Surprises waits you to explore , once you reach cursed rural place.

Surprises waits for you to explore once you reach cursed rural place

      I never thought in my life that I will be exposed to a different world , in a rural place, where almost everything seems very strange from my own environment.  Something beautiful about this environment is, the nature is preserved and so the human beings. I was really shocked to find out that  almost majority of people whom I met here  in the same boat if not all 80 percent of them overall. You can’t get my clue, don’t you, thats it. Most of the human beings I mixed and learnt about is some how they are  different  in thinking  and  in life matters, basically they have been trained and they don't really appreciate the good things or ideas shared by others or ready to accept .  Most of them  unable to bring any changes to their environment or to the school. Something fishy about this school is, some one of their family member, close relatives or siblings join this school. From first year  to the next year, the standard and level of the learners seemed same.

    Most of them hardly  have fathers or seemed to have a life with their  father. Not only that, even most of the kids coming to this school seemed to be fatherless kids. Many teachers seemed to be the locals teaching for more than 20 years and many of them have been here life long. They seemed secretive and have their own clan as friends and hardly  welcome or ready to accept new ideas.

    Something to share here is , the learners in this school, far backward in standard and in studies compared to other primary or secondary school students.

       Those Teachers who wish to bring  difference or changes to these learners always isolated  by the admind and the main teachers. The environment is Islamic environment and the Non Muslim students have been neglected by their own teachers. Something very common here, even the best student in higher secondary and Preuni unable to converse in English, and to write spontaneous essays or ideas. Thats the real situation, im experiencing here in a “ cursed town’ or place in a  District, in Perak. A Legendary story tells that once this place was cursed by a royal family and it still remains the same. When ever any Royal family members attending any near by places they never cross this town, they take a longer way to reach the destination by avoiding this place. This is a real situation shared here.  to my surprise most of the community here, seemed not exposed to basic things  in life. Many parents hardly provide their kids basic needs. Don’t be surprised many of the  students   here  hardly knows about their biological father. Some of the students hardly knows  about their identity, or the family or ethnic they belong to.

Tanjai Periya Kovil

        My several visits to India , especially to Tamil Nadu has enlighten my heart and at the same time I valued the life and little things which  around  me. I learnt to appreciate even small matters and not important people in life after several visits to India. Each visit has given me ample of exposure and new experiences. Something   Unique  about Tamil Nadu is its people and culture. Women are given special place and treated specially in Tamil Nadu.Even special coaches in Train  are available for women here.

       Another unique and very special thing about Tamil Nadu is its temples, which are very Unique and  spacious and built long long ago. These temples are mostly built by using clay and sand, but these temples are  unique and special. One of it, is The Tanjai Periya kovil. It is a Shivan temple which consist of several temples in its compound. a Nanthi Temple, Sakthi Temple and a Pillayar Temple.

    King Chola who lived in the 14th century, Built this Temple. Those ancient Tamil words and alphabets are still available on the stones, which are difficult to describe thier  meaning. This temple has its own hall known as "Vasantha Mandabam" where tourist rest here while enjoying the view. In this mandabam, Shivalingams are placed each in a room and above it, on the walls,  statues of   Nanthis  had been arranged. These Nanthi statues looks like Guardians of this  Temple. In the middle of the temple compound, A Giant Nanthi statue has been placed. According to those who make several visits to the temple, the Nanthi statue is growing bigger from day to day.  This Periya kovil is a place for any  one who wish to experience the ancient Hindu civilization and its wonders.
     

The devine land and the delicious vegetarian food

     

      Tamil Nadu, firstly its rural area, I mean the villages are known and seemed as  devine provinces. The people in their daily life practice and carry out prayers from morning till evening. Religion plays  very important part in their life. People, their home, their vehicles, companies , the street and the housing areas , all carry the God's or the Goddess names. 

               People just seemed too busy performing their daily chore's and no one is seen loitering or wasting time. Even the criplled have bussiness of their own.
Amman travels, Murugan  College, Sri Ambigai nagar, Sri velan Illam, Mahesan lodge and  Pillayar Patti, these are the comman names found on streets and at the housing areas. 

      People live  very simple life yet live happily. no, theft and no violence. People  work harder to make living.
     On most of the hills temples are built. These Temples  are famous and had drawn thousands of devotees as far as from the north and not to mention the foreigners who   visit  these temples.

   The Hindus in the south consume mostly vegetarian food and they adress themselves as ' Saiva Pillai' means vegetarians. Throughout the year these people consume vegetarian food and these food is very simple and delicious. Lentils , nuts, beans and raw spices and coconuts are used in curries and chutnies. Thosai and idli eaten with various types of chuttnies and the dinner is mostly either dosa or chappati eaten with the deliciously prepared chutnies.rice is taken only during lunch and small meals are consumed during breakfast and dinner, which consist of smaller shape idlis with various chutnies and curries, chapattis with dhal gravy. 
     Non vegetarian food is available only at special restaurants and mostly fish , chicken and mutton served in tasty spicy gravies.India has its various sweets to name. Halwa, Jelebi, boonthi, palghova,maisoorphag,athirasam, burfi and gulabjamun. these sweet are available in most of the Indian towns and city restaurants.

Enriching and exciting experience at Viddya Vikkas

       My visit to a girls school which is located in countryside of Tamil Nadul was a pleasant visit and full of excitement. The things which I had never dreamed or thought came as surprise during my stay in the School. Actually Outsiders are not allowed to stay there, but since I'm a parent who had travelled alone and upon my request I was allowed to stay in the School compound.

        For the first time in my life I met Thousands of learners in a school studying in one compound. Most of the learners are from different ethnic and family background, some Are known as Badu gas, Swarashtras,Karnatakas, Malayalees, Telugus,Biharis, Gugerathis, The majorities are the Tamils and many more from various parts of India, The foreign students are from, Srilanka,Dubai, Kuwait, saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia. Almost all of them practice their culture and mother tongue.

Another experience is that the movie watching session, It was a day where there was a show, and it was the movie" Athavan" was shown and the "Human flood" almost three thousand students sat quietly and watched the movie so attentively, during a song sequence there was choress among the students who sang in the same tone. And when there was 'Punch dialoge ' the learners applauded

       I felt as though I was One of them, shaking my head and body as the students did. They sang in same tune and intonation, not even a minor error was there. These youngster were all stayed in the boarding school and only once a month visit their families and school is their home throughout the year

       The most exciting moment was mingling with the "kutties" kids below eight years. these kids have been staying in the hostel since they were five years old, few were from Orissa, few were from Kerala, few from Bangalore, few from Middle east, few from Srilanka, few from Singapore and few from Saudi Arabia, two from Malaysia and the majority from TAMIL NADU.

        

      They spoke very good English and they were looked after and fed by full Time nannies, until never thought of their parents and home, School is their home. My eight days gone just by mingling with those "kutties" asking them questions and answering their questions. They were so intelligent for their age. Their spoken English was perfect. Some teenagers who were 13 to fifteen whom I mixed and talked, found to be equal their IQ to The form six students and University student and they were much knowledgeable than the adults or The educated I met Here

       Once when I walked around an evening in the school compound I saw several hundreds of learners all girls sat for the study in their chudhithars and to my eyes they looked like hundreds of Goddess Saraswathys sitting and learning there.

        

        Their School Annual day was something Unforgettable, because a minister and a Police commissioner were invited as the guest speakers. all the students performances were perfectly presented, by the learners who had practiced themselves. It was a five hour non stop entertainment performed by only learners of that school and their performance was superb.

       

      The learners dance and performed like they have been specialized in those performances. It was a open hall which could accommodate several thousand people, to me it was a free open concert which has class. Even The five and six year olds were trained and performed fantastic performance

      What I noticed in the learners and the teachers of that School is the dedication, determination, commitment and willingness to explore plus the administration which gives the learners freedom to explore and to excel. The best students in the state, The youngest scientist of India, The Best yoga masters and youngest yoga experts all Found here.

      The learners excel in studies as well as in cocuricullar activities. The best Performance I have watched so far. The Directors, staff and the Teachers Of Vidyaa Vikkas stand as the strong pillars for the learners excellent, and for their achievement.

THE BEAUTIFUL NORTHERN SUMATERA

  

          Lake Toba, Brastagi, Sumasir and Paraphat, these are the  Places that   would enchant anyone who would   visit Northern Sumatera. Medan is a very heaty town with concrete buildings and with the highest rate of population.     The climate at these places is Mountain cool, so it’s best throughout the year. For the first time I saw avocado trees with fruits near the shore of  lakeToba. Which looked like an ocean?    

        The trip with my teenage nephew Pravin and my nieces Dine and Dharshinee with their mum, gave a pleasant moment to my mind and soul. Our trips were on 2 different days. Due to the very tiring and long journey. Our first trip was to Paraphat and Lake Toba, and the second trip was to Brastagi.

         Brastagi reminded me of the western countries due to the cool climate and the farms with the farmers who dressed more like westerners in their worn out coats and blazers, but these farmers were much smaller in size. The Sumatrans are much smaller in size compared   people from other nations.      Their food is very simple food. I mean the daily meal. We managed to buy fresh oranges that were just plucked from the trees for a cheap Price. 
       
       Spicky cucumber was very cheap, each was sold for only 10 cents . My niece’s landlord was asked to arrange for transport for the second time.  ’Angkut”  a vehicle which is commonly used there as a mode of transport. Its like a coaster suppose to accommodate only 6 people but the  landlords relatives squeezed in with us. So 12 of us travelled in that angkut to Brastagi and to another hill which is very popular for visitors.

         Some thing I would like to share here is the mother tongue of these Northern Sumatra Indians has been forgotten. Only the 'senior citizens’ converse in the language, but the younger generations spoke only Indonesian language. Even their way of dressing is more like westerners.

       The oldies who came to visit us wore skirts and gowns. None of them wore chudithar or saree. I was a bit sad to experience  their culture. They are still Hindus who practice all the customs and festivals but  mother language has been  neglected

        But these Northern Sumatrans are very capable of taking care of themselves and to look good always. These women here consume a soup or liquid prepared from cumin, coriander and turmeric every morning when they get up. According to them, this herbal drink makes them look slimmer and avoid them to have flabby thighs and tummy.this drink is known as "jammu".  Jamu is sold at the roadsides by middle-aged women and each glass cost around 5 cents.

    So preference given for beauty and outlook.  This  is something that disturbed my mind and soul, during my eight days stay in Northern Sumatra, I was unable to find a bookshop or book vendor or even any Newspapers in English. Reading materials in English could not be found there. That’s the most sad news. People seemed to be very friendlier to outsiders.
   The famous Hawkers food is pecal and gado-gado. this is  avery simple and tasty meal prepared by using leafdy vege known as "kangkung" add with cucumber fingers and ponded roasted groundnut with chillies. It taste yummy. A plate  cost around fourty cents.
   During my stay in Northern Sumatera what I learnt was the food, life style and daily life of these peopel is too simple. Hence these peopel are very happy and live as happy as they can.

 

KERALA THE LAND OF COCONUTS AND SPICE.

      
      Kerala is located in South India and is known as the land of coconuts. The people of this state are known as Keralites. They speak Malayalam which is their mother tongue. These people live a very simple life and quietly.
     
     Most of the Keralites are self employed. The land is fertile and suitable to grow rice, palm oil, coconut, spices, rubber and tropical fruits and vegetable. This is a land with beautiful      land scape. The thick lush green forest makes one forget about the real world. People normally come here for relaxation and to get Ayurvedic treatment is something very special in this state. 
       The food mainly consists of vegetables and cooked with coconut oil. Coconut is used in all the meals, from breakfast to dinner. Coconut is grated and finely pounded as a thick cream and then added to the curries and gravies.
    The popular breakfast here is kola puttu which is steam rice flour served with brown sugar, grated coconut and bananas.
    Sea food is another popular dish in the Keralite's daily life, which is cooked in herbs and spices which give these food heavenly taste. Shrimp is ‘known” as “semmeen” and prepared in many forms such as “varuval, kulambu and poriyal.”
     Ayurveda is the main attraction of Kerala.. The fertile soil is suitable to grow herbs and spices which are used mainly in ayurvedic treatment.
     The Keralite are very lean and healthy, this could be due to the consumption of the herbs and spices in their daily meal.     Kerala has many hill stations to list. This state is one of the richest states in the south, where poverty is very low. The state with highest literacy in India is Kerala. 
  Alluphy   is a town with   its canals and back waters. Boat house is a very popular tourist attraction which promises a calm and good rest for anyone who wishes to be away from the hustle bustle of busy life.