A TRIP TO MANNARSALA TEMPLE - ABODE OF THE SNAKE KING & GODDESS
************************************************** ********
The decision was as usual sudden.. after reaching PGT by 12626 Kerala Exp..headed straight home for a quick shower and set out back to PGT along with my wife and friend to board 12511, Raptisagar express to Haripaad. Excited one about the trip coz this was after a long time i am travelling to Alleppey Dist. We got 3 3A tickets to Haripad.. Raptisagar was running late by about 25 mins and arrived at 9.30 AM. As usual...
more...

the train was running empty in all the classes. We occupied the whole 8 seater :-). The train was running well until SRR. However there was considerable delay in the Loco reversal and as usual ventured out for some RF sessions at SRR. Left SRR only by 11AM and maintained the delay upto ERS. Further from ERS was the most exciting.. Its a journey filled with greenery and back water.. Captured & Clicked almost everything that i felt was beautiful to my eyes.. Finally reached Harippad at 3.15, thanks to the slack.. We headed out of the the small Haripad station.. and headed to the main road. The maggi served in Raptisagar had evaporated from our stomach i guess.. being hungry entered the INDIAN COFFEE HOUSE outlet and had Dosa and coffee.. Soon took a rick to the temple which is ust 4 kms from Haripaad and reached the temple in no time.. Now about the temple.. The temple is the abode of the serpent king and people who have Sarpa Dosha come there to offer their prayers and also childless couple who come there to perform "URULI KAMIZHTHAL" a prayer which is believed to bless couples with Kids. We enquired and were advised that the Sanctum Sanctorum will open only by 5.30 pm.. So we went around to find the beauty of the temple.. I must say this temple is one of its kind.. Silence.. Silence and Silence.. We also went to have a see " MANNARSAALA AMMA". She is a 80+ old lady who listened to the problems of people coming there most of them were having the "Child Birth" problems. and then by 5.15 pm we went inside the temple and sharp at 5.30 pm the sanctum opened.. taking the darshan of the Serpent god and offering our prayers we decided to rush back to Haripad station as our return train TVC-SHM exp was at 6.40 pm to PGT. Took a rick and reached back the station by 6.05 pm. KCVL - SBC was in PF1 and i was surprised that this one doesnt have stop and parked in the loop line.. The train was held back for more than 40 mins for 3 train to cross .. Passenger to Kollam ( i guess) , Ernad Exp to NCJ and TVC JS exp... KCVL SBC Specialities are all are 2012 made coaches with Bio-toilets installed. Captured quite a lot of pics.. Arrived our train at 18.50 hrs and the coach was 2005 POH'ed.. To say it had everything.. Powerpoints on both sides.. + additions were Cockroaches of all sizes... We left haripaad at 7pm and had a terrible run till ERS running more than 1 hour late... There were only crossings and crossings due to the single line. After ERS picked up some good speed to reach TCR at 11.25 pm.. again further slowed down reaching PGT at 12.50 AM. Headed home and shutdown my human system.. As usual sorry for the long trip report and thanks for the patient reading...
Link about Mannarsala temple : click here