Visiting Acharapakkam

Just before the Crazy Mohan drama began at Kalaivanar Arangam.

My cousins have come for the weekend and all my routine works/plans were cancelled. I wanted to enjoy this weekend very well with them. We went for a cinema called Saroja. Not the best in my opinion, but the cinema got very interesting after those guys started in the car remembering “Karakattakaran” era. The whole world would be shocked when it hears that I am going to a cinema theater. Such things don’t happen often in my life, as I am not into the usual lazy way of living life. You don’t like my principles? Don’t worry, I have got some more! LOL.

Then I visited Kalaivanar Arangam to see the drama “Chocolate Krishna”. Amazing! But the drama had more moral values, thoughts and thanks to Crazy Mohan the traditional values of Indian society are still being maintained. The ticket to this drama cost Rs.200, however for the film it was only Rs.50. Myself and my cousin planned for a trip to a Shiva temple near Acharapakkam, the next day. It was a trip planned by the elders at home. This trip was different as it was entirely involving bus (as it turned out to be later on). However, as luck would have it, I managed to get a good photo of a train. I was planning to take the early morning Pondicherry Passenger at Egmore, but we erased such ideas.


GOC WDM-2#16882 with TPTY-PDY Passenger just moving out of Acharapakkam. I heard the honk while I was inside the temple. I just walked past the temple tank, bushes to reach the tracks. Seeing me near the tracks, the driver got worried and pressed the honk twice or thrice. He would have thought otherwise, thinking that I am going to commit .....



Jaikarthik and myself started in a Mandaiveli-Chengalpet bus and got down at Tambaram. Then from Tambaram to Acharapakkam we boarded a red colored Tiruvannamalai bus. My cousin went for a long nap and got up only at Karunguzhi. I was also enjoying the bus ride as I have lost interest in sub-urban train travels as I have done it loads of time. The friendly conductor reminded us and we got down at Acharapakkam. We started walking towards the temple. It was slightly far, but yet walkable. I was surprised to find that it was very very near to Railway lines. My cousin went to buy oil lamps, while I started taking photos of the temple from outside. At that time, I heard a honk. I was without chappals infact, but I didn’t mind. I hurried towards the railway line. It was a single line section with BG and MG tracks, but MG tracks in the process of being removed. GOC WDM-2#16882 was coming with Tirupati-Pondicherry Passenger. The driver seeing me near the tracks was slightly shocked. I took a photo with my camera mobile. The train passed me with a gentle breeze.



The temple was clean.


I hurried back to the temple to find my cousin brother worried of my sudden disappearance. He has just purchased the lamps and was setting them right. I went around the temple. It was an exciting scenario, I should say. Silence everywhere. Long erected compound walls, statues of Nandhi (Shiva’s vehicle mount), bushes here and there, oily walls. Fantastic. I could see some coconut trees at the backyard. I took a few snaps of the Gopuram, the well and a few sculptures, but taking care not to shoot the idols as it is strictly prohibited by law.


Aum Namah Shivaya.

I went inside the temple. It had two moolavars. I saw both the moolavars and then returned back. I went around seeing many idols. There was a separate shrine for Lord Vishnu and Goddess Alamelu Mangai Thayer. It was a very nice experience. Then Jaikarthik and myself lit 21 and 22 lamps respectively each depicting our age. We visited the nearby sannidhi for Amman. As usual, amman was posing majestically. After getting Her blessings, we came out of the temple. I saw a cute baby girl speaking good English and directing us to the nearby hotel. We stopped at a small shop or potti kadai. We had Paneer Soda. I thought of having a small Halwa, but my cousin instructed that it might not be hygienic.



The other side of the temple.


My cousin brother poses with Vazhai Pazham and Murukku packets in the G.S.T road.



L-R sitting: Vinayagar, Lord Shiva, Mother Parvathi( also sister of Lord Vishnu) and Murugan.


Entrance to the temple.


Gopuram of the temple.


The temple was near the railway lines! Awesome.

We walked to the nearby hotel. I ordered for idli while my cousin ordered for full meals. Idli wasn’t that great, so I also ordered for meals (I don’t take rice outside that often). Generally, my intake of rice is very less and I always leave quite some rice without eating. But this time, I had it to my content. We boarded a bus to Madurantakam. Then from Madurantakam we boarded a bus till Chengalpet. From Chengalpet we boarded a bus upto Guindy. We thought of boarding the EMU, but just as we got down we got a comfortable bus, so we boarded it. My cousin brother got tired after traveling in Madurantakam-Chengalpet bus, which badly damaged his backbone. From Guindy, we boarded 21G upto Anna University. By now the rain was lashing heavily. We boarded 47A and got down at Gandhinagar. Immediately, we rushed into Krishna Sweets. We decided to have chat items till the rain stopped. I had Alu Poori while my cousin had Chenna Masala. The climate was fantastic. The rain didn’t stop, so we managed to sneak through and reached my house roughly 100 meters away. My dog Damien was waiting for me eagerly in the shed.

Trip Expense: Rs.179

-Krishna Kumar.S