I do not remember when exactly this happend. Surely before my pre-teen. A plan was made for hill temple visit.
The temple of Lord Muruga in Palani. (100 km southeast of Coimbatore and a similar distance northwest of Madurai)
As most kids do, I was also questioning my mother about temple. She
was explaining me that it has three modes to reach top of hill.
1) The stair case way
2) The slope way
3) The Winch way
As I had seen the stair case way in Rockfort temple @ Trichy, I was
questioning about the other two. My mother told the slope way will be
easy way than stair case and added that elephant of the temple cannot
walk up via stair case so this path would be used. The Winch, it is like
a small train which will go up the hill on a track. Having seen only a
train running on the ground, I was quizzed how it will reach the top of
hill.
I should have got enough patience to wait for the day, to see the
Winch in person and then to travel. But still, I could not keep shut. I
kept on asking questions.
How Winch will work ? My mother told,
must be like the normal train , this will also move up on a track. (I
was thinking, some answer to keep me shut....) she added, I have also
not seen it in person. Lets see on that day.
I got doubt. Since the Winch on hill is going vertically up, will it not
fall down? My small brain understood that some sort of gravity pull is
needed to keep the Winch on track. But I did not know how to ask on it
clearly. I asked her is it safe as Winch is going up the hill. My mother
got irritated by my question. Yet she said, it is similar to the train.
Don't fear.
Well, I belong to the yesterday age. My mother did not have any
photo or video to show me how it works. I was worried, how safe the
Winch journey would be.
The day arrived and we reached Palani
hills and all were set to travel in Winch. There were two tracks. On one
track , Winch was on top of hill and on other track, Winch was waiting
at bottom of hill for us to board. We used Winch to reach top of hill.
Prayed God. For the return trip we chose the stair case, as one Winch
has already started to move towards ground, other Winch was on way to
reach top of hill and more over a big queue was waiting to board.
The story does not end here. I had to brief up about the Winch
experience. All were thrilled to travel by Winch. After all seats are
filled in, Winch started moving up. I was quiet excited and enjoyed the
journey.
When the Winch was half way up, it stopped. We all were seated in
the Winch for more than fifteen minutes, but it did not move up. People
were discussing, power down or some technical issues.
My mother gave
a look at me and murmured at a low voice, you questioned if it is safe
etc., because of which only it has got problem and Winch stopped. How
come my casual question can be a reason for Winch to stop half way?. I
wanted to ask, but I kept quiet. Winch, however started after thirty
minutes halt.
On reaching the top of hill, every one got down and moved towards
temple. By that point only I noticed the big and strong string tied up
with the Winch. Oh!! This is what I was asking for. Had my mother
explained me these at first telling me what a Winch means, I would not
have asked further questions.
Seven years back, they have started the rope car in Palani temple.
Not sure when I'll have visit to temple in near future. If we plan for
such trip, our son will surely have same set of questions on Winch and
Rope car. Well, his questions will be answered immediately. Whenever he
asks about something which he had not seen (stuff like parachute,
gliders etc) his dad connects laptop to internet and explain him with
photos and possible YouTube videos.
Lets see, we don't know when Lord Muruga @ Palani temple has fixed his visiting time with us.
P.S.
: I have not provided any photos, as we did not have camera at that
time to click on the Winch. If you haven't seen Winch , Lot of Palani
Winch pictures are there on web. You might search it for yourself if
needed.
-- Dhanesh Amma
