It was such a long time i was waiting for this travel to Salem. It first started when i was in my high school at Ideal. when people used to talk about their native places. It was that time wen Few guys from AMALA school morasapatti was studying in my class. they used to tell about, Jalakandapuram, Amma pettai, Poolampatti. I used to just visssualize these places. they will be telling there were many shooting that took place in their place. One among it is Ninaithean Vanthai movie. the launch scene. A ferry or a small boat that swims between two villages. So finally i eyed an opportunity to visit it.
My friend, Priya's Marriage at Erode. Reception was by 6pm. Some of my friend who are going to attend the marraige went to Coimbatore and then came to Erode by evening. I dint have any work in Coimbatore this time. So i thought wat can be done. So planned to take a Train to Salem, roam there for some time and then go and attend the Reception. So i was looking for tickets in Tatkal. AS usual , i was not able to book succesfully, It was in waiting list 5. Till the last minute before preparing the Cahrt, it was in Waiting list 4. Some how since i booked ticket till the last Station i managed to get a ticket.
I dint tell about the train right. It was MS Salem express. Train starting from Egmore and destined to Mettur DAm. Yes, Mettur Dam. Not the complete express goes to Dam, only 1 reserved compartment and a unreserved goes. I have already went in such a express from Madras to Nagecoil, and the express train serves as a passenger train to Kanyakumari. So was waiting to see how this goes. A similar thing happened with some extra indregiants. Erode -Mettur passanger and MS Salem express reach Salem junction at the same time. So, two compartment from MS Salem Express will be removed and then they are attached to the Passenger, so finally 4 coaches leaves for Mettur dam .
I took ticket from Egmore, but boarded the train at Tambaram, since i fell short of time. I did this earlier when i boarded the train from Agra instead of Delhi. So that time my ticket was cancelled as the passenger did not apper, i had this thing running in my mind, but fortunately nothing like that happened. So witnessing the change of coaches, and it was around 8 15 when i reached Mettur Dam station. A very small one. Asking help from the people in bs stand, in bus i got down at Mettur bus stand which was around 5 km from staion.
So , my first place of visit was Mettur Dam. The prvious Dam i ve visited is Aazhiyar dam. I have been there around 5 times. there we can walk on top of Dam and have a good view of the place around. I was aiming at that here, But doing that was resticted here. Cause there were many suicides from the top. So public's Entry is restricted, I dint feel much dissappointed. So saw what else can be done. there was a park near, So i went inside the park.
Park is a vey good one. Well built. clean and Big. So started walking in with a ticket worth 4 rupees for entry. Taking left from entrance i iwalked for some time, seeing only a small amount of water flowing from Dam. I now reached a Huge narrow bridge, built inside the park over the waterflow area.It felt great to stand on that. nice view of land, water and dam. after spending some time over there, came near the dam and was just peeking near it to see whether i can get some one's hep to make my way to the top. But fell short. And i now i am in one corner of the park. So just walked further more in and saw some statues of animals , which will surely make a kid interested . And then reached the other corner of the park. this was still more amzing, i can now see the dam deviating from left to far left. and few fisher man netting for fish. As this is a place where water flows, few other jobs like washing clothes, selling fish was takin place.
It was around 10 when i came outi forgot add some thing, when i was standing in the park , i saw a view of a road brigde where some vehicles passed. I wish i was there. So when i came out, started to move towards that point. Guess what i got nearly 5 lifts . almost all stooped when i asked for a lift. First i got a lift and got down half a km near bridge. then walked for some distance and got another lift and was crossing the bridge. then i see some settlements after the bridge and the road over there leads to a small hill. i suddenly extended my plan till that hill, fortunately the men who gave me the second lift went near that place. This was a great situation, which everyone should experience, i was going to a place , but don know where i am going and why i am going.
Person who gave the second lift dropped me and took a right turn and went towards a village. i dint know what to do next . to go front or return back . without knowing what to do i walked front. The road was Gated. I was able to read something which was written as Not a Public road, owned by PWD. But i see no vehicles stopped or checked. So i walked inside the Gate and a Massive bridge. This is the biggest of the three. The brdge was a oval shaped one. The twist here is. This is the backside view of the DAm. Hope u got it. To explain it more clearly, if we stand in this bridge and see, we can see what we can see from the top of the dam. Simply it means, the front view of the Dam is the rear view of the bridge. I saw 2 media people reporting for GTV with a handycam and mike.
It was nearly 11 by this time. The forward journy is done, I decided its time time to head down. I dint tell much about one place in mid. Yes, the narrow road bridge and the hill. When you go up the hill, the view of the road bridge was awesome. There is just one Hair pin bend in the hill. Hill road i travelled last for 2km maximum. So the third was obviously till the a point in the road from where u can see a down hill view of the road and water floeing beneath it and vehicles crossing the bridge. i got down there. Took some pictures, and what next, Next lift only. So got my fourth one, got down near the bridge, Time to stand near it. and walk across it. While walking saw a parisal. A man rowing it and a women sitting in it. Guess they were going to couples and going to fish. Asked them whether i can take a pic of them. Then saw hundreds of small small fishes being dried in hot sun for Karuvadu. Then a number of white clothes being washed and hanged in ropes. So all these said me that this is the lifestyle of the people who live by the water.
So it was time to take another lift towards Mettur bus stand. Then got down at junction, where the road divideds for the Dam in one direction and furthergoes to Maatherswaren hills. Actually while going in train i met a college guy, he suggested mee to go to this place as this will be good. but i knew i will not be going as i had less time. So just took a pick of it to keep in mind, as u can go to a hill station at point , but not to a fort.
Yes the next two spots i planned was a Boat house and Fort . And got my final lift to Mettur bus stand. I had no intention to eat , Had a Kothu Parotta as the smell from that particular hotel said me to eat.
Now i am at Mettur Bus Stand. Time is 11.30. Getting ready for Session 2 of the Day. Ya, Poolampatti. The linchpin of the trip. Hope u remember the introduction. Nerinjipaadi to Poolampatti Launch(Ferry/boat service) Trip. So to get there i went to ask a conductor when is the next bus to poolampatti. he said by 12.20 .I sank. Oh my god should i wait for 1 hour. To double check this i asked another conductor. he made me understand i am still a fool. Yes, he too said the same thing, and added, take the Erode bus, get down at nerinjipaadi and take the ferry. Infact that s the best idea. Nerinjipaadi is closer than Poolampatti. I never thought of this. If i had got Poolampatti bus i would have spent a lot of time travelling buy bus.
Got into a Erode bus, took an machined ticket to Nerinjipaadi, but it was printed Ammapettai on it. And felt that should be a bigger place than that and the place where my school boys were from. Got down from bus. and had a cool drink. And took a small narrow road where i was able to see the river flowing like a angel . Through out the road journey too i saw the river coming along with me. So this was the moment i was waiting for in the past 6 or 7 years. when i visualised as a 11th standard guy(2005) and viewed the same as a 2 yr experienced guy(2012). Struck by nature. A house with few kids talking on a weekend. I asked the kids can i go to the top of their house and make a click. They said with pleasure, you can take hundreds of 100s.
Now i am in Rooftop of that house, seeing people on other shore, but i saw too much people , that a boat can actually afford. Guessed that chould be busier place than this. This side there were about 15 ppl. and that side more than 200. That second i saw something come with music, Yes it was the launch comeing with passangers and a song. it will reach the other shore before a song completes. I aske the kids over there how are these water buses operating, what are the films that were shoot over there, how much cost to go to other shore. Pownu Pownu than, Ninaithaen vanthai was shot there. Ammavin Kai pesi was the most recent one. It cost 5 rupees . I took a phot of that guy and his friend i hope. He was sitting on the wall on the top of the house. His elder sister shouted from down , telling him to get down . He quickly replied, "Kaasa Panama , pona poitu poguthu" .
Now the ferry reached. I paind 5 Indian rupees and got a green token and they got the token back when everyone boarded , as was all set to start the ride. I handed the camera to a nearby guy and asked him if he can take picture of me. Then in 5 min i was in other side of the river. Road distance between the two places in 10 km i hope. I guessed that this side is too crowded right, but there was a temple near the shore . Some festival is going on there. so bunch od people gathered and took bath in the river Cauvery. So after getting down from the boat, next step was abrupt, get near the crowd and see whats going on. So started moving moving towards them, saw a governmetn office in the mid. went inside it and saw a map of Poolampatti. captured it and went on.
So near the temple people were wearing orange color dress and doing some rituals near the river. some women carrying silver water pots on their head. some guys diving inside the river and taking bath.So walked through them gave wok for th lenses and when i was about to leave thought of my guys over there. So , why cant i call any one of them. Then searched for those guys numbers, some contacts were there and dialled to one of the guy. None of them are in the same place, all were working or studying in Chennai, banglore and other places too. Fortunately, the guy i called was there that day and just has arrived from Chennai. I asked if we can meet. And we decided to meet at 1.45 in Edappadi which is 30 min from Poolampatti.
A monkey never gets down so easily . Its 12,45 now. At the same time i dint have mind to leave the river with water. So i wished to go for another ride. Now i cant make 1 ride alone. Should do two. Go and come back. Got a ticket, sat in the last seat of the Launch as i do in Buses. A driver came in and said this take some time to go. I felt oh god. have i placed a wrong foot. thought twice to better leave the Water car , but stayed, since i should not leave a bitter experience . Nothing will happen if i go a half hour late, i can call my friend and tell . So called him and said will come a bit late. Waited for 20 min in Launch. A person before my seat was about to write an exam, Since it was getting late , she asked the nearby people whether can i make a call. but the first she asked dint have a cell phone, so i was the second to be approached, i dialled the number for her. it was switched off. She tried to dial herself the second time not knowing the fact that it was locked, she started typing it in the emergency dialler pad. She called me and said call was not going. i took it and made a call . but it was again replying as switched off.
Then finally a driver brought some petrol and started the vehicle. Went to the other shore. There the little guy with whom i talked earlier was taking bath, He was using a thermacoal and balancing in water. Then an old Grandma was selling mangoes with spicy powder . i got one for 3 rupees. Then by this time the boats were almost stopped. Then a small boat was ready to go. This one was a open one. The earlier two was open ones. Then i found a scene, that was heart breaking. When i was browsing about this place in Wikipedia, Google, Facebook and WikiTravel i found something that i totally forgot. that is , u can either cross the river for 5 rupees or can go for a tourist ride for half hour. this was washed out of my mind. only when my return ride started i found a boat taking people and going for a complete round of the river setting for a half hour trip. Was dishearted, that i stayed in that place for 1 and a half hour and missed to take that ride.
With a heavy heart , but a satisfied one, cause i was back and forth to land and water. Then it was almost 2. Was then ready for the landcruiser. ya, next have to find a bus and go to edappadi where my friend will come from Thevoor and wait. So stood for some time near the bus stand, that time i had a view of the mountain and seeing it sharply witnessed a temple on the top of it. asked if we can go that temple to a fellow passenger from my 3rd ride who was also waiting for a bus. That 50 yr old lady said it was Sithaiyan Temple, not sure of the name, and its possible to reach the temple . I told myself that i ll go there the next time i plan for a day at Salem. Waited for more than 15 min. And a priveta bus came. I got in and heard that it will leave only by 2.30 . i called and said my friend that i will start by 2.30 and reach by 3. My friend said alright. Got in and took the last seat, Driver came and said i have 30 min time, i am going to sleep, can u go front, i said ok and went front , this seat is a veryy spacious one . Now a vendor with some vessels came in and said i am going to place my vessels, can u go front, he has a point. so went a seat further and took a window seat. Only till that i know myself. then the entire days tired took me flying.
Yes, i was sleeping for sometime, suddenly felt that the bus has already started moving and now in some distance, it wnt thru a village named Chithaaru and then came back in the same route and was heading towards Edappadi. About to reach Edappadi, then suddenly i found my friend sitting in his bike, It was more than six and half years i am seeing this guy, thanks to face book that i saw his picture with a glass, with a beard and a bit more muscle. When he was in my class he was one of the smartest guy , Lean , Brown eyed , good hairstyle. Now to he was good looking, but amatured look. We had phone conversations twice or thrice i hope. So i recogonized him, he too saw me and waved his hands, now i got down at bus stop mean while he was following my bus from behind. So what next; "Nalam Visarithal " only. I sat in his bike and started to move ahead.
We started by searching for a shop to have some juice . We went for nearly a mile and found one . I had 2 Tata Glucon Pluses, he had a 7up. Then he asked me why i am here that day, where should i go next. I said erode, then i asked is Sankagiri near. he said yes and i aske him can i go to sankagiri fort today, hope you remember this, the third place i was planning. He said u cant as it will take time and i hot sun u cant go. So dropped the plan and after some confusion of where to go, i decided to finish the roaming and proceed to Erode. He said i will drop u in a place which is close to a place where he will pick up his sister's 10 yr old daughter. We then started the bike and asking about friends one after another, what is he doing , where is he , about goods, bads, a friend's death , work, studies, college days etc. My friend Dr.M.Karthikeyan, currently completed his MBBS and is waiting for result that will be publishe on late January, so he can join MS.
Bike was moving at asteady pace of nearly 40 kmph, his bike brake also had some problem, so we were happy at this speed in the most beautiful village roads. two sides of fields , wells, haybale(vaikapor), people doing their day to day work and relaxing. So when all friend's stories were over, my friend got a call and he attended it. I used this time to take some snaps . In my morning train too i was seeing a similar kind of people and decided to ask him about agriculture and how much does it costs. I asked my friend how much will an acre cost. He said Irubathu(20). I said twenty thousand is a bit high . He said hmmhum, Twenty Lakhs. Even if you give Twenty Lakhs they wont give. CAuse that part of Lands are always wetted by Cauvery water , so they enjoy good yield. So nobody will be ready to give their piece of land. In an overall aspect i was thinking that the villages are very drought and they dint have much income to afford . This was the Breaking news of the day for me. So he started saying that his sister's husband was an Advocate. He gave up the job after working for a year and started to agricult.
Infact he has 40 acres of land and nearly 100 families are depending on him. Nice life right, a life too close to nature , helping people, out of Stress, no reportings, no deadlines. Salutes to the great man who is also helping the nation with his contribution to Farmers. Then we crossed Thevoor from where he came and picked up me. Now we are on way to Bhavani , where he will drop me . His plan of picking up his sister's daughter was cancelled as they had some bus facility i hope, not sure. So nearly he came for 30 kms to drop me. that was a huge thing to do after such a long gap. Then he showed me few other places where he used to go with his uncle and spend some time , i showed him a hill and said i like the sahpe of this , which i exactly like a triangle placed. Then by now its around 4.45 pm and it was time to say bye . So we found a bakery and had some snacks, and i said him that we shall plan for a movie sooner. So he took me inside Bhavani bus stop and dropped me. I got a bus and Started towards Erode to attend a reception for which I came.
My friend, Priya's Marriage at Erode. Reception was by 6pm. Some of my friend who are going to attend the marraige went to Coimbatore and then came to Erode by evening. I dint have any work in Coimbatore this time. So i thought wat can be done. So planned to take a Train to Salem, roam there for some time and then go and attend the Reception. So i was looking for tickets in Tatkal. AS usual , i was not able to book succesfully, It was in waiting list 5. Till the last minute before preparing the Cahrt, it was in Waiting list 4. Some how since i booked ticket till the last Station i managed to get a ticket.
I dint tell about the train right. It was MS Salem express. Train starting from Egmore and destined to Mettur DAm. Yes, Mettur Dam. Not the complete express goes to Dam, only 1 reserved compartment and a unreserved goes. I have already went in such a express from Madras to Nagecoil, and the express train serves as a passenger train to Kanyakumari. So was waiting to see how this goes. A similar thing happened with some extra indregiants. Erode -Mettur passanger and MS Salem express reach Salem junction at the same time. So, two compartment from MS Salem Express will be removed and then they are attached to the Passenger, so finally 4 coaches leaves for Mettur dam .
I took ticket from Egmore, but boarded the train at Tambaram, since i fell short of time. I did this earlier when i boarded the train from Agra instead of Delhi. So that time my ticket was cancelled as the passenger did not apper, i had this thing running in my mind, but fortunately nothing like that happened. So witnessing the change of coaches, and it was around 8 15 when i reached Mettur Dam station. A very small one. Asking help from the people in bs stand, in bus i got down at Mettur bus stand which was around 5 km from staion.
So , my first place of visit was Mettur Dam. The prvious Dam i ve visited is Aazhiyar dam. I have been there around 5 times. there we can walk on top of Dam and have a good view of the place around. I was aiming at that here, But doing that was resticted here. Cause there were many suicides from the top. So public's Entry is restricted, I dint feel much dissappointed. So saw what else can be done. there was a park near, So i went inside the park.
Park is a vey good one. Well built. clean and Big. So started walking in with a ticket worth 4 rupees for entry. Taking left from entrance i iwalked for some time, seeing only a small amount of water flowing from Dam. I now reached a Huge narrow bridge, built inside the park over the waterflow area.It felt great to stand on that. nice view of land, water and dam. after spending some time over there, came near the dam and was just peeking near it to see whether i can get some one's hep to make my way to the top. But fell short. And i now i am in one corner of the park. So just walked further more in and saw some statues of animals , which will surely make a kid interested . And then reached the other corner of the park. this was still more amzing, i can now see the dam deviating from left to far left. and few fisher man netting for fish. As this is a place where water flows, few other jobs like washing clothes, selling fish was takin place.
It was around 10 when i came outi forgot add some thing, when i was standing in the park , i saw a view of a road brigde where some vehicles passed. I wish i was there. So when i came out, started to move towards that point. Guess what i got nearly 5 lifts . almost all stooped when i asked for a lift. First i got a lift and got down half a km near bridge. then walked for some distance and got another lift and was crossing the bridge. then i see some settlements after the bridge and the road over there leads to a small hill. i suddenly extended my plan till that hill, fortunately the men who gave me the second lift went near that place. This was a great situation, which everyone should experience, i was going to a place , but don know where i am going and why i am going.
Person who gave the second lift dropped me and took a right turn and went towards a village. i dint know what to do next . to go front or return back . without knowing what to do i walked front. The road was Gated. I was able to read something which was written as Not a Public road, owned by PWD. But i see no vehicles stopped or checked. So i walked inside the Gate and a Massive bridge. This is the biggest of the three. The brdge was a oval shaped one. The twist here is. This is the backside view of the DAm. Hope u got it. To explain it more clearly, if we stand in this bridge and see, we can see what we can see from the top of the dam. Simply it means, the front view of the Dam is the rear view of the bridge. I saw 2 media people reporting for GTV with a handycam and mike.
It was nearly 11 by this time. The forward journy is done, I decided its time time to head down. I dint tell much about one place in mid. Yes, the narrow road bridge and the hill. When you go up the hill, the view of the road bridge was awesome. There is just one Hair pin bend in the hill. Hill road i travelled last for 2km maximum. So the third was obviously till the a point in the road from where u can see a down hill view of the road and water floeing beneath it and vehicles crossing the bridge. i got down there. Took some pictures, and what next, Next lift only. So got my fourth one, got down near the bridge, Time to stand near it. and walk across it. While walking saw a parisal. A man rowing it and a women sitting in it. Guess they were going to couples and going to fish. Asked them whether i can take a pic of them. Then saw hundreds of small small fishes being dried in hot sun for Karuvadu. Then a number of white clothes being washed and hanged in ropes. So all these said me that this is the lifestyle of the people who live by the water.
So it was time to take another lift towards Mettur bus stand. Then got down at junction, where the road divideds for the Dam in one direction and furthergoes to Maatherswaren hills. Actually while going in train i met a college guy, he suggested mee to go to this place as this will be good. but i knew i will not be going as i had less time. So just took a pick of it to keep in mind, as u can go to a hill station at point , but not to a fort.
Yes the next two spots i planned was a Boat house and Fort . And got my final lift to Mettur bus stand. I had no intention to eat , Had a Kothu Parotta as the smell from that particular hotel said me to eat.
Now i am at Mettur Bus Stand. Time is 11.30. Getting ready for Session 2 of the Day. Ya, Poolampatti. The linchpin of the trip. Hope u remember the introduction. Nerinjipaadi to Poolampatti Launch(Ferry/boat service) Trip. So to get there i went to ask a conductor when is the next bus to poolampatti. he said by 12.20 .I sank. Oh my god should i wait for 1 hour. To double check this i asked another conductor. he made me understand i am still a fool. Yes, he too said the same thing, and added, take the Erode bus, get down at nerinjipaadi and take the ferry. Infact that s the best idea. Nerinjipaadi is closer than Poolampatti. I never thought of this. If i had got Poolampatti bus i would have spent a lot of time travelling buy bus.
Got into a Erode bus, took an machined ticket to Nerinjipaadi, but it was printed Ammapettai on it. And felt that should be a bigger place than that and the place where my school boys were from. Got down from bus. and had a cool drink. And took a small narrow road where i was able to see the river flowing like a angel . Through out the road journey too i saw the river coming along with me. So this was the moment i was waiting for in the past 6 or 7 years. when i visualised as a 11th standard guy(2005) and viewed the same as a 2 yr experienced guy(2012). Struck by nature. A house with few kids talking on a weekend. I asked the kids can i go to the top of their house and make a click. They said with pleasure, you can take hundreds of 100s.
Now i am in Rooftop of that house, seeing people on other shore, but i saw too much people , that a boat can actually afford. Guessed that chould be busier place than this. This side there were about 15 ppl. and that side more than 200. That second i saw something come with music, Yes it was the launch comeing with passangers and a song. it will reach the other shore before a song completes. I aske the kids over there how are these water buses operating, what are the films that were shoot over there, how much cost to go to other shore. Pownu Pownu than, Ninaithaen vanthai was shot there. Ammavin Kai pesi was the most recent one. It cost 5 rupees . I took a phot of that guy and his friend i hope. He was sitting on the wall on the top of the house. His elder sister shouted from down , telling him to get down . He quickly replied, "Kaasa Panama , pona poitu poguthu" .
Now the ferry reached. I paind 5 Indian rupees and got a green token and they got the token back when everyone boarded , as was all set to start the ride. I handed the camera to a nearby guy and asked him if he can take picture of me. Then in 5 min i was in other side of the river. Road distance between the two places in 10 km i hope. I guessed that this side is too crowded right, but there was a temple near the shore . Some festival is going on there. so bunch od people gathered and took bath in the river Cauvery. So after getting down from the boat, next step was abrupt, get near the crowd and see whats going on. So started moving moving towards them, saw a governmetn office in the mid. went inside it and saw a map of Poolampatti. captured it and went on.
So near the temple people were wearing orange color dress and doing some rituals near the river. some women carrying silver water pots on their head. some guys diving inside the river and taking bath.So walked through them gave wok for th lenses and when i was about to leave thought of my guys over there. So , why cant i call any one of them. Then searched for those guys numbers, some contacts were there and dialled to one of the guy. None of them are in the same place, all were working or studying in Chennai, banglore and other places too. Fortunately, the guy i called was there that day and just has arrived from Chennai. I asked if we can meet. And we decided to meet at 1.45 in Edappadi which is 30 min from Poolampatti.
A monkey never gets down so easily . Its 12,45 now. At the same time i dint have mind to leave the river with water. So i wished to go for another ride. Now i cant make 1 ride alone. Should do two. Go and come back. Got a ticket, sat in the last seat of the Launch as i do in Buses. A driver came in and said this take some time to go. I felt oh god. have i placed a wrong foot. thought twice to better leave the Water car , but stayed, since i should not leave a bitter experience . Nothing will happen if i go a half hour late, i can call my friend and tell . So called him and said will come a bit late. Waited for 20 min in Launch. A person before my seat was about to write an exam, Since it was getting late , she asked the nearby people whether can i make a call. but the first she asked dint have a cell phone, so i was the second to be approached, i dialled the number for her. it was switched off. She tried to dial herself the second time not knowing the fact that it was locked, she started typing it in the emergency dialler pad. She called me and said call was not going. i took it and made a call . but it was again replying as switched off.
Then finally a driver brought some petrol and started the vehicle. Went to the other shore. There the little guy with whom i talked earlier was taking bath, He was using a thermacoal and balancing in water. Then an old Grandma was selling mangoes with spicy powder . i got one for 3 rupees. Then by this time the boats were almost stopped. Then a small boat was ready to go. This one was a open one. The earlier two was open ones. Then i found a scene, that was heart breaking. When i was browsing about this place in Wikipedia, Google, Facebook and WikiTravel i found something that i totally forgot. that is , u can either cross the river for 5 rupees or can go for a tourist ride for half hour. this was washed out of my mind. only when my return ride started i found a boat taking people and going for a complete round of the river setting for a half hour trip. Was dishearted, that i stayed in that place for 1 and a half hour and missed to take that ride.
With a heavy heart , but a satisfied one, cause i was back and forth to land and water. Then it was almost 2. Was then ready for the landcruiser. ya, next have to find a bus and go to edappadi where my friend will come from Thevoor and wait. So stood for some time near the bus stand, that time i had a view of the mountain and seeing it sharply witnessed a temple on the top of it. asked if we can go that temple to a fellow passenger from my 3rd ride who was also waiting for a bus. That 50 yr old lady said it was Sithaiyan Temple, not sure of the name, and its possible to reach the temple . I told myself that i ll go there the next time i plan for a day at Salem. Waited for more than 15 min. And a priveta bus came. I got in and heard that it will leave only by 2.30 . i called and said my friend that i will start by 2.30 and reach by 3. My friend said alright. Got in and took the last seat, Driver came and said i have 30 min time, i am going to sleep, can u go front, i said ok and went front , this seat is a veryy spacious one . Now a vendor with some vessels came in and said i am going to place my vessels, can u go front, he has a point. so went a seat further and took a window seat. Only till that i know myself. then the entire days tired took me flying.
Yes, i was sleeping for sometime, suddenly felt that the bus has already started moving and now in some distance, it wnt thru a village named Chithaaru and then came back in the same route and was heading towards Edappadi. About to reach Edappadi, then suddenly i found my friend sitting in his bike, It was more than six and half years i am seeing this guy, thanks to face book that i saw his picture with a glass, with a beard and a bit more muscle. When he was in my class he was one of the smartest guy , Lean , Brown eyed , good hairstyle. Now to he was good looking, but amatured look. We had phone conversations twice or thrice i hope. So i recogonized him, he too saw me and waved his hands, now i got down at bus stop mean while he was following my bus from behind. So what next; "Nalam Visarithal " only. I sat in his bike and started to move ahead.
We started by searching for a shop to have some juice . We went for nearly a mile and found one . I had 2 Tata Glucon Pluses, he had a 7up. Then he asked me why i am here that day, where should i go next. I said erode, then i asked is Sankagiri near. he said yes and i aske him can i go to sankagiri fort today, hope you remember this, the third place i was planning. He said u cant as it will take time and i hot sun u cant go. So dropped the plan and after some confusion of where to go, i decided to finish the roaming and proceed to Erode. He said i will drop u in a place which is close to a place where he will pick up his sister's 10 yr old daughter. We then started the bike and asking about friends one after another, what is he doing , where is he , about goods, bads, a friend's death , work, studies, college days etc. My friend Dr.M.Karthikeyan, currently completed his MBBS and is waiting for result that will be publishe on late January, so he can join MS.
Bike was moving at asteady pace of nearly 40 kmph, his bike brake also had some problem, so we were happy at this speed in the most beautiful village roads. two sides of fields , wells, haybale(vaikapor), people doing their day to day work and relaxing. So when all friend's stories were over, my friend got a call and he attended it. I used this time to take some snaps . In my morning train too i was seeing a similar kind of people and decided to ask him about agriculture and how much does it costs. I asked my friend how much will an acre cost. He said Irubathu(20). I said twenty thousand is a bit high . He said hmmhum, Twenty Lakhs. Even if you give Twenty Lakhs they wont give. CAuse that part of Lands are always wetted by Cauvery water , so they enjoy good yield. So nobody will be ready to give their piece of land. In an overall aspect i was thinking that the villages are very drought and they dint have much income to afford . This was the Breaking news of the day for me. So he started saying that his sister's husband was an Advocate. He gave up the job after working for a year and started to agricult.
Infact he has 40 acres of land and nearly 100 families are depending on him. Nice life right, a life too close to nature , helping people, out of Stress, no reportings, no deadlines. Salutes to the great man who is also helping the nation with his contribution to Farmers. Then we crossed Thevoor from where he came and picked up me. Now we are on way to Bhavani , where he will drop me . His plan of picking up his sister's daughter was cancelled as they had some bus facility i hope, not sure. So nearly he came for 30 kms to drop me. that was a huge thing to do after such a long gap. Then he showed me few other places where he used to go with his uncle and spend some time , i showed him a hill and said i like the sahpe of this , which i exactly like a triangle placed. Then by now its around 4.45 pm and it was time to say bye . So we found a bakery and had some snacks, and i said him that we shall plan for a movie sooner. So he took me inside Bhavani bus stop and dropped me. I got a bus and Started towards Erode to attend a reception for which I came.
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