My Kovai III: A Rapidly Changing City

Having spent over 6 months in Coimbatore between 2009 and 2011, one of the most striking things to me is how much the city has grown over the space of just two years.  I’ve seen roads go from 2 to 6 lanes, farmland become hotels and condos, and seen the Coimbatore airport go from an old Air Force building to a state of the art terminal.  The city truly is booming right now, and I hope that is all for the better.  While rapid growth is certainly good for the economy of the city and its residents, there can be a downside to unbridled growth- the poor can get pushed out of areas they have lived for generations, traffic seems to get worse by the day and basic infrastructure such as electricity and sewage have unable to keep up with the influx of new people.  I see many signs that Coimbatore is trying to do it right- that is grow in a way that is responsible, and I hope the city keeps up the good work.

 

 Pantaloons- My favorite store name at Coimbatore's 1st mall!

Coimbatore had it’s first mall open this year, and this is a big deal for the city.  Previously, one main road in the city, Cross Cut Road was the shopping area in the city- stores lining either sides, neon lights everywhere, and hordes of people.  The new mall offers a more western shopping experience, although I prefer the hussle and bussle of Cross Cut Road.  I guess it’s in the eye of the beholder, but sometimes I think the newer and more modern is not always better- being able to haggle and wander the streets is a much more fun, and Indian, experience to me than strolling through an AC mall- at least to me.

Sensory overload on Cross Cut Road

The mall also has a bowling alley in it- the 1^st in Coimbatore.  I went with some friends to play a few weeks ago, and lost miserably.  I think most folks had not seen bowling before, because a huge crowd gathered to watch us bowl with great curiosity.  It was also funny because the crowd was actively cheering my Indian friends, and rather silent while I bowled- I think they were rooting for their fellow countrymen (and maybe against me)!

Look at the crowds lined up to watch us bowl!

With the boom of new industries and businesses in Coimbatore, the city is sure to change more in coming years.  Three new fancy hotels have gone up this year and two more are on the way, and you can see change everywhere.  I just hope with all the changes, Kovai keeps its charm- less polluted then Chennai, and less traffic than Bangalore!

Arnold in India

People often ask where I live over here, and when I say California, the first thing out of peoples’ mouth is inevitably “ARNOLD”!!!  Forget LA, San Francisco, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, redwoods, the Golden Gate Bridge, etc- EVERYONE knows Arnold and wants to talk about him.  From autorickshaw drivers to friends to waiters, I’ve probably talked to ½ of Tamil Nadu about the former Governator.  It’s made me think- what’s the appeal of Arnold over here? 

First, I think his movies have all been big over here- action movies don’t really require you to understand English very well to enjoy the movie, and I see some similarities between Arnold movies and Kollywood action flicks.

Also, his bodybuilding accomplishments are well-known over here, to my surprise.  I think there is a movement for fitness over here, and I have seen many gyms popping up all over Coimbatore.  Many of them are adorned with a pic of Arnie back in his Mr. Universe/roid days.  When people start talking Arnold with me, I talk about his movies, but people often seem more interested in his bodybuilding days!

His split with his wife is also a hot topic in India, to my surprise.  I didn’t think this kind of news would have made it over here, but it seems like common knowledge.  I remember trying to explain what happened to a rickshaw driver and having an extremely difficult time trying to communicate between our language barrier and the noise of the street and the auto’s two-stroke engine.

I think there is also appeal here that an immigrant to the US can reach the levels of success that Arnold has had.  Say what you will about him and his movies and politics, but in many ways he is the American dream- you can come here as a foreigner, thick accent and all, and still make it big.

Finally, I think folks see the similarity between politicians in Tamil Nadu and California, since both places seem to have a tendency to elect former actors to power.  In fact, whomever has been the top politician in TN has had ties to the movie industry since the state's inception.  People are often curious if Arnold is a good Chief Minister (the equivalent of governor in India) and what he stands for politically.

I think all of this goes to show that we don’t pick what aspects of American culture and celebrity we export around the world, but rather it all depends on who resonates with the people.  If you’re reading this and still not feeling the love Stateside at the moment, Mr. Schwarzenegger, I suggest you come over to India, I’m pretty sure you are still adored on this side of the world!

 

Going Veg

Being a vegetarian is easier in South India than it is about anywhere else in the world.  The majority of restaurants are veg-only, and the food is so good there that you don’t even miss eating meat.  The spices and curries make everything so delicious that it makes even vegetables that I hated (like cauliflower) absolutely delicious here- they just soak up the flavors!

In fact, being vegetarian is so common here that in the whole way of thinking is different.  In the US, you’d either be a normal eater or a vegetarian.  In South India, you’re either veg or non-veg. It almost suggests that being vegetarian is the default.  Also, most restaurants that serve both veg and non-veg will have separate kitchens for each (even McDonald's and KFC!!!), so there is not any cross contamination.

I think many of my vegetarian and vegan friends stateside would love India for this reason, among others.  In addition, all pre-packaged foods have clear labels on them indicating whether they are veg or non-veg, making it easy to know what you are getting.  Also, my vegan friends would appreciate that any product with egg in it is considered non-veg, so the only thing they’d have to worry about is if there is dairy, and there are plenty of dishes without butter/ghee/milk. 

I think going veg is not only easy in India, but it is also a smart way to go, at least when you first arrive.  I think you are less likely to get sick sticking with vegetarian food- I have heard horror stories from expats coming to India and indulging in seafood, etc. in their first few days here!

My Kovai II- Where to Eat

One of the many pleasures of Coimbatore has to be the food- I have written several blogs raving about South Indian cuisine and I think it's hard to beat the food here. The area surrounding C-tore is very fertile, so I think all of the ingredients (mainly fruits, vegetables, beans and rice) come only a short distance before they make it onto your plate. Most South Indian restaurants are strictly vegetarian, and I thought it would be fun to write a little bit about my for favorite spots to eat here. Anyone passing through town should definitely give one or more a try!

One of the most interesting places to have lunch in Coimbatore is at the mess hall of Shanthi Social Services, a non-profit serving the people of Coimbatore.  Shanthi is basically a successful component manufacturer that decided to give back to the city, rich and poor, by offering incredibly cheap, incredibly delicious all-you-can-eat "Meals" for 25 rupees, (about 50 cents).  The food is superb and you are guaranteed to leave full and happy, and see a cross section of the city in the process.
Anandhaas is probably my favorite chain of vegetarian restaurants in the city.  The meals here are also fantastic, and this chain has probably my favorite masala dosa in all of Tamil Nadu.  I've been going here since '09 and I put the blame squarely on Annandhass's shoulders for spoiling me to the point where I cannot find a masala dosa Stateside that compares.  Also, the Annandhass by the airport has some of the nicest waiters/servers around- one of my favorite parts of eating here is I get to say to about 20 of the people that work here.  The service is great and the people are so sweet!



Finally, Selva Bhavan has been another go-to at lunchtime at work, as it's only a 5 minute walk from the office.  Again, great veg food, an awesome staff, and probably some of the best prices I've seen in the city.  It's going to be hard to go back to the States, I'm used to paying 40 cents for lunch here!  Also, I love how most restaurants in TN call themselves "high class vegetarian"... I've been very scared if you see one that call themselves "decent veg"... I don't want to know that means!

Madurai

Photo via WikiCommons

Last week I visited the ancient city of Madurai- it is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world- people have been living there for over 2500 years! Folks around here call it an “improved village”. Despite having a population of a million, it dosen’t feel like a city at all, or at least a modern one. Almost all the streets are narrow and tight, with barely enough room for a car to get though. Compared to other large cities in India, who have seemed to embrace change/modernity, Madurai still feels like a city from another era. It’s also the only city I’ve seen in Southern India that still has cycle rickshaws!!!

Gandhi also had ties to Madurai, and his time in the city inspired him to stop wearing western clothing (seen as elitist) and wear only home-spun cloth, which was worn by the common man. Many other key figures from the Indian independence movement also hailed from Madurai. There is a Gandhi museum in town, but it was unfortunately closed when I was there.

Food is another pleasure of Madurai, which is known for their idlys. I had some fantastic idlys while in town, with 5 different types of chutney and was eating like a king. I also had an unusual masala dosa while in town, with full cloves of garlic. I’ve never had a masala dosa prepared like this, and it was delicious, although I’m sure my breath was not afterwards. Finally, I got to indulge in a sweet native to Madurai, called jigarthanda. It’s a cool drink with ice cream in milk flavored with almond resin and it was equally delicious and refreshing.

History is the real star of the show in Madurai, and I got to take in three fantastic spots while in town. First, we went to a huge palace built in the early 1600’s called the Tirumalai Nayakar Mahal. It was the palace of a South Indian king by the same name and now serves as both an architectural marvel as well as a museum.

Next, we went to a holy spring in the mountains on the outskirts of town, called Pazhamuthircholai, where we had a bath in the holy water and received a blessing. The temple priest gave us flowers on the way out, and we put these on our car for good luck and safe travels.

Finally, we went to the Meenakshi Amman Temple, easily the highlight of any trip to Madurai. It is a huge complex, with several huge gopurams (towers) covered with Hindu deities. Unlike most temples in India, this is one of the few where non-Hindus are not allowed in several parts. I believe this is because the Meenakshi Temple is regarded as one of the holiest in all of India. It is also one of the oldest. Although most of the temple was built around the 1500’s, (after it was destroyed by invaders), the actual site has been a place of worship since at least the 600’s. Enjoy the pics of the temple complex- it is too overwhelming and huge to do it justice in a blog post. I regret that it took me three years in India to see Madurai- I don’t think any trip to Southern India is complete until you get to experience this place!

One of the Gopurams- this one is over 160 feet and has 1,500 deities on it!

The gopurams are so colorful and detailed and all the deities on them give one an appreciation for the complexities of Hinduisim

Nighttime was equally stunning at the Meenaksi TempleThe temple also contains a huge market area- it was a weird contrast between sacredness and commercialism

The 1000 Pillar Hall- this was one of the most stunning parts of the temple- stone pillars intricately carved as far as the eye can see!

This pillar was one of my faves- sweet mustache and sweet sword!

This deity is riding a peacock!

Monkeys are too cute, even when they want to steal your camera.

Receiving a blessing from the Temple elephant

The Dharmalingeshwarar Mountaintop Temple, Madukkarai

In Tamil, கி means "Ki" or "Si", and வ means "Va". Together, கிவ reads as Siva, or as His name is also spelled, Shiva. He is one of the three most important Gods in Hinduism and has temples dedicated to Him all over India. Yesterday, two of my friends took me to a stunning temple dedicated to Siva on a mountain in the Western Ghats on the border of the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerela. This temple falls inside the area that I study for work, so I have often admired it from afar. I thought it was called the Siva Siva temple because of this sign on top, which glows with in bright red neon lights by night. However, after a little research, I found out the proper name is the Dharmalingeshwarar Temple, and it has apparently been around in one form or another since the 7th century. I must admit one of the the most impressive and incredible things about India from the eyes of a westerner is how ancient this place and culture is.
Unlike most temples, you have to earn your way to this one. It is about a 400 foot climb up very steep stairs to the top, and we had full sun on us for the way up. Thankfully, there are four shaded areas to sit along the way, so you can give yourself a rest before continuing the climb. The stairs are often literally cut out of the mountain, and this adds to the mix of man and nature that defined this place for me.
Once we neared the top, we removed our shoes (customary in Hindu temples) and finished the climb. All I can say of the top is that it was breathtaking (and not from the climb). The view was incredible and being welcomed in a sacred temple is a humbling and empowering experience all at once.
After lingering for a while, watching the clouds move over the mountains from west in Kerela, it became clear rains were coming eastwards, toward us. We figured the hike down could get treacherous on wet rocks so we reluctantly headed down. About halfway down it started to rain quite heavily, but thankfully it lasted only briefly. The reward for this was incredible though, a double rainbow, all the way. I knew what it meant- it was our reward for being adventurous and rolling with it despite the rain. Have I mentioned I love India? Thanks S & V!

Here's a view of the path up to the temple from the bottom. You can see several of the rest areas along the way and the neon sign at the top

One of the colorful and much-needed rest areas

Here's the rainbow!

I got soaking wet and my Tilak (red dot) started to run but the rainbow made it all worthwhile!

The entrance to the temple from the road

Taking in the view

The mighty Western Ghats

The temple at the top- no pics allowed inside!!!

Going to the Movies

I wrote a blog giving my take on the Tamil movie industry back in 2009, if you are interested in knowing more, give it a read!

Going to movies in TN is a real pleasure and is a different experience than in the States. For one, you get reserved seats, so you can buy your tickets and then go elsewhere, showing up right at showtime and have your seats guaranteed (in the States you have to show up early to a popular film to stake out good seats). Also, all movies here have an intermission of about 10 minutes, which is a nice break to stretch and get snacks. This is also especially nice because movies here are often much longer than US films, averaging closer to 3 hours. Finally, crowd participation is a big part of the moviegoing experience here- you can expect cheers for heros, boos for villains, and catcalls for the heroine. In this way, the experience is not unlike seeing a movie in PG County, MD!

Oh, and of course, the movies here always include a few song and dance numbers!

I now live close to a movie theater here, and have been taking pics of the movie posters that plaster the walls everywhere in my neighborhood. Take a look- some of them are pretty great!