Vaigai Express: A Trip to Madurai, India!

Paul Theroux, a prolific American travel writer and novelist once wrote in his travelogue, The Great Railway Bazaar, “... I have seldom heard a train go by and not wished I were on it. Those whistles sing bewitchment: railways are irresistible bazaars, snaking along, perfectly …” Trains are iconic to travel in India. We all remember summer vacations starting with a train ride to a grandmother’s town or to visit relatives. In fact, the Indian Railway system is the fourth largest railway network in the world, with more than 75,000 miles of total track. And indeed, the country’s first train embarked from the Chennai Egmore station in 1837.  

The Madurai train number 12636 VAIGAI EXPRESS takes us on wild imagintive ride! Watch as the arms of time bend and carry us to the city where goddess Meenakshi married Sundareshwara, Lord Shiva himself. And Meenakshi’s brother, Lord Vishnu, rode his horse into town with the hopes of attending the celestial wedding. Watch as the maidens swooned over His beauty, painting pictures of his eyes and his smile. Come to a place where difficult times of drought was cured by the valor of Ugira Pandiyan and the city that was once ravished by merciless invaders. The city saved by Kampanna and his valiant troops, ravaged and rebuilt, guided by the resident deity Meenakshi. From the poems of Tamil Sangam literature, ThiruvilayAdal PurAnam, Thirupugazh, and Ganga Devi’s MadurA Vijayam make way for the magical VAIGAI EXPRESS!