Trip to Sabarimala - Day 3 (15/05/2006)

On the morning of the third day, we got up early, took out the Ghee from the coconuts in the Irumudi and proceeded to the Sannidanam for Ghee abishekam. Quite a big queue considering it was off-season. We were able to see the special pooja where the jewels from Panthala Raja's Palace come to adorn the Deity. Inspite of the crowd, we managed to get a good place to stand and watch for quite some time...
After that, we went to a nearby restaurant to have a light breakfast, following which, we surrendered the accomodation and started on our way down. We started at around 9:30. I was a bit apprehensive of being too slow like the previous day, and further, climbing down isn't as tough.. So we managed to get to Pampa by 11.. from there, we arranged a Jeep to get to Kumali, which is on the Kerala-TamilNadu border. The crowded jeep started at around 11:45am and we reached Kumali at 3:15pm...
From Kumali, we got on a bus to Kambam. Before that, I called up my Dad in Chennai coz he said he would arrange for us to see the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple in Madurai, lest it be too late for us to reach there.. Then from Kambam, we got on a bus to Madurai.. Though the bus was quite fast, it took us two hours longer than expected to reach Madurai..
Also, in Madurai coz of the Chithirai Thiruvhizha's proceedings, the city was very crowded and everywhere there was "Take Diversion"... reminded me of Vivek's comedy in Thirumala..
We got down at the Mattuthavani bus stand in Madurai.. (what a weird name...) and called my dad.. he asked us to go directly to his Bank where the manager would be waiting for us..
We took an auto to the Bank and there, the senior manager and another staff member accompanied us to the temple, with special permission from the Temple authorities, for special dharisanam.. Though it was about closing time in the temple, we were able to complete our prayers and archanai.. Just as we were walking out of the temple, they closed the doors.. Talk about timing...
For dinner, we went to a place called Murugan Idli Kadai, which is very famous in Madurai. I could not help thinking it was probably a small roadside "kaiyendi bhavan"-style shop that prospered into a big hotel.. or else it was just another new way of naming... to impress easily in the minds of the people.. It was very crowded and we had to wait for half-an-hour to get our seats... Kinda like the most popular hangout of teens and elders alike... As its name implies, it only serves idly and dosa... but different varieties of them.. and so many types of chutneys.. Mmmmmmmmm... it was amazing.. welcome back to TamilNadu chutney and sambar...
After a filling meal, we went to the nearby bus stand to get on an "AIRBUS" to Chennai.. The travels guy said it was a superb AIRBUS but then he took us to Mattuthavani bus stand, saying the bus was there.. when we went there, it was just an ordinary bus, without neither airconditioning nor pushback seats... a 10 hour trip in this!! man, we were swindled big time... the bus was scheduled to take off at 11:30, but since the bus wasnt filled yet, the driver waited till 1:30 am to fill up all the seats, and then only started...

Return to Chennai - Day 4 (16/05/2006)

After an uncomfortable sleep, I woke at around 7am ... We came to Chennai at 11 oclock to CMBT.. From there, we boarded a bus to Central Station.. We came to the temple at 12 noon... sweltering heat blistering my feet.. We then removed our maalai, and proceeded back home... After a bath and final poojai, we all ate the Sakkara Pongal made from the rice and vellam that we had taken to Sabarimala... I just slept through the rest of that day... Sabarimala trip over!!!