Pleasant Ooty Trip

Srishan's first trip to ooty was quite interesting!!! We wanted to go by toy train, but unfortunately no reservation could be made. We decided to drive by car as we wanted to go via coimbatore. When Maalu paaki and Degaluru kaaka accompanied, Srishan was all the more delighted. We reached coimbatore by evening and then met our relatives. Then we stayed there overnight and left the next day thinking we could cover Aliyaar dam before climbing uphill. Srishan was excited becoz we had told him that he could go on boat, horse ride , and also to the park. When we were short of time, we decided to cut the Aliyar trip and go straight to Ooty. It was very nostalgic for me as I was visiting Ooty almost after 12 years. Second, I wanted to go to my school, my X place of residence and get more nostalgic. We checked in at Clubmahindra, as we had confirmed accomodation. Had our lunch and then after relaxing for a while, we left to the Lake. We asked the local automan, and he said we can take either an auto or have a walk. But walk seemed a little late to book a boat. We took the auto, and Srishan was very delighted. Once reaching the boat house, he saw the motor boat, peddle boat and the Row boat. He wanted to go on a boat, he kept asking us " dhotunaa thonaanaaa" When we got the ticket for a Row boat, we explained him how a row boat should be operated to sail on water. He liked that very much, he enjoyed for few minutes, then asked "Srishan yoying thannanaaanaaa" meaning Srishan rowing pannalaamaa??

I said, the rows are very heavy, and srishan has to grow big to lift them. For now appa will do. He then imitated how his appa did rowing and also enjoyed the scenic beauty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSTDWzXXxHE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jk5gqmkz2Gs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIC3hXDliDA

Then he also wanted to go for a horse ride, and he was particular on a white one. But somebody else took white, so he has his turn on a brown, with much hype given by his father ( :P illati avan climb pannirukka maataan ).He enjoyed the horse ride thoroughly and refused to get down. 

We came back taking a bus to the busstand, had a tea at a local aavin shop and then a brief walk led us back to the Resort. There was bonfire and some games were hosted by the CMH organisers for the holiday activities. I took Srishan there, and he was silently watching the crowd. When they played some loud music, he started to ask me to take him elsewhere. Then we came back to the restaurant and had a sumptuous dinner ( buffet). CMH is known for exotic items, and desserts. Then we went to sleep. The rooms are like row houses, and each one has a dry kitchenette and a neat washroom. We had the fantastic view of the race course from our resort, making the stay all the more delightful. Rather , the busstand, racecourse, and part of Ooty was seen from the resort. My x residence was quite close to this place ( say 2 kms) and i could have walked all the way. But did not find time for that. The very next morning, we were surprised to see two horses in front of our room. One Black and one Brown, both looked good. Srishan was all the more excited, and since he was familiar with a brown horse, this time he asked me for a brown horse ( dhown hosla thonanaa) in his own style. I told him that the brown horse has not had its breakfast, and so we will take the black horse. Initially he hesitated, but then found that Black horse was also equally interesting to take a ride. This time around I accompanied him on the horse ride. Then we had breakfast and then went to Doddabetta, the tallest peak in South India. We walked further down at Doddabetta for a good warmup after a heavy breakfast. Srishan was all the more enthusiastic to walk along, After a considerable walk, he simply sat down at the nearby parapet.and rested for a few seconds before we continued. Then we took some snaps We also went to the tea estate/museum, where we saw the making of Tea and purchased some tea packs. Also we bought some homemade chocholates. Then we came back to the resort and had lunch. In the evening we wanted to go to the children's park. It was  a big mistake, instead we could have gone to the lake and enjoyed at the park there.  In the children's park, all the equipments were old, and not maintained properly. Also we were promised a toy train ride for 7 rounds, but the operator took us only 5 rounds. and we had to fight for two more. Then we saw that the lake was just a mile away and started walking towards lake, thinking that we can get back and take the car. It was more than a kilometer, and it was getting darker. We could have made a boat ride again, had we skipped the children's park. Alas, the boat ride was also closed. Srishan enjoyed some bubbles and then we came back all the way to the children's park where we had parked the car. Then we came back to the resort and felt that the extra walk was tiresome. Then after dinner we hit the bed. The next day we had breakfast and then went to the bottanical garden. We stopped at my school entrance and took some snaps, and i was all the more nostalgic.Then at the botanical garden, Srishan enjoyed running around, trying to rollover but just posin,enjoyed bubble blowing....

Then we came back and had lunch at resort and then left towards mysore cherishing a memorable trip.

No escape from School

School memories all always pleasant to Cherish. I thought so, but when I woke up this morning, I realized  that I had a dream.

I was just blank, felt guilty and ashamed for not having done my Maths assignment!!! With just an hour left for the next class to start, I remembered that I was the only defaulter. I turned to my right and saw Aruna Patil sitting and in front of me was chicku, vaguely recognized the other faces. It was a new period introduced, and was called silent period. Some teacher came in and was supposedly supervising us, We all ought to be quiet through the period. I just then remembered that Sumathi miss gave this assignment the day before and the very next hour was her period, after a break of 10 minutes. I hardly had 40 minutes in all, and i was blank. I quickly turned to Aruna, and asked her if she has done the maths assignment. She replied that she finished it yesterday itself. I was surprised, there were 40 problems in all, and it would atleast take 2 minutes for each if we knew the formulae byheart. I asked her to show me her work. She opened her bag , with least interest, and showed me her assignment. It was done in a chart, folded into two, and torn on the sides. I asked her how it was torn, and she replied that it so happened when she was travelling by bus. Then I opened my bag and found two charts that I had brought, ( surprisingly the same two charts that Srishan tore two days back :P ) and though I has no other option, I simply decided to use them for the assignment. Then I again turned towards Aruna, and though I dint have the time to understand each problem, I just asked her how she did the first one, becoz I simply did not remember anything that Sumathi Miss taught the previous day. She just started explaining me , when the teacher who was supervising noticed us talking. We were actually whispering ,but she found out. She came straight to me and said," this is Silence Period, and you spoke, I will cut 10 marks from your assignment". Then she turned to Aruna and said " Aruna, nee mattum enna , school topper aitaa, unna patthi ella background um enakku theriyum, Kalaigowriyum, Pushpavum sollitaa yerkanave enakku, You were taking border marks in 6th standard" Ironically , she joined  this school only in 8th Class, and She could not have been topper until board exams :P

I couldnt just control my laugh in front of the teacher, as I knew she was not telling the truth, but given I already got the punishment, I had to keep quiet. :P

My cellphone was ringing loud and i realised that this was all a dream!!! Same old school, Same friends, Same benches, Same kind of dreams :P

LoL

ஸ்ரிஷன் தமிழ்க் கவிதை - Varun mama vodadhu

ஒன்றிலிருந்து அறுபதுவரை எண்ணுபவன் யார் ? 

ஓயாது மூன்று பேராய் சொல்லுபவன் யார் ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cF0DQsuHRF4

மாமா நீ குழலூதென்று கேட்பவன் யார்? 

நாராயணன் புகழ் பாட சொல்பவன் யார்? 

ஆழ்வார்கள்  ஆச்சாரியர்கள் நாமம் நவின்று 

தமிழ் ஆங்கிலம் சமஸ்க்ரிதம் அனைத்தும் பயின்று 

எங்கள் ஆழிமழை கண்ணா நீ தானடா 

விண்கள் வெல்லும் எங்கள் வேந்தன் நீ தானடா

தாயின் மூலம் அன்பு கற்று 

தந்தை மூலம் பண்பு கற்று 

பாட்டியின் மூலம் பாசம் கற்று 

பாட்டனர் மூலம் பொறுமை கற்று 

உடையவர் சொன்ன நெறியை பற்று 

என்று தான் நான் உன்னை காண வருவேன் 

அன்று தான் உன்னை தூக்கி முத்தங்கள் தருவேன்

Srishan's memorable Thirukannapuram Trip

We had planned a trip to Thirukannapuram for the Maasi utsavam. We booked the forward journey to Kumbakonam by bus and from there to Chennai by train and back to bangalore by train. Srishan had the heights of joy when i told him that we would travel by big bus to Kumbakonam. When his father was back from office, his joy knew no bounds, he jumped, he hopped, and he ran round and round, and said " buslayo trainlayo ponananaaa" meaning bus layo train layo pogalaama??

We had booked a cab to get dropped at the ABT office at Madiwala. From there onwards, we waited for around half an hour, and Srishan was watching all big red and white busses. His obsession towards yellow got wild when he said , "dhig yeyoo dus na poghananaaa?" meaning big yellow bus la poghalaama?
I told him that we would go by big white bus only and not yellow bus, as yellow buses are meant to be school buses. Then we boarded the bus around 9pm. He was all the more excited and started counting the visible buses around him. He said "koo white dhuses" meaning "two white buses". We were surprised at his careful usage of plural words. He slept initially with slight difficulty, but then later on found his own comfort position and slept until we reached kumbakonam. When we alighted at the bus stand, he said "chakanathani saarangathaani sevikanananaa" meaning "Chakrapani Saarangapani sevikalaama?"

Then we went to the room we had booked to get ready. There I gave him bath and then he changed to his white kurta and pyjama in which he was always at ease.

We went to Saarangapani temple first and had a beautiful Darshan. I gave some cornflakes and Srishan preferred eating the chocos more :P

From Saarangapaani we went to Chakrapaani temple. After having a nice darshan there, we were just about to come out of the temple, and somebody called Srishan near him. It was the mathalam man who had a mathalam in his hand, he asked Srishan to beat using his hands, and Srishan enjoyed doing that. There wasnt enough light, and to blame my cellphone that did not have enough memory, I could not capture the moment. Then we went to ThiruVelliangudi, which was in some interior place from Kumbakonam. Thanks to Senthil anna, who was our saarathi this time as our previous trip. He took us with careful planning for us to have darshan at temples which we could not go in the previous trip.

At Thiruvelliangudi, only the bhattars are taking care of everything, and the Darshanam was awesome. Kolavalli Ramar was simply astounding. Moolavar - Srungara sundarar - was on bhujangasayanam, and did not have Changu Chakram in his hands. Instead , Garudazhwan had them in purapadum nilai. The bhattar explained that this darshanam is equivalent to prostrating at all 108 Divya Desams. The Sthala Vriksham was Kadhali ( here Sevaazhai) and we had the prasadam, it was really sweet. Then we went to Therazhundhur - and had dharshan of Aamaruviyappan. That is when we came to know that Swami Vellukudi Krishnan was also coming there. Second time we were blessed to prostrate Perumal standing beside him. The first time was last year during our trip to Thirukannapuram for Maasi Utsavam, we had similar instance at Thirunaagai - Soundararaja Perumal Koil. This time we were happy that Aacharyan thirvullam was enormous to have such an experience again. Swami was blessed with Perumal's garland, and he instantly wore that on Srishan, and blessed him.
Then we had the prasadham at temple, but Srishan had very little. Bhattar at Therazhundhur temple requested Swami to bless him at his thirumaligai, and we also went there, to give some food for Srishan. There Srishan had some private moments with Swami, enjoyed on the Swing along with Swami, and also expressed his knowledge of Sanskrit words that he has been learning - Dhola( Swing) Kupaha( Well) and also identified a few of the Azhwar Acharyar fotos on the wall.He also told the Guruparamparai names, and Amangaar of Therazhundhur Bhattar watched him keenly and smiled. Then he had kesari to his delight as prasadam and some curd rice with his much fond dry grapes. Then Swami asked him " what is my name?", he said "Kishnan" , he asked " Yaaruda unnoda Acharyan?" and Srishan pointed to Swami. Swami said, " naan illa, unnoda Acharyan Swami Mudaliandan" Then he asked ," Unnoda Peru yaaru vecha theriyumada?",Srishan was blank, Swami said " Nanthaan unnaku peru vechen theriyuma?" Srishan said "Swing la ukanananaaa" meaning " Swing la Ukaralamaa". Swami made him sit next to him and started patting him on his thighs. Srishan did the same to him. Then after some time he got down and started running around and enjoyed on his own. After having memorable moments there, we left to Thirukannapuram and reached there around 3.30. Swami's Upanyasam was to start around 4.15 after the Kaithala Sevai of Sowriraja Perumal. I had to change Srishan's dress as he had made his white dress literally brown. I missed Kaithala Sevai in this period. But then enjoyed Swami's Upanyasam for a while. Then Srishan said that he wanted to go and enjoy at the pond " theethaku poghananaaa?" meaning "Theetha ku poghalamaa?" I took him there and he enojyed watching the pond for say half and hour. Then we came back into the temple and he was playing all along until the Upanyasam got over. Then we walked over to find his father, and Swami was coming towards us. A few bhaktas were prostrating him and many were following him. Srishan went upto him and said " Krishnan Swami" in his tone of calling family members. I was surprised and so was his father who was a few steps behind. All people were smiling at Srishan, and surprised at his bold move. Swami said "nadakattum nadakattum", then we went farther and relaxed for some time and then also had darshan of Sowrirajar's Sesha Vahanam. Then followed by dhadhiaradhanai ( dinner) and then left thirukannapuram without having the anubhavam of Purappadu and Muniyadharaiyan Pongal. We wished we have it next time.

Senthil anna took us safely to Mayiladuthurai and we waited for some time. The train was very late,. We were supposed to board by 11.20pm but could board the train at 12.10am. Srishan kept telling " Reda blueaa yellow a green a endha koo koo kain nu theyaadhe" , that he doesnt know what color train he would be travelling in. When he saw blue train , then he stopped telling this sentence. Then we boarded the train. Srishan slept immediately, as he was deadly tired after all day events. Then we reached chennai the next day morning around 5.30. The train had made up for the lost time. We took bus to SIET and then auto to home. Srishan loved all the vehicles we travelled on. Then he slept royally until 10.30 that day. In the evening we went to play bubbles on the terrace. Srishan had company of Varun ( 6 months elder to him) and both of them chased the bubbles with all the excitement. Then on monday he enjoyed with playdoh at home . In the afternoon around 3.30, we took bus to Parthasarathy temple, and he enjoyed walking inside the temple. Then we came back by bus and he slept in the bus our of tiredness. We took train to Bangalore at arnd 11.15 pm. For that too, we took auto to station and he just loved that travel. He was awake and kept watching all around. telling " yellow koo koo kain la poghananaaa" for his obsession with Yellow color that has happened recently .Then i said, there is no yellow koo koo train, but we can go by blue koo koo train. Then he was counting the other trains and uttered the plural forms correctly. Then when the train started moving, he slept immediately. We reached bangalore this morning and he was awake until we took the bus to KR Puram. He slept in the bus and slept at home as well until 10.30. Even now he is so excited talking about his travel by bus and train!!!