Sunday, January 18, 2009

On a Temple spree - Part #2

As a matter of fact, this post should be called:
"On a Temple spree - Part #2".
I never knew that a visit to my hometown can be clipped with SO many visits to the nearby temples. The day after Pongal, we were in our Hometown. I was drinking in the beauty and space of our house. Waking myself, filling me with ample memories -
Photos, photos and more photos.

The next morning, we (cat, ma, pa & appatha) left to Palani. To choose "Palani" of all places, that too during "Thai". Phew. But my never-say-die father finally took us there, got us squeezed amongst the thousands of devotees and brought us back safe.

The next two days were to be spent at "Pudur" my gramps birthplace and "Vegupatti" irrefutably appatha's birthplace.
So many relatives, so many feasts and more photos where-ever-I-go.

I chanced upon my forefather's photo, I promptly clicked it up.
Clicked it, not picked it! Thanks to the digicam, of late one doesn't have to steal photos :D

We skipped the trek to "Piranmalai" cos...
(A) it was late & (B) cat was unwell.
On the way back home, we stopped at "Samayapuram" (it was 9.00 p.m. and the temple closes at 9.15 p.m.) and in spite of the plight, we were invited to a good darshan.

At 3.15 a.m. our mpv screeched to a halt at my doorstep.
Later, I had a 12 hour sleep and here I am.
Again, It won't be blinks before I'm off!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

On a Temple spree - Part #1

I finally did visit Mangalore!
Mangalore jaunt was a temple tour per se. In my opinion, it was essentially a trip to keep my devils mind occupied. The itinerary was super packed, drafted by dad, as Appa had very less time to spare this month (He is making room for another such chota’sa outing already, and that is progress). Appa as usual was in hyper-spirits throughout the tour. It was us who were fatigued and crawled to our beds.

The 8th of Jan, we took a train to Mangalore. I love trains, oh those college-days, so needles to say I loved the travel. To add to it was moms’ delicacies, even more delicious when eaten on train!
Books, Music and more books.
I was so excited, I did not sleep a wink. But grrrr, the sleeperlogs (a young man & an old) in my compartment ruined it. I was forced to my berth. It was already cold, can someone turn off the A/C.... waaaaaahh! :(

The 9th (around 5AM) we took a bus from M’lore to Kollur. The bus travel was pleasing in spite of the fact cat and me were standing throughout the 3 hour journey and boy it was cold!

9th FN we checked in, freshened and left to Mookambika temple, darshan was well organized (of course occasionally you’ll hear someone sternly saying “vega vega”) quite understandable when one has hundreds of devotees.
Ahhh I should mention, this place has NO mob-tower and the best hotel room has NO Television :| So after a typical Keralite lunch (Kollur is in Karnataka) a back to back darshan was done.
KJ.Yesudas appeared with his wife, it was so hard to get a glimpse of him. He sung a keerthana at the Saraswathi sannathi, (co)incidentally Sangeetotsavam'09 was scheduled there.
9 p.m. were back in our rooms asleep, I can never imagine that happening back here at home.

10th a late-morning bus to M’lore, luckily we had seats. The bus travel again was fabulous. Estuaries, prawn-farm amongst the forest! Picturesque.

At M’lore we checked in a suite. TV, A/C, geyser… wow. Yes. WOW.
That evening we shopped like maniacs and the next morning we went to Mangala devi temple. I was down with a bad appetite, so skipped breakfast and lunch and creeped like a snail with a paavam face.
No use. That very evening I was made to visit Gokharnath temple. But this one was fantastically designed and simply breath taking!
The snaps speak for themselves, don’t they?

Back to HOME!! Sweet home indeed! ;)
It wouldn’t be a few blinks before I’m off again!