Mardmalai

Mardmalai Temple

They don’t understand my language, I don’t understand their

They don’t know me, I don’t know them.

Still both of us want to be friends.

I visited Mardmalai Temple today. I boarded bus no. 70 from Gandhipuram. I was standingin the bus, the conductor came to me and shifted me the other side.(Remember this shifting, Ill come to this part later.)

Soon I found a seat near 1 student. I started interacting with him.I asked about his studies and many other things, while interacting I got to know that he is also going to same place with his parents.

After some time, I called conductor and said him I want a ticket, till that time we had already crossed 2 stations, he asked me “where are u coming from (in tamil)”, I didn’t understood a word, what he was talking, my neighbor answered “Gandhipuram”. Suddenly he got angry and was started saying  ”asdasd asdasd asdasdf asdfasdfdkfghirogh”. Ya it seemed to me like this only, after some time my neighbor said “money”. I gave the money and conductor left us. Now my neighbor became my friend, I asked him “why the conductor was shouting”. He said “because I should have taken the ticket before time”. I was just laughing inside, thinking that “first of all it was not my responsibility to take ticket it’s the conductor’s still when I tried to buy one, he shifted me and in last If I could not have taken the ticket or have bluffed other stop, he was not be able to catch me”. It was me who being honest done all the right things and that guy was yelling at me like hell, all other passengers watching this. It was a cool incident, I don’t know what he was shouting but I didn’t understand a word.

Moral: Whenever someone says something bad/wrong to you, just think that you don’t understand a thing what he/she is talking about. It will make that incident awesome.

 We reached Mardmalai Temple. We removed our shoes at the shoe stand and I also kept my shoes with them. We went inside the main temple after covering large no of stairs. In the Temple, there was an idol of God Murugan on which lots of things such as coconut water, milk and few other things were being poured. Personally I don’t like all this stuff, giving money in big temples and pouring lots of things on God’s idol. As an add on to my thinking I had recently watched the movie OMG(Oh my God), which raises the issue of money collecting agents (Pandits, Padri, Father) of each religion. As we all(Me, My new Friend, His Father and Mother) were standing there, my friends father gave the pandit a Rs15 ticket and told the Pandit names of their 3 family members. I was thinking “what is this? They are here, pandit is here, then why give money to pandit, for calling their names in front of God, They can also do that.” Pandit is not a messenger of God or something like that. My friend’s father also gave Coconut to pandit. He divided it in 2 pieces and water was thrown, again wastage.

My New Friend

After all this, we came out of Temple. There were some rituals being performed by friend’s mother on him, she also performed on me. At that time I thought she just treated me like her son, how sweet south Indians are. We just met an hour ago and I didn’t said a word to his mother, because she dont understand me and I don’t understand her (language barrier). Still she treated me like her son.

Now we came down, she insisted me to take something from the shop, where they all were buying. I said “no, I don’t know any of the things in the shop”. But she again insisted, and gave a sweet in my hand; at this time I got the idea that she wants me to have anything from the shop from her side. I tried to say no, a lot of time; suddenly a hindi understanding guy showed up and made me sure about the thinking of mother. I thought, I would be acting rude, if I don’t take something from the shop. I took banana chips, as the sweet was looking too sweet.

Then we boarded the bus. When my stop was near, I just touched the feet of his parents, said by to my friend and came home.

They don’t understand my language, I don’t understand their

They don’t know me, I don’t know them.

Still both of us want to be friends.

Yes that’s true, weather we take my friend’s mother, my mess’s (restaurant’s) uncle and aunty, my office security guard anyone of them.

They don’t know me nor they understand my language, still they understand me, still they help me, still they become my friends.

Must say South Indians are good and helping people.

     

Ooty-The Queen of Hills continued

Please read the first part first.

After Lake we visited Botanical Garden (Must See Spot). As we already knew that we have less time and we have to cover a lot of spots. So we all agreed on a timeframe of 1hr. In this hour we had to complete Botanical garden and Lunch. 6 friends first visited Botanical Garden, I was one of them. IMPORTANT point: if you are going ooty, give maximum time to this Garden, it's the best spot in whole Ooty. Whole garden is more that awesome, there are no words to explain the garden. You can find hundreds of plants, flowers there. If you are interested in gardening, you can buy seeds from there. The Garden contains trees from different areas of India as well as the World, Spanish European all kind of flowers. At that time I was thinking that I should have given more time to this Garden rather than Lake and Rose garden (since it was no rose season, we found less roses than that garden could have).

After Botanical Garden, we had our lunch and purchased homemade CHOCOLATES from there. Chocolates are the specialty of Ooty. Then we rushed to cab, other 11 also came at the same time. Few trainees  from those were late, they were the same who came late in each and every spot. But I cannot say a lot to them, as I had to take all of them together.

Then we moved to the highest point in Ooty-Doodabeta. The view from Doodabeta was cool. Its best to visit that spot in the evening, and you will reach there in same time. The clouds, the atmosphere can only be understood if you experience it. It was a photographic spot too, we took pictures of diffrent shapes of clouds, our buddies etc.

Now the last point- The Mettupalayam View, this point is great to see in light as well as in dark. In light it's a scenic view of city while in dark lights made this view great. We took a group picture there, as it was a demand (a good one) of one friend.

After all these spots we finally reached our home. My experience: It is not easy to make so many people agree on a single point. In our trip also I tried same but one person looked angry in the complete trip. If I would have made that person happy, others 16 might have became angry, I think I made the right decision. In my thinking the whole trip was good, I learnt a lot of things in the trip, and have made a few conclusions, first understand the mentality of each and every person going with you and if your thinking matches with them, then only go with them or else make yourself adjustable or well you know this option.

You can always give comments here.       

Coming Home

As in last post we have covered the first part of Mussorie, now it is the time to move on and catch another one. When I descended down from Laal Tibba, I had in mind to go and see Gunhill point as suggested by my new friend from Delhi (I don’t know his name). I reached starting station of Gunhill Point, and saw a queue of people waiting for their turn. I asked people how much time it will take so that my turn comes, they said min 2hrs. It was 6pm that time. I thought if I go to this point, I won’t be able to return Dehradoon today, as the last bus from Mussorie leaves at 8pm. In that case I had to get a room in Mussorie only, and room charges were high. 

There was no meaning in staying there for a single spot. So I cancelled Gunhill Point, ab bhaiya Mussorie tak aaye aur sirf 1 point dekh kar chal de to mazaaa kya aayga. So I grabbed a burger, since it was the only parcel thing available at the nearest shop, and searched a ride which will take me to Company Garden and take me back within 1hr. So that I still have time to catch the bus easily. I found a cycle Rickshaw waala , I told him my situation, he said OK, ill take u back within an hour. The deal was fixed for rs200. I had to spend a big amount because I had to come back immediately. I sat on Rickshaw like a King, put my bag on the backseat, in 1 hand I had Burger, while in other I had Maaza. Ohh man what a feeling it was, riding alone in the mountains of Mussorie. I leaned backwards like we lie on bed with legs downwards and closed my eyes. The cold breeze was touching me, I was feeling too good at that time. Faces of my closed ones flashed in front of me, I just wished that, they could have been here with me. The fun would have increased 10 times.

I reached Company Garden, took ticket of Rs15 and got in. As I got in the Garden, I traversed every part of garden. In real I was actually running in the whole garden, time kaha thaa aaram se ghumne kaa. I must say it was a good garden, in case you like garden, nature, flowers just as me. Large trees, multicolor flowers all were just awesome. You can have a small feel of the place by having a look on the pics. I completed the whole place in 15mins, and I got back to my cycle rickshaw. And I must add jaise raaj shahi andaaz me garden tak gaya thaa vaise hi andaaz me vapas Mussorie tak aaya. Driver dropped me near bus station. I thought to go first to Dehradoon and catch Dehradoon-indore train in morning. But then I have to stay at some place in night, railway station was not a god option as someone told me that Dehradoon railway station gets closed in night. But as I reached bus station, I got to know that there is a bus from Mussorie direct to Delhi. Rest story in next part

Travel Alone Day3 Part3

Travel Alone Day3 Part3

So I came back from Gucchu Point (Robbers Cave) via lift, and started searching a low fare hotel. I was travelling from one square to other in search of Hotel in Vikram (Auto rickshaw name). Let me tell you one incident of Vikram, there is a bell placed on the ceiling of vikram, its purpose is to put it on, so a sound comes which tells the driver to stop. As  I took my seat in that, I saw that switch, I thought it’s a light switch, since it was dark, I tried to put it on, bell rang. All the people in Vikram laughed, including me. That was fun, but soon driver stopped and told a girl to step down, the girl said Y, he said u rang the bell na, I interrupted the conversation saying that it was me.

Vikram Picture

One more incident of another Vikram, I stepped into next Vikram and told him that I have to go to certain place, that place passed way back, and he might have shouted saying the spots name, but I didn’t understood that time, and now we reached at last spot till where Vikram goes, it was 10’ O clock in night, Vikram driver said “ur stop has passed away, now take another Vikram and reach there, We also don’t like to leave our passengers at wrong place in night, but you should have stepped out there only” I can only say I didn’t had idea.

 I crossed d road to catch another Vikram and I was starving, immediately I saw a restaurant in front of me. It looked costly but I was hungry so I went there, as no one else than restaurant workers was there, I asked Manager, is it open, he said yes, I saw menu, every item was above 150, so I ordered a pizza least cost item there costing Rs120. I enquired about the hotel room, he also saw me travelling alone, as many people have noticed, from the start.

 He told me about a low cost hotel, but a marriage was goin on there, so I asked more people about room, one fellow told me cross the road and you will find one, I went there. Manager said me 350, I said ill come later, and went to its neighbor hotel he said 600, I became mad. As I came out of 2^nd one a rickshaw driver saw me, he said “need a room”, I said yes but I have only 200rs for that, he said “ok give me 30rs and Ill get you a room for 200” I said ”In case u did not find that room, you have to drop me here only”. He said ok, since he was a sardar I believed on him. He took me to just Next Street to a hotel named Oriental Hotel, there was a dormitory available at just Rs100, I agreed easily. I gave Rs30 to driver for finding room and manager a100rs note. Now first time I called my badepapa about my travelling, he got angry a little, and said “you should have told us, hum mana thori karte”. And handed phone to my bigbrother, he enquired “kaun-2 hai sath me” I said “am alone”. Bigdad piche se aur ghussa hogae. Then I got into the dorm room on my bed, drank 2 glasses of water, so that subah uthte se I get fresh, and then I went to sleep. 

Dorm Room Picture

Travel Alone Day3

Haridwar>Rishikesh>>>

Real Travel

Yes my real travelling starts from today only, I woke up early in morning and done ganga snan at har ki paudi. I also performed some Pooja with the help of a pandit. Although I do not believe in those poojas but I had to put my mobile, wallet and clothes, so to keep them safe I asked pandit to perform pooja and till I am having bath, take care of my belongings. As you already know all these pundits just need money in the name of God, so I offered a total sum of Rs 30 to them, Rs20 to my real pandit and Rs10 to new pandit, whom my real pandit called. As soon as I told new pandit Ill give u only Rs10, he said pooja is complete. Business minded Pandits.

After this I returned to my hotel room, took my bag with me and headed towards Railway Station at Haridwar

Haridwar Railway Station

 to move towards 2^nd spot i.e. Rishikesh. I took the ticket for it, but train was after 1:30 hrs, so I thought to have lunch in the mean time and save some time. As I was having my lunch one fellow came their and sat in front of me, he looked towards me and soon we started a conversation, when he got to know that I am travelling alone he asked me “ghar se jhagda karke aaye ho kya?” I said no, its just I wanted to explore myself, he reconfirmed me. Then he told me about himself being a military guy living near Haridwar only, because he was also alone, so I naturally asked “aap bhi akele?”, so he told me ya I am here only for ganga snan and live near haridwar only . Now he asked me “ghum liya Hridwar?” I said yes “Haridwar me ek ganga snan hi to karne layak hai”, he said “no go to Mansa Devi temple and Chandi Devi, there are ropeways on both the temples, you will enjoy there and feel like kahi ghum kar aaye”. I said “dono jagah jaau?”, he said no go only to Chandi Devi, its more cool, so I changed my plans and went to Chandi Devi temple and came to Haridwar Railway Station, headed towards Rishikesh.

In Rishikesh I visited lakshaman or Ram jhula, I don’t remember exactly whichever was the 1^st one. Since the 2^nd was 2kms away and to be covered on foot, and completely same as 1^st one. I dropped idea of goin there.

Rishikesh(this murti is partially under water)

In Rishikesh only there’s a beach like place after crossing 1^st jhula, I went there and spent some time in water, enjoyed the atmosphere. Visited nearby places, took some pictures. Now I got into a bus and headed for Dehradooon. Dehradoon was so much fun, that’s why Ill write about it in next blog.

Till then comment if you like my blog