Tiruvannamalai---- Nobody told us about the blisters!!!( 13th and 14th Apr, 2011)

Malathesh,Geetha,Sandeep,Greeshma, Sudha and I spent a very nice couple of days in Tiruvannamalai on 13th and 14th Apr.

A group of us in my company donate Rs.100 each per month which is sent to Tiruvannamalai.This has been going on for many years so it was not difficult to get confirmed accomodation in the Ramanashram Guest House.

Tiruvannamalai is almost equidistant from Chennai and Bangalore.Geetha and Malathesh came by car from Bangalore.Sandeep and Greeshma came in their car and Sudha and I travelled by my car because Sandeep and Greeshma had to be back at work on 15th Apr morning.

We left at 6.30 AM.13th Apr was Election Day in Tamilnadu and we could see brisk activity in all the towns and villages we passed through.We passed through Gingee which was the scene of a big battle between the East India Company forces and Tipu Sultan in the late 18th Century.The Gingee Fort looks impressive even today.

( A couple of days back I read an article vy Janaki Lentin on the proliferation of puff adders - a variety of snake- near Gingee.However, we didn't have the good fortune of seeing any during our drive.).

We reached Tiruvannamalai at around 10.30 AM.Geetha and Malathesh had already reached there before us and taken the room keys for the Ashram.We had booked 2 rooms but were lucky to get 3.Lunch was at 11.30 AM so we decided to have Lunch in the Ashram before getting back to the Guest House.

We left our footwear in the car and walked around gingerly.The Ashram has a wonderful ambience that is greatly conducive to peace and silence.We went around the samadhis of Ramana and his mother and sat for a few minutes in contemplative silence.

We then joined the queue for Lunch.Promptly at 11.30 AM, a bell was rung, the dining hall doors were opened and people filed in silently.Lunch was spartan but filling.The volunteers who serve lunch are unfailingly courteous and a great many foreigners have no difficulty in sitting cross-legged and eating from a banana leaf.One cute little foreigner boy was going around filling up water.

It was quite warm and the caw-caw of the peacocks was loud and raucous.Yes, peacocks abound in Tiruvannamalai and one can see them everywhere in the Ashram.

After Lunch, we went back to the Guest House which was a short distance away and had a nap.We were back at the Guest House at 4 PM for Coffee, followed by a Veda Parayana. At 5.30 PM, we all went to the Arunachaleshwara Temple which is about 2 Km away.This is a massive complex.To our great fortune, the temple was almost empty.We were told that all the people had gone to collect their blenders, dhotis and sarees ( offered by the political parties in Tamil  Nadu as an inducement for the Election). Unfortunately, we didn't know where to go and collect these items, so we stuck to the temple.

We got back to the Ashram by 7 PM, stood in the queue once again and had our dinner at 7.30 PM.We then walked across the road to get ice creams.

We were back at the Guest House by 8.30 PM and turned in early because we had to be up by 5 AM the next day for the Girivalam.

For the uninitiated, Girivalam means going around a hill.Giri means mountain or hill.There is a hill in Tiruvannamalai which is shaped like a Lingam.This is considered to be a manifestation of Eshwara and is called Arunachaleshwara.
In effect, going around the hill means circumambulating the Lingam.The circumferential distance is 14 Km and is considered best done on foot ( bare feet at that) in order to attain Moksha ( Liberation of the Soul). I had asked my factory colleague whether I can do the Girivalam by car and he said in that case my car will attain Moksha and not me.

Sudha, Geetha and Greeshma did the wise thing ( in retrospect) and walked with their shoes/slippers.Malathesh went barefoot and so did Sandeep and I ( except that I also carried my slippers with me as insurance).

Sudha,Malathesh and Geetha set off at 5 AM and Sandeep,Greeshma and I left 15 minutes later. The road was tarred and there was also a pavement.However, there were tiny pebbles which still poked my delicate feet.The pavement was not smooth but they had these small tiles with gaps in between which were painful to my feet.I was told that the entire expense of tarring the road, lighting  and putting the tiles was borne by Rajanikanth , the Super Star, after the tremendous success of his film "Arunachalam".

The crowd was not much which was again something to be thankful for.On fullmoon days, the Girivalam is said to be teeming with crowds.

The road had signs that said "You have walked 3 Km--- 11 Km to go" and so on.Here was a road that was actually perfect for Johnnie Walker ads "Keep Walking".

We walked and walked.Sudha felt tired and stopped to rest.Geetha and Malathesh carried on.We caught up with Sudha.Sandeep stayed back to walk with her and Greeshma and I carried on.

The last 4 Km is within Tiruvannamalai town.By the time we finished 9 Km, I was finding it difficult to put my feet down eventhough there were no pebbles or sharp objects.I looked down and was shocked to see angry red blisters on the soles of both my feet. I decided that my slippers getting Moksha was better than my walking with the blisters and put my slippers on.

We came to Hotel Aparna in the town and had a hearty breakfast.Geetha and Malathesh were already there.Malathesh's feet were in pretty bad shape but he was very stoic and decided to complete the girivalam in bare feet only.

The previous day, I had seen some people walking around in the Ashram very slowly.I assumed this was because their activities slowed down while in the Ashram. Now I knew the real reason--- they also must have done the Girivalam the first time.

The walk through the town gave me some good marketing ideas.Imagine coming across a Chemist shop that boldly advertises " Foot Cream for Blisters--- Rs.200 only" or  a Spa advertising " Foot Massage-Rs.2000 only ( per foot)". I would have taken up the offer in a flash.

The Girivalam tradition is to pass through the Arunachaleshwar temple but all of us except Malathesh bypassed this. We reached the Guest House at around 10 AM and flopped in bed.We painfully pulled ourselves up at 11 AM so as to be in time for Lunch at 11.30 AM.

The Ashram runs like clockwork and the atmosphere is really serene.The heart rate automatically drops by 50% and I've decided that we should go there at least twice in a year.

We again came back to the Guest House for a nap and went back to the Ashram at around 4.30 PM after tea in a local chai kadai ( delicious). Again the quiet meditation in the Ashram hall, the chanting of the Divya Prabandham and the Dinner at 7.30 PM.

Plenty of foreigners and some of the ladies were so beautiful that it was difficult to concentrate on the prayers.One in particular looked almost divine in her pure white dress with big kunkuma and vibhuti pattu.I'm sure she must have been disappointed in love and had come to the Ashrama to seek solace.

Sandeep and Greeshma had already left by 4 PM and called to say that they had reached by 8 PM.

14th Apr happened to be the 61st Death Anniversary of Ramana Maharshi and a prayer meeting was organized opposite the room where he died.

Sudha and Geetha stayed back and said that it was a wonderful experience.I went off to sleep by around 8.30 PM.

Next day ( 15th Apr), we all got up by 5 AM and left together--- Malathesh and Geetha turned left for Bangalore and Sudha and I turned right for Chennai.We reached Chennai at around 10 AM.

End of Tiruvannamalai adventure and it was a wonderful experience.Sandeep,Greeshma,Geetha and Malathesh provided wonderful company.

Mangalore Express--- A Nightmare of a Journey--- 10th Apr 2011

I'm a frequent traveller to Trichy from Chennai.I take either the Mangalore Mail that leaves at 10 PM or the Rockfort Express which leaves at 10.30 PM.

I'm usually a sound sleeper on trains and I've never had a problem travelling by either train---- until yesterday, that is.

I had had a very tiring week end on 9th and 10th Apr.On 9th, we had an Office Meeting followed by a get -together in a Beach Resort.We had played cricket there and then I got back at 8.30 PM.Sandeep had booked tickets for "The King's Speech" for the 10.30 PM and we got back at 1 AM. Next day, Sudha & I  had gone for a Sathyanarayana Pooje followed by a heavy lunch. When we got back, Deepali was at home and we were exchanging a lot of stories including how she met Anil Srivatsa for the first time and their whirlwind romance and wedding.

Immediately thereafter, we had to rush to R K Nagar for a Colony meeting and got back at 9 PM. I packed my luggage for the trip to Trichy and wolfed down by Dinner and left by 9.20 PM.On the way to Egmore Station, I made calls to Malathesh and Sachin. All this is to let you know how frazzled I was and therefore I was really looking forward to settling down in my 1st AC compartment and having a good sleep. My co-passengers were a 12 year old boy accompanied by his 80 year grandmother and they were to get off at Srirangam at 3 AM.My other co-passenger was a business who was getting off at Karur ( after Trichy).

I had a lower berth.The first thing I noticed was that the lower berths were occupied.I soon sent the 12 year old boy upstairs and snuggled down to sleep.

In a few minutes, the Karur businessman was on to a long business call.By the time he finished, I knew all the details of his business.As soon as he finished, the 12 year old got a call.It was from his dad,asking if he had settled down.Our chap said that he had settled down very well, was into the 3rd page of his Tinkle Comics and also wanted to know whether mum, sis, little bro and their Pomeranian had gone to sleep.He then gave the phone to his grandma who said that she had said her prayers and was settling down to sleep.She also wanted to know whether Prabha( d-i-l), Priya( granddaughter) and Parthiban ( grandson) had gone to sleep--- and oh, she had forgotten to ask about Dolly, the little Pomeranian ( a fuff, in Greeshma's words).

Everyone was well and sleeping ( except me!!). Just when the little brat switched off his dad's call, he got another call--- this was from his uncle at Srirangam.Did he and Paati get on the train and were they well settled ? Yes, said our boy, and for good measure asked if Chithi( Aunt), Vignesh and Prabagaran ( his cousins) had all gone to sleep.Chithappa said everyone was asleep ( except me!!). Our brat then said how he looked forward to getting to Srirangam and playing with Vignesh and Prabagaran and whether they still had the cricket bat. I wished the cricket bat was in my compartment and I would have put it to better use.

By now it was 1 AM and everyone in my coach was sleeping except me.

I was just drifting off to sleep when I was woken up by ( you guessed it!!) our 12-year old. He was on the phone to his dad asking what time the train would reach Srirangam. I looked at my watch.It was 2 AM.His dad said he didn't know and asked the boy to ring up Chithappa.Our friend duly rang up Chithappa and was told it would reach by 3 AM.The sadist in me was happy that I wasn't the only one now awake.

At 2.45 AM, the boy rang his Chithappa again and asked whether he ( Chithappa) had reached the station.He then rang up his dad ( in Chennai) and informed him that the train was nearing Srirangam and he had spoken to Chithappa and Chithappa was waiting for him at the station.

I had borne all this patiently till now.I then got up and told the boy to shut up and let others sleep.He kept quiet for some time and then started speaking to his Paati in loud stage whispers.This was worse than his speaking loudly.

I gave up and resigned myself to catching up on my sleep in the Office next day.