The Rann

The Rann

Monday, 8 February 2016

Winter Holiday (PART TWO)



Having reached Kanyakumari, we sleeper-bused our way through Tamil Nadu to Pondicherry. India's only ex-French colony, the cultural Franco-Indian blend makes it a unique destination. Situated on the east coast, we whiled our days away munching on croissants, walking along the beach promenade and cycling along leafy avenues.

With an au revoir to Pondicherry, next stop was the ruinous kingdom of Hampi, Karnataka. A dynamic landscape of boulders, rice paddies and leafy banana palms acts as a backdrop to the multitude of ruins which dominate the area.
Once a Hindu capital, the city fell into disarray after it was besieged by Muslim forces over 500 years ago. As such, many of the ruins are of a religious nature, with temples dotted along the river and upon the surrounding hills. My particular favourite was the Hanuman temple (dedicated to the Monkey God); perched atop a rocky hilltop, the 570-step climb is truly worth it for the spectacular view of the landscape spread out below, particularly at sunset, as multitudes of monkeys mill all around. Running through the heart of the heritage site is the Tungabhadra River; with the only bridges located at an inconvenient distance away, the most popular way to cross the river, from the Virupaksha temple to the main guesthouse area and other ruins, is by ferry or woven-raft.Staying in Hampi feels as though you have stepped out of the modern period for a brief spell and into another world.

 Although sad to leave Hampi, our time in Mumbai (the last stop on our Grand Tour) was far from dull. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, we had been warned to expect chaotic bustle, excessive pollution and dirt. Whilst Mumbai may live up to this reputation at rushhour, with gridlock traffic and overflowing commuter trains, for the most part it is relatively negotiable. Spending five days there, we mastered the local trains, familiarising ourselves with the gothic surroundings of CST (this iconic architectural facade is one of the busiest stations in the world), venturing out to the Dhobi Ghats and Haji Ali Mosque at Mahalaxmi and over to Chowpatty Beach on Marine Drive. To complete our full Mumbaiker experience, we even managed to worm our way on to a Bollywood film set, working as foreign extras for the day.

As the final stop, Mumbai marked the end of our trip. The Gujarat Mail train brought us back into Ahmedabad, ready for the term ahead and the next stage of our India adventure.
Chowpatty Beach

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