Every year we got back to home usually around December to make the most of the Christmas holidays. A nice extended long break is what we get. Tickets are booked much in advance.
This time since we had more than 160 days count down clock many ideas popped up my head.
We decided to skip the regular relaxing break instead do something that my parents and my my wife's parents would enjoy. My wife and I also thought together it would be loads of fun. So it was a full pilgrimage tour.
My little one had to get her head tonsured(shaven) since its a Hindu tradition to do so. WE always did have plan to go to the temple of Tirupathi in Andra paradesh. That was definitely the first on the list to visit. My wife's parents were also willing to join us, so I booked the train tickets for them to get to Bangalore. My sister and nephew were also in. My brother in law was busy at work so he dropped out. that would be just a one day visit, at most could be two. We wanted to do more, see more, visit more places. The next more popular destinations was Madhurai and Rameshwaram. Both on the south eastern part of Tamil Nadu. With little bit of logistics planned and a lot of convincing for my wife's parents we decided to visit those two places. Booked train tickets for all since it was easily available. Couple of days later my uncle back in Kerala were also interested in joining us so booked tickets for them as well.
Chapter: Tirupathi
Nov the eighteen we flow out to Bangalore and on twenty fifth is when our first temple Tirupathi was scheduled at. The five seater hatch back at home needed newer tyres and the people carrier needed some little servicing. Tirupathi was 280 km from Bangalore and there was ten of us and two cars.
Perfect. the plan initially was to stay overnight at Tirupathi and come back, but then there was some changes to come back on the same night. WE had to wait for the folks from Kerala to arrive that morning. We had a driver arranged to drive the hatch back since we were short of a driver.
By ten we were all set to leave Bangalore. Just crossing the first 50 km of Bangalore city took more than two hours. Then on the roads were good all the way. My sister and I took turn at the wheel and getting to Tirupathi was breeze. Our time slot we had booked for the visit and we got there at half four. just in Time. Tirupathi is the worlds richest Hindu temple with more than hundred thousand visitors each day. The crowds there in unbelievable and I did not want to put my daughter through that so they stayed out . It was such a rush that its not a great experience to just get to the sanctum sanatorium. literally three people every square feet. My only concern was that I would loose everyone of my family in the crowd since not one person was around me. We were all separated. But miraculously within few minutes we all met each other which i really found hard to believe. AS we went out again there was sea of thousands of heads and none of us had a mobile on us and it was dark, so I was sure we would spend ages trying to find my sister and my wife. Again to my surprise within minutes I found them as well in the general area where I had asked them to stay.
It was time now to get the head shaven. My daughter was absolutely cranky and i wouldn't blame here. But just as we entered the complex another Miracle. She just fell asleep. A kind woman agreed to do it and she was butter smooth in shaving her head off her hair. She did not even wake up once. I was looking at this and told myself I will give her company and sat right behind her and had the man there to shave my head off as well.
When she woke up, the first thing she did was to feel her head. The sensation of just skin up top would have puzzled her. She i appeared before her and she was not sure if i was her dad. I just had a beard and mustache and plenty of hair the last time she saw me. that was twenty minutes ago. But when she heard me speak she did recognize me which was a relief. had our dinner and we stared the long drive back to Bangalore. I was tired if it wasn't for my sister could have returned on the same day. By one am the following day all ten f us were at home. Nice and resting in our beds.
Chapter: Rameshwaram.
On the twenty seventh evening we had the train to Madhurai, four hundred and eighty kilometers from Bengaluru. Eight of us had our seats/berths reserved on the same coach right next to each other, we uber'ed two taxis to train station and we were off on the second leg by eight PM. Train journey is such a less taxing travel as compared a car journey. we reached Madurai junction at eight in the morning. Dad and I went out and arranged for a mini bus to take us all to Rameshwaram, which was one hundred and fifty kilometers.
The package was good since it involved two days of hiring the mini bus as well as lodging for all at Rameshwaram. Enroute we had our breakfast at one of the finest south Indian cuisine i had been to. The whole place has great service, was extremely clean and food was delicious. BY noon we were at Rameshwaram, after some not so great lunch we rested in the rooms for a bit. Then we decided to walk to the historic temple of lord shiva which was just ten minutes away. There were hundereds queued up already. Since it was eveing puja time, the door was closed and we ended up waiting for more than an hour. Once we had the previlge of seeing the idol we had the rest of the evenings to ourselves. the ladies went around shopping near by for some minor jeweler .I went about looking for shells.. Rameshwaram is renowned for sea shells. Headed back to the room for a good nights sleep. India's most famous president of all time was from this city .The house he grew up in was just 5 minutes walk away from the lodge.
Next day we had some serious plans. The temple hosts twenty one different wells and water from each well has a different taste to it. Even if they are few feet away. WE negotiated a package with the local agent and he escorted all of us to each of this well one by one. At each well he drew a small bucket of water and poured it on us. This ritual is supposed to cleans of our sins and I went with it. Twenty one bucket of water later we were done. Children seems to enjoy it like a water theme park, the elders were at the most devoted during this. It means a lot for a Hindu to be at this temple once in their life time and go though this cleaning process. The evening we rested, the next day the plan was heading back to Madurai. The following day we stopped at at smaller known temples atop hill, then at a beach just after the palmer beach. My nephew and my little one seemed to have a blast in the pristine beach.
Chapter: Madurai
We reached Madurai and checked into the lodge, we had the whole evening to ourselves. after a little bit of rest, we walked to the temple which was just twenty minutes away. The temple there is what makes this city. Its massive. The towers at twenty stories tall. there is not just one tower, three is seven. From any where in the city these magnanimous towers could be seen.I had been here when i was a kid. Too young to appreciate the wonderful architecture.
This time i was extremely observant. The scale and the sheer details really is out of this world. how could people with very simple tools all those centuries ago build some thing of this scale and size. Incredible. Took us a couple of hours to be blessed with a view of the goddess Meenakshi. It was truly a very spiritual feeling. Even that late in the evening, there were thousand of devotees. The entire temple complex spread over several acres. hundreds of shops lined the corridors selling merchandise.
Madurai is the textile capital of India and one thing that an unanimous yes among-st the ladies was shopping. We walked to one of the massive massive malls I have been to where it was just fabrics and dresses all over. spread over four floors, this place needed two six hour session to just have a glance once. I was just baby sitting while my mom, my sister, my aunt, my wife and mother in law all shopped like crazy. Clothes were cheap in price .
The following day we actually had the whole day to ourselves. Our train back to Bengaluru was scheduled that evening. We hired the same travel operator to take us around the city that day for a visit of all the local attractions. WE first headed to Tiruparnakundram temple. It actually is a massive hill made of solid granite. Wonder how that back in the days they carved out a temple into this rock. Not just a couple of feet, but several hundred meters into this stone hill. hundreds of steps to go up through the inside of the hill to reach the diety. Pillars , floors , ceiling and all carved out of rock.
WE then headed to the madurai Palace. It was a grand monument. It could have been curated well. scribblings on the massive pillars on walls did weave a story of how a grandeur of an era has been abused by the less intelligent folks. There were several exhibits of archeological findings there. Scruples as old as three thousand years! Awestruck i was. We then visited the gandhi memorial. A well taken care of building. It hosted the history of India quite well. The story of India is quite complicated and makes one realise how less we understand of where our ancestors have gone through. The exhibits finally ended with the actual piece of cloth that the mahatma himself was wearing on the day he was assassinated. It was blood stained and all. Quite a vivid image i have of that exhibit in my mind.
Most of us were done my lunch time touring the city. WE have a good five hour gap for the train to arrive. We all went back to shopping at chennai silks.
At the train station there was an incidence where i stood up to bullying. The toilet keeper was harassing poor travellers for money to use the Toilet. I warned him once and he was verbally abusive to me. I quickly got hold of the station chief. He got his deputy. We walked down to this person. He instantly turned to be the most humble person ever. Quite a remarkable difference in a man whom i met few minutes ago. I tweeted the railway ministry as well and it was quickly directed to the Madurai station chief. For the time we spent at the railway station he was being nice to people using the toilet. Not sure how his behaviour changed later on. Back to Bangalore then. Wonderful few days in gorgeous Tamil Nadu. A host to great temples, fantastic history and a super cuisine of south indian food.
Chapter Male Mahadeshwara
We spent few more days in Bengaluru. My wife and I had several dental issues that needed addressing. But that meant we had few days in Bengalure as well. So why waste time. My sister and I thought of a good one day trip that can be achieved over a weekend. So a good two hundred kilometre distance we had heard o
f a temple of lord Shiva called Malemahadeshwara .
Sorted out the route but what are as a surprise to us and a negative one at that was the severe lack of any amenities on route. No good restaurants , not many petrol stations. we had a very bad breakfast where we had to bin almost the entire thing we bought. My wife and daughter were throwing up all over the place and made a mess go the cars back seat. The temple was atop a hill and those twists might have been a drivers delight but for the passengers it was horrible. After few more throwing up stops we some how made to the temple. This temple was close to the border of Tamil Nadu, Salem. So majority of the devotees who came were from TN. There were long queues and it was held up as always in most temples that some over religious devotee wants to witness the idol more than anyone else for longer. Selfish B**rds is one word I can think off. At the end of it after our due prayers offered we were at the large open air auditorium for the free meal that the temple offered to all its devotees. I Must not judge free meals offered by temples but it was not too bad. hygiene level was adequate. We spent some more time walking around the temple area . I can distinctively remember that the elephant there was not as well decorated as a temple in Kerala would have been.
WE then headed back to Bangalore and that was lot of kilometres covered on a single day. we had a close call with one of the lunatic biker coming head on to us and we had to swing b violently to on coming traffic which was a BUS! My brother in law was in good control and we all had a heart attack . A fright that we cannot forget. Everything is memorable. Good or bad. Reached home late and night and that was the end of it.
Chapter: Kollur
Once all of our dental issues were sorted at Bengaluru we headed to Kasargod. Few days of visits to friends and family, we had time on our hands. THe usual selves we normally are, quick decision and within an evening we decided we will visit few temples on the west coast. Father, mother, Wife, my daughter and myself in a seven seater MUV. Plenty fo space so off we started at seven amm towards Kollur. A temple two hundred kilometers north. We had to drive through Mangalore a busy city. The roads were excellent to driving was easy. We reached the temple just few minutes ahead of the puaj at noon. WE narrowly missed a massive queue. After the darshan, we had the Prasadam/lunch at the temple. It was one of the most simple delicious food I ave had and its unbelievable this is offered free of cost to thousands everyday round the year. Speaks volumes of how important a temple is to the locals. The drive it self was fantastic since the temple is right in the thick of the dense forest on west coast. The air, the smell of the fresh vegetation, the massive age old trees was something i enjoyed every meter along the way. On the way back there was a butterfly sanctuary which i intended to visit, but my adamant father insisted we keep driving ahead.
Chapter: Murudeshwara
Seventy kilometers further north along the coast line is this famous temple of Murudeshwar. Lord shiva temple. Back in the days it was small temple in spite of it holding a significant spot in the mythology.
Now This turned out to be one of the best decision we have made since being spiritual and religious is all good. but trow in a little bit of fun and then its even more memorable . There was an imposing large ,I mean very large gopuram. which is the main gate. It was twenty two stories tall. I kid you not. The tallest temple gate in the world. Behind the gate atop a hill was the largest idol of lord shiva. What a sight. The idol is another eight to ten stories high. The beach by the side was the perfect spot to rest up. I got ourselves checked into one the good rooms right but the side. We went down the beach and my daughter had a good time on the beach and so did we all. Spent close to an hour and half there. The room had fantastic views all around. Front widow shows you the idol and gate, the balcony view is off the vast ocean Perfect. The humidity as quite high as anyone can imagine . After a good nights rest we woke up to a amazing unforgettable sun rise. The sun peeked its head up from the east over the mountains while its rays struck the top of the gate and the idol. I happily clicked away to my hearts content in all settings.
We then visited the temple and headed out back towards Kasargod but there was one more stop.
Chapter Udupi
I had been there couple of decades ago and my memories of the ancient town with significant importance in hind mythology had gently erased. now the infra structure had vastly improved and we could easily find a good spot to park the car and walk in easily to the temple. This temple had the idol of lord Krishna showing his back to the main door. To view the idol a small window to the back of the sanctum Santorum was the only way. That is because back in the days, when the legendary poet Kalidasa , a person of lower caste was not allowed to enter the temple he sang away in praise of the lord that the idol is beloved t have turned his face around . That is the story and its a good one. Since then , every person of every religion and faith have been allowed permission to enter. The one main note worth feature was the free meals offered to the thousands of devotees who come here every day. I repeat. its in thousands. The meal is not too shabby either. it was one of the most delicious simple meal I have ever had. Relished the offerings of the lord I must say and with gratitude we left from Udupi back towards home. On the way back we did stop at a Ganesh temple that my dad insisted we visit. Too much of devotion for me in a day but that was it. Buy late evening we reached home and what a trip that was. Enjoyed every bit of it. More than two thousand kilometres on the clock and so much of beautiful memories created with family.
This time since we had more than 160 days count down clock many ideas popped up my head.
We decided to skip the regular relaxing break instead do something that my parents and my my wife's parents would enjoy. My wife and I also thought together it would be loads of fun. So it was a full pilgrimage tour.
My little one had to get her head tonsured(shaven) since its a Hindu tradition to do so. WE always did have plan to go to the temple of Tirupathi in Andra paradesh. That was definitely the first on the list to visit. My wife's parents were also willing to join us, so I booked the train tickets for them to get to Bangalore. My sister and nephew were also in. My brother in law was busy at work so he dropped out. that would be just a one day visit, at most could be two. We wanted to do more, see more, visit more places. The next more popular destinations was Madhurai and Rameshwaram. Both on the south eastern part of Tamil Nadu. With little bit of logistics planned and a lot of convincing for my wife's parents we decided to visit those two places. Booked train tickets for all since it was easily available. Couple of days later my uncle back in Kerala were also interested in joining us so booked tickets for them as well.
Chapter: Tirupathi
Nov the eighteen we flow out to Bangalore and on twenty fifth is when our first temple Tirupathi was scheduled at. The five seater hatch back at home needed newer tyres and the people carrier needed some little servicing. Tirupathi was 280 km from Bangalore and there was ten of us and two cars.
Perfect. the plan initially was to stay overnight at Tirupathi and come back, but then there was some changes to come back on the same night. WE had to wait for the folks from Kerala to arrive that morning. We had a driver arranged to drive the hatch back since we were short of a driver.
Chapter: Rameshwaram.
On the twenty seventh evening we had the train to Madhurai, four hundred and eighty kilometers from Bengaluru. Eight of us had our seats/berths reserved on the same coach right next to each other, we uber'ed two taxis to train station and we were off on the second leg by eight PM. Train journey is such a less taxing travel as compared a car journey. we reached Madurai junction at eight in the morning. Dad and I went out and arranged for a mini bus to take us all to Rameshwaram, which was one hundred and fifty kilometers.
The package was good since it involved two days of hiring the mini bus as well as lodging for all at Rameshwaram. Enroute we had our breakfast at one of the finest south Indian cuisine i had been to. The whole place has great service, was extremely clean and food was delicious. BY noon we were at Rameshwaram, after some not so great lunch we rested in the rooms for a bit. Then we decided to walk to the historic temple of lord shiva which was just ten minutes away. There were hundereds queued up already. Since it was eveing puja time, the door was closed and we ended up waiting for more than an hour. Once we had the previlge of seeing the idol we had the rest of the evenings to ourselves. the ladies went around shopping near by for some minor jeweler .I went about looking for shells.. Rameshwaram is renowned for sea shells. Headed back to the room for a good nights sleep. India's most famous president of all time was from this city .The house he grew up in was just 5 minutes walk away from the lodge.
Next day we had some serious plans. The temple hosts twenty one different wells and water from each well has a different taste to it. Even if they are few feet away. WE negotiated a package with the local agent and he escorted all of us to each of this well one by one. At each well he drew a small bucket of water and poured it on us. This ritual is supposed to cleans of our sins and I went with it. Twenty one bucket of water later we were done. Children seems to enjoy it like a water theme park, the elders were at the most devoted during this. It means a lot for a Hindu to be at this temple once in their life time and go though this cleaning process. The evening we rested, the next day the plan was heading back to Madurai. The following day we stopped at at smaller known temples atop hill, then at a beach just after the palmer beach. My nephew and my little one seemed to have a blast in the pristine beach.Chapter: Madurai
We reached Madurai and checked into the lodge, we had the whole evening to ourselves. after a little bit of rest, we walked to the temple which was just twenty minutes away. The temple there is what makes this city. Its massive. The towers at twenty stories tall. there is not just one tower, three is seven. From any where in the city these magnanimous towers could be seen.I had been here when i was a kid. Too young to appreciate the wonderful architecture.
This time i was extremely observant. The scale and the sheer details really is out of this world. how could people with very simple tools all those centuries ago build some thing of this scale and size. Incredible. Took us a couple of hours to be blessed with a view of the goddess Meenakshi. It was truly a very spiritual feeling. Even that late in the evening, there were thousand of devotees. The entire temple complex spread over several acres. hundreds of shops lined the corridors selling merchandise.
Madurai is the textile capital of India and one thing that an unanimous yes among-st the ladies was shopping. We walked to one of the massive massive malls I have been to where it was just fabrics and dresses all over. spread over four floors, this place needed two six hour session to just have a glance once. I was just baby sitting while my mom, my sister, my aunt, my wife and mother in law all shopped like crazy. Clothes were cheap in price .
The following day we actually had the whole day to ourselves. Our train back to Bengaluru was scheduled that evening. We hired the same travel operator to take us around the city that day for a visit of all the local attractions. WE first headed to Tiruparnakundram temple. It actually is a massive hill made of solid granite. Wonder how that back in the days they carved out a temple into this rock. Not just a couple of feet, but several hundred meters into this stone hill. hundreds of steps to go up through the inside of the hill to reach the diety. Pillars , floors , ceiling and all carved out of rock.
WE then headed to the madurai Palace. It was a grand monument. It could have been curated well. scribblings on the massive pillars on walls did weave a story of how a grandeur of an era has been abused by the less intelligent folks. There were several exhibits of archeological findings there. Scruples as old as three thousand years! Awestruck i was. We then visited the gandhi memorial. A well taken care of building. It hosted the history of India quite well. The story of India is quite complicated and makes one realise how less we understand of where our ancestors have gone through. The exhibits finally ended with the actual piece of cloth that the mahatma himself was wearing on the day he was assassinated. It was blood stained and all. Quite a vivid image i have of that exhibit in my mind.Most of us were done my lunch time touring the city. WE have a good five hour gap for the train to arrive. We all went back to shopping at chennai silks.
At the train station there was an incidence where i stood up to bullying. The toilet keeper was harassing poor travellers for money to use the Toilet. I warned him once and he was verbally abusive to me. I quickly got hold of the station chief. He got his deputy. We walked down to this person. He instantly turned to be the most humble person ever. Quite a remarkable difference in a man whom i met few minutes ago. I tweeted the railway ministry as well and it was quickly directed to the Madurai station chief. For the time we spent at the railway station he was being nice to people using the toilet. Not sure how his behaviour changed later on. Back to Bangalore then. Wonderful few days in gorgeous Tamil Nadu. A host to great temples, fantastic history and a super cuisine of south indian food.Chapter Male Mahadeshwara
We spent few more days in Bengaluru. My wife and I had several dental issues that needed addressing. But that meant we had few days in Bengalure as well. So why waste time. My sister and I thought of a good one day trip that can be achieved over a weekend. So a good two hundred kilometre distance we had heard o
f a temple of lord Shiva called Malemahadeshwara .
Sorted out the route but what are as a surprise to us and a negative one at that was the severe lack of any amenities on route. No good restaurants , not many petrol stations. we had a very bad breakfast where we had to bin almost the entire thing we bought. My wife and daughter were throwing up all over the place and made a mess go the cars back seat. The temple was atop a hill and those twists might have been a drivers delight but for the passengers it was horrible. After few more throwing up stops we some how made to the temple. This temple was close to the border of Tamil Nadu, Salem. So majority of the devotees who came were from TN. There were long queues and it was held up as always in most temples that some over religious devotee wants to witness the idol more than anyone else for longer. Selfish B**rds is one word I can think off. At the end of it after our due prayers offered we were at the large open air auditorium for the free meal that the temple offered to all its devotees. I Must not judge free meals offered by temples but it was not too bad. hygiene level was adequate. We spent some more time walking around the temple area . I can distinctively remember that the elephant there was not as well decorated as a temple in Kerala would have been.
WE then headed back to Bangalore and that was lot of kilometres covered on a single day. we had a close call with one of the lunatic biker coming head on to us and we had to swing b violently to on coming traffic which was a BUS! My brother in law was in good control and we all had a heart attack . A fright that we cannot forget. Everything is memorable. Good or bad. Reached home late and night and that was the end of it.Chapter: Kollur
Once all of our dental issues were sorted at Bengaluru we headed to Kasargod. Few days of visits to friends and family, we had time on our hands. THe usual selves we normally are, quick decision and within an evening we decided we will visit few temples on the west coast. Father, mother, Wife, my daughter and myself in a seven seater MUV. Plenty fo space so off we started at seven amm towards Kollur. A temple two hundred kilometers north. We had to drive through Mangalore a busy city. The roads were excellent to driving was easy. We reached the temple just few minutes ahead of the puaj at noon. WE narrowly missed a massive queue. After the darshan, we had the Prasadam/lunch at the temple. It was one of the most simple delicious food I ave had and its unbelievable this is offered free of cost to thousands everyday round the year. Speaks volumes of how important a temple is to the locals. The drive it self was fantastic since the temple is right in the thick of the dense forest on west coast. The air, the smell of the fresh vegetation, the massive age old trees was something i enjoyed every meter along the way. On the way back there was a butterfly sanctuary which i intended to visit, but my adamant father insisted we keep driving ahead.
Chapter: Murudeshwara
Seventy kilometers further north along the coast line is this famous temple of Murudeshwar. Lord shiva temple. Back in the days it was small temple in spite of it holding a significant spot in the mythology.
Now This turned out to be one of the best decision we have made since being spiritual and religious is all good. but trow in a little bit of fun and then its even more memorable . There was an imposing large ,I mean very large gopuram. which is the main gate. It was twenty two stories tall. I kid you not. The tallest temple gate in the world. Behind the gate atop a hill was the largest idol of lord shiva. What a sight. The idol is another eight to ten stories high. The beach by the side was the perfect spot to rest up. I got ourselves checked into one the good rooms right but the side. We went down the beach and my daughter had a good time on the beach and so did we all. Spent close to an hour and half there. The room had fantastic views all around. Front widow shows you the idol and gate, the balcony view is off the vast ocean Perfect. The humidity as quite high as anyone can imagine . After a good nights rest we woke up to a amazing unforgettable sun rise. The sun peeked its head up from the east over the mountains while its rays struck the top of the gate and the idol. I happily clicked away to my hearts content in all settings.We then visited the temple and headed out back towards Kasargod but there was one more stop.
Chapter Udupi
I had been there couple of decades ago and my memories of the ancient town with significant importance in hind mythology had gently erased. now the infra structure had vastly improved and we could easily find a good spot to park the car and walk in easily to the temple. This temple had the idol of lord Krishna showing his back to the main door. To view the idol a small window to the back of the sanctum Santorum was the only way. That is because back in the days, when the legendary poet Kalidasa , a person of lower caste was not allowed to enter the temple he sang away in praise of the lord that the idol is beloved t have turned his face around . That is the story and its a good one. Since then , every person of every religion and faith have been allowed permission to enter. The one main note worth feature was the free meals offered to the thousands of devotees who come here every day. I repeat. its in thousands. The meal is not too shabby either. it was one of the most delicious simple meal I have ever had. Relished the offerings of the lord I must say and with gratitude we left from Udupi back towards home. On the way back we did stop at a Ganesh temple that my dad insisted we visit. Too much of devotion for me in a day but that was it. Buy late evening we reached home and what a trip that was. Enjoyed every bit of it. More than two thousand kilometres on the clock and so much of beautiful memories created with family.
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