Anna Tower Park - A boon for Anna Nagar residents

Recently, I had been to the Anna Tower Park (also called as Dr. Visveswaraya Park), in Anna Nagar. The park was simply gorgeous. The dense trees giving a fresh green cover, the chirping birds, colorful playing structures, well-laid walkways, sound of the fountains, ponds filled with lotus flowers, and the majestic tower ... made the place to look like heaven. Anna Tower park is a boon  for folks who want to spend their evening hours. The last time I visited this park was nearly 10 years ago. It was in a pathetic situation, then. Thanks to Chennai Corporation's increased interest in constructing, renovating and maintaining parks in Chennai. Anna Tower Park looked very young and colorful.

(Also read: A visit to Arignar Anna Zoological Park - Vandalur  A visit to Children's Park & Snake Park in Guindy
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The 135ft tower in the center of the park, painted in fresh orange, is an eye catcher. I was curious to take a peek at the Chennai city from the top of the tower. However, access to the tower was closed. I was told that the access is restricted due to increased suicides and "pairs" using walkways as a "hangout" place.

The entire park was very busy - folks who are exercising, readers who are buried into their books, students hanging out with their friends, elderly couples chit-chatting, families relaxing, and kids playing. Despite the "busyness" engulfing the park, everyone gets their privacy.

The park had a meditation court, a small pond, kids play area, walk-ways and grass land, an arena for dance/music, cricket pitch, skating rink, and water fountains. In the night, they switched-on fancy lights, which made the entire place to look very colorful. The park also had well maintained rest room facilities. There is enough parking available along the road side for both two wheeler and cars. There is also a constable standing outside the park, to maintain some order. (Also read: Semmozhi Poonga - A Greenway in the heart of Chennai) 

It looks like kids are taught "skating" lessons in the mornings and evenings in Anna Tower Park. Also, the park is used for hosting week long annual celebrations of "Chennai Sangamam", a Tamil cultural festival. You can easily spend two or three hours in the park. There is lots of entertainment for kids. Adults can also spend time peacefully in the park. 

Anna Tower Park is definitely a boon for the residents in and around Anna Nagar.

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Semmozhi Poonga - A Greenway in the heart of Chennai 
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Danushkodi Trip Experiences

A trip to Rameswaram will not be complete without visiting Danushkodi. After our visit to Rameswaram Temple, I checked with a few tour operators about Danushkodi. All of them unanimously said "There is NOTHING TO SEE in Danushkodi. Why do you want to go there?". In fact, one of the tour operators even showed me a newspaper article describing Danushkodi as the ghost town. (Also read: Rameswaram & Danushkodi Trip Planning Tips)

When all my fellow family members were sold on the 'NOTHING TO SEE in Danushkodi' mantra ... I wasn't. When you ask a child "Not to do something", it will immediately do that out of curiosity. Similarly, I was so determined to visit Danushkodi, when everyone said "Don't go there... there is nothing to see in Danushkodi". The next morning, we (my wife, kid, a cousin & I) left Rameswaram to see Danushkodi. All the other family members decided not to join us. We boarded the Danushkodi bus in the stop opposite to Rameswaram temple. Bus services to Danushkodi start as early as 5.30 am. We boarded the bus at around 7 am. The bus was completely packed with people who are going to Danushkodi to setup shops, to swim or to fish. Smell of fish was coming from even the empty baskets carried by the fishermen/women. The road to Danushkodi was along the sea shore and hence, the breeze was very pleasant. The bus reached Danushkodi check post by 7.40 am. The local tempo van operators in Danushkodi who are running the "tours" haven't started their service. They were waiting for at least 20 people to assemble. In about a few minutes, we gathered significant mass and started our journey to the interiors of Danushkodi.

The 4-wheel van drive to the interiors of Danushkodi was very exciting and adventurous. There were few instances where I thought the van is going to topple-up. The tempo van cruised through damp lands, sea shores and regions with thorn trees. Along the way, we saw jeeps carrying tourists and tempo vans carrying supplies to the fishermen living in interior Danushkodi. During our trip, our van had to stop a few times to help lift other vehicles that got stuck in sand/mud. A 10Km drive to the interiors of Danushkodi took nearly 45 minutes. We reached the tip of India which was covered by sea on all the 3 sides. On one side, the sea was very calm and the other side it was rough. The sangamam of both the seas (place where they both merged) looked remarkably beautiful. There was continuous sand storms in that region - no wonder why all the old buildings/structures were almost buried into the sand, in Danushkodi. I heard from the tempo van driver that the spot was used for shooting films such as Sura, and Nanda. There is a small shop selling snacks and drinks in that location. We spent nearly 20 minutes in that spot.


The van then took all the tourists to the real 'ghost town'. You can see destroyed houses, church, railway station and other government buildings in that region. Many houses were almost buried into sand. You can see only the roof of such houses. There were a few shops selling snacks, drinks & souvenirs in that area. We spent about 20 minutes in that location. The van then took us all back to Danushkodi check post. They charged Rs.60 per person for the round-trip tour which took about 3 hours.

If you are visiting Rameswaram, I would definitely recommend you to visit Danushkodi. It is definitely one of the MUST TO SEE PLACES near Rameswaram. You'll definitely like the roaring seas, sand storms, fresh air, peacefulness, scenic locations and adventurous ride. So, don't miss it !

Also read:

Rameswaram Trip Experiences
Rameswaram & Danushkodi Trip Planning Tips

Rameswaram / Danushkodi Trip Planning Tips

I learned quite a few things during my recent trip to Rameswaram & Danushkodi. Here are some tips/data points that will help you to plan your Rameswaram/Danushkodi Trip:

• Take a train to Rameswaram that reaches after sun rise. You can see the beautiful & majestic Pamban Bridge. Also, you can admire the water on both the sides of railway track, when the train cruises through the sea.
• Auto rickshaws charge Rs.40 to take you from Rameswaram railway station to the temple
• There are pay & use toilets/bathrooms near temple (suitable for bachelors, who don't need an accommodation)
• TTDC rooms are available in Rameswaram and can be booked online
• There are lots of hotel rooms/accommodation available near the temple at various price ranges
• Temple opens very early in the morning (at 5 am). So, the hotels/commercial establishments near temple are open very early, too
• If you are interested to take bath in the '22 theerthams' inside the temple - there are people who charge you Rs.75 (including the Rs.25 fare) and provide express service. Also, they pour one bucket full of water on you instead of just 'showers'.
• Do not take any cameras when going to take bath in the '22 theerthams'. If you are taking cash/valet, do take a high-quality polythene cover with you
• There are adequate bus services from bus stand to the temple (once, every 10 minutes or so)
• There are number of buses that operate between Rameswaram & Madurai
• There are regular bus services between Rameswaram & Danushkodi (once every 30 minutes or so). You can board these buses in front of the temple, near the post office.
• There are NO good restaurants near the temple. Hotel Vasantha Bhavan (located outside the temple) is OK for a quick meal. But hygiene in that restaurant is questionable. Hotel Aryas restaurant (in the Goswami Madam complex) looks decent. But, you need to walk quite a bit to get there. 
• Usage of plastic bags & plastic cups is banned in all commercial establishments in Rameswaram
• There is a fee of Rs.25 for taking camera inside the temple (to take pictures in 'moondram pragaram')
• Tour operators within the city charge Rs. 250 for auto rickshaws, Rs.750 for Maruti Omni or similar vans, & Rs.1000 for Mahindra Tourister like vans. They'll take you to the "popular places to see in Rameswaram" such as Ramar Theertham, Setha Theertham, Lakshman Theertham, Ramar Patham, House of Kalam (view from the street), Kothandaramar temple. They'll also show you the floating rock. If you want to include Pamban Bridge and other locations, you may be charged extra. I heard that Vivekanandar Mandapam in Rameswaram is good. Danushkodi trip is not covered by this.
• There are jeeps that take people from Rameswaram to Danushkodi (all the way to the end). They charge Rs.900 per jeep, which can take about 7 people. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Rameswaram to Danushkodi checkpost (Rs.5 bus fare per person). You can rent a tempo van for Rs.1200 (for a group of nearly 15 or 20). If you are a smaller group, you can pay Rs.60 per person to share the ride on the tempo van.
• There are small mom & pop kind shops/restaurant near Danushkodi checkpost/beach. There are small shops towards the end of Danushkodi selling cool drinks & snacks. Fishermen are still living in huts on the old/destroyed Danushkodi.

Also read:

Rameswaram Trip Experiences
Danushkodi Trip Experiences
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