Sterling Swamimalai - Back to My Roots !

Imagine a similar morning in the 1940's. Imagine a lady stepping out of this traditional South Indian home to say a prayer facing these first rays of the morning sun...and then stepping in again to start her busy household chores.Now that could have been my grandmother.Getting to Sterling Swamimalai was a journey to find my roots ..to understand my past . These traditions are revived in every way at this resort starting from the traditional South Indian welcome that includes a foot massage.

This Courtyard is the venue for the morning Yoga Lessons . I attended these religiously throughout my stay there . This was also the venue for cultural performances in the evening. Experiencing the performance of flautists and percussionists playing Karnatic music against this perfect backdrop was an enthralling experince.

The well that is a characteristic feature of backyards of traditional South Indian homes and the main watersource for the house . I remember bathing by the well as a young boy at my Grandparents home ..drawing up buckets of cold water and often being reprimanded for taking too long and wasting too much water ... That was such a long time ago .

This traditional "Kollam" or pond has been creatively reconstructed into a swimming pool.

I spent most of the morning here ..reading a book by the pool after a sumptious South Indian breakfast that comprised famous Kumbakonam "degree" coffee.

Watching these geese enjoy a swim at the banana plantation was another pastime at Sterling Swamimalai. How the knew when the water would be released each day at the plantation is a mystery I could never unravel through my stay there.

Say Cheese !

This little buffalo calf will always be a strong association for me with Sterling Swamimalai. It was really strange that everytime I approached this little calf, it appeared to break into a grin like this..

Around Swamimalai

Swamimalai is a temple town and a feast for any pilgrim and I often wandered aimlessly around, capturing on camera, places and people of interest. The Gopuram or Dome of the Sarangapani Temple above was simply magnificent and I could not help but admire at this architectural feat that loomed high above us and appeared to touch the sky . A good pastime would be to sit at a reasonable distance from this structure and count the many fables and stories that unfold layer by layer until you reach the top.




One of my favourite spots in Swamimalai..The Pattibiraman Temple by the riverside. An ideal day for a swim in the river and soak some hot Swamimalai sun.(though not for long)
If only my pace of life was like this everyday. Sometime in the future possibly...



All temples close around noon and a post prandial siesta is a must for the priest of this temple before he resumes work from 4 pm. The heat could get to you with mercury touching 38 degrees C with a very high sweat factor. It is wise to travel very light but avoid shorts since permission may be denied at some temples.

HAMPI ROCKS !

Hampi is a very special place for me. It has been my private hideaway and retreat for almost a decade and a source of immense physical and mental rejuvenation. The long treks coupled with that sense of wonderment at spotting those most amazing stone reliefs at most unexpected of places..I could go on and on but would always conclude with the advise that Hampi is better experienced than explained.

The nobleman's quarters or atleast what it was called many centuries back. One could walk amidst these ruins and climb up the dilapidated steps of the watchtower in the distance and see things from a completely different perspective.

The Vitthala Temple is possibly the most famous temple in Hampi .It is well known for its musical pillars and the famous stone chariot. When struck , the stone pillars resonate with musical notes. Where else in the world would you hear of such a remarkable feat? What is most frustrating is to see the rules being broken by reckless tourist guides for whom preservation of our heritage is often compromised for a quick buck.

It is wise to visit the Vitthala temple early in the morning to avoid crowds and the scorching midday sun. Also an ideal time for photography.

Spotted this exquisite carving on the rock while climbing one of the hillocks at Hampi.

You never know what you may find and that is what makes this place so special.

Hampi should ideally be a 3 day trip ..anything shorter would be a compromise.

The "Hazaara Rama " Temple in Hampi is famous for the friezes on the outer and inner enclosures. The outer friezes depict elephants , horses , infantry and dancing girls while the inner walls portray scenes from the Ramayana , the Hindu epic.One could just laze around this place and study the intricate work on every piece of stone...relax on the steps leading to the inner shrine and read a book perhaps. There is a lot more to Hampi than the ruins .
I always enjoy the off-season visit since you have the place to yourself .

A great idea would be to watch the sunset from Mathanga Hill which allows a great 360degree view of Hampi. The trek up this hill is great but recommended only in groups .Also ensure that you return immediately after sunset since it gets pretty dark .

The stygian darkness amidst these ruins after every sunset always brings to my lips, lines from Shelley's poem :

"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings: Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

But around the decaying ruin of the statue, nothing remains, only the "lone and level sands," which stretch out around it, far away"

To me Hampi is proof that virtue far outlives materialistic pursuits.

What Lies Ahead?

"The journey is more important than the destination" .
This picturesque frame on our way to Penukonda is testimony that the best joys in the world are in the simplest of things. Compare this to a frenetic week at work in an overcrowded metropolis and you read my mind during this specific moment. Add to it the uncertainty of what lies ahead..what surprises lie in store for us around the bend ahead ...the bend of life .


Penukonda did not turn out the way I expected it to be . For one, most of the places were closed even at ten in the morning and a couple of them were overcrowded with local devotees. This was the one desolate temple with the mountain in the backdrop that attracted me and so I spent most of my time exploring this place .

This septuagenarian priest who knows no place other than the precincts of the temple he has offered his services, for over six decades. There was something enigmatic about this man and I could not help but muse at how the temple and the priest now shared such a desolate existence.

An urge to talk to him but at the cost of his lunch preparations deterred me from doing so...Next time perhaps?

These steps leading to the next unknown bend on my return from Penukonda will always serve as a reminder to take that unwavering decision when you heart and mind wants you to. There was something very peaceful and mystical about this place , prompting me to stop the car and walk upward.The experience was spiritually rewarding and rejuvenating, to say the least.

The peace of this place that seemed suspended in a different time and space .The lessons from an old man who taught me a unique meditation technique and some valuable lessons in hospitality were eyeopeners that renewed my belief that our world can be a beautiful place. His parting words will always echo in my mind " We were destined to meet at this time and at this place , and in this birth....else you would never have come here"

Do we overlook the many such signals in our everyday life and does it only take such experiences to unveil the hidden messages for us?

About this Blog.

This yellow signboard that we passed on our way to a town called Penukonda in Andhra Pradesh to see the ruins of a Vijayanagara settlement ; my innocuous remark on something about safe sex and this sign, and my wife's remark that it would be a good idea for me to share my travails and try my hand at writing, can be attributed, in varying proportions, to my inspiration to start this blog.

Next Stop Kondampalli is my way of unwinding and creating that sense of zest, in an otherwise bland and monotonous routine ...as we explore the road less travelled in what I believe, is a journey of understanding and rediscovering ourselves.