My favourite temples

As I always begin.. I've been wanting to post this for quite sometime now..

(Not in any particular order)

- Raja Mannar Gopalaswamy temple, Palayamkottai

- Abramayer temple, Doddamallur (on the Bangalore-Mysore route, next to Ramnagar)

- Yoga Ramar temple, Padavedu (near to Vellore, check my old blog for more details)

- Sri Garbarakshamibagi temple, Thirukadaiyur (near Kumbakonam)

- Bragadeeshwara temple, Thanjavur

- Chottanikara bagavathy amman temple, Kerala

- Sree Nagaraja temple, Mannarshala, Kerala

street food @ bengaluru

Thindhi beedi at Bengaluru.. I was lucky to go there within the same day I heard about it..

A street for street food in bengaluru... its in VVPuram close by to Lalbagh west gate..

after a good walk in Lalbagh the tummy was really complaining for some food..

Thindhi beedi was an apt answer for it..

We started from VB Bakery - dum rot & congress buns... Walked till the end of the street to first fill the eyes & mind with the varieties.. so much to savor & eat .. but alas - only one stomach to fill ...

hot obattu, avare bele dosa, masala pav, holige, curd kodubele... and the capsicum bonda garnished with carrot, onion... awesome for the taste buds..

we end it on a high note with hot jilebe, gulkund with fruit salad & icecream , masala pepsi..

rest r on our list for next visit..

more than the delicacies the experience is enjoyable.. no chairs, no one to take orders.. the food is prepared before us & a crowd of fellow foodies...can't ask for more for a Saturday evening..

wish I can eat all & not add to the extra fat :)

wht is the plan?

grey matter is tired of thinking....

can there be a real reason behind each & everything happening...

other than calling it off simply karma...

16 female foetus' found in dustbin....

billions throbbing fertility clinics, pouring tears & money....

wish I remember to ask this if at all I meet GOD..

On a Monday

Drizzle.. cool breeze...cloudy sky...
Beautiful melody.. deserted road..
Closed car...

Instant happiness.. can't ask for more to begin a week..

Easy, but not so easy

It comes naturally..
Its effortless..
Just be yourself..
Please don't be conscious..
Show the teeth...
Say cheese...


how tough to smile for a photo :)

Aayirathi Oruvan

Much awaited Pongal 2010 release and couldn't wait more to watch the movie 'Aayirathil Oruvan' after all the hype & buzz around it. If the entire story is Selvaraghvan's imagination kudos to him on the brave attempt. The first half of the movie was awesome. Cinematography & story line was fantastic. The story plot of archeolgy, search of the long lost last Chozha is totally new. The first half just captivated, engrossed & made feel proud of the director. The twist, turns and the interval - mind blowing.

However the second half failed to hold on to that. The second part of the movie in brief tells the lost Chozha & his famine struck people are longing to go back Thanjai. I felt that the second part was too long with many scenes dragging till the climax. It was lot confusing too which left with many unanswered questions:

• If the Chozha's had mystical powers to safeguard themselves why did they use it against the enemies


• Everyone is malnourished and why do they deck up Andrea who is supposed to be a prisoner


• Their mental power had been amazing that they had envisoned the future, then was it lost in the centuries past by


• What is the madness which happens to Karthi, Reema & Andrea during the intermission

It was like breaking a myth/belief that the Chozha's lived in a much more civilised way, women were brave & intelligent. It is hard to digest that they didn't have much strategy against the enemy or cannot safeguard their women and fall down without much grace.

I love to belive that they were (/are) lot better than us. Its hard to accept it any other way.Might it is a myth or not I wish to hold on to that as the truth.

Vellore Weekend Trip: Thiruvalam and Padavedu – Day 2

Vilvanatheeswarar Temple, Thiruvalam (Thiruvallam)

Thiruvalam – the place where lord Ganesha came around their parents and won the mango over his brother.

We reached there early morning. There was a group of children aged around 6 to 12 years singing Siva puranam

under the guidance of an old odhuvar. Old temple, stone flooring, no crowd at all and the children singing very devout. Wow… I wish to wake up ever morning in the same ambience.

Padavedu

Our next destination after breakfast was Padavedu. Padavedu is 30+ kms in the Vellore – Thiruvanamalai road. Follow the straight road from Vellore to Thiruvannamalai, pass by Kannamangalam-Vaazhiyur until Sandhaivasal. In Sandhaivasal turn right until you reach Padavedu.

Padavedu is a small village of banana and paddy fields. All the temples are old temples and amazing to hear that they were buried in sand. Over it the villagers have been cultivating corn until the buried temples were found it in ‘prasannam’ and archeological facts. Hats off to TVS company who have renovated and maintaining these temples. Amazing service they have been doing; all these temples are maintained very clean and daily they give prasadham as a kaingaryam.

We were lucky enough to get to see at least few of these temples. ‘Renuka Paremeswari’ temple is the most famous in this village.

Renuka Parameswari temple

Very famous temple and everyone on the way can direct it to the temple. The temple has a history of Parasuramar and his mom Renuka. Thank you, the temple has a very good signboard on all the temples, short history and opening timings.

Yoga Ramar Temple, Padavedu

The only place lord Rama is not Gothanda Ramar with bow and arrow He is in a meditation pose and has rested here on the request of Renuka Devi. Hanuman has ‘olai chuvadi’ clarifying doubts with Rama. The archagar and the staff are very friendly and passionate in sharing the history.

Sambar saadham and curd rice prasadham.

Veera Anjaneyar Temple, Padavedu

This is a new temple built and we went there hoping that we could request him to visit the ‘Chinna Varadhar’ temple. Though we were not lucky enough as the archagar has just closed the Varadhar temple and he said next time.

Milagau Vadai and curd rice (prasadham from Chinna Varadhar) temple.

Ammayappa Eswarar Temple, Padavedu

Recently renovated from the buried sand and the temple is at a beautiful location facing paddy field. This is the only temple with ‘Abarnambigai’ as the goddess. The name ‘Abarnambigai’ comes in Lalitha Sakasaranamam. In front of the goddess shrine they still have a place from where the idols and jewels of the goddess were recovered.

Curd rice, mixed rice and payasam prasadham.

Chinna Varadhar Temple, Padavedu

We didn’t want to miss the ‘Chinna varadhar’ temple, though it was closed. We got a guide on the ay and the middle-aged woman agreed to show us the route if we dropped her in the car near the temple.

Well we had to get down on a small road. The temple is hidden in between banana and paddy fields. Watch the path as it might be slippery.

It was an experience to sit on the steps of the closed temple and no human in sight, lush green at any angle you turn the head.

End of day 2 – Wish to go back to Padavedu and visit all the temples and if there’s a chance to stay in that village for a couple of days. A very satisfactory day and the only regret was that we were not in Padavedu early in the morning.

On the route to Padavedu, saw many 'Ayyannar' idols without heads. Is there a story behind it?

Check these for more information on Padavedu:

www.renugambal.com
www.shanthiraju.wordpress.com
www.prabhukrish.net