Making a note of stay in South India Part II
It is little after 11pm i checked in Brahmaputra tourist home in Guruvayur in Kerala in South India. Later I have meals from Krishnapriya hotel. Just before 12am i am in outer precincts of Guruvayur temple. With Accommodation in Brahmaputra tourist home coming just for a day i search for room in other lodges like Nirmalyam Tourist Home, Previnnya, Nemini Tourist and RVK Residency. I manage to secure accommodation for two days in RVK Residency. Here i come across Mr Sunil and Mr Madhoo Nair .
Thursday i visit Guruvayur temple. Orderly movement of devotees helps to reach the sanctum sanctorum where sighting the Lord is a moving experience with a wish one could stay for a little longer. 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. Pal Payasam and other prasadam which could be secured from windows have been relocated outside.
Visiting railway station; meeting Sister Dani Francis
During my stay for a week i took meals from Nandini restaurant where Urmila and Raj Gopal could be seen attending to customers. Tea during the entire stay is taken from Hotel Padma vegetarian and Sarvana Sweets. The Railway Station which i visit on a Friday to secure Rajdhani train ticket which i later cancel it showcases a station amidst greenery with the conversation with book stall manager Mr K Vidyadharan something to cherish. His book stall displays no less than 30 to 40 magazines in Malyalam, the language spoken in Kerala. I happen to meet Mr Raja Gopal who has spent considerable time in Southeastern Railways, something over 35 years, and is blessed to have a flat in Guruvayur. I happen to meet students of Sri Krishna Iyer Higher Secondary School which has medium of instruction in Malyalam and English. I happen to meet Mr Madhu Sharad of Independent Books who has a range of writing pads, books and has photostat facility as well. On another day came across Sister Dani Francis a Nun teaching English in Little Flower College. Came across students of Guruvayur Devaswom School (fees is 20,000 rs perhaps for the entire year). Also came across Mr Nandu of Anjali Communications a cyber cafe. I happen to meet three girl students named Krishnapriya, Gopika and Shilpa studying in Sree Krishna Higher Secondary School and are strong in maths. I came across three girl students studying in Amritha Vidyalaya 10 plus 2 Commerce. That reminds me of three girl students i met in New Delh, Anny Mary hailing from Angamali, Annu hailing from Kottayam and Sneha from Wayanad, studying in colleges of Delhi University. In the national capital i met some nuns hailing from Kottayam.
Visiting Guruvayur temple again
Saturday i had the opportunity to visit Chavakkad beach and and after returning from there i vacated Rugmini Kallyana Mandapam which had given room for a day and i check in Aiswarya lodge where i come across Mr Gopalakrishnan the owner and Mr Hassan the manager. Sunday i had the opportunity to visit Guruvayur temple again where it is mandatory to remove vest before frisking begins. Perhaps frisking could be upgraded to a new level and should not be a half-hearted exercise. All men visiting the temple are supposed to sport Mundu around their waist which in North India is called Dhoti.
Visiting Elephant Sanctuary
On a Monday Mr Sudhir the auto man takes me to a bus stand where Mr Surendar working in Abu Dhabi for the past 25 years guides me on how to approach Elephant Sanctuary and for that one has to visit Punarthur Kotta. Having reached Punarthur Kotta i spot a board which says the behaviour of elephant is unpredictable. There is another board that says: Photography, videography, use of mobile phones are strictly prohibited inside. Another board reads: This elephant is in musth. Visitors are requested to keep safe distance and not to stay here for a long time.
According to officer Mr Murali there are 54 elephants, including five female elephants. Padmanabhal is 80 years old, considered to be inspired by Guruyappan. Another elephant Ramankutty is 76 years old. He has been winner of elephant rice for 10 to 15 years. As for the duration for which the elephant sanctuary has been there it has been 25 years. All elephants are chained. They are taken for walk in the evening. During walk chains are loosened. The ride back to East Nada is accomplished in an auto with Mr Satish at the helm.
Visiting Trinity Travel &Tours for booking air ticket; putting surcharge on multiple cars in Delhi
On a day when i visit Trinity Travel & Tours Pvt Ltd to book a air ticket from Kochi to Delhi i come across Mr Joshy, Reshma and Seeja. Mr Joshy was of the view that Delhi the national capital was highly polluted and here one is reminded of multiple cars that one owned. Most probable solution could be a hefty surcharge each year on any household having a second car which could considerably lower the vehicular pollution with surcharge going up for vehicles that were more expensive. Increasing metro fare in Delhi was not a wise move as findings revealed there has been a drop in number of commuters taking Delhi Metro and to suggest there were many holidays in the month of October is a case of not stating the truth, a story shown in NDTV.
Tuesday i visited Guruvayur temple for the third time. As usual there is rush with orderly movement of devotees. Sighting Lord Guruvayur in sanctum sanctorum takes your blues away. The very fact that Spick-and-span surroundings of the temple is seen round the year is something true for other temples in South India.
During my stay i happen to meet Mr N R Nair who stays in Guruvayur and has been a scientist in Delhi earlier. There is Mr Udayan staying in Guruvayur for the past 35 years. In Variety Shop (for handkerchief) i come acrosss Mr Narendar at the counter.
Leaving Guruvayur for Kochi
With a flight ticket procured from Trinity Travel & Tours Pvt Ltd Tuesday evening i left Guruvayur for Angamali to reach Kochi. Reaching Guruvayur station a little before six pm i spot a bomb disposal squad van. I take the train headed towards Chennai. There is Mr Mohammad who has spent a considerable time in the Gulf and at present staying in Guruvayur and travelling to Madurai. There is another gentleman travelling to Kudankulam about 200 kms from Guruvayur. The train leaves at 9.15. There is Mr Manoj a teacher in Hindi who boards the train from Thrissur. Places as varied as Alleppey, Malappuram, Idukki, Alwaye and Ernakulam of Kerala State figure in conversation in the train. Angamali comes at 10.50pm. I hail an auto with Mr Mani at the helm. I am in Kochi airport at 11.05 with a woman personnel of CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) taking a look at the ticket and identity card.
In the airport there are different screens displaying different new channels like Manorama News or Asianet News and some news channels like NDTV, CNNIBN beamed from New Delhi. In the airport i come across an assistant professor of north campus of Delhi University. There is a couple whose daughter works in excise department in Delhi. There is a family headed towards Dubai. There is Mr Philip of Indian Railways. The plane leaves at 2 am and reaches Delhi by 5 in the morning. For over 20 minutes the pilot is making rounds of the airport with no idea of the runway in which the aircraft has landed and the bay at which he wants to park.
For two weeks i stayed in South India covering parts of Chennai, Rameswarasm, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thrissur, Guruvayur and Kochi. Providing the Perfect Complement to my stay was an environment which was largely clean and not toxic, the exchanges with people from across sections largely cordial and a movement that was seamless and not troublesome.
Watching TV Channels
Watching TV Channel DD Podhigai featuring Rangoli on a Sunday from 7 to 8 pm, another featuring Kyyil Thoppu that too on a Sunday was a mixed bag. Watching Laila O Laila a Malyalam movie featuring Mr Mohanlal (Mr Mohanlal Viswanath Nair) and Ms Anjali on Manorama TV was something to cherish. Watching Listening Post on Al Jazeera which had a story on a detention centre in Australia and how detainees were at the receiving end was interesting. Watching CNN International and the reportage on new Inter Continental Ballistic Missile fired by North Korea and the threats that it spawned showed utter callousness of the international community in the past to rein in this rogue leader. China has to stop all trade with North Korea and be on the same page when international response is to be delivered. There are no easy solutions to this Korean crisis.
As far as Middle East is concerned perhaps some movement should be seen. Especially the Saudi Arabia led blockade against Qatar should be lifted and diplomatic ties established. Perhaps a unified GCC would come handy to tackle different issues in the Gulf. On a different level in the national capital i happen to meet Mr Amin Khan hailing from Rajasthan working in Saudi Arabia where petrol cost 65 halala (less than one riyal) to a litre as against over Rs 70 in India.
Gujarat election is just an assembly poll; limit on travels by politicos
Some are reading too much into Gujarat Elections. Allegations and counter allegations have turned this poll battle to a circus. The Rafale Jet Deal is the best to date and nothing could have been better than this. News Channels in New Delhi and Gujarat are trying to show that this election would be a game changer. Well nothing of that sort would happen. It is just a state election and the verdict here should not be tied to the polls of 2019 which are still one and a half years away. There should be a limit on number of travels that politicos undertake across length and breadth of the country each year. It is on public money on which they travel and it is on public support they babble. There are too many polls each year in our country. Perhaps all assembly elections and Parliament elections should be clubbed together (held at the same time) once in five years and that too with transparency brought in poll funding.
It is little after 11pm i checked in Brahmaputra tourist home in Guruvayur in Kerala in South India. Later I have meals from Krishnapriya hotel. Just before 12am i am in outer precincts of Guruvayur temple. With Accommodation in Brahmaputra tourist home coming just for a day i search for room in other lodges like Nirmalyam Tourist Home, Previnnya, Nemini Tourist and RVK Residency. I manage to secure accommodation for two days in RVK Residency. Here i come across Mr Sunil and Mr Madhoo Nair .
Thursday i visit Guruvayur temple. Orderly movement of devotees helps to reach the sanctum sanctorum where sighting the Lord is a moving experience with a wish one could stay for a little longer. 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. Pal Payasam and other prasadam which could be secured from windows have been relocated outside.
Visiting railway station; meeting Sister Dani Francis
During my stay for a week i took meals from Nandini restaurant where Urmila and Raj Gopal could be seen attending to customers. Tea during the entire stay is taken from Hotel Padma vegetarian and Sarvana Sweets. The Railway Station which i visit on a Friday to secure Rajdhani train ticket which i later cancel it showcases a station amidst greenery with the conversation with book stall manager Mr K Vidyadharan something to cherish. His book stall displays no less than 30 to 40 magazines in Malyalam, the language spoken in Kerala. I happen to meet Mr Raja Gopal who has spent considerable time in Southeastern Railways, something over 35 years, and is blessed to have a flat in Guruvayur. I happen to meet students of Sri Krishna Iyer Higher Secondary School which has medium of instruction in Malyalam and English. I happen to meet Mr Madhu Sharad of Independent Books who has a range of writing pads, books and has photostat facility as well. On another day came across Sister Dani Francis a Nun teaching English in Little Flower College. Came across students of Guruvayur Devaswom School (fees is 20,000 rs perhaps for the entire year). Also came across Mr Nandu of Anjali Communications a cyber cafe. I happen to meet three girl students named Krishnapriya, Gopika and Shilpa studying in Sree Krishna Higher Secondary School and are strong in maths. I came across three girl students studying in Amritha Vidyalaya 10 plus 2 Commerce. That reminds me of three girl students i met in New Delh, Anny Mary hailing from Angamali, Annu hailing from Kottayam and Sneha from Wayanad, studying in colleges of Delhi University. In the national capital i met some nuns hailing from Kottayam.
Visiting Guruvayur temple again
Saturday i had the opportunity to visit Chavakkad beach and and after returning from there i vacated Rugmini Kallyana Mandapam which had given room for a day and i check in Aiswarya lodge where i come across Mr Gopalakrishnan the owner and Mr Hassan the manager. Sunday i had the opportunity to visit Guruvayur temple again where it is mandatory to remove vest before frisking begins. Perhaps frisking could be upgraded to a new level and should not be a half-hearted exercise. All men visiting the temple are supposed to sport Mundu around their waist which in North India is called Dhoti.
Visiting Elephant Sanctuary
On a Monday Mr Sudhir the auto man takes me to a bus stand where Mr Surendar working in Abu Dhabi for the past 25 years guides me on how to approach Elephant Sanctuary and for that one has to visit Punarthur Kotta. Having reached Punarthur Kotta i spot a board which says the behaviour of elephant is unpredictable. There is another board that says: Photography, videography, use of mobile phones are strictly prohibited inside. Another board reads: This elephant is in musth. Visitors are requested to keep safe distance and not to stay here for a long time.
According to officer Mr Murali there are 54 elephants, including five female elephants. Padmanabhal is 80 years old, considered to be inspired by Guruyappan. Another elephant Ramankutty is 76 years old. He has been winner of elephant rice for 10 to 15 years. As for the duration for which the elephant sanctuary has been there it has been 25 years. All elephants are chained. They are taken for walk in the evening. During walk chains are loosened. The ride back to East Nada is accomplished in an auto with Mr Satish at the helm.
Visiting Trinity Travel &Tours for booking air ticket; putting surcharge on multiple cars in Delhi
On a day when i visit Trinity Travel & Tours Pvt Ltd to book a air ticket from Kochi to Delhi i come across Mr Joshy, Reshma and Seeja. Mr Joshy was of the view that Delhi the national capital was highly polluted and here one is reminded of multiple cars that one owned. Most probable solution could be a hefty surcharge each year on any household having a second car which could considerably lower the vehicular pollution with surcharge going up for vehicles that were more expensive. Increasing metro fare in Delhi was not a wise move as findings revealed there has been a drop in number of commuters taking Delhi Metro and to suggest there were many holidays in the month of October is a case of not stating the truth, a story shown in NDTV.
Tuesday i visited Guruvayur temple for the third time. As usual there is rush with orderly movement of devotees. Sighting Lord Guruvayur in sanctum sanctorum takes your blues away. The very fact that Spick-and-span surroundings of the temple is seen round the year is something true for other temples in South India.
During my stay i happen to meet Mr N R Nair who stays in Guruvayur and has been a scientist in Delhi earlier. There is Mr Udayan staying in Guruvayur for the past 35 years. In Variety Shop (for handkerchief) i come acrosss Mr Narendar at the counter.
Leaving Guruvayur for Kochi
With a flight ticket procured from Trinity Travel & Tours Pvt Ltd Tuesday evening i left Guruvayur for Angamali to reach Kochi. Reaching Guruvayur station a little before six pm i spot a bomb disposal squad van. I take the train headed towards Chennai. There is Mr Mohammad who has spent a considerable time in the Gulf and at present staying in Guruvayur and travelling to Madurai. There is another gentleman travelling to Kudankulam about 200 kms from Guruvayur. The train leaves at 9.15. There is Mr Manoj a teacher in Hindi who boards the train from Thrissur. Places as varied as Alleppey, Malappuram, Idukki, Alwaye and Ernakulam of Kerala State figure in conversation in the train. Angamali comes at 10.50pm. I hail an auto with Mr Mani at the helm. I am in Kochi airport at 11.05 with a woman personnel of CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) taking a look at the ticket and identity card.
In the airport there are different screens displaying different new channels like Manorama News or Asianet News and some news channels like NDTV, CNNIBN beamed from New Delhi. In the airport i come across an assistant professor of north campus of Delhi University. There is a couple whose daughter works in excise department in Delhi. There is a family headed towards Dubai. There is Mr Philip of Indian Railways. The plane leaves at 2 am and reaches Delhi by 5 in the morning. For over 20 minutes the pilot is making rounds of the airport with no idea of the runway in which the aircraft has landed and the bay at which he wants to park.
For two weeks i stayed in South India covering parts of Chennai, Rameswarasm, Nagercoil, Kanniyakumari, Thrissur, Guruvayur and Kochi. Providing the Perfect Complement to my stay was an environment which was largely clean and not toxic, the exchanges with people from across sections largely cordial and a movement that was seamless and not troublesome.
Watching TV Channels
Watching TV Channel DD Podhigai featuring Rangoli on a Sunday from 7 to 8 pm, another featuring Kyyil Thoppu that too on a Sunday was a mixed bag. Watching Laila O Laila a Malyalam movie featuring Mr Mohanlal (Mr Mohanlal Viswanath Nair) and Ms Anjali on Manorama TV was something to cherish. Watching Listening Post on Al Jazeera which had a story on a detention centre in Australia and how detainees were at the receiving end was interesting. Watching CNN International and the reportage on new Inter Continental Ballistic Missile fired by North Korea and the threats that it spawned showed utter callousness of the international community in the past to rein in this rogue leader. China has to stop all trade with North Korea and be on the same page when international response is to be delivered. There are no easy solutions to this Korean crisis.
As far as Middle East is concerned perhaps some movement should be seen. Especially the Saudi Arabia led blockade against Qatar should be lifted and diplomatic ties established. Perhaps a unified GCC would come handy to tackle different issues in the Gulf. On a different level in the national capital i happen to meet Mr Amin Khan hailing from Rajasthan working in Saudi Arabia where petrol cost 65 halala (less than one riyal) to a litre as against over Rs 70 in India.
Gujarat election is just an assembly poll; limit on travels by politicos
Some are reading too much into Gujarat Elections. Allegations and counter allegations have turned this poll battle to a circus. The Rafale Jet Deal is the best to date and nothing could have been better than this. News Channels in New Delhi and Gujarat are trying to show that this election would be a game changer. Well nothing of that sort would happen. It is just a state election and the verdict here should not be tied to the polls of 2019 which are still one and a half years away. There should be a limit on number of travels that politicos undertake across length and breadth of the country each year. It is on public money on which they travel and it is on public support they babble. There are too many polls each year in our country. Perhaps all assembly elections and Parliament elections should be clubbed together (held at the same time) once in five years and that too with transparency brought in poll funding.
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