To Sethu Samudhram.

We had to get off at an unearthly hour of 3 am at Ramanathapuram station in order to reach our destination , Thirupullani or Sethu samudhram

I set the alarm at 2.30 am in my mobile. Four years back I didn't know a thing about computer, or about mobile nor was I interested in photography. I just wasn't bothered.

What one thinks will go on ,unimpeded never does ,does it?A life one takes as a routine and for granted can change in a blink of the eye or in the snap of a finger.

The very mention of Sethu brings to one's mind the tussle that took place between Sethu breakers and Sethu savers few years back and the TV visuals of huge ships spewing water in long arcs, as they broke and drilled into the seas.

Well, I was on my way to a temple In Thirupullani which is a divya desam ---Vishnu temples visited by aazhwaars and who have sung in its praise, nearly 1500 years earlier. It is near Sethu samudram a sacred sea shore in deep ,S.eastern Tamil nadu.

We boarded the night train at Chennai at 5 pm. Train travel is a great leveller. Sharing seats with total strangers and eating in front of them and stretching out on the berths to sleep off the night in full view of anybody and everybody ,with a light above and passengers constantly brushing one as they get in and off the train.[like blogs]. In addition to all these distractions was a tiny moonjoor[a tolerable looking rat] scampering hither and thither,underfoot.

My berth mates were a elderly couple. From the time we located and settled down on our seats the woman talked and talked on a mobile , an one sided conversation intersped with loud guffaws and clucking of tongue ,till dinner time ,full 4 hours later. The moment she stopped talking and switched off the mobile and looked as smug as a cat that had,had its cream and was on the look out for a wee bit more,her husband despite his handle bar moustache who was very quiet all this while ,blending perfectly into the background like the back rest or the luggage on the rack ,who was in all probability revelling, in his moment of space , became fidgety,querulous and nervous . He whacked the rug [provided inAC two tier] and made the beds , wrapped himself in a bed sheet,pulling it upto his chin ,closed his eyes, turned on his side , yawning loudly!

My alarm went off at 2.30 am. So I had succeeded in setting it properly!We stepped on the platform at 3 am. The long coaches of the train snaked away disappearing into the darkness,as we reached the gate.An board visible in the dim light welcomed us to Gulf of Mannar Biosphere.Got into an auto who charged a atrocious fee to transport us to Thirupullani that was 10 kms away from Ranmanathapuram station.

The roads were deserted and the night sky strewn with stars of every shape and size ,flashing their lights held me spell bound. Can stars be so near?It is never in the highly illuminated place where I live.
Their glitter and unbelievable nearness tempted me to stretch my hands and try scooping them out of the black velvety sky.