I MISS MY KERALAM

I MISS MY KERALAM Now I am in Delhi for the last two months ; I miss the green rice fields , the rows of coconut trees , the rivers and the Western Ghats , guarding the land and causing torrential rains. I miss the people I used to meet , while selling books. The daily bus journey , often very crowded , the waiting for the bus for Chathakudam, at Trichur and the hot tea and vada at Radhakrishna coffee house . Above all , I miss the ‘deeparadhana’ (arti) in the evening at Sastha temple at Chathakudam ! From six to seven in the evening , I spend in the temple . The journey to Guruvayoor temple each month, on the first of the Malayalam month, is another memorable journey. It costs only Rs.20 bus fare , from Trichur to Guruvayoor. The crowd in the temple is horrible , but I patiently stand in the que. Even if I get preference as senior citizen, the people press me hard , as we near the sanctum. Even if only for a few seconds, ‘darhan’ fills my soul with nectar !