The Epicurious Wanderers!

Yesterday we left Puducherry behind and set off for Madurai – a drive filled with tropical landscapes, crazy city traffic and almost deserted highways. At one intersection while we waited for the lights to change a cow wandered up to the corner and also waited on the lights. It was a long drive with a couple of comfort stops along the way. You really see some interesting sights on Indian roads, from four crammed onto a scooter through to brightly coloured trucks stacked precariously with a wide array of goods. Oh and who knew that tuk tuks now come with air conditioning.

Arriving in Madurai in the late afternoon, we explored the city with our guide and got our first taste of its culinary magic. Our lunch stop was a movie themed restaurant, like an American style diner with a spice overload. Helen and I shared a tandoori platter with a host of spicy goodness. From here we journeyed to our hotel, the Madurai Heritage, a lush oasis amid the chaos of a busy city. Our room is in a 1920’s Colonial bungalow, complete with private terrace and a lush garden view.

The pool was just what we needed after 6 hours in the bus. On returning to the room and changing the weather decided to change as well and a short sharp monsoon shower drenched the surrounding area. In the midst of this Helen discovered her phone was missing, not being “online” I couldn’t ring it and with the wifi not connecting “find my device” wasn’t an option either. A quick call to reception though tracked it down, it had fallen out of our bag as we left the pool. Panic over!

Madurai is known for bold, authentic Tamil flavours, in the evening we headed out for a street food walk. We sampled dishes from street vendors that you wouldn’t find in tourist guidebooks – cotton seed milk, spicy mutton dosa, roti cooked fresh in front of us, and a myriad of other spicy morsels that left the lips tingling and the soul wanting more.

We ended the night with a local dessert called Jigarthanda – a blissful concoction of almond gum, condensed milk and ice cream. Translation: Madurai milkshake heaven. This has to be tasted to be believed. Sadly I was too busy salivating over it that I forgot the photo!

Our second day in Madurai started with a sensory overload – in the best way possible. We wandered through the Flower Market, where every colour, scent and sound competed for attention. We passed stall after stall loaded with the freshest Flowers, don’t smell them though as that ‘steals’ the scent and you then have to buy. Watching guys wander along with sacks of flowers on their heads shows the strength and balance you need to thrive in the environment.

On leaving the markets we stopped at a palace for a guided tour, like so many places we’ve been it was undergoing renovation. The carvings are magnificent and show the many cultures that gave influenced thus region. Next came an action packed cycle rickshaw adventure through the streets and narrow lanes of Madurai as we headed to the temple, including a stop at the banana market. Who knew bananas came is so many varieties and colours… and lets not forget the street devoted to selling onions.

The real showstopper was the Sri Meenakshi Temple. It’s hard to describe how incredible it is – towering gopurams covered in thousands of painted carvings, the smell of incense thick in the air, and pilgrims chanting as they circled the shrines. We both stood still for a long time, just taking it in. Sadly no photos here, after a fire in 2018 no electrical devices are allowed inside. So just believe when I say if you in Madurai this is a must visit. Hindu culture is so deeply ingrained in ways of life, amidst the thousands of visitors there is a serene calmness.

Tonight we will be welcomed into a local family’s home for a traditional Tamil dinner. We can’t wait for this cultural immersion.