Sunday, October 5, 2014

Madurai by Cycle Rickshaw

Friday, 26 September 2014

Our guide, Jairaj, has been working with a group of cycle-rickshaw owners to try to start a tourist trade much like the popular cycle-rickshaw rides in Delhi. Cycle-rickshaws are dying out -- losing out to auto-rickshaws, but the cycle-rickshaw drivers typically cannot afford to purchase a tuk-tuk. We had a procession of four cycle-rickshaws to take us through the byways of Madurai, from the Thirumalai Nayak Palace to the Meenakshi Temple. It was a spectacular ride!

First, the line-up:



Ross wasn't feeling well and decided to stay back at the hotel, so I rode with Christy while Lon had a rickshaw to himself.
Everyone seemed to enjoy the ride (except, perhaps the motorized vehicles, especially buses, who had to share their space on the bigger streets).


Metal ware and kitchen supplies
Onions -- part of a block that was entirely onion wholesalers
Vegetables
We went down small lanes, both commercial and residential. It's a side of Madurai we probably would not have taken the opportunity to walk through.

This lane mostly sold metal ware for cooking.
More metalware
The residential streets were well-kept and inviting.

A small shrine to Ganesha on the street -- although it also has a trident, cobras, and a Nandi bull associated with Shiva. It's perhaps a foot hight on a meter-high tiled platform.
Fruits and vegetables are found everywhere.

A lane devoted exclusively to bananas -- mostly wholesale.
Banana leaves are used as plates. No washing! Just feed them to a cow.
Peanuts
Vegetable displays are performance art.
And the amazing guide who made it all happen:

Thank you, Jairaj!


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