Seven Buses and an Auto …

Seven Buses and an Auto … To see a Temple. Yes, you read that right. It took us seven buses, those deadly state transport buses, and an auto to get from our hotel in Tanjore to see the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Trichy. It would have taken eight buses but the last leg of our journey we decided to splurge a little and take an auto back to the hotel, or lodge as they more popularly called in Tamil Nadu. Unemployment and a plan to travel the country for a year does not add up to fancy hotels and comfortable transport, and exploration on a budget means cheap hotels and state transport buses.

Ramzan in the City of the Nizams

Festivals in India are celebrated with great gusto, for as a people we do not believe in moderation when it comes to the veneration of any of our religions. Combine this passion with narrow bylanes, wares that sell at less than half price, women bargaining at a volume that competes with the call for prayer…