Getaways – Wanderful Weekendz

A Lighthouse Moment in Pulicat

Published on December 3, 2016February 1, 2017 by wanderfulweekendz4 Comments

About this time last year, in between a horde of working weekends I got a single weekend off. Since we had not been out of town for a long time, my husband suggested that we go to Pulicat for a day trip.

Situated 50 kms north of Chennai, Pulicat is the second largest brackish water lake in India. It is also a well known a bird sanctuary where thousands of migratory birds flock every winter.

Of birds, we didn’t spot any but we were attracted towards the solitary tall lighthouse situated across the creek.

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Le Tour De Chandanagore

Published on November 27, 2016February 1, 2017 by wanderfulweekendzLeave a comment

35 kms north of Kolkata, on the Howrah Burdwan railway line is the town of Chandannagar.

It’s small but busy railway station does not look much different from the ones that one passes on the short train journey from Howrah to Chandannagar. A quick trot to the rickshaw stand. Still nothing remarkable. Narrow, wayward streets cramped with unplanned construction on either sides, unruly pedestrian and vehicular traffic and a web of electric cables running overhead. Standing here, one would never be able to guess that this unremarkable suburban town of Kolkata was once a flourishing French settlement and an important center of European commerce in Bengal. Continue reading “Le Tour De Chandanagore” →

A time machine called Hampi

Published on November 18, 2016September 1, 2018 by wanderfulweekendzLeave a comment

It was probably in my fifth or sixth standard history class that I first came to know about Hampi.

I remember being wonderstruck by the black and white picture of the bird’s eye view of Hampi as the teacher proceeded to tell us about the capital city of the once powerful Vijayanagara Empire that was lost till its ruins were discovered. For my naive mind, the tale of a 600 year old city with its ornate temples, grand palaces, imposing gates, bazaars consisting of straight parallel rows of shops, tanks and bathing ghats still intact was like the proverbial time machine. All I wanted to do was to ride that time machine for a glimpse of the fantastical past. Continue reading “A time machine called Hampi” →

Rann Baby Rann (Little Rann of Kutch)

Published on November 3, 2016September 2, 2017 by wanderfulweekendz2 Comments

A few years ago we made a trip to the lesser known cousin of the Great Rann of Kutch, the Little Rann of Kutch. I must admit that it was a case of mistaken identity but after the initial disappointment washed over, we were quite awed by all that the region had to offer in terms of wildlife, history and warm hospitality. Continue reading “Rann Baby Rann (Little Rann of Kutch)” →

Chettinadu Chaska

Published on November 3, 2016June 16, 2019 by wanderfulweekendz3 Comments

An overnight train journey from Chennai brought us to Chettinad.

The name Chettinad is synonymous with spicy aromatic food prepared from freshly ground masalas. However, it was not food that had brought us there but stories about the grand mansions of Chettiars.