TRIP TO KANCHIPURAM

This post is about my enjoyable to Kanchipuram which made me to remember always some persons who got introduced to me during then.
    This trip was for participating in the symposium of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Viswa Maha Vidyalaya(SCSVMV) university at Enathur, Kanchipuram. The paper which I just sent along with my classmate friend Krishnan.G got selected due to the blessings of God. We were supposed to present our paper there on 9th October 2009.
    I got permission from hostel for getting holiday for 3 days and we both started on 8th October morning at 09:00 to Tiruchirapalli. We got into the unreserved coach of Nagercoil-Mumbai Express (for getting details about trains between stations click here) which departed at 13:00 (late by 40 minutes) from there. Anyhow in the rush we both got seat to sit and had our lunch. Meanwhile in the train, we prepared for presentation for the next day!!  In that heavy rush also, one group entertained us very much. The train reached Kanchipuram at 18:50. Krishna’s uncle Mr.Giridharan.T.N.E.B came to pick us up and he caught an auto for sending us to the university. After a few minutes, auto got breakdown in a very dark lonely area which made me and Krishnan to get frightened much. Our good time, we got another auto in that dark place and arrived at the university.
    There in college, we were given a warm welcome and Mr.Suresh, 2nd yr MCA of that university guided us and he became our close friend. We were given a big hall to stay where the other teams also stayed. All who stayed with us said that they had already done paper presentation in various colleges and this is not new for them like us. We all had nice dinner guided by Suresh which we cannot expect in any other college (this is my opinion). We were treated like their hostel students with much care.
    On the dawn of 9th October, we woke up by praying God for a good day ahead. We got hot water there for bathing which is one of the rare things to get in a hostel. Hot water is available there all the time. Then, we finished the breakfast along with Mr.Suresh and with the persons who stayed with us. Then we were guided by Suresh to the hall for presentation and we went there by 09:00. Presentation started by 10:30 and the first presentation was by one of our seniors from my college. He did extremely well and we expected him to win the prize. But, he didn’t get prize. Our turn came by 11:00 and we both went to stage with confidence and Krishnan started first and he continued for more than eight minutes. Then, I continued. As he took much time I had to hurry up at the end and I did the same. Judges there said that our presentation was good and the concept of GREEN IT was also a different one unlike others. Now only there came the ‘aappu’ time. Judges started asking questions to us. Though we did our best for answering their questions, we were not able to give them the very apt answer for one of the questions they asked. So, then itself we decided about our prize!
We had to wait there till evening for getting the certificates. At the middle, Suresh took us for afternoon lunch and brought us cool drinks. When we were talking with some staffs there, they talked to us keenly as SASTRA is one of the best universities. Especially one professor of MCA department talked to us much about SASTRA and its fame. He also added that one of his friends is working in our college. Thus, though we didn’t win the contest, we are very happy and very much impressed by their care to other college students. I want to mention one thing here that they didn’t collect any money from us. They also provided one way T.A for those who stayed for two days. But, we didn’t. Evening around 17:00 we got the participation certificates and we left SCSVMV after having a samosa and tea.
As we came out, fortunately we saw a car of that university. We enquired to a person inside that car and asked whether he could drop us at the bus stand. Immediately he said yes and we came to bus stand comfortably free of cost! From bus stand, we got a mini bus and got down at ‘sirukaveripaakkam’. We came here for staying in Krishnan’s uncle’s home about whom I mentioned earlier. In that home, five members are there which included him, maami, uncle’s mother and his daughters Madhumitha and Preethi who are studying 6th and 3rd standard respectively. I hesitated before for going to their home but after the compulsion of Krishnan and his parents I agreed to go there. Really I am very happy for meeting all the persons there. They gave us a warm welcome and treated me equally with Krishnan. (Note: The real fact is that we cannot stay in a home happily only if the family head likes us. Here I’m meaning giri mama. But, mainly including his wife, i.e.maami everyone in that home must be interested in our stay. Then only all will be happy) in that way, maami and paatti were also very kind with me. The kids were also entertaining which I am going to explain soon. Night around 19:30, mama took us to Kamakshi amman temple there which is a very well known famous temple. As that day was Friday, we were lucky to see amman in chariot which run inside the temple premises. Mama planned to go inside temple on Saturday, as it is not advisable to see amman inside when chariot is running outside. Then, we returned to home and had dinner which they asked me to eat without shy and we slept off.
    Early morning around 02:00, on 10th October, I heard some sound in the course of my sleep. After waking up at the morning and having coffee, we came to know that mama went to the nearby town as his uncle passed away that night. Paatti cried much after hearing this news and no one was able to console her. Krishnan was planning then to go there with paatti. Then, I decided to return alone by cancelling all the plans. But, mama called and told paatti not to come as she was very weak both mentally and physically.
Meanwhile, Preethi was showing me many photo albums of their tour and many functions at their home and gradually she became close to me due to her childish words. Maami told us not to worry and she added that Preethi will guide us to all places. Madhumitha had half day school on that day and Preethi had holiday. After getting ready, we three (me, Krishnan, Preethi) had breakfast and started from home at 09:00 by a share auto to sankara mutt. Click here to know about this mutt.After entering into mutt, Preethi guided us to all places there in order and we also did the same. She said, “One tulsi plant will be there. Go and see it.” During then only, there happened a miracle. As we went into that small lane for seeing that plant, we saw Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Swamigal there. Suddenly, he called me and Krishnan and asked about from where we are. We also told the same and also added why we were there. He was very aware about the symposium at SCSVMV University. When we came out, people who gathered there asked us, ‘Do you know him already?’, ‘Have you got any permission to meet him?’ and such similar questions. We simply said no and added that he just talked to us without any reason. He directed the manager there to give us a form regarding vedha and to get it back filled. Thank God and thank Preethi!!!! After visiting all the places in the mutt, when we were about to leave from there, the manager asked us to stay for seeing the abhishekam which was about to start soon. We told him about our plan and left mutt half minded.
Then, we went to Kamakshi amman temple where we found a long queue waiting for dharshan. As we were thinking about what to do, Preethi went to the place where people were coming out after dharshan and told something in the ears of the security person there. Immediately, he opened the gate and let us to go inside. In the next stage entrance also she did the same thing and finally we went very nearby to amman sannadhi. Only very few are permitted to this place after getting special permission. We had a very nice and peaceful dharshan inside. After coming out, one of her known friend uncle praised her for how she got us inside easily. I came to know later that she simply said ‘nadana anna’ who is one of the notable persons there at temple. We then went to ‘ulagalandha perumal’ temple and I gave ‘mutta pori’ with Preethi to the fishes there in a pond. Then, we three had juice and brought Preethi her favourite eatables and also for Madhumitha. Then, we returned to home at 13:00 after picking up Madhumitha from school. Then, after having lunch, me and Krishnan conveyed bye to them and started at 14:00 from there to Chengalpattu. Preethi asked me to come with my parents to her home when I am coming for the next time.
After reaching Chengalpattu junction by bus, we got into unreserved coach of Pallavan superfast Express by 16:20. We managed to get to seat as before and it reached ariyalur by 19:30. Then, we hurried up by jumping on the track and got into the only one bus waiting there. Then after having dinner at Thanjavur new bus stand, I returned to college at 22:30. Krishnan went to home by getting down near old bus stand. Thus, this was a very happy and unforgettable trip for me. I can’t forget Mr.Suresh, Giri mama and mainly Preethi. I talked to Giri mama once after coming to college and he wished me on the day of New Year of 2010.