On 1st of FEB at 7O’clock with the help of our travel agent and their guidance we boarded JAYANTI JANATA EXPRESS”. Each teacher took charge of students according to the boogie and allotted sits to the students.
Our journey was very interesting and enthusiastic also enjoyable. Our lasted for 48 hours crossing the borders of Maharastra, ANDHRA,TAMILNADU,KERALA.We reached kanyakumari on Tuesday at 12.30am.
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In the afternoon we went for sight seeing. First we saw “GANDHI MEMORIAL MANDAPAM”. There is a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi who had visited Kanyakumari in 1925 and 1937. It is constructed at a place on the seashore where his ashes were kept before immersion in the sea on 12th February 1949. The Mandapam is built in Orissa style of architecture and designed in such a way that on his birthday,2nd October, the rays of the sun, through a hole on the roof, falls exactly on the place where the urn was kept.
Next visit was Devi Kumari Temple.Situated on the seashore,this temple is dedicated to the virgin Goddess Devi Kanyakumari.The Devi stands as a charming young girl in her penance ,with a rosary in her right hand. A sparkling nose jewel sheds lustrous radiance. The image, made of blue stone,is believed to have been installed by sage Parasurama.
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On second day after breakfast we proceeded for Swamy Vivekanand Rock. An impressive memorial to SwamyVivekanand has been erectedon a rock situated some 200 meters off shore. In the year 1892 Swamy Vivekanand came down to kanyakumari and sat in meditation on one of the twin rocks before he set out aboard as India’s leading religious crusader. Inagurated in 1970, the memorial is an Indian architectural masterpiece . The entire memorial Mandapam is similar to that of Sri Ramakrishna temple at Belur and the entrance is designed on the style of Ajanta and Ellora cave temples.The rock on which the memorial stands has in puranic tradition, been known as Sripaada Paari, blessed by holy feet of devi. On this rock there is small projection resembling human feet which has been reversed as Sripaadam. According to legend it was on this rock that Goddess Kanyakumari did her penance. In the main hall there is a life size bronze statue of Swamiji in his standing “parivrajak” posture.
Next to this rock is another rock on which is the statue of Saint Thiruvalluvar.
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The stone statue is 133 feet high including the pedestal . the pedestal is 38 feet high representing the 38 chapters in the first part of the Kural and the 95 feet statue represents the total chapters in the second and third parts of the Kural, Wealth and Love. The pedestal is surrounding by an artistic Mandapam known as alankara Mandapam. Surrounding the Mandapam stands statue of elephants To help the visitors to worship the holy feet of the saint 140 steps are constructed inside the Mandapam.
Our next visit was Madurai nealy 6 hours journey from Kanyakumari.
MADURAI the ancient home of Tamil culture is the seat of the famous temple dedicated to Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. As it is customary to worship first Devi Meenakshi and then Lord Sundareswarar people enter the temple through the Ashta Sakthi Mandapam on the eastern street.
ASHTA SAKTHI Mandapam
Over the entrance to the ashta sakthi Mandapam is found the sculptural representation of the wedding of Meenakshi.The images of Ganesha and Subramanya are seen on either side. Next is the Meenakshi Naicken Mandapam .It has five aisles separated by six rows of stone pillars on which are carved yallis and other figures. Connecting this Mandapam is the hall where the idols of Siva and Parvathi in the manifestation as a hunter and huntress never fail to evoke our admiration. There are 1008 brass oil lamps.Next is the Mudali Pillai Mandapam. Of the numerous carving here, the figures of Bikshadanar, of the infatuated wives of the rishis of Tharugavana and of Mohini are most outstanding. Next is the Golden Lotus Tank. Next is the Unjal Mandapam ,and then we come to the MEENAKSHI SHRINE ,a three storeyed Gopuram stands at the entrance. Next is the Mukkuruni Vinayakar.Ajacent to it is Kambathadi Mandapam ,followed by Sundareswarar shrine,then is the hall of thousand pllars and then comes Mangayakarasi Mandapam,towers and musical pillars.
After our lunch we proceeded to Rameshwar it is 4 hours journey from Madurai. It is said that RAM,LAXMAN and SITA fter ravana’s defeat came to Rameshwar . there some rishis told him that since he killed Ravana who was a Brahmin will have to purify him by forming a shiva ling and performing puja. Hanuman decided to bring a siva ling from kailas mountain but it was to late for him to come with it by that time sita prepared a siva ling of mud and performed puja .On returning back Hanuman found that the puja has already been performed so he got angry ,then RAM asked him to lift the pooja performed siva ling which he could not do it , so here we find two shiva lings.Here we find the world famous third corridor.then we saw dhanush kodi from here sri lanka is hardly 25 kms . We returned back to Pune on 7th of feb.
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The tour manager along with his team were very sportive and co-operative. They conducted singing competition for our students also the food provided was sumptuous and unlimited.
I,the incharge of the team thanks the Principal and the management members for arranging such trips for our students.
