times at the Napier museum

The first time I went to Napier museum was with Lakshmy and Bobby. Of course I have come here with my parents when I was too small, I don’t remember much of it. But now I love this place more and more. It was on a Sunday evening we went to the museum and hence it was closed but we roamed around the museum premises. Many people of different ages were jogging and walking, all aiming to burn the excess cholesterol and to maintain more health.

The museum has got a great ambience. I think it is one of the places to get lost, to think and to fall in love. It is very hard for me to believe that there lays a peaceful land in the middle of the city. The buildings made by foreigners, the gardens rejuvenated by the government, the zoo and the art gallery, all in one stop. That is the specialty of this place. You just have to walk around and around. You could spend almost a day here and no one would bother unless you are not disturbing the other.

Once I liked this place, I became a frequent visitor. There is something about this place that keeps us coming here.  People come here for the above reasons. I find more locals than tourists here.  If you ever been in Trivandrum you would never miss this place.

I keep thinking what do I like more about this place, let me just jot down

• ·         There is plenty of space to walk
• ·         Walk and talk process is really good here
• ·         Great ambiance and good air flow
• ·         Plenty of trees means plenty of oxygen
• ·         A nearby KTDC canteen for the food lovers. (My friend is a coffee addict, even if I try to abscond this area; she forces me to come here). But the price of coffee and snacks are way too high for students like me
• ·         The chances to meet your old friend here is slightly more than usual
• ·         You can sit or lie down anywhere and no one would mind you
• ·         Many place to pose for photographs

What else would you desire from a place like this? One time we went here just after Onam, there were swings tied under huge and small trees here and there. I jumped on the swing that was near to the gate and started swinging. Wow that was really good, I never expected to get such an experience there and there it is full of surprise…

Museum may have its historical importance’s but when I am here, sometimes I feel like I am part of something great. Only few places can give you this feeling. Like a free bird I am flying in the museum… enjoying every bit of freedom with my dear ones… 

into the most richest temple of the world

Sree Padhmanabhaswami temple is one of the most riches temples in the world. It’s so beautiful and marvelous. I have been in Trivandrum for almost one year and I went there after six months. Of course I have been there with my parents when I was so small and I have only faintest memories of it. Only I thing I remembered was that the idol was lying down and we have to look through all three doors to see the whole idol.

This is one of the most remarkable temples I have ever seen. You may know many things about the temple just by Google search, so adding all bits of information will make you tired here also. So I am just saying my view, opinions and comments.

For the first six months I didn’t go, because there were many flimsy reasons that I invented. Girls have to wear saree or you should wear a dhoti over your salwar. You can wear skirts and top also. It is the thing about saree and dhoti’s I abstained my thoughts to go there. Moreover no mobiles allowed inside.

But one morning I had a dream of going there and I saw the idol. This has happened never before, and if God came in my dreams that means I am invited personally, it is like a calling and I couldn’t just ignore it. So I told to my friends to go as soon as possible. When I said to them about my dream they were surprised and it acted as a catalyst.

Neeraja, Lakshmy, Athira and I got ready, wore suitable dresses and went there. God is VVIP, so we had to wait almost 1 hour to get Darshan. We went on morning for darshan and that too on a Sunday, there were a big rush and because of which we really didn’t see the idol fully. More over that day, royal heirs of the temple were coming and we couldn’t climb up the stairs and see the idol. Bad luck. Only thing I saw clearly was God’s hand lying down, I couldn’t see his face or legs. I felt bit unlucky.

For me it was another calling, it is like you need to go again to see clearly. So we went again on a Sunday, this time there were no royal heirs coming, so we were allowed to climb up the stairs and see the idol. I saw the crown, the snake head, the hand, legs. Wow that was almost good darshan, but then also we couldn’t see fully. But our darshan level increased, so I was happy. Again it is another calling.

After Darshan we just started roaming inside the temple and started exploring the medieval architecture. The perfections made in every pillar were unique and beautiful. It must have been a hard work to do on those days but then also the master’s perfection was reflected. We looked up and there were different kinds of fish carved on the ceiling. We started thinking why fishes were carved on top and not on bottom. Well we didn’t get any clear explanation from anyone and we couldn’t invent one. We wondered where the treasure rooms might be, we didn’t see any sign of it also. May be we were not that observant. However we started noticing that one of the securities were following us (Because normal devotees won’t roam around the temple and praise the sculptures in every pillar) and so for the securities we were showing a suspicious behavior. Soon we went outside the temple.

Next time Neeraja and I alone went to temple on a Sunday evening. We both wore Saree, I wore Kerala Saree and she wore Tamil saree. We were so lucky that there were very little queue and no rush. We got into the line and entered the temple. Through a small rush we climbed the stairs and started seeing and praying. This time I saw the snake, head, hand, the whole body, legs, Lord Brahma sitting on a lotus which came from Lord Vishnu’s stomach and also the Shiv-linga and other idols in the middle. It was a splendid darshan. My eyes were full and so was my heart. I was so happy that day. It was so good. We had darshan for almost 7-8 minutes. Usually we had darshan for 50 seconds, but this day I could never forget. Wow, mind-blowing, I must say that.

After the darshan we were so hungry. We had to rush near a vegetarian hotel. There are many famous vegetarian hotels near the temple, however our favorites are Hotel Annapoorna and Hotel Ganesh. This time we preferred Hotel Annapoorna (because of better infrastructure). We were treated royally there because of our attire. If we go in casual dresses no one used to mind us but this time they even called us madam. That was strange. I ordered my recent favorite “channa batoora” and she ordered “Masala dosa”. Awesome taste, I admit that!  

Another thing I experienced about this temple is that whatever you pray (I mean genuinely good) will happen. All you need is to put trust over the Lord and he will take care of you. This is very true and happened to me. When you have an answered pray, you will pray more and go there again and again. So did I. well I asked to Lord for genuinely good things to happen, which I was afraid that it won’t happen when it got delayed, but then also I had kept my faith and trust in him. And so it became true. And for many such reasons I just love this temple.