Kanyakumari- Heaven on Earth

I continued on my spiritual journey to the southern most tip of the Indian subcontinent- kanyakumari. This penultimate trip drew to a close an exhausting yet dynamic year for me. It was a year of changes, adjustments and self-discovery. A self imposed sabbatical had in many ways given me fresh perspectives in life.

As fate had intervened we set forth to Kanyakumari by railways. It was the first train journey of sorts for my little one. I was excited and petrified by the prospects of sharing the berth with her. In hindsight, the train must have been jailbreak for her, a welcome relief from the tiresome constraints of the flight. It was fun to watch her absorb the new environment. Her excitement was infectious, and I got tugged into her world. As I watched her look outside the windows and leap at will from the berths I couldn’t help but wonder how miraculous a simple journey could be.

Alas the destination couldn’t have been any further from my imagination. Hoping to see traces of my sinagara Chennai, I encountered a blistering northern invasion of the seas. The streets resounded with cries of Hindi and Bengali interspersed with some south Indian dialects. It therefore came as no surprise to see Punjabi dhabas outnumbering the idly joints. If paradoxes were to be believed it was right here. And to think this was only a miniscule of the charm of this coastal city.

According to Hindu legends, the wedding between lord Shiva and Kanya Devi never got solemnized, turning the grains to stone and giving this coastal town its signature name. Its ironical that the land presided by the virgin deity is a honeymooner’s paradise. Indeed the mesmerizing waters heralded romance and adventure.  And with the clouds setting in we began our tumultuous boat ride to the majestic Vivekananda rock, where we paid homage to the devi and sat ruptured in the quaint meditation center. From a distance we could see the thundering silhouette of Thiruvallur. This definitely felt like heaven.

Kanyakumari also became our roadway to discovering our forefather’s deities. Our religious peregrination took us to the quaint towns of Tirunelveli and Valliyur. The journey was like a colorful postcard. We came across small villages and watched people in their simple existence. Thatched dwellings, myriad temples, and giant flock of farming animals greeted us travelers. Just as I was soaking in the flavors of rural India, I came across herculean windmills adorning the mountain retreats. So there it was: rural India had forged ahead with renewable energy. The old ways of the people had so effortlessly embraced the new world.

The journey to me was more fulfilling than the final destination. As we headed back home, I felt a strange calm. I discovered I could embrace changes with an open mind and cheerful disposition. And with a child like joy and vigor, I decided to explore my world.