Yanai Malai

Now...The Yana malai (2005)

Then ... Elephant Rock from 'Photographic Views in Madurai ' by Linnaeus Tripe (1858)
Madurai falls inbetween three hillocks named after the shape of the animal they look like- The Pasu (Cow) malai, the Naga (Snake) malai and the Yanai (Elephant) malai.

The Yanai Malai (Elephant Rock) as imaginatively named by someone, is a rocky hillock -a bold landmark that will catch the eye of anyone entering Madurai from Melur(Chennai highway). As a small kid, from the distant view i got from my terrace, i used to wonder whether it was really an elephant!


distant view across the SundramPark Lake...

 A High-school trecking expedition (1989) took me on top of it. We literally walked along the spine of the elephant to reach its head! I was surprised to see historic rock carvings made by Jain monks (samanars) on the top. Hope this rocky wonder does'nt end up as a granite quarry in the future!

With my school friends on top of the hill ( iam the one with the hat)

One of my favorite pics courtesy Thoonganagar ninaivugal