We’ve been planning on a trip to Bangalore since we got married. That is to say, since 2006. There is a reason why I believe this particular plan is jinxed. You’ll know what I mean when I say, the number of times we have postponed the trip is more than the number of governments India has had since 1947. And that is to say something. The last time we planned a trip to Bangalore, I fell sick. We didn’t have it in us to postpone the trip yet again, after all I can sleep well in the train and hopefully feel better in the morning. So we went all the way to the railway station, only to learn the train is delayed by 4 hours and will be in only at 3 am. No, I didn’t have it in me to stay in the railway station till 3 am. And good thing too, because later the train was canceled.
To cut a long story short, on Thursday, 2 October 2008, we drove from Chennai to Bangalore in our Santro Xing. Finally. We started early in the morning from our home in OMR, filled the tank to capacity at Velachery and grabbed a bite at Ratna Café. H was at the wheel, and I had driving instructions to both the routes to Bangalore. The scenic yet not-so-good road via Chittoor – Kolar and the recently completed Golden Quadrilateral via Vellore - Hosur. We chose the Golden Quadrilateral. No particular reason, just one of those spot decisions.
The drive till we cross Poonamallee and get onto the highway is best left unmentioned. Why relive the horror? Once onto the highway, roads are as smooth as butter. The medians are well maintained with flowery shrubs throughout the length. The scenery on both sides of the road is breathtaking. Our first stop came at Sriperumbudur, where we visited the Rajiv Gandhi memorial. Surprisingly, it was very well maintained. Almost as well kept a public monument as Rajghat and Shanti Van.
We stopped at a TNRDC traveler’s stop for lunch. It was this cozy little haven which was right on the highway, but still managed to cut off all the hustle and bustle of the traffic. It brought back memories of times spent at the Woodlands Drive In on Cathedral Road. The food and the service were good. We passed a number of small towns, but didn’t spot anything which warrented an extended stop. Krishnagiri, mango’s own country, didn’t offer much except for occasional glimpses of green hiltops in the distance. I guess a trip in the summer would have been more “fruitful”. However, the road was amazing, and we had been craving for a long drive, for a long long time.
Next time we do this route, we will definitely include a detour to Yercaud. This time we thought about it a tad bit late.When we passed the road which goes to Yercaud, to be exact. We covered the 350 km stretch in a bit more than 6 hours, including the stopovers. Past Hosur, the roads were yet another nightmare. But I must say, within my limited experience of the Golden Quadrilateral, the project is a runaway success.
