Long travels in trains with big group is real fun. We had a long travel, but our group was My Mom, myself, my wife, my kids Pranav & Prashanth and my Mother-in-law. It was exciting one with all foods packed for two days in compact a/c compartment. I felt like being on a picnic than a pilgrimage, just missed a bigger crowd of my cousins and uncles / aunts.
There were last minute adventures here too. We went to the identified Kasi Viswanathar temple on the morning of the travel. The gurukal was very kind, when we informed about the Kasi Yatra he blessed us for good trip and did pooja for the same as well. Meanwhile, I had hunted down this book on Kasi Yatra by Shri Sreedharan (+91 44 2224 1414 / sridharan@swarnapuri.in) and had to visit the shop near Appar Swamy koil street by noon.
With my Mom having undergone her hip replacement surgery, I was bit wondering how to engage the battery vehicle at Central Station. My MIL reached the station in the first trip by car and waited for us. The second trip all the rest of us with rest of luggage reached the station. The place where we alighted and walked in, my MIL was standing to inform us that, that was the very spot where battery car would pickup elders...!
The battery car came for some VIP and to my surprise the VIP lady was accommodative to my Mom. She volunteered to make my Mom get in the vehicle and sit comfortably. It was amazing, I felt that I had to make my Mom walk a bit, then take the vehicle. Inspite of the doctors confidence and my Mom's readiness to walk a little, I yearned that she is comfortable through out the journey. The prayers seemed to have been answered and probably Kasi Visalakshi was there to give my Mom a Happy Ride to the train...!
The travel in train was mixed experience of boring, funny, interesting, relaxing and enjoying...! We ate, talked, watched, slept and kept wondering at time, what to do. After two days of travel, we reached Allahadbad. The train was early by 30 minutes and I went to out see what station this was, due to Mom's insistence and discovered we have reached ALD...!
We had our guide Dheeraj waiting for us there. We travelled to Siva Madam from the station and the Prayag experience started...!
(To be continued...!)
Pranams
Ram
No comments:
Post a Comment