Epilogue 5 - South trip after Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2013

Thiruvanaikaval and  Srirangam

Next day morning, that is 30th August morning, I left by bus to Tiruchirapalli. With a stop on the way for 5 minutes for tea-break, this Tamil Nadu State Government Express bus, takes one to Trichy in just 3 hours. I had a young girl as my co-passenger. She started conversation with me on where I am going and she herself volunteered information that she is going to her uncle's place in Trichy as she has just completed B.A., B.Ed., and is just waiting to get married! I enquired why she is not taking up any job after completing B.Ed. To my utter surprise, she answered me that her father would not allow her to work and earn, as this might make her relatives think that he is making his daughter earn which is not acceptable. I was wondering what the television and serials are contributing in terms of educating the people at least in such matters. She was well-influenced by the movie stars in her dress sense and make-up... but when it comes to matters other than dress, people prefer to stick to their old norms though it may not be relevant today.

A short bus trip from Trichy took me to Thiruvanaikaval - the place of Akilandeswari and Jambunathar temple. This temple has become close to my heart as Akilandeswari is closely associated in the life of my Guru Sri Chandrasekarendra Sarasvati Swami of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. I was eager to see the Thatankam of Akilandeswari. Temple was open but the sanctum sanctorum of Shiva was closed when I entered. I had left my suitcase and chappals in a flower-vendor's shop after purchasing some pooja items and flowers from him. Honesty is still prevelant in south India. My bag was in tact and this man had delayed his lunch just to take care of my bags and return it to me whenever I come back!

This temple is a very huge very big temple with separate huge places for God and Goddess! God Shiva is worshipped as Jambukeswarar and Goddess as Akilandeswari. This is one of the Pancha Bhootha Sthala of Siva - featuring water. Please refer http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambukeswarar_Temple,_Thiruvanaikaval 

for more details on this beautiful ancient temple. 

I went to Akilandeswari temple and waited for some time for doors to open seeing the beautiful sculptures and paintings in the temple. Prasanna Ganapathi is sitting just opposite Akilandeswari so that Her first sight everyday in the morning would first fall on Her dear son! Just then the main priest of Akilandeswari came with silk saree draped around him with a head-dress and garlands carrying pooja things, bronze bell, flowers etc. I was told that the tradition of the temple is that, Goddess Akilandeswari goes for Madhyana Pooja - in the form of the main priest dressed like a lady - to Jambukeswarar temple and performs the Pooja to Her Lord and She comes back to Her own place and then alone Her doors are opened for darshan. I got darshan of the Goddess standing very near Her. Akilandeswari's power is in Her Thatankam (ear ornaments) as Adi Shankara had installed the SriChakra in the ear ornaments. 

I went to Jambukeswar temple - where they allow us to go very near God and have darshan - a narrow passage and short place surrounded by water. They give vibhuti and bilva leaf as prasadam.  The temple complex is so huge, the temple authorities have kept a motorised vehicle for convenience of senior citizens and children to move from place to place in the complex! I spent some good time reading the Thevarams on the God! 

I went to the Vedapatashala of Kanchi Mutt which is near the temple complex. I wanted to visit this place as this is one of the oldest branch of the Kanchi Mutt. No responsible person was there was and few students were roaming around in the backyard with oil applied on them. Noone bothered to give me response for my enquiries as to who would take the money that I want to pay to Vedapatashala. I waited for sometime and returned to the temple with a heavy heart. Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara!

By then it was 1 in the afternoon and the flower vendor told me that Srirangam temple would open only at 4 pm. I took an auto-rickshaw to Srirangam from Thiruvanaikaval. As  I did not want to eat food in which onion and garlic are used, I told the rickshaw driver to take me to some vegetarian mess - a place where family members cook and serve the guests for payment - food will be like home-made food. He took me to a nice place where some 10 people were eating. I was served food on clean banana leaf - hot rice, sambar, vaththakuzhambu, koottu, curry, rasam, buttermilk and pickle  - everything unlimited - all for just Rs.50/-. I wonder how that family manages to survive if they give such nice tasty food for just Rs.50/-.  May be the cauvery water is the secret of the nice taste of that food!

I went to Srirangam temple complex, which again is a huge very big complex - 156 acres - 

http://www.srirangam.org/ - and headed straight to Renganayaki Thayar Sannidhi, though SriRenganathar sannidhi was open then. I had to wait for the doors to open. I went to Mettu Azhahiya Singar mandapam, right in front of Thayar sannidhi facing Kamba Ramayana Arangetra Mandapam. This is what Kamakoti.org has to say on this Narasimha! 

"This particular posture of Narasimha killing Hiranya Kasipu with sixteen hands - each hand having a weapon and the hand raised up blessing Prahlada standing with hands folded before Nrisimha, can be seen at Srirangam just opposite the shrine of goddess Ranganayaki. This shrine is called Mettu Azhagiya Singar Sannadhi.

There is a legend about this sannadhi too. This sannadhi is located in a high place with steps to climb. Opposite to this shrine there is a Mandap called Ramayana Arangetra Mandapam. Kamba, the famous poet of Ramayana in Tamil language had to introduce his Ramayanam to the public to get their approval. The scholars of that place did not accord approval to the Kamba's Ramayanam because; Kamba had narrated the story of the killing of Hiranyakasipu by Vishnu as Nrisimha in his Ramayanam and this episode does not find a place in the original Ramayanam by Aadi Kavi Saint Valmiki. To the pleading of Kamba the scholars said that they would approve this Ramayanam only if Mettu Azhagiya Singar approves. When Kembu read the portion of Nrisimha killing Hiranyakasibu there was a heavy roar emanating from the shrine of Mettu Azhagiya Singar to the surprise of all. Taking this as sign of approval of Nrisimha, the scholars accorded sanction to Kamba Ramayanam."

Waiting time was spent in going around the temple and in sitting in the Kamba Ramayana Arangetra Mandapam to my heart's content. Once the doors opened at 4 pm, I was one of the first persons to see Renganayaki Thayar. They give haldi as prasadam. As per Vaishnava sampradaya, I requested Thayar to recommend my case to Her Lord Ranganatha for His darshan and blessings. I need not ask Her for Her own blessings as She has to bless me for two reasons - one, She is my mother spiritually and hence just seeing me, She will be pleased and bless me; second, my biological mother's name is also Renganayaki - hence, She has to bless me, Her daughter!

Thus with complete blessings of Renganayaki Thayar, I proceeded to Rama Sannidhi, crossed the temple tank and went to Ramanuja's sannidhi. It was Ramanuja's janma nakshtram. Hence, the utchavar had been brought out for pooja. This gave me a nice good look of the saint's body kept there in pooja. One local lady told me about 9 Narasimha in one pillar in that hall and I did pradakshinam to that pillar. One must befriend a local person in this temple to know the nuances and specialities - as this temple has so many secrets within its huge complex!

Finally I went to SriRenganathar Sannidhi with Rs.50/- ticket and got nice darshan of Peria Perumal Sri Ranganathar. Though nobody pushes you out like Tirupati, here again, one cannot stand for more than few seconds. I came out and was surprised to get prasadam of sweet appam (this temple is famous for not giving any edible prasadam as the darshan of Ranganathar itself is supposed to be the prasadam) - then it was time for taking pradakshinam of Renganathar - again, as instructed by a local person - and sighting the Sreeranga Vimanam in all its golden shine!  

I proceeded to Kumbakonam by bus in Tamil Nadu State Transport bus - the girl sitting next to me and myself got into conversation as I had to sit with my suitcase in the small place. After general introductions I told her that she is lucky to be living in the region of the great Cholas, where she can make visits to different historical places on every Sunday. She said that history does not interest her. I asked her whether she knows to read Tamil. Now it was her turn to be surprised and said that she can read and write Tamil. I asked her whether she has read "Ponniyin Selvan" the magnum opus of Kalki, the writer. She replied "NO" and that made me give her a short lecture on this book, on Cholas, on Thanjavur temple and the greatness of old Tamil history and why it is not nice not to know our own history even while living in the same region. She assured me that she will get this book and start reading soon! 

I got a call from my sister that she is in Thanjavur and I can join her there to Udaiyalur. So, I got down at Thanjavur and went with my sister and brother-in-law to Udaiyalur, feeling sad that I am crossing Periyakovil of Thanjavur without stepping in side the temple and seeing Peruvudaiyar!

By 9 pm we reached the village Udaiyalur where my brother has bought a twin-house which is a traditional old house with a verandah, long hall open to sky in the middle, a cow-shed, a warm comfortable big kitchen and a big backyard with lots of trees and bushes.  We had nice dinner and talked about almost everything under the sky till late night and slept in spite of the mosquitoe bites!

ITBP 7th Battalion's letter to me on completion of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

My response to Mr Kedar Singh Rawat:

Dear Mr Kedar Singh Rawat,

Thank you very much for the letter of appreciation to me on completion of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. 

I cherish the memories of the yatra; especially the help rendered by the brave men of ITBP 7th battalion in helping us cross deep trenches, rogue rivers, sudden water-falls and of course the snow laden mountain and its valley with land-slides and narrow slippery path-ways. 

Right at the office of the Ministry of External Affairs - New Delhi, the officer who addressed us was so positive in his talk and assured us that we will have a safe trip! This boosted my determination and helped me look forward to the trek with hope and happiness and removed all my fears.. Kudos to that gentleman (by the way, was that you??)

At one point after Chialake, I was struggling to walk as the terrain had too many deep marshy areas to cross. One of the soldiers, whom I had not seen till that day, just came and offered to carry my handbag and helped me walk with ease. I was not willing to burden him with my bag but he insisted and carried it for me. I was honestly moved to tears! This bag had the common money of our full batch and also my personal money in Indian Rupees and US Dollars. I should add that the bag came back to me in tact though he walked much ahead of me and I reached the destination many hours later. Thanks to this jawan who lived up to the tradition of your battalion!

On my trek to Lipulekh pass from Nabidhang, in the middle of the night, it was an ITBP soldier who gave me water and adjusted my head hood and gave me courage to continue my trek as I was walking alone in that dark night. I felt that God had come in his form that night especially for me!  

While crossing a wide mountain-river that night, I slipped and fell into the river - it was another ITBP soldier who quickly pulled me out and saved me from getting washed out!  My salutes to him!

That same night, my pony slipped and dropped me from its back and I fell on the ground with one leg still on its back.... my head hit the ground and within few seconds, ITBP soldier came running and lifted me from the ground, put me on the pony and patted my back and gave me encouraging words and urged me not to lose heart. I took it as God's command and kept a brave face and continued in the dark cold night though I was fully wet and shivering from top to bottom.

All these small accidents took its toll when I reached the top of the Lipulekh pass and I started shivering violently. 2 of my batchmates, Anuradha Reddy and Radha hugged me and gave me warmth. Two ITBP soldiers quickly lit a small fire and made me and other yatris who were sick, get warmth and feel better.

Hence, I got complete help and support from these brave men of ITBP especially on the last day on the Indian side which made me complete my Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.  I will never be able to forget those men or ITBP.

Please keep up the good work!  My salute to you and to your whole team! AT any point of time, any of your men need any help in Mumbai, please ask them to get in touch with me. I will do my best to be of support to them.

With warm regards and salutes,

Uma Shankar

Yatri in I batch of KMY 2013

27th Sept 2013

Epilogue - Part 4 - South Trip after Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2013

Srivilliputtur, SivaSailam, Mannar Kovil and Brahmadesam

. 

Early morning next day, that is on 28th August 2013, I left for Nattarasankottai with my cousin. We went walking from Sivaganga to Nattarasankottai, a distance of 10 kms. We left around 6 am and reached the temple of Kannudaiya Nayagi Amman temple by 8 am when the abhishekam was going on. We got to participate in the monring harathi and got kumkuma prasadam and flowers. That was a very divine experience!

I got tempted to take the "Kambakoozhu" sold near the temple and was disappointed with my experience. We walked upto the bus-stand from temple and took bus to Madurai. Reaching Madurai around 12 in the noon, spent some good time chatting with my cousin Renganayaki, Head of English department in Paramakalyani College, Alwarkurichi. She is a poet and a great devotee of Narasimha Swamy. She can talk for hours on poems on NarasimhaSwamy. Right now she is compiling poems by all big composers like Thyagaraja, Annamayya, MuthuSwamy Dikshithar etc. on Narasimha.

It was Gokulashtami day and hence house was getting ready for Bala Krishna. My cousin Padma was fasting that day and was preparing all types of eatables for BalaGopal!

By 5 pm I left for Meenakshi Amman temple as I was feeling guilty that I had not gone to see Her in spite of being in that region for more than 24 hours. I decided to go like a common-man, and opted out of car, taxi, auto-rickshaw arrangement, as I wanted to relive my days in Madurai travelling in crowded town-buses! I must admit that the experience was good as the bus was not crowded, conductor was polite and co-passengers helpful. As the city has changed a lot, I had to take help from other passengers to know about the stop at which I should get down. Just when I got down it started pouring and I took an auto-rickshaw to reach the temple from the bus-stop which is just 2 minutes walking distance. Rickshaw puller took me on a royal ride and made me circumambulate the temple (assuming that I am new to the city) and charged me Rs.40/-. I understood his plight and happily gave away Rs.50/- seeing which he was shocked and overjoyed!

Generally I love to buy "nelamalai" - that is rose garland which is 5 feet height - which can adorn the Goddess from Her neck upto Her feet. This time, as I entered the temple, a lady was selling tightly tied jasmine flowers and tempted me to take it for "Meenakshi's kondai"...

I decided to do something different this time, as I felt very happy just looking at the flower-vendor's face! I took the particular one that was recommended by her, and went straight for Vibhuthi Pillaiyar, and then to the sanctum sanctorum with a Rs.100/- entrance ticket. It is the belief that Meenakshi is one woman who had ruled Madurai even when noone thought in terms of women's liberation etc. :-) She had conquered the regions upto Himalayas and on seeing Lord Siva in Mount Kailash, She wanted to marry Him. He was taken by Her beauty and devotion and agreed to marry Her. But He came in such attire that His would-be mother-in-law fainted just at the first sight of her would-be-son-in-law.  He was clad in elephant skin, tiger skin, snakes as His dress and jewellery and had smeared Himself with Smasana Ashes and His friends were Boothaganas :-)  On the request of Meenakshi, He agreed to dress Himself in silk, gold, diamonds, pearls and applied chandan ( even God had to change Himself to please His mother-in-law!) and married Meenakshi!  Thus Shiva got the name "Sundaresa" in Madurai!


The sight of the mother makes you just stand and look at Her rather than say anything to Her. I get totally speechless in front of Her. The flowers that I had taken went straight on her crown and adorned Her for one full 10 minutes. I was so happy and was about to leave, when a Punditji took it out and brought it out. I requested him to give it to me and he happily obliged! I was thrilled to the core and was held the flower close to my heart and was in tears. Those flowers must have done so much good karma to adorn Meenakshi's crown!

I went to Sundareswarar Sannidhi and was happy to see Him with all alankaram - full with silver snake ornaments and flowers. Meenakshi temple is a must visit for any visitor to India. It is a place full of beautiful sculptures depicting so many mythological stories. The handwork of Pandya sculptors and Nayaka Kings'


I could hear the rain pouring down and the water was seen flowing into the "potramarai kulam" from all four sides. The sight was awesome. In the whole temple complex, rain-water was falling like a waterfall and flowing like a river through the channel meant for that. Beautiful rain-water-harvesting system has been implemented in this temple right from the time the temple got built. Crowd was less and I went around the temple peacefully and when it looked like the rain had reduced its force a little, I ventured out of the temple. But the roads were full with rain water and I had to wade through knee deep water. I did not feel like walking in that water to retrieve my chappal from the chappal-stand and managed to get an auto-rickshaw to reach home.

Janmashtami pooja was going on by Rengam and Padma. I joined them towards the end and we all recited Bhagavad Gita, Krishna ashtotram and other prayer songs on Krishna. The day came to a close with Janmashtami prasadam!

Next day morning, 29th august, I left Madurai by train to Srivilliputhur. This is a pleasant travel for just Rs.14/-. I got a good seat next to a family travelling together. Enjoying the train journey via Thiruparankundram, Virudhunagar, Rajapalayam etc. I reached Srivilliputhur around 9 am. My cousin had organised an auto-rickshaw driver to pick me up at the railway station.

Having listened to Velukudi Krishnan Swami's upanyasam on Andal, I was longing to have darshan of Andal at Srivilliputhur. I had gone to this temple 24 years back when I was 9 months pregnant. This temple gopuram is the emblem in TamilNadu Government logo. It is a beautiful temple - which was originally Andal and Perialwar's house now converted into temple. Commercial tax officer of Sivakasi had come for darshan and a punditji was explaining everything patiently to him. Hence I got good opportunity to enjoy every special feature of the temple.


Andal, Rangamannar and Garudalwar are the main deities. Garudalwar stands just next to Rangamannar as "Mappillai Thozhan - friend of the bridegroom" in the marriage of Andal with Rangamannar.

The parrot in the hands of Andal is to be mentioned specially - a particular family makes this parrot everyday for adorning the hands of Thayar.


Temple complex has Andal temple, Vadabadrasayee temple and the garden where Andal was found by Perialwar.  I had a pleasant surprise at Vadabadrasayee temple, where the temple assistant requested me to clean and polish the huge temple lamp. As that day was "uriyadi" day, he had too many lamps to clean and he wanted me to help him clean the tallest, biggest one, nearly 6 feet tall and weighing some 30 kgs easily.. Another lady came to my help and we carried the lamp to the ground level and cleaned it using pitambari, shikakai and tamarind paste.

I did some simple shopping for Srivilliputhur famous "palkova", snana powder and milk sweets.  Just outside the temple complex is the agraharam with 10 houses which makes one remember the 10 pasurams in Thirupavai where Andal makes her friends living in those 10 houses wake up for worship in the temple.

I ate in a small restaurant near the temple and took train to Tenkasi. From Tenkasi I took another train to Alwarkurichi and reached my destination at around 5 pm. Rengam waited for me in the station as she had reached her college ealy morning.

We both went to Sivasailam temple. Tamarabharani river flowing near the temple tempted me to take a plunge in the river.

As there is a nice dress changing room near the bathing ghat, I ventured into the cool clean water of the river. 2 more ladies were also taking bath there. I did not feel like getting out of the water! Rengam was also very liberal with me and told me to enjoy not worrying about time. I must have spent nearly one hour in the river when she was sitting on the stone steps outside. We went to the Kailasanathar Paramakalyani temple where the archakar gave us kumkumam and haldi prasadam.


We reached Rengam's official quarters where she had prepared tasty food. Stomach and heart filled, my eyes were closing by 8 pm. But Rengam was regaling me with anecdotes of her college, colleagues, her collection of CDs and books - and finally I slept around 10 pm.

Next day morning, she went to college and had organised a car for my travel to different places in and around Alwarkurichi. I went to Mannar Kovil and Brahmadesam nearby.

Mannar Kovil is a Vishnu temple with Perumal in 3 states - "Nindra, Amarndha and Kidandha kolam" - standing, sitting and lying down postures. God is not made of stone as in any other south Indian temples, but is "sudai" - meaning clay, with vegetable colour on the clay.  Each clay sculpture is a feast to the eye! Temple is huge, clean and well maintained. The punditji of the temple is a young handsome, pious gentleman who radiates divinity! This is the place where Kulasekara Alwar took samadhi and hence there is a separate sannidhi for Kulasekara Alwar. We can see the moorthies of Rama, Sita and Hanuman worshipped by Kulasekara Alwar in this temple. I must mention the way the temple is maintained - clean, neat, divine and beautiful!

My next stop was in Brahmadesam, a Shiva temple - totally ill-kept, badly maintained and uncared for. The Shivacharyar of the temple was not seen when we went inside avoiding a group of monkeyes sitting on the way. Such huge temple to be maintained by one person, who has to do pooja, clean, and maintain safety of temple assets is a very difficult task. I was wondering why the students of the area are not contributing to the cleanliness of the temple. In fact, the few villagers whom I saw near the temple are busy either playing cards or just sleeping - womenfolk are busy folding tobacco leaves on payment basis!  If God Himself is allowing this state of affairs in His own place, who am I to lament?

Brahmadesam temple house 5 roopas of Shiva and Parvati. The architecture is beautiful and the temple complex huge! I learnt from the driver that this temple has been used to few shots in some famous Tamil Television serial starring some famous actress. Other than this, the driver had no big useful information to share with me on these temples, though he is a native of the place and lives there.

Coming back to Alwarkurichi crossing beautiful paddy fields, I went to Paramakalyani college to meet Rengam. She introduced me to her Principal, colleagues and Board member. Beautiful, spacious big college in such small place serving the poor students of that region - a million salutes to the founder Sri Anantharamakrishnan and his family who take keen interest on this college.

We left for Koutrallam waterfalls. I enjoyed standing under the water falling with good force in 5-falls - aindharuvi. Though it was getting dark, the water was so inviting, refreshing and relaxing, I went and stood under each fall for long time. Very few people were there, and as per Rengam, the flow of water was much less than what she has experienced many times. For Rs.5/- payment, we get decent enclosure to change clothes. On Rengam's advice I had applied lots of oil in my hair which had gone with no trace just after standing in the waterfall!

We went to Tenkasi Viswanathar temple and had good darshan. On her insistence we ate temple prasadam, some fried items from a shop outside and some hot milk. We reached the railway station in time for the train to Madurai. After a round of counselling session by Rengam to her regular flower vendor on some property matters, we settled ourselves in the train. In fact, this flower vendor had bought the tickets for us much before we reached the station and we collected it from her after payment to her. I was surprised to see such people even in these days who help others in their own way.

Thus my day ended happily in that beautiful southern most part of our beautiful country.