Last August, my friend and I decided to make a spiritual trip to Adiyogi, Coimbatore. While we had both been to Adiyogi, Chikkaballapur, we both wanted to check out the flagship centre of Adiyogi. We started out journey from Majestic on the 15th of August and boarded an AC bus to Coimbatore.
Day 1:
We reached Coimbatore early in the morning the next day (at around 6-6:30) and had some chai at one of the tea shops near the bus stop. We then got an auto to take us to our hotel: Lemon Tree, Coimbatore (which was a bit away from the city centre). This was a last-minute booking, as all the rooms at Adiyogi were booked.
We reached our hotel way before our check-in time and got a temporary room to freshen up (at an additional cost). We had a sumptuous buffet breakfast at the restaurant (replete with Elaneer Payasam, the traditional coconut dessert) and hceaded straight to Adiyogi. We had booked a car from the hotel and it took us around 2 hours to reach Adiyogi.
Established by Sadhguru and his Isha Foundation, this phenomenal spiritual centre is truly one-of-a-kind. We visited the Dhyana Linga and meditated there (There are 20-minute meditation sessions held intermittently throughout the day at select times). The experience was soothing, as we saw a crowd of around 100 people meditating in pin-drop silence in a cave-like structure, with the Shivling at the centre. Photography isn't allowed here, and you need to leave your mobiles and bags at a counter outside. The whole process was well-managed.
We then collected our bags and mobiles and did a recce of the surrounding area. There was an eatery with a decent menu (mostly South Indian delicacies) in the compound. They also have a store where you can buy stuff like little Shiva souvenirs, copper jewellery, and locally made coffee. We had some snacks and bought black sesame (til) laddoos (the "prasad") before setting off for the Shiva statue.
The 112-foot Shiva statue (which is also considered the world's largest bust) located a few steps away from the Dhyana Linga is a sight to behold. Set amid lush greenery and against the backdrop of the Nilgiris, this place has become the latest photo-op destination for visitors. There's no restriction on the use of phones here.
We ended our journey to Adiyogi with some quick clicks of the awesome Shiva statue and headed back to our hotel.
The evening was spent by the pool at the hotel, while we had some drinks and snacks afterwards at the hotel lounge. We ordered dinner through room service, as there weren't too many food joints around our hotel (the hotel being in the suburbs of Coimbatore). After a brief chit-chat session, we called it a night.
Day 2:
The following day was our last in Coimbatore. We packed our bags, had breakfast, and checked out, leaving our luggage at the hotel. Our plan was to explore Coimbatore city and some legendary eateries there.
Our first spot for the day was the Gedee (GD) Car Museum. The museum hosts a vast collection of cars and other personal items collected by industrialist and car enthusiast G. D. Naidu. The museum is a treat for car lovers and we had a good time clicking some goofy photos.
We then decided to check out some iconic eateries for lunch. We first headed to Annapoorna. A legendary eatery, this place is known for its Ghee Roast Dosa. It also has a wide range of sweets and bakery items. However, you may need to wait for about 15-20 minutes to get a table during rush hours.
We had a sumptuous lunch and then bought some sweets and cookies. We then headed to the local mall: Brookefields Mall. We spent about an hour there and had some ice-cream to beat the heat.
I was hell-bent on tasting the Elaneer Payasam at Sree Aksshayam, another iconic eatery. So, off we went there and were delighted to find it relatively empty than Annapoorna.
After spending an eventful day in Coimbatore city, we headed back to our hotel to collect our luggage. We had an evening bus booked to Bangalore and rushed to the bus stop. Thus ended our short and sweet trip to Coimbatore - a trip I'll remember for the spiritual experience and the varied food options we tried!