Trekking at Azhagar Kovil - 2

Hi Guys,

(To Read Trekking at Azhagar Kovil -1, click here)

Let me continue my trekking experience.

11.25 am: We hit the road. At the last leg of the roadless journey, we started to feel the heat. The sun was heavy and we realized the mistake of not taking a water bottle with us. The first thing we saw on the road was a Ice Cream vendor. Our initial thought was to buy, but soon we realized that eating an Ice Cream at this state would damage our throat completely. After some time we saw a vendor selling fruits and we bought some pieces of water melon and it quenched our thirst completely. Luckily no monkey interfered us when we were eating. After eating the flesh part, we gave the skin of the fruit to a monkey and it accepted happily.

The roads were constructed amidst the jungle and hence we didn't feel the heat here too.

Devotees walking down the hill after completing the prayers

11.45 am: The water melon was enough for some time, after which the tiredness stared setting in. After walking on the road for some 20 minutes, some tourist buses came into our sight which meant the temple was nearby. Just before the temple, we saw the tree where the famous incident between Tamil poet Avvaiyar and Lord Murugan took place (for more details of the incident, click here)

The tree on the left side is the tree where the famous incident between Lord Murugan and Tamil poet Avvaiyar took place.

11.50 am: It took us another five minutes to reach the first temple, namely Pazhamudhircholai, which is one of the six abodes (Arubadaiveedu) of Lord Murugan. We got two water bottles here and emptied it quickly (we were that much thirsty). We continued to walk upwards towards the next temple. After drinking the water, it started to sweat so much for me and Bala, but Saravana had no sweat. We were drenched with sweat in some 5 minutes.

Pazhamudhircholai Temple

12.00 pm: The next temple namely Raakaie Amman Temple was some 250 m away from the first one, but it took us some five minutes because of the steep nature of the road. I will say more about the temple in the last post. To reach the temple you have to climb some 70 steps and there are lot of monkeys here. The temple mainly has access to Noopura Gangai, which is a perennial stream starting from a waterfall somewhere above. The water comes through some pipe or some other means and devotees take bath here. The water is wonderful here. It has lot of medicinal properties as it brushes through many herbal leaves.

Raakaie Amman Temple

12.20 pm: We didn't take bath at the temple, but then we collected water and there were some 15-20 people standing in the queue. So, it took us 15 minutes before touching the water and then finishing our prayers.

A view from the Raakaie Amman Temple

12.30 pm: After eating some snacks at the base of Raakaie Amman Temple, we starting moving downwards. Moving downwards was very easy but the path was very steep and we had to control our legs in order to avoid falling down. We entered the Pazhamudhircholai temple and after finishing our prayers there we started walking down.

12: 40 pm: We started moving down.

I will conclude the trekking experience in my next post.

(To Read Trekking at Azhagar Kovil - 3, click here )

Happy Reading and Viewing!!!