Nath

When you think of trains in India, one might struggle to see how accessibility is integrated into it’s railways. Granted, a large proportion of trains do have a specific carriage for the disabled albeit segregated from the general population, however ramps and lifts are scarce. This was, for the most part, changed with the introduction of Vande Bharat Express trains a few years ago which has been designed to integrate wheelchair users with the general population, a big step for India. Of course, when one stumbled across these trains along with the fact that more and more stations are installing lifts, it was instantly put on the bucket list!

As the next destination on this trip is Pollachi, it was decided that one would catch the Vande Bharat from Chennai Central to Coimbatore Junction where another Swarga Foundation vehicle would transport us to the Ibex River Resort. Luckily, we were able to book tickets via Swarga, however I was told that the wheelchair space was difficult to reserve.

Contrary to the craziness of Chennai, it’s station was fairly quiet and easy to roll around, one even had time for a little trainspotting…

However, the Vande Bharat Express stood out above the rest…

Now, Chennai Central claimed to have boarding ramps available, however, when our driver enquired about said ramp, the usual response of ‘not possible, just lift it’ was given which normally translates to ‘we can’t be bothered’. This was proved correct when one was sitting on the platform staring at said train when a ramp magically appeared…

Still, one doesn’t believe that the correct ramp was brought but we made it work with Superbunny’s own portable ramp acting as a run up…

The interior of the Vande Bharat Express harks back to the much loved HST in the UK, hence one felt quite at home sitting in the wheelchair space…

During the 6.5 hour journey, one was treated to a plethora of Indian tea and (rather hot!) cuisine whilst the scenery changed into more mountainous terrain…

We were then welcomed into Coimbatore Junction by the founders and members of The Swarga Foundation (and proper boarding ramps)…

We are staying slightly outside of Pollachi at the Ibex River Resort which is nestled within a coconut and cocoa farm with superb views of the river from each balcony. Prior to ones arrival, The Swarga Foundation kindly visited and the hotel agreed to adjust to suit ones requirements i.e. purchasing ramps and offering room service if needed.

The plan for tomorrow is to simply get acquainted with the hotel and it’s peaceful surroundings, definitely a contrast from the chaos of Chennai!

As ones ancestors used to work on the Indian Railways, it only seemed right to visit the Railway Museum in Chennai before we board the Vande Bharat Express to Coimbatore Junction on Friday.

The museum costs 40 rupees (37p) to enter, however, disabled individuals can enter for free. The exhibits are both placed inside and outside, the latter makes for smooth rolling…

Part of the museum contains a giant train set (love a good train set!), however it does have a step to enter but nothing a wheelie or a portable ramp could rectify…

It was at this point that a worker decided to begin filming one rolling around said train set, who knows where that will end up!

Information and a model of the Vande Bharat Express (Indias newest train model with all the latest mod cons) is also on display. It was delightful to see that a picture of the wheelchair space with information was also included…

The plan for tomorrow was to head down to Puducherry, however a dodgy stomach (courtesy of the hotel staff rushing out our food) means that a rest day is in order before we head out of Chennai to the next destination, Pollachi (via Coimbatore Junction) by ways of the Vande Bharat Express.

This is going to be exciting!!

It is worth noting that, as of August 2024, Chennai is undergoing a major extension of its metro system meaning roadworks are taking place across the city thus it seems to be a mission simply to get in and out of the city, especially when it’s mixed in with the usual chaos!

Mahabalipuram is situated approximately 50km south of Chennai and dates back to the 7th and 8th century. Although it is split across several sites, it is possible to enter all of them with just one ticket plus disabled individuals can enter for FREE. The first stop was Shore Temple for which the majority is flat and accessible…

The town of Mahabalipuram is full of restaurants (plus monkeys, goats and the occasional cow), however it is difficult to find one which is accessible and has air conditioning hence our driver kindly made it his mission to make some enquiries with the locals to source a place to eat. The result being a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Bay of Bengal that can be accessed via a lift hidden away in a parking garage (we definitely wouldn’t have found this by ourselves!)…

The next stop was The Pancharatha Temple which is a short drive from The Shore Temple. Although there are steps down to the actual structures, it is possible to roll around the perimeter path which is fitted with ramps etc.

There are several other structures to marvel at, however, one thought it best to return to the hotel considering the current travel time.

The plan for tomorrow is to head to Chennai Rail Museum which is definitely open on a Wednesday!

One of the main draws to Chennai is Marina Beach which faces the Bay of Bengal and what better way to experience it than at sunset. From prior research, one had discovered that a wooden walkway had been erected a few years ago to allow wheelchair users to access the waters edge (one of the first in India I believe) hence it was necessary to check out!

The road running parallel to Marina Beach has plenty of parking and is fairly quiet (for a change) bar the occasional tuk tuk or motorcycle…

One can also park fairly close to said walkway…

Along the wooden walkway, there are several points from which one can marvel at the scale of Marina Beach…

Unlike many walkways or boardwalks in the UK, one can actually roll pretty close to the waters edge…

This enables you to fully capture that famous sunset…

The plan for tomorrow is to head slightly outside Chennai to visit Mahabalipuram, an UNESCO Heritage site dating back to the 7th and 8th century. All of this is possible thanks to The Swarga Foundation…

After a relaxing day yesterday at the hotel, it was time to embrace the chaos of Chennai by visiting the Arulmigu Vadapalani Murugan Temple. It was well worth the expense of hiring an accessible vehicle and a driver as it allowed us and Superbunny to get to said location easily without battling through cars, lorries, tuk-tuks and everything in between! However, it is worth noting that the temple doesn’t have parking hence you are required to park down a side street and wander down…

Although the streets appear to be chaotic, it only seems to take a few minutes to get used to the etiquette (or what there is of it!).

As predicted, ones presence caused a bit of a stir with a little crowd forming around us, some curious and some just asking for money. The front of Arulmigu Vadapalani Murugan Temple is semi pedestrianised making for easy rolling…

Whilst taking off shoes and socks (one just had to take off shoes!), we were approached by a guy wanting to show us around bypassing the ticket office (not sure if we were meant to do this) so we followed suit…

As per Istanbul and Sousse, there is a threshold to combat with a step but nothing that a portable ramp or a wheelie can’t fix. After that, ramps are in appropriate places and the majority has level access. The temple even has a special gate for wheelchairs to be able to access the inner part…

Of course the guy showing us around was after a tip but it was deserved!

As the train museum is shut on Mondays (bad planning that!), it was time for a haircut before heading to the beach….

It has been a while since one has travelled long haul, especially with Superbunny (which was back in 2016!) hence it was rather strange boarding a plane for the 10 hour flight to Chennai. As Iranian airspace is currently closed off due to the deteriorating situation, we were sent on a jolly around Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, however, as soon as we knew it, we touched down in India albeit at 3:15am.

As I was unsure how Chennai International would handle Superbunny at that ungodly hour, one packed a spare joystick in addition to numerous tools, however, it appears that said wheelchair doesn’t even to have a scratch to it!

Now, one had a feeling that Indians would be quite helpful, however, as soon as we stepped down from the plane door, a swarm of staff came over to assist with the wheelchair which is used to transport individuals to baggage claim…

We were also kept informed as to the whereabouts of both the electric and manual wheelchair hence knowing the exact location of their entrance into said terminal…

We have the next 4.5 days to explore Chennai, the capital of the Tamil Nadu state and all it has to offer before boarding the Vande Bharat Express (also referred to India’s semi-bullet train) for the journey across the country to Pollachi via Coimbatore Junction. During our time in Chennai, we are lucky enough to have the accessible transportation (which made the 8 hour trek across India from Coimbatore yesterday along with the driver who is staying with the vehicle just down the road until Friday!) available at all times to allow one to explore the city with ease. However, the city is home to a metro system which, of course, has to be experienced at least once.

We are staying at the Courtyard by Marriott whilst in Chennai. Of course, the Indian version of accessibility is slightly different from the UK, however, the rooms still have ample space to roll around albeit the bathroom is a little small.

Despite being based in Chennai for the next few days, we will also be heading down to Puducherry (Pondicherry) to marvel at it’s French architecture along tree-lined streets. The plan is also to visit Auroville along the way.

Tomorrow, we plan to head to the Arulmigu Vadapalani Murugan Temple followed by a visit to the Chennai Railway Museum (of course, trains had to be involved!). Let’s see how chaotic driving through Chennai really is!

(Oh and Tom and Jerry popped up at the hotel earlier greeting guests for an international vacation conference…western influence strikes again!):

India has always been a destination that intrigues one whether it be the culture or the landscape, however, it may not be on all bucket lists due to the ‘supposed’ lack of accessibility in the country. Now, when you think of India, you are likely to think of the ‘Golden Triangle’ which consists of Delhi, Agra (famous for the Taj Mahal) and Jaipur. Due to this being one of the most ‘trodden’ routes by visitors, one has found that the majority of information regarding accessibility focuses on the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh with little or no information on other parts of the worlds most populous country.

When one started planning this trip, the ‘Golden Triangle’ route was considered and then dismissed for several reasons. The first being that one doesn’t enjoy crowds on a regular basis (especially with fellow tourists!) but, more importantly, this beautiful country has so much more to offer which, as we know, is best experienced when we step off the tourist trail. I also want to gain a small insight into daily living in India, especially for wheelchair users hence one of the reasons why Superbunny has made the journey with us. The aim of the blog over the next two weeks is to paint a ‘true’ picture of what life is like for those living with a disability in addition to documenting the ‘dos’ and ‘do nots’ when travelling around Southern India with an electric wheelchair.

So why did I choose to explore the South rather than the North? Well, apart from wanting an adventure (as usual) and the tourism aspect, hours were spent on Street View and watching vlogs working out which cities appeared to be the most accessible for Superbunny to explore i.e. places with reasonable public transportation, most of which are located in the South. The South of India is also renowned for it’s stunning landscapes and reserves which we will be experiencing on this 14 day trip.

As in most countries, nearly all of India’s ‘accessible’ tour operators are based in the North, however one was lucky enough to stumble across The Swarga Foundation based in Coimbatore who have been kind enough to, not only provide wheelchair accessible transportation for the duration but also be ones ‘eyes on the ground’ assisting with accommodation and the booking of trains. Although based in the South (convenient for us!), they can provide accessible transportation across the length and breadth of the country if needed.

It is worth noting that a proportion of the ‘accessible’ tour operators based in the North claim to have wheelchair accessible vehicles, however, said vehicles have been designed for individuals who are able to transfer onto a conventional car seat rather than remaining in the wheelchair and also lack safety features such as tie-down points (upon request). It may cost a little more for a ‘proper’ accessible vehicle to drive from a different state, however, it is well worth while if you consider the safety (it is India after all!), ease and comfort aspect. One will definitely be paying the extra if the North is to be explored at a later date.

Although the South, especially Chennai have more resemblance of pavements compared to the North, Street View has shown that road signs, traffic lights, even ventilation shafts for the metro seem to be plonked in the middle making it almost impossible to get past in Superbunny meaning that one has to use the road which, can sometimes contain three lanes of crazy Indian traffic. There is then the slight issue of getting back onto the pavement once you have avoided said obstacle, no fear though as one has a new toy! Well, I call it a toy, its just a roll up ramp that one has strapped to Superbunny with bungee cords for when steps or curbs are too high to wheelie up.

Anyway, let’s go exploring!