Travelogue #10 - Chennai to Pitchavaram

The deadly tsunami that hit the southern states of India along with many other south Asian countries was an eye-opener of sorts on what nature is capable of unleashing on us humans. It also proved how nature’s own creations could help save us from such catastrophes as well. Pitchavaram, located in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu and home to one of the world’s largest mangrove forest cover, is a classic example.

As ironical as it may sound, Pitchavaram actually shot to fame after the 2004 tsunami as the villages in and around miraculously escaped the devastation that the tidal waves effected elsewhere in Tamil Nadu and the rest of India. The thick forest cover, with roots so dense and interspersed across a huge area, acted as a dampener, reducing the intensity and velocity with which the waves hit the shore, saving precious lives.

A chance to drive along the scenic East Coast Road is something that we wouldn’t miss on any given day. Combine that with the added advantage of exploring a destination as promising as Pitchavaram and it becomes a double delight. We might have said this earlier, but we are saying it again and, most probably, would say it sometime in the future as well. Driving in ECR is so much fun with the smooth road surface, the scenic coastline and the numerous curves all along providing a great driving experience. Remember to exercise caution though and stay within your limits.

Having planned this drive on a Sunday, starting early was the only way we could beat the mad weekend traffic on the ECR. The boat house in Pitchavaram opens at around 08:30 AM and the best bet is to reach the place before that. Remember, summer in Tamil Nadu could be unforgiving and the earlier we reach the place, the better. As planned, we drove along the ECR up to Cuddalore and then turned on to NH 45-A towards Chidambaram. Strangely, almost until we reached the place itself, we couldn't spot even a single signboard telling us about Pitchavaram. Located just 15-odd kilometers before Chidambaram, the Pitchavaram mangrove forest is located between two estuaries formed by the Vellar and Coleroon rivers.

No amount of stories that you hear about it or the research that you do in the internet would prepare you for the visual feast at the location. You will have to see it in person to truly understand the depth and intensity of this unique biotope that is said to be supporting the existence of a number of varieties of fishes and birds. As you start venturing into the backwaters, the mangroves that appear as a distant speck at first gradually grows dense and, at some point, is all around you. Its quite an experience to trundle along in the artificial caves formed by the mangroves, using the roots to move forward. Remember, the dense growth of roots around would render the rows of the boat unusable.

A couple of hours into the ride takes us to a secluded beach, something that we rarely see these days. We are allowed to spend time on the beach while our boatmen wait for us to start the return journey. Overall, we quite liked what we saw and are sure that you will like it too when you visit the place.

ROUTEMAP:

FACTFILE:

* Total No of Days: 1 (28.04.2013)
* Vehicle Make & Model: Honda Civic

* Odometer Start Reading: 50774 km
* Odometer End Reading: 51193 km
* Total Distance traveled: 419 km
* No of Toll Booths: 1
* Money spent on Toll & Parking: Rs. 140

* Total Quantity of Fuel filled: 34.34 l
* Average Fuel Consumption: 12.20 km/l
* Money spent on Fuel: Rs. 2310

* Destinations Covered: Pitchavaram
* Route Followed: Chennai-Puducherry-Cuddalore-Pitchavaram

THE LANDSCAPE:

THE AUTOMOBILE:

The Honda Civic, which has now become our trusted partner for many a long drives, made for a perfect companion to this journey. While the smooth i-VTEC engine ensured that we never ran out of power for those overtaking errands, the superb handling made us feel at home in the tight and twisty ECR. If only the rear suspension was a bit stiffer and the ride quality was more absorbent, the car would have been just perfect on all aspects.

If you are in Chennai and looking for a place to go on a day's outing, Pitchavaram is an ideal destination. Remember, you will have to overcome the lure of ECR's many picnic spots and Puducherry on the way. Unless you are either extremely lucky or you have planned your trip during the monsoons, brace yourself to face the scorching sun. When we were there at Pitchavaram, the infamous Tamil Nadu summer was at its peak, but that didn't stop us from having as much fun as possible.

Staying at home and resting in air-conditioned comfort might be the idea of a perfect weekend for some, but not for us. For those of you who are like us, happy driving!

Travelogue #9 - Chennai to Puducherry (ECR)

There is an adage that we always endorse which goes like "The journey is as important as the destination". For us, it's not always only about how the destination ends up being. Passionate drivers that we are, the road that leads us there and the driving experience are as important, if not more.

Based out of Chennai, we aren't fortunate enough to have roads where we take our rides for a spin and come back grinning ear to ear. But the East Coast Road, or 'ECR' as it is fondly called, is an exception. Here is a road that's smooth, scenic, curvy, regularly patrolled and yet not far off from the bustling city. Here is a stretch of tarmac that, on most weekends, sees Porsches, Ferraris and rest of the exotic automotive clan jostling for space with the staple MTC buses and share auto-rickshaws. Here is a road that's dotted with popular tourist spots one after the other. And, of course, there are folks who neither realize their limits nor their vehicle's and end up crashing, making ECR one of the most dangerous roads in this part of the country.

By now, you would have realized that this isn't a regular travelogue that reserves just a line or two for the road that leads to the destination. This post is as much about the ECR as it is about Puducherry, our destination. Erstwhile called Pondicherry before it was officially renamed, Puducherry is quite popular. With it's unique combination of traditional Indian and colonial French architecture, sun-kissed beaches and a tax structure that favours shopping, Puducherry attracts visitors by hordes, especially on weekends. Above all, Puducherry gives us an opportunity to drive on the ECR, something that we wouldn't miss no matter what, even if it's at the middle of a night.

Since this was just a day's trip, we started early, which meant ECR was all ours as the rest of Chennai was busy snoozing off their alarms. As the day breaks cover, ECR tempts you to stop every now and then, with splendid views of the coastline and the numerous tourist spots all along the road luring you. Don't let those temptations spoil your plan though. Once past Mamallapuram, which is 60 km from Chennai, ECR transforms into a totally different stretch of tarmac. The surroundings are more scenic than ever, traffic is sparse and the blind spots and curves welcome us in more frequent intervals. All we need to do is to maintain focus without getting carried away and the road rewards us back with a fantastic driving experience.

With the photo breaks at Mudaliyarkuppam and a couple of other random spots on the ECR excluded, our first stop was at Auroville. This international township located in a sprawling campus, an initiative by "The Mother", has been developed for men and women of all countries to live peacefully, above all religion, politics, caste and creed. The 'Matrimandir', a golden globe like structure located in the center of Auroville township is an architectural marvel. Unfortunately, we didn't get to go inside as advance booking is required to enter the structure. Being a self-sustained township, Auroville shows that there is more to life than the hustle and bustle of a city that we all are used to, day in and day out.

Any visit to Puducherry is incomplete until you get wet in one of those many beaches all around and meditate at the incredibly serene and peaceful Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Round it off with a mandatory stroll on The Promenade facing the sea and, of course, some shopping. We did all those and more. The Promenade gets super-crowded on weekends and it's quite a sight to see so many people taking a stroll with no tearing hurry, as the waves gently crash over the rocks with an occasional big splash. The high-walled buildings, the grid-shaped roads and even the names of roads and buildings still bear a strong French influence, reminding us that this was a French colony not so many decades back.

ROUTEMAP:

FACTFILE: 

* Total No of Days: 1 (13.10.2012)
* Vehicle Make & Model: Honda Civic

* Odometer Start Reading: 43612 km
* Odometer End Reading: 43940 km
* Total Distance traveled: 328 km
* No of Toll Booths: 2
* Money spent on Toll & Parking: Rs. 162

* Total Quantity of Fuel filled: 24.65 l
* Average Fuel Consumption: 13.31 km/l
* Money spent on Fuel: Rs. 1762.34

* Destinations Covered: Puducherry (Pondicherry)
* Route Followed: Chennai-Mamallapuram-Kalpakkam-Puducherry (ECR)

THE ROAD TAKEN:

THE LANDSCAPE:

THE AUTOMOBILE:

The Honda
Civic, our ride for the journey was perfectly at home in the tight and
twisty ECR, hugging the lane and turning in and out of corners with
utmost ease. Though the car had a big smile plastered onto our faces
every time we negotiated those twisties, the soft rear suspension was
making its presence felt over any irregularity on the road surface. At
the end, it was a day well-spent, with both the destination and the
journey proving to be a cherishable experience. If you belong to
Chennai, there are not many better places around to spend a day or a
weekend.

Though we had driven down to Mamallapuram on the ECR quite a few times before, not once had we traversed the entire distance upto Puducherry. Living in Chennai and not doing that is considered a sin by many, which means we are fit to be certified as bonafide sinners. Not any more! Now that we have did it and have come back happy, would we like to do that again? Oh yes, we will. The charm of ECR is, and will continue to be, too good to ignore.