1. Sethu samudram or Agni theertham at Rameswaram.
Since I had been to Rameswaram a month back the first thing it come to my thinking is Sethusamudram or agni theertham there. After pithru kriyas all are asked to take bath in the sea there.
If at all no pithru kriyas as pariharams some times people are asked to take bath in the sea. Many take bath in Sethu as part of taking bath in 22 theerthams of Rameswaram temple.
I have taken bath in sea at Varkala and Rameswaram. At Rameswaram after six years after my last visit in 2004 I found bathing ghats are constructed with steps. Conveniently holding steps we can get down to last step visible. There may be one or more steps and sand bottom of sea. Though sea current is there with tide, still I found the bathing ghats very convenient to take bath with out much fear.
2. Navapashanam
Navapashanam is at Devipatnam and can be reached either from Ramnad or Rameswaram. Here Navagrahas are 9 stones and erected in the seashore. It is told they are erected by Sreerama for worship before the war .
I have physically seen after being there for about an hour, the water level increases with time. I am told by evening they will be immersed fully in water and in the morning they will be maximum visible.
Pooja for navagraha is done by the priest getting down in water through steps. There is an enclosure with handrails and walking path of about 4' width on the sides.
3. Chemmeen and katal
These are two Malayalam pictures taken fully on the background of sea. Chemeen is more famous due to Presidents award for best picture and excellent music by Saleel chowdhari. The lyrics "Manasa mainae varu varu"…, kadalinakkara Ponorae, kanaponninu ponorae…. "will be in the lips of all Keralites when talk of chemmeen.
The famous film of Bharathi raja, "Alaikal oivathillai" is also themed with sea and sea shore people.
All elder Keralites will recollect the song" Nagaram, nagaram maha sagaram "in the film "Nagaramae Nandi" pictured in 1964.
4. Matha Amritanda mayi ashram
The first ashram where Matha Amirthanandamayi mostly available is at Amirtha puri (Vavukkavu) on sea shore near Karunagappalli. I have been to mother many times at Vavukkavu as well as in her ashram at Kaimanam, Trivandrum.
5. Sea shore temples
The close to sea temples I have visited are Varkala Janardhana swamy temple, Tiruchendur Murugan temple and Kanya kumari. The temples of Guruvayur and Mullakkal are also near sea. I have not visited Puri or Dwaraka which are also sea shore temples. Very close ones are Tiruchendur and Kanya kumari. At Chennai Ashta lekshmi temple at Beasent nagar is also close to sea.
I have not seen Gokarnam temple near sea.
6. Vivekananda rock
Actually the memorial created over the rock in Kanyakumari for Vivekanda is worth mentioning many times. It is a real wonder. I have performed Dhyanam in the Dhyana mandapam there hundreds of occasions while working at Nagerkovil.
From Kanyakumari to reach the rock, the boat service is operated by Poompukar shipping corporation. On rough sea the boat is not operated. I am told Vivekananda used to swim across the sea and reached the rock and performed Dhyanam!!
7. The Calicut beach
I was in Calicut as Divisional Engineer for more than two and a half years and the beach at Calicut was our relaxation area in the evenings. I think the most visited beach by me is at Calicut. The next will be Beasent nagar beach in Chennai and the Marina beech famous for its length in Chennai.
Vaskoda gama landed in Kerala through country ship near Calicut for trade.
8. The salt preparation
The sea water is used for preparing salt and I have first time seen it at Tutucorin along sea beach. I have heard actually Tutucorin town is below sea level.
9. Road Parallel to sea.
In Kerala the road route from Thalassery to Kannur is parallel to sea and similarly from Ambalapuzha to Alleppy. There is a spill way at Thottapalli where sea merges with Vembanad lake in the Alleppy route giving a panoramic view for about a kilometre distance. New Mhabali puram road from Chennai is also parallel to sea.
10. "Muthukulikka varikala"
Tutucorin express has been named as Pearl City express because from Tutucorin Sea pearls were taken plucking pods from sea bottom by going down the sea. It is called Muthukliyal. Pearl culture is also made there. I am not sure how pearls are obtained now a day at Tutucorin.
11. Kadal vazhaikka.
The sea fish is some times called as sea plantain. I am told in Bengal Brahmins eat fish. Konkini Brahmins too eat fish in Kerala.
12. Coloumbus and sea travel.
To reach India Coloumbus travelled by sea and landed in America instead of India. It was the discovery of America.
The British reached India through ships for trade and established the East India Trading Company.
13. Sea travel.
In India we have shipping service for carrying people from Cochin to Laksha dweep islands. Though flights are there, still ship service is mostly used. To Andaman Nicobar Islands also shipping service is operated for carrying people.
Yester years shipping service is used to carry people to Singapore, Dubai etc. Now a day flights are operated and shipping service is operated for cargo transfer.
15. Kapplottiya Thamizhan Va Uu Chidambaranar.
I have seen the film Kappalottiya Thamizhan, acted by Sivaji Ganesan and still recollect the song – "Sindhunadiyin isai …Kerala nattilum…".
16. Sea bridge at Rameswaram
The 2 KM long sea bridges crossing sea from Mandapam to Rameswaram both by road and train are real wonders.
17. Varuna
I am concluding this posting on sea with mythological reference to Varuna the god of sea. Lord Krishana got his panchajanyam from sea . Lord Krishna got the son of Guru Sandipani back from sea demon and returned as Gurudakshina desired by him. Agasthia is said to be son of sea god Varuna.
Since I had been to Rameswaram a month back the first thing it come to my thinking is Sethusamudram or agni theertham there. After pithru kriyas all are asked to take bath in the sea there.
If at all no pithru kriyas as pariharams some times people are asked to take bath in the sea. Many take bath in Sethu as part of taking bath in 22 theerthams of Rameswaram temple.
I have taken bath in sea at Varkala and Rameswaram. At Rameswaram after six years after my last visit in 2004 I found bathing ghats are constructed with steps. Conveniently holding steps we can get down to last step visible. There may be one or more steps and sand bottom of sea. Though sea current is there with tide, still I found the bathing ghats very convenient to take bath with out much fear.
2. Navapashanam
Navapashanam is at Devipatnam and can be reached either from Ramnad or Rameswaram. Here Navagrahas are 9 stones and erected in the seashore. It is told they are erected by Sreerama for worship before the war .
I have physically seen after being there for about an hour, the water level increases with time. I am told by evening they will be immersed fully in water and in the morning they will be maximum visible.
Pooja for navagraha is done by the priest getting down in water through steps. There is an enclosure with handrails and walking path of about 4' width on the sides.
3. Chemmeen and katal
These are two Malayalam pictures taken fully on the background of sea. Chemeen is more famous due to Presidents award for best picture and excellent music by Saleel chowdhari. The lyrics "Manasa mainae varu varu"…, kadalinakkara Ponorae, kanaponninu ponorae…. "will be in the lips of all Keralites when talk of chemmeen.
The famous film of Bharathi raja, "Alaikal oivathillai" is also themed with sea and sea shore people.
All elder Keralites will recollect the song" Nagaram, nagaram maha sagaram "in the film "Nagaramae Nandi" pictured in 1964.
4. Matha Amritanda mayi ashram
The first ashram where Matha Amirthanandamayi mostly available is at Amirtha puri (Vavukkavu) on sea shore near Karunagappalli. I have been to mother many times at Vavukkavu as well as in her ashram at Kaimanam, Trivandrum.
5. Sea shore temples
The close to sea temples I have visited are Varkala Janardhana swamy temple, Tiruchendur Murugan temple and Kanya kumari. The temples of Guruvayur and Mullakkal are also near sea. I have not visited Puri or Dwaraka which are also sea shore temples. Very close ones are Tiruchendur and Kanya kumari. At Chennai Ashta lekshmi temple at Beasent nagar is also close to sea.
I have not seen Gokarnam temple near sea.
6. Vivekananda rock
Actually the memorial created over the rock in Kanyakumari for Vivekanda is worth mentioning many times. It is a real wonder. I have performed Dhyanam in the Dhyana mandapam there hundreds of occasions while working at Nagerkovil.
From Kanyakumari to reach the rock, the boat service is operated by Poompukar shipping corporation. On rough sea the boat is not operated. I am told Vivekananda used to swim across the sea and reached the rock and performed Dhyanam!!
7. The Calicut beach
I was in Calicut as Divisional Engineer for more than two and a half years and the beach at Calicut was our relaxation area in the evenings. I think the most visited beach by me is at Calicut. The next will be Beasent nagar beach in Chennai and the Marina beech famous for its length in Chennai.
Vaskoda gama landed in Kerala through country ship near Calicut for trade.
8. The salt preparation
The sea water is used for preparing salt and I have first time seen it at Tutucorin along sea beach. I have heard actually Tutucorin town is below sea level.
9. Road Parallel to sea.
In Kerala the road route from Thalassery to Kannur is parallel to sea and similarly from Ambalapuzha to Alleppy. There is a spill way at Thottapalli where sea merges with Vembanad lake in the Alleppy route giving a panoramic view for about a kilometre distance. New Mhabali puram road from Chennai is also parallel to sea.
10. "Muthukulikka varikala"
Tutucorin express has been named as Pearl City express because from Tutucorin Sea pearls were taken plucking pods from sea bottom by going down the sea. It is called Muthukliyal. Pearl culture is also made there. I am not sure how pearls are obtained now a day at Tutucorin.
11. Kadal vazhaikka.
The sea fish is some times called as sea plantain. I am told in Bengal Brahmins eat fish. Konkini Brahmins too eat fish in Kerala.
12. Coloumbus and sea travel.
To reach India Coloumbus travelled by sea and landed in America instead of India. It was the discovery of America.
The British reached India through ships for trade and established the East India Trading Company.
13. Sea travel.
In India we have shipping service for carrying people from Cochin to Laksha dweep islands. Though flights are there, still ship service is mostly used. To Andaman Nicobar Islands also shipping service is operated for carrying people.
Yester years shipping service is used to carry people to Singapore, Dubai etc. Now a day flights are operated and shipping service is operated for cargo transfer.
15. Kapplottiya Thamizhan Va Uu Chidambaranar.
I have seen the film Kappalottiya Thamizhan, acted by Sivaji Ganesan and still recollect the song – "Sindhunadiyin isai …Kerala nattilum…".
16. Sea bridge at Rameswaram
The 2 KM long sea bridges crossing sea from Mandapam to Rameswaram both by road and train are real wonders.
17. Varuna
I am concluding this posting on sea with mythological reference to Varuna the god of sea. Lord Krishana got his panchajanyam from sea . Lord Krishna got the son of Guru Sandipani back from sea demon and returned as Gurudakshina desired by him. Agasthia is said to be son of sea god Varuna.
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