This post describes our visit to Chennai (aka Madras, and before that Mylapore), the capital of Tamil Nadu State, 5 & 6 March 2020.
Everyone told us that north and south India were very different, and that's what we found too. The people here seem friendlier, more open - maybe because Chennai is on the coast and it's warmer, more relaxed?? They also seem more devout.
They say that Tamil Nadu State has more than 3,000 Hindu Temples. Religion - Hinduism - is alive and well here. That was certainly the feeling we got. We saw many wonderful temples, and they all seemed busy with worshippers and priests.
To outsiders Hinduism seems like a complex and confusing religion with its multitude of gods and belief in reincarnation. Perhaps that's why it didn't spread to other countries - you have to grow up with it to understand its complexities?
In southern India, this part of our tour, we visited: in Tamil Nadu State: Chennai (Madras); Puducherry (Pondy); Tirucchirappalli (Trichy); Madurai; then in Kerala State: Thekkady; Alleppey; and Kochi (Cochin).
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| Map of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. |
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| We were met at Chennai Airport by our new guide for southern India, Eugine Gevarghese, a delightful character, 52 years old, single (but engaged) and Catholic. His home town was Kochi, Kerala. |
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| Our bus sor southern India was modern and comfortable. The driver was Murti, and the condutor Muthu. They were both from Tamil Nadu State. |
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| City map of Chennai. The City follows the coast, the Bay of Bengal. |
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| We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel - very nice!! |
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| I made good use of the lovely swimming pool at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The water was a very pleasant 28C (much warmer than northern India). |
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| What a swish wedding car! |
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| Vera & I admiring a Ganesh (elephant god) statue in the foyer of the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Hinduism seemed more pervasive in southern India. |
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| That night we had a drink in the bar and met the singer Mali, from Mizoram (bordering Myanmar). You could see the Chinese influence in her features. Mali told us that she was 26 years old, she taught herself to sing, and she was supporting her family (farmers). |
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| We visited the Kapaleeswarar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The original Temple was largely destroyed by the Portuguese in 1566, but then rebuilt 300 years ago. |
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| The impressive gopuram (Gateway Tower) of the Temple. |
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| Eugine arranged a local expert to show us around the Temple. |
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| The Temple was busy with many worshippers (mostly women) and priests. |
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| We passed this slum when driving around. Haven't really seen this kind of urban poverty till now. |
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| A colonial era building, now the City Hall. |
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| San Thome Catholic Cathedral originally built be the Portuguese in 1503, and extensively renovated in 1893. |
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| The beautiful interior of the Cathedral. |
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| The basement of the Cathedral contains the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle (Doubting Thomas) who brought Christianity here in 59AD. |
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| After the Cathedral we visited Marina Beach, which extends for 12km. An impressive stretch of sand even by Aussie standards - here it was about 80m wide. But the beach was deserted except for a few people along the water's edge, Indians don't really swim and also avoid direct sun. Apparently it is popular early morning, and late afternoon with families and kids playing sport. The 2004 tsunami killed over 200 persons here, mainly fishing folk. |
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| A family was paddling in the shallows. Few Indians can swim so they don't go in far. There is a fishing village nearby, and we returned in the morning for a look. |
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| An advertisement in the local newspaper for study in Australia. They are promoting 4 years post-study work rights. Not sure how honest that is, as I thought the Australian Government had cracked down on post-study work, as many courses were seen as just a way to work in Australia??? |
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| Australia hit the news because of fighting over toilet paper. |
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| The following morning we returned to Marina Beach to see the fishing village. |
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| A stall with last night's catch. |
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| Customers buy the fresh fish on the right, and the fish are cleaned be ladies on the left. |
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| The Govt is trying to phase out single-use plastic bags - polluting. |
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My next post will describe our drive to Pondi and our stay there.
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Coronavirus update
Covid-19 cases
Date 2020
|
Global
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Australia
|
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Infections
|
Deaths
|
Infections
|
Deaths
|
|
23
March
|
335,972
|
14,642
|
1,353
|
7
|
24
March
|
381,499
|
16,557
|
1,823
|
8
|
25
March
|
423,543
|
18,876
|
2,317
|
8
|
26
March
|
466.353
|
20.942
|
2,677
|
11
|
27
March
|
525,614
|
23,706
|
2,810
|
13
|
Source: Thenewdaily.com.au
Bloomberg 26/3
In just a few months, a microscopic virus plunged
the world economy into a recession and hammered global trade harder than the 2008-9
global financial crisis, the 2001 Sept. 11 attacks, or the 1973 oil embargo.
World War II couldn’t even muster the same kind of
sudden knockout that has paralyzed supply chains and rendered the world’s most
bustling cities into ghost towns.
Shipping has been hit hard. Container throughput in
February 2020, compared to a year earlier, decreased by 20% in the Port of
Shanghai, 20% in the Port of Savannah, and 23% in the Port of Los Angeles. And
the figures for March won't be any better.
It's amazing how the world has changed in just 3 or 4 weeks.
Although India only has 650 infections, yesterday PM Modi announced a lock-down of the entire country for 21 days. Drastic, but he can see what happened in Italy and elsewhere. It's a good thing we left India when we did.
Today 27/3 the USA (83,000 with 1,200 deaths) passed China (82,000 with 3,200 deaths) and Italy (80,000 with 6,800 deaths) as having the most infections - it has become the new epicenter of this virus! A huge economic stimulus package worth close to US$2 trillion (roughly 10% of GDP) has passed the Senate and will now go the the House of Representatives for approval.
Australia has, at last, started testing new arrivals at airports; and all new arrivals will be placed in supervised 14 day isolation in the city where they enter.
...
Best wishes, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Vera & Alex Olah
Canberra, Australia
Friday 27 March 2020
(now in Day 10 of our 14 day self-isolation)
