Palani, Sivakasi and Srivilliputhur

Last week was a long long weekend and so we went to Palani to have Sibi's head tonsured. This is his second 'mottai' and he cried a lot this time. But he was OK immediately and now enjoying the mottai days. Anyway, Palani was a surprise. Somehow, they have cleaned the city to a good extent. Still, the roads are bad but the adivaram is very neat and more surprisingly, for Re.1 the public toilets are well maintained and no stench (near the rope car area). Anyone who has just walked by the public toilets can attest to the state they are in. So it was a pleasant surprise. And the temple itself is maintained neatly and the monkey are menacing the visitors as always. In fact, one monkey grabbed the toy in Sibi's hand and it took about 20 minutes to calm him down. He wanted to go to the monkey and get the toy back but I was not that fearless anyway.

And went to Sivakasi and Srivilliputur the next day. Sivakasi remains the same. Nothing much has changed. Roads, streets and even the people. The temples have changed beyond recognition and I still remember the dull interiors and it is fantastic to see the marble and granites and the big lights in the temples. Even the sand outside the Bathrakaliamman temple is paved now and somehow I miss the old days. And then the Nachiyar temple in Srivilliputhur. It was fantastic to read Thiruppavai written on the walls with Jeysri (Sibi was sleeping!) and kind of mesmerising to see Andal in the sannathi.

The rest of the days are spent in just shopping around and the north-east monsoon has started with rains from Madurai to chennai. So while the weather is wonderful, the roads have become death traps. Its horrible in OMR with the sewage overflows and the wastes floating around. Its pathetic to see that the corporation has gone into hiding when it is needed badly and the quality of life (if there is anything left) for those in Kanthan chavadi to Navalur is close to the negative maximum these days.

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