Monday, February 14, 2011

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!!!

7 comments:

Varun S said...

Wow! awesome post. Felt like I was with srishan all the way. Excellent description of temples.

Swetha Sukumar said...

amazing... Felt as if I was travelling with you guys all over. Expecting more such anubhavams from your side....

Nithya Ravi said...

Don’t worry; you will get more such anubhavams on many such blogs!!! :)

Swetha Sukumar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Swetha Sukumar said...

Hello I want it from you.. I dun think I can get this anubhavam from someone else's writing...

Guru Prasad M said...

Excellent narration!.. ^_^

Such a nice anubhavam reading this!!.. :'-)

Ramanuja Daasan said...

Hi, Thiruvellianguid moolavar is Sri Sheerabdhi Nathan and utsavar is Sri Sringaara Sundarar. Adiyen's family is blessed to be part of the Perumal's family trust. There is plans for 12 year once Ashta Bandhana Jeernodharana of Kolavilli Ramar vimanam, Gopuram and Varna Kalabagam of Perumal moolavar - Pavitrotsavam planned this year during Karthigai. Requesting your family to be a part of the celebrations.
Please visit for more info at:
http://kolavilliramar.blogspot.in/

Thanks and regards,
Adiyen - Ramanuja Daasan - Vijayaraghavan