Include my name for the trip. I am there with my husband as well.
My cousin, who is an avid traveller has visited this place and has a wonderful collection of photographs. I will ask him to send details on the place... but he is one who believes in travelling with his just back-pack and travelling and staying and also eating wild.
I will post more info on this.
March is financial year end and hence would be difficult for many ( in terms of work and funds as well with IT deductions.)
Dear kamal what does a return ticket cost to thailand??? that should be the most expensive part of the trip. I dont think the total cost would as a norm exceed twice the fare. (??????)and ofcourse one may need shopping money. for everybody else,theres an article in today's hindu( Or d.c????) about holidaying in bali by singer unnikrishnan about how south indians would like food in bali.
I have been to Bali and I must say, that is probably the one place in the world that Indians and particularly Hindus are made to feel very welcome. Fabulous place. When I went there I tried to trace down a small "museum" that they had. Not very well known. There were quite a few old manuscripts written in old Balinese or Javanese...But one can find lot of South Indian as well as Oriya influences there.. Wonderful old temples.
dear Arun now that you mention it oriyan influences we can trace in a lot of places. mainly lanka. sinhalese use many words akin to oriya. i guess when their land was shattered after the kalinga war they scattered like the lost tribes of israel.
but one thing. gradual imigration and trader's influences have a more lasting impact on the new land rather than a conquest.
so we should appreciate the trading community for having taken the chola culture and tha pallava culture before that to the far east.
If it is Jan end or something, we should start planning right now. If it is march we have some more time.
We have budget air careers in asia now. I am not sure if they are Sing$ 350 - but from chennai to singapore via regular flight is Sing$ 700 ( 1 Sing$ = Rs. 25)
I see that we are keeping Thailand as the base and from there going to Ankor. Bali might be slightly ambitious since it is located down singapore and indonatian visa fees is rediculous - but I will leave that to members.
I have been to Bankok and kind of know what to see etc. Nothing much other than few good buddha temples - but there is a place 100 KM from bangkok called Ayudhayya where ruins of ancient empire are preserved - good place to see.
If members are planning in Jan - we need to start discussing agressively on plans etc.
Budgets need to be fully understood first before all others.
Mrs.Uma : Can you ask Mr.Balaji about overall budget required - thailand visa fees - airport fees - stay - ankor charges etc ?
> I have been to Bankok and kind of know what to see etc. Nothing much > other than few good buddha temples - but there is a place 100 KM > from bangkok called Ayudhayya where ruins of ancient empire are > preserved - good place to see. > > Dear Gokul
the place you are talking about sounds so much like like ayodhya. does it have something to do with a a hindu dynasty?????
so if bali is going to be ruled out can we talk about myanmar and cambodia ???? myanmar had a lot of cultural contacts with india and sri lanka. they could not have left out the cholas definitely. soodaamani viharam in nagai must have attracted visitors. and pagodas of myanmar are mega buildings from that era or slightly later. any info people???/
>>> the place you are talking about sounds so much like like ayodhya. >>> does it have something to do with a a hindu dynasty?????
Dr. JayBee had referred to the kingdom of Ayuththaya in his mail about Sugothaya a few days back. I've pasted the relevant section for your benefit.
**************************************** Rajendra Cholza's naval campaign involved four places which are at present in Thailand. Coming to Sukho 'Tai...... Tai is the name of the people. The 'Tai people originated from Southern China. They were forced to migrate into the outskirts of the earstwhile Khmer Cambodian Empire. They formed a kingdom after a few generations. This kingdom was known as 'Sukho Tai' - 'The Happiness of the Tai people'. At one time it was larger than the present Thailand. It was replaced by Ayuththaya kingdom. Later on, the Chakri Dynasty took over. King Mongkut and his son Chulalongkorn took the kingdom to modern times. *****************************************
Located approximately 85 km north of Bangkok, the city was the Thai capital from 1350 to 1767. During this period Thai culture flourished, and Ayuthaya became a centre for international commerce. The present day city is located at the confluence of the Chao Phaya, Pa Sak and Lopburi rivers. A canal joins them and encircles the town. Ayuthaya has many historic ruins, two museums and is a fascinating place to visit.
> the place you are talking about sounds so much like like ayodhya. > does it have something to do with a a hindu dynasty?????
Thailand is more Buddhist - but you will be surprised to see the deep rooted hindu influence there. You can see the thailand "version" of ramayana - with hanuman and ravan - in the murals of the emarald buddha temple.I can only envy the excellent state in which the murals have been preserved against the chola paintings.
Right from the version of saying greetings (swantika which is said with clasped hands exactly like India) there are many things to admire.
Lord brahma is worshipped everywhere in Bangkok !! A golden ganpathi sits right in front of a big shopping mall and receives all the buddhist style worships !
Buddhism has the capacity to amalgamate itself with other religions for example the holiest shrine for karthikeya worship in sri lanka- KATIRKAMAM- is run by a buddhist trust. a budhist amatharu(matha guru) blesses people coming there.
closer home , a trip to srilanka should also be considered. much of the medeival architecture has been built in chola era or after it. anurathapura, sigiriya are all good places to see for a history student.