The dark grey skies and slow drizzle adds to the sense of melancholy as one reflects on the unpredictable fury of nature. What must it have been like to live here, so far from anything else, so close to the edge of land, at the mercy of the ocean. What would have possessed the inhabitants of Dhanushkodi to persist, on this thin sliver of land, surrounded by salt water, braving the elements, with what would surely have been an omnipresent threat of annihilation hanging over their heads? Could it have been the faith that they would be protected by their lord, or was it simply that they had lived there for centuries and it was home.
Category: Hidden Treasures
The Forgotten Chettiars…
But the red dust and eerie silence is quietly watched over by some of the largest, most beautiful, stately mansions one has ever seen. They fill this village, and all the others in the region, reminiscent of a bygone era, when the rich and enterprising Chettiar community, financiers of the royals, lived like kings.
From Tharangambadi to Tranquebar.
Just ahead of the market is the old Landporten, the stone gate which marks the entry into the old town. Making our way through the massive arch and onto the cobblestoned main street the scene subtly changes. As the humdrum of the market fades away and one looks around the quaint streets and the old pillared mansions, the small churches and open skied traditional tamil homes with a hint of a European touch, a certain calm descends and time slows down just a little bit.
The Synagogues of Bombay
The Jewish community in the city is dwindling and are finding it difficult to maintain the eight synagogues that were once full. Many of these places of worship and gathering are in places we pass by, and we recommend that the next time you do, pop in for a visit and experience some of the diversity that keeps this city going.
Once upon a time in Bombay’s old Chinatown
One of the original Seven Isles, Mazagon is widely known to be the home of several old majestic churches, a large catholic community and the famous 18th century dockyard that builds ships for the Indian Navy. What was once a rich and affluent neighbourhood with rich Portuguese and Parsi families in large sprawling bungalows, it…
Bombay’s own ‘Blue Mosque’
Hidden away in the bylanes of Mumbai’s Mohammed Ali Road, lies this stunning 150 year old Mosque decorated in multi coloured mosaic tiles brought all the way from Iran.