Gudiyam Caves---Near Poondi(Cavern to prehistoric times )

Gudiyam Caves--Cavern to prehistoric Times

Locality:Gudiyam
Landmark:Poondi reservoir
Type:Adventurous Trip
Google map location:

A 90-kilometer drive from Chennai to Gudiyam village past Poondi a road less traveled brings you to an inaccessible forest of evergreen and deciduous trees .This is where Robert Bruce Foote in 1863, a British geologist, discovered a stone tool - a hand axe, made, used and discarded by the Stone Age man - from a gravel pit in suburban in this place . The discovery, small but momentous, opened up an entire new area of research about the Paleolithic Age in the Tamilnadu region, and pushed back the antiquity of the Tamil man by 1,00,000 years.

We planned on Friday for the trek to this mystic place .On Saturday 9:15 am we 5 started in Ritz car and reached Gudiyam around 10:45am.On the way we took photos of the Poondi reservoir.The place was not polluted after long time I could feel silence and breathe fresh air.


The Gudiyam village is located at 11 km drive from Poondi reservoir.The road is not well maintained but adjustable .You need to consult the locals to find the way through.Most of the people are aware of the caves(kugai in Tamil).Mention kugai(caves) for them to guide you .

Take the road to Nambakkam to reach Goonipalyam. Right direction as shown in the photo.


If you traveling by car then you can park the vehicle at the end of the cement road ,there begins the forest .Jeeps and all terrain vehicle can go 400 meter more ,there is ample space for parking offer a biscuit packet to locals boys they can take care of your vehicle.I feel it is safe to stop the vehicle at the cement road to avoid any puncture.The invisible bike with luck of not being punctured and gutsy heart can go 3 km more inside the terrain.

The adventure begins,The locals in the last village will help you in showing the starting point . The trek for 7 km inside the lonely forest is all yours expect for the few stones painted in white act as route markers. The path for the first few km is big and easy to walk,On approaching near the mountain the pathway is full of pebbles and rocks.Follow the pathway ,dont divert as it is very difficult to trace back the route.Please wear shoes to avoid any ankle twists.

First cave

The walk is around 4 km then you would see the first cave.The right diversion from the pathway lead you to the steps for the first cave . On reaching the first cave you we amazed to see the big rock formation.We reached the cave around 1:30pm and had our lunch (2 slices of bread with Jam).Please clean the place after having your lunch and don't pollute the place with plastic bags.

View Inside the first cave



We could see a path leading upwards near to cave ,we decided to take the path ,the route is slightly steep and full of pebbles(please proceed with caution),Within few meters of walk you can reach the top of the mountain .The view from the top is spectacular and gives the complete map of the area. You will surrounded by greenery,it is worth to take photos.It would be like you are in the center of the forest.The feeling of standing in top of the hill is great. It is easy to climb up but be very cautious while getting down is difficult from the hills as the pebbles are slippery ,avoid if it rains.

From the top of the hill



Then after ample rest we got down from the first cave and proceeded further for another 3 km.The path get narrower and covered with thick bushes .

Second Cave



On nearing the Second cave we could hear the sound of parrots and other birds. The view of this cave was spectacular,The entrance looks like a giant toadstool that has keeled over. And in contrast to the sun-drenched exterior, it is cool within .Look up at the ceiling I bet you will be awed at the sight of massive beehives clinging to the porous & damp roof of the cave.The foul smell of bat can be sensed.




There resides a Amman temple within the cave worshiped by locals.. A kindly Amman deity sits in a framed photo, as other deities and their war-worn steeds stand impressively by. Colorful pieces of cloth are strung on a tall plant. The primordial silence is shattered only by the humming of bees and the querulous twitter of birds.We also spotted a snake skin inside the cave.



After taking lot of photos inside the cave we decided to walk back.This journey was a cavern to the past and away from mechanical,polluted life in Chennai.The walk of 7km was deserving and adventurous.

We walked after on the way back and reached the car at 3:40 am and had our snacks at Akshaya Bhavan in Thiruvallur.The food was tasty and the place was well maintained.


Important Note

• Shoes is compulsory as the pathway is rugged.
• Carry lots of Water (2ltr per person).
• Buy Food for the travel in Thiruvallur.
• No human contact for the 7 km trek
• Avoid plastic bags
• Avoid climbing up the hill during rains.
• Don't disturb the beehive it may prove disastrous
  

Kolkata Mithai Bhavan - Authentic Bengali

Address:Chitra Shopping Inn, No. 9A, Choolaimedu High Road, Chennai – 600 094
Locality:Choolaimedu
Landmark:First left after the Loyola College underpass
Type:Bengali Sweets
Google map location:Kolkata Mithai Bhavan
Contact No: 044-23451297.
Open: 10 a.m. to 10.30 p.m

This sweet shop on Choolaimedu High Road has been specializing in Bengali sweets and savories. A.K. Das, along with wife Kakoli Das and brother Madhusudan Das, has been running the place, with 15 others working as kitchen staff.

The shop serves one of the best Bengali sweets in the city.For sweet tooth persons the menu card is really tantalizing . The shops is famous for there Chitrakut, noukabilash, sita bhog, raj bhog, radha ballavi (served only on Saturdays and Sundays) and Jala Bhara . You get Variety of Bengali Sweets need more than a visit to try all the items .



Do try chum-chum, which is not very sweet yet soft and comes with a shelf life of four hours. Chittaranjan also falls in a similar category. Both chum-chum and chittaranjan are prepared in limited quantity, so make sure you place your order in advance.Rasmalai(Rs10) is the very tasty and cost is cheap compared to other sweet shops

Sandesh is one of the best-selling items on the menu. The steamed milk sweet is available in different shapes – fruits, vegetables, fish (for wedding ceremonies), pond, etc.The sugar, especially that used for preparing Sandesh, is extracted from the khajur plant only in winter. "It has a different flavor, which you will get while relishing our sweets." Around 100 kilos of the sugar is bought, which he sparingly uses to last him a year. Otherwise, around 150 liters of sweets are prepared a day.

There is also a live parotta, chappati and chaat counter in the evening. The place is buzzing with lot of youngsters and Bengali people in the evening . You get varieties of stuffed chapaties and parothas, like gobi, paneer,Mixed vegetable.The paneer is freshly prepared daily.

The Punjabi dish aluparatha gets the lot of people gathering from day till ten in the night.Its awesome being there in the evening whole lot of crowd n lots of people talking different languages

The service is excellent .The shop can occupy around 8 people and there is enough space outside where there are other shops to gorge upon.

Additional Information

• No card accepted
  
• Moderate Cost
• 1kg of sweet 180-250rs
• Worth a Try
• A/C shop

Isphani Center ---CCD and Marybrown

Address:No. 123 & 124, Ispahani Center, Nungambakkam High Road,
Locality:Nungumbakkam
Landmark: Near to The PARK hotel
Type:Hangouts
Google map location:Ispahani center

Ispahani centre is said to be a place where the happening crowd of Chennai hang out. Now, there are much better options for the Chennai crowd but this place still holds a good place in the minds of people - probably because of its prime location (right near Nungambakkam signal) and MOP Vaishnav College next to it .

The Plaza has very few shops when compared with Spencers .

Cafe Coffee Day(CCD)

The Cafe Coffee Day outlet in the Plaza is one of the first outlet for Coffee Day in Chennai,The shops is always buzzing with students from MOP and other colleges.The prices are very expensive and most of the items in the menu card is not available

Marry Brown

Marry Brown famous for its Chicken Foods, French Fries and Burgers. It is wortha TRy but frequent visits make it bored .Kids can enjoy in this place as there toys.

For Women Fashion geeks Designer Ritu Kumar store is located at Ispahani Centre.

For men looking for formal wear, there is the Indigo Nation .
For women looking for fashion jewelry, you can try the Art Karat outlet here as well as Casablanca which also has lovely hand-painted kurtas, hats and more for those into that Aurovillian feel.

Sweet Chariot shop

If you are have a sweet tooth then you’d love Sweet Chariot shop . You get the best of cakes and pastries her.You also get Birthday cakes, speciality cakes and more. The Pizzas are worth
a Try,They are cheaper than PIZZA CORNER .It is home to some of the most mouth-watering pastries in town.
The café is pretty cozy and not huge. Spread onto two floors, it gives you an option to reserve an entire floor for a birthday party or a friendly get-together. As is seen in most bakery and dessert shops, the front counter has an assortment of luscious and mouth-watering cakes, pastries and cookies. The softly lit light orange interiors complemented by black, gel well with the ambiance. The bearers too wear similar colors.
What you pay for a meal for two - Rs.400-600
Anytime between – 11 AM – 11 PM
Phone : 044-42139976 / 42323368

Swarovski

The best crystal shop in Chennai , you can see variety of design crystals and it is beautiful to watch. The lighting in the shop is excellent . The prices are very expensive but the shop is worth a visit for your eyes.

The Singapore Visitors Center also functions from the first floor here. So, you can even find out more about this Land of the Merlion if you already haven't.
Oh, and this is possibly the only mall with a full-fledged gym – Gymania.

Dilip Kapoor’s Hidesign (for all accessories in leather) also has an outlet here, right next to Casablanca, its sister concern.

The Bounce Style Lounge, which can really set you up in some funky hairdos.One of Chennai’s hippest salons has made its home in Isapahani too.

Some of the shops placed are

CASABLANCA READY-MADE GARMENTS
TITANIC READY-MADE GARMENTS
DOCKERS READY-MADE GARMENTS
LIADRO READY-MADE GARMENTS
SWAROVSKI READY-MADE GARMENTS
ACCESENT READY-MADE GARMENTS
ARCHIES GREETINGS & GIFTS LTD. GREETINGS CARDS
CAFE COFFEE DAY COFFEE PUB
OYZTERBAY READY-MADE GARMENTS
SWEET CHARIOT SWEET SHOP
MARRYBROWN RESTAURANT
HIDESIGN READY-MADE GARMENTS
INDIGONATION SHOWROOM
KHAL'S FOOT WORLD SHOE WORLD
VJ'S HOME DINNER DINNER SHOP
GLITTERATI READY-MADE GARMENTS
LEVIS SHOWROOM
CREST JEWELERS PVT. LTD.


And that's about it! So probably not worth visiting unless you are specifically looking at some shopping in one of the above shops or you want to meet someone in a place easy to remember without too much crowd!

Mouthful Restaurant- Chennai

Mouthful - Roasted Lamb and Tandoori

Address:No:12 Raghavaiah Road, T.Nagar , Chennai -17
Phone:91 44 4212 4250
Locality:T.Nagar
Landmark:Opp to Kannadasan Statue on G.N Chetty Road
Cuisine Type:Tandoori & Oriental Foods.

The menu card looks Tantalizing , Lot of dishes for Non-vegetarian and few but enough dishes for vegetarian is all I can describe of the menu Present . There is enough space in the front for around 20 People to wait . The restaurant was crowded by 8 Pm on Sunday but by 10 pm it was empty .The prices are moderate . They have variety of dishes in chicken and Sea Foods.

Chicken Lollipop


The biryani is tasty and spicy . I tried the Grilled Moroccan chicken , it was awesome . they also have various flavours of grilled chicken like Afghan, Lebanese,Moroccan . The chicken fried Rice with chicken lollipop was a nice combination .

Grilled Chicken




The service is very bad . we had to wait nearly 1/2 an hour to get an Table and another 15 minutes for Taking the order .We had to shout even for water and Raitha . The good thing was we got our dishes in 10 minutes and no waiter seen for next 40 minutes to attend us .We had to wait 10 minutes for Raitha .

Naan ,Paratha and Malai Koftha



The food was tasty and awesome .The Masala Kulcha and Malai kofta needs a mention it was one of the best I have had in Chennai .Malai Kofta was sweet and prepared with paneer .The Tandoori chicken and Grilled Chicken have 8 peices for a Full plate and seemed very convincing . The Schezwan Fried Rice was too spicy for being edible .They have variety of Indian Breads ( Kashmiri Naan, panner Naan, Mutton khemma Naan) and Many types of parottas ( Aloo, Pudina, Tandoori and Panner) for vegetarian and for Non vegetarian ( Mutton kothu ,Chicken kothu ,Ceylon Parottas).

On the whole food seems to be great but need to improve on service to retain customers.The ambiance is great . There must be better exhaust system as the smoke swirls in the dinning place . The music played is Pleasant .


I would rate this place 6.5/10.

Additional Information:

• A/C
• Timings:12:15 pm - 11:15 pm
• Card accepted
• Av. cost for two : Rs.250