Our wanderings and perceptions

Namo Namo Narayana Hari Hari Govindha Ezhumalai Mel Irukum Thirumalai Pathiyenagi Thirupathi Thirumalai Vasa Venkata Valampuri Sankei Valampuri June 2014 saw us keep a full stop to Tirupati trip deferment. Took the Take Grand Northern Trunk Rd at 11:30 AM via Guntur-Chennai Hwy and Tirupati Rd to reach Tirupati by 3PM. Being a week day (Tuesday) we expected to get a easy darshan but Permal devotees were overflowing in Thirumala. One could witness a bharatha vilas in Tirupati. Earlier near the start of the climb all vehicles and passengers had to go through a security check delaying the onward journey of all devotees. The trip up the hill was picturesque and the path was well laid. We could reach uphill within 20 minutes in car but this is slowed by the no overtaking restrictions and checking done to on arrival uphill to ensure there is no speed driving. Code readers are used to verify this - hitech at the his highness's place. Our excitement to worship t...

When the country is swept by Modi wave (happy to get a government under Modi enjoying full mandate), Chennai still manages to reel in the May heat forcing us to take off from work. Typical of any summer vacation we planned a hill station vacation. Googling various hill stations in Tamil nadu, short listed the less commercialized ones, Kotagiri Kalvarayan Hills Gopalaswamy betta Z eroed in on Kotagiri as it was on our familiar route :- Chennai->Salem->Coimbatore. Again turned on to Google to help us decide on the right place to lodge in Kotagiri. Based on reviews and rankings on the place, price and food - 'Heavenly Stay' merged as the winner. Called them and informed them of our plan to visit. Next step was to pack and start.   Started at 7 AM from Chennai on a Wednesday morning after loading our car with its tank full of fuel. Wanted to cross the city borders before the traffic could hit its peak. Had breakfast at the muc...