Sunday 28 September 2014

Trip to Chaya Someswaralayam and Nostalgia

Since i came to that the mystery of this temple can be explained with quantum physics, my palms started itching for a drive.

I dont really need to have a reason to go a drive, but i used my birthday.

The temple is at Panagal , near Nalgonda district headquarters. Its merely 90KM from where i stay, and its a wonder we never heard of it before.


Following the birthday drive protocol i started at 10AM. As it happened before, i am not really sure where i am heading and what destination i need to choose. Been planning for Amaravati for long time, but its not recommended for one day drive in rainy season. Weather report might say it wont rain, and economist might speculate a disaster cause of lack of rains, but when i go on a drive between June to November it will rain. Keeping past experiences in mind, i decided to go to Chaya someswaralayam, which is near, and i can return home by evening..


Due to field trip, i had to go Chowtupall, halfway from my destination, around twice a week. I almost knew every curve, every tea shop en-route. Its NH9, so no complaints on the road. Took right at Narketpally and reached Panagal by afternoon. The temple is not even in half the size i imagined it would be. The temple complex comprises of 7 to 8 temples archaic temples which are ready to collapse. The writing on the wall says, the temple will be closed from 11AM to 5PM. Reconstruction work is going on with few workers toiling in the complex. As i was taking pics, a shepherd came to me and encouraged to get inside the temple. He is dumb ( Not stupid dumb, cant speak dumb). He became my tour guide to the temple and showed me inside out of it.


The temple was open , regardless of time table they painted on the wall. After taking pics, i bid adieu to my tour guide and started back. Had couple of teas, and lunch.

It rained in Chowtuppal, and it looked like its going to rain again. I was about to slap myself for having this longdrive mania instead of going public transport, the "Patangi" board threw me into nostalgia.

Ever since, i bought the bike, and whenever i fueled the tank full, i used to get the urge to go long. But then i was afraid that i might not have the energy to return and i was afraid of single way highways.. One fine day, in the winter of 2008, i broke the fear and decided to
went long at petrol bunk. I decided to travel for half hour and come back.

So i started, after half hour i decided to go another 15 min and return. Something in me refused to take U-turn after 15 min, so i decided to drive till i feel like having a tea. I drove 50KM and stopped at a village called "Pantangi". Had tea and returned.

So many rides happened on NH9 in after years, but never i found that village. I thought the newly laid NH9 bypassed it. But its still there, like scar on the knees to remind childhood. 

Had a tea there, took the pic of village name board and returned to Hyderabad.

PS: For more information on Chaya someswaralayam and its mystery , go through wikipedia article here

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