By S S Mallik
My 2nd solo trip to Rameshwaram
Hey seekers, how are you all? I know it has been many days until I wrote about my 2nd trip. You all may be thinking that because of work pressure I couldn’t write it or I was busy working on other things. Well it is not true, I was just Lazy to do it, deep down I was also uninterested to pen it down. To be honest that was the same feeling I got before going for my 2nd solo trip. I was confused, uninterested and felt like sleeping in my room for continuous 4 days with my unhealthy snack packets and a 4 hours daily dosage of YouTube shorts, because Rameshwaram was my cousin’s dream, not even mine.
I was so dispassionate that I canceled my train tickets just a few days before the trip and told my friends in Bangalore that I will be available for the next few days and we will be partying this time. But just 1 day before the trip, My PG mate, out of the blue, was singing this song from a Manjunatha movie, where in one of the lines of the song it describes about 12 Jyotirlingas (One of which is Rameswaram) indicating that I am missing something. So I thought I have two options now, 1 being-chilling with friends, Haldiram’s Moongdal and some 1 minute videos which makes you regret after watching for some hours, and the 2nd being- booking a bus to Rameshwaram, go on a unplanned trip with high chances of failure. I just thought of that scene from MS. Dhoni movie, where he is sitting on a platform and he has to choose whether to take the train to his hometown and tell his father that he is quitting job or else he stays in the station continuing as ticket collector. That single thought cost me a bus fare of 900 which was 600 rupees more compared to the train, as it was last minute booking.
So Yes, I am on the bus now, trying to complete my 2nd solo trip. First thing I wanted to tell you that everyone in the bus, the passengers, driver, conductor, especially girls of my age were seeing and smiling at me. At first it was awkward, but later I thought mine is a smiling face and I am just reflecting it back, but later I found out that I am actually wearing two different kinds of slippers (One bata chappal for one leg and normal wear for another leg). So, I told myself that I am getting old and part of me died of embarrassment. Also, the bus had halted at some place for dinner, where a swing was built for the attraction purpose. A Joint family got down from the bus and they all went near that swing. At First the children were swinging while some middle aged people were pushing it back and forth. You should see the smile on their children’s faces. They were just smiling and shouting faster, faster, faster while the middle aged men were neglecting their spouse’s angry looks as they didn't want any harm to happen to the kids. Later, thinking about the risk for the children, the Aunties gang came and took their children away. Then something happened, where I couldn’t control my laughter after that. These men grabbed those aunties by hand and made them sit on the swing, and started to push it. Now they were pushing hard, and it was very obvious that they were taking revenge on their spouses after all the things that happened inside those 4 walls of their respective homes. After that, they tried to ask the grandparents of the house. One woman accepted it and she went back to her young days where she might have worn two braids and a handful of jasmine flowers tied to her hair. But the other, for sure cursed something in kannada.
The next day I landed in the holy place and the first thing I did was to buy a new pair of slippers, as I don’t want any more smiling faces. Later I went to a lodge which only allows people from one particular cast, and guys please don’t judge me now, I couldn't find more affordable and homely place anywhere, but here comes the difficult part, as in the rules book of lodge, there will be no rooms given for a person who is traveling solo. I tried to speak with the manager, but he is very adamant about the rules, but after some minutes of discussion and seeing my lost puppy face (which I try to put when I want something) the manager agreed, but he wants to speak with my mother first. And I never thought it would be the scariest and the funniest conversation I ever heard, as it was like the owner had kidnapped me and asked for some ransom amount.
Owner: Is your name Lakshmi??
Mother: Yes, yes
Owner: Is your son’s name “ Mallik”
Mother: In a very deep tone- Yessssssessssss
Owner: Did he come to Rameswaram??
At this point I know how exactly my mother was feeling. I can feel her BP rising up. Mother: Yes! What happened to him
Owner: Finally he has revealed, “No nothing has happened madam, just wanted to know whether you have information that he is traveling to Rameshwaram alone?” I called my mom just after checking in and we laughed for minutes remembering the communicational skills of our beloved lodge manager.
I got ready and wanted to explore the place, so I walked for 2 minutes, and I saw a beach and crackers were exploding inside my heart, as a beach in a walkable distance has always been my dream. Later, with my great bargaining skills, I booked an auto by giving him 100 rupees more than the usual price, for exploring nearby places. I was alone in that auto, with blue water on both sides of Road, with Lord shiva’s songs playing in my ear. Later I saw a place where Vibhishan (Ravan’s brother) was crowned, also a ghost town named “ Dhanuskodi '' where Once there was a beautiful infrastructure like railways, hospitals but now it just has some broken rock walls. Later I went to Ram setu, and that place was an amalgamation of two large oceans. Towards the end of the ocean, a large stick was buried with a red flag wrapped to it (a caution saying that it is the end of land, and no one can go any further). I took some photos of it and started to play in the water. The moment l sprinkled the water on my face, I knew exactly that this is the place where the famous Tata salt is made and used in our cooking process. The water was so blue and so clear, as a poet’s description. Later a guard brought a stone which was used to build a setu (Dam) for Lord Rama to reach Sri Lanka. I made my lost puppy face and persuaded him to hand over the stone to me. The stone was kind of heavy with holes on it, and at one moment I felt like I was there in the war and was Helping Lord Rama to get his wife. I even tried to put it in water, and to my surprise it was floating, but not like how I dreamt of.
Later with the help of binoculars, I saw the starting point of Sri Lanka, and also the land where the Great War had Begun.
Basically the war Zone is such, every piece of Land is divided by water, 5 such pieces are there, and the Vanara sena started to put the stones from the end point of that Land towards Srilanka.
Now my story teller inside of me has woken up and he was just imagining after seeing that Location.
From the 1st piece- Angada (son of Vali) is leading the army of young Vanaras. 2nd piece- Jambav (the warrior bear) is leading the army of some creatures in the Jungle. 3rd piece- the big and most important one (where Rama and Lakshmana are standing) – is Led by Sugriva
4th piece- It is led by Nala and Nila (Commander in Chief of sugriva’s army) 5th- piece – It is led by vibhishan and some of the good demons.
Sugriva who is standing near the edge of the 3rd piece looked into the eyes of Rama for consent- Rama has lifted his bow like he did in “Siva dhanasu Event” (slowly but yet in a more powerful way) then he took the arrow and aimed it towards the sky. A powerful light emerged from it into the sky from where Hanuman and Sampati (brother of Jatayu) and other creatures who can fly emerged. Every one of the sena’s blood thumped with courage after seeing Hanuman and started shouting with their weapons in their hands. Sugriva then looked towards the Entrance of Lanka, lifted his mace and at once shouted “JAIIIII SHRIIII RAMMM” (like avengers assemble from end Game) which followed by Vanara sena saying “JAI SHRII RAM, JAI SITA MATE”. The sky become red indicating the rage inside every one of the Vanara’s heart for killing Ravana and his army.
So, this was all I was thinking while I was going to Mr. Abdul Kalam’s House. There I saw everything related to Kalam sir’s journey from his childhood until he became president. Especially, the awards like Padma bhushan, padma Vibhushan have caught my eye.
In the evening, I went to the boating area. I knowingly chose the Last boat as I thought the tides would be strong. My boat journey was welcomed by some liquid on the bridge(Basically vomiting of some people who just completed their ride). The ride was fantastic, as until now I only did boating on lakes or rivers, but this was amazing. The Boat was dancing as per the flow of tide, and it felt like the tides were taking the boat into its depths. But I stood near the end of the boat and for a moment it felt like “Sinbad the sailor man”. Later in the evening, I went to the temple to watch the Last Aarathi. I was so fortunate that the moment I entered the temple, an elephant named “Rama Lakshmi” had crossed my path. I was so mesmerized after seeing her circling inside the temple. Then as usual I sneaked into the fast going Line as there were very few people. I got to say this, out of all temples, in this temple Lord Shiva is very handsome, as he was ornamented with different kinds of flowers in a variety of styles. Basically, there is a big arch, followed by 2 arches in the decreasing order, inside which our Lord is resting. Now to every arch, lamps were attached, and seeing Our Shiva through all those Lamps, Oh my god, it was an eye feast. Later I had my dinner with Andhra style meals.
Now in the pitch dark night around 11PM, I went to the beach area where a few people were sitting. I selected a nearby empty place and was just listening to the sounds of the sea. It was so peaceful and I just remember a scene from Zindagi Na milegi dobara , where the Protagonist says “Neither there is earth below, nor sky above. Only me, my breath and my heartbeat. Such
deepness, such loneliness and me…only me, It all makes me believe in my existence” It was kind of the same feeling. I was just meditating there without sitting in a leg folded posture, nor my past sins were petrifying me, nor was my near future freighting me. It was just me.
The Next morning, I played in the water until I saw that beautiful scenery where clouds are allowing the sun to show his face, and the birds are chirping like a welcoming song. It was like that painting we tried to draw using the Paint feature in the windows application, but we all failed. Later I went to a place called 22 wells, where basically water from all holy places will be poured on you by a small bucket as an indication for clearing your sins. Like all human beings on the earth my sins were cleared so that I can make some new ones. Finally, if I wanted to say one thing about Rameswaram – “It is the only place where Tamilians are comfortable to speak in Hindi” as the place is filled with all the tourists from the north.
Then my journey to Madurai has started- So guys I will be giving you two options here- one would be traveling 3 hours in a NON- Stop AC bus or traveling the same distance in a Stoppage NON AC bus while the sun is hitting you with its rays. The price difference is just 100 rupees.
You have 5 sec to choose- 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. I know you all choose AC bus. But I wanted to see the streets of Tamil Nadu and still to this date I regret that decision.
Firstly the bus is so small that even the conductor couldn’t move from one end to another end. I sat near a window and my first co passenger was one of India's highest tax payers – A drunken middle aged man. He was so high that I could smell the rotten grape odor from his mouth directly to my nose. He was talking with me all the time and I was just nodding my head like an idiot, and I am pretty sure that the language that he is using is none of the south Indian ones. Later a guy who got disqualified for WWE, wearing a dhoti until above his thighs sat beside me, I mean sat on me. For the first time in my life, I felt what molestation is. Later a woman saw me, came near me and handed me a bag of utensils as it was heavy for her (All I wanted to ask her is –“out of all men in the bus why you have chosen me”). After a few hours, Mr. Sherlock Holmes has sat beside me, as throughout the journey he was just looking at everyone, he wants to know what everyone is doing, what are they talking, why are they talking. He was so curious that he meddled in a women’s fight over the seat (as a man, the first and foremost rule is, never meddle in a cat fight), and I think he got to know when those two women started shouting at him.
Anyway one thing I observed throughout my journey in the bus is, there are many streets without street lamps, proper roads, proper infrastructure but one thing every street has in common is “BIG SIZE BANNERS”
One posture is Lion roaring and a political contestant was coming out of Lion’s mouth. A banner with a couple standing near the edge of a titanic ship in the Iconic titanic posture. There is some poster where the birthday boy images was so small, but the people who are wishing him had large images, and there is this one poster where every other celebrity is wishing one youth contestant, and one of the photos is Scarlett Johansson (people who didn’t know she was one of the avengers), and the name was written as scarlet Johnson, I mean they didn’t leave Hollywood actress. After seeing all these I felt and I hoped that they should show more
creativity and enthusiasm in developing their streets, their lives rather than creating some unnecessary banners.
After my smooth journey to Madurai, I had lunch at a restaurant named Temple city where I had sambar with some curries, for once I felt like I was in my hometown. Later I reached the temple, and it is one of holy places where you have to take a ticket of 100 or 500, because the free line is like an endless loop, and after a point it will directly take you to the place where the god resides. After a Longgggggggg time, I got an opportunity to see her majesty, First of her name, Queen of Madurai, breaker of demons, Mother of all. Sorry guys, she was so powerful, I just couldn’t describe her more. Later, I sat near the Famous Lotus pond while singing a song from the Arjun movie which represents Meenakshi Amman. This temple is one of the most cultural, enormous, delightful and historic temples I have ever seen. I suggest you all go in the evening because with all the lighting it would be heaven on earth kind of feeling, especially the longest arch near the temple where Lamps are attached to it.
There is a place called 1000 pillars inside the temple, which is carved out of single rock, and after knowing that fact, I just wanted to one say thing like in animal movie – “Salute to the people who built it'' and there are many people who are visiting that place from all over the world. But the sad thing is that some so-called educated Indians are dropping their passport size photos, their business visiting cards, and some money in a glass jar-like thing where sculptures aged 3300 to 1700 B.C were locked safely. I felt very bad about this act, as what the foreigners would think of this, they always had the impression of Indians as characters from slumdog millionaire movie, and these kinds of acts enhance it. I mean guys seriously pass port size photos, what are you expecting in return driving license, passport??? Also I saw some visiting card inside the glass Jar “Ventaka Ramana Advocate'' for marriage and divorce problems contact this number, and I felt so bad for this guy as he doesn’t know where to promote his work also, as this is temple is known for its marriage event between Meenakshi and Sundareswarar and their love. I always feel there is a thin line between belief and stupidity. I got so agitated by this, and for the first time I went to higher authorities, discussed this problem with them. I told them to put correct angled CCTV cameras and a board which says “Dropping any Visiting card or Photos is a punishable act and they have to pay some 500 rupees for it, or simply write it as SIN and god will punish you. I ended my journey with the famous madurai drink Jigar Tanda, which is ok by the way.
So, this is all about my 2nd Solo trip- from canceling my train ticket to sleeping on my co passenger’s shoulder while coming back towards Bangalore. Every good Journey, Good book and a good movie will teach you something and inspire us for a week, until we go back to our normal lazy lifestyle. After the trip I just remember a quote which I like very much
“The Magic you’re looking for is in the work that you are avoiding”
To be honest, we all wanted to go to the gym and have good looking bodies, we all wanted to watch a good story, and wanted to spend time with our loved ones. In this smartphone Era, We all wanted to do the things we are Interested In, but usually we avoid that for some so called
trolling videos or some You tube shorts or Instagram reels. This little trip reminds me of all the things that I avoided, and showed me a good picture of all the magic moments I could have gathered if I had done them at the right time.
So I hope after reading this, you will do the things that you have been avoiding until now and I hope you all will find the magic that you are looking for!!!!
Signing off- S.S.Mallik!!!!!!
By S S Mallik
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