As a part of this month's escape to civilization, I landed at Tirunelveli on Saturday morning. After offering my prayers at Nellaiappar temple, I decided to pay a visit to Kurukkuthurai, based on my dad's recommendation.
Kurukkuthurai is about 3-4 kms from Tirunelveli junction. Kurukkuthurai, as the name suggests, is a temple for lord Muruga, situated in the middle of the Thamiraibharani river. This temple gets submerged underwater during monsoon.
A brisk half hour walk along the railway line took me to Kurukkuthurai. The temple is connected to the bank by a stone bridge. As I walked across the connecting the bank to the temple, I was welcomed by a cool breeze, despite the sun. As I neared the temple, I was awed by the grandeur of the quiet and steady flow of Thamiraibharani. The lower halls of the temple were submerged underwater and only the sanctum was above the water level (a measly 3 feet above water).
After offering my prayers at the temple, I settled atop a rock, staring at the vast expanse of the river. As the banks near the temple was pretty crowded with the locals fishing and collecting water and kids practicing their cannonball dives, I found a quiet spot for myself a little upstream.
Ten minutes later a surreal feeling engulfed me. I felt the river calling me to become a part of the landscape. Acknowledging her desire, I took of my clothes and jumped into the river. It was pure ecstacy as the river welcomed me into her arms. I started splashing and wading against the current for a few minutes. I then decided to hold on to a nearby rock and feel the river's current on me. The gentle but assertive current of the river made me lose track of time and for the next twenty odd minutes I was in a trance with the current of the river stirring a cocktail of emotions in me. The feeling is hard to describe in words!
As I waded back to the shore and got my clothes on, mother nature decided to play more with me and got me drenched a short spell of rain. She didn't want me to leave her!
As I walked back to the town along the railway line, I made a quiet promise to Thamirabharani that I will be back for her very soon.
I promise... I will... :)
