Chapati in Chennai

Tilakas given to us at Kapaleeshwarar Temple.
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One of the most refreshing things we have witnessed so far while visiting India is that the people here are proud of, and continue, their unique culture and traditions. This was a big contrast to China, where we felt that the country was readily giving up everything that was not already lost in the ‘Cultural Revolution’. Traditions passed down from generations are evident everywhere here, from the pleated folds of a Sari to the temples lining the streets. In India, the majority of people wear traditional clothing for example the Dhoti or Lungi (wraps worn by men) and Salwar Kameez (a pantsuit worn by women). The restaurants serve Idly, Poori, Masala Dosa, Palak Paneer, and Kulchi Naan. We may find a different story in the North, especially in the booming city of Delhi, but we have yet to lay eyes on a Pizza Hut or Mcdonalds, and so at the very least these appear to be the exception rather than the rule of eateries. Other traditions of course abound, from the Bindi (symbolizing marriage), use of Vermillion along the hair line (a wish of long life to a woman’s husband), choice of eating utensil (the right hand), and that of not shaking a woman’s hand out of respect for her privacy.

View of the traffic outside our cab.
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Okay, it’s official – everyone here thinks we are crazy to be visiting their country during the hottest time of the year. Little did we know that our time would also coincide with school holiday time, the trains consequently booked for weeks in advance. Such are the joys of traveling!! After some cursing, rearranging of plans, and multiple trips to train station booking offices, we came up with a workable route.

Our first stop was in the heat of Chennai, the capital of South India formerly known as Madras, and a major transportation hub on the South Eastern coast. Chennai is a lively city bustling with markets, temples, and beaches. The roadways are a blur of action with busses, cars, rickshaws, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrians, and animals all competing for the same space. The dusty edges of the road are filled with women wearing brightly colored clothing, and the air is filled with the scents of flowers and spices.

Main spire of Kapaleeshwarar Temple.
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We set out to explore the town and take a look at Kapaleeshwarar Temple which we read was a great example of Dravidian (South Indian) architecture. The temple, covered in brightly painted carvings of Hindu Deities, stood on the side of a frantically busy street. We removed our shoes before the gate and then made a mad dash inside for some cool, shaded stone to rest our feet. Inside the gates the temple opened out into a courtyard with areas of worship to the sides. Wandering through we enjoyed the pleasant scents of burning incense, and jasmine flowers woven through the women’s hair. We picked up a guide (yep – they are here just as in China!) who told us some stories about the Deities of Shiva and Parvati, and rubbed ash and colorful powder on our foreheads. According to our guide, the red dot represented a third eye which was a link to another dimension and would help ward off evil spirits by hypnotizing them, and the ash was some reminder of mortality – ashes to ashes. Outside of the temple, we put on our shoes and worked our way back through the sticky heat, stubbornly immobile cows, and din of street vendors selling everything from tropical fruits to bangles.

The action of Chennai was an intense prelude to the country. Its sheer volume was so loud that on our second day we headed two hours south to the quieter town of Mahaballipuram.