A unique travel experience - 3

To dream big!

It was my long time dream to stand in front of that impressive monument.As we approached the place, with abated breath, I waited for that exact moment when my eyes would behold that grandeur. Oh! there it was! As our bus turned to move along the outer walls, looking across the centuries past, it stood - a silent witness to the transiency of human life. Something jumped and shifted deep within me with the first glimpse. 

"How did you feel being the only son and most loved, guiding the Chola army to victory after victory, fulfilling your revered father's every dream, Prince Rajendra?" - I silently threw the question at the walls of Gangai Kondacholapuram temple, the massive Nandhi and the tall Vimana. Do you think, by any chance, I would get an answer through these creations that were the result of his dreams? 

Every stone, pillar and sculpture of the temple has Rajendra's name etched on them. You try standing in front of the structure and try to communicate with it! Then you will know my feeling. When he planned to build a new capital, naturally to his Lord and God (Shiva), he wanted to build a temple. He marched up to Bengal (the then Pala kingdom), conquered them and brought water from Ganga to consecrate the temple here.  The descendants of the master builder of Thanjavur temple were the builders here. The massive size, the Nandhi and some basic structures are similar in both places but each of them has a character of their own. 

Gnana Saraswati

When we were moving around in the Prakara (प्राकारम् - the pathway around the sanctum), the walls  stun you with elaborate carved niches with beautifully sculptures deities placed within. The Gnana Saraswati and the one called 'Sandeswara Prasadam' filled my heart with an indescribable emotion. 

Sandeswara Prasadam

 Are you wondering about who this Sandeswara is? Hey! I am certainly not going to start off a story telling session! Just know that he was one ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and Shiva blessed him and gave him an important role of keeping track of the people coming into the temple to worship. Can you see Sandeswara bowing in front of Shiva and accepting a garland?  

The professor, expert in different disciplines, put forth an interesting perspective about the long wait in the wings  - of the most worthy son to be recognised as the crown prince to duly succeed the illustrious father. If you know a little bit of Chola history, you may recall that for a few years towards the end of Rajaraja's reign, Rajendra was the co-regent. I leave it to you to link the dots. Sandeswara here, represents Rajendra who gets his recognition and authority from the Supreme Lord Himself (Obviously!)

You can understand my feelings, can't you? The place does not appear as a mere granite monument to me. Wasn't it trying to tell me about that young man with a great vision?Beginning with this temple, what we experienced in the other two temples as well made me wonder - who is scientifically and technically advanced. 

The pilasters (Architectural designs carved as projections in walls with placing of deities within it), the beautiful sculptures of different deities within the niche, the huge Vimana (sanctum tower), the molded horizontal projections (cornices) or their knowledge of proportions, aesthetics and precise calculations of where to put what kind of structure  and its weight... Ooh! let me take a breath!

Sh-shh.. want to share a secret with you all! (then it is no secret, do you say? So be it!) When I stood before those beautiful creations, I wanted to break out in a song -dance sequence like our Bollywood/Tollywood or whatever! You want to try and find out how you would feel? Good idea!

We would cover the other two 'Great  Living Chola Temples' in the coming two days - built by three  Chola kings - Great Rajaraja, Rajendra, his son and  Rajaraja II (12th century). Each stands a true representative of the period and the king responsible for its building.
I retired for the night but like a chocolate lover being promised a great treat after a good night's sleep.

Here is something 'for the road', friends. Here are the three temples.Look at the shape of the vimana, the structure and size. Ride on your imagination till we meet again.

A unique travel experience -2

Walking on the path of Vandiyathevan

A historical trip/ heritage tour? What is it that I have signed myself in for? Wasn't that going to be a nostalgic trip for the die-hard fan of the novel? Yes, the churning in my mind had begun with the tour day fast approaching. Patience, my friends. The tour organisers had put together a tour to ensure a rich, well rounded experience, no doubt! But I was curious as to when and how would they introduce us to a brief study of Chola history and the war strategies of Rajendra Chola as their itinerary promised.

I was excited as April 26th was just round the corner. How many ever trips I make - long/short; brief/overnight; by road/train - I love the preparations of packing and completing tasks in hand on time. On these types of tours every thing is new - new people to befriend, new places to visit, new boarding houses and new food!That adds to the excitement, don't you think?  Finally, the moment came. When I boarded the bus, the first of the introductions were already over as we were waiting in the same pick up point.

Darkness was falling outside and inside the bus, we had our introduction session and snacks to munch along. If you think, the six hours of travel went like this, you are mistaken. The first session of lecture cum slide shows with flow charts and maps began in the bus. It covered the dynastic history of Cholas, the cultural aspects of life then and the list of sources of history. I wonder how Mr. Ramesh, who was in charge of such lectures did this without slipping up anywhere. ("Been there and done it all"as a history teacher.) An interesting warm up?  

Amidst a soothing green of tall coconut trees, flowering plants and mango trees, there is an old style Zamindar bungalow with an extension serving as a resort and yes, it was our first stop. Morning, we woke up to chirping birds and a quiet dawn. 
With a tempting and delicious spread of home made 
array of dishes, I had to be monk renouncing the pleasures of taste, not to overeat. Only a wee bit, I shushed the warning voice! 

We began the exploration of the day - to walk on the trail of the spy along the Veeranarayanapuram lake. I could remember the unfolding of the scenes of festivity along the lake and our hero's thoughts very vividly.

"What joyous delight even as I approach the Chola Kingdom! What wonders will the fertile, bountiful land beyond Kollidam hold? How would the men and women of that country behave? How many rivers? How many reservoirs? How many clear streams? How wondrous would be the river Ponni (Cauvery) praised in song and epic?" 
This is how our hero Vandiya thevan - heart swelling with pride - moved along the lake. When I stood on the banks of the lake, with fair amount of water, was there any reason for me to feel other than pride?  The sheer size, about 72 canals/floodgates still in working condition and wise water conservation and management techniques of about 1000 years ago definitely make us proud but what is our role here?  


It was still early days of the new Chola kingdom when they have to face imminent threat of invading armies from Rashtrakutas (north) or a constant attack from the long time enemies - Pandyas. Prince Rajaditya with his army was anticipating an invasion from the Rashtrakutas but what should a responsible and future king do while waiting? He did not keep his soldiers idle but involved them in building a lake which would receive waters from the northern tributaries of Cauvery. A lesson or two for our political and corporate leaders, eh?
How did he name it? Certainly not after him but to honour his father, Parantaka, he named it Veera narayanapuram lake. 

With a promise that we would walk the road once again in the evening we went in search of Kadambur palace - where secret meetings took place and plans to murder the ailing Chola king (Sundara Chola), the crown prince (Aditya Karikala) and his younger brother, Arulmozhi varman (who later becomes the great Chola ruler, Rajaraja I). There are ruins of what could have been a palace but the temple nearby has an important inscription about the trial of the murder of the crown prince. The inscription clearly mentions the names of the three brothers whose brainchild was the assassination plot. There are different versions about why these three were not punished but one thing is certain - the lands of even the distant relatives of these people were confiscated by the government. 
The local expert, an octogenarian scholar and teacher regaled us with many stories about the places on the way the past and present scenario and presented a vivid picture of the trial for the murder of Aditya Karikala, conducted by Rajaraja at the very same place in that temple where we sat around him. I was trying to understand and absorb the depth and intensity of the events. My mind kept coming back to the same point - Rajaraja, the individual and wondered what kind of emotions he had to hide and what he had to exaggerate?
But then refreshing drinks - typical local versions like 'Nungu'(Palmyra fruit), Nannari sherbet (Sarsaparilla) and others were waiting for us back in the resort; the local farmers had an entertainment planned for us - a skit depicting the chieftains coming together at Kadambur playing power games too was part of the afternoon plan. 
Then of course, evening would bring us a visual treat - which words cannot do justice to! 

A unique travel experience

Getting ready to soak in history!

When I was young, back in the early sixties of the last  century, this historic novel came as a serial in a magazine which captivated the young and the old alike. It became a staple diet for my friend and myself who loved the romantic and glorious past.  

It was a historic novel written by Kalki Krishnamurthy, a great writer, known for his vivid style with the right amount of humour. The novel when later published as a book, ran into five volumes. It describes the story of Arulmozhi varman who went on to be known as the great Chola king, Rajaraja I later. This novel is considered his magnum opus wherein he had taken two or three historic events, added a few fictitious characters (memorable ones!) and spun a beautiful story of intrigues, conspiracies and romance. 

The pace is gripping and the plot unfolds with enough suspense that it reels in readers even today. Wonder if we can attribute the magic of the novel entirely to the brilliant writing style or is it something more?

Today with the ever growing influence of social media, I see so many Facebook groups coming together as avid fans of the novel and showing interest in the history. To quote 'Outlook' magazine," Some stories grow so big they become inevitable. Tamil Nadu's phenomenally popular epic novel,'Ponniyin Selvan' is one such tale." 

The title means 'The son of Kaveri' or Ponni's beloved'.

Ever since the first time I was hooked to follow the spy, Vandiathevan (one of the protagonists) on his trail ( the novel opens up when he moves along slowly on horseback along Veeranam - Veeranarayanapuram-Lake (Eri in Tamil)), how many more times I would have travelled the path along with him feeling a sense of excitement!
So begins the novel!

"....about two leagues far to the west of Thillai Chittrambalam, (Chidambaram Town) there spreads an ocean-like reservoir. It is known as Veera Narayana Lake. It is about a league and a half long north to south and about half a league wide east to west. Time has twisted its name: for these days the reservoir is known as Veeraanatthu Lake ... In the windy months of Aadi-Aavani (August), when new floods fill the reservoir to almost overflow, anyone who looks at the Veera Narayana lake will surely recall with pride and astonishment the splendid deeds of our ancestors in Tamil Nadu. Did those ancients do things merely for the welfare of themselves and the people of their own times? ... On the 18th day of the month of Aadi, in the early hours of the evening, a young warrior, mounted on a horse, was riding down the banks of this ocean-like Veera Narayana Lake. Vallavarayan Vandiya Devan was his name. Having travelled a long distance and being worn and weary, his horse was walking along rather slowly. The sprawling reservoir had so enchanted his heart!"

 (On land, the league is most commonly defined as 3 miles - 4.83 km)

Do I mean to say that the lake still exists, serving a valuable purpose? Is it still in workable condition with water flowing in from tributary of Kaveri, no kidding? 

After about five decades, an opportunity presents itself in front of me, the wanderer, to actually walk on the path of my hero! Will I let it slip off my hands! 

Young People with passion to study our glorious past and know about our heritage have come together with a few subject experts and scholars to provide a rich experience. So the heritage trip is named 'In the trails of the spy'. 

It covers a few important places - the places of action in the real past or in the novel. The trail starts from the lake as in the novel but then moves on to places nearby which have witnessed a battle or a plot unfolding or the great temples which were brought to life from the lofty dreams of the father and son duo - Rajaraja I and Rajendra Chola.

How does it feel to breath the same air that those warriors and great administrators breathed; to walk on the same land where the warring armies marched? 

Veeranarayapuram Lake (the saviour of Chennai city -providing the life-giving water), the old capital of Cholas (Pazhaiyarai - now a small village), Udaiyalur (where the great king, Rajaraja's  Samadhi is ), the awe inspiring magnitude of Thanjavur and Gangaikonda Cholapuram temples, the sheer beauty of the Darasuram temple (sculptures coming alive out of granite) the battle site of Thirupurampiyam (which marked the rise of the later Chola kings)  - delight to the history buff!
Am I one? What do you think? Do you want to come along with me?

Understanding our legacy

Wander lust, the longing to find the hidden stories in the life, language and customs of people and the awe inspiring forts and temples which had witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties   - What else do I need to pack a bag, don a hat and plunge into the mysterious world of travel?

Quite a lot of us born in the fifties of the previous century have been nurtured on a diet of interesting historic novels, here in Tamil Nadu. Many of them would be about the great Imperial Cholas and the tour is structured around one particular novel (Son of Kaveri - ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ in Tamil). The romantic in me would have travelled along with them on horseback, been part of important court discussions, even fought alongside with the great warriors and more than that, I would be the brave princess or the wise one whose words influenced the history of the kingdom!

So, is it a surprise that I readily joined the heritage tour which promised to provide a glimpse into the glorious period of king Raja raja Chola and his son, Rajendra?

Thoughtful tour schedule, well organised stays and the dedication and commitment of the tour organisers simply enriched the experience.

What struck me from the beginning is the organisers’ drive to not only initiate us into recognising and appreciating our heritage but to motivate us to carry it forward to the next generation.

The novel begins along the banks of the vast Veeranarayapuram Lake where the protagonist, the smart and quick witted spy Vandiyathevan would be riding on his horse to reach the Chola capital, Thanjavur. But for this lake, there would have been a great water crisis for the people of Chennai as this lake is the supplier of major share of water needs of Chennai. We took a few minutes to think of the foresight of a Chola prince during 10^th century in building this 11.2 Km long and 4 Km wide lake.

In the 19^th century, British engineer, Arthur Cotton was highly impressed by the strong structure of the lake. Here we are, utterly indifferent to the wisdom, plan and skill that have made this water reservoir more than 1000 years ago!

The story unfolds as he encounters some challenges, meet people from different walks of life. The story is woven around a few historical facts like the murder of the crown prince and how later, Raja Raja comes to throne.

We moved along the spy’s trail, visiting certain battle fields, temples built around hero stones and of course the temples of Darasuram, Gangaikonda Cholapuram and the Thanjavur temple - architectural and engineering marvels and World Heritage sites.  

The entire tour was approached from different angles - intellectual, emotional and sensory.

The temples are visual delight and when experts in ancient architecture and sculpture were there to direct our attention to details, it simply enhanced the experience. And each carving, each niche, turn, pillars and corners of those beauties in granite tell a different story and what kinds of drama they hold within!

 Three different temples, built by three different kings - father, son and grandson - each unique in its grandeur, character, structure such that each truly reflected the character of the king who built them. At least to me, that is how it appeared.

 

When we stood in front of Thanjavur ‘big temple’ in the morning just before sunrise, the sky was overcast. People have already started inching in. I do not think anyone can enter without being stunned at the entrance (Gopura). The sheer magnitude of the outer walls, the thickness and height, the once - present moat, the inner wall, and the two dwarapalaka (gate keepers) take your breath away. 

 We had a great scholar, expert in conservation architecture, archaeology, iconography, sculpture, history, literature, and marine archaeology (and all other disciplines under the Sun) to explain things to us. The moment he began highlighting the great features of the gate, height, width, length and other structural aspects passionately with pride, something deep within me moved. I felt as though, the spirit of the great king blessed that moment and all of us there.  

The battleground of the decisive battle which marked the beginning of Chola Empire is now green paddy fields but they are aware that those ancestors who fought the war and had died there were buried under their fields. There is a reverence and pride when they talk about it and we had a lot of fun when they presented a skit based on one incident from the novel.

  

The whole account would remain incomplete, if I do not mention the human factor. The experts’ explanations and other slide shows of the dynastic history were all interactive and the simplicity and ease with which the expert scholars joked around and tirelessly explained many things provided for an interesting learning. The villagers on the way, wherever we stopped for a site visit, showered us with their unreserved affection and open hospitality. We were loaded with tender coconuts, millet porridge, buttermilk and snacks. I was pleasantly surprised by the sense of history and the awareness about 1000 and more years of cultural and political legacy that sits well on their shoulders. The honest and open look and that megawatts smile that light the entire place - Oh! Where have we lost that warmth and human touch! 

All of us - belonging to this land regardless of the narrow restrictive regional and linguistic identity can be proud of this legacy for these two great kings dreamt big and scaled great heights.  

Being seniors in the digital age:
I belong to the generation which has begun its life in the fifties of the 20th century and thus electronic gadgets, digital invasion of every space of our personal life in the present century is overwhelming. I sometimes used to wonder whether it is only me  in such a plight. I get a little assurance when I see grandmothers like me fumbling with the smart phone. Many of my friends used to say that they do not know much about the working of these gadgets and their sons/daughters only help them.
Then there are quite a few of my friends whose sons and daughters are living abroad. Vasantha happily chats with her grandchildren through Skype every week; Partha Mama(uncle) has to manage his son's (who lives in Canberra) bank accounts and transactions online. Many others pay their bills, book train tickets online.
But can I remain aloof and unaffected by the New age changes and information explosion?
With determination, I took on the task of dealing with all the buzz words - RAM, CPU, Monitor, cursor, Ctrl+c and many more - and slowly found my way into the digital age.
It is not a smooth process but nor is it an insurmountable problem. The learning still continues with occasional setbacks.
Relevance and value:
Most people of our generation do not have experience with the use of computer technology and without previous experience cannot think of the relevance of computers. The new learning will make sense only when we relate it to the life of learners. Like my globe trotting friends, we need to find a value/meaning to this learning. Ask yourself these questions: How is it going to be useful for me? Will my life be easier and less lonely? Can I do my shopping without stepping out of the house? With every aspect of our life going digital, it is necessary for all of us. Those who were in banking sector or in certain government offices when  a large scale digital transformation was introduced, had no other choice but to undergo computer training. 
As far as I was concerned, besides the obvious necessities, I felt a compelling desire to learn more about using technology in teaching. If I teach the value of curiosity, thirst for knowledge to my students, it is only fair that I follow these myself.
Initially I felt a little awkward being on the other side of the table as a student learning from a 'twenty something young woman'. (Hey! Where is an open mind seeking knowledge from any corner?)
Most of the times, the young people treat us with respect and are ready to patiently teach us. 

Motivation and conviction: 
What happens now that we know that computers are very much essential in our daily dealings? Still we may lose steam half way through. It is worth taking those friends who are tech savvy as our role model. Within our mind we can even compete with them to attain certain self sufficiency. But, remember at all times that each of us come with different abilities and aptitudes.
When we can use computers in many of our tasks, we certainly become confident and it improves our memory.
We need to be patient with ourselves no matter what others may think about it. but the key to success is tirelessly working at learning the skill. 
How do we learn?
I think, we may learn efficiently by writing down instructions or any other concepts. If you have a patient listener, you can describe  all that happened in class to that person and demonstrate as well.
Reinforcement and encouragement:
If I do not use/apply the theory regularly, how would it become part of my knowledge and skill? A great opportunity came my way - assisting in compilation of research materials, books and other sources about the Indian Ocean region.
In the early stages, I would begin my session before the system with trepidation - some days it would be the mouse in an unresponsive mood, at other times the cursor would refuse to budge! I had difficulty in putting together the ideas in a neat lay out and present a word document. But the person with whom I was working, was ready to guide me in a manner that I understood my mistakes. My daughter , wherever she was ( in the midst of her work even!) obliged me in providing distance instruction. Slowly, I have moved to that point from where I am able to work online related to teaching and text books.
Challenges:
But I get stressed when the gadget behaves unexpectedly or abnormally. Just imagine sitting alone in front of the system and working on an assignment. Suddenly things go haywire. I do a mental check. "No, I didn't press any key by mistake. I was in the midst of work. " Will you tend to run to an young person who is helpful at such times or not? You can but before that we can try to ask help from  the web itself. There are many videos giving step by step instruction. I do this random search at least weekly once to see whether I am able to follow the instructions successfully. (Many times, I am not able to follow the instructions is another story. But it is exciting to try again.).
If I am not ready to jump into the water, how will I learn swimming? Challenges sharpen the mind and we get to analyse the problem ourselves. I know, I will surmount the challenges but in my own time. I think of the things that I figured out myself (when no one is there to help) and see some of my friends who have worked out every principle themselves. Sure, I can also learn to do things on my own, can't I?
Let's break the barriers!
Age certainly has brought certain disadvantages like failing eyesight and hearing ability, lack of coordination of muscles and slow loss of memory. One need not feel ashamed or depressed about these things. We can demand user friendly fonts, colours, content-layouts and simple uncluttered menu bars and tool bars.
Let us come out of our comfort zone, broaden our horizon, enlarge our social circle and reach out to others in need.    

Road trips

Travel, wander, explore, move, journey, trip - how many ways I can refer to my move from Thiruvannamalai to Chennai and back!
Whatever be the name I like all the activities leading finally to the actual travel - plan the grocery, vegetables, milk and other supplies in such a way to finish them all just before travel, completing other tasks, packing and to be ready on time early in the morning!
I have been doing this road trip between these two places four to five times roughly every month for the last 3 months.
The early morning air is always refreshing. Every creature wakes up slowly to the gentle and warm touch of the Sun, welcomes the new morning with pure joy. I look out of the window with the speeding wind against my face - all things initially were like a haze or one dark lump but slowly becoming distinct like the firm strokes of the artist's brush.
The small villages still manage to retain their quaint charm - heap of hay, smell of cattle, occasional smell of the wet farming lands and places - Pennathur, Melpappampadi, Chenji, Pakkam.... we go past these beautiful little places waking up to another new morning.
Looking at those remains of the ramparts of the great fort of Chenji is a great experience in itself. The silent spectators of kingdoms gone, how would they have been during some glorious past!
What utter lack of imagination and inability to appreciate the history - that would have driven the government to break these walls (with much difficulty, I heard) and build road connecting Chenji to to places further north and northeast like Chennai! (There are so many such half formed thoughts - some related and some others disconnected - filling my mind which would help me later in my classes)
In and trough all these flashes of ideas, I feel I am part of everything around me, like the fort walls, the tall Palmyra trees, the chirpy birds, the milk man, the ladies cleaning their front yard and the distant azure mountains. I am in complete harmony there and a rare feeling of affinity shatters all barriers and in that moment of merging with all, I feel blessed and elated.
  

Road trip -

சாலைப் பயணம், காலையில் ! 
காலைப்பயணமே ஒரு தனி அனுபவம் தான்! இந்த காலை பயணங்களில்   அதுவும் சாலை வழிப் பயணங்களில் நான் கை தேர்ந்த அனுபவசாலின்னு  நிச்சயமா சொல்லிக்கலாம் !
பள்ளிபருவத்திலிருந்தே மதுரையிலிருந்து திருச்சிக்கு எல்லா விடுமுறையிலும் போவேன். அந்த அனுபவம் ஒரு தனி  சுகம் !நாளையிலிருந்து  - ஆஹா நாளையிலிருந்து லீவு தவிர அப்பா அம்மாவைப் பாக்கப்போறோம்ங்கற ஆவல், இதோடு கூட தனிமையில் பயணம் ! பெரிய பெரிய புளிய மரங்கள், தூரத்தில் மா, இன்னும் பின்னால் நெட்டையனாக தென்னையும், பனையும்! அதோ! கூடவே வரும் ஊதா   மலைத்தொடர். ரோடின் ரெண்டு பக்கமும் வரிசையாக வரும் கிராமங்கள்,  சிற்றூர்கள், கொத்துகொத்தாய் மனிதர்கள், கூரைக்கடைகள் என வழி முழுதும் இந்த  மண்ணின்  வாழ்க்கைக் காட்சிகள் -  அலுக்கவே அலுக்காத மூணு மணி நேரம் . சில நேரங்களில் செடி கொடிகளுக்கு நடுவில் பாம்பு போல் வளைந்து செல்லும் ஒற்றையடிப் பாதை, அதனில் 'கடக்  மடக்' என உருளும் ஒற்றை மாட்டு  வண்டி  -  முடிவில்லாமல் நீளும் அந்த பாதையில் நான் அந்த வண்டியில் இருந்தால்.... ' இப்படி கற்பனைகள் மனதில் ஓடிக் கொண்டிருக்கும்.
நான் தனியாகப் போனதும் உண்டு, கூடத் தம்பியும் வந்ததுண்டு. இயல்பான மௌனங்கள், ஒரு பார்வையில்  அடுத்தவர் மனதைப் படிக்கும் அந்த நெருக்கம் -அவனோட அந்த நமட்டு சிரிப்பும், குறும்புப் பார்வையும் இன்னும் அப்படியே கண் முன் நிற்கிறது. (ஆனால் அவன் தான் இல்லை!)
இப்ப சென்னை - திருவண்ணாமலை பாதை மதுரை - திருச்சி ரோடு வழி மாதிரியே ஆயிடுத்து. மாசம் ஒரு முறையாவது திரு -சென்னை , சென்னை -  திரு பாதையில் பயணிக்கிறேன்.
காலை பயணம் - அதே மகிழ்ச்சி! 'தகதகன்னு செம்பிழம்பாய் அதோ   சூரியன் ! மெல்ல மெல்ல புகை மூட்டம் போல தெரிந்த மரம், மட்டை, வயல், வீடு எல்லாம் அழுத்தமான கோட்டுச் சித்திரங்களாய் புலப்படத்  தொடங்கும் மாயாஜாலம்! அதே போல் மரங்கள் முன்னால்  இல்லை, ஆனால் பின்னால் உயர்ந்த தென்னையும், பனையும் மெல்லக் காற்றில் ஆடும் அழகு! பச்சைப் பசேர்னு  கதி ிர் கள் ஆடும் வயல்கள் உண்டு. ஆனால் எல்லாம் ஸ்டேட் ஹை வே , சின்ன நகர்ப்புற ரோடோடு சரி !
6 வழிச்சாலையோ, 4 வழிச்சாலையோ கார்களும், டிரக்'களும்  ஜும் ஜும் னு பறக்க வசதி, ஆனால் சுற்றி வாழும் மக்களின் உயிரோட்டமான தினசரி ஓட்டங்களைக்  காட்டுவதில்லை.
கார் ஜன்னல் கண்ணாடியைக் கீழிறக்கி எதிர் காற்று முகத்தில் மோத சூரியன் இதமான சூட்டுடன் தன் கதிர்களால் மண்ணின் எல்லா உயிர்களையும் எழுப்பும் காட்சி பார்க்க அலுக்கவே அலுக்காது! பெண்ணாத்தூர், மேல்பாப்பம்பாடி, செஞ்சி, ஆலம்பூண்டி , குரங்குகள் தாவி ஓடும் வனத்துறை காடு என்று தாண்டும் வரை பாரதியின்," புதிய காலை உதயமானதே" என்று பாடலாம்.  
ம் .... அப்புறம் ? கண்ணை மூடி குட்டித் தூக்கம் போடலாம்!