The ride from Guruvayoor to Tirumala
On a Friday i leave Guruvayoor around 3.40, reach thrissur at 4.22. On way a signboard shows same direction for thrissur, ernakulam and sabarimala road.
There is a little slide as you approach Thrissur railway station where platform 1 has upper class waiting hall. It is a fairly clean station with a series of vendors spelling their magic. Three platforms in all with no tall structure in the vicinity and that perhaps explains the serenity to the surroundings. As goods are unloaded from a train from platform 3, all i have to cherish is the clean and not cluttered template. Perhaps two years ago visiting the same station in the month of June the passengers were witness to heavy rains. From Thrissur train leaves at 5.35pm, oatapalam coming at 6.15 (station fairly clean), palakkad 6.40, coimbatore 7.59. There is one gentleman, having boarded the train from ernakulam, is proceeding to Faridabad to meet a friend. With ear phone and no ear ring, he is oblivious to the poor water situation in Faridabad, something i broach, he seems little interested to ponder over in a coach.
Early morning reach Tirupati station; passengers can avail facilities by paying nominal charges
Early morning reach Tirupati station. With no idea of whether i should step out or wait, i try to reach outside only to come across a spectacle where the TTEs room on platform one adjacent to announcement centre has the room door getting partially closed with some passengers inside with a personnel. A little later i visit the upper class waiting hall where i make a due entry and take a seat to be followed by a gentleman offering a cash dole to a lady having the register marked for arrival/departure entry. The best way is even if you don't have upper class ticket, passengers can avail the facilities of bathroom by making a nominal payment by filling a form and taking a receipt. Nominal should be the charges for availing facilities at stations when the upper class ticket is not in hand. After waiting for an hour or so i step out take an auto and reach near Tirupati bus stand where there are a host of lodges. I try to check in a lodge where i stayed in 95 and 96 only to be told that rooms are booked.
The next course is i try a bus for Tirumala. The bus stops at a checking point. All passengers have to deboard and put their luggage in a scanning machine. Here the amount of time the personnel has taken to scan my baggage and asking me to open it, i think a lot of improvement is required. First the personnel may be exhausted by the turn of load at the scanning centre. Second by the time you come out with your baggage the bus you came in is nowhere to be seen. The plight explained i am told to wait for another bus. Finally the one i get in and the seat i take there is another episode waiting to happen. In good faith i tell one passenger who has boarded after me to take a seat next . He is agitated and whispers :"Get up" Perhaps part of my folly that the seat that he left to complete the task of scanning was the one i was sitting . But had he made some adjustment we could have all sit. A little later i take another seat and rue on why i missed my bus. It is better from Tirupati to come to Tirumala in a shared jeep/taxi than bus. The number of times you need to board /deboard a bus with your luggage is not beneficial to your health. Finally a little after 6.30 i reach Tirumala, with the stay spread over four days.
On a Friday i leave Guruvayoor around 3.40, reach thrissur at 4.22. On way a signboard shows same direction for thrissur, ernakulam and sabarimala road.
There is a little slide as you approach Thrissur railway station where platform 1 has upper class waiting hall. It is a fairly clean station with a series of vendors spelling their magic. Three platforms in all with no tall structure in the vicinity and that perhaps explains the serenity to the surroundings. As goods are unloaded from a train from platform 3, all i have to cherish is the clean and not cluttered template. Perhaps two years ago visiting the same station in the month of June the passengers were witness to heavy rains. From Thrissur train leaves at 5.35pm, oatapalam coming at 6.15 (station fairly clean), palakkad 6.40, coimbatore 7.59. There is one gentleman, having boarded the train from ernakulam, is proceeding to Faridabad to meet a friend. With ear phone and no ear ring, he is oblivious to the poor water situation in Faridabad, something i broach, he seems little interested to ponder over in a coach.
Early morning reach Tirupati station; passengers can avail facilities by paying nominal charges
Early morning reach Tirupati station. With no idea of whether i should step out or wait, i try to reach outside only to come across a spectacle where the TTEs room on platform one adjacent to announcement centre has the room door getting partially closed with some passengers inside with a personnel. A little later i visit the upper class waiting hall where i make a due entry and take a seat to be followed by a gentleman offering a cash dole to a lady having the register marked for arrival/departure entry. The best way is even if you don't have upper class ticket, passengers can avail the facilities of bathroom by making a nominal payment by filling a form and taking a receipt. Nominal should be the charges for availing facilities at stations when the upper class ticket is not in hand. After waiting for an hour or so i step out take an auto and reach near Tirupati bus stand where there are a host of lodges. I try to check in a lodge where i stayed in 95 and 96 only to be told that rooms are booked.
The next course is i try a bus for Tirumala. The bus stops at a checking point. All passengers have to deboard and put their luggage in a scanning machine. Here the amount of time the personnel has taken to scan my baggage and asking me to open it, i think a lot of improvement is required. First the personnel may be exhausted by the turn of load at the scanning centre. Second by the time you come out with your baggage the bus you came in is nowhere to be seen. The plight explained i am told to wait for another bus. Finally the one i get in and the seat i take there is another episode waiting to happen. In good faith i tell one passenger who has boarded after me to take a seat next . He is agitated and whispers :"Get up" Perhaps part of my folly that the seat that he left to complete the task of scanning was the one i was sitting . But had he made some adjustment we could have all sit. A little later i take another seat and rue on why i missed my bus. It is better from Tirupati to come to Tirumala in a shared jeep/taxi than bus. The number of times you need to board /deboard a bus with your luggage is not beneficial to your health. Finally a little after 6.30 i reach Tirumala, with the stay spread over four days.
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