Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Kerala!
i was away for about eight days and went to south India for a few days to visit my mother's village. It was my first trip to Kerala in nearly 30 years and I enjoyed it immensely. The feeling of deja vu was profound as familiar places crashed through my brain, sparking good memories of my late grandparents and other relatives. Kerala is in the southern tip of India, situated on the south western tail of India, facing the Arabian Sea. It only makes of just over one percent of India's landmass but it is one of the greenest states in all of India. Kerala not surprisingly is now a popular tourist destination with a catchphrase that is all so appealing - "God's Own Country".
One thing India possesses that not many nations have is a soul. One only needs to visit albeit even for a short while to understand that this nation has a throbbing energy hidden under the surface that can simply capture a man's heart. This is always the case with me when I visit India, more so this time when I went down south to the land of my forefathers. It is a certainty that I am going back as soon as I can, perhaps December or January, when I may be able to spend more about two weeks exploring beautiful Kerala once more.
The visit this time around was primarily to do prayers for my late father MGG Pillai. We visited a 3,000 year-old temple in Thirunelly to recite the final goodbyes for my father's soul. The temple is tucked amongst a hilly forest reserve and is believed to be blessed by Lord Vishnu himself - it is considered to be one of the holiest hindu sites. We also visited another supremely important pilgrimage site of Guruvayoo where my brother and I lined up almost all night to gain entry into the holy temple grounds to say our prayers. While the trip itself was a little short, but it turned out to be a very rewarding trip for my entire family. ¶ 2:06 PM
One thing India possesses that not many nations have is a soul. One only needs to visit albeit even for a short while to understand that this nation has a throbbing energy hidden under the surface that can simply capture a man's heart. This is always the case with me when I visit India, more so this time when I went down south to the land of my forefathers. It is a certainty that I am going back as soon as I can, perhaps December or January, when I may be able to spend more about two weeks exploring beautiful Kerala once more.
The visit this time around was primarily to do prayers for my late father MGG Pillai. We visited a 3,000 year-old temple in Thirunelly to recite the final goodbyes for my father's soul. The temple is tucked amongst a hilly forest reserve and is believed to be blessed by Lord Vishnu himself - it is considered to be one of the holiest hindu sites. We also visited another supremely important pilgrimage site of Guruvayoo where my brother and I lined up almost all night to gain entry into the holy temple grounds to say our prayers. While the trip itself was a little short, but it turned out to be a very rewarding trip for my entire family. ¶ 2:06 PM
