DESI DISCOVERY QUIZ 4

Vellore fort & Meerut ( Ghanta Ghar &  Mutineers Mosque)  are the correct answer. The linking  factor: Both places claim their place in history due to sepoy mutiny/revolt against British.

Vellore & Meerut are not known for tourism /picnics – that gives it an offbeat tag. Both are about 1.5 hours from  major metro cities –Chennai & Delhi. This makes it ideal for a one day getaway.

The recent Mahalakshmi golden temple is attracting large crowds as a must visit for all pilgrims to Tirupati. However what must not be missed is the Jalakandeshwarar temple inside the fort.  The huge life size stone statues of this  temple are enough to humble anyone & is a living example of what “perfection & grandeur”  is.  It should be  the compelling factor to go to Vellore.  It’s hear that I (we) come to  know about the Vijayanagara style of architecture that is different from Dravidan & Moghul architecture.

For the secular minds, the Vellore fort also houses a mosque, & church apart from its huge signature moat.

Once you finish your morning exploration the temple & feasting on the famous original Ambur Biriyani at nearby Ambur, it is time to cool yourself at Jalagamparai falls &  halt at Yelagiri for the night ( closest hill station to Chennai)

The Aaina Bappu observatory – housing indigenously built  telescopes at Kavalur here - is open to public only on Saturday nights. Pl. check current timings/permits before planning a visit here.

If you aren’t a history buff, the culinary delight on the road to Meerut will definitely pull you out.

As you proceed from Anand Vihar ISBT, you first hit Mohan Nagar- an interesting place in Indian History. It housed Mohan Meakins  head offices -whose heritage includes being Asia’s first brewery in 1820 . Its original plant in HP was also the worlds highest brewery started by father of Gen Dyer ( Jallianwallabagh fame) . The beer - then made with original mountain spring water in the Himalayas  was & is the way the world traditionally beats the summer heat. They were the one’s who introduced corn flakes in India- much before Kellogs. If you have been flipping through Readers Digest of the 1970’s, you would have noticed their cereal ads.

The road from there passes through yet another yesteryear Industrial empire – Modinagar housing the entire Modi Group. The sign board: Modi-Revlon: is amusing against the backdrop of the vintage buildings of the 1960’s that houses its all other businessess.

All along the road you find numerous boards proclaiming “ traditional Shikanji” that makes you wonder what it is. However it is at the Jain ki shikanji that you get to see what makes it a beautiful  desi summer thirst quencher.  A healthy alternative to beat the heat???

Drive through this road, stop where you want to , eat what you want to-authentic desi cuisines & desi flavours  that you do not find in the malls. Have a picnic  sans McD, Subway,  KFC, Dominos, Pizza hut etc…etc..

Meerut may be an  old dusty town that never was & is in the news in India beyond 1857. However it  is known internationally for: Cricketing goods  (SG), large printing industry since 1850’s, gold design hub, Indias largest musical instrument manufacture centre, battle gear & armoury industry that produces what is used in Hollywood movies. Being an inexpensive small town near a metro is its charm.