Detour #230: A feast for the senses on the road to Madurai, India
Photo Shutterstock
Craving the best roads and the finest food in Tamil Nadu, Paranjay Dutt sets off for Madurai.
Frequented by pilgrims, the historic city of Madurai is the third largest in the south-Indian state of Tamil Nadu. But it's not just the rich history that piques our interest, for despite having robust air and rail networks, one needs to get in the driving seat to enjoy the place. In colloquial speak, the word to describe the experience would be 'chanceless'.
Away from the grammatical awkwardness, the drive to Madurai is a mix of motorways, some detours (you see what I did there...), and a handful of rather enjoyable B-roads thrown in for good fun. I’m driving from Coimbatore where the excellent GeDee Car Museum is located and while busy, the road does offer a good chance to cruise along and enjoy the scenery and to prepare myself for the slight sensory overload Madurai and its neighbours are about to present...
Driving an Indian-spec Fiat Grande Punto with its relatively wide turning radius means that I tend to avoid being overenthusiastic when Apple Maps shows an alternative route. For instance, the tempting 'Big Car Street' isn’t exactly what it says and is actually reserved for the large chariots or temple cars from the Meenakshi Temple for the annual festival.
Photo Shutterstock
The Madurai Meenakshi Temple is what brings people to this city — in large numbers. The vastness of it is as surreal as the sculptured wall-work. And nothing seemed to deter the tourists; neither the long walk inside the temple compound nor the sun shining brightly from above. Sat by the river Vaigai, the temple has five entrances and 14 or so towers, and it's not just been restored but also maintained strikingly well.
Photo Paranjay Dutt
The other important thing that puts Madurai on the map has to be Madurai Malligai or the jasmine flower. It's said that Air India, the once-government-owned national carrier used to run a special flight from Madurai to transport fresh jasmine flowers. Having spent a fair bit of my life in the city of Chennai, I can confirm that the ever-lasting fragrance of fresh jasmine is, for the lack of a better word, 'chanceless'. It's also said that many perfume makers including the who's who of the industry travelled down to the city to get a whiff of Madurai jasmine. The flower market tends to get a fair bit of action pretty early in the day, and while I’m unfortunate to have walked into it at the worst possible time in the afternoon, the benevolent fragrance is still pretty much there. As if lingering only to tell me to come back later for more.
And later is when things tend to get interesting. The city is called Thoonga Nagaram in Tamil, which translates to “the city that never sleeps.” And it most definitely doesn't, especially if you crave some midnight food.
Photo Travel Nomades / Unsplash
But before we get there, a quick note on driving in Madurai: it can be a challenge since it's a fully functional semi-urban atmosphere. Which means while the new roads are wide, parking can be an issue, especially in the heart of the city. And it would make more sense to hail what's locally known as an 'auto-rickshaw', essentially the tuk-tuk — to move around quickly but without losing access to the sights and sounds of the city.
If you've had the pleasure of tasting Tamil food, a trip to Madurai is unmissable! One can order anything from the most basic of 'tiffin' items like idli (fermented rice cakes) and dosai (think pancake but made of rice and dal/lentils) to more complex Madurai-only preparations, and there's hardly a chance of it being a disappointment.
Jigarthanda, which literally translates to cool heart/heart-cooler, is a cold, condensed milk preparation that offers some relief after a hard day of walking around in Madurai. Other recommendations included mutton chukka, kari dosai, and bun parotta. All of which are made in small establishments that have been satisfying customers for years.
Although there's no disputing Madurai's prominence in history and its unending appeal for the food lover, a drive wouldn't be complete without checking out its neighbour: Karaikudi. If Madurai is the antique class, Karaikudi is the modern classic. It’s a step back in time to when the wealth that the Chettiyars (the trading community) had amassed over the years turned their palatial courtyard abodes into architectural wonders. In Chettinad it’s not just the glorious past but more unmissable food that welcomes the traveller. And unlike in Madurai where you might want to do a bit of a restaurant-hopping, the majority of places serving Chettinad cuisine would offer a multi-course to sate your appetite in one go.
Tamil Nadu is known to have a rather solid road network, and it definitely shows when you talk to local residents. Long drives are the norm because the roads are that good. The inner roads mightn't be as wide but they definitely become prettier. With a mix of small villages that you'd need to cross (which also present a nice chance for taking a 'chai' break — or filter coffee) and old, well-paved roads offering a respite from the sun thanks to the occasional trees lined on both sides. With just about sixty miles between Madurai and Karaikudi, this drive is quite a short one, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Photo Shutterstock
Once in Karaikudi, you'd notice that some of the aforementioned Chettiyar houses are still well-maintained despite the size and cost of doing so, but on the other hand, with many families having moved away, the state of many old mansions is heartbreaking, to say the least. The adjoining town of Kanadukathan is where one can see more of these homes, which give a glimpse of the glorious past. From large Burmese Teak pillars with extremely detailed work on them to silver-finished figurines drawn on the doors, from the large Italian marble (or even the local Athangudi tiles) to wall art, small chandeliers hung from the roofs, and a courtyard structure that sufficed the needs of the residents by diving the house in designated areas for sleeping, dining and so on. Even without air conditioning, the ingenious design of these villas meant they would remain cool. Pretty cool to look at too!
A nice antique market sits quietly behind Karaikudi's main town market, and it presents the chance to buy anything and everything from antique tableware, photos of affluent families with common folk, or if you're lucky, old toys. I once found a Matchbox Superfast car carrier here; so you know, where there's a will...
In Karaikudi, I'd most definitely recommend making a trip to The Bangala. It's a brilliantly managed family-run boutique hotel, which offers a great window into the Chettinad culture. With under £100 per night, it makes for a great stay, with the added benefit of having some of the tastiest food preparations from the land of the Chettiyars. If this whets your appetite, do let us know in the comments section below, and I'll make another drive to Tamil Nadu for you.
It'll be a pretty 'chanceless' one, I'd say...
Words Paranjay Dutt Twitter / X
Photography Shutterstock & Paranjay Dutt
ROADBOOK
CLASS: Sensory Drive
NAME: A feast for the senses in Madurai
ROUTE: Coimbatore – MADURAI – Karaikudi
COUNTRY: INdia
Distance: 190 Miles
Craving the best roads and the finest food in Tamil Nadu, Paranjay Dutt sets off for Madurai.