4 Day Trip: Madurai - Thiruchendur - Papanasam Hills - VaanaTheertham Falls -

July 12 2012, My Son, Kavin Seyon's first birthday, @ 3o'clock in the morning after cake cutting, Me and My wife were talking about where to go for his birthday. I suggested Vedanthangal. My Wife suggested Vandaloor Zoo. I wanted to go for atleast a short trip. For her if trip then it should be longer otherwise somewhere in local. My wife and her mom had a long pending VOW to visit Thiruchendur. So we decided to execute that on my Seyon's Birthday. Early Morning 9 o clock, called my Father In law to check if they had no issues to travel with us to thiruchendur. After talking to his Boss, he confirmed they would come with us. To inform my Parents at coimbatore, I called them at 11 o clock, just like that I asked them if they would like to join Us. That is when My mom asked me what is the Plan? We started discussing about the plan to stay in Madurai on 12th Night. Next day Visit Meenakshi amman temple, Mahal and Theppakulam e.t.c, and then start to Thiruchendur Temple and stay there. Next day 3rd day, morning start to Papanasam, Vaanatheertham Falls, Maanjolai Hills e.tc, stay there in Electricity Board Guest House. Next day at around 12 o clock start back to chennai.

Day 1: After shaping up our Unplanned Plan, We started packing up our luggage at 12 o clock and that went till 2 o Clock. Picked up My In-laws from Porur, Had Short Lunch at porur. By the time we connected the Highway it was 4 PM. My Parents started from Coimbatore at the same time in their Swift. The Journey On Rails (On My Punto) started from the Porur Toll Gate at 4:10 PM.

The Route was Porur - Off Thambaram ByPass - Vandalur - Thindivanam - Vilupuram - Off Trichy - Madurai. We Had 2 Breaks on the way, One before trichy for 'Tea kapi' and other was 60 Kms before Madurai for 'Kothu Barota'. The roads were simply superb, feels like tailor made for Fiats. So many curves that only a Fiat's steering could measure the exact Radius of curvature. My Punto, Mā Sēnuthi did extreamly well, Just like it was moving on a Track. The Best drive I have had on Mā Sēnuthi is this trip. Gave a Tough Time for figos, Vistas , Verna , Logan and a Skoda Superb. Everytime there is a corner, punto jumps into Joy mood and starts overtaking every cars taking the curves including the Skoda Superb. WOW What a Drive !!! Top Speed was 165 with 4 Adults and Luggage, Infate My Seyon on his Child Seat. After the Tea Break, My Seyon refused to sit on his seat. So I have to soften my feet. Speed Needle was wavering between 80 - 90.

My parents reached Madurai at 8 PM. They booked rooms for all of us in the old and famous, 'New College House, Madurai'. We reached Madurai at 10:15 PM and checked in to our rooms.

Total Drive on Day 1
450 KMS ~
6.xx Hours
Top Speed 165 KMPH
Average Speed 74 KMPH
Average Consumption :
Trip A : From Chennai to Madurai (Deep Footed + Soft Footed) 16.8 KMPL
Trip B : From Tea Break to Madurai (Only Soft Footed) 19.6 KMPL


After an Excellent Drive on My Seyon's Birthday and Sharing My first Travel Experience in TFI, I am gonna dive deep into my sleep.


Few Pics :

CakeCut @ 3 AM















Relaxing after a Superb Ride


My Dad's Swift (Fiat Inside)





Day 2 : Comming Soon.

Belated Birthday wishes for your son.
What is the meaning of Mā Sēnuthi? Mā for grand, that I got from your post from another thread.
74kmph is a very good average speed for a fully loaded punto.
Waiting for the next pictures

Day1 more pictures

Excellent start, you guys seem to be munching miles like anything. Did Vanatheertham had enough water, also was boating allowed?

Grande Punto in tamil.

Downshift - Press - Fly

I would have preferred Perum Pulli [PP] [பெரும் புள்ளி]. In colloquial Tamil, it also means big shot!

I would have preferred வரிசை [varisai], or simply, வரி [vari]. Remember Toyota Yaris?

Sorry for being OT.

Thanks for the wishes SGoa. Senuthi carries the exact tamil meaning for Red Punto than CeyTuti.

I have PMed you few tamil words which holds the meaning Line. See if you could form a Nick from them.

Oops! Since I was more concentrating on reaching madurai, I didnt think about capturing fotos. Will Try to do it for day 234

Perum Pulli is too modern tamil. I wanted the name to be more pure and older (inface rare & not understandable). That is how I named My Son too.

---------- Post added at 02:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:42 PM ----------

Thanks for the wishes SGoa. Senuthi carries more close tamil meaning for Red Punto than CeyTuti.

Oops! Since I was more concentrating on reaching madurai, I didnt think about capturing fotos. Will Try to do it for day 234

We were told that Not much water is there, but still Boating can be done for some stretch and then walk to the falls. Tomorrow I be there and Update on this.

Perum Pulli is too modern tamil. I wanted the name to be more pure and older (in fact rare & not understandable). That is how I named My Son too.

I have PMed you few tamil words which holds the meaning Line. See if you could form a Nick from them.

Great going Srida! Everytime when I start on a drive I always think about stopping and clicking pictures but have hardly managed to do it. Once at the wheel, I need to force myself to stop. Most of my Chennai-Coimbatore drives have always been one-stop drives. Need to change that habit

Day 2 : Hectic, Once Again Awesomatic Drive, Sad News and New Plans.

I was not able to wake up early in the morning. Earliest I could open my eyes was at 9:30 AM. Everybody were ready and sitting besides the cot and pleading me to wake up. Somehow Got ready and Went to Madurai Meenakshmi Amman Temple at 11:30 Am. Crushed in the Crowd and drenched in Sweat, came out of the temple by 1:30 PM. But still I Loved the temple so much. Came back to out room, Had Lunch and relaxed for sometime. By 3:30 checked out of the hotel and started our drive to Thiruchendur. On the way we visited the Madurai Theppakulam. Rushed to get back to our cars to start the journey towards Thoothukudi - Tiruchendur. Madurai - Thoothukudi highway was awesome. Faaar better than Chennai - Madurai. The drive was awesomatic. Let the pictures do the talking.

Few Shots in the Temple and Lodge






BNW Punto Just Arrived when we were about leave. As ramjn said 'Only other Fiat'



Curves in between Boxes