After what my daughter called an “adventurous journey,” we finally reached Mambalam Railway Station in the early hours of the morning. We had booked our stay at Hotel Pratapa Plaza for the next day, mainly because it was convenient for our plans and also close enough to the International Airport.
The hotel was decent, and the manager was very kind and understanding. The moment we reached the hotel, the first thing I asked was whether they could arrange a cup of hot tea for us. After such a long journey, that was all I could think of! I did not have a good sleep during the train journey to Mambalam. I was not exhausted but was tired.
Even though it was still very early in the morning, the staff and supervisor were kind enough to arrange the tea for us. That simple cup of hot tea felt so comforting. Sitting there quietly and taking those first few sips after a tiring journey was a small moment, but one I remember with warmth. Sometimes, it is these little gestures that make you feel welcomed in a new place.
Just like in Thanjavur, we had arranged a taxi to take us around for our temple visits and sightseeing. But, of course, we could not forget the main purpose of our trip — wedding shopping. Little did I know then that shopping would turn out to be one of the most exhausting parts of the entire trip! After which my interest for shop stopping has nearly reached to Zero.
Our hotel room was quite good, clean and comfortable, which was exactly what we needed after the tiring journey. After a refreshing shower and a good complimentary breakfast, we were finally ready to begin our day and set out for our temple visits, sightseeing and, most importantly, the main aspect of our visit which is the wedding shopping.
Our first stop was the famous Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore, dedicated to Lord Shiva. I had read so much about Mylapore and had wanted to visit it for a long time. Unfortunately, since our stay in Chennai was quite short, we could not explore Mylapore as much as I would have liked. I would love to come back one day, a solo travel, especially during the Kolam and music festivals, and experience Mylapore when it is filled with its true festive spirit. I hope that day comes soon.
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The area around the Kapaleeshwarar Temple was lively, with small flower shops and vendors selling bead necklaces and chains. Interestingly, Chennai was incredibly hot and sunny even though it was December. After a good darshan, we also visited the temple goshala, which was neatly maintained.
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By then, it was already around 11:30, and we headed towards our next stop, the Parthasarathy Perumal Temple. To be honest, I absolutely loved this temple. I have always felt naturally drawn towards Vaishnava temples, and there was something very peaceful and soothing about this place. I also still remember the delicious food we received from the temple. Somehow, I feel a special sense of connection whenever I visit Vaishnava temples, and this one was no different, praying it remains the same as always 👁🙏
As we continued our journey, our driver pointed towards the the historic Simpson’s Clock in Chennai. The blue, cast-iron analogue clock with its Roman numerals immediately caught my attention. Being new to the city, I was curious to know more about it, so naturally, I turned to Google. I learned that the clock bears the name of Simpson & Co., a British-founded engineering and transport company established in 1840, the then Madras. What fascinated me even more was that it is a multi-faced analogue clock that is still functioning today. These little glimpses of history along the way made the drive through Chennai even more interesting.
After lunch, we finally reached RMKV, where the much-awaited wedding saree shopping began. And, honestly, I had no idea how exhausting this part of the trip was going to be! Wedding shopping sounds exciting, but when you are actually in the middle of it, choosing sarees, comparing colours, designs and weaves, it can be quite a task.
On the way, I also happened to see Hayagrivas, one of my favourite Kanchipuram saree stores. I had actually bought sarees for myself and Amma from their online store well before the wedding shopping. Their sarees are definitely on the expensive side, but the quality of the weave and the beauty of the designs make them special.
After a long and hectic day, we finally returned to the hotel. We still had some last-minute packing to do, including rearranging and repacking everything. We quickly got things sorted because we wanted to rest for a little while before heading to Chennai International Airport that night.
And just like that, our short but memorable Thanjavur–Chennai trip was coming to an end. It had been a beautiful mix of temples, history, food, shopping, family moments and exhaustion & were ready to fly back to Dubai.
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