Guess what? We were at the southernmost tip of India, the well-known Kanyakumari! Known for its beautiful coasts and historic places, this town kept us in high spirits.
We had our itinerary planned out for the day. The scenic views of the rocky Western ghats on a side and lush green paddy on another is something unmissable and the journo in me was already peeking out, urging me to journal my journey throughout in words as well as pictures to remember. Maybe that is the work of magic on us by nature, when our souls instinctively embrace nature away from the concrete jungle we trap ourselves in our stress-ridden lives. What wonders nature can bring onto man!
There did our adventure start. We knew we had only twelve hours to crunch our trip into, so we had no time to waste. Our first stop was the much revered Bhagavathi Amman temple. History says Goddess Bhagavathi Amman after whom this town (Kanniyakumari) is named of, wore a sparkly amber nose stud which the sailors of the ancient times mistook its radiant glow to be a lighthouse at a distance and often got misguided. And so the folktale goes! Amazing, right!
Well, we got to get a glimpse of the pearlescent phenomenon here! RIGHT HERE! We dodged through the maze-like queue among sweaty people trying to punch, kick and push you down, trying to win a so-called marathon where everyone seems to be sprinting for a race that never existed. Looks like everyone is trying to showcase one's karate skills (or rather an unethical one, a street fight).
It was magnificent! The glimmering gem merged with the glowing oil lamps beside the idol, a heavenly sight indeed! No wonder it was mistaken for a lighthouse.
Next, we made our way to the coast. The coast! Ah, breathtaking! The sight of waves crashing into the huge rocks was a calming sight. We directly headed to the ferry heading to the Vivekananda Rock.
The incredible 126-year-old historic point leaves every person struck in awe. The colossal rocks hold you and the memorial high up on the air, offering you a great view of the seaside which is perfect to click photos. As we walk in, we slowly discover the mysterious wonders of this place, like the footprint of Goddess Parvathi, which is believed to have been formed during her penance lasting centuries. The sunshine at noon scorches our feet and we groan in the heat, but thanks to the renovators, a path of thermal paint is there to rescue us. While we go deeper into the caves, we are asked to put away our phones and other gadgets as we near the star of sights, the Vivekananda statue! Astonishingly, the day we were on this trip ( Dec 25th, that is, Christmas) coincided with the day Swami Vivekananda started to mediate at this very point!
Just as we were going to leave, we came across a dark room with a glowing 'aum' symbol and a resounding chanting of 'aum', with a lit of people in the dark humming the chanting. Intrigued, I wanted to try it out. I put away my belongings and sat among the people. For the first minute, all I could hear was the noise of bustling people and whispers beside me. Slowly, I could feel the 'transitioning' from the normal sense of sound to a concentrated, amplified one where I could only hear the 'aum' chantings and my own breathing. I could feel a pressure between my eyebrows and felt an calming vibration at the tip of my fingers. It was serene.
According to belief, the chanting of 'aum' was believed to bring the chanter closer to God as it was considered a bridge between mankind and the eternal force. Though I'm not religious, I could feel the serenity of the place, which erased all our worries and thoughts to tame the ever-wandering minds of folks.
By the time we were ferried back to the mainland, our tummies were already grumbling. We realised we had forgotten about having lunch and left our tanks empty for way too long! We had a quick lunch, washed it all down with a glass of karumbu saru and hurried down the lane.
It was around half past three. Since we had a couple of hours left for the sunset, we decided to leave for the famous Anjaneya temple that a small town Suseendharam, near Nagercoil, is known for. This town and its temple are at least a millennium old and are embedded in the rich Indian history. This Anjaneya steals the limelight here, completely covered in slippery yellow butter, which is apparently his favorite of all. Standing before the majestic Anjaneya, all we could want was good health,and prosperity and a long happy life.
The intricate sculptures and the beautiful pillars are definitely worth a special mention. Realising that we were running out of time to make it to the sunset, we had to rush back. Meanwhile, at Kanyakumari, the narrow lanes were teeming with fascinated children running towards the stalls selling seashells and conches, with some having names and pictures carved over them. We explored the place and the colorful locally made handicrafts hanging from the ceiling. Women flocked to the intricate embroidery and beautiful bandhani cloth. After half an hour or so, the people started leaving, clutching maps and some asked for directions to the vendors, for it was time for the world-famous sunset at Kanyakumari. Ooh!
We made it there just about 15 minutes before the sunset. I found a comfy spot near the waves and chose a place where the view was best. Though it was a short time, those 15 minutes were the most wonderful moments that I have ever witnessed. The glorious red sun, as it sank down , left beautiful orange streaks of light in the crimson sky. I think nature, in its own way, shows us the very truths of life in the most simplest, ignorant way. The sun, long after it set, left its traces in the sky, which I think is symbolic of the lives led by great men and women on this soil, where long after their souls are dead, they are nevertheless remembered in the hearts of their descendants, for their glory is nonetheless worthy to be sung throughout history.
What a great way to end a day.
.
We had our itinerary planned out for the day. The scenic views of the rocky Western ghats on a side and lush green paddy on another is something unmissable and the journo in me was already peeking out, urging me to journal my journey throughout in words as well as pictures to remember. Maybe that is the work of magic on us by nature, when our souls instinctively embrace nature away from the concrete jungle we trap ourselves in our stress-ridden lives. What wonders nature can bring onto man!
There did our adventure start. We knew we had only twelve hours to crunch our trip into, so we had no time to waste. Our first stop was the much revered Bhagavathi Amman temple. History says Goddess Bhagavathi Amman after whom this town (Kanniyakumari) is named of, wore a sparkly amber nose stud which the sailors of the ancient times mistook its radiant glow to be a lighthouse at a distance and often got misguided. And so the folktale goes! Amazing, right!
Well, we got to get a glimpse of the pearlescent phenomenon here! RIGHT HERE! We dodged through the maze-like queue among sweaty people trying to punch, kick and push you down, trying to win a so-called marathon where everyone seems to be sprinting for a race that never existed. Looks like everyone is trying to showcase one's karate skills (or rather an unethical one, a street fight). It was magnificent! The glimmering gem merged with the glowing oil lamps beside the idol, a heavenly sight indeed! No wonder it was mistaken for a lighthouse.
Next, we made our way to the coast. The coast! Ah, breathtaking! The sight of waves crashing into the huge rocks was a calming sight. We directly headed to the ferry heading to the Vivekananda Rock.
The incredible 126-year-old historic point leaves every person struck in awe. The colossal rocks hold you and the memorial high up on the air, offering you a great view of the seaside which is perfect to click photos. As we walk in, we slowly discover the mysterious wonders of this place, like the footprint of Goddess Parvathi, which is believed to have been formed during her penance lasting centuries. The sunshine at noon scorches our feet and we groan in the heat, but thanks to the renovators, a path of thermal paint is there to rescue us. While we go deeper into the caves, we are asked to put away our phones and other gadgets as we near the star of sights, the Vivekananda statue! Astonishingly, the day we were on this trip ( Dec 25th, that is, Christmas) coincided with the day Swami Vivekananda started to mediate at this very point!
Just as we were going to leave, we came across a dark room with a glowing 'aum' symbol and a resounding chanting of 'aum', with a lit of people in the dark humming the chanting. Intrigued, I wanted to try it out. I put away my belongings and sat among the people. For the first minute, all I could hear was the noise of bustling people and whispers beside me. Slowly, I could feel the 'transitioning' from the normal sense of sound to a concentrated, amplified one where I could only hear the 'aum' chantings and my own breathing. I could feel a pressure between my eyebrows and felt an calming vibration at the tip of my fingers. It was serene.
According to belief, the chanting of 'aum' was believed to bring the chanter closer to God as it was considered a bridge between mankind and the eternal force. Though I'm not religious, I could feel the serenity of the place, which erased all our worries and thoughts to tame the ever-wandering minds of folks.
By the time we were ferried back to the mainland, our tummies were already grumbling. We realised we had forgotten about having lunch and left our tanks empty for way too long! We had a quick lunch, washed it all down with a glass of karumbu saru and hurried down the lane.
It was around half past three. Since we had a couple of hours left for the sunset, we decided to leave for the famous Anjaneya temple that a small town Suseendharam, near Nagercoil, is known for. This town and its temple are at least a millennium old and are embedded in the rich Indian history. This Anjaneya steals the limelight here, completely covered in slippery yellow butter, which is apparently his favorite of all. Standing before the majestic Anjaneya, all we could want was good health,and prosperity and a long happy life.
The intricate sculptures and the beautiful pillars are definitely worth a special mention. Realising that we were running out of time to make it to the sunset, we had to rush back. Meanwhile, at Kanyakumari, the narrow lanes were teeming with fascinated children running towards the stalls selling seashells and conches, with some having names and pictures carved over them. We explored the place and the colorful locally made handicrafts hanging from the ceiling. Women flocked to the intricate embroidery and beautiful bandhani cloth. After half an hour or so, the people started leaving, clutching maps and some asked for directions to the vendors, for it was time for the world-famous sunset at Kanyakumari. Ooh!
We made it there just about 15 minutes before the sunset. I found a comfy spot near the waves and chose a place where the view was best. Though it was a short time, those 15 minutes were the most wonderful moments that I have ever witnessed. The glorious red sun, as it sank down , left beautiful orange streaks of light in the crimson sky. I think nature, in its own way, shows us the very truths of life in the most simplest, ignorant way. The sun, long after it set, left its traces in the sky, which I think is symbolic of the lives led by great men and women on this soil, where long after their souls are dead, they are nevertheless remembered in the hearts of their descendants, for their glory is nonetheless worthy to be sung throughout history.
What a great way to end a day.
.
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