Even though everything in the list had been in plan, it somehow never came together. Finally there was a long weekend and I could make a road trip with it. But with office pressure and family pressure I couldn’t plan it as well as I wanted to. In fact the trip was confirmed on the very last day after knowing that I won’t have any office commitments, that too on a holiday, can you believe it. Somehow, one of us had contacts for the hotel so we set off.
Day 1 – Hitting the road and stalling at the temple
1/26/2024
For some reason, I was taking it easy for the trip. One, because I was tired and two, it was a family trip. So as opposed to my regular start at 6 AM, we rather started post breakfast, around 9 AM. We also carried lunch to have it once we reach Tiruvannamalai. As we were travelling with kids, I wanted to minimize eating out. In this way at least I could minimize by two times.
The road was not as free as I expected to be on a holiday or may be because I had been out of touch for a while, I got tired soon. After an hour’s drive, we had a coffee break at 99 kms Coffee Stop, Acharapakkam. We had coffee and Paniyaram, which was lovely. From there we went to Tiruvanamalai nonstop and reached there around 2 PM.
Parking was a hassle for the hotel and rooms were so-so. We quickly had our lunch and went to tonsure the kids. The place wasn’t as neat as Tirupati but as we had travelled, we did it. While returning back to hotel to freshen up, one of my greatest travel moments happened. There was a sadhu, who was sitting in a tea shop and singing ‘Om Shivoham’. It swelled upon hearing that. It was so great a moment that I didn’t turn back and look at him. I wanted it to remain as a mystic moment like how in Baba movie, we don’t get to see the face of the god when Rajni goes to Himalayas.
After freshening up, we went to Arunachalesvara Temple. It was crowded and we didn’t have any clue as to where to go, how much time it would take etc. so we just set off to the temple and stood in queue. It took a good three hours to visit the main deity. It was a tiring experience but not as bad as our visit to Kalahasti during our Tirupati trip.
We had dinner at Ponrayar restaurant. After may be a decade, I felt this hungry and hogged on to food like anything. Everything felt great. With my tiredness, I was skeptical about my next day’s trek to Paravathamalai but as my partner too showed interest, we fixed the plan, kept the car in parking and went to sleep.
Day 2 – Paravasa Nilai in Paravathamalai
1/27/2024
With the rest of the family still sleeping, my partner and I set off to Paravathamalai at 5 AM in the morning. Within an hour, we reached Shri Pachaiyamman Temple. The travel guide by Indiahikes was very helpful in planning the trip. After parking the car behind the temple, we set off to walk. The first phase from Shri Pachaiyamman Temple to Veerabhadrar Temple was through a forest with bad path. There were share autos operating for Rs. 20 per head. Obviously I didn’t take that. Veerabhadrar temple is known for its twenty four hour Annadhanam (free food service). They served Kanji/Pongal, even though wasn’t of great taste, it was filling. I also filled our water bottles and setoff to the trek.
The second phase of the trek was through a series of steps, 1263 to be precise, to Kadaladi-Thenmathimangalam Junction. It was an irritating walk in the steps. May be it took a good one hour there. Our usual arguments lasted till there. The next phase of the trek to the Parvathamalai Top through the much coveted Kadaparai Pathai was lovely. This the path which will truly feel like a trek. The Kadaparai Pathai is what sets the trek apart. We spent a lot of time relishing the journey.
It was a heavenly feel at the top, with nice cold breeze hitting us. The temple had great aura. It’s one of the rare temple where we can get into the main sanctum. It felt lovely being there. People in front gave us some holy ash to smear upon the lingam. After performing pooja, we sat outside and relaxed for some time.
Descent through Kadaparai Pathai was equally interesting. The rest of the path we descended as fast as we could, with minimal stops. Had snacks en route too. Ideally I don’t like to spend/eat anything during the trek but as it was a couples trek, I went for it. We started the trek around 6.30 and ended by 12.30 without hurrying much. So it was a reasonable pace I believe. While descending, the sun was beating and I was feeling very thirsty. Thankfully I didn’t drink all the water while ascending, which saved my day. There are shops selling water, snacks, till the top of the temple but if you’re a purist like me, you can plan my way with a couple of water bottle.
Once I reached Veerabhadrar Temple during my return, the auto drivers there asked whether we want to take an auto. I said “no” to it and loved the comment he passed for us. He told to his fellow auto drivers that even in the morning I gave the same reaction and we had come back pretty fast. I felt proud. Best part post trek was the lunch. I know that my partner doesn’t eat free food. But I enjoyed it. I too thought of skipping it, if it had been the same kanji/pongal because I know, I again have to waste my time and money in some restaurant. But they gave me rice. That too with Vathakolambu, Sambar and Rasam. Plus I had wheel chips in life. What more does one need in life? I filled my plate thrice and had my fill. Wonder why people are so hesitant in not availing such offer. For me it was an offer which I couldn’t refuse.
It took some time for us to walk to the parking place in the beating sun. While driving back, I had to slow down a lot of time to check for restaurants. But vegetarian options were very less so finally we had it once we reached the town. I started having headache and I knew I couldn’t sleep as much as I wanted. What’s worse, it took a good half an hour to find a parking place. So after all this, I could sleep only for an hour. But that’s what a good sleep can do to you. It made me fresh and happy.
I wanted to walk the Girivalam route but with kids it was next to impossible and going without them too would get other people irritated so I choose to take the car for a spin and visit the temples. We started around 6 PM after having coffee and snacks at Ponrayar restaurant again. It took a good three hours for us to complete. We visited the temples in the following order, Agni Lingam, Ramanashram, Yama Lingam, Niruthi Lingam, Varuna Lingam, Vaayu Lingam, Kubera Lingam, Esanya Lingam, had dinner and visited the Indra Lingam last because it was in the heart of the city with no parking space.
It was a happy satisfying day.
Day 3 – A disastrous outing to Gingee Fort
1/28/2024
Even though I couldn’t complete Girivalam walk, I was happy that I could tick off everything as per the plan but Gingee Fort came out of syllabus. First I wasn’t aware that it would be two forts and didn’t realize that so much effort had to be taken to climb to the top. And as usual being a family trip there would be other problems too. And that problem was bigger than anything. With an already aching body, I couldn’t take it any more so didn’t climb both the forts. But now thinking about it, to have not climbed to just satisfy my ego was eventually a loss for me. I could have just carried on and completed it. Probably have to plan to go some other day. Hopefully solo, but I know it won’t happen.
Even though I could technically I could only achieve fifty percent of what I expected, it was decent trip and I must say I was satisfied at least by seventy percent. Because I don’t feel like missing out on walking the Girivalam path as a big deal because it’s just a plain walk in road, nothing special, I at least covered the temples. But Gingee fort was a big miss and a disappointing one that too.
constantscribbles 