It was an icy-cold January in Delhi that year, the year 1983. The citadels of power of the Congress crumbled in the undivided Andhra Pradesh and in Karnataka.
NTR assumed office in Andhra Pradesh and cerebral Rama Krishna Hegde demolished the Grand Old Party in Karnataka. People of North India woke from slumber to relearn their geography; to realise that south was not merely the land of “Madrasis” or “Idli and dosas”.
Southern India is indicative of pristine and unalloyed Indian culture. Panoramic scenery that stuns the beholder, neatly decorated temples, some incredible monuments, and a treasure of yogic techniques and Ayurvedic treatments; delicacies to tickle the most finicky taste buds conjure Mandrake like magic and provides the tripper with a robust menu card.
Dakshin Bharat Yatra
The itinerary includes a visit to temples of singular importance such as the Ramanatha Swami Temple at Rameswaram, the Meenakshi temple at Madurai, the Anantha Padmanabha Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.
The IRCTC has niche packages such as the Southern Marvel, Dakshin Bharat Yatra and the Chennai-Kanyakumari-Rameshwaram-Madurai Tour to attract a potential backpacker.
In a breathtaking swoop the pilgrim criss-crosses three states of South India and is exposed to the heterogeneous culture, cuisine, heritage, architecture, and beliefs of this prodigious part of South India.
Chennai-Kanyakumari-Rameswaram-Madurai Tour
This is an extraordinary tour spread over 4 nights and 5 days. Travellers visit Kumari Amman Temple and Triveni Sangam (the jaw dropping point to witness the confluence of the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean where each water body has a distinctive shade of colour, a spectacle nonpareil).
Backwaters
The shimmering and sunny beaches, golden sands and palm fringed seashores and the backwaters attract globetrotters. Tourists throng Kovalam, Marina, Baga, Varkala and the backwaters of Alappuzha where trippers carouse in the houseboats of Kerala.
Wildlife
The must visit parks for any wildlife enthusiast are Periyar, Bandipur, Idukki, and Eravikulam.
The Lord of Seven Hills
It is the darshan (a mere glimpse) of Lord Sri Venkateswara Swamy (or Lord Balaji as he is also known) that pilgrims pine for incessantly.
The momentary satisfaction derived from the fleeting sighting of the Lord amidst teeming crowds intensifies the longing to see Him again and again. Man meets Divinity, where a thrill passes through the spine, throats get parched and eyes well-up after darshan.
The temple town of Tirupati is in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and the shrine is located on the lofty Tirumala Hill, nestled among the Seven Hills in the Eastern Ghats. Pilgrims traverse the journey either by road or literally climbing step by step.
The history of Lord Venkateswara’s temple dates back over twelve centuries. The temple is indeed a jewel in the crown of ancient places of worship. It is authentically believed by devotees that the Lord bestows relief to the afflicted, provides an aperture of divine wisdom to the seeker, and bestows prosperity to the materialist.
A visit to Tirupati and the surrounding holy shrines which include Kanipakam and Srikalahasti, provide singular spiritual satisfaction to devotees.
Tirumala is a place where mere glimpse of Lord Venkateswara purifies a person who hails “Srinivasa Govinda” in sheer ecstasy.
Ravi Valluri is working as the CEO of Chhattisgarh Est Railway Ltd. He is the author of Bombay Review and Other Stories.
