old tiger's Blog

so..this martial art form..well..don't fight with these dudes..
they are very quick..in this link..you will see a demonstration..
there are other musical video's..etc..interesting link in fact..
Tiger

http://video.webindia123.com/martialarts/kalari/fights/index.htm

following link...will explain everything about the martial art *kalaripayat*

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalarippayattu

as said before..Madurai is a hectic place..lots of action..
day 2..I dediced to visit a museum..even in that heat..
maybe..good idea..to cool off..it was hot in Madurai...
Madurai got a Ghandi memorial museum..had to take a bus..
all these Tamil ladies wearing jasmine flowers..in a knot..
made into their hair..in South India..one sees this a lot..
they adore flowers...and coconut oil..into their hair..
surprisingly..this museum got a free entrance...
in this museum one pays tribute to this great soul of India..
he wore the *dhoti* and became a symbol for *ahimsa*
non violence..peace..he payed for it..with his death..
this museum..honours the figure Gandhi..but shows the history..
of colonisation..and the struggle towards independance..
also interesting are the personal things of Gandhi..like books..
photographs..even the *dhothi*=loincloth in which he was murdered..
is kept into this museum..dramatic really...to look at it..
every Indian honours Gandhi..because he struggled against British
rule..Gandhi was against caste system..but here in south India..
in little villages...caste system still rules..an untouchable Harijan..
must stay away 30 meters from a real Brahmin...and 7 meters..
from others..it's even a crime..if a Harijan..would drink water..
out of a Brahmin well...it's silly..and not human..we Westerners..
will never agree..or understand it..it's typical Indian..
museums in India..are well visited...and well stocked..
after this visit..went back into the center of Madurai..
I got some cheap mango's in the fruit market..succulent...
I found out about the train ride towards Tiruchirappalli..
which was my next destination..I heard..in this place..
was a very impressive rock fort temple...I had to see it..
I bet a train ride of 6 hours at least..to cover over 300 kms?
I'll keep you peeps busy...so...Madurai..is real worthwhile..
but 2 days..is more then enough..I just had to move on..
this journal is called gypsie style travell..bwaaahah..
crazy Tiger

train from Ernakulam towards Madurai..
with a change in Quilon..bit below was Trivandrum..
did not visit..it's known for an ancient martial art form..
called *kalaripayat* it involves training,puja,meditation..
reminds me bit of the Brazilian capoeira..not easy,I guess??
train trip towards Madurai was quite long..and stressfull..
stayed 2 nights in railway retiring rooms..met an Irish chick..
she told me..she was getting sick of India..constant staring,
overpopulation,stress,heat,poverty,beggars..hassle all the way..
I came to Madurai mainly for the Meenaksi temple..so..I went..
to visit..it took me half a day..I took my time in there..
it's very fascinating..and very strange puja ceremonies going on..
funny thing happened to me there..the Meenakshi temple has got
several entry gates..one has to leave shoes at a guard there..
guess what??I could not find the exact entrance back..
in fact..I did not remember..from which entrance gate..I came in..
they looked all bloody the same..so..bit of panick..my shoes??
after a long search..found them finally..but it had costed sweat
to find them back...ahah..so this Meenakshi temple..
it's in South Indian style with *gopurams*which are multicoloured
deity images..you'll understand when you'll see the pics in a link..
it's amazingly impressiv..it's like a whole city in there..
the places where worship(puja)was performed...
were sometimes forbidden for non Hindu eyes..but..i saw some..
there are black*lingams*=penis like stone..which are for puja..
one throws milk,flower petals,pineapple,cocosnuts over it..
it's all very strange indeed..typical Indian again..I don't think.
Westerners cannot grasp why Hindu's can offer a puja to a black
lingam stone??the temple itself is quite high..
no idea...maybe 40meters...it had more then 10 towers,I bet??
and the bloody entrance gates as well..where my chappal sandals
were left...it's full of activity inside this place..touts as well..
offering a guided tour..it all was very strange..very mystical..
there is a hall of 1000 pillars,a museum,and lots of pilgrims..
as I told..very hectic activity..very beautifil statues of Shiva,Kali,
Ganesha inside the temple..Tamil Nadu woman wear jasmine flowers
in their hair..beautiful..this temple was really worthwhile..
if you go South India..please..don't miss it..amazing place..
no shoes..no photo's inside...photo's allowed..but high price??
and remember on which gate you left your shoes..
stupid Tiger I was..booohh..I stayed quite a while inside that temple..
went back to the railway station...and took some cheap thali food..
will get you peeps some links for Meenakshi temple..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meenakshi_temple
http://www.pbase.com/oochappan/meenaksi
Tiger

India got lots of different dance types..
the one in Kerala is called *kathakali*
in fact..it's more like a stage theater drama..
based upon Hindu mythology like Mahabharata etc..
it's danced by only men..lots of make up..
there's singing,music and dance involved..
I've never seen this performed..
but I've seen other dances like Bharata Natiyam..
I'll come back later to that subject in a special posting..
http://www.cyberkerala.com/kathakali/

Tiger

So..damn..I did not do this while in Kerala...
the houseboats then..were not as luxurious as nowadays..
backwater trips have become a real tourist boom for Indians..
it's certainly not cheap..but it must be a good experience..
in these days..I believe you could make a deal with a local dude..
a fishermen..or some villager from inbetween Alleppey-Kottayam..
here's are some links... http://www.atdcalleppey.com/alleppey.htm
http://www.kerala-backwaters-tours.com/
Tiger