Trip to Pillayarpatti – 3 day weekend
After a long time, everyone in my house didn’t work. It happens that most of the time on any day, except Sunday not all of them will be at home.But this weekend was an exception. We decided to go on pilgrimage by our car itself for a change and after some discussion it was decided that we will go to Pillayarpatti near Karaikudi and cover some of the temples en route.
May 1 – @ morning 8.25 amAll of us got ready and we kick started our journey from Nungambakkam. I put my hand up first since it’s my favorite hobby – driving the car. After having our breakfast at around 9.30 am, the journey began in full flow.
@ 2.30pmWe reached Sri Rangam amidst a long and wonderful journey in my car. The journey was to say the least ‘simply superb’. The roads were good to travel except in some places where they were still constructing 2 way roads and fly overs.
About the temple:
Sri Rangam temple was awesome. Though I have been some 2 or 3 times before I was very young and I only liked to play running and catching there. This time though my mind set was a bit different, only a bit different :-) .This was Iyengar’s one of most important temple. It's called Divya Desam and its 3rd on the list of the vaishnavites. Very very important for all of us. I last visited this temple when I was in 6th or 7th standard (pretty long time ago) At that time, it was a village, with population not more than 20 persons per sq km. Now it has come under trichy corporation and its resembles a city. Flats promoters are seeing big money there.
Good change but for a bad cause – NO more agriculture or dense trees.
We went to the temple in the evening. Since it was a holiday, there was one hell lot of crowd. Point to be noted is there was no air since they have renovated the temple in such a way that there is no entry of outside air in the premises. We were all sweating because of that wonderful innovative ventilation. Since the temple is not used to such a large crowd, the queue management was bad. Still ppl were gentle to adjust to those things.
Slowly queue started to move. As we were nearing the sannathi, we noticed that the Bhattar(the priest) and queue regulator were allowing people in the wrong way.
I was thinking, What the hell are you doing Sir? Being in a respectable post, You shouldn't be doing this. Whats the use??As long as lazy goose ppl are there, these set of people will thrive. When I enquired, he said for going in that line You need to get some reco letters. Another story from that idiot.
In pre independence era, it was the caste system that determined which people should enter the temples. In 21st century, it’s the money and power that’s determining the same. 'Good change', as I thought to myself.
To be frank, there was a 100 rupees ticket even. But these people will still go in the wrong way bribing others. Excepting a few, most of the Priests are really very good.
After a wait of 3.5 hrs we were back to our room.
May 2
@10.00 am
Morning we got up late and started to another Divya Desam called Anbil. I was already trembling thinking of the bhattacharrys there :-P. Mudiyala
But to my surprise, those ppl were very sincere. I was heartened to see such ppl. Also, there was no crowd at all.
Reason: Its situated outside Trichy. All divya desams are equally important and this one is being ignored just because its 15-18 kms outside the city.I can’t stop thinking about the ignorant people who doesn’t know that all temples are equally important.
Some of them might contradict even my statement telling that ‘Only divya desam are not temples, all the local temples are also temples. Yes I agree to this fact, but then why are you people coming to Divya desams. There is something special there and we have to accept it.
Now coming back to the topic,Anbil temple was damn good. It was quite opposite to Srirangam, the area was very small but very very divinely. The place was damn quiet. Good place for meditation and retired ppl to lead their life. At around 1.00pm we reached Srirangam, packed off and started our journey to Pillayarpatti. Journey was kool.
@4.45pm
Reached Pillayarpatti. Had a good darshan. Signed off at 5.45pm and started journey to Cuddalore.
@10.00pm
Reached Kumbakonam and we decided to take rest and start the next day. May 3 @9 am Started the long journey. On the way, we went to a temple which is located near Seergazhi called Kozhikuthi.
Strange named place. But the actual Sanskrit name was Kodihaththi which means even if one commits a crime which is equivalent to a crore murder and one visits this place, he/she will be freed from its effects.
Had a good darshan and started back to Cuddalore and reached there around 1pm. Went to my granny’s house and had a good lunch and started back to Chennai @5pm and reached my home at 10pm. The whole journey came to around 944.5 km and it was a good experience of car driving.
Overall the trip was satisfactory. Learnt some lessons in life too :-)
After a long time, everyone in my house didn’t work. It happens that most of the time on any day, except Sunday not all of them will be at home.But this weekend was an exception. We decided to go on pilgrimage by our car itself for a change and after some discussion it was decided that we will go to Pillayarpatti near Karaikudi and cover some of the temples en route.
May 1 – @ morning 8.25 amAll of us got ready and we kick started our journey from Nungambakkam. I put my hand up first since it’s my favorite hobby – driving the car. After having our breakfast at around 9.30 am, the journey began in full flow.
@ 2.30pmWe reached Sri Rangam amidst a long and wonderful journey in my car. The journey was to say the least ‘simply superb’. The roads were good to travel except in some places where they were still constructing 2 way roads and fly overs.
About the temple:
Sri Rangam temple was awesome. Though I have been some 2 or 3 times before I was very young and I only liked to play running and catching there. This time though my mind set was a bit different, only a bit different :-) .This was Iyengar’s one of most important temple. It's called Divya Desam and its 3rd on the list of the vaishnavites. Very very important for all of us. I last visited this temple when I was in 6th or 7th standard (pretty long time ago) At that time, it was a village, with population not more than 20 persons per sq km. Now it has come under trichy corporation and its resembles a city. Flats promoters are seeing big money there.
Good change but for a bad cause – NO more agriculture or dense trees.
We went to the temple in the evening. Since it was a holiday, there was one hell lot of crowd. Point to be noted is there was no air since they have renovated the temple in such a way that there is no entry of outside air in the premises. We were all sweating because of that wonderful innovative ventilation. Since the temple is not used to such a large crowd, the queue management was bad. Still ppl were gentle to adjust to those things.
Slowly queue started to move. As we were nearing the sannathi, we noticed that the Bhattar(the priest) and queue regulator were allowing people in the wrong way.
I was thinking, What the hell are you doing Sir? Being in a respectable post, You shouldn't be doing this. Whats the use??As long as lazy goose ppl are there, these set of people will thrive. When I enquired, he said for going in that line You need to get some reco letters. Another story from that idiot.
In pre independence era, it was the caste system that determined which people should enter the temples. In 21st century, it’s the money and power that’s determining the same. 'Good change', as I thought to myself.
To be frank, there was a 100 rupees ticket even. But these people will still go in the wrong way bribing others. Excepting a few, most of the Priests are really very good.
After a wait of 3.5 hrs we were back to our room.
May 2
@10.00 am
Morning we got up late and started to another Divya Desam called Anbil. I was already trembling thinking of the bhattacharrys there :-P. Mudiyala
But to my surprise, those ppl were very sincere. I was heartened to see such ppl. Also, there was no crowd at all.
Reason: Its situated outside Trichy. All divya desams are equally important and this one is being ignored just because its 15-18 kms outside the city.I can’t stop thinking about the ignorant people who doesn’t know that all temples are equally important.
Some of them might contradict even my statement telling that ‘Only divya desam are not temples, all the local temples are also temples. Yes I agree to this fact, but then why are you people coming to Divya desams. There is something special there and we have to accept it.
Now coming back to the topic,Anbil temple was damn good. It was quite opposite to Srirangam, the area was very small but very very divinely. The place was damn quiet. Good place for meditation and retired ppl to lead their life. At around 1.00pm we reached Srirangam, packed off and started our journey to Pillayarpatti. Journey was kool.
@4.45pm
Reached Pillayarpatti. Had a good darshan. Signed off at 5.45pm and started journey to Cuddalore.
@10.00pm
Reached Kumbakonam and we decided to take rest and start the next day. May 3 @9 am Started the long journey. On the way, we went to a temple which is located near Seergazhi called Kozhikuthi.
Strange named place. But the actual Sanskrit name was Kodihaththi which means even if one commits a crime which is equivalent to a crore murder and one visits this place, he/she will be freed from its effects.
Had a good darshan and started back to Cuddalore and reached there around 1pm. Went to my granny’s house and had a good lunch and started back to Chennai @5pm and reached my home at 10pm. The whole journey came to around 944.5 km and it was a good experience of car driving.
Overall the trip was satisfactory. Learnt some lessons in life too :-)
