Kanyakumari-Kashmir Round Trip - Day 1 - Kovilapatti - Kazhugumalai - Nellai - Kanyakumari

Day 1 - Kovai - Kovilapatti - Kazhugumalai - Nellai - Kanyakumari, stay in Kanyakumari

Kilometers covered - 475

Walking - around 8000 steps

After all the planning, it's time to execute :) Pls read WE as Krishna & Mahadevan :)

We were supposed to assemble in RVS Indian Oil Bunk , Sulur @ 9.30 AM

I started by 8 AM to pick Mahadevan in his home (hoping to have bfast enroute) and as always, forgot to carry the 7.5L Milton flask and water ( a must for summer travel > 10 days). However, when I realized it was missing, I was already 5 KMs away from home. Called Mahadevan, asked him to come in 2 wheeler (before he coud reach, I had couple of idlies and poori in a cart). Gave the car to him and asked him to load his stuff in home (meanwhile, I took the 2 wheeler and brought the flask back) 

Aarambamey ranagalam - lolz (disastrous start, however only during these times we should think of alternate ways to save time)

We reached the bunk by 9.45 AM and it was super decorated - wowww kind of feel because we didn't anticipate such a flag-off from Indian Oil


We spent 15 mins in the bunk, pictures and videos from their side (we were simply blank that we didn't take a flag-off picture together - only realized when 4-5 friends asked for the same - super bad) We started cruising (I had packed podi idly for lunch - hence, it was lunch on the go; thanks to the wet tissues, dry tissues, sanitizer that we carried) we stopped in Shri Balaji Enterprises,Thirumangalam IOCL CNG bunk for refilling

Then proceeded to Kovilpatti Shenbagavalli - Poovananathar temple around 2 PM. We were super surpised seeing the huge tower (gopuram) unfortunately, the temple was closed. As the saying goes - Gopura darshan is kodi punyam, we couldn't have darshan of deity though - we marched forward :) - pls refer to wiki and temple.dinamalar.com for the history of this temple.



We reached Kazhugumalai (a monolithic carving) - an unfinished temple for many reasons. Historians have equated the temple with similar temples across India based on the monolithic classification and being carved in-situ out of a pre-existing rock. Historian K.V. Soundara Rajan believes that the temple is similar in architecture to that of Virupaksha Temple at Karnataka by Vikramaditya II during 734–44, Kanchi Kailasanathar Temple built by Narasimhavarman II during 685–705 AD and Kailasa temple, Ellora by Krishna I during 756–77


After visiting the hill temple, we visited Kazhugachala Swamy (Muruga) temple. A huge pond and mesmerizing view. Post that, a small panner soda break :)



On the way to Kanyakumari, we stopped on the outskirts of Nellai for a chai break. A few kilometes later, a big gopuram attracted us and visited Gangaikondan Kailasanathar Temple, Tirunelveli as a bonus point. 



Reached Kanyakumari around 6 PM - visited the eco park and filled CNG in Cape Petroleum, Kanyakumari (IOCL bunk)



We booked Hotel Jeyam, Kanyakumari (very generous and offered a huge discount after patiently listening to our yatra purpose. We walked around 4 kms (to n fro) - discussed locations for photgraphy the next morning with local cops, had dinner in a small hotel - Chitra Bhavan (a dosa each) and slept peacefully

Luv,

Krishna & Mahadevan

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