On The Rock

Our honorable mentioned Vivekananda Rock Memorial Kanyakumari in his address to the nation through a program named “Man kee Baat.” I went to Kanyakumari in the year 1990 as a volunteer leader of the National Social Service. Those days, I bought a ticket up to Chennai which could be extended with a break in between. Things were cheaper than those days. I had spent less than 500/- towards the complete travel including food and stay. In Chennai, I had to change my train. I don’t remember clearly till Chennai except I had requested to extend my ticket up to Kanyakumari. In the evening, I had a train to Kanyakumari. The train arrived and I tried to enter in sleeper class whereas I was having a 2^nd class ticket.

I was asked not to enter in Sleeper class by the TTE. In place, we used to enter any class and then pay some amount to TTE whereas In Chennai, It was the TTE who refused to allow me in Sleeper class. I enter in 2^nd class compartment and there was sufficient place to sit and even sleep. Weather was entirely different and just opposite the weather in my place. Before entering into the compartment, I collected my food by spending 6 rupees for 3 packets of rice. (Sambar, Tamarind & Lemon) This was more than sufficient for a complete meal. Next morning, for breakfast, I tried a new item purchased from the platform known as Upma. It was too much for me and I didn’t like this as it was a Salty food item, whereas I was habituated for Sweet Halwa and wasted that food. Now after 30 years today, this is my favorite food item. I reached Kanyakumari and stayed at Vivekanandpuram. It was all together with a new experience for me;

Weather, food, people, language, dress, and culture. We went to Vivekananda Rock Memorial Kanyakumari the next morning. Standing on the rock, I felt like Vivekananda, I saw how different types of water; Arabian, Indian and way of Bengal are struggling to touch the feet of Mother India. In our Camp, there were a number of people representing different state but we were all Indians. No narrow feeling of hatred in the name of people from different states, language or cultures. Swami Vivekananda was borne in Bengal but he is worshiped here in Kanyakumari. I felt proud to be an Indian. I tried to meditate in a hall on the rock memorial thinking about Swami Vivekananda and people from different parts of the country as Indians.