A Family Reunion and a Pilgrimage to Rameswaram
Our group includes the closest relatives of Mama: His wife
(my elder sister), two younger brothers with their spouses, two sons with their
spouses and their children, myself and my younger sister. A family reunion is a
time to remember, a time to laugh, a time to share old stories and make new
memories. In fact this reunion is a coming together that strengthens the bond
of our family and reminds us the gift of belonging. A family is like branches
on a tree; we all grow in different directions and even with different faiths,
yet our roots remain as one.
Mama was the eldest member of our family and with due
respects everyone of us voluntarily joined in the pilgrimage to Rameswaram.
To say about the trip, it is a well organized one by Mama’s
eldest son and the cooperation was extended by all to him in making the trip a
grand success. All of us assembled in Chennai domestic airport on December 21, 2019, early morning and took the
IndiGo flight, an ATR 72 craft, enjoyed by all, the 85 minutes journey to
Tuticorin airport.
We were welcomed by nature’s drizzling weather and proceeded
to Thangachi Madam, just beyond the Pamban bridge, by a mini A/C bus equipped
with TV and Disco lights! But the joy of
singing competition of film songs by two groups of young and old, during the
bus journey was enjoyed by all.
A short break we took at a Forest Guest House arranged by
our US uncle, a retired IFS gentleman. After lunch, we went to Agni Theertham,
the sea shore of Rameswaram, near the famous
Sri Ramanatha Swamy Temple. After the formal rituals, we all dipped our legs in the sea waves coming
to the shore and sprinkled the holy water on our head.
The darshan was so good and we were allowed to have it very
close to the presiding deity’s sanctum sanctorum. The deity, Sri Ramanatha
Swamy is in the form of a Lingam. We have also seen Sri Parvathavarthini Amman
and a unique Vishnu shrine in a Shiva temple, Sri Pallikonda Perumal. But few
of us missed the world famous Third Corridor with 1212 pillars and bathing in
many thirthams!
To catch up the Rameswram Sethu Express at 8.15 pm, we took
dinner in a hotel nearby the railway station and back to Chennai on 22nd
morning at 7.00 am.
We missed the rail bridge view as we crossed the Pamban
bridge in dark night.
Many of the first timer for Chennai Metro enjoyed the
short travel from Egmore to Thirumangalam station and we were back home with
lots of memories.
My sincere thanks to all for making the shortest pilgrimage
trip, a memorable one. Let our prayers take Mama’s soul to reach the abode of
his favourite God, Lord Muruga.
Wish you all A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2020.
