Fun and Philosophy : My wonderful trip to Kerala…

Photography, Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights to content reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

It was on an impulse that I called my friend and asked her if I could land up on her doorstep after a break of almost 20 years. Thiruvananthapuram.

The Bangalore Kochuveli train

She said come and I did ‘tatkal’ in irctc and booked 3rd AC tickets both ways. 5 days and 4 nights at her place and 2 nights on the train.

Outside Kochuveli Station

I chatted up a storm on the train to Kerala and my co-passengers were thrilled with the idea of my visiting my friend after 20 years.

The train reached Kocchiveli early and my friend came to the station, with her husband and his friend. What a welcome party!

After that I was royally pampered with no work, excellent food and 24 hour attention and company from my friend and her family. The boys made a special effort in apt English for my sake, though they really love Malayalam. The neighbour’s daughter labelled me “English Aunty” and came over to show me the classical dance that she was learning.

How clean the streets of Kerala were., just like the Karnataka of my childhood. Of course modern Bangalore is a paradise for people who like to throw their trash in vacant sites, storm drains, street corners and street sites. It was lovely to see a clean city after that.

Edelweiss : You look happy to greet me!

My friend had announced my visit to all her colleagues in her college named after a king, named after a star. I received a royal and warm welcome there as well. One of her colleagues said that she had just fallen short of putting up news of my visit on the notice board. He gave me some lovely pictures of Ananthapadmanabhaswamy, in print as well as e-mail.

I understand how Sudama must have felt when he received a royal and loving welcome from his classmate Sri Krishna!!

The goat - clock in front of AnanthaPadmanabha swamy temple. Two goats butt a mans head every hour on the hour!!

I had appams for breakfast and parupu with pappadam and boiled rice for dinner. At my request no fish or meat was cooked and a lot of vegetable and leaf Thorans were made. I guess this is one of the things that vegeteraians guiltily impose on their hosts as well as on their guests. But it is a kind of inflexible rule with me and I am very grateful to all of those friends of mine, who have put up with this restriction of mine over the years in all the countries I have visited. The younger kid was very fond of parupu and pappadam just like me and I think he too was happy with the new temporary pappadam regime.

On the first evening we visited Shankhumukham beach, on the second morning we visisted the Ananthapadmanabha swamy temple. It rained a lot that evening. The third day we went to Attingal, Sivagiri, Varkala Beach and to Janardhana Swamy temple. There I had the thrill of my life, looking at the pond where Sri Krishna washed his feet. The fourth day was an all day program to Kanyakumari. Train to Nagarcoil and bus from there. After bathing in the water of the 3 seas, we went to see the Devi Kanyakumari. Then we took a boat to see Vivekananda rock, and I prayed Vivekananda to grant me his positive energy, clarity and power of thought and expression and success in my chosen venture.

Back home again, rest on the fifth day and train back on the 5th day evening. Buses in Kerala are plentiful and convenient and we hardly had to spend on autos. On the train I met nice young man who was very interested in my work and asked me a lot of questions that I was happy to answer. Some of the other passengers thought that I was from a spiritual organization, inspite of my army cargo jeans, and they too listened with rapt attention. All that attention was very enjoyable. I think I shall remember my ride back in that garib rath!! Nowdays whereever I go, my co-travellers say that I am knowledgeable and think that I am spiritual! And I have barely scratched the surface in my quest for my magic grain.

Shankumukham Beach

The experience in Ananthapadmanabha swamy temple was also amazing. In one instant I came to terms with my animal instincts as well as my higher nature and they went into a perfect balance. I don’t know how else to express it. It was an acceptance of myself, as opposed to a repression. This is of very great value to me.

As I have understood before, it is not that God is concentrated in places of worship, it is that we concentrate and tune ourselves better in places of worship. Which is why I can’t rush through them

Everyone of these visits permanently alters us in some positive way.  I have acquired a book on Temple architecture in Kerala, which I have begun to read. And a book on Vedartha Sangraha by Sri Ramanujacharya.

Fortunate am I that I have bathed in the Ganga, Krishna, eastern ocean and in the sangama of the 3 oceans at Kanyakumari, this year!

Photography, Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights to content Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

View of the Ananthapuram temple street from afar.

Shankhumukha beach

View from the train : Nagarcoil to Trivandrum

Shankumukha Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Shankumukha Beach : Photography All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula

Shankumukha Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Shankumukha Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Shankumukha Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Shankumukha Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Shankumukha Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Engineering College : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

The street where she lives : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Varkala Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Varkala Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Varkala Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Varkala Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Varkala Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Varkala Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Varkala Beach : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Her husband is a lawyer : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

The fish seller : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Ananthapadmanabhaswamy temple: Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Ananthapadmanabhaswamy temple: Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Kanyakumari : Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Kanyakumari: Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Kanyakumari: Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Kanyakumari: Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

Kanyakumari: Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved

With her children at Kanyakumari: Photography credit : Satya Sarada Kandula : All Rights Reserved