'Travel before you run out of time' - and that is what exactly we did a week before moving out from Chennai! A long due travel plan, though we had an itinerary we dropped it and probably was the best decision for a road trip.
So, we started from Chennai early morning and stopped to walk the streets of Pondicherry - experiencing the French colonies and food the hundredth time - halting in Pondi is mandatory! C'est petite mais magnifique!
If you have enough time you can also visit Auroville to find some peace. Or might as well catch a ferry to the Paradise beach early morning to experience the sunrise. While you can also walk at the Promenade beach and sit at the cafes over looking the sea as you sip your coffee.
After a couple of hours in Pondi, we started directly for Thanjavur - four and a half hours drive. We had reached Thanjavur by late evening and so decided to rest there for the night and explore the city the next day. This city is commonly known for the Brihadeeswarar temple of the Chola dynasty built in the 11th century and the Tanjore painting - a unique painting style. The city is also a home to the Thanjavur Marathas who ruled there in the late 1600s.
The first thing to do the next morning was visit the Brihadeeswarar Temple (also a UNESCO world heritage site) - a morning visit is most preferable since there are less people and you get ample time to witness this massive beauty! This would roughly take an hour if the temple is less crowded.
Further heading to the Thanjavur Maratha Palace - originally known as the Sivaganga fort, built by the Thanjavur Nayaks. This royal palace is a mixed bag of ruins and renovation, amazing art galore and some random royal paraphernalia. You should check the Saraswati Mahal Library, Art Gallery, Mahratta Darbar Hall and Saarjah Madi.
Also lastly one should not miss picking up some Thanjavur dancing dolls as a souvenir.
After spending another day in Thanjavur, we left for Dhanushkodi early morning - approximately 5 hours to reach. Ofcourse you are going to have aplenty scenic views to enjoy as you head to the land border of India and Sri Lanka
Before we reached Dhanushkodi we stopped at a Pamban island's town, Rameswaram - a part of one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva in India and hence holds a religious significance.
A picturesque view awaits as you reach the Pamban bridge with the sea on both sides and the some heavy breeze.
Also do not forget to check the Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple for its vibrant interiors and the Adam's bridge or the popularly known Ram Setu - a naturally formed bridge between India and Sri Lanka.
While as you near Dhanushkodi, which is the south eastern tip of the country - you see the road narrowing and gifting you a quaint view.
Honestly, i would say that the view from the tip is not extraordinarie but just like any other beach. Though the journey till here is naturally striking.
On our way back to Chennai, we were lucky enough to capture the miraculous evening sky at the Pamban bridge.
Like someone has rightly quoted -
'The greatest road trips are not where you arrive at your destination, it is all the amazing memories that are created on the way'