Rameshwalaam

So this is how it started!

 

One fine day when I suddenly realized that a long weekend is coming and need to be well spend, I decided to so somewhere....anywhere. 

When you live in Chennai and you are married everyone will advice you one thing 'This is land of beautiful temple try visiting some' and trust me when you are a bachelor only other bachelor can understand your needs. Anyways that is entirely different topic to discuss. 

So I discussed with people around and my wife and booked tickets for Rameshwaram. Left Chennai at 5 in the evening and reached at 5 in the morning. We reached Rameshwaram next day of Independence day of 2019. 

In the morning we reached Rameshwaram which is one of 12 jyotirling. We checked into our hotel took a bath went to beach for a dip in ocean water. Once the pre-requisite over we entered the temple from the eastern gate with the help of a paid guide who takes 250 bucks per head. 

This is the time when major fun begin and I understood the significance of Hindu rituals my way.  

There are twenty-two water shafts in the temple and they never went dry. Moreover despite the ocean salty ocean water surrounds, the shafts have sweet water (it actually taste sweet). Now you are supposed to take a shower of this water but simple splash is enough maybe because of the crowd temple have to handle. 

How these shafts came into existence? Lord ram soot twenty-two arrows to make these shafts. 

Once the shaft tour is over you can visit the deity but there is catch. In the morning there is a heavy rush so better to wait till after noon 3 o'clock and then enter the temple once again. This is as instructed by the guide. 

Now there is 6 to 7 hours time need to well spend before we come back to temple. So we decided to visit another temple of major significance. 

Kalam Memorial 

Its government funded museum which has pictorial history of Kalam professional and personal life. When you visit the place one thing is for sure you will feel that something is missing from your own life.

Kalam had a habit of reading and he basically pioneer missile and nuclear programs. His contribution were selfless and valuable while India did little in return. But once you have a gimps of his personality you will understand that he don't give a crap about 'return'. 

People boast about how apple owner started their company in a garage why don't people boast about how Kalam and his team started the Indian missile program in a ruin. Made rocket out of rag. Who gave him this motivation and energy? 

India is a big country in terms of almost every parameter like population, area, GDP, diversity, polling exercise. And he became President of such nation not by politics, number game, caste favoritism or any other negative political baddies but because of humble beseech of all political party altogether standing at president house holding red carpet with bare hands. Wow! Mahatma Gandhi and Gautam Budha are not dreams but real people this land gave birth to.

Anyways the memorial is like any other museum and you will find most of the information on internet. But you may find few items make you feel life your heart is imploding, Bag, books and pen. The things he carried to Shillong.

After the memorial we went to Kalam house. The house where Kalam lived is now three floored and top two floor are shops and display galary sort. In his time it was a hut. 

I envy my wife as she met him once in her school.

The place is no doubt nostalgic and I felt that despite many difficulties he faced I want part of his life. Probably I rote learn from childhood that ascetic life is good but never experience to have the real meaning though. 

So post Kalam house and memorial we spend some time wandering into other temples. There is one Hanuman ji temple which have big meter long stone floating on water. 

Went to temple for darshan and appreciated the architecture of the huge temple. 

Finally went to Dhanushkondi. Its a place where population was growing before tsunami. You can still find reminiscence of old railways station. 

When you reach the tip of Indian land you can see that there is confluence of Bay of Bangal and Hind mahasagar. One side is slight turbulent and other have jelly fish. 

Confluence of two culture maybe both provided masterpiece. Famous personality and temple though I believe that tramples also have personalities in India.  

Speaking of Bachelorhood again Kalam ji were Bachelor whole of his life. He also had a hobby of playing Vina (Indian guitar?).

Rock star of a different crowd.......