Kancheepuram- Temples and nadi astrologers---Part I

Kancheepuram: Temples and Nadi astrologers

I know that almost everyone in India who believe in astrology esp. in the South belt have heard about the mysteriously successful Nadi Jyothishyam astrological predictions at one time or the other.

This blog entry is about my personal experiences three days ago at Kancheepuram’s famed astrologer and all about reaching and staying in the famous ‘temples town’ as a tourist.

I started off armed with an appointment made over phone with one Agathiyar Nadi Jyothisyam place on the outskirts of the town at a place called Periyar nagar.

Here is the address:

Sri Agathiyar Nadi Jothida nilayam
( D balasubramaniam)
189, Periyar Nagar,
Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu - 631501

landline: 044-27269283
mobile:
94436 89363 ( S. kumar)

I left Chennai for Kancheepuram on an evening bus from CMBT , Koyambedu, the much hyped ISO 9001certified Asia’s largest Bus station on the outskirts of the City at around evening 7-45 PM on the previous evening to the appointed day, The astrologer had specifically asked me to be at his place before 8-30 AM , you see. The journey from Chennai to Kancheepuram takes about 2.5 hours and the buses are anything but great on this route. Dirt cheap though (Rs 20/- per head) and that explains the condition of the State Govt run buses. I have no complaints on the frequency of buses though. It is just that the buses are ordinary expresses and there isn’t any luxury Volvo Buses or such on this route unlike in Bangalore and its KSRTC services there normally provided to any district HQ such as this.

The autorickshaws in Chennai make merry on such customers who have to travel to this distant bus stand by charging well over what they deserve. But then meter less autorickshaws have always been Chennai’s bugbear. It was no different for me either. With so much humidity and temperature in the City who would dare to travel in some ramshackle City Buses at evening peak hours? Whew!

The bus station is a gem though, as bus stands go. Well, it is not for nothing that there is so much talk on its size and facilities bragged about by the Govt media. But it can do with more of refreshment centres and clearer Destination boards. It is an extremely busy one too, alright.

There are two road routes to reach Kancheepuram, the next of the district headquarters to Chennai. Apart from a Spartan passenger train one each way daily from the Beach station.

The best way out of the city is of course via the Highway to Bangalore which is now well laid out in 4 lanes without intervening junctions. One could zip ahead like an aircraft on a runway on a stretch like this. But the State Govt bus drivers are neither that adventurous nor do their old machines give them such unbridled freedom. But then buses do keep up a steady 50 KMPH speed throughout and for an 86 km or so distance that should do just fine. Not bad at all for a 90 minute drive. The road is fast turning into an Automobile & MNC unit hub what with the running Hyundai and Ford factories, BMW’s new plant coming up and telephone giant Nokia establishing its huge campus enroute. One can see Rajiv Gandhi memorial as we pass by Sriperumbudur where he was assassinated.

The second route is a little longer and takes more time too, say 45 minutes more. I traveled once each way so I know. This one goes through the small little towns and outskirts that dot the route like Chromepet, Tambaram and Sriperumbudur etc.

When I reached Kancheepuram it was close to 9-30 PM and as usual autorickshaw drivers fight to get your attention even as you loosen your limbs on getting down. I was taken to a decent centrally located Hotel called MM Hotel. Thankfully a good vegetarian restaurant chain Saravana Bhavan is located on the ground floor.
A clean Air-conditioned single room with shower, Closet and TV with cable connection….Hmm, not bad at all for a 450 rupee tariff on 24 hour check out.

I had already seen most of the famed temples on an earlier visit a month ago. Some info on that:
Kancheepuram is best known for a bevy of Dravidian temples dating back to the glorious periods of Pallavas and Cholas that cluster around the two part town called Shiva Kanchi and Vishnu kanchi. Kamakshi temple and Ekambaranathar Temple are worth visiting for the austere in Shiva part while Varadaraja perumal temple and Ulagalanda ‘vamana morthy’ temple in Vishnu kanchi part. There are others like Kumara kottam for Lord Murugan and Chitra gupta temples too, while kailasanatha temple is an archeological monument and I have not visited them all yet.

These are great, big ancient temples that come with their own long myths ( puranas) and place histories attached to them and are meant both for connoisseurs of architecture as well as the devoted Hindus. The Mutt belonging to Kanchi kamakoti peetham of Shankaracharya is well worth a visit too. It is right there in the heart of the town and I have seen the junior swamiji conducting the poojas on the previous visit.

The other important thing that Kanchi claims for its fame is the Silk Industry and the variety of high quality silk saree shopping available for the discerning women folk. A plenty of silk showrooms dot every available bazaar space on this bustling town.

Neither temple visits nor silk shops for me this time around though as I was supposed to be at the astrologer at 8-30 A.M the next morning.

I am sure this town is located almost at the same elevation as Chennai as the weather shows no difference from the capital. I had good sustaining breakfast as something told me that I would be in or a long wait at the Nadi Jothidam centre. I took an autorickshaw ride to the astrologer located some 4 Km or so from the hotel. Costed me Rs.40/-.That’s the way it goes, I am told. ‘Petrol saar… Petrol’ cry the drivers when you question their yardstick for such fares.

The place called ‘Agathiyar Jothidam’ on the Chengalpattu road is a very unassuming single storey house with Coconut leaves’ pandal on top to provide some naturally cool cubicles meant for consultation.
It is here in the next few hours I was to have a thrilling and memorable revelation unfold before me.


More in Next.....!!!