Making Mental Note Of Other Lodges In Chennai And Leaving For Madurai In South India

Making Mental Note Of Other Lodges In Chennai And Leaving For Madurai In South India

Having stayed in Chennai all of six days it was time to explore other lodges where stay while returning from Madurai/Rameswaram/Kanniyakumari may be tried. This was provided that I had blessings to visit the aforementioned places and with or with no sighting of inclement weather I was able to retain aces. The three lodges in Kennet Lane I visited to settle the query on tariff with no inhospitable terrain from terrace were Lakshmi Mohan Lodge 5, Kennet Lane, New Lakshmi Lodge (Managed By Chennai Stays) 16, Kennet Lane and Hotel MASA 15/1 Kennet Lane. Of these three I had stayed in Hotel MASA in the past while on the way to gauge sentiments in and around Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. All the three were inclined to let me in provided rooms were vacant and this vacancy primarily depended on months when state level govt exams were held in the city and aspirants occupying rooms during that period. One noticeable aspect about Tamil Nadu and other States In South India is to do with the fact that exams are conducted without hiccups and leaving no room for leakage of question papers howsoever hard some forces may try. 

The Dry Cleaner Ever Smiling And Woman Who Was There Way Back In 2011 Having Blessings Of Lord

Having made mental note of these three lodges with Hotel MASA and opposite to that the dry cleaner whom I invariably came across looked to be a gentleman with a recurring smile. Here in the dry cleaner store I can recollect there was a young woman way back in 2011 and her glistening eyes enough to convey that she was a blessed soul drawing enough strength from God. Now the gentleman who was there told me clothes could be returned two days later and here there was no trace of that colleen. Determined to leave Chennai as approach to cyber cafes across city looked to be a tired script I visited Chennai Egmore Station First Floor Reservation Centre. That was not to be there and I was told the reservation centre had shifted to back side of railway station. I walked and as I reached the counter I could sense the tatkal ticket availability would be nigh impossible as already a queue was visible. The reservation personnel I handed over the reservation slip for train number 16127 Guruvayur Express leaving Chennai Egmore at 9.45 AM and reaching Madurai at 5.40 PM. When he handed over the ticket and I came out of reservation centre I realised he had erred as he had booked the ticket to Dindigul three stations earlier (Kodaikanal Road, Sholavandan, Kudalnagar) than Madurai. I brought to his notice and he after cancelling the ticket issued a fresh one having waiting list status. I returned to my room in Tourist Homes and began to ponder on the possibility of the ticket getting confirmed. Surprise of all surprises I received message on phone about the status of Dindigul ticket which had been cancelled and yet I was receiving text to this effect. I was in mood to make a dash to the reservation centre as it was too laborious and kept to myself. 

Meal From Saravana Bhavan In Kennet Lane; Security Personnel And His Cherubic Smile

For Tamil Nadu Meals as I visited Sangeetha Restaurant Egmore I realised dining service hadn't started for one particular wing and I settled for Saravana Bhavan In Kennet Lane . Meal was good so was the hospitality and security man whom I came across and his cherubic smile was enough to illustrate despite travails of life some are able to get going. Thursday the day I was to leave Chennai I visited Modern Snacks/Chennai Gate and had black tea with no desire to have milk as I was supposed to keep date with long distance travel. After packing bags with water supply constrained and those managing the same somewhat diffident I left Tourist Homes with mixed thoughts. Nights were hard given the banging on lift gates and days were wonderful with sighting of enough men, women and babies with strong traits. 

Reaching Chennai Egmore Station; Guruvayur Express Leaving From Platform 5

I marched to Chennai Egmore station with one set of porters enunciating that Guruvayur Express would leave from this very platform that was 4. I thought I won't have to walk much as Platform 4 was next to entrance. But the screen had another tale to weave. There was no clarity on Guruvayur Express and that too leaving from Platform 4 and by 9.20 the screen displayed that the train would depart from Platform 5. I trudged all the way to Platform 5; negotiating stairs was one big ask. By the time I settled in coach A1 seat number 8 I sighted one family from Vijaywada In Andhra Pradesh State taking seat next to mine. They looked to be cheerful despite long travel they had maintained right through night. Guruvayur Express left at 9.40 AM  with first stopover in Tambaram. Here a guy from Tamil Heartland boarded having seat number 7. All through the journey he dabbled with two smartphones with conversations less and receding. He was a gentle soul and he informed he was going to join his family in Madurai who had gone there a day earlier to visit Lord Vishnu temple. Going by the name Koodal Azhagar Temple this is a must visit place if one is in Madurai. His dabbling skills showed he was well versed with smartphones theatrics and he could handle the assignment with ease. Stations that came on the way were Chengalpattu, Melmaruvattur, Tindivanam, Villupuram, Vridhachalam, Pennadam, Ariyalur, Srirangam, Tiruchchirapali, Manaparai, Dindigul, Kodaikanal Road, Sholavandan, Kudalnagar and finally Madurai.  A query about flood waters having gushed in colonies of Chennai some years ago he was frank enough to state that Tambaram is quite steep and none of the flooding was seen here. 

Reaching Madurai And Taking A Room In West Chitrai Street

When the convoy reached Madurai it was 6.05 PM with a reminder that this train has more stoppages than Tamil Nadu Sampark Kranti originating from Hazrat Nizamuddin Station In New Delhi (Hazrat Nizamuddin Shrine Is Nearby). With a halt for five minutes I deboarded and porter told me this train reaches Guruvayur the next morning at 4. Guruvayur I had been in September 2023 with a stay as broad as seven days. The next opportunity to visit Guruvayur would only come if I have the blessings of Guruvayurappan. I hailed auto and reached West Tower Street and walked all the way to West Chitrai Street to Vijaylakshmi Lodge. The gentleman appeared to be cool and calm and I took room number 103. Still the big game had yet to begin and I could not foresee. I was here to pray and pray to Goddess Meenakshi with thoughts on next voyage. 

YEDU KONDALWADA VENKATRAMNA GOVINDA GOVINDA