At a small Shiva temple in the countryside of the Chettinad region, we stopped to participate in a Hindu custom in which a coconut is smashed on the ground in front of the temple to symbolize the smashing of the ego.
The temple was beautifully kept and practically deserted, a change from the crowded temples of the last few days. We carry our coconuts past rows of statues depicting the Tamil sages.
In front of the temple, each person flings their coconut to the ground and they all break with a satisfying crack.
