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
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
