Tamil Nadu

	When I picked the bike up at Madras railway station the back tyre was pretty soft. Normally there was a pump whallah within a few meters -- but I could not see one so cycled off. It was like a sauna. Some 5+ km later I found these guys -- there shop was a cupboard against a wall in a line of slum dwellings. I showed them what was wrong and promptly fainted. I came to with the big guy in the foreground struggling to hold me up!!
	They could not have been nicer or more helpful -- giving me some water (which I splashed on my face but didn't drink!!!), getting me a coffee and sorting out the bike -- both wheels were out of true plus the rear had a flat.
	Though the shop was fairly primitive they seemed to have a good customer base -- with several rickshaw drivers stopping by for some air or minor adjustments. As you will see later this was actually a fairly sophisticated establishment.
	These two -- presumably residents of one of the shanties down the street -- were fascinated by this stranger.

	Mahabalipuram - a sea-side resort and former hippy watering hole some 75km south of Madras. The Chola kings obviously also liked the place and went in for lots of carving. This and the next are in a small 'cave' beneath the temple two pics down.
	My guide described this and the above as the best carvings in Mahabalipuram. In balance I think he was right. Apart from anything else they were the best preserved.
	I never really worked out if this was the 'old' lighthouse or not. I think not but we did get quite a bit lost in the translation.
	A further 5km south of town are the 5 Raithans (Charriots) -- a group of Hindu temples from the Chola period. Heavy on carving and, unfortunately, on erosion.



	Making my way back to town something was going off. Much mumbo jumbo, bells, trumpets ant this group of guys with funny hats. I later learned that they were making a pilgrimage. Tamil Nadu is awash with pilgrims in their distinctive black robes often carrying a folded blanket on their head.
	The Shore Temple. So called because it is on the shore. Sadly heavily eroded.
	Up behind the town is a large park with lots of rocky outcrops. These carvings were made into a cliff face -- again undercut into a cave so giving some protection. The flash did not do them justice.



	Chidembarum. The first of several (many) temples. In some ways perhaps the nicest. The roof over the central shrine was difficult to photo but was pure gold -- and lots of it. Enough to help some of the poor but, of course, the priests keep it all for themselves and demand that the peasants contribute more than they can afford to keep them in the idle style to which they are accustomed.
	It was built round a massive water tank -- and its foundation legend has Shiva destroying an evil monster/devil who was subjugating the people and finding a spring so they could irrigate their crops.

	I took longer at the temple than anticipated. Plus it was wet and cold -- so I decided to jump forward by taking the bus. As usual a crowd gathered!!
	Tanjavur temple. I think this is Parvati, Shiva's misses.
	Again a massive temple, huge prime development land, again with more gold and jewels than you can shake a stick at -- surrounded by poverty. I got increasingly anti religion (all religions) as this part of the trip went on. They all Hindu, Moslem, Christian etc. seek to keep the people subservient and ignorant and therefore, poor.



	The girls at the hotel prepare Xmas decorations from petals. The one in pink spoke perfect English and appeared to be quite a senior person in the heirachy.
	More bike problems. At this stage of the trip I was breaking spokes on my back wheel at the rate of about 1 a day. While Bicycle Repair Man was doing his stuff this lady offered me a cup of tea and invited to sit in her house out of the sun (it was seriously hot).
	Of course the usual suspects turned up for the photo.
	Thricky. Another day, another temple (and I was only visiting the A List places -- I was passing dozens of smaller places (for all religions) each day.) I expected a fort here -- but I got a temple all the same!!. This one on a volcanic plug requiring one to climb several hundred steps (about 650 if I remember).

	Over the landscape you can see more temples!! Much more inmpressive were the eagles that were soaring round.

	And from the bottom looking up.
	Another day etc. Madurai. Dubbed by me the inside temple. All the main parts were indoors. The place was like a bazaar. JC would have had problems throwing the money changers out of this place. Even the touts had touts. All manner of tat was being flogged. Oh, and at the same time a bunch of priests were assaulting everyone's ears, eyes and noses with noise (a bit like castrating cats), foul smelling josh sticks and smoke. I got out!!
	Another day, another broken spoke. Another tea at the stall next door.
	This little one was very shy to start but slowly relaxed and beamed her smile.
	I asked this guy if he could suggest a hotel in the town (which was not the place I had intended to stop but I was knackered). First he invited me to stay with his family. However, his Dad was in hospital and so I suspect his wife made him see reason.
	He & his son showed me to the best hotel in town -- which was the worst shit-hole I stayed in in all India.
	These guys stopped me as I cycled through their check point. Just for a chat!! These 'Police Stations' are all 1/2 sized containers with painted bricks -- weird!!
	And the usual suspects turned up.
	The next picture explains.

	Another day, another broken spoke. This was definitely the most primitive Bicycle Repair place I stopped at. A tool box, a bowl of water, a wheel truing rig (foreground - and pretty sophisticated) and a chain hanging from a tree to act as a bike stand.
	Up to my old tricks of photographing interesting technical features. Just north of Kammiyakamari (the most southerly point of India) I cycled through miles and miles of wind-farm. This was just the beginning.
	13MW looked much too low a number for what I could see from here. By the time I had cycled another 10km it was clear the total capacity of the wind prairie is huge. All the big names of Indian industry had a chunk -- the wonders of government intervention!!

	Kanniyakamari. Most southerly town on the Indian mainland. Sunrise from my hotel room.
	By this stage I was totally 'Templed Out' so I did not take the boat trip to this one -- especially since my guide book suggested that the shysters/priests here are even more money grubbing than most!! Kanniyakamari was a bit of a disappointment -- all the charm of Blackpool with less to do!!