My beautiful day @ Melkote

Date : 25th March 2011,  Friday Evening 6 o clock.

I started from office and then met Sugan and started our preparation for our trip. Our plan this time was to cook and pack breakfast and lunch for the next day. We headed to Hypercity, a supermarket near our place to buy the required things. We also got a ball to play during the trip.

It was 9 o clock when we reached my room. We started cooking and it was 12 o clock when we had dinner for the day. And again cooking.. Came to bed @ around 12 30. Both of us slowly started chatting and it was about 1 15 when Sugan got up from her bed and still chatting continued. @ 1 45 we discovered we need to get up @ 2 30 to get things ready so decided to sleep, when sleep was about to peep in alarm overtook. Finally got up @ the 1^st ring of the alarm without snoozing. It was about 5 30 when we packed our bags. Ezhil and Vidya were to join us on the way. And then @ 6 started our journey.

Date : 26th March 2011,  Saturday

Sugan and me with 2 big bags were literally running to the bus stop out of excitement. It was 7 when our crew members joined us and our trip was all set from Majestic. We got a Mysore bus “Corona AC”, we were the only ones in the bus and slowly got a little filled. Bus stopped @ Maddur, where we started having our breakfast that we had got packed (Idly with tomato chutney and onion chutney). Then in around 20 minutes from Maddur we reached Mandya.  It was 9 30, we then got a city bus from Mandya to Melkote, occupied the last seat of the bus and we were having great fun playing Dumbsi and Oru varthai oru laksham (best thing was Mr Tamil (Ezhil) was unable to give clues for the word I gave him… It was a great honour for me). Melkote was the last stop and we reached our destination at 11am.

There are two temples there, one is the Cheluva Narayana swamy temple at the foot of the hill and the other is Yoga Narasimha temple on the hill top. You can see lots of small ponds around which have their own story behind.

We first made our move towards Lord Cheluva Narayanaswamy temple which down the road as u get down from the bus.

In front of Cheluva Narayanaswamy temple

Lord Narayanaswamy

Inside Narayanaswamy temple

You can find finely sculpted pillars here.  After a few snaps around there we rushed to Yoga Narasimha temple as it would be closed @ 1pm. On the way while climbing the hill we didn’t take any snaps as we wanted to reach the temple before 1pm when the temple will be closed.

The sun, heavy bags, high steps of the temple really tested our stamina… As we ascended the hill our energy was descending so much (just like that Glucose Ad where the sun drains glucose the little boy with a straw). We were so seriously and silently climbing the steps as we didn’t have energy to converse even. Suddenly Vidya made her move and whispered “Namma lunch sapta udanae bag la irukara cool drinks kudicharalam….” Just a second later all of us were almost on the ground laughing… “Inga sapathukae vali illayama idhella cool drinks vera…” Then watching us laugh she said “illa weight kammi agum nu sonnaen !!!” and some fun here and there we reached the top. We met Lord Yoga Narasimha before the temple was closed. All our vision now was towards food. We had our packed lunch, cool drinks as per Vidya s instruction and sat back refreshing sometime.



Yoga Narasimha temple

Lord Yoga Narasimha

@ The terrace of Yoga Narasimha temple

Those snaps we missed while climbing the hill we covered all while descending. We spent some time @ Kalyani, the big pond down the hill. Slowly dark clouds started peeping in and we also enjoyed few drizzles of rain. It was about 2pm and we had fear of the sunny day but the climate changed all of a sudden and that added more credits to our enjoyment.

Kalyani

The next point of our visit was Dhanushkoti. It is about 2kms from the temple. We took an auto for 50INR to reach there. Oh my god I can still imagine the breeze and the sizzle drizzle when we reached Dhanushkoti. U may wonder how Dhanushkoti moved to Karnataka from Kaniyakumari, so for those interested in story behind it here is it. “According to legend, Sita, while passing through this area needed water, Lakshmana struck an arrow into the rock but the water did not come. When Rama used Varunastra the water at once came out.” There are two fissures in the rock. This spot is on a high cliff with good views, but take care.



On way to Dhanushkoti

@ Dhanushkoti

@ Dhanushkoti

@ Dhanushkoti

@ Dhanushkoti

 

After an hour spent there taking photos and chatting we started back our journey home, from Melkote took a town bus to Mandya and then to Bangalore. It was 10pm when we reached Majestic. We had a great journey with favorable climate and also got buses readily without any latency. ;-)

While coming back we decided to walk and the ball got its work finally, we enjoyed our road back amidst the tall eucalyptus trees on either side of the road and playing ball as we walked…

Way back from Dhanushkoti

So the last place left out is Rayagopura (its located just at the backside of Cheluva Narayanaswamy temple). This is a cluster of very tall pillars with carvings of beautiful damsels at the base. Centuries ago Chola kings wanted to build a tall temple overnight so as to view Srirangapatna from here. The work went on briskly through the night, but when a cock crowed, they left the temple as it was thinking it was already dawn.

In front of Rayagopura

On top of Rayagopura



As I grow old :-)

23^rd March 2011 -- @ Dominos, Graphite India, Bangalore

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Ignore the Preface if not interested as characters are involved :-)
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Sugan, Vinoth, Karthi and of course the gang would be incomplete without me.

Reason for our meet : Had to give a lot of money to Vinoth ;-)

Karthi ---> the only good thing he has ever done is getting me a wonderful Airtel postpaid connection in his name with which I can speak for 2000 min per month local and STD to Airtel mobile... (I speak more than that ;-( Anyway am not ready to listen to any of your mind voices, I talk only to my mom…)

Vinoth ---> Every month pays my phone bill (the reason why I had to give him money.)

@Vinoth : Thanks ellam solla mattaen. Kavalae padadhae.

@Karthi : Yepdi nee solikudutha madhiriyae potutaena. Happy.. :-)

After heavy dinner that night @ Dominos I thought I will sleep as soon as I reach my room. But unfortunately or fortunately it was a very bad night. It was 10 30 when I went to bed after the phone call (with my mom), I always sleep as soon as I go to bed, but this night didn’t want me to sleep, the reason I still don’t know. It was 12 o clock when I finally decided to get out of my bed, took my laptop and was trying to spend some time, found nothing interesting, then started typing contents for this post.

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Note : While reading this post don’t refer “I” to the author, refer it to you and read u will find the post true.

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These were some random memories that night flashing across my eyes…

When I was small I was crazy about few collections like crystal dolls (that I collect even today), rubber (I have about 60 to 70 different shaped erasers like carrot, mango, cashew, ball, bat, letters etc), tattoos (those we get for boomer), chocolate wrappers, etc.. but the thrill was about collecting money.. Every time I get pocket money I start saving. When my mom asks me go to shop to get something I would ask for commission, I used to wait for my birthday when I can get some money from my grandparents, then for Vishu when my parents give me money, by doing all these I would collect some money and get all these collections, I used to have immense pleasure each time I raised the count of my collections. Every week I used to count my collections even. Then after few years the craze slightly took a different shape, I used to save money using the before said ways but this time collections were fabric paint bottles to do painting, this lasted for few years.

But today I need not ask mom for commission for going to shop (neither is my mom going to send me to shop for getting things), I need not wait for Vishu or Birthday, not even for the end of the month to get my salary credited, I can get anything I want now, a house, a car, jewels or anything but I promise u the happiness I had in my childhood fighting and waiting for money and then getting things, I wouldn’t have that crazy happiness now.

This is just an example, but there are many more little pleasures we loose as we grow old.

Someday in school when I got 1^st rank or say a centum in Maths and came home and told my parents, that satisfaction I had when I saw the pride in their face will never come back.

Someday when I scored well in my board exams, when I got into one of the best colleges, when I got my job, -- even these moments I would have seen my parents proud, but a promise again the pride they had and satisfaction I had from that day to today would have a depreciation rate. Say tomorrow I get a promotion in my job I would call my parents and tell them, (now I won’t even be able to see their proud faces, its just a phone call… I know there would come technical advices of making a Skype call but ………………), do u think they will have the same kind of happiness they had when I got 1^st rank in some school days…??? Ask to yourself…. :-)

As we grow old, as days pass by are we gaining or loosing.  When I was just experimenting over this, I felt those that we gain are

FRIENDS,

Weight,

Height,

Personality,

Responsibilities,

Wealth,

Some degree,

Some skill set (work and personal ;) ), etc (I just stopped becoz nothing else came to my mind when I think what I have today.)

What we miss are

The beautiful times we had wit our frenz,

Happiness we get when we are with our loved ones,

Small fights with parents and siblings,

Our childhood smiles,

Our teenage tears,

And then lives one by one (remember everything around us also grows old)

Our great grandparents,

Our grandparents,

Elderly uncles and aunties,

One day our parents,

Then any of our friends, siblings, and one day ME and of course U.…

AND ABOVE ALL THE ONE MANDATORY MISS EVERDAY IS OUR “TODAY”.

Just because my list of what I miss means more than what I have doesn’t actually mean I am a pessimist, but u just look back and ask the same question to yourself today, right now and start making the list just as I did and u will find the same… Person reading this might be of any age but by any chance u can’t escape these.

Today we might have a luxury car, bungalow and all luxuries we need but remember all those comforts we get in life as we grow old are not @ the cost of just money but also @ the cost of our small and silly happiness and satisfaction that we loose as we grow old.

Non materialistic happiness has its own value when compared to Materialistic happiness.

I believe the purity of happiness degrades with age.

Gone are the days when I dreamt of growing up and standing on my own legs making my parents proud, it’s all over. Now I feel I need those childhood days back. Someday in future I may long for my present days.

So remember what ever happens life has to go the way it has to. Enjoy your every second of life without wasting with silly excuses; the thing that has the smallest life span in this world is “TIME”… So don’t waste that precious time reading mokkai’s like mine ;-) ;-)

Ennalae idhuku mela mokka poda mudiyadhu… Enjoy your day.

I am waiting for my tomorrow for my trip to “MELKOTE”... Expect a post about this with cool pictures next week. Stay tuned.

Love filled Rainy day.. !!!

The title maybe kind of romantic but I may not fulfill your expectation. For those who don't believe in coincidence, sentiments, emotions etc kindly don't proceed further.

To brief about this post -- its about an unusual trip to my hometown (Coimbatore) or about mom s love for her child or sweet fight with dad or anything u can fill after reading the post.. (as I don’t want u to run away with my brief description.. Though “brief description” seems to be ambiguous please don’t mind it. ;-) ).

7th Feb, 2011 Monday

My cousins marriage (this is no way related to this post.. Chumma to show some stats.). I took one week vacation (3rd feb to 9th feb) and went to the marriage (in the name of marriage to spend time with my parents who miss me a lot).

Came back to Blore on 9th Feb which was a Wednesday in my calendar (so should be yours.. :P). Just after two to three days my mom started her regular question when are u coming next..?? I really felt bored with the question and to irritate her I said I have no plans of travelling home till end of March. She didnt believe me at the 1st shot and from that day our daily discussion continued over the same topic.. I am a kind of person who would say “yes” if “no” is expected and vice versa ( yeah thimiru pidichava.. :-) ).. I never do what others expect from me.

My dad guesses most of my decisions than my mom (because my mom believes whatever I say as she doesn’t experiment much). She was asking me to come home on 26th and 27th Feb as it would be more than 15 days since I met them and reasonable gap to visit home. Though I booked my tickets for that date even before my mom suggested I pretended to say no I would not come home till end of March.. And that’s enough for my mom to brood over.. My dad had a tough time managing her @ home and had told her that I would have just told simply and I would be coming home that week for sure.. (as told b4 my dad judges me better). My mom tells me each and every move @ home (and so am I) and so did she say what my dad said also. Again my interest to say no I am not coming increased and I somehow managed to make them believe that I am not travelling that week.

25th Feb, 2011 Friday

My regular visitor visited me unexpectedly (fever). I was worried how I will travel, but decided to travel on any cause. I always talk to my mom about more than 30mins in the morning when I go to office and same @ night before I go to sleep. So I was worried how to do that when I was travelling as she would find out I am outside. Was confused.. But my dear visitor helped me manage the scene. My temperature was rising up @ a constant level that it didn’t allow me to work @ office. So I reached home early from office that day. It was about 6 o clock when I called my mom, listening to my voice only she made out I was not well. So I said her that I took tablets and going to sleep, so if I get up that night I would call her or would call her in the morning.

That night travel with my friend Sugan and I was really excited about giving my parents a surprise. There closes the scene.

26^th Feb, 2011 Saturday

Scene @ home : Mom opened the door and found dark clouded sky ready to rain and heavy rain in a few minutes. My mom always used to say that it rains whenever I come home. Thinking of that she asked to herself yst there was no symptom of rain and why is it raining today unexpectedly even though she is not coming.. ?? She couldn’t bear it with herself, so she went to tell the same to my dad but stopped with the fear that he would make fun of her for missing me so much when my dad and my brother were around there @ home. With lots of unanswered questions she came to open the door when calling bell rang..

6:30 am

Got down from KSRTC Rajahamsa @ my beloved college PSG Tech as I would find a direct bus to my home from there @ that time, and in a few minutes my bus came as expected.

7:15 am

In the bus admiring the dark clouds ready to shower on me and in a few seconds drops of rain on my face through the open window. 

Had a very good feeling, the reason could be the climate or rain or the excitement of surprising my parents or all together I don’t know.. :-)

Got down from the bus and walked slowly in the rain with a smile peeping out even without my knowledge. Though my home is just a few steps from the bus stop, I really enjoyed each step of mine.

My mom easily recognizes me the way I bang the door so this time I didn’t want to let her know so gently pressed the calling bell.

Mom opened the door after a while,

saw me,

she didn’t have words to speak,

I could only see unexpected happiness and satisfaction in her eyes as if she won over the whole world.

I made the move,

I shouted loud

“What are u doing sitting inside when ur daughter is getting wet in the rain with fever”

“Where is my dad..?”

“No one in this family are responsible...”

“If I am not @ home everything is improper and blah blah blah...”

Then she took my luggage inside with a smile and whispering “Rowdy is back home...”

My dad slowly peeped out with a smile as if he was not surprised @ all and said I knew U would come and U cannot stay there without torturing us... :-)

My brother raised his eye brows, I could hear his mind voice, “En nimadhiya keduka vandhuta paavi..”

The day went on with my mom telling everyone that I came home giving her a surprise, 

my friend Janani MBBS bar ;-) visiting me after a year, 

visited my fav dhanvantri temple, 

got wet in the rain again in the evening and 

above all a peaceful sleep on my cot in my home sweet home.. :-)