Tag: madurai

From Koyembedu to Mattuthavani


Normally I travel to Madurai in private busses. I avoid government busses because their travelling hours is too long. But yesterday I had to choose SETC (State Express Transport Corporation) bus because I didn’t plan the trip and all the private buses were running full.

 

To my surprise the cost of SETC buses are 40% less than private bus operators and also I reached Madurai by 7 o clock in the morning.

 

Then for the first time I travelled in a public transport in Madurai. I got down at Mattuthavani which was the last stop & from there I boarded a bus to Periar Bus Stop in a public bus.


From then it is business as usual.

Private Bus Drama


Normally I never travel in small time private bus operators. All my previous experience has been bad. So these are the things that happened in the past; 

  • In 2001 I boarded a bus called Sangeetha Travels by 10.30 to Chennai. Since I was tired I slept and woke up by 1 o clock only to fine the bus was still in the same spot I boarded. They were still filling the empty seats. Then reached by 10 AM.
  • Second is also with the same operator & same year who dropped us in chitoor claiming they don’t have a permit to enter Tamil Nadu and left us in a normal bus. Again reached Chennai by 10 AM
  • Then 6 months I boarded a bus to Madurai. This time operator name National Travels. I was told bus starts by 10 o clock and again when we crossed Chennai it was 2 o clocks. Until then they were filling the seats. Then they reached Trichy where most of them got down and again they halted for an hour to fill the empty seats. Then reached by 1 PM.

After these entire nightmares I stopped travelling using smalltime players. Yesterday I badly wanted to travel to Bangalore as today is the last day to pay Professional Tax. I must have booked tickets as I know I must travel to Bangalore. But that is me I love vagabond travel.

Again yesterday I was called by Sangitha Travels. The cost of the ticket was Rs.850/- which was double than what I normally pay. Then I was told I need to board 11.30 PM bus. Then couple of people was asked to board 11 o clock bus and when I asked it that was my bus they said mine was 11.30 bus. A Gurka employee of the travels said 11 o clock bus was last and by now I smelled again I’m into some trouble.

Not this is how the drama started; 

  • All of a sudden asked for my boarding pass.
  • He returned asked me to take my bag, run and follow him.
  • He returned shouting at his other agents to call and stop the bus.
  • Then he gave the boarding pass to Gurka and asked him to stop the bus and make me board the bus.
  • He took me to some other agent.
  • He shouted at me asking what time to come.
  • It irked me I started giving back telling I was waiting inside his office for more than an hour. In fact this guy saw me sitting inside his office for long, but he pretended as if he doesn’t know me.
  • Then he asked for another 100 bucks claiming he needed that to help me board another bus.
  • By now I started shouting at him in local Chennai lingo and I said I can create a scene.
  • Then he changed the topic telling I owe them Rs.100 bucks. Then I said if he is going to mess around with me he is into trouble. My ease speaking Chennai lingo helped.
  • Then he said he is doing me a favor. He said without my knowledge he has sent someone in my bus and he took his boarding pass to me.
  • He gave me the front seat where ask I was given the last seat in my ticket.
  • I was adamant not to pay these people even a penny.
  • Then I got into my seat and got settled.
  • Then when I peeped out there were old people, young couples with kids who were put into trouble.

I was in no mood in give a helping hand to them and I was watching all the quarrels. Finally they started the bus by 12:15PM and reached Bangalore by 5:15 PM.

Rahul Gandhi Blocks Traffic


Rahul_GandhiYes our wonderful Youth & People’s leader is in Madurai today. Coming to the story I started from office to have dinner in Bell Hotel in Tamil Sangam Road, Madurai. Then entire Tamil Sangam Road & roads leading to the road were blocked as he was travelling through that road.

I got irritated because they call themselves as People’s Leader and the end up creating all sort of agony to public and my hunger added up to my frustration. Then having no other choice I parked the bike again near office and decided to walk to hotel.

After reaching Tamil Sangam Road we notice both ends of the road were filled with people who wanted to have a look at Rahul Gandhi. While we were walking on the corner of the road we were interrupted by a cop asking us not to walk and asked us to stand. This again made me wild but I didn’t want to show my piece of mind to the cop and disobeyed him and kept walking and thought that would be the best way to humiliate him.

On reaching to the hotel we had to cross to get into the hotel. When we tried to cross the road we were again interrupted by the cop who said we are not supposed to cross. This time my temperament reached its extreme and it got exploded. I shot back to the COP claiming I was hungry and it took me more than 30 min to reach the hotel which is less that a Kilometer from my office. I said the COP to explain how a People’s Leader can cause so much trouble to innocent public.

I asked the COP to justify the agony faced by people who are returning home from hectic day, students who returning home etc. By this time the COP has realized that he has touched upon a frustrated person and I think he didn’t want any scene to happen when Rahul arrived. He allowed me to cross to the Hotel on allowing us a couple of people who were denied to cross the road also crossed the road.

Then I went into the hotel and placed my order only to find all the chef has gone out to have a glimpse of Rahul. This time had no option other than to laugh. Having left with no option I also went to the Hotel window waiting when our People’s Leader will cross so that I can get my dinner. Finally he crossed after 15 min.

Then I laughed at myself thinking how people in power misuse their power in the name of security. Then entire stretch was blocked an hour ahead of he travelling in that road which was less that 2 min.

Long live our People’s Leader and Long live his service to people I said to myself and I walked back.

Sri Iyappan Tiffin Center Snaps


Finally took snaps of Sri Iyappan Tiffin Corner, Madurai. It is a small shop 10 * 10 shop which can server 8 people at a time and it is managed by one Chef who is also the owner of the shop. He is a multi skilled personality and he has some 4 stove and cooks 4+ items at a time and also he can take order and can mentally remember the items consumed by each customer and can make calculations. There are around 40 types of dosas and egg dishes and the center has been covered in Madurai edition of The Hindu. If you are in Madurai or visiting Madurai I recommend you to visit this eggiterian hotel which is open only at nights. If you need assistance for land mark kindly contact me.

For your convenience we have designed a route map (RSVP) to Sri Aiyappan Tiffin Corner.

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Address: No: 35 , Pandia Vellalar Street,Madurai- 625001.

At last Joy in Madurai


It has been 10 months since I’ve been visiting Madurai and initial 2 month have been great struggle to catch up with the culture. Also added up to the irony the city was deprived of Multiplexes and MNC food joints / boutique food joints. In these 10 months I’ve experimented tasting lots of family run food joints and did a lot of Vagabond trips to locations near to Madurai.

Also for last two months I had to postpone my Vagabond travelling because of summer and still pinch of summer is severe.

Starting from next month I’ll start my weekend vagabond trips and the places in the list are; 

  • Rameshwaram
  • Kuttralam
  • Valparai
  • A days stay in KaniyaKumari

DSC01186DSC01188Apart from this there is a brand new coffee shop opened in Anna Nagar which has a great ambiance and menus are also good. Also it is not crowded yet and I really enjoy visiting this joint.

By the end of August Millennium Mall will be open for public and it has 3 screen multiplex.

 

DSC01182DSC01184Also 2 weeks back Big Cinemas has opened 2 screen multiples which is screening Hindi & English movies and also the ambience is nice and place is clean.

At last I feel a sense of relief as I might not feel bored during evenings and weekends.

Super Saturday!!!


Last Saturday has been one of the best day as I was travelled to many places and do lot of work in a day. The day started half-way when I was watching a movie and after the movie I returned to office in Madurai. It was 2 AM when I returned to office and thought I can stay in office as I can’t wake up early. I made some blog post that night and then I went home by 4.30 I cleaned my house took shower and left to Mattuthavani Bus Stop and boarded a bus to Trichy.

Cricket in my mobile came handy as I played cricket which helped me to pass time. Then by half way met once of my father’s colleague’s daughter who was also travelling to Trichy with her husband and the remaining time I engaged in a conversation with the couples I reached Trichy. Since I was engaged in playing cricket and conversing with the couple and also the climate was good since I started early I didn’t find any difficulty in travelling.

Then I reached Trichy Bus Stand by 10 o clock and boarded a local bus to Thillai Nagar to my uncle’s house and reached his house by 10.25 AM. Then I had my breakfast and soon we started for my uncle’s marriage. En route we purchased some shirt and pants for the Groom.

Then we left to Groom’s house which is my grandmother’s ancestral home. My uncle showed the house architecture and how they (uncle’s, aunty & mom spent their summer holiday in that home. My grand mother was the last of 8 siblings and you can imagine hoe many first cousins mu mom would have had. They said there would be around 40 kids. It was always to know the cherishing moments of people and my uncle took me almost 30 – 40 years back.

Then I went to Kaveri River which I frequent whenever I goto my granny’s village. Then I took some nap and we started to marriage hall in a place called SwamiMalai which was 65 KM from that village. Since I didn’t sleep my uncle took the responsibility to drive. Six KM from my granny’s village is the old heritage Grand Anaicut Kallanai built by King Karikala Cholan. I’ve visited my granny’s village several times but I’ve never been to this spot which is a big tourist attraction and on seeing the DAM I was really startled to see the architecture and quality of the DAM. This DAM takes has its history way back to Before Christ period.

Then we reached the marriage hall in another 45 min and them I spent some time there and came to hotel and did some browsing. Then I spent some quality time with my cousin which was like a get-2-gether. Then many my uncle introduced me to several elders telling that I could be a nice groom to their daughter or grand daughter. I’ve never been thru such situations and I was not that comfortable in handling such situations.

Then I have to come to Chennai the next day to Buzz 140 unconference and I left to Kumbakonnam which is the next big town near to the marriage hall. Then I boarded a bus to Chennai and started to sleep to end a very hectic and happy day.

Last four days in Madurai


Last four days in Madurai has been a different experience than my previous ones. Normally my stay is Madurai was full of discipline as I don’t have any friends here, city is small to cover any distance & there is not much places to hangout.

But this time I was totally out of my routine because; 

  • I skipped going to GYM.
  • I ate a lot as I found lots of eateries in Madurai which I was not exposed to previously.
  • Hanged out in new hangouts as Big Cinemas has opened two new multiplexes and there are two more expected in KK Nagar.
  • My friend base is slowly growing here.
  • Kudos to Hypersomnia I slept for more than 14 hours a day.

Over all I can’t cherish this moment officially as I think my productivity and work concentration has been severely affected. But personally I really enjoyed staying in Madurai and I started to develop a liking for the city.

So what did I do for last four days? 

  • Found a road side eatery which has vast menus for dosas. Its owner has become my good friend and I’m planning to do a coverage with him (The Hindu has already done a coverage on this eatery).
  • Then I close my dinner with Jil Jil Jigardhanda as dessert. But to be frank drinking Jigardhanda has become like my second dinner.
  • I finish the day by watching second show cinema from Big Cinemas.
  • Found a new coffee shop near Apollo Hospital by name Coffee Float which provides nice atmosphere to watch cricket matches and sip coffees.
  • My subordinates are doing a good job that they have made my work simple which eventually creates a lot for time for me.
  • Then my new mobile phone has a Cricket Game in it and I spent more time playing cricket.

Anyways last four days has given me a new experience and I enjoyed being here and stayed here without complaining for the first time.

So this has been my experience for the trip and I need to hang here as I must go back home to do some cleaning work, take shower and board bus to Kumbakonam to attend a relatives marriage. Kumbakonam must be 6-7 hours of travel from here and I think I need not worry as I’m addicted playing cricket in my mobile.

Oops forgot to charge my mobile let me do that and finish all my work.

Bye Bye Madurai.

An experience in a clinic!!!


Today I took one of my friends to a doctor and lot of crazy things happened in the clinic;

 

  • It seems he is a doctor practicing Russian medicine… But he has put MBBS so I assume he must have finished his course from Russia…
  • Doctor was not in station and doctor heard the complaint thru. Phone and he asked his asst. who claims to be a Doctor and looks like a compounder to give some medicines…
  • Compounder Doctor’s assistant looked like a Tug and over a point fun changed to fear…
  • All the medicines were given as capsules and they were packed in envelop… I think medicines were prepared by the doctor himself…
  • To be on the safer side we asked for a receipt for the payment and the compounder Doctor’s assistant gave us the receipt and he signed in for the doctor…
  • Here is scanned copy of the receipt which advertises the political affiliations of the doctor… Also there were multiple websites and email addresses

dr

 

Over all I advised my friend not to take those tablets and I really don’t know the authenticity of such doctors… Very much wired and these doctors reference are given by Just Dial…

Madurai Marathon…


We at cogzidel supported Madurai marathon organized by Maverick Fitness Studio by sponsoring T-Shirts for the event… The even happened 14th Feb 2009… Even was a great success and I’m thrilled to see people participating even on a Valentines Day…

Here are some snaps…

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T-shirts distributed early in the morning…

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Run of full flow…

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Finishing is style…

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Prize distribution..