DIVINE & BLESSED TRIP TO PUTTARPARTHI, INDIA

31st January 2011 - 9th February 2011

I was not sure what to expect during this trip because, to be honest, it was not a planned trip.  It was actually a sudden trip so I kept my options open as to what I can expect.  To be honest, my travel while going wasn't the most pleasant as I was suffering from this embarrassingly loud cough.  I am lucky no one shouted at me on the aircraft to keep my cough to myself.  I myself found it annoying so I can imagine what others would have felt.

We reached approximately 11.45pm in Bangalore airport.  The air was cold and I instantly fell in love with the weather.  The three of us (me, kavi & malar) checked out from the immigration and headed to the counter to book into a hotel to spend the night.  Not being given much of a choice, we checked into Hotel Ramada which was approximately a good 45 minutes drive from the airport.  But the drive was really nice with the car windows down and the cool breeze welcoming us to Bangalore, India.  Below are photographs of us at Hotel Ramada in Bangalore.

Me, Kavi & Malar at Hotel Ramada's Coffee House

 

 

Me & Kavi at Ramada Hotel Lobby

We checked into Ramada Hotel for a whooping RM360.  The hotel was comfortable, yes but not up to our standards of a 4 star hotel.  All three of us knocked off due to tiredness.  We woke up about 8am, had breakfast and stepped out of the hotel to enjoy the cool breeze.  The first discovery - just opposite our hotel was an Amman temple. Since we were waiting for the driver to arrive to ferry us to Puttarparthi and we had about half hour to spend, we crossed the street and went to the temple.  Apart from the stares from the locals which says "hey, you! you are not from around ere", the streets were also a big challenge as card and 'autos' just refuse to slow down or stop for us to cross, despite the fact we were at a zebra crossing.  Carefully making our way across the street, we reached the temple. The first miracle - as we stepped foot in the temple, the bells rang out loud and the pooja began.  It was like Amman herself was waiting to welcome us.  We stepped in with jeans & t-shirt and got the welcoming stares from locals again, which to be honest, did not bother us much. After praying and taking the 'prasadham' from the priest, we left the temple back to the hotel.  About 5 minutes later, our driver arrived to ferry us to Puttarparthy - a land where each blade of grass spell divinity.

MYSTICAL TRIP TO PULAU BESAR, MELAKA

When I was told we were going to Pulau Besar Melaka, I was excited not because of what I learnt about the island but simply because its an island and I absolutely love islands.  The white sandy beaches, the sounds of waves racing to shore, the natural breeze that caresses us are experiences simply divine.

We arrived at the Anjung Batu Jetty at appx 9.40am ready to board the boat at 10.00am to Pulau Besar which was just a mere 15 minute boat ride away.  We were greeted by the vast green sea with a few boats decked near the shore as per the photo below.

We boarded the boat (the blue one above) and I sat right behind on a bench with the sea facing my back.  It gave me a fantastic view of the sea. Belowis the photo of Pulau Besar as our boat was approaching it.

Drinking in the beauty of nature, before I knew it, we had already reached Pulau Besar. Hopping off the boat before my sea sickness visited, I noticed the silence that greeted us starting with a huge sign board (as per photo below).

 

We started off with a 10 minute walk to the tomb of Sultan Arriefin.  On the way, we passed magnificent views of greenery and a huge tree that I would presume to be over 100 years old.  I have attached below a few photographs of mother nature at her prettiest.

Just before we arrived at Sultan Arriefin's tomb, we passed Syarifah's tomb as well. (as per photo below)

Arriving at Sultan Arriefin's tomb, we washed our hands and legs, and proceeded up a short flight of stairs to the Sultan's tomb which had been cordoned off by high spiked railings.  As we were walking up, a guy in 'kopiah' with beard and donning a sarong greeted us.  When we sat on the floor just outside the tomb, the guy (he introduced himself as Shakir) much later, sat beside us and asked if he could recite a prayer for us, to which we all readily agreed.

Before he was about to start, he coaxed us to pay salutation onto the Sultan and ask him whatever he wanted.  He even gave a brief explanation as to the wonders of the Sultan.  We all then closed our eyes,  silently communicating with the Sultan.  Shakir's prayers broke the silence.  He recited the whole prayer in Arabic language which felt somewhat divine in itself.  After about 5 minutes, he completed his recital and took leave, once again coaxing us to pray and ask whatever we wanted.  Being the curious cat that I am, questions like why did he join us and offer a prayer, why did he even greet us as we walked up the stairs as if expecting us and why he kept coaxing us to ask the Sultan to grant our wishes swirled in my mind.  I had to brush it aside as I had brought along my affirmation which I had to do 108 times and I took the liberty of doing the same in front of the Sultan's tomb.

After about an hour of reciting my affirmation, one of our crew members came up to me and told me to go wash my face and sprinkle water on my hair and come back to the tomb to pray again.  Once again my mind sprang into action but not wanting to be too curious as I am a strong believer that curiosity kills the cat, I heeded to his advise and walked down the stairs and did as I was told.  Then I went back and sat in front of the tomb again and started my prayers - well more like telling the Sultan my wishes.  The air about me suddenly felt more calmer and refreshing.

After all of us completed our prayers, we headed down for a quick lunch.  On the way, we passed more beautiful views which I could not resist taking photos of (as below).

While walking to the stalls appx 50 meters from the Sultan's tomb, I, of all people spotted a well.  I got all excited and after lunch, went back the well, took some water from it and again wet my hair and washed my face.  Why?  Honestly, I do not know.  Just felt like doing it.

To back track a little, while having lunch, Shakir joined us but sat at another table and there was another indian guy called Bala who answered my curious questions that I kept pelting him with.  A few times, he actually laughed which made me feel like a curious kid trying to quench her curiosity much to the amusement of an adult.  He had told me about the Sultan, his visiting Madinah and that he has seen the Sultan personally which made a shiver run down my spine.  However, that shiver was a shiver of excitement and not fright.  After about 15 minutes of sitting and entertaining us and answering all my questions, he took leave giving us once again a very loving, welcoming look.  It was after he left that one of my crew members came up with this idea that Bala could be the Sultan himself.  After much speculation, we let the subject drop.

It was approximately 2pm by the time we had our bellies filled with fried rice, fried noodles, groundnuts and twisties washed down by cans of coke.  Our boat back to Ambang Batu jetty was at 3.30pm, hence we had 1.5 hours to kill.  We took a slow walk back to Sultan Arrifien's tomb.  Not too sure why but after Bala had left us, we all had the urge to go back once again to the tomb.  We sat there for about 15mins and then left, bidding our farewells to the Sultan and thanking him for housing us on his island.  As we walked away from the tomb thinking how to kill another hour or so before it was time to board our boat back to Ambang Batu Jetty, there was this vehicle or lets say what used to be a van a few years back.  It had no door nor seats.  Benches as hard as stones were stuck to the sides of the vehicle.  The driver charged RM50 to take us around the island.  Since we had a good 1 hour to kill, we gathered into the van.  What a mistake!

The driver drove the van (honestly I feel weird calling it a van due to its condition) quite recklessly.  The van was made to chug up roads only fit for bicycles and motorbikes.  One of our crew members nearly had palpitation with the way the van chugged, rocked and rattled.  But honestly, that was the amusing part as she kept screaming and nearly sat on another crew's lap out of fright.  Given a choice, she would have walked the island instead of hopping onto this van. Check out the partial interior of the van in the photo below. Note the driver's seat so you can imagine the condition of the van as a whole.

The driver took us to 'tasik bunian'.  It is said that the unseen forces have their bath there at night.  We also passed a lake with two huge boulders which looked like the replica of a skull.  On a better note, the driver took a wrong turn and we were gifted to witness the sea at her best.  Jade coloured water spread over a span of about 1 km flanked by virgin forest and white washed boulders.

After a grueling ride of appx 45 mins, we finally could not take it and asked the driver to head to the jetty.  As we got off the van, we had numb rears and bashed up backs.  The particular crew member who freaked out in the van was the only one smiling ear to ear as she stepped off the van and onto the concrete.  She swore never to board the van again if she revisits.  She'd rather walk.

As we waited at the Pulau Besar jetty for our boat, we were engulfed in a strong breeze.  We could see from a distance black clouds and the rain lining and feared we would be victims of a heavy shower.  As we feared the worst where the shower was concerned, as if in a movie, the clouds started moving towards us and I was so tempted to scream "its coming......runnnnn"!!!.  We all said a silent prayer that it should not rain and we should not get wet.  Now believe this.  As the clouds moved towards us, as if moved by an unseen force, it took a detour and veered to the left.  We were at a loss for words but silently thanked the Sultan.

Finally the boat arrived and we boarded it.  It felt heavy leaving the island and I do not know about others, but I kept staring at the island until it was sort of out of sight.  I then continued drinking in the beauty of the surrounding islands and the sea, thinking what secrets she holds within her when suddenly, the boat stalled.  Can you believe it?  The engine had a heart attack and stopped about 200 meters to the Anjung Batu Jetty.  After a few attempts of restarting it which ultimately failed, the boatmen managed to jerk the boat to a about one hundred and fifty meters.  The other boatmen then hurled ropes to our boat and literally manually hauled our boat close to theirs so we could hop onto their their boat and then cross over to the jetty.

The whole trip ended at appx 4.30pm.  I have posted some photographs taken on the island for you to view.  There are many more experience which I had experienced on that island but I am going to keep it to myself as I do not want to spoil the experience of yours.  But personally, Pulau Besar is a must go but I would like to gently warn you that smoking, using foul languages and liquor is strictly prohibited both in the physical and spiritual realm of Pulau Besar.

Pulau Besar holds an air of calmness, divinity and mystic around her complemented by mother nature at her best.  To have to experience to know, to believe.  What she holds about her is what I lovingly term - The Unknown Dimension.