South India 2015

As we began to plan our fourth trip to the subcontinent, we decided it was time to explore South India…

From Mumbai to Chennai via the southern tip of India: we visited Goa, some sites of Karnataka we had not seen before, toured the Western Ghats, got bored in Kerala before getting our fill of temples in Tamil Nadu.

Full map of all South India 2015 pages

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Thinking of our next destination: Italy and Portugal come to mind, or maybe the time has finally come for a US road trip…

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Street Processions

(vero;2015-May-22)

When travelling through southern India, you are bound at some point to come across a festival or a procession. If you hear band music being played, just follow the sound and you'll most probably end up following a procession of some kind.

This is how we happened to spend a very nice evening in Mysore, where the deity from a local temple was being paraded through its neighbourhood, a great occasion for dance and music, which we enjoyed very much.
In Madurai, no need to follow the tune: there is a procession every evening to carry a statue of Sundareswarar from his shrine to the abode of Meenakshi, so that he can sleep by her side… In the morning, Sundareswarar is brought back to his home in the same way.

These are only two examples, but we saw many more during our two months. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea:

Like here in Mysore, percussions are the instrument of choice for processions.

Mysore: kids having a great time dancing to the rythm of the drums.

Mysore again, the group of musicians entertaining the crowd.

This man was the lead, he was incredibly good.

Getting the deity ready (Durga, also known as Devi and Shakti): it took ages before the procession could start.

Durga, now removed from her shrine, in all her beauty and might.

This photo was taken in the Tirupparankundram temple, 6km south of Madurai, as the men were carrying the deity (Murugan, the hindu god of war, son of Shiva and Parvati) out of the temple. They had difficulties keeping their balance and we thought the whole thing might fall down! It did not.

A procession in Kumbakonam, this deity was on its way back to its temple.

Followed by women carrying offerings, old….

Street decoration in Kumbakonam, Ganesh, the well-loved Elephant God.

Go back to The Western Ghats or go on to Kerala and Tamil Nadu or go up to Photos