Kuppai Thiruvizha, a Unique Event in the Callender of Tamilnadu.

Thiruvizha means celebrations, signifying devotion, tradition, and communal joy, with elaborate functions & happenings. Unlike Deepavali, Pongal or other festivals, Kuppai Thiruvizha (Waste Festival) is an initiative by Clean Tamil Nadu co Ltd commencing 12 Jan’26 to 23 Jan’26 in promoting waste reduction through community events ; showcasing of eco-friendly products, and statewide drives for source segregation, thus aiming for zero waste landfills and a cleaner environment. It involves festivals with vendors, educational programs common public and large-scale waste collection campaigns to raise environmental awareness and encourage sustainable living initiative in Tamil Nadu ; picked up the thread by local municipalities and groups like the Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG) and the state government, Its vibrancy lies in bringing in eco-conscious citizens for environmental awareness.

Krishnagiri Municipal Office.

For Krishnagiri Municipality Kuppai Thiruvizha is no less celebrations in the current scenario of Green environmental programs than Pongal, Deepavali, Kartigai Deepam etc ably headed by

Satishkumar, Ganesh, Meenalakshmi & other KMC Staff at tree planting after clearing garbage at the centre of Krishnagiri bus stand.

Shri Satish Kumar, Krishnagiri Municipal commissioner & Shri Ganesh the Health inspector, giving priority to work & ably supported by higher ups, loyal municipal staff & their ground workers. The active participation of the local body’s chief Satish & Ganesh, speaks volumes of their intent in ‘ Kuppai Thiruvizha ‘ this is a continuous fortnight project of Environmental awareness initiative in Krishnagiri, with the active participation of private NGO’s & others, their intent is making this Thiruvizha a success at all times; just as all celebrations of festivals & functions are yearly occuring events, so too is this Kuppai Thiruvizha a newly added event to our calender, whose objective is setting up of garbage collection at vulnerable points, resource recovery, which is the process of extracting valuable materials, energy, or products from waste streams (like solid waste, wastewater, or sewage) to create new, usable items or power, effectively turning “waste” into a resource to reduce landfill reliance and support a circular economy. In short going beyond simple disposal and focusing on sustainability by reclaiming things like metals, nutrients  (e.g., phosphorus), water, and energy 
from what would otherwise be discarded.

A lady worker of Old pet Krishnagiri.

A landfill in waste management is designed to minimize environmental harm by isolating trash and controlling pollution and landfill gas (methane) through liners, collection systems, and daily covering with soil or asphalt.

An enterprising individual of Hoshiarpur village Punjab, used Cattle dungs which used to clogg drains and created waste management issues, turned it into Biogas an alternative to LPG and firewood, turning waste into energy, reducing methane emissions and improving sanitation. Biogas is used by 44 families at the cost of 200 to 300 rupees for the methane gas piped directly into their homes , which otherwise would have costed more than 700 rupees per LPG cylinder!

Modern landfills are complex facilities that are compact and cover waste to prevent groundwater contamination, odors, and pests, functioning as a critical waste management system. Waste management results in by products like Cloth scraps from tailors transformed into utility kits,

Door mats & utility clothbag prepared from scraps discarded by Tailors

palm leaf-crafted jewellery, and sustainable products such as reusable straws, are among the many eco-friendly items showcased at ‘Kuppai Thiruvizha’, an annual event of recent addition, organised by the Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG). Eco friendly items from landfills typically refer to  recycled products that repurpose waste into new, functional goods like
Upcycled Furniture: Discarded wood, metal, and old furniture parts can be refurbished into unique home pieces.
Repurposed Tires: Old tires are transformed into durable items like wallets, planters, laptop bags, and even handcrafted couches or footwear.
Recycled PET : Plastic bottles diverted from landfills are processed into sneakers, activewear, umbrellas.
Organic & Waste-Derived Products
These items utilize “waste” that would otherwise decompose in landfills to create new products like Coconut Shells; Instead of being burned, discarded coconut husks and shells are made into bowls, cutlery, and coir scrubbers.
Cow Dung Products: Processed manure is used for gift boxes, utility trays, and religious figurines, offering a biodegradable alternative to plastic.
Tree-Free Paper: Agricultural byproduct like lemongrass, sugarcane (bagasse), and cotton rags are turned into notebooks, greeting cards, and calendars. 
Landfills have significant disadvantages too like air and water pollution from methane and releasing greenhouse gases, harming health, soil contamination, habitat destruction, visual and odor pollution, and risks to public health .

Simple waste segregation tubs can be kept in residential compound.

Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) area in Mumbai was created by extensive landfilling what was previously a low-lying, marshy flood plain of the Mithi River, including wetlands and mangroves during late sixties , is now a prime area of Business & offering luxury high-rise apartments with world-class amenities, making it a sought-after, upscale district in Mumbai for living and working,

What we have to aim is to strike a balance between advantages & disadvantages of a landfill for a meaningful co- existence & protect environment for the future generations!

Vanabhojanam at Murugan’s Paradise on the banks of river Thenpennar!

Paradise means any place of great natural beauty. Thenpennai river, also known as the South Pennar or Dakshina Pinakini, originates in the Nandi Hills in the Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka. It flows southeast through Tamil Nadu before emptying into the Bay of Bengal at Cuddalore, This is the second longest river of Tamilnadu.

Murugan and his younger brother are the sons of Sri Arumugam during whose time this place started getting prominence spiritually & sanctity wise. The current Brindavan was fully submerged under the river water a couple of centuries ago, and huge tracts of land was passed on to Murugan’s family by his ancestors, on succession; it was water everywhere ; as year & time progressed the , water started receding & the river changing its course in natural ways , revealing lands in some area and the stone frame in its present location appearing to float like a bobbing cork or a small boat on a rough sea! , inviting immediate comparison to the discovery of Udipi krishna idol concealed in gopi chandan paste, by Madhavacharya in a shipwreck, who incidentally preceded Raghavendra Swami of Mantralaya by four centuries; Finally the Brindavan took its place standing firmly on the ground where it is today!

Madhavacharya is the founder of Udipi Krishna Mutt & propogater of philosophy Tattvavada meaning “arguments from a realist viewpoint”.

The ruggedness of the stone square & the surroundings of paddy field with the chain of mountains in the background began inspiring the village locals into awe , devotion & spirituality, adding not only aura but also mysticism to it; to add to it, a Anjaneya temple was already in existence not far from Brindavan in present form. Corresponding to the era , a couple of centuries ago it was Guru Shishya parampara in Gurukuls, where the team of guru, disciples & students , used to stay together & learn mantras, Slokas , vedas & holy scriptures till they acquired proficiency. Sometimes they would move together along the riverbanks in search of tranquil place with sufficient water source, and proper environment, where they could put their camp in pursuit of knowledge; what better place would have suited them , than this peaceful place? established here, time passed resulting into samadhi of the revered Guru, a highly respected spiritual teacher or guide who imparted wisdom and led to enlighten students from ignorance to knowledge often playing a pivotal role in a disciple’s spiritual journey!. Over a period of time this place gathered spirituality and sanctity resulting in holiness & sacredness.

It’s here, divinity played a big part. A revelation of Vamana brindavan was communicated to a devout person in his dream to search for such an existence, which otherwise would have remained obscure to public eye; Due search was begun on the communique received; several people devoted their time & energy with sincerity towards this pursuit; Alas Shri Prasad with the team of Nagendran & Raghavendra’s joy was boundless on citing this Brindavan, on the banks of river Thenpennar, Malayandi Pudur ; it was a divine dream coming to a fruitful conclusion after a year & half’s of intense search, which met all the parameters of the gentleman who was the recipient of this divine communique, further history of this place was given by Murugan , which resulted in emotional & spiritual satisfaction of many; this place on the banks of Thenpennai river was chosen as place of veneration; celebrations followed & has been going on since a dozen years, has now become an annual event with crowd’s increasing every year during the month of Karthik.

Divine mystery of the Saint in Brindavan or the religious contents / Talisman underneath is still to come to light ! , efforts to unravel them is under way by a few concerned persons who have got the reach, power & knowledge; Shortly some revered persons would be invited from the priestly Madhava lineage , who would converge on this holy place to unravel this mystic place by spending a lengthy time in spiritual inquiry & discourses ; efforts are made to strengthen the Brindavan, as due to passage of time, the platform has sunk a bit.

Figure of vamana on the front.

Figure of Anjaneya on the side face.

It is an established fact that the Brindavan belongs to Madhava lineage with the name Vamana & the figure engraved on one side & on the other side Anjaneya who does not belong to any conventional caste according to scholars & scriptures. He is primarily identified as a member of the Vanara clan and described as a divine being born from the wind god Vayu.

Murugan’s paternal aunt Smt Pervedi was instrumental in encouraging Murugan towards divine worship of Vamana Brindavan & to propagate the belief of accruing divine blessings, prosperity & goodness etc on account of worshiping at the Brindavan; something similar to the worship of Sri Raghavendra Swami brindavan at Mantralaya or Pilgrims thronging Tirumala for worshiping Lord Venkateshwara who is considered to be a living God; it’s here where crores of devotees have sought solace in worshipping their ” Ishta” devata for applying balm to their troubled souls!

Shri Murugan

Anjaneya temple

Murugan resides not far from Vamana Brindavan; He is a TNSTC driver when not doing duties as a priest. He is busy on Saturdays worshipping at the small Anjaneya temple & at the Vamana Brindavan, with his comforting advice to the numerous locals who find solace at this place; the priestly duties is shared by his younger brother when he is attending to drivers duties or his trusted friends & family members take over ; Murugan doesn’t belong to any priestly clan for he is a Chettiar , whose priestly duties would put to shame the established priests well versed in rituals & holy scriptures, he is respected for his humbleness, simplicity & pure devotion to almighty ; he prays from heart, for what he is well versed is only turning the vehicle right, left , stopping at signals, blaring horns & driving through traffic from Kaveripattinam to Tirupattur & Bangalore! . He has been a gracious host to us!

Tulasi Pooja.

Truly a Vanabhojanam

Meals prepared in open air!

Vishnu & Lakshmi making the gooseberry tree their abode during Karthik month.

Krishna enjoying Vanabhojanam.

It’s on this hallowed grounds that Satyanarayana pooja, Tulasi pooja, Brindavana pooja, Upanyasam conducted by Shri Balaji of Paparpati took place , which forms a part of Dhatri Pooja ; which is a Hindu ritual dedicated to the Indian gooseberry (Amla) tree, known as “Dhatri”. It is celebrated during the holy month of Karthika and involves worshipping the tree, which is believed to house deities like Lord Vishnu Krishna, Goddess Lakshmi & others. The puja includes offering prayers and lighting lamps under the tree, followed by a communal feast of several course called Vanabhojanam, where families gather to eat under shade to seek blessings for health and prosperity.

On Saturday the 8 November 2025 about three hundred fifty people including locals from the surrounding villages of Malayandi Pudur, congregated & partook the sumptuous lunch & disbursed with a belief they would visit this place year after year with renewed faith!.

Unurvugal-Krishnagiri, An Environmental awareness is taking Place!

Saplings protected from animals.

The Tamil word “unarvugal” means “feelings” or “emotions” related to the environment through the human emotional connection to nature and a sense of responsibility for its conservation. Environmental psychology highlights the crucial role of human emotions, such as admiration, understañding, and respect, in fostering a connection with nature. These “unarvugal” motivate individuals to care for and protect their surroundings.

A sense of personal and collective responsibility is needed to ensure the preservation of natural resources for future generations. The name Unarvu reflects the idea of genuine concern for the environment must precede active efforts like afforestation, water conservation, and pollution awareness campaigns.

unarvugal provides the emotional and mental foundation for environmental awareness and action, making it a key concept in human-environment interactions and conservation efforts.

The environmental revolution in Krishnagiri is slowly taking shape, fostering numerous visible benefits to the community and future generations. This movement promotes sustainable practices that safeguard the region’s natural resources, such as water, soil, and biodiversity. As awareness grows, community members are increasingly coming together to eco-friendly initiatives, ranging from organic farming to waste reduction programs, ensuring that the positive impact of these changes will resonate for years to come. Workshops and events focused on sustainability are being organized, providing education and resources that empower individuals to make informed choices about their environmental footprint. This united effort is paving the way for a greener, more sustainable future, where both people and the planet can thrive harmoniously, connected by a shared commitment to preserving the natural beauty and health of their surroundings for generations to come.

An atmosphere of hope and new opportunities is being created. Each of us can improve our neighborhoods through green practices and kindness to society. Natural resources are valuable gifts for future generations.
We need to instill collective responsibility in the Indian mindset. Our duty to protect the environment must not be forgotten. It is crucial for people to engage in addressing environmental challenges.

Myself, Giridhar & Sashi.

My young friends Giridhar & Sashi introduced me to the tree plantings at Old Krishnagiri & New Krishnagiri bus stand , I went willingly to participate; that’s where I learnt about the green moment, perhaps they were doing it earlier too. It gave me immense pleasure getting to know the people. , they were mostly local office going workers, ladies & gents from local municipality. All of us spent considerable time in digging trenches & placing the various plants.

A young enthusiast.

Charan leaning on the branch pole with the volunteers.

Treated trees growing up.

Treated trees growing up

Fractured branch healing up.

Saplings planted in new bus stand

Mr Charan founded Unarvugal on November 2015 with his dedicated team ; was very active when the storm sometime back in Krishnagiri knocked down many trees skirting the lake, that was the first time I met him, mending many trees with sack cloth and cow dung, & perhaps some other earthy pastes for the re-growth of the fallen branches which made me wonder whether this would resurrect the trees; that was three months ago; today when passing through I found fresh shoots coming up in some trees; some trees with thick foliage, Yes Charans efforts was meaningful & taking fruits ; just imagine the area after a couple of years blooming with trees & flowers attracting Birds, Bees & Butterflies who further pollinate seeds from the flowers & fruits, I wish the lake to be developed properly with young children & their escorts enjoy boating, with the young & old taking a leisurely walk along a nice foothpath skirting the lake.

Having met Mr Satish Kumar the enthusiastic Municipal Commissioner, & the Health officer of Krishnagiri municipality and their devoted team made me believe this would happen and Krishnagiri will be known as ” Greenfield Town” in the years to come.

Mr Satish Kumar the Municipal Commissioner in the foreground with Health officer to his right with other team members.

Our mission henceforth , is to raise community awareness for self-determination, better livelihoods, and environmental protection. Social activities like campaigns and talks are needed to ensure a sustainable environment and a better quality of life. Everyone, regardless of caste, creed, religion, gender, or economic status, has an equal right to enjoy our natural environment.
We should identify and maintain tanks and water bodies that are filled with silt and weeds.
Encouraging young people to take social responsibility for environmental awareness and hygiene is important through roadshows and campaigns.

Success stories of Unvarvugal

Helped people of Chennai suffering from Flood.

Planting in Government Hospital Vaniyambadi

Planting in Sokkadi High School.

Seed balls planting in Ketheri.

Thanks to Robert Frost the American poet’s meaningful passage: “The Woods are lovely dark & deep but we have promises to keep & miles to go before we sleep & miles to go before we sleep”

The Calypso Doctor from Papparapatti- India!

The name calypso and its mythological association evoke themes of mystique, concealment, allure, a type of Caribbean folk music & dance and various other entities; add to it the word carribbean which means in local language ‘ brave ‘ & ‘strong’ which fits the character of cricketers of yesteryears , like Sir Vivian Richards, Sir Gary Sobers & many others who we’re flamboyant on & off the Cricket field; to them, add Dr. Ram from Papparpatti India, who spent – 55 years of his life there as a Doctor & 46 of those years in the service of people ; there would be very few who would not have heard his name anywhere in the country and not know who he is. His service touched every single family of Carriacou & Barbados!

Dr. Ramarao went to West Indies in the sixties in search of greener pastures after completing his schooling from the local primary & secondary school of Krishnagiri & in his spare time assist his father Shri P S Krishna Rao in running the first medical store of Krishnagiri – which was a family business ; which ignited his knowledge for medicine & enabled him to complete his MBBS from Tanjore Medical College .

Dr Ram secured his first posting at a government hospital in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, where he served patients across poor and underprivileged communities. Following this, he was posted to the Krishnagiri Government Leprosy Control Unit during the height of the leprosy crisis in the mid sixty’s, where he worked tirelessly day in and out, for no Doctors were willing to take that job because of dangers involved in treating and taking care of patients . All these had a profound effect on his life & career which surprised his family for the traits displayed at such a young age. He felt held back by political interference and extremely poor working conditions for doctors at that time, and in 1970, much to the dismay of his family, left for the Caribbeans helped by his friend. The rebel in him pushed him to take this challenge for the sake of his family. He was on the lookout for a change; God had greater things in store for him.

Papparpatti

Carriacou

His journey from Papparapatti to Carriacou & Barbados, was nothing short of “Thorns & Roses”. In a short time he became a household name with his demeanor , vast knowledge, ability to interact with persons of all strata, a testament to his vast intellect & versitality. Apart from being a physician he was a cardiologist, Oncologist, Pediatrician, Obstetrician – he could handle any emergency, he helped in the delivery of many Carribbeans! some of them were very difficult cases. He was very adept at treating various ailments & looked upon as a demi- God to many who worshipped him!. His strong academic foundation enabled him to adopt modern forms of medical practise . He was a man with a golden heart and arm too!, for many who could not afford his fees, his services were free; he would sometimes be paid in kind like vegetables & fishes too which would be accepted with humility.

Dr. Ram received the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in the year2005, a very high honor from the British government for the multifaceted service rendered to society until then.

Apart from being a doctor he wore many hats and coats, made good friends in political circles too for he was political strategist ; his interest in the active politics of Caribbean government once resulted in being incommunicado during a political crisis in the early seventies, which caused restlessness amongst his siblings in India and his father was a worried man , in the absence of telephone facility & no arrival of mails, people here thought the worst has happened , but that period passed ,he surfaced and his reason restored sanity in the family .

He loved his family of brothers Gururajan, Srinivasan, Raghavan , Penneshwaran, along with their wives and four sisters, and when on visits to his native place , he would love to talk for hours together on various topics , irrespective of the time taken to , beginning from mid evening to late night & then go to sleep only to get up in the noon the following day , have a shower & present himself immaculately once again! ; he was very fond of his mother Gengu Bai!.

He passed away recently at the age of 87 at Carriacou. Perhaps had a premonition & couple of days before passing away he asked for cremation after the death , the permission took nearly a week to come , thereby not forgetting his roots even after completely amalgamating into West Indian culture ; marrying a carribbean lady Bridget and two sons by the name of Ramesh and Suresh who incidentally are following their father’s footsteps by settling down in London in the same profession.

Suresh

Ramesh

Satish & Hari

Ayana

Dr Rams’s daughter-in-law Ayana presided over the memorial service conducted in his honour; the island’s Minister, Senator, and Doctors attended the meeting and paid their respects & rich tributes. His sons Suresh & Ramesh, along with Gururajan’s sons, Satish and Hari from New York, attended on behalf of the entire family and shared memories of the late Dr. Ram. His wife Mrs Bridget Ram a teacher must be a very proud West Indian to have married Dr Ram ; together they stand in testimony to human societal relationship!.

After the memorial service a good gathering of admirers did raise a glass to honour their dear Doctor & his family with moist eyes but with lot of cheer & joy as Doctor Ram would have liked his farewell to be!

His family in India, resurrected the noble soul in our hearts & thoughts by organizing a heartfelt function known as ‘shubha’ on 6th October 2025 at ‘mukti thirtha’ in Krishnagiri. This 13th-day function was dedicated as thanks giving to relatives and friends for sharing the family’s grief & sorrow, also a transition from period of sorrow & mourning to return to normalcy in day to day lives ; preceded by priests conducting Vedic rituals at the family home, creating a spiritual atmosphere that included the recitation of “Garuda Purana,” a significant scripture focused on the soul’s journey after death and the path to Moksha (liberation) . These rituals reflect the family’s deep respect for Dr Ram, ensuring his spirit lives on with them and the community.

The life of Dr. Ram made me curious to know more about him and his generous brothers. It’s our pride to know them as one of the “Key -families” of Krishnagiri, Their presence at most temple ceremonies and social functions, attending as individuals or in pairs as husband and wife, or as a united family to express joy in celebrations or share grief and support during times of loss for those who have departed, exemplifying the values of compassion and togetherness in the social fabric of Krishnagiri !.

Listening, to Sri Penneshwaran’s anecdotes of his brother Ram & the memorial service conducted by Dr Rams’s daughter-in-law Ayana, his sons & nephew’s & numerous admirers at Carriacou made me recollect a passage I came across long ago ” I shall pass through this life but once, any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to my fellow humans; let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again“.

Thank you! Dr Ram for passing our way 🙏

Unchavratti, a prelude to religious celebrations & functions of Old Pet Krishnagiri!

It is the celebrations that make any community dwellings different from other societies living together. With the advantage of living closely, the community celebrates various festivals – religious & otherwise, as united in character.
Thus the seasons festivities of Sri Rama Anjaneya Seva samiti Old Pet Krishnagiri commenced with organising Unchavratti, an auspicious precedence to several religious festivals, which means the practice of living humbly with the offering given by devotees. It describes a way of life where individuals rely on collecting grains left behind after harvests , rather than engaging in traditional forms of labor or trade. In some spiritual traditions, “unchavratti” is seen as a way to cultivate detachment from material possessions and to live simply, focusing on spiritual practices.

The Unchavratti forms an integral part of Tyagaraja Aradhana, a celebration of music and compositions of the great saint Tyagaraja, involving musicians walking the streets singing Tyagaraja’s kirtan and collecting offerings.

According to a folklore , unchavratti involves the story of a pious brahmin who lived by procuring alms & grains, got one day some food grain powder. After offering a portion of it to Agni and Brahmins, he divided the balance equally between his children. Then he sat down to take his own food when Dharmadeva, disguised as a brahmin, appeared and demanded food , the Brahmin gave all his food to the guest. Since that did not satisfy the guest, the sons also gave their shares of the food to him. Greatly pleased at the noble act , Dharmadeva took the brahmin family with him to Svargaloka. A few particles of the foodgrain remaining with the brahmin fell on the ground , A mongoose came and played on that ground., That part of his body which got smeared with the food-grain became golden in colour. The mongoose went to the yagna ground of a king performing yagna and repeated the above process of rolling in the ashes, the remaining portion of its body did not turn golden. thus showing the lack of purity in dharma done by the King.
Times have changed and ages has rolled on , all the folklore stories remain in the pages of history, Unchavratti cannot be adopted as a means of livelihood, as it was for some Brahmins ages ago , which was also a means of attaining moksha ; here the given & giver gets blessed for their noble & pious act!
Unchavratti In reality is an elevated state of mind . Signifying a lifestyle with higher values, virtues, and spiritual pursuits. This concept is often discussed in relation to personal growth, self-realization, and the pursuit of dharma (righteousness or duty).

The Wheel of Dharma.:

India enjoys religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Hinduism , Buddhism, and Jainism, which means the eternal and inherent nature of reality, regarded in Hinduism as a cosmic law underlying right behaviour and social order, dharma refers to an individual’s moral responsibilities and duties; the dharma of a farmer differs from the dharma of a householder, Dharma is that set of natural laws which all existing beings must accept and respect in order to have harmony and order in the world. Dharma is the Truth therefore, when a man speaks the Truth, they say, “He speaks the Dharma”; and if he speaks Dharma, they say, “He speaks the Truth!” for both are one.

Following the tradition of unchavratti a revered individual practising saintly & priestly duties, by the name of Sri Venkatesh Achar from Paparpatti , an hour’s drive from Krishnagiri town consented to lead the unchavratti procession; inspite of being preoccupied with the preparation of his daughters marriage , when the call went to him to don saintly robes with a sling bag of orange colour hung accross the left shoulder, known as , ‘ akshay patra ‘, where a fistful of donated rice , is stored & food grains would never be short when the need arises ! .

Donations stored in the waiting tempo.

Jr & Sr Lakshmanan enjoying a break.

We set off walking from our Anjaney temple seeking food grains & alms from nearby houses, accompanied by rendering of devotional songs, interspersed with stories from the folklore. The houses surrounding our temple area are mostly Hindus who were very welcoming & well aware of the Unchavratti tradition, hence were quite liberal in their offerings, so too a couple of Muslim family in the vicinity !. The house holder would wash the legs of the Acharya with tumeric water & complete the custom by applying vermillion , while the house lady would deposit a combined scooped palms of rice into the ‘ akshay patra’; in return , the Acharya would handover some grains as blessings to be put back into the house rice container, so that the family would never run short of foodgrains and major rice donated would go into the tempo to be stored in the rice holder along with other food articles to be used to feed people during temple community meals. . Some would graciously donate sack full of rice, various pulses, coconuts, jaggery , vegetables & other kitchen condiments. It was an enjoyable, eye-opener to me of our ancient customs & practices & overall a very humbling experience to stand in front of the giver seeking alms & foodgrains!. When the procession ended at Anjaneya temple we were left with load’s of rice, various pulses, jaggery , coconuts etc which would see us through the festival period.

With Hari the sarathy of the tempo laden goods

Aarti performed on the collections received

All the collections were centred  and an aarti performed as thanksgiving ; after the culmination of aarti , Sri venkatesh achar gave a brief talk of Unchavratti & it’s social relevance in todays context. The food served after Mangal aarti was sumptuous , being the first meal of the festive season!

In the evening Dwajarohanam took place In the temple, wherein a flag after an elaborate worship, was hoisted on the dwajastambh near the temple gopuram kalash as an indication to the commencement of festival season and also to invite the gods and ordinary mortals to participate in the coming temple functions; the hoisted flag contains the sacred symbol of Sun, Moon, Trident, Conch & Vahana! . A new flag is hoisted at the beginning of hindu calendar when the years panchang arrives!

Trusted companion of Ram.

Ramnavami Homam & pooja

Sita all dressed up for the marriage

The next day was Ramnavami which saw a big gathering of people in the temple to witness the celebrations & partake Prasadam. Sitakalyanam is another event which faithfuls would eagerly look forward to with each household preparing sweets , savouries, coloured sugar candies, paper & flower decorations , displayed like in a grand wedding. in front of Sita & Ram idols.

Rama is considered a role model friend, son, brother , husband, ruler etc. The companionship of Rama and Sita depicts how to lead an ideal family life. They stayed together in the adversity and happiness alike and lived inseparably along with Lakshmana and Hanuman completing the photographic picture! . Their marriage as described in ancient Hindu writings, is used as the baseline for Hindu marriages today. Sita Rama Kalyanam is performed to sustain the life on the earth with the belief that Lord Rama brings spring rains and Sita who is born to mother earth gives us the fertile land to cultivate for the best crops to feed the world.

It’s a belief that participation in the wedding ceremony with acts of sincere dharmic actions in our subsequent births would not only help one to break the cycle of rebirth towards attaining moksha but also bring positivity in day to day living!

.

Sita Kalyanam is performed to bring the happiness and peace around the world and Oneness with the divine, that’s what is thpose of our human birth!.

Kartigai Deepam at Oldpet Hill- Krishnagiri!

The main Krishnagiri town is located at the foot hills of Syed Basha and the town is fully surrounded by Hill rocks. The Town has grown so much that Krishnagiri has formed a circle around the hill and proudly the hill is overlooking the whole town from top! . The Krishnagiri district has a prehistoric importance, as archeological sources confirm the presence of habitats of mankind during Paleolithic, Neolithic and Mesolithic Ages. Various rock paintings and rock carvings of Indus Valley civilization and Iron age seen in this district support the historical significance of this district. The majestic fortress, built on the hill by the Vijaya Nagar emperor Krishnadevaraya , stands as testimony , though dilapidated now.

The Presence of twelve hilltop forts in the region, including Krishnagiri Fort was known as “Baramahal” This majestic fort was built under the aegis of the Vijayanagara Empire . Jagadevararayar I , was renowned for his exemplary valour, he played a crucial role in confronting and defeating the forces of the Bijapur army. The extraordinary bravery displayed by Jagadevarayar-I caught the attention of Ranga Raya-II, a representative of the Vijayanagara Empire who granted him the governance of the Baramahal territory. Under his leadership, this formidable fortress, alongside other Baramahal forts, played a pivotal role in securing the region from invading armies, earning the title ‘Gateway of Tamil Nadu’ and leaving an enduring imprint on the historical legacy of the Vijayanagara Empire.

In the 1670s, the Maratha king Chatrapati Shivaji captured the Krishnagiri Fort during his Deccan expedition. Notably, the nearby Maharaja kadai Fort which served as a trade post for the Marathas during this period.

During the 18th century the fort faced another change in the rulership , Hyder Ali captured the fort and the wider Baramahal region, usurped control of these territories from the Mysorean monarchy and established his own capital in Srirangapatna.

In 1792 AD, following Tipu Sultan’s defeat in the Third Anglo-Mysore War at the hands of the British armies , the East India Company assumed control of Krishnagiri Fort. The British strategically maintained Krishnagiri Fort as a pivotal defence structure to safeguard the region. However, following the events of transfer to the British Empire ultimately, the fort gradually lost its military significance. By 1900s, with the British rule firmly established in the region and no imminent threats, the fort fell in disrepair.

Syed Basha hill.

Krishnagiri Fort on top of the hill , now famously known as Syed Basha named in honour of two Sufi saints who were slained in a battle long ago, . A large gathering takes place during the Urs festival which takes place every year according to Islamic calendar; So too for the majority of Hindus the lighting of Karthikai deepam (Shiva deepam) a tradition running in continuance for the past eighty years, on Kartik Poornima on the Syed Basha hill top , replicating the time honoured tradition of Annamalai deepam , now managed under the supervision & guidance of Gurukular Venkatesh Aiyer who has an M.Phil and PhD degree, and carrying on the tradition of priestly occupation running in his family , in an impressive small Ganesha temple at the eastern end side junction of Netaji road in the old pet area of Krishnagiri, which has been in existence since 1824.

Ganesh temple in existence since 1824.

Govindraj a person from vanniar community , according to community & temple tradition , carried the thick wick made of a long white dhoti after chanting of Vedic slokas and elaborate puja performed by Sri.Venkatesh Aiyer.

Deepam lit on the hill top

Govindraj carrying the wick

The vessel containing the wick was quite heavy and the normal looking person on ordinary days looked like he was in a trance & hence was not overawed by the happenings and the occasion.; a big procession followed him accompanied by the playing of Nadaswaram , Mridangam & other musical accompaniments; After a brief stopover at a Shiva temple for the final customary pooja the group took two hours in reaching the top, where the wick was lit in the midst of fire crackers , rockets, and other dazzling display of fire works with the chanting of Om Nama shivaya. This deepam would be burning for almost twenty four hours while , the tiruvannamalai deepam would last for about ten days, making me wonder about the logistics in keeping it lit, making me rightly not feel about the cost and energy spent when religion and faith is involved in India!.

Dilapidated remains of fort seen in far left.

Vanabhojanam at Vamana Theertham!

Vana-bhojanam is partaking of food cooked & prepared in forest amongst relatives and friends, in the vicinity of Nellikai tree during the month of Kartik. Our puranas equate this to Ashwamedha Yagna . Apart from community bonding this results in spending time with nature thereby reducing stress & anxiety, the major cause of illness and diseases. It’s during this period , lord Vishnu, Laxmi, Krishna & other deities are supposed to reside in Nellikai tree , hence people light lamps of cow ghee and recite prayers and hymns , to gain god’s grace at one place.

As per Hindu tradition , trees & plant play an important role in the preservation of mother earth as they serve all life including human beings as they have medicinal values. Eating the Nellikai fruit helps one to gain immunity from several illness & diseases. Our ancestors treated mother nature as God & treated with respect at all times; ” It’s said , one who protects the Tree is protected “ .

Our ancient seers have imbibed conservation through customs and involvement of local communities rather than following conservation policies of government machinery . These sacred groves have richness and diversity , have better quality of flora & fauna . A large number of forest tracts have remained immune from human interference because of religious beliefs. As deforestation has been taking place at a rapid rate in many areas, such sacred groves have come to be the only remnants of the original forest in a number of cases. Thus it is important to conserve and develop the concept of Sacred groves as a conservation measure.

In our own interest we should plant Nellikai, Tulsi and other medicinal trees , providing shade in urban public spaces or available barren lands to to be used for the purpose of vanabhojhanams. Kartik month is thus associated with afforestation also.

Vana-bhojanam has become a social event, causing damage to fragile ecosystems, leaving loads of litter. As it is, sacred groves have become stressed areas due to human crowding. Tradition needs resurrection and large scale awareness, Community influencers should enlighten people about proper traditions and customs. Mr Guru Prasad , Mr Lakshmana Prasad , Mr Nagendra, & their better halves with their trusted group of community members and their families are bringing a silent change in keeping the tradition & custom values alive by organising religious and cultural functions ; One of them is Vana-bhojanam at Vamana Thirtham near Kaveripatanam not far from Krishnagiri town.

This place is known as Vamana Thirtham , due to a mystical revelation of Vamana , the fifth avatar of Vishnu’s , stone figure alongside Hanuman’s to somebody some years ago, on the banks of a river flowing by it’s side ; A search was made on the basis of given information, people devoted their time & energy towards the discovery of this revelation, alas this place was discovered to the satisfaction of the gentleman who was the recipient of this divine order, thus this place on the banks of Thenpennai river was chosen as place of celebrations since then, may be some ten years ago ; but has now become yearly ritual with crowd’s increasing every year. The priests, the cooks and the enthusiasts gathered at the Vamana Thirtham for the celebrations on 23 November , travelled by cars, two wheelers and bus , All arrived in groups & individuals, but their common interest was to be a part of this celebrations.

In no time the hands of priests changed the ordinary looking stone figure into an object of worship & veneration with colourful floral decorations and with the chanting of Vedic hymns combined with fragrance of incense sticks & camphor, the surrounding area transformed to Spiritual wilderness!

Gurukular Shri Guru Prasad & his team conducted pujas and upanyasm of Satyanarayan,Tulsi , Nellikai tree & Vamana pujas giving their importance in today’s context of time, he held the gathering spellbound by his commentary; may be at a future date an elaborate session awais us!

A little distance away from the ritual worships, a battery of cooks were stirring the big copper vessels kept on huge piles of wood fire, containing the food items which in a couple of hours would be ready for consumption, all the contents in the vessels were in different stage of readiness. The sounds , smells & the looks of the preparations combined with the ongoing holy renderings were creating lasting scenes on nature’s stage!.

It was bright morning edging towards mid-afternoon , after all the pujas , prayers & puranic story tellings were over , a call for lunch was made, people scrambled for seat in anticipation of sumptuous meal ; I waited for my turn of a hearty meal of several courses after giving a helping hand in serving.

After sometime I was resting near the riverside reminiscing the day’s events & watching the animated ladies, full of energy & spirit, scrub & clean the greased vessels in which food was cooked and handed them to gents for keeping it in the tempo for drying and their return journey to the place of origin, kind courtesy Mr Hari the transporter who volunteered this act in his own way just like many others who contributed theirs , for the welfare of the community!

Deities night at Oldpet Krishnagiri!

Krishnagiri is basically an agrarian town with miles & miles of wetland dotting the district, producing Rice , Sugarcane, Banana plantation, Coconuts, Mangoes & of course varieties of flower plants; locals are God fearing & very religious with predominantly hindus. Village deities & guardians stand guard at the entrance of their villages as passerby pay obeisance. Main Hindu deities like Rama, Hanuman, Krishna, Shiva , Ganesha and their wives manifest themselves in  temples  built ; developed & improved over the years. Regular temple ceremonies are performed through the people’s patronage with full devotion . Culture & religious fervor are strongly embedded in this part. Very similar are the various communities like Muslims, Christians, branch outfits of Hindus who follow their own culture, without upsetting the others.

Parivasudeva st temple of Rama , Hanuman & saint Raghavendra.

Lakshmi Narasimha temple street.

What Ganesh utsav is to Maharashtra, Durgashtami to Kolkata, Navratri is a big time nine days festival for whole of South India; Nights come alive in these places; most of the houses keep theme based display of dolls on several steps platform , a practice handed down since generations in- house ; ladies wear specific coloured clothing’s for  the  day & coloured patterns of rangoli are drawn in front of their house entrances, festival culminates on Dussehra.

Display of dolls in a temple with a real one!

Ambals float

The float bearers stop  wherever people  offer camphor , coconut & flower tributes to the deities.

A selfie with Venkatesh Iyer sitting on Lord Laxmi Narasimha float

Local priest Venkatesh Iyer gave some interesting insights into this colourful spectacle of floats with decorated Utsav Murtis accompanied by Nadaswaram and Mridangam at the stroke of midnight in the old pet area of Krishnagiri after the Dussehra day, replicating the Tirumala Bhramotsavam, the importance of which is to facilitate ordinary people to have divine darshan , who other wise , would find it difficult to visit tirumala ; over a couple  of days of  Lord Balaji gracing with the divine garland of Andal an ordinary mortal elevated to take the place as second wife of Balaji , because of her immense devotion and composition of holy verses & slokas as a means of devotion  to attain  the  grace of lord at all times.

To enable devotees to purchase flowers, camphor & other Pooja items the vendors kept open their trade the whole  night doing a good business.

A lady taking a tea break.

All the floats  proceed slowly till the wee hours accompanied by dance & music, only to congregate near the market place to grant combined view to huge crowds  waiting to see once a year spectacle.

Crowds waiting to have a glimpse.

The curtain falls on this day with the legendary distribution of  Vanni maram leaves as people scamper to receive them as the importance of it goes down the ages  and have held this tree sacred and  known as wonder tree or ” kalpavruksh”. In Hindu epics, the Ramayanaand  &  Mahabharata mention the usefulness and significance of this tree. Lord Rama worshipped this tree, which represents the goddess of power, before he led his army to kill Ravana.  &  Pandavas  worshipped this tree and hid their weapons  during their agyatavasa or incognito exile.Khejri tree as known in Rajasthan provides shelter and protection to animals and birds in desert areas. This tree is home to many large birds like kites, hawks and vultures. Almost all the parts of this tree are used for the benefit of mankind, thus justifying its name kalpavruksh. Since ancient times leaves have been important to human culture & spirituality . During Dussehra , leaves symbolizing wealth, victory & health  are exchanged for good luck & used in family traditions and hence they are kept by people in the house vault for prosperity and wellness .

The Apta tree leaves & Vimaana maram leaves symbolise wealth, victory & health.

Bye Bye Bombay !

I was overcome by a strange liberating feeling as the train commenced it’s long journey to my new place of stay which I would call,  my home after having spent nearly sixty years in Bombay . The train was gathering speed & honking wildly,  gathering swirl of dust on the platforms; the local station names getting blurred; I was eagerly looking forward to Vidyavihar as I went to school for the first time there & crying endlessly on my first day as if there would be no tomorrow ; tomorrow went, so too day after tomorrow, months & years too; so too the next station Ghatkopar passed but the memory of it would remain as long as I would be breathing- for having spent the formative & stabilizing years . My schooling & college was nothing to boast off , it was very mediocre, just scraped  through with lot of scolding & brickbat from my father, just don’t know how did I finish my college years ! , he thought he would shape me , mother was just a  spectator at home . Luckily during my college days , parents were away; though it was a grind , living was educative , taking long walks- a trait cultivated from my grandfather whom I was very fond of, and reading plenty of books related to travel; fortunately no bad habits creeped in for there was no money in my hand to indulge in, my eating luxury was a packet of Parle G biscuit costing about ₹ 2 during early seventies. Slowly things began to change with my first job in the year 1978 with a salary of ₹470/- The family was together again in Bombay after a gap of a few years. I had three siblings with me as only brother & eldest among three sisters. There was a gap of fifteen years almost between me and my last two sisters; my father perhaps yearned for one more son for he said with a pulled down face when he announced my mother delivered a girl baby once again! People in the house were surprised when a fridge one day made a entry  with my savings, we began to breathe a bit easily, more easily when I joined Philips India. I gave maiden flight experiences to my last two sisters when they wanted to have one. My love for travel books increased and I would scout the footpath book shops of VT and in years I had good collection of them, this made my father annoyed and we would have frequent war of words on this matter.

Armchair  travelling resulted in real,  visiting Srilanka on the eve of new year of 1984; had a great evening welcoming ’84 by having all liquids under the sky with my cousin Bhaskar but never felt groggy, had a magical experience of viewing Colombo by night from roof top restaurant aptly named ‘ akash kadai’ meaning shop in the sky ; visited home in the early hours of first day of ’84 ; was chastened by the reaction of all liquids had the eve night, with the puking my senses led me to see the real Srilanka.

Visited Polonnaruwa, Kandy- famed temple of tooth, botanical garden , had a good lunch at Nuwara Eliya by becoming a member of the famed golf club for a few hours; taste of papaya served as dessert is still lingering in the mouth, never had anything like that there after. The train journey thereafter to Colombo was unforgettable whistling through hills and forest and with the cacophony of bird sounds and with rivulet making gentle sound, the train was snaking along like a care free child. It’s almost forty years having made that journey but every time I remember that day, it looks like very recently done that.

In the night time after 11 the train was running amok making up for the lost time , so too my mind with thoughts and images of years spent in Bombay  and numerous journeys made outside and always coming back to my base Bombay  but this time there is no returning as Krishnagiri would be my new base. In the morning I woke up to the smell of egg omelet percolating along the bogie, after sometime it was the turn of veggie snacks and it was a strange symphony of aromas; all the familiar stations like Wadi, Raichur , Mantralayam  breezed by , some stopping by some not at.  Due to increase in general population most of the stations have undergone a makeover, looking bigger and  unfamiliar, losing many identities like the old peeled letterings of station and shop names,absence of   familiar dosa & Vada stalls, not much beggars on the lookout for alms & eats,pale dogs scavenging ; in the name of modernisation and growth,  familiar looks were missing and I was missing them most, this time I was making the journey with my “better half & quarter”  not accompanied by any’ real “‘quarter”‘ Morning passed by so too afternoon and evening and on dot the destination station was reached.

As the waiting car was taking us to our new residence along the path, the familiar .huge Tamarind and Mango trees and other wild shrubs were swaying in the cool breeze of the night, so too little showers were giving a comfort feeling and a feeling of welcome comfort enveloped.Didn’t know when sleep overcame me and I slept like a log till the next day, getting up in Krishnagiri!Fast forward 2 weeks,  after settling down in new environment , my morning schedule was walking  & sipping coconut water costing ₹25; 

it was countryside walking most of the morning ; barely after fifteen minutes from my house the countryside unfolds; for a moment I thought I was in rural area, except for little garbage here and there the scenery was simple and soothing for the eyes,  far from hustle and bustle of Bombay!

The week culminated by having grand Prasad at Hanuman temple celebrating the anniversary of Sri Raghavendra aradhana, the food was divine and sumptuous , thereby soliciting a divine blessing for change of location & couple of hours from Tiruvannamalai!

The Meandering Narmada at Garudeshwar !

Some years ago on the way to Tiuvannamalai this incident happened to me; nearing Yeshvantpur railway station I was walking along the footpath in the evening hours, at a distance I saw giant of a man, nearly seven foot in height, dark complexioned with un-kept flowing hair walking towards my direction; he created no stir or panic among the walking public with his appearance, as if not noticed or vanished in thin air!,  I knew he would cross me in no time with long strides, double that of a common man, I became conscious of him and tried to give way, to my astonishment he nudged me on purpose with his broad frame; before I could compose myself, he passed me, he turned around at the same time as me and gave a sly smile with his blood shot eyes, as if trying to convey a message, for a second I was perplexed, and the incident was forgotten and I continued my walk to catch the train, but the incident lay  buried in me.

Soon thereafter I became interested in Narmada parikrama and began to read articles on internet by common man, saints, sages, avid travelers since time immemorial ; invariably all of  them made mention of Ashvatama of Mahabharata epic cursed by Lord Krishna, still roaming the jungles of Satpura and Vindhyachal mountain ranges , in and around  Narmada river in search of salvation and deliverance from this worldly existence since five thousand years; sometimes he would be seen in other places too by  few in similar physical appearance , with big wound on his forehead with pus flowing. A  chill began to run down my spine as I recollected the Yeshvantpur incidence and my interest in doing the circumambulation of Narmada river grew gradually. In the course of internet search I came across one gentleman Mr. K K- Venkatraman an ex-Army captain who completed the parikrama barefoot in about 130 days and also brought out his experiences in a book form” walking with the immortals” .There is a firm belief that chiranjeevis of  our puranic lore like Parshurama, Hanuman, Ashwathama, Vyasa are continuously doing the Narmada parikrama and protecting the parikramavsis.

Narmada is said to be the oldest river flowing in India with geological proofs, older than Ganga River. While most of the rivers empty themselves in Bay of Bengal, river Narmada flows from east to west to drain itself in to Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Cambay, 10 kms north of Bharuch.  It forms the traditional boundary between North and South India, and flows through MP, Gujarat, Maharashtra and little extent in Chhattisgarh. To Hindus the Narmada is one of the holy rivers, river Ganges assumes the form of black Cow, comes to Narmada to bath and cleanse itself in its holy waters.

The distribution of waters of this river was disputed for a long time before an agreement was finally reached that water to be allocated depending on necessity.

The protocol of doing circumambulation is, if a person has started from North bank, they would walk upstream to the origin of the river in Amarkantak, cross over from beyond the origin point, come to the south bank and walk down stream till the point where the river meets the ocean near Bharuch; from here pilgrims cross over the sea in boat or Steamer to reach Mithitalai, a place in North bank, and then undertake the journey to Omkareshwar temple which is in an Island to pour the collected water at Narmada kund over the shiv ling, only then the parikrama is said to be completed. The custom is not to cross river Narmada in between at any point. The length of the river is 1312 kms which when multiplied by two is 2624 kms and there are lots of diversions because of which pilgrims have to walk around and take longer routes. People along the banks consider pilgrims to be representative of the sacred river and take care of them by providing food and shelter.

Very recently my family priest Amar Guruji posted some pictures of Garudeshwar in his profile, looking at them gave me an intense feeling of undertaking the journey; just like when the call of Arunachala comes, all arrangements are smoothly done from booking of railway tickets, place of stay etc to completing the journey, so was the call of Narmada, though this time was a journey to Garudeshwar only, I booked my train journey of about seven and half hours from Bombay to Kevadia, from where Garudeshwar is five km. Garudeshwar is a village in Narmada district where  Tembe Maharaj was ordained by lord Dattatreya to settle there to preach Dharma and work for the upliftment of place and people. Tembe Maharaj left his physical body by taking jalsamadhi on banks of river, before jal Samadhi Tembe Maharaj decided as ordained to build the Dattatraya temple, the idol of lord Dattatraya is very impressive and hypnotizing due to piercing eyes.

• 

• 

I got down at Kevadia railway station which is a unique green station, one of its kind in India. Auto drivers accosted me to be taken to Garudeshwar, 5 km away for a fare of 150 rs, a unreasonable demand, hence I decided to walk the distance which would take me an hour, also I took it as a trial for my future Narmada walk. The weather was cool and the walk was a pleasure, met many happy faces along the way who acknowledged my presence; a km away from Garudeshwar a biker stopped near me and asked where I was heading to, when I told Garudeshwar, I was asked to hop on to his back seat, in no time I reached the place from where it was a short walk to Dattamandir. The samsthan official surprised me by allotting a individual room, what I had asked for on phone was a dormitory for the same fee of 200 rs.

I soon got ready to take my dip in the river, I was quite excited and when I neared the ghat my joy knew no bounds, a full river was waiting to receive me, I took my first dip and several dips thereafter, the water tasted sweet and as is customary no soap was used, yet I remained very fresh the whole day. I was in the shallow waters for a long time.

• 

• 

Thereafter visited Dattatraya temple and Tembe Maharaj Samadhi temple during arti time in the morning and evening, very blissful moments was spent. Even after leaving his physical form more than hundred years ago, lakhs of devotees of Tembe Maharaj feel his presence in their day to day life. In the late evening went around Garudeshwar village, which is self-sufficient in every way, what struck me was the cleanliness all around and inhabited by simple people forever ready to help pilgrims. A big surprise awaited me when I returned to my room, a small crowd had gathered outside, on inquiry, I was told a big snake was seen going past the collected waste of plastic sacks, dry leaves and grass, there was  was no trace of  was snake when a thorough search was made, yet the witness to seeing the snake was adamant of spotting it earlier, somehow the creature slipped away giving me a peaceful night of sleep!

• 

• 

Next day I went to kevadia colony to take another vehicle to the famous Shulpaneshwar temple. As I was waiting for a shared auto, a priest of shulpaneshwar temple arrived in a hurry to go to the temple for priestly duties, when I told him I would gladly pay for his fare too, he happily agreed and in return related his experiences and of the submerged original temple of Shulpaneshwar, which was very historic. He asked me to take picture of the existing shivling with Parvati idol in the background and helped me in pouring the Narmada water over by chanting some slokas.

Then I went to the river ghat from where I could see Sardar Vallabh Bhai statue some kms away.

• 

• 

The Sardar statue is indeed an engineering marvel by L & T Company, which was the brain child of our PM. Visted the sardar sarovar dam too and other tourist places.

• 

• 

Very truly, Garudeshwar is a prospering place all, due to the blessings of  Lord Dattatrayaya and work done by Tembe Maharaj, what was a sleepy village in the corner of Narmada district is a place with prospering inhabitants. In the evening, in the midst of a last walk of this visit a small notice board came to my notice at a detour path which indicated it was a walking path for parikrama piligrims, I was happy and thought to myself this is the path I would be taking in future journey.

Made numerous circumambulations of Tiruvannamalai hill on the call of Lord Arunachala and now awaiting the call of Narmada parikrama by lord’s daughter Narmada!

Har har Narmade!