Guruvayur stay; visiting temple; visiting railway station
After having checked in Brahmaputra tourist home a little after 11pm on a Tuesday, it was time to get fresh. At that odd hour the owner Mr Vishawanath was not there. A shower is taken under running water which is abundant and clean and later i set out in search for meals. Not far away is Gokulam or Krishnapriya hotel from where i take meals. Just before 12am i am in the outer fringes of Guruvayur temple where people line up before the gates of the temple for early morning darshan. I return to tourist home. Early morning it begins to drizzle. Accommodation in the tourist home was provided for a day only and i have to search for other lodges.
A better part of Wednesday is spent in search for room. I visit Nirmalyam Tourist Home, Previnnya, Nemini Tourist home among others. RVK Residency agrees to give accommodation for two days. Here Mr Sunil is the personnel at the reception desk who tries to reason out that in view of the expected rush room can be given for a limited time. There is Mr Madhoo Nair as well who brings in tea and other eatables as and when required.
Thursday is the day when i visit Guruvayur temple. As usual there is rush and the movement of devotees is not marred by the fact that queue is long and they move in an orderly fashion. Sighting the Lord is an experience in itself and one can't stay beyond five seconds before the idol. A tray full of cash notes can be spotted; it would be better if offerings by devotees is put in the cash box. The temple is neat and clean to the last mile and the windows from which Pal Payasam and other prasadam could be secured have been relocated outside. Taking a round of the sanctum sanctorum takes four to five minutes and there are large number of men and women doing the same.
Meals taken in the afternoon were precisely from Nandini restaurant where Urmila and Raj Gopal were among a host of personnel attending to the customers. Hotel Padma vegetarian provided the best tea in town. On a Friday i visited the railway station which is 15 to 20 minutes walk from RVK Residency. A Ticket is booked for Rajdhani train without any hassles. In the station premises i came across book stall manager Mr K Vidyadharan and the conversation with him ranged from stories i write to the weather in the temple town. There is a magazine story on a plane incident in Dubai. There are English and Malyalam magazines, children comic books and in all more than 30 to 40 magazines in Malyalam. In the station premises one can find a ladies waiting room and a general waiting room.
The station name is first in Malyalam followed by Hindi and English. The metro stations in the city of Bangalore doing away with Hindi is nothing but an act of pandering to their loyalists. Well, Hindi is spoken across length and breadth of the country. Here in the station which is amidst thick green cover i meet two gentlemen, one from Kodakara, 25 kms from Guruvayoor and another Mr Raja Gopal who has spent more than 35 years in Southeastern Railways and has a flat in Guruvayoor. It was a chance meeting with students of Sri Krishna Iyer Higher Secondary School one afternoon. Nirmal has been a commerce student in 10 plus one and there are five girl students in 10 plus one. I am told the school timings are from 8.45 to 4.45 and the medium of instruction is in Malyalam and English.
Lodges i tried to check in after vacating RVK Residency.
- Ambadi (rooms come for over 1500 rs; only AC rooms)
- Krishna Gopuram lodge. Here next to it is a medicine shop where a gentleman says rooms are full
- Krishna Kripa (booked for marriage)
- Akshaya Warrier Samajam
- Sreepadam Tourist Home
- Nirmalyam Tourist Home
- Jyothi Tourist Home (only for a night it can be spared as one has to check out after 8 am)
- Srivihar Tourist Home (they have a policy not to give to one person whereas outside it is written rooms to let)
- RVK Residency (can't be spared for another day as manager shakeel bangs the keys on the desk showing his displeasure when i made a request for extension)
- Elite over rs 1000 a day and it has been booked for marriage
- Rugmini Kallyana Mandapam (In all i made five visits to this lodge and what could be agreed upon was room could be spared for just a day)
- Previnnya (Earlier they said come any day; later the owner was not agreeing to part with a room)
- Lakshmi Lodge (The first day the tariff was shown to be 500 rs and following day they were willing to let out at rs 1000 )
-Arunodayam Tourist Home (no rooms available as it is booked for marriage)
- Nemini Tourist home (no rooms)
In all 15 lodges were tried and Rugmini Kallyana Mandapam gave the room for a day on a Friday. Saturday was the day when i decided to visit Chavakkad beach.
Ride to Chavakkad beach
As bus moves out of bus stand, turns left there is Aiswarya Tea stall. It goes past Capital Traders, Muthoot Finance and a hoarding showing flats available for Rs 3.5 lakh in Guruvayur. The bus goes past
- Zaitara world of women's wear
- JIO Digital Life
- BSNL Holiday Home
- Capital Sandal
- VINU Car beauty
- VJN's English Solution
Spoken English
The ride is amidst shops, structures and thick layer of greenery. Met Mr Venugopal and Mr Gopinath who were kind enough to give directions for Chavakkad beach.
From bus i alight at Hotel ten to ten. From here Munakkakadavu is shown left, Anchangadi left and beach straight. A little later Baby Beach Road is shown Right. A few metres later there is Welcome to Chavakkad Beach. Masjid Jeelani is on left and Chetrai Lighthouse 2km away. There are more boats at beach, no litter and more shops. At beach i come across.
- Lazza ice cream
- Mohammad Sharief selling vinegar, salt
- Rafiq selling chana
- Merriboy ice cream
- Lions club of Thrissivaperoor town
- Babughail selling popcorn
The ride from beach is taken in a shared auto. Meet Hansel Xavier in the shared auto.
In Naboos Tea stall meet Shahar and Mr Hussein. From 1974 to 2014 Mr Hussein has worked in Abu Dhabi in stationery and grocery store. I happen to meet Mr Tony Thomas in the tea stall and later Mr Murlidharan working in urban bank in Guruvayur, staying 20kms away from Guruvayur.
After having checked in Brahmaputra tourist home a little after 11pm on a Tuesday, it was time to get fresh. At that odd hour the owner Mr Vishawanath was not there. A shower is taken under running water which is abundant and clean and later i set out in search for meals. Not far away is Gokulam or Krishnapriya hotel from where i take meals. Just before 12am i am in the outer fringes of Guruvayur temple where people line up before the gates of the temple for early morning darshan. I return to tourist home. Early morning it begins to drizzle. Accommodation in the tourist home was provided for a day only and i have to search for other lodges.
A better part of Wednesday is spent in search for room. I visit Nirmalyam Tourist Home, Previnnya, Nemini Tourist home among others. RVK Residency agrees to give accommodation for two days. Here Mr Sunil is the personnel at the reception desk who tries to reason out that in view of the expected rush room can be given for a limited time. There is Mr Madhoo Nair as well who brings in tea and other eatables as and when required.
Thursday is the day when i visit Guruvayur temple. As usual there is rush and the movement of devotees is not marred by the fact that queue is long and they move in an orderly fashion. Sighting the Lord is an experience in itself and one can't stay beyond five seconds before the idol. A tray full of cash notes can be spotted; it would be better if offerings by devotees is put in the cash box. The temple is neat and clean to the last mile and the windows from which Pal Payasam and other prasadam could be secured have been relocated outside. Taking a round of the sanctum sanctorum takes four to five minutes and there are large number of men and women doing the same.
Meals taken in the afternoon were precisely from Nandini restaurant where Urmila and Raj Gopal were among a host of personnel attending to the customers. Hotel Padma vegetarian provided the best tea in town. On a Friday i visited the railway station which is 15 to 20 minutes walk from RVK Residency. A Ticket is booked for Rajdhani train without any hassles. In the station premises i came across book stall manager Mr K Vidyadharan and the conversation with him ranged from stories i write to the weather in the temple town. There is a magazine story on a plane incident in Dubai. There are English and Malyalam magazines, children comic books and in all more than 30 to 40 magazines in Malyalam. In the station premises one can find a ladies waiting room and a general waiting room.
The station name is first in Malyalam followed by Hindi and English. The metro stations in the city of Bangalore doing away with Hindi is nothing but an act of pandering to their loyalists. Well, Hindi is spoken across length and breadth of the country. Here in the station which is amidst thick green cover i meet two gentlemen, one from Kodakara, 25 kms from Guruvayoor and another Mr Raja Gopal who has spent more than 35 years in Southeastern Railways and has a flat in Guruvayoor. It was a chance meeting with students of Sri Krishna Iyer Higher Secondary School one afternoon. Nirmal has been a commerce student in 10 plus one and there are five girl students in 10 plus one. I am told the school timings are from 8.45 to 4.45 and the medium of instruction is in Malyalam and English.
Lodges i tried to check in after vacating RVK Residency.
- Ambadi (rooms come for over 1500 rs; only AC rooms)
- Krishna Gopuram lodge. Here next to it is a medicine shop where a gentleman says rooms are full
- Krishna Kripa (booked for marriage)
- Akshaya Warrier Samajam
- Sreepadam Tourist Home
- Nirmalyam Tourist Home
- Jyothi Tourist Home (only for a night it can be spared as one has to check out after 8 am)
- Srivihar Tourist Home (they have a policy not to give to one person whereas outside it is written rooms to let)
- RVK Residency (can't be spared for another day as manager shakeel bangs the keys on the desk showing his displeasure when i made a request for extension)
- Elite over rs 1000 a day and it has been booked for marriage
- Rugmini Kallyana Mandapam (In all i made five visits to this lodge and what could be agreed upon was room could be spared for just a day)
- Previnnya (Earlier they said come any day; later the owner was not agreeing to part with a room)
- Lakshmi Lodge (The first day the tariff was shown to be 500 rs and following day they were willing to let out at rs 1000 )
-Arunodayam Tourist Home (no rooms available as it is booked for marriage)
- Nemini Tourist home (no rooms)
In all 15 lodges were tried and Rugmini Kallyana Mandapam gave the room for a day on a Friday. Saturday was the day when i decided to visit Chavakkad beach.
Ride to Chavakkad beach
As bus moves out of bus stand, turns left there is Aiswarya Tea stall. It goes past Capital Traders, Muthoot Finance and a hoarding showing flats available for Rs 3.5 lakh in Guruvayur. The bus goes past
- Zaitara world of women's wear
- JIO Digital Life
- BSNL Holiday Home
- Capital Sandal
- VINU Car beauty
- VJN's English Solution
Spoken English
The ride is amidst shops, structures and thick layer of greenery. Met Mr Venugopal and Mr Gopinath who were kind enough to give directions for Chavakkad beach.
From bus i alight at Hotel ten to ten. From here Munakkakadavu is shown left, Anchangadi left and beach straight. A little later Baby Beach Road is shown Right. A few metres later there is Welcome to Chavakkad Beach. Masjid Jeelani is on left and Chetrai Lighthouse 2km away. There are more boats at beach, no litter and more shops. At beach i come across.
- Lazza ice cream
- Mohammad Sharief selling vinegar, salt
- Rafiq selling chana
- Merriboy ice cream
- Lions club of Thrissivaperoor town
- Babughail selling popcorn
The ride from beach is taken in a shared auto. Meet Hansel Xavier in the shared auto.
In Naboos Tea stall meet Shahar and Mr Hussein. From 1974 to 2014 Mr Hussein has worked in Abu Dhabi in stationery and grocery store. I happen to meet Mr Tony Thomas in the tea stall and later Mr Murlidharan working in urban bank in Guruvayur, staying 20kms away from Guruvayur.
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