Kandy Kali
Brother,Saktheeswar visited our home said Arivan."Bring him here "said Ayyan.Arivan came along with Saktheeswar.Ayyan asked Saktheeswar "Have you finished your work"?. Saktheeswar replied that he had finished his work.Ayyan said that he had received a news that the Sinhalese might attack the Hindu kali temple in the Northern Mannar at the second week of Purattasi, the Tamil month.Saktheeswar said that the boat was built and it was ready for sailing.Ayyan asked Saktheeswar where was the boat was?. Saktheeswar replied that the boat was hidden in the forest of Thalai Mannar.Ayyan asked his brother Arivan that he would bring the Kandy Kali statue from the temple of Northern Mannar before the month of Purattasi.Arivan promised his brother that he would bring the statue at the end of the month Avani.Ayyan asked Saktheeswar not to waste the time and arrange for the voyage.Saktheeswar, the carpenter replied that they must start the voyage only during the month of Purattasi.He also said that that year the south west monsoon would start some what earlier than the last year.He also said that Purattasi sixth was the new moon day.On that day , they would start their voyage and it was very safe for them also.Ayyan asked his wife Rutvi to bring buttermilk for Saktheeswar.Rutvi brought buttermilk for them.Ayyan said that Rutvi was pregnant and she would give birth during the month of Purattasi too.Saktheeswar consoled Ayyan and said that they would reach Dhanushkodi, Rameswaram in the early morning on the seventh of Purattasi very safely.He also said that the distance between Thalai mannar to Dhanushkodi was only eighteen miles and probably they would reach the place by boat for six to seven hours.Saktheeswar asked how many of them would come along with us?.Ayyan said that he ,his wife and his brother were only going to Dhanushkodi.Saktheeswar said finally that he would expect their arrival exactly on the fifth of Purattasi at Thalai Mannar.Then he left the place Ayyan asked Ariyan to send Saktheeswar very Last day of the month of Avani,Ayyan walked here and there in his home.He waited Arivan who went out of the home three days ago to bring the Kali statue.At the end of the day Arivan appeared along with his companions.He brought a jute bag on his shoulder.He signalled his brother that he had brought the statue.Ayyan hugged his brother Arivan.Arivan told his brother Ayyan that they would not waste their time further.He also said that the priest would open the temple on the next day and he would inform the police that the Kali statue had stolen from the temple.Then the police searched the criminal who had stolen the statue.Ayyan understood the problem and he asked his wife Rutvi to take jewels,money and food for their night journey.Thalai Mannar was just eighteen miles away from their home.If they had travelled on the bullock cart,they would have reached Thalai Mannar in the morning.So they decided to start their journey on the same day night secretly.Arivan asked his brother Ayyan that he would bring a maid servant to assistant his sister-in-law ,who was pregnant.But Ayyan vehemently refused his suggestion.Ayyan said that it was a do or die problem for us.He also said that they would sacrifice their lives for their goddess,but a third person wouldn't be affected.Soon Arivan kept quiet.At midnight they started their journey.Ayyan asked Arivan about the bullock cart man.Arivan said that the bullock cart man was a duff and dumb.Then Ayyan told his brother to direct the bullock cart man to go into the forest way. He also indicated to the bullock cart man to remove the bells of the bullocks.Rutvi was helped to sit inside the cart by Ayyan.Arivan put the jute bag which contained the Kali statue in the cart.They also took three cloth bags,food and some other essential things.Ayyan and Arivan had looked their home at last.The cart moved and the brothers followed it very silently.The bullock cart went into the cart slowly like a snail.They heard only the sounds of frogs wall clocks and owls. The forest was very dark and dense and it was very hard for them to find out the way.After a strenuous five hours battle ,they reached the island of Thalai Mannar.Saktheeswar waited for them at the entrance of the Thalai Mannar forest.He said that they would start their voyage only at the midnight on the next day.Arivan gave some money to the bullock cart man and signalled him to return immediately.The man nodded his head and the bullock cart disappeared in the dark.Saktheeswar directed them towards the hidden boat.At dawn they reached the boat.Saktheeswar told Ayyan not to worry about their safety.He also said that it was a secret place and the Sinhalese navy could not find them.He advised them not to come out of the boat until midnight.They decided to sit in the boat through out the day.Saktheeswar was very busy in making some clothes torches for their voyage.It was very difficult for them to spend the whole day in the boat.Rutvi was very tired and she was very tired and slept on the lap of Ayyan.Both the brothers were thinking about their futures and successors.The place was very safe for them to.There was no human sign in that place.They heard only the sounds of birds and wild animals.The Thalai Mannar forest became very dark when the night was approaching Saktheeswar,Ayyan and Arivan were waiting for the right time for sailing the wooden boat.Saktheeswar said that they would start their sea voyage at midnight.They decided not to sleep till midnight.Saktheeswar observed the dark sky .He saw the pole star in the sky and then he said that it was the correct time to start their voyage.They heard the sound made by the waves only.The wind blew fiercely and the boat moved very fast.The couldn't bear the cold weather.Saktheeswar told them to cover their bodies with blankets.Rutvi was not able to sit in the boat comfortably.Saktheeswar tried to sail the boat smoothly.But the wind and waves were very harsh to sail the boat steadily.Except Saktheeswar, the others were not familiar in travelling in a boat at dark night.Through out the night the boat sailed on the rough sea, the Bay of Bengal.All the four people were sitting in the boat silently.When the boat was nearing Dhanushkodi,Rutvi had delivery pain.She couldn't bear the pain and she cried bitterly.Ayyan asked her to be very quiet.But she couldn't control her pain.Ayyan and Arivan worshiped the goddess Kali.Suddenly Saktheeswar showed the direction and said that they were reached Dhanushkodi.They had seen the lamp house at some distance.At the same time,Rutvi had given birth her first female baby.They named Dhanushkodi.After a few minutes another female baby was born.She was named Sooli by Ayyan and Rutvi.Before dawn, they arrived Dhanushkodi, Rameswaram.Ayyan asked Saktheeswar to bring a bullock cart immediately.After sometimes Saktheeswar came there with a bullock cart.Their main idea was to take shelter for some hours in a nearby mutt and then they decided to move further towards the north eastern part of Tamilnadu.Saktheeswar was very familiar with the southern part of Tamilnadu.He led them to a mutt and occupied a hall in the mutt.Ayyan helped Rutvi to take rest because she was sleepless through out the day before night.Satheeswar said that they must go towards Navai pattinam,a coastal town that night.He also said that his idea was very safe for them.Then they decided to go towards Navai pattinam.Saktheeswar and Arivan went outside to search a bullock cart.No bullock cart was willing to travel for a long distance with unfamiliar people.At last a bullock cart man accepted their demand.But he demanded more money.Saktheeswar told Arivan that there was no other way to accept the demand of the bullock cart man.Finally they accepted the demand of the bullock cart man.Then they returned to the mutt in the bullock cart.They spent the whole day in the mutt.At midnight they came out of the mutt and started their journey towards Navaipattinam through the eastern coastal areas of Tamilnadu.Rutvi was very weak and she was supported by Ayyan to sit in the cart comfortably.Tha cart went very slowly through the coastal villages.They travelled day and night for more than a week and at last they reached Thirumaraikkadu,a coastal Village.Without any problem they reached Thirumaraikkadu with their Kali statue.They decided to stay at the Vedaranyeeswarar temple in the night.The priest of the temple allowed to stay in the temple after seeing the politeness of the two brothers.That night Ayyan and Rutvi had a similar dream.In that dream they had seen the goddess kali and she ordered them to go towards Navaipattinam.She also said that she would like to rule a place called Vallam.As per the order of their home God they planned to go to Vallam ,a small village near Eighthuts.They thanked the temple priest of Thirumaraikkadu and started their journey towards Vallam in a bullock cart.The next morning at four o'clock they reached Vallam, a small village.The village was very beautiful and it had a small tank,few huts and a lot of palm trees.Ayyan asked Saktheeswar and Ariyan to build a small palm leaves hut for their goddess.Saktheeswar and Arivan joined together and built a small palm leaves hut for the goddess within four hours.They installed the Kali statue on a podium.They worshipped the goddess with wholeheartedly after a long time.All of them decided to stay in the temple for two or three days after a hard and strenuous journey.They thought that their entire problem and struggles were solved.Rutvi and Saktheeswar cooked for them.Ayyan and Arivan cared the twin daughters and they spent the day joyfully and peacefully.All of them slept in the temple before the goddess.That night Ayyan and Rutvi awakened from the sleep suddenly.Both of them had the similar dream.In that dream the goddess appeared and ordered them to go towards western direction and settled in Muttar Cholapuram.They shared their dream to other members.Saktheeswar had decided to stay in Vallam near the Kali temple.He promised Ayyan that he would look after the temple very well.Ayyan and Arivan had planned to go towards Muttar Cholapuram along with their twin daughters soon.They moved towards a new destination.........
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