Journey On 2022

After lockdown I was invited by my colleague to attend two days National Hindi Conference on March 2022 held in Loyala College at Chennai.I happily prepared my article on' History and Future of Hindi '.On the second day I got the opportunity to deliver my speech.From the house the college is nearly 10kms away.My daughter dropped me there by our car.That was the first journey of 2022 and I have been very happy meeting all my Hindi department friends after lockdown.

On November I had the opportunity to attend the family get-together at Mahabalipuram. When I stayed in the room of Mahabalipuram Tamil Nadu tourism guest house I enjoyed the scene of the Bay of Bengal laying on the bed and the roar of the waves sitting on the chair. When some of the family members enjoyed the sea- bath I had no intention to step near the waves. Simply I stood on the beach seeing the ways and thinking deeply. After becoming a writer, nowadays, I used to think differently that some may comment as crazy or madness; but my experience is unique. When Sunday morning after breakfast we have to leave Mahabalipuram then I decided to go near the waves. Now I am going to reveal the truth why I thought differently. When I saw the English movie Moana in Star movies I'm surprised about the concept of that story. Is it true that sea waves will take care of humans so much ? Whenever I used to visit Thotta beta, I used to think my family members who made me to stand at the top. When we shifted to Chennai I thought we had a slide from the top to bottom that ends to the sea.So whenever I had to stand on the beach I used to hesitate to go near the waves, doubting that whether the waves are trying to draw us more. But at Mahabalipuram I put my feet in the waves thinking that the waves has to decide what to do with me more. 

After the conference meeting I received a WhatsApp message asking,"Are you interested in taking part of a Conference of Amrit Mahotsav of Independence at Kathmandu, Nepal ?"

I became very excited reading the message.Immediately I replied YES.Then the miracle happened.Yes, I have started to prepare for the most memorable journey of 2022 to Kathmandu Nepal.When I came to know that the topic of the Conference is Ramayanam, I have been very delighted and started to prepare my speech on 'Ramayan - Indian Culture and History '.The prepared article was approved by the organiser Dr.Ganga Prasad Sharma and official invitation was sent to me and Dr.Swadhi who wished to join me.The only two speakers from Tamil Nadu attended the Conference are Dr.Swadhi and myself Dr.K.Padmini PhD.

First I estimated the expenditure of the journey.Swadhi and I have discussed and calculated on the conclusion of nearly fifty thousand for the journey.She is a central government employee, so she was able to manage the amount.But me who is a retired school teacher of a middle class family, have to arrange a jewel loan from my Canara bank account.

Second step was announcing my decision of going to Kathmandu Nepal to attend the conference to my family members and getting permission from them. Being a senior citizen of 68 yrs old, usually my family members won't allow me to go anywhere alone. But they know very well about me that once I have received the golden opportunity in my life, I won't miss that. So they said OK.

Third step was booking tickets and paying amount to the package of Kathmandu.Through online I paid 50% package amount for accommodation and food in Kathmandu. The conference organizer Dr.GangaPrasad Sharma ji messaged all the participants to reach Kathmandu by train or flight. Swadhi and I have first planned to travel by train to Gorakhpur and join the group for further journey by bus to Kathmandu, to reduce our expenses. But my eldest son who gathered informations from his colleague who visited Kathmandu recently, advised me to book flights from Chennai to Kathmandu.

Swadhi and I booked flights for to and fro from Chennai to Kathmandu.We have started our journey on 15th June.Swadhi booked early morning Air India flight and I booked Indigo flight at 8:30am.We joined in the Kathmandu package and stayed together in room number 103 at Yellow Pagoda Hotel.

On 16th June I have delivered my speech in the Conference hall full of scholars of Hindi from all over India and Nepal. Former Education Minister of Nepal inaugurated the Conference. I received the shield from a VIP of Nepal who appreciated my speech in Hindi. On 18th June I have returned Chennai at night and reached home with great memories of the journey of Kathmandu Nepal on 2022.

When I was in Kathmandu, I asked some persons,"Can I go near the Mount Everest?" The persons asked me in return,"Are you asking Sagar Madha?" I was astonished at the reply, because there people call the highest peak as Sagar Madha, not as Mount Everest.Now I understand how the sea waves carried me from Chennai to Kathmandu to be near the Sagar Madha.Great adventure on 2022!