The 10-days preceding Onam are usually the most hectic in the year for my wife and
her colleagues, since Supplyco conducts Onam-bazaars at each town where veggies &
groceries are sold at less-than-market rates and usually people throng these bazaars.
Since all through the week, she has to travel in buses/trains, which can be pretty tiring
& time-consuming, I take it upon myself to chauffeur her during the weekends that I
am at Kerala. It helps thatI love to drive. Our son also joins us most of the times and
after dropping her at her place of work, we roam around looking for interesting places
in the neighbourhood. When she is done, she gives me a call and we go pick her up.
So, last Sunday (working day for them due to Onam), she had to go to a place called Ambalapuzha, which ison the way to Alappuzha - some 30kms from our home. Since
Divya was at home then, she also joined us. We drop my wife at her workplace and
decide to check-out the Ambalapuzha Krishna temple. The pal-paayasam (does that
translate to milk porridge?) at this temple is renowned for its taste and we hope we
get lucky enough to get some.
This temple is quite famous and also special for Hindus. It also figures in songs like
one that I like a lot "Ambalapuzhe unni-kannanodu endhu paribhavam melle odhi
vannuvo ?".
What follows is a photo-blog - I am feeling lazy to type. :-)
1) The main arch through which you enter the temple precincts.
2) Another arch.
3) The main hallway-like entrance with shops on both sides, selling trinkets
4) Stuff on sale.
5) We walk around to the rear of the temple, where the ambala-kulam (temple-pond) is.
6) A banyan tree - a common fixture in temples here.
7) When it is Krishnan, can the cattle be far away. A calf grazing inside the temple.
8) A view of the sanctum-sanctorum.
9) The traditional Mallu saree could be seen worn by many women during Onam time.
9) The traditional Mallu saree could be seen worn by many women during Onam time.
But it was nice to see a western woman wear it.
10) A view from the rear of the temple, with the pond and all.
11) The rear entrance - looks like not in use and in need for maintenance.
12) Divya shielding herself from the sun.
10) A view from the rear of the temple, with the pond and all.
11) The rear entrance - looks like not in use and in need for maintenance.
12) Divya shielding herself from the sun.
13) And finally we come to the temple-elephant. Aman did not want to leave from here.
The elephant was an adult & quite big compared to the one at the temple near my home.
14) This elephant was lucky to have a solid structure as home for itself. Most temple
14) This elephant was lucky to have a solid structure as home for itself. Most temple
elephants are tethered in the open.
15) Finally we reach the pal-paayasam counter. But we learn that you can't just walk-in
and hope to have the paayasam. You have to book a day in advance and collect it the
next day.
All the people standing there have paid previous day itself and are waiting for payasam
All the people standing there have paid previous day itself and are waiting for payasam
to be disbursed. We were told that if there was payasam left after all these people got
what they had paid for, then we could get some. But no one knew how long we would
have to wait and thus we left for home. Some other day, we will book a day in advance
and come collect it.
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