It is almost mid September and we are yet to finalize the Padayatra dates for this year 2021. Again, due to the widespread pandemic and the intermittent lock downs we were unable to decide on the exact dates of padayatra though we decided to schedule it between Deepavali and Christmas which falls between second week of November and third week of December.
We have to finalize the dates first and based on the dates we need to book the Darshan tickets and accommodation. But prior to that we need to check the availability and book the places for having food and overnight stay (for our team of 35 to 40 members). So we planned to do a scouting / pilot trip (which we do every year as a part of padayatra process) on Monday, 13 September 2021.
This time the scouting team was Balaji, Yuvaraj, 'Tommy' Siva, Vijayaraghavan & of course myself (Mohanraj a.k.a Babu).
Here I would like to explain briefly the process & purpose of the scouting trip. First thing we keep in mind while selecting a place is to make sure it has proper air & water, floor facility, hygiene, cleanliness etc. Second is the distance between previous point to this point and that too based on the hour of the day we cover the in-between distance. So at every location we start and stop, we keep a note of the distance in-between & keep re-working. Yes, it is a tiring and wearing job. Also, this time, we thought of doing some rescheduling itinerary by increasing the overall travel schedule by 1 day or at least a half a day, so that the distances between two points can be reduced and also distance per day can be equalized. So lot of work and calculations to be done this time.
Say, if it is pre-breakfast session we fix a place in such a way to cover at least 40-45 percent of that day's distance whereas if it is post-breakfast we can have only 7 to 12 km in that session. However at times these metrics change based on the availability of a good spot.
All got picked up on the way & I was the last person to join the scouting party and it was just above 8:00 AM when we started from Ambattur.
That is Yuvaraj Anna driving and Balaji Anna in the passenger seat with the approximate schedule, showing places and kilometers, curtesy google map.
First in the agenda is to find a nice, decent place for our Lunch Point between Manjankaranai and Periyapalayam. That will be approximately 3 hours walk after the breakfast so this area will be ideal for having a Lunch point. Being small villages, the challenge is to find a nice place with water facility and sleeping hall for at least 40 members.
So, at Janapan Chattiram Junction we reset the Trip KM knob in the CRV panel and started noting down the distances. This will be a repetitive task from now onwards at every point we stop and enquire.
Following to Manjankaranai hill on the opposite side of the road, we found a small community hall belonging to the local Panchayat Board. Due to the center median wall, there was no way to take a right, so we travelled down the road and took a 'u' turn to reach the point.
There was no one at that place and also the building was locked. It looked nice and decent from outside with decent space in the front but we couldn't check how neat it is from inside. We enquired with the locals there and got a contact number of the person taking care of that place. We decided to call him later while returning back or if we do not find anything else good enough.
In a short distance, we reached the next village Kannigaiper and enquired if there are any marriage choultry or hall in this village but there was no luck. A local told about a small marriage choultry belonging to some trust at the end of the village, we thought of giving it a visit because we know if there is nothing here means either we need to fix the Community Hall in the previous village or shift the camp altogether to Periyapalayam which is a long haul.
It had been a bit difficult to find that choultry since it was perpendicular to the highway and the name too was painted on the side wall without any name board on the entrance. If you are not looking for it then you will not find it - easy to miss.
The care taker was staying with his family in an out-house behind the choultry and he was happy to open and show us the hall after we told our purpose. Surprisingly the hall was neat and big enough to hold at least 150 members and it had usable toilets that were well maintained too. However the catch point was it belongs to some trust in Chennai and they have to decide on leasing it out.
Next will be our dinner and over night stay location. It has to somewhere between Thandalam and Tharatchi village which should be a decent & justifiable distance in between.
Unfortunately, after Thandalam 'Lalitha Mahal' - our usual location - we could not find any decent place for the night halt. There were few villages in between but none had any good place.
At Tharatchi village, we found a moderate hall belonging to a temple located behind our usual tea spot which can accommodate some 30 or 35+ members. But we felt it is bit crammed and not ventilated enough, hence it can only be a last option if we couldn't find anything else.
A local resident tipped about some hall / space for stay available in the restaurant at the end of the village which - he said - will be big enough and also neat. We decided to check that.
They added, there are no other marriage hall or big space in or around this village and if to find anything, either we need to go to Uthukottai or there is one in the previous village 'Latchivakkam'. We decided to check that one while returning and now to find that hall in the nearby restaurant - if it is really available.
We found that restaurant in a 200-300 meters and it looked a bit out-of-community for that village, with modern touch and amenities.
We went in and checked with the maitre d' about the availability of any hall for staying but unfortunately they only have an open space for events and functions and rooms for the guests. So this is a no-go.
Since this placed itself is far for post-lunch session, we do not want to extend it any further, so we decided if nothing found in between here & Thandalam, we will revert back to Lalitha Mahal at Thandalam.
Our options were like - if we can move the night stay location then we can move the breakfast to Nagalapuram and lunch to somewhere between Pitchatur and Palamangalam. Otherwise the locations will be same as last year from Thandalam onwards.
With that, we moved to find our next location for the breakfast and found a small temple amidst paddy fields and next to a canal. Though the temple was neat, there was not much space for taking rest neither there were any toilets. It would be with the nature for nature calls.
For now we decided to fix breakfast location as Sai Baba Temple, Nagalapuram. And for lunch somewhere near Sivan temple. We went to Sai Baba temple, met the priest over there who knows us well and we informed our travel dates which he accepted.
From there we moved towards Pitchatur, to find a place for lunch and we had already thought of checking with the Balaji Temple owned by the Sugar Mills next to the Shivan Temple.
When we went in the priest was there with some administrative assistants and readily accepted our request and noted our dates. He asked us to maintain proper COVID norms and protocols if need to use the temple premises & not to make it look like a big group.
Opposite to that, we found another wedding choultry and manager readily accepted for allowing us to stay there and showed the place.
The place was okay and toilets were usable so we took their contact details and informed that we shall get back when the dates are nearing.
However we all were sure that the place was not like Thandalam Lalitha Mahal or Palamangalam Choultry. So we thought we will keep our options open. Also, if we change night halt location from Palamangalam, there is no place in between until Narayanavanam, which will become extremely far. Hence Palamangalam might be the ideal night stay location.
To normalize the distance between break points on the final day, we thought of moving the breakfast a little bit further from Narayanavanam Vinayagar Temple so that it will be easy to reach the lunch spot.
Our options were to move the breakfast to Puthur bypass either at the start or at the end of the bypass road. Erstwhile, a few years back, we used a Convention Hall located at the bypass beginning but it was not available during following years so we have reverted back to the Vinayagar Temple at Narayanavanam.
So this time we thought of checking first at the end of the bypass road. We saw a newly built Marriage choultry - Karthik Marriage Hall - which looked neat and decent. The decorations made for the recent function held at the hall was still there.
We went in and got introduced to the care taker & explained about our needs. He gave us the commercial details and asked us to make the booking well in advance so that he will not make any booking for that date. The commercials were on the higher side but it was doing justice for the ambiance of the hall. So we thought of discussing and deciding on this, collected his contact details and left from there.
In a kilometer further on the highway, we saw a temple with a big statue of Lord Murugan and thought of checking there. Though there was a open place with taps to take bath, the facility was not big enough for our crowd of 35 members to rest and have food together. So we skipped it and thought we shall check some other place.
Diagonally opposite to that place we found a Mango Orchid with running water facility.
We informed him that we will get back if needed and then moved on to our next location.
From there we reached Taduku village and took the Appalayagunta route. Last time the lunch was arranged in a Govt. School at Seetharamapuram village just 2 KM before Appalayagunta temple. During our scouting trip last year, the school was not functioning due to COVID restrictions and the school HM had accepted our request to take rest and have lunch in there campus but unfortunately when we went there during padayatra we could not take rest there since the school started functioning. Hence this time we thought of pushing the lunch spot near the temple itself which is just 2 KM more than last time.
After darshan at Appalayagunta temple, we enquired at nearby shops about any Marriage choultry and someone guided us to a new Marriage Hall located in the opposite street of North Gate of the temple.
We found that Marriage Hall, it is fairly new and neat.
The owner had readily accepted our request for resting there few hours and to have lunch. Also they offered to prepare & provide lunch in a nominal cost. The place was good and the offer was acceptable so we gave our confirmation & took their contact details to get back and left from there.
The last day night stay will be same as last year at Sudarshan Hall, Tiruchanur, opposite to the temple. We went there and spoke with the care taker about our this year visit and informed that we will confirm the dates over the phone.
From there it was a return journey & for now we got the places finalized or at least made available for Last day Night, Lunch but breakfast spot need to be finalized. Second day night stay is usual place at Palamangalam (which we need to confirm now on the way) since nothing else we got and lunch near Pitchatur Sivan Temple or Sugar Mill temple, breakfast at Sai Baba Temple, Nagalapuram. The first day night stay was yet to be found but lunch is finalized to be at Kannigaiper.
On the way back, near Taduku on the main road up to the Puthur bypass, we enquired a few places for rest and breakfast but most of them where either not having sufficient place for rest or no toilet / bath facility. So we decided to speak with the Karthik Marriage Hall and negotiate further. Also we need to confirm Palamangalam and Thandalam.
We reached Palamangalam by 2:30 pm, spoke with the owner of the Marriage Hall & as usual he accepted our request. We informed him that we will confirm the exact dates over the phone and make the booking.
Now the only remaining session was to first day night stay location which we thought we need to revert back to Thandalam itself but will give a try on the information about a place at Latchivakkam village.
We had difficulty locating that place since it was at the beginning of the village and also a bit off the main road with only a gate visible. The Jessy Marriage Hall looked big when we entered the gate with nearly a 100 meter drive through flanked with trees, running towards the high raised steps of the 2 storey hall located amidst farm lands.
The owner / manager was there in the farm and showed us the place around and informed about the charges. It was big on the budget for just a night stay for 40 members. After a long negotiation he agreed for a slightly higher price and told we can use either of the floors for eating and sleeping. We took his contact details and told we will confirm the dates and transfer the advance amount.
With this place getting finalized, a newer travel itinerary will be in place this time having different travel distances and timings than the few previous years. Now this is over and the next steps are to finalize the padayatra dates, book the tickets for darshan and accommodation, make arrangement for food and other travel needs etc.
Now all set for this year Padayatra and once we back home we will check the calendar, decide and announce our Padayatra dates.
