A memorable and healing trip to Palani
That morning I woke up listening to the melodious sound of the devotional hymns sung from the nearby temple. “Yes, this is the day…. this is the day…” I murmured ecstatically with my eyes closed. “I am finally going to Palani again.” The last time I had gone to Palani was when I was seven years old. I was overwhelmed by the serenity and sanctity of the place and I had vowed that I would go back. That day had finally arrived.
The trip was carefully planned as my family looked upon the journey as being auspicious. The journey to Palani itself was a memorable one for me. I had the fortune to see many picturesque places along the way. Although I cherished each and every moment of the journey, my thoughts were all about the temple at Palani, the deity there and all the festivities that I would witness.
As we travelled from Calicut to Malappuram, I noticed the difference in the surroundings of both places. Both of the places have their own significance and beauty. At Malappuram, the beauty of the place is based on its name which means on top of a mountain. It looks like a high range place with scenic valleys and hills. We could feel that nature was really alive there. The trip also gave me an awareness of our contemporary lifestyle. Life is a journey. A journey with lots of victories and failures that helps to mould us into what we are.
When we finally reached Palghat, I was very eager to see the famous “Walayar check post”. The uniqueness of the place was a totally new kind of experience for me. It gave me a sense of self purification and calmness which I have never experienced before. It strengthened my mind and at the same time lightened my mood.
From Walayar, the Tamilnadu border onwards we could see that everything was written in Tamil. The Tamilians have a high regard for their language. Everywhere in Tamilnadu one finds boards and posters only in Tamil, even in government offices. The status of the language is like that of a God for them.
After eight hours of journey we finally reached Palani. But the journey was not over yet. There were still thousands of steps to be climbed before reaching the holy Palani temple. Luckily there were lots of resting places for the pilgrims along the way. The climb was a powerful experience and also a good exercise. While we reached the top we heard the sound of “Rathothsavam” which is a festival on chariots. We could see pilgrims had mostly shaved their heads bald as an offering to the deity.
When we finally reached the top of Palani mountain I knew the climb was worth it. Each and every minute detail of the city was so vivid and clear from the top. The view was breathtaking. As Hannah Montana said ‘Life is a climb. But the view is great.’ I remembered my childhood dream of coming back to Palani and I realised that no matter how many times I come back here, I would still feel like coming another time.
Maneesha K V
1st yr. M.A. Mass Communication
