Exploring Tiruvannamalai

On Saturday afternoon ,I reached Tiruvannamalai after travelling for more than 5 hours on a bus from Bangalore.it was a typical town with a some level of modernity ,garbage and people.As soon as I got down I looked around to find a place to stay and I walked into a lodge which I found closer .Shops were closed due to Diwali and I thought it might not be easy to find a place to eat.
As soon as I got into a room and I was promised by the lodge guy that he will arrange some food for me.I got into the bed and scanned through some tv channels.After having some food ,I started walking towards the great Arunachaleswarar Temple.I really had a surreal experiance when I started looking closely at the one of towers or "Gopurams" .Tall structures always fascinated me and I always liked to look at the upper tip from the ground.After having darshan at the temple and I started slowly towards Shri Ramana Maharshi's Ashram.
Ramana's Maharshi's ashram is a peaceful place and remains unpolluted even after his samadhi in 1950.I always felt enthralled by the picture of Ramana Maharshi with a similing face.That smile has got lot of depth and peace built into that.After that I started walking and I thought that I should make a earnest attempt to one round of the "Auranchala hill".It requires lot of commitment since it is 14 kms.I wasnt sure when I started and I thought I "may" make it.
I reached one intersection and I read a board which advised to take a right turn.I slowly gained pace and started walking fast .On the way I could see lot of saffron clad sadhus ,some of them started begging money as soon as they saw a unfamiliar face.I assumed it is familar place and started walking like a machine.Trees and gentle breeze gave me lot of energy ,but couple of times I took essential tea break.
Finally nearly after 3 hours I completed the entire 14 km strectch.After having dinner I quickly bumped myself into the bed.But I couldnt sleep well ....Oh my god mosquitoes.
Next morning I again went to the temple and took some snaps and spend some time there enjoying the peace.One of my friend over phone advised me to go to a hill top ashram where Ramana Maharshi spent some initial time.When I started walking towards that ,I assumed that I really underestimated the route ,it is steep and it is over 1.5 kms.When I reached the top I saw the wonderful view of the temple ,but it is really small !!!.I spend some time at ashram and came down.
On my return journey when I looked back ,in the last 24 hours I walked around 20 kms all alone without making much social interactions.
My Pictures

Boby's wedding

On Saturday ,I gently walked into travel agents' office and collected my tickets.It was dark outside and I was walking slowly towards the bus bay. Suddenly I heard a big noise ,it seemed that I hit a rock. But it wasn’t rock or a stone ,it was a dog in black.Dog came running behind me but I stood like a rock and exposed my macho image.I really wanted to say "sorry" to dog .But I suddenly realized !!!.

Bus was late as usual. I was really unhappy with travel agency which booked my tickets on a lousy bus. After one hour ,bus started moving. It was moving like a snail and I was pretty worried about the fact that whether I will be able to join the wedding next day.At around 3 o clock in the morning I got up hearing a sudden explosion .One of the tyre burst and it took almost an hour to fix that.Again late and bus continued like a snail and finally reached ekm at around 10 am .I was really concerned whether I will make it to the wedding or not. I ran to the bus station and took the next available bus to Piravam.At around 11:30 I reached Piravam.I realized at that point ,I might need the help of Michael Schumacher if I wanted to see last part of the wedding. But I got one local Schumacher who took me in a auto. He took his auto through narrow roads inside intense forest like estates. And finally he took me to a church and I couldn’t see anything there except school kids inside the class room.Oh god I thought it might have got over. I asked one person over there whether this is the church ,but he pointed to another building. I expressed my sincere thanks to "Schumacher " and ran into the church. I saw there a very familiar man wearing neat formal suits .I quickly changed my t-shirt inside a car and washed my face.

There was hardly 75 people out there in the church and Boby looked weary under intense heat of the flash. A dozen photographers from tata elxsi armed with latest digital cameras were constantly punching him with flash.And I joined them .He looked indifferent and grinned at everyone. I came to know that ceremony started few minutes back,I thanked God .

The function went on for another 1 1/2 hours ,I was weary about the fact that I didn’t have proper food for last 18 hours and had a very incomplete sleep last night.Before the couple got down from church ,I saw a very familiar face looking great with his beautiful wife.Oh my god, their presence was totally unexpected ,Ladies and Gentleman, it was George and Lin.He told me openly he came there just for having some good food.He finally took me to Boby's house for the lunch.

What a magic ,the crowd there was amazing when I reached his house.I suddenly realized that for many people marriage means just "food" and most people are out there where food is served .And most people turned up at his home instead of showing up at church…What a world..Me ,George watched new wed couple entering the dias and tasting the cake.Being a veg I had to contend with limited stuff .Finally George told me he needed to move out.We spend some time with Boby and I saw George giving Boby some "marital" advices.I can guess what he would have said .But I don’t want to mention it over here to make this prose a dirty one.

But George and Lin were extremely kind enough to invite me to his house and asked me to stay with thier family for a day.I politely declined and told him I need to travel to bangalore same day somehow.

He dropped me at bus bay where I took a bus to ernakulam .At railway station I found that I am totally tired of taking another journey to bangalore ,without proper sleep.

I immediately decided to go to my home town and spend some time there.

My first travel to US

On Friday 6th May 2005,I went to Bangalore Airport at around 7:30 pm.My Dad and my brother came there to see me off.After getting boarding pass I proceeded to the immigration counter .The immigration officer looked at my "school boy" picture and put his hand on head .I thought that he is going to make a issue out of this ,but he said something different ."Why you spell Nair as Nayar ,you must be proud of the caste you belong too.I am also a proud Nair?".I was relieved and equally embarassed.What to do ,people wont change even in 21st century.I promised him "I will try to change it".

The flight to Bangtok was late by 30 min.I got into Thai airways flight at around 10:30 and I was greeted by thai airhostess with smile and a language which resembles some "foul language" in my own native language .But I didnt care as usual. I know the people of Malay race(Chinese /Japs/etc) will eat anything that moves or which appears to be a living organism.So I specifically instructed my travel agent that I cant consume that.So for dinner ,I was given meal which consists of some "fresh" plants and half baked dough.I finished off my dinner by taking some red wine.

Hardly after 3 hrs and 45 min ,flight landed at Bangok The airport looked very luxurious ,but without proper sign boards.When I got out of the gate ,I thought that I have to do 4*400 meters self relay around the airport.There were other Indians from Wipro who were travelling instructed me the right place.I collected my boarding pass for my next flight and I approached towards the gate.

At the gate they looked mercilessly at my passport and run through the scanners to make sure that it not counterfeit .I found that they did only for Indians or similar looking people.Are we thugs ?.Security was strict .They removed my shoes and asked lot of questions on the nature of baggage I was carrying. In fact I like security ,it makes us feel that no member of bin laden gang is sitting next to you or in the plane.

After that I went inside into a larger plane (Boeing 747 ) of United Airlines.I saw very decently dressed crew inside unlike "over painted" grandmas of Indian Airlines and Air India.This time too I was offered special meal consists of "fresh" plants and dough.

After 6 .30 hrs,I landed in Narita international airport in Tokyo ,Japan.It is the best airpot I have seen so far.Clearly laid sign boards ,enough display screen,good view and polite people.I spend some time there just sitting and walking .It seemed everything there is expensive and I didnt courage to have food or drinks.It can be some snake !.After some time I took another flight to San Francisco.It was another 8 hrs of horrible journey,luckily a pal from Wipro was sitting next to me.

At immigration counter in SFO,the immigration guy looked at my "schoolboy" picture and asked me "Is it you".Our travel desk guys goofed something which spoiled my entire meeting.They booked return tickets on July.I infact asked for 12 weeks of stay ,which the immigration officer didnt like that.

But he did give me 12 weeks and advised not to stay beyond that.I was disappointed with that meeting,last time our travel desk booked a ticket for me to delhi for my visa interview at chennai !.He might have thought that I might be a Hanuman to jump from delhi to chennai.

There at SFO,I took some raw vegetables and bread as breakfast and made some quick calls to India to tell everyone that I landed in america.After some time I boarded another flight to Salt Lake City.Salt Lake Ciy is the "center" of state Utah which is a very conservative state .It was a rought flight since weather was bad,and I really got scared when it landed.I collected my baggage there went outside.it was cold.I had to travel another 50 miles by road to reach hotel .Finally I got into shuttle service and landed in hotel at Sunday 5 am India time which was 5:30 pm Sat in Utah.I travelled from one end to another end of the globe which took almost 20 hrs of flying time .I feel I am in a different world ,completely different from what I have seen so far.

Life in US

I made a serious effort to understand life in US in a week .Everyone knows that it is quite different from India.I live in a place called Orem which is around 30 miles from Salt lake City/Utah.People live in Utah mainly belong to conservative christian sect called Mormons.Because of that, Utah is completely free of bars or night clubs which is totally common in rest of US/Europe.
Orem is a beautiful place surronded by mountains .The buildings are flat which covers lot of land space.I think people usually go for high rise building when there is a scarcity of land.Orem has got lot of space.I initially stayed in a nice hotel ,later on our company took a descent apartment which has a wonderful view .I really got suprised by the fact the sun here usually sets by 8:30 pm !.
The first thing you notice in Orem is that you wont find much people outside.People usually travel by car and car is one of basic ingredient of american life.They have build huge roads and good traffic system so that people can move easily .And moreover you can find lot of parking space everywhere.There is virtually no public transport system available since very few people live here.

On last Monday I went to our office.It is a small office but it is very neat and beautiful..Our manager took me to various people and I shook hands or did say an american "hi".I think people here have a great professional culture.One of the managers invited us for a dinner at his home on Tuesday.We went there and his family prepared a nice veggie dinner consists of garden burger,macroni,fruit salad and a tasty cake.I liked the fact that they interacted with us without having any preconceived notions about Indians.They treated like another human beings!.
Apart from that I spend some time in Walmart and Costco ,huge shopping malls where you can buy virtually anything.One particular thing I noticed about americans here is that more than 60 percent of people are just fat. May be opening a food chain or a hotel here is a good bet

At chennai

Last Friday I travelled to Chennai to escape from Bangalore for few days..When I reached chennai it was raining heavily,.Luckily I carried a umbrella so I could able to move around.But even then I reached my sister's house I was almost "soaked" .Later on the evening I managed to see some "lost relatives" .The next day at chennai was warm and very humid as usual.I went along to see my sister's new flat ,it was really good.
But finally I hate chennai ,worst climate and unfriendly people.In south india ,it is one of places where people can be easily cheated for anything.From Autorickshas to taxis ,you can find lot of crooks who are determined to cheat others.

Encounter with the third kind!

On 10-08-2004 friday night, my friend and I left Bangalore for a place called Hornad which is around 300 Kms west towards a place called Hassan. On early hours of next morning, I was greeted with natural greenery of uninhabited land with a small lane of curly dark roads. I reached there at around 7 o clock, and took a small temporary shelter. After that we went to the temple, which is dedicated to Goddess “Annapurneshwari” or Goddess of food. The temple had a unique radiance which attracted me a lot. Somebody meantime advised me to visit the Ganesha temple on the top of a hill. We walked through an uninhabited place and finally lost the way. But the nature was beautiful enough to give us energy to walk and finally we visited the beautiful temple.After a wonderful lunch at the temple we left for Sringeri.

Sringeri is one of four centers of learning established by Adi Shankara.I was surprised by the amount of cleanliness there, even though it is visited by thousands of people daily. We got a room provided by the “mutt” for a negligible rent and decided to rest there. I spent a lot of time walking inside the well –laid pavement trying to assimilate the peace and tranquility, which existed there.
On next afternoon, something tragic happened for me. I went to the river “Tunga” for taking bath. My friend was an amateur swimmer and he was trying his skills. After sometime I found his troubled face while he was desperately trying himself from taken away by the current of water. Seeing this I rushed in, I never knew that after few steps I am going to a deep zone .I was thrown into the current, I was grappling my hands to save myself from drowning. For the first time in my life I was completely surrounded and I thought that I am going to die very soon. I could see my friend shouting and I saw couple of people running towards the bank. And finally I could rest one of my legs on a rock, then I tried to place my other leg over a rock, I could do that. I was saved. Then I was helped by a person there to reach the bank. I sat there for few minutes and I vomited .I think I drank a lot of water. Finally God saved me ! I know some lucky persons like me who escaped this .I know it all happened because of friend’s adventure to swim there rather than taking bath in shallow waters. I told him it is really good to be adventurous for a necessity, but not for fun. You can be very close with death.

Travelling

I have been travelling these days.Last weekend I was in NIT(REC) Trichy for campus recruitment. NIT campus is quite big ,nicely laid convering vast areas of land and trees.We reached there on Saturday early morning and we were picked up from the station to thier guest house.I took a early morning walk in the campus to "interact" with nature .I went to temple inside the campus and had a good time there.It is really nice to be away from a bustling and polluted city like Bangalore.
We conducted a aptitude test for 64 people and only 17 people cleared it.It seems we have a probelm wih our question paper ,very tough it seems.After that we conducted group discussions and interview to select 4 people.And finally we reached bangalore on Sunday early morning.