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| South India Travel Route |
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| Sri Lanka Map |
This Nov 2024 was my 5th visit to Incredible India together with my travel buddy, KF Wong who was also my travel partner to India in 2023. A big thank you to KF for doing the online booking of my air tickets, train / bus & hotel bookings involving in this trip. For this visit, we focused on 5 major UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southern India ie The Great Living Chola Temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram & Darasuram near Madurai, Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram & Sun Temple at Konark. Unfortunately due to an India visa issue (an oversight by me) upon my arrival in Kochi, both of us had to fly out on the very day of our arrival to Sri Lanka & resumed our visit to Southern India after the approval of my fresh application for an e-visa to re-enter Kochi, India !
In Sri Lanka, we stayed for 5 days 4 nights in Colombo & used our days wisely to visit a number of touristy places in Colombo & the UNESCO World Heritage of Galle Fort, located approx 130 km from Colombo.
My online India visa application was approved on the 2nd day of my stay in Colombo. This good news mean we could resume our visit to Southern India starting from Kochi but had to forgo our visits to The Great Living Chola Temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram & Darasuram near Madura but kept our travel itinerary to Puducherry, Mahabalipuram, Chennai, Puri & Bhubaneswar intact !
I am glad that for this 2024 visit to Southern India & a side visit to Sri Lanka, I was able to write this finished story of mine despite the odds I faced upon my first day arrival in Kochi, India. Visiting a total of 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Southern India & Sri Lanka was a great outcome to me & my travel buddy in this 24 days "roller coaster" trip in India !
Here goes my finished story of Nov / Dec 2024 visit to Southern India. This end of the year trip gives KM the opportunity to end the year on Indian high scoring some brownie points in seeing a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in a country with diverse landscape, rich heritage & cultural vibrancy ! Let's hope the year of snake in 2025 gives KM another opportunity to "sneak" into India & achieve his dream of seeing a greater India especially in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites arena !
The Odds - Flight & airport dramas
- advice of Air Asia's cancellation of our departure flight from Bhubaneswar to Kuala Lumpur (which we booked 3 months earlier) or opt for a refund or accept an offer of a new date of departure giving us the option of flying 2 days later from the original date without any surcharge ! As a result of this change, we have to extend our stay in Bhubaneswar for an extra 2 days at our own expense !
- my annual India visa was issued on an old international passport (my oversight for not bringing it along for this India trip) & a last minute rush just in time for my son to hand over my old passport for the airline check-in counter to issue a boarding pass
- upon arrival in Kochi, the Indian Immigration authorities advised that my 12 month visa was due to expire on Nov 15 2024 which was on the very day of my arrival in Kochi hence I am eligible for only 24 hours stay in India & have to exit India before the due date pending the approval of a fresh online application for a e-visa to re-enter India. I was totally wrong, thinking that as long as I enter India before the expiry date of my Indian visa, I will be given an automatic entry for up to 30 days ! My fault for not checking with the consular office of Indian High Commission in my home country prior to flying ! I owed an apology to my travel buddy for this miss-step causing all the unnecessary stress & inconvenience on our first day of arrival in Kochi & the extra expenses incurred !
Righting the wrong
- overcoming our anxieties & speculative thoughts at the Kochi Airport, we either abort this Southern India trip & takes a first available flight back to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia or heed the advice of a Kochi Immigration officer taking the most economic & viable option to fly out of Kochi to Colombo Sri Lanka, the nearest country from India !
- upon our hotel check-in, I made a fresh new e-visa India application using a desk computer of my homestay hotel during the wee hours of the morning (03.00) & in the meanwhile, my travel buddy made an online purchase of 2 Indigo air tickets departing Kochi > Colombo, Sri Lanka.
- Another surprise for us when we did our check-in with Indigo Airline at the Kochi International Airport, we were told that we need to purchase a return air ticket in advance if we intend to return to Kochi from Colombo, Sri Lanka. We were directed to go to an Indigo Airline ticketing office in the airport & complete this process prior to issuing the boarding pass for our flight from Kochi > Colombo via Chennai !
- at the Chennai International Airport, while browsing the Sri Lankan website & based on the published information available, we were given the understanding that all foreigners have to apply online an e-visa before entering Sri Lanka. Anxieties & speculating thinking started to cloud our minds ! But upon arrival at the Colombo airport after inquiring with an Immigration officer on duty, we were told that Malaysian passport holders need not have to apply for a visa, what a breeze for both of us & thanks god it was a "soft & not a hard landing" in Colombo, otherwise it will another fiasco for two of us !
After this episode, I realised that in travelling especially for free & easy travellers (no matter how disciplined, organised or successful in your previous trips), there is no straight line. No traveller could want to be caught in an awkward situation in an overseas airport & facing a worst case scenario ie flying home with an unfinished story to tell especially your first visit to a country you yearn to see !
Although my visit to Sri Lanka was an unintended one but I was very pleased of the outcome, seeing Colombo & Galle one more time & a number of new touristy places in Colombo since my last visit in Jan 2013 (also visited Kandy, Sigiriya, Dambulla & Negombo) ! As for my travel buddy, it was a lapse of over 20 years since his last visit to Colombo & Kandy !
Here goes my finished story of Sri Lanka & Southern India (Kochi, Puducherry, Mahabalipuram, Chennai, Puri & Bhubaneswar) minus the cities / towns of Madurai, Thanjavur & Kumbakoram which we had to forgo visiting due to my India visa issue & keep in view (KIV) these three places of interests in my next visit to Incredible India !
Travel itinerary:
By air (Air Asia & Indigo) Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) > Kochi > Chennai (India) > Colombo (Sri Lanka) > Chennai (India) > Kochi; Bhubaneswar (India) > Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
Land transport (mainly by trains) from Kochi (India) > Salem (by sleeper bus) > Puducherry > Mahabalipuram (by bus) > Chennai > Puri > Bhubaneswar (approx 2,070km)
My travel buddy, KF Wong
Travel Highlights:
My 5 days 4 nights in Sri Lanka
Flight (Indigo) from Kochi > Chennai (transit), India > Colombo, Sri Lanka > Chennai (transit) > Kochi, India
Expenses incurred (5 days): Rm1439 (US$327)
- Airfare (Indigo): (Kochi > Chennai > Colombo > Chennai > Kochi) - Rm1020 per pax
- Hotel (4 nights): Rm284 per pax twin sharing
- Food / Bus / Train / Sim Card: 5000Rs = 16,000LKR = Rm270 @ Rm135 per pax
Exchange Rate: US$1 = Rm (Ringgit Malaysia) 4.40; Rm1 = IDR0.54; IDR (Indian Rupee) = 32LKR (Sri Lankan Rupee)
1) Colombo, Sri Lanka
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Colombo Lotus Tower
Sri Lanka |
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Clock Tower, Colombo
Sri Lanka |
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Old Parliament Building (1930)
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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| Galle Face Green, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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Galle Face Green Ocean Front
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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Galle Face Green Promenade
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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One Galle Face Mall
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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Independence Memorial Hall
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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| Colombo Town Hall, Sri Lanka |
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Vihara Maha Devi Park
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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| Dutch Museum, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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AL-Masjid AL Jamiul Alfar
Red Mosque, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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Crow Island Beach Park, Modara
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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| Pettah Market, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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| Beira Lake, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2) Fort Galle (UNESCO), Sri Lanka
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Galle Fort (UNESCO)
Sri Lanka |
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| Galle Railway Station, Sri Lanka |
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| Galle Town, Sri Lanka |
My 19 days 18 nights in Southern India (Kochi, Salem, Puducherry, Mahabalipuram, Chennai, Puri & Bhubaneswar)
Expenses incurred (19 days): Rm2052 + IDR14355 = Rm2,827 (US$642)
- Airfare (Air Asia): Rm1035 (KLIA2 > Kochi; Bhubaneswar > KLIA2)
- Hotel (19 nights) : Rm1002 & (less cancellation Rm338) + IDR1930
- Sim Card: INR600
- Train: Rm292 + Rm20 (less cancellation refund of Rm52)
- Travel insurance: Annual Plan expiring March 2025
- Entrance fee: INR1780
- Zoo Safari: INR110
- Day tour (Kochi -3hr): IDR125
- Long distance bus (Salem & Mahabalipuram): Rm51 + IDR110
- Auto Rickshaw: IDR1100
- Uber/Grab: IDR2250
- Town Bus: IDR800
- Food: IDR4700
- Groceries: Rm40
- Sundries (tips,umbrellas & belt): IDR850
- KL Sentral airport shuttle bus: Rm22
1) Kochi, Kerala, India
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| Fort Kochi, Kerala |
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| Kochi Beach, Kerala |
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Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica
Kochi, Kerala |
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St Francis CSI Church
Kochi, Kerala |
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| Bastion Bungalow, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Dhoby Khana, Kochi, Kerala |
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| All Spices Market, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Fort Emmanuel, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Dutch Cemetery, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Fish Market, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Vasco Da Gama Square, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Mattancherry Palace, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Chinese Fishing Nets, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Kochi Synagogue, Kochi, Kerala |
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| Jew Town, Kochi, Kerala |
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Water Metro - Kochi > Marine Drive
Kochi, Kerala |
Marine Drive, Kochi, Kerala
2) Salem, Tamil Nadu, India
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| Salem City, Tamil Nadu |
3) Puducherry, Union Territory, India
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| Gandhi Statute, Puducherry |
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| Old Light House, Puducherry |
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| French War Memorial, Puducherry |
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Rock Beach, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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Promenade Beach, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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Bharathi Park, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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Notre Dame des Anges Church
Puducherry, Union Territory |
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French Quarter, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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| Old Port Pier, Puducherry, Union Territory |
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| Statute of Dupleix, Puducherry |
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| Seaside Promenade, Puducherry |
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Basilica of The Sacred of Immaculate
Heart of Jesus (1902), Puducherry |
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Botanical Garden, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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| Providence Mall, Puducherry |
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Goubert Market, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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| Pondicherry Lighthouse |
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| Pondi Marina Eco beach, Puducherry |
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Pondi Marinaa, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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| Pondy Marina Boat House, Puducherry |
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| French Institute of Pondicherry |
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| Puducherry Museum |
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Governor of Puducherry Residence
Puducherry, Union Territory |
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The Cathedral of Our Lady
Immaculate Conception (1791)
Puducherry, Union Territory |
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Arulmigu Manakula Vinayar
Devasthanam Temple, Puducherry |
4) Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu, India
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Shore Temple (UNESCO)
Group of Monuments
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu |
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Unfinished Rock-Cut Cave Temple
Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram |
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Descent of the Ganges (UNESCO)
Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram |
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Iswara Temple Hillrock (UNESCO)
Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram |
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Lighthouse (UNESCO)
Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram |
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Triple celled rock-cut shrine (UNESCO)
Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram |
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Five Rathas (UNESCO),
Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram |
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| Butter Ball, Puducherry, Mahabalipuram |
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| Mahabalipuram Beach |
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| Mineral Museum, Mahabalipuram |
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| Sea Shell Museum, Mahabalipuram |
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Fisherman Colony Street
Mahabalipuram |
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Mahabalipuram Beach
in Fisherman Colony |
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Arulmigu Sthala Sayana Perumal Temple
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu |
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A Sculpture & Historic Town
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu |
5) Chennai (Madras), Tamil Nadu, India
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Chennai Central Railway Station (1873)
Tamil Nadu |
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Ripon Building
Greater Chennai Corporation
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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Southern Railway HQ (1921)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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Victoria Public Hall (1888)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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Rajah Sir Ramasamy
Mudeliar Choultry (1888)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Moore Market, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| My Lady's Garden, Chennai |
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Kachaleeswarar Temple (1725)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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Kaalikambal Kamdeswarar Temple (1640)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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St Mary Co-Cathedral (1658)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Armenian Church (1712), Chennai |
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| Madras High Court, Chennai |
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C.S.I Anderson Church (1845)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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Dare House, Parry's Corner
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Burma Bazar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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The Madras Bank (1683)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Chennai Beach Railway Station |
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| Chennai Park Railway Station |
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Perarignar Anna /
Muthamizharrignar Kalaignar Memorial
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
6) Puri, Odisha, India
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Shree Jagannatha Temple
Puri, Odisha |
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Sun Temple (UNESCO)
Konark, Puri |
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Shree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math
Puri, Odisha |
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| Downtown Puri by Night |
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| Market Chhak, Puri, Odisha |
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| Chandrabhaga Beach, Konark, Odisha |
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| Blue Flag Beach, Odisha |
7) Bhubaneswar, Odisha
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| Lingaraja Temple, Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
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| Mukteswara Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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| Kedaragouri Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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| Parsurameswara Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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| Champakeswara Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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Swarna Jaleswara Temple
Bhubasnewar |
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| Kotiteertheswara Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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Sampoornajaleswara Temple
Bhubaneswar |
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| Bindu Sagar Lake, Bhubaneswar |
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| Hanuman Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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| Pataleswara Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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| Ananta Basudev Temple, Bhubaneswar |
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| Devipadahara Park / Tank, Bhubaneswar |
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Dauli Hill Shanti Stupa
Bhubaneswar |
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Shree Dhabaleswar Temple
Bhubaneswar |
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St Vincent's Pro Cathedral
Bhubaneswar |
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| Shree Ram Mandir, Bhubaneswar |
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| Udayagiri Caves, Bhubaneswar |
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| Khadagiri Cave, Bhubaneswar |
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Digambara Jaina Temple
Bhubaneswar |
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Pathani Samanta Planetarium
Bhubaneswar |
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Regional Museum of Natural History
Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
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Nandankanan Zoo, Bhubaneswar, Odisha
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| Buddha Park, Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
Travel Highlights: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka & Southern India I visited in this 2024 trip.
1) Galle Fort (UNESCO), Galle, Sri Lanka
2) Group of Monuments, Mahabalipuram (UNESCO), Tamil Nadu, India
3) Sun Temple (UNESCO), Konark, Odisha
In my past 5 visits to Incredible India (2007, 2018, 2019, 2023 & 2024) & looking back at the Good Old Days, it was interesting to note that out of a list of 43 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India, I had to-date visited a total of 24 of them !
My past 5 free & eassy trips to India had taken me to 50 cities / places of interests throughout India, namely (in alphabetical order) Agra, Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Amritsar, Aurangabad, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Bikaner, Bodhgaya, Coimbatore, Chennai, Dal Lake, Darjeeling, Dharmsala, Gangtok, Hajipur, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Keylong, Khajuraho, Kolkata, Ladakh, Lamayuru, Leh, Lucknow, Mahabalipuram, Manali, Mcleod Ganj, Mettupalayam, Mumbai, Mysuru, Nalanda, Pangong Tso, Patan, Patna, Pelling, Puducherry, Puri, Raijir, Salem, Sarnath, Shimla, Shirdi, Srinagar, Tiruchirappalli, Udaipur & Varanasi. I hope to make another visit to India in 2015 focusing on places I missed visiting in 2024 ie Madurai, Thanjavur, Kumbakoram & other cities I have in mind are Dalhousie, Haridwar, Pune, Kohima, Shillong & the UNESCO World Heriatge of Moidams, Rock Shelters of Bhimbeika, Fatehpur Sikri, Le Corbusier of Chandigarh, Pattaadakal, Champaner Pavagarh Archaeological Park or revisiting cities or places of interests for stopovers along the way ! This proposed No 6 Indian trip looks like a tall order or is KM too ambitious ? Echoing what William Shakespeare's poet said " So long as men breathe, or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee " - simply means his beloved's beauty will last for as long as this poem exists ! As for me, so long as I breathe or eyes can see (I am 74 going on to 75 comes May 2025 !), my beloved's passion for travelling will last for as long as I have these 4 things in me ie eat well, walk well, sleep well & my bowel movement functioning well daily !
1) Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra (2019)
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| Ajanta Caves, Maharashtra (2019) |
2) Ellora Caves, Maharashtra (2019)
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| Ellora Cave, Maharashtra (2019) |
3) Agra Fort, Agra (2007 & 2023)
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| Agra Fort, Agra (2023) |
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| Agra Fort 2007 |
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| Taj Mahal, Agra (2018) |
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| Taj Mahal, Agra (2007) |
5) Sun Temple, Odisha (2024)
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| Sun Temple, Odisha (2024) |
6) Mahabalipuram Monuments, Tamil Nadu (2024)
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Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram
Tamil Nadu (2024) |
7) Churches & Convents of Goa, Goa (2023)
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| Churches & Convents of Goa (2023) |
8) Monuments of Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh (2019)
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Monuments of Khajuraho
Mahya, Pradesh (2019) |
9) Monuments of Hampi, Kamataka (Jan 2024) |
| Monuments of Hampi, Kamataka (2023) |
10) Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra (2023)
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| Elephanta Caves, Maharashtra (2023) |
11) Monuments of Buddha, Sanchi & Madhya Pradesh (2019)
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Monuments of Buddha, Sanchi
Madhya Pradesh (2019) |
12) Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (2007)
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| Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (2007) |
13) Qutub Minar & its Monuments, Delhi (2007)
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| Qutub Minar, Delhi (2007) |
14) Mountain Railways of Darjeeling, Kalka / Simla & Nilgiri (2007, 2019 & 2023)
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| Mountain Railway of Nilgiri (2023) |
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| Mountain Railway of Darjeeling (2019) |
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| Mountain Railway of Simla > Kalka (2007) |
15) Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar (2019)
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| Mahabodhi Temple, Bihar (2018) |
16) Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Maharashtra (2023 & 2019)
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Maharashtra (2023) |
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Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
Maharashtra (2019) |
17) Red Fort, Delhi (2018)
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| Red Fort, Delhi (2018) |
18) Jantar Mantar, Delhi (2007)
19) Hill Forts, Rajasthan (2023) |
| Jaisalmer Fort, Rajasthan (2023) |
20) Rani Ki Vav (The Queen's Stepwell), Gujarat (2019)
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| Rani Ki Vav, Gujarat (2019) |
21) Nalanda, Bihar (2018)
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| Nalanda, Bihar (2018) |
22) The Historic City, Ahmedabad (2019)
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| The Historic City, Ahmedabad (2019) |
23) Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensembles, Mumbai (2019 & 2023)
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Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensembles
Mumbai (2023) |
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Victorian Gothic & Art Deco Ensembles
Mumbai (2019) |
24) The Pink City, Jaipur (2023 & 2007)
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| The Pink City, Jaipur (2023) |
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| The Pink City, Jaipur (2007) |
One for the album - a rare sight of a white Bengal tiger in Nandankanan Zoo, a rare taste of a Lingaraj Millet Lassi drink (smooth & delicious), both happening in my 2024 visit to Bhubaneswar ! What a happy ending in my final stay in this Temple city of Bhubaneswar ! Last but not the least, my first water metro (ferry) ride from Fort Kochi > Marine Drive, the first city in India to launch an innovative water metro service starting April 2024 !
One for the Album - From the lens of my travel buddy, KF Wong, roaming the cities / towns of Colombo & Galle (Sri Lanka), Kochi, Puducherry, Mahabalipuram, Chennai, Puri & Bhubaneswar (India) at our own free will, quite often while walking on the streets, both of us were mistaken by locals as a Japanese or Korean !
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| Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu |
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| Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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| Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
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| Kochi, Kerala |
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| Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
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| Konark, Odisha |
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| Kochi, Kerala |
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| Kochi, Kerala |
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| Kochi, Kerala |
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| Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
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| Konark, Odisha |
One for the Album - From the lens of KM, a refreshing visit of the past ie the old world charm of Jew Town in Kochi (15th century), the French & Tamil Quarter in Puducherry (1673 > 1954), the old Madras (Chennai) of the colonial British India (1801 > 1858), the ancient 8th > 10 century Hindu temples of Mahabalipuram & Puri, the 3rd century Hindu rock-cut cave temples in Bhubaneswar, the Fort Galle of Portuguese, Dutch & British influence (1588 > 1948) in Sri Lanka; these are the rich historical legacy I had the pleasure of visiting in Southern India & Sri Lanka, no doubt these places are now a tourism hotspot !
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| The Jew Town, Kochi, Kerala |
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French Quarter, Puducherry
Union Territory |
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The Old British Madras
(Chennai), Tamil Nadu |
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The Hindu Shore Temple
(8th Century)
Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu |
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The Hindu Sun Temple
(13th Century), Konark, Odisha |
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The Hindu Shree Jagannatha Temple
(10th Century), Puri, Odisha
|
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Udayagiri Caves (3rd Century)
Bhubaneswar, Odisha |
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The Portuguese Fort Galle (1588)
Sri Lanka
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