Chettipunyam Trip with Mr.President

Sudhakar, Venkat, Shanu, Mani. Sudhakar eagerly looks on to find his favourite item. Pic clicked by "Yours Truly".



18th May, 2008.



Narasimha Jayanthi. Venkat requested everyone to visit a Narasimha temple to seek the blessings of the deity. Swati nakshatram came at around 01:00hrs early morning. We decided to visit the temple in the morning. We had new visitors! Sudhakar and Mani. Mani said that he will directly come in bus. Myself, Shanu and Mr.President were to meet Venkat at Guindy.



Shanu came to my house early. And we waited at for the VIP. We were to discuss about an "important" thing with Sudhakar. So Venkat personally requested Sudhakar to discuss the same during the trip. As usual like other VIP's, Sudhakar arrived late by 20mins. We boarded a 23C and headed towards Saidapet. The morning weather was too good. Everyone liked it. Soon a Jessop(place near Calcutta) built EMU rake came and we boarded it towards Guindy. The time was around 06:20 and we guessed that Venkat should be in this same train travelling with us. We got down at Guindy and climbed the FOB(Foot Over Bridge). We noticed Venkat ahead of us. Then we waited at Guindy station. ED WDM-3D#11113 crossed us with 2633 Kanya Kumari Express. Then ED WDM-3D#11193 came with our favourite Pondicherry passenger. Strange! I noticed a couple of Raj-liveried, DMU type coaches attached to the main rake. The seats were good. It had 2S type sitting seats. I guess these were bound towards Madurai. After reaching Villupuram , these will be attached to VM-MDU Passenger and then the rake will reach Madurai. That should be the plan.

As usual for the initial stages, I stood at the door. I could observe the WDM-3D blasting through the sub-urbs at more than 100kmph. We heard that Mani has reached Singaperumal Koil at 7AM itself. Our train was supposed to reach that place only at 07:45.

Meanwhile, Sudhakar and Venkat got busy with a topic. Business!! Venkat wanted to do stock-trading and develop a big company. He was requesting all the people in class to donate Rs. 1000 per head for share trading and mutual investsments. Within 4o years he says that he will give 40crores. They were talking of propaganda through websites, blogs and newspapers. Big deal. Looks like they will outwit the TATA's and Ambani's. And the company name was also chosen. See below. VKI Enterprises.

www.vetrikkukaranamillai.com

Near Urapakkam, I saw 6714 Rameshwaram Express coming with a GOC WDM-2. Soon a AJJ 21663 WAM-4 came with VM-TBM Passenger near Guduvanchery. We got down at Singa Perumal Koil and took a few snaps.





Pic taken just outside Singa Perumal Koil after offering prayers to the deity.

We proceeded towards the temple. We saw Mani waiting there. Then we bought a Archanai ticket and waited in the queue. There were two queues. One special queue and another normal queue. We went in the normal queue. Since it was Narasimha Jayanthi, the crowd was more. We had a good look at the deity. In the recent past, for the first time, I prayed only for myself. Then we came back and proceeded towards the counter. We bought prasadhams. The dosas in this temple are unique. Also the molaka podi. It was very tasty. Everyone liked it.

"Also check out my articles for new cooking recipes prepared exclusively by MYSELF ranging from your favourite Dominoes Pizza's to Iyer veetu Thachi mammu". And.. I also made the same dosas, sojji bajjis, molaka pudi at home. It took a few hours for me to cook though. It was prepared as per SINGAPERUMAL KOIL MADAPALI recipe.

Kitchen's aren't meant only for women! Meant for anyone!

Chubby boy leads the way!

Then we went to the cycle shop and rented 5 cycles at the rate of Rs.4 per an hour per cycle. The journey began slowly as we negotiated through heavy traffic. The cycle chain in Mani's and Shanu's cycle slipped quite frequently, as a result of which we halted quite frequently.



The much awaited action! The charm of the trip! Charisma of outing! Cycle ride through lonely roads amidst scenery. You can see Mani and Shanu, with Venkat leading the way.






Sudhakar takes the lead and shows the way. Best photo! I took the photo from my cycle while pedalling it.



You might think that driving cycle is easy. But we drive it differently. No brakes, No proper handles, no mud-guards. Morever you don't know when the seat will fall and there won't be much of air in the tube. If you go fast, the chain will slip.



So many constraints? You need to pedal amidst big tankers, lorries, improper roads in a damn hot day.








We are taking rest in the middle of the lonely forest. We wanted to take a halt in quite places, near scenic village scenarios. Soon Venkat and Sudhakar started discussing the important thing for a few minutes. Then we proceeded further.




Horrible timing! I felt like hitting myself. Mistimed-shot. 2694 Pearl City Express being hauled by ED WDM-3A#14124 at 60kmph.

We crossed a level crossing. The gates were down. Venkat, Shanu and Mani crossed. While Sudhakar and myself waited at the crossing to take a snap of the incoming train. Soon a I heard the sound of diesel engine sound. It was coming out in a curve from Paranur. It was a WDM-3D with 2694 Pearl City Express. It was damn late. Atleast 3 hours. Then we cycled through the forests.



THE BIG THREE!!!!




ED WDM-3D#11193 hauls my 103 passenger out of Singaperumal Koil. Surprisingly, this train had Raj-liveried type DMU coaches with 2S type seats instead of the usual wooden seats. Sudhakar, Venkat and Shanu pose for a snap.

My gang then inspected the tracks and switching points. Later, the guys posed for another pic.




Mani was made to wait for more than an hour. Our gang then joined him. Pic taken outside the temple after seeing the temple.

Then we proceeded towards Chettipunyam Hayagreevar temple. We waited in the queue for a long time. Saw the deity and returned home. While returning the weather was damn hot. But we cycled for some 4 kms back to the shop. Mani escaped through bus while we boarded an EMU. We saw 2635 Vaigai Express with WAP-4#22250 near Pallavaram. Myself, Sudhakar and Shanu got down at Guindy. Shanu boarded a bus for Tiruvanmiyur and myself and Sudhakar returned in share auto.






Great man! Great people prefer cycles. Kakkan, Kamarajar, Anna Durai are good examples. Though they possessed power and wealth, they never used it in the wrong way. Though they had the authority and power, they never misused it. Under many circumstances, even I have been brutal and harsh to make people realise their mistakes but there are still people who are simple and are better than me proving me a couple of points. They believe in Gandhian way.