Trip to Kumbakonam, Thiruvengadu and Echangudi between 22 and 24th December 2019
On December 22nd, we started our road trip to Kumbakonam
We started from Bangalore @ 6 am and Reached Chengam at 9.20 am. there we got some flowers through a known farmer/Friend.
First stop @ Thapovanam @ 11.30 am- Gnannanda Thapovanam on Thiruvannamalai thirukovilur road close to thirukovilur. Nice serene place
Second stop @ Manampoondi uttarathi mutt(Madhwa mutt). It was a Ekadesi so no food was available at the uthradi mutt.
From there we drove to Kumbakonam via Thirukovilur, Ulundurpet, Virudhachalam and reached Kumbakonam via Neelathanallur road. there are not many hotels enroute which serves decent meals especially vegetarain food, so packing some rice would be wise.
We stayed at Diamond Hotel. For the past two times we have been staying @ Diamond. New hotel. For a family of 5 with two kids, you get a four bedroom hotel. Hotel is at the center and most of the temples and restaurants are walkable.
The Hotel doesn't have a restaurant so you have a lot of choices.
Only hotel where you would get plain rice or Curd rice would be Hotel Grand Aryas near Mahamagam temple. there are many Aaryas but the Grand would be a wise choice to have your choice of food.
Day 2
We started at 6.45 am to Thiruvengadu. We went via Aduthurai not to miss the breakfast at Seetharama Vilas at Aduthurai. One of the best /brahmin run restaurant where you get one of the best tiffin items. Great Quality and Great Service. We always prefer this place. This restaurant is 13 kms from kumbakonam on the main road @ Aduthurai.
We reached Aduthurai via Mayiladuthurai aka Mayavaram. Total Distance from Kumbakonam to thiruvengadu would be approximately 63 Kms. Duration would be approximately 90 minutes.
Cross the Temple and ask for Paramasiva Saraswati Swmaigal Athishtanam or Samadhi for localites to guide you. It is just before a River Bridge on the right hand side probably less than a KM after you reach Thiruvengadu.
The Temple priest house is just on the opposite side next to the Nursery/Nandavanam. He will be ready to come and open for you. It is a nice place where the Samadhi of 57th Shankaracharya/pointiff is there. Above the Samadhi is a Shiva linga.
the temple has asro chakram above which thayar godess is present. It is a serene place.
Opposite to the temple is the nursery called Medicinal nursery aka Nandavanam. This is run by a lady by name Shanthi and her brother. It has a old house where Sivan Sir younger brother of Maha periyava stayed. Maha periyava had quoted that his brother Sivan Sir is a greater maha yogi than himself. If you are interested the lady would be interested to show the room where Sivan Sir lived showcasing the clothese worn by Sivan Sir.
Our next stop was at thirivengadu Budhan sthalam. We were inside the temple at 11.15 and it was a apt time for unchigala pooja and aarthi. We had good Darshan of Agourvamurthy Diety.
From there we visited a Raja Mathangi temple which is 4kms from thiruvengadu. Rely on Google for Directions. VEry small temple where the priest is within the cmapus of the temple. It closes at 12 noon so plan yourself.
From there we drove back to Aduthurai for a Good lunch at Seetharama Vilas. Food is homely(meals) and limited in varieties but best place which doesn't harm your stomach.
We reached Diamon Hotel to have a break and relax ourselves after completing almost 70 percent of our itenarary.
Day -3
It was a relaxed a day for us so gave the cushion of waking up little late to the kids. We started to Echangudi at 11 am. It is 28 kms from Kumbakonam on Kumbakonam Thiruvayaru road. Once you reach Echangudi, look for a CUB bank ATM on the left side. Exactly on the opposite side after the ATM there is a lane on the right side. Take that narrow road you will see a small tank. Go around that and straight road is the Agraharam . Anyone would guide you if you feel you are lost.
Ask for Mr Chandramouli's house or Mr Ambi, he and his family are the ones who run the Mahaperiyava Kaingkaryam. You can let them know for food in advance . they do lot of annadhanam every day and Aradhana on Anusha nakshatram.
Great time to spend in the house. Many say that periyava walks in the night and lives there even now.
We had lunch and started to Bangalore via Kallanai, Trichy bypass, Namakkal,Salem bypass, Krishnagiri and Bangalore
Once you cross Trichy and take the namakkal road, you will see a village by name "Mahendramangalam" on the main road(trichy thottiyam Road). Once gain you can depend on google. go for 500 mts on the right side there is a small lane. Ask anyone for Shakaracharya mutt house. It is the hosue where Mahaperiyava did study vedas from a iyengar. there is a care taker who once informed will bring the keys to open the house to show the visitors. the house has a periyava Paatharaksha. You can spend some time there. There is also a vedapadashala in the same road which if you are interested can visit. There is also a Adishankara prathishta by Mahaperiyava in the same road(We couldn't visit due to paucity of time).
We left for Bangalore and reached bangalore at 10 PM. Drive from Echangkudi to Bangalore covering all these places would take 8 to 9 hrs depending on your speed and traffic.
We started from Bangalore @ 6 am and Reached Chengam at 9.20 am. there we got some flowers through a known farmer/Friend.
First stop @ Thapovanam @ 11.30 am- Gnannanda Thapovanam on Thiruvannamalai thirukovilur road close to thirukovilur. Nice serene place
Second stop @ Manampoondi uttarathi mutt(Madhwa mutt). It was a Ekadesi so no food was available at the uthradi mutt.
From there we drove to Kumbakonam via Thirukovilur, Ulundurpet, Virudhachalam and reached Kumbakonam via Neelathanallur road. there are not many hotels enroute which serves decent meals especially vegetarain food, so packing some rice would be wise.
We stayed at Diamond Hotel. For the past two times we have been staying @ Diamond. New hotel. For a family of 5 with two kids, you get a four bedroom hotel. Hotel is at the center and most of the temples and restaurants are walkable.
The Hotel doesn't have a restaurant so you have a lot of choices.
Only hotel where you would get plain rice or Curd rice would be Hotel Grand Aryas near Mahamagam temple. there are many Aaryas but the Grand would be a wise choice to have your choice of food.
Day 2
We started at 6.45 am to Thiruvengadu. We went via Aduthurai not to miss the breakfast at Seetharama Vilas at Aduthurai. One of the best /brahmin run restaurant where you get one of the best tiffin items. Great Quality and Great Service. We always prefer this place. This restaurant is 13 kms from kumbakonam on the main road @ Aduthurai.
We reached Aduthurai via Mayiladuthurai aka Mayavaram. Total Distance from Kumbakonam to thiruvengadu would be approximately 63 Kms. Duration would be approximately 90 minutes.
Cross the Temple and ask for Paramasiva Saraswati Swmaigal Athishtanam or Samadhi for localites to guide you. It is just before a River Bridge on the right hand side probably less than a KM after you reach Thiruvengadu.
The Temple priest house is just on the opposite side next to the Nursery/Nandavanam. He will be ready to come and open for you. It is a nice place where the Samadhi of 57th Shankaracharya/pointiff is there. Above the Samadhi is a Shiva linga.
the temple has asro chakram above which thayar godess is present. It is a serene place.
Opposite to the temple is the nursery called Medicinal nursery aka Nandavanam. This is run by a lady by name Shanthi and her brother. It has a old house where Sivan Sir younger brother of Maha periyava stayed. Maha periyava had quoted that his brother Sivan Sir is a greater maha yogi than himself. If you are interested the lady would be interested to show the room where Sivan Sir lived showcasing the clothese worn by Sivan Sir.
Our next stop was at thirivengadu Budhan sthalam. We were inside the temple at 11.15 and it was a apt time for unchigala pooja and aarthi. We had good Darshan of Agourvamurthy Diety.
From there we visited a Raja Mathangi temple which is 4kms from thiruvengadu. Rely on Google for Directions. VEry small temple where the priest is within the cmapus of the temple. It closes at 12 noon so plan yourself.
From there we drove back to Aduthurai for a Good lunch at Seetharama Vilas. Food is homely(meals) and limited in varieties but best place which doesn't harm your stomach.
We reached Diamon Hotel to have a break and relax ourselves after completing almost 70 percent of our itenarary.
Day -3
It was a relaxed a day for us so gave the cushion of waking up little late to the kids. We started to Echangudi at 11 am. It is 28 kms from Kumbakonam on Kumbakonam Thiruvayaru road. Once you reach Echangudi, look for a CUB bank ATM on the left side. Exactly on the opposite side after the ATM there is a lane on the right side. Take that narrow road you will see a small tank. Go around that and straight road is the Agraharam . Anyone would guide you if you feel you are lost.
Ask for Mr Chandramouli's house or Mr Ambi, he and his family are the ones who run the Mahaperiyava Kaingkaryam. You can let them know for food in advance . they do lot of annadhanam every day and Aradhana on Anusha nakshatram.
Great time to spend in the house. Many say that periyava walks in the night and lives there even now.
We had lunch and started to Bangalore via Kallanai, Trichy bypass, Namakkal,Salem bypass, Krishnagiri and Bangalore
Once you cross Trichy and take the namakkal road, you will see a village by name "Mahendramangalam" on the main road(trichy thottiyam Road). Once gain you can depend on google. go for 500 mts on the right side there is a small lane. Ask anyone for Shakaracharya mutt house. It is the hosue where Mahaperiyava did study vedas from a iyengar. there is a care taker who once informed will bring the keys to open the house to show the visitors. the house has a periyava Paatharaksha. You can spend some time there. There is also a vedapadashala in the same road which if you are interested can visit. There is also a Adishankara prathishta by Mahaperiyava in the same road(We couldn't visit due to paucity of time).
We left for Bangalore and reached bangalore at 10 PM. Drive from Echangkudi to Bangalore covering all these places would take 8 to 9 hrs depending on your speed and traffic.
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