Oorukku pogaNum pola irukku!!

Last evening in the bus, on my way back to home, a group of ladies were discussing about two of my most favourite cities in Tamil Nadu. I have a special place in my heart for these two cities for various reasons.


Madurai arasaaLum meenakshi

Thirupparankundrathil nee sirithaal muruga

Madura marikozhundhu vaasam

I learnt to ride bicycle during my 2nd standard annual holidays in the sandhu bondhus of Madurai. I was told "Inga cycle oatta kathuNdaa Madras-la easy-aa oattalaam" and yeah, it is a true fact :) Tasted nungu, palaapazham, guava, appam and a different variety of juice called fruit mix for the first time there. I love each and every temple and spend as much time as I can in them.

Sangam vaLartha Madurai - Beautiful Meenakshi amman (temple), elegant Sundareswarar, serene pottRaamarai kuLam, huge mukkuruNi piLLayaar, kal yaanaiku karumbu kodutha siththar, maasi veedhis, koodalazhagar perumaaL temple, thirupparankundram Murugan with his wife Deivaanai, saravaNa poigai, scenic pazhamudhir cholai Murugan with the other wife kuRavaLLi, noopura gangai, kaLLazhagar(not Captain-Laila movie) kovil, Thirumalai nayakkar mahal, chithirai thiruvizhaa, edhir servai, meenakshi thirukkalyaNam, azhagar aathula eRangaRadhu, thamukkam grounds, exhibition, biiiiig masala appaLam, giant wheel, paruthi paal, bustling with activities night life, tasty idli kadais on the road, the famous madurai malli poo, periyar bus stand, thallakuLam, chokkikuLam, yaanaikal, simmakal, KK Nagar, TVS Nagar/School, SS Colony, Arasaradi, Thyagaraja Engg College, American college, Madura college, the ever-dry :( Vaigai river, the avinga, ivinga slang, a few theatres, including those owned by pasunesan Ramarajan and our own Gabtun, whose names am unable to recollect - I'd watched movies as old as Nadigan, KaRpoora mullai, Annamalai, Bharathi KaNNamma in those theatres


Sriranga ranganaathanin paadham vandhanam seyyadi
Sridevi ranganayaki naamam sandhatham solladi

Tiruchi malakoatta daa

My native place. That explains my very special and strong bondage to Trichy. Fond of the temples here also. Have covered almost all important temples in and around Trichy. Chinna vayasula leave-ku oorukku poroam-na it is an unwritten rule that itz to Trichy. My periappa used to take me around in the evenings in his new "Bajaj Cub" - which I used to consider a luxurious ride, then :) Can never forget those good old days when a big gang of us cousins had one of the most wonderful times of our lives. It has become a dominant topic of our discussion, whenever we get together these days.

TiruchiraapaLLi - Lofty malaikoattai, attractive uchchi piLLayaar, Thaayumaanavar with an interesting story, adivaaram maaNikka vinaayagar, guNaseelam, uththamar kovil(one of those very few temples which have a sannidhi for Brahma and Saraswathi), adorable vayalur murugan, powerful Samayapuram maariamman, short and sweet Akhilandeshwari amman, ever immersed in water Jambukeshwarar, Manakkaal Nangaiamman temple, mighty vekkaaLiamman, my favourite Ranganathar (temple), Ranganayaki thaayaar, gargantuan garudaazhvaar, physician Dhanvanthri, Sakkarathaazhvar, Yoga narasimhar, vaikunta ekadasi mohini alankaaram, rathnaangi, muththangi, sorga vaasal, Raajagopuram, ever crowded malai vaasal, main guard gate, chathram bus stand, chinthamani, anna statue, kaveri paalam, toll gate, Cantontment, Bouleward road(I used to get confused when I read it in thamizh as puliwaardu), Puththur, Central bus stand, Anbil, Thatahchariyar gardens, BHEL Township, agaNda kaveri, koLLidam paalam, N number of vaaikaals, Thiruparaaithurai, mukkombu, Lalgudi, ammazing Sithannavasal paintings, amma maNdapam padithurai, SVS school, E R High School, SRCC college, prestigious St.Joseph's college, National college, REC, St.John's Church, St.Lourd's Church, Maris theatre complex, Sona/Meena theatre (Alaipayuthey), Ramba/Urvasi theatre(Mudhalvan and some old Bhagyaraj movie), Kaveri DTS (KaNdu koNdaen kaNdu koNdaen)

And I'd also observed a couple of things common to both these places:

- Adarthiyaa thodutha poo measured in 100/200, etc and not in muzhams. The pookaarammaas count them perfectly in no time
- PaLa paLa govt and private buses which aren't much crowded with a "karam, siram, puRam neettaadheer" message
- Most people here are neither lethargic nor like the busy busy ever-charged with tension types
- The temples are crowded most of the time, but if you could manage to sneak in during one those lean hours(courtesy:info from local people), u can have a peaceful, enthralling, cherishable darshan
- Till date I haven't eaten in a single restuarant in these two places. Thanks to my athais, maamis and periammas who ensured that am loaded with stomach full of tasty home made specialities with a tag "Enna idhu, ippdi eLachu poyi irukka. School, college-nu avasaramaa porache ozhungaa saaptrukka maata. Ippo leave-la dhaane vandhrukka. Nannaa saapdu" :)

Huh!! Looks like too much of recollection for the day. But I know, I could have missed many places, which would be twice as big as this list!! And am sure most of those who are from Tcy/Mdu will agree with me :)