My much
awaited desired prolonged Velankanni trip.
One of the
greatest pleasures of being in Chennai is your proximity to a lot of one day
getaways… and nothing more exciting than planning a trip.
Even though
we are in the first quarter of the year I have exhausted my leaves due to our
cliché dialogue “personal issues”.
Now that can’t
stop me from holidaying ;-)
When I sat
down to plan the places to visit on my bucket list the first one that popped up
was Velankanni, to visit the shrine of lady of good health.
In times of
sickness this was always on my mind that when I get back to optimum health I
will go and stand face to face with this mother as a sign of gratitude.
Hailing from
down south in Kerala the trips to Velankanni were often registered as tedious,
dirty, long trips.
I decided to
create a better memory and enjoy my trip.
I did my
research on climate to start with, modes of transport, hotels food, mass
timings, and other tourist spots around Velankanni.
For the last
two weeks I have been doing my research on the internet about Velankanni and
speaking to the best hotels available for tariffs.
Something or
the other came up and my two day leaves were not working out.
I planned a
one day trip.
Departure -
10pm Chennai the busy Koyembedu bus stand
Arrival at
the holy soil – 4.30 am.
I rushed
back from my hectic weekend at work and quickly packed my backpack with clothes
and other necessities, cookies to munch on and water.
Not to give
extra strain on my back I preferred a Sleeper bus. There were hardly buses to Velankanni
(surprisingly).I took a non a/c sleeper bus as A/c was not available. The
humidity currently is beyond words could explain. I kept my fingers crossed
that I should not fall ill or claustrophobic in the bus.
I thanked
all the bloggers and their wonderful reviews which were so helpful choose the
bus and hotel I wanted to stay in.
I would be
using the hotel only during the day to refresh and catch some sleep which I
have been deprived of.
Koyembedu
and travel from that super busy noisy bus stand was not new to me. I sat down
waiting for my bus and remembered my college days of how reckless and daring I
was to walk in to koyembedu buy a random ticket to Nagercoil and further take
buses to Trivandrum.
Today in
spite of all the planning I was worried,
The bus
reminded me of a fish .Tall and sleek and way too silvery.
Even though
these thoughts happen on my thought bubble I laugh out loud, followed by an
embarrassment.
The sleeper
was an upper berth and had sliding windows. The bus started to move and the air
fought to gush in.
I didn’t
want to reach velaknni at 4.30.I prayed hard for a delay in departure
contradicting to the prayers of fellow passengers.
I had a
small talk with the bus driver and conductor and asked him if he could drop
me at “mathakulam”(this was the landmark
the hotel reception gave me.
After a long
halt at a toll before reaching Velankanni the bus pulls in to Velankanni by
5.30.The sun was out and I was a happy child. A proactive bus conductor asks
for a couple of directions and drops me at VPN hotel in Matakulam or Our lady’s
tank.
The bookings
we done prior to my visit and they offered 10% discount plus complimentary
breakfast after my sweet talk and enquiries.
The hotel
was relatively new and the rooms were spotlessly clean .
I hit the
bed and woke up at 8.30am.A quick shower and nibbled through a bit of
everything on the buffet, took my camera and stood outside the hotel.
Being very
enthusiastic and experimental that morning, I took a shortcut to walk to our
lady’s tank.
I walked and
walked through a dry dusty road with no signs of a tank. Occasionally there was
a signage pointing to the direction I was walking to. I finally reached my
destination. There were trees with cradles tied all over with bright yellow
threads.
There was
the tank with a metal covering and a cross and Hail Mary stencilled on it. I
could look through the small holes and see a reflection of it in the water
beneath.
I walked
towards the Shrine of our lady of Good health and by then the sun was at its
peak. Sipped from a bottle of water I was carrying and I could see devotees
crawling towards the tank from the church as a belief. I saw an exhausted woman
in the verge of collapsing on the sand. She drank water from my bottle and I
proceeded to the church. There was a malayalam mass happening at that time and
I took that as a sign from Mother Mary Welcoming me to her abode.
I sat on the
floor outside as the church was full of Malayalam speaking devotees. Post the
service I entered the church and I quickly tried to remember the names I had
registered in my mind of people who needed special blessings.
I felt that I
was pressurised to pray and not to forget.
I did my
generalised template of prayer and prayed for My parents, grandparents, uncles ,aunts,
cousins, their children, relatives, neighbours in all houses I have lived in,
people I have met in all cities that I have lived in, my school, colleges,
juniors , seniors , classmates, faculties, teachers, mentors,
guides,doctors,people who are unwell, troubled, colleagues at work, bosses.
I have
always found myself in a very difficult spot trying to pray in a busy church. I
never get a Holy feeling or connect.
There is
always suffering around.
Visited a
museum near the church with pictorial depiction of how mother Mary appeared to
the milk man .The church was founded its founding is attributed to
three miracles:
the apparition of Mary and Jesus to a slumbering shepherd
boy, the curing of a lame buttermilk vendor, and the survival of Portuguese
sailors assaulted by a violent sea storm.
I walked
through the dirty crowded humid roads with fruit, shell, and pirated CD vendors
and reached the beach.
The sipped
some tender coconut water and clicked a few pictures of the ocean.
I ate raw
mangoes and cashew apple.
The resinous
cashew juice burnt my stomach as I walked back to where I could take a rickshaw
back to the hotel. I ordered food to the room and slept. I was content that a
long term dream came true and I was relaxed after the good sleep and food at
the hotel.
I lay on the
upper berth looking at the beautiful full moon from the window and the wind
stroking my hair getting recaps of the day which has gone by…in spirituality
and relaxation. I would probably not want to go back to Velankanni but I have
memories well etched.
Finally!!!! Hey Minu... How you doin??? I love to read your blog. Fills me up with energy. U r an inspiration for budding writers. Keep rocking gal...!!!!
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