building felt more like fusion of Heritage and Modern. It is a bit expensive to stay there but I felt like the place was worth it. It looks aesthetically pleasing and smelt good. The luxury it offers is quite outspoken by the rooms and people who work there. The bougainvillaea adorned backyard and the aquamarine swimming pool, this place stole my heart. I am planning to take my parents there once and stay there.

After that we went to Chettinadu Palace restaurant, had some Buttermilk, chit-chatted, for a while and again went back to Vadhiyar house for Lunch. It wasn’t a hefty or absolutely delicious meal but stuffed myself with fish kolambu rice and some chicken fry, Mutton gravy and paruppu podi with ghee and rice. I would suggest that you rather go to Priya mess at Karaikudi and try some wholesome food instead of compromising.

Now, after lunch, we decided to go for the next gorgeous place in the entire Tamil Nadu.

ATHANGUDI PALACE

Athangudi is located 24 km away from Karaikudi and around 11 Km from Kanadukathan. In the soaring heat, we went on the way to Athangudi. On both sides, it was red soil and it felt more like a desert despite having lots of trees around. Athangudi is quite famous for its handmade tiles. It is also considered to be one of the renowned handicraft practice. And to understand and experience the elegance, vibrance and artistic beauty of these tiles, Athangudi Palace is living proof of it.

From outside, Athangudi palace might not excite you but as you go inside you will be stunned by the charm it beholds inside the walls. I have no words to explain its jaw-dropping beauty. Every nook and corner is filled with art and floral imprints. Whether it’s window glasses, walls, pillars or grills. Even in such old times, they have used gradient colours. If you look at some of the tiles and grills you could find that. Every person should visit this charming place at least once in their life. Every room has a theme of its own. Besides, if you look at all the Chettinadu houses, at some point you could see the resemblance in their architecture. Apart from that, at Athangudi Palace, you could also encounter lots of impressive woodwork.

Here also, to explore, you have to pay 50 Rs. At Kanadukathan some houses also charged us 500Rs too. Too broke to pay that sum of money🥲. So I took everything on my pixel phone.

After spending a solid 1hr, we left Athangudi. I didn’t get any souvenirs during this visit, cause I am planning to visit the town again in another season. Around 4:00 PM I left the town and travelled back to Pattukkottai. While travelling by bus… like… to and fro from Pattukkottai to Karaikudi, I realised how kind and caring people who are there. Since I was unsure about the stop people easily figured out I am new to town and helped me by explaining the routes. And were also quite gentle with me. So I was feeling comfortable and safe even though it was a strange and unfamiliar place for me.

Though it was a short weekend trip, it gave me an outlet. I have eased my anxious mind and went back to work on Tuesday because while returning the bus ride completely drained me out. Sat in a seat positioned in the extreme back of the bus and with the very bad road route, I have been thrown up and down and got hurt in several places. My entire body was in pain for the next 3-4 days.

Anyways I had fun. I got the most out of the two day trip and I got to clear my head as well as freshen up my mood altogether.

Okay, thats all folks. I know that adulting is hard. That doesn’t mean you should miss enjoying life. So please take a break now and then. Do whatever rechargesthat’s you. For me it’s travel. So, I’ll probably be going somewhere else again. Until then…Bye and take care of yourself. And also do check out the travel videos posted in my instagram page.