Velliangiri Andavar Temple / வெள்ளியங்கிரி ஆண்டவர் கோயில் / “THEN KAILAYAM” - Velliangiri Hills, Poondi in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu. Yatra – 2015 - My Experience

05^th May , 2015.

This week end  I had undertaken  one of the most difficult trek to Velliangiri. During 1971, first time I had been to Velliangiri  during Chitra Pournami day along with my three friends and our instructor of my Polytechnic College. After that  I had made the Yathra either before or after Chitra Pournami to avoid rush. But this year,   I would like to make it on Pournami Day ie, on 03-05-2015.

The train ticket was booked in advance along with  April month’s visits to Ooty. Started my Yathra on 02-05-2015 through Kovai Express and two of my friends joined with me at Railway station. During my train journey, I happened to met one of the retired staff of my old Institute ( Govt Polytechnic College, Coimbatore ). We exchanged our past memories. Along with my friends reached our Guest House around 22.45 Hrs. After a quick refreshment, started our yathra to Poondi, the Base Temple.  We were struck up near the Forest Department check post due to Traffic Jam.  We do not know when it will clear. Decided to walk this additional distance of 4 KM. After crossing of about a KM we got the special bus before Isha Yoga Centre, which came through  short cut route. 

At the base temple there was a lot of crowd and we had to wait for another one hour for the purchase of bamboo  walking sticks.  After darshan of Sri Velliangiri Andavar of base temple and Forest Department's check up, we started our trek around 00.00 Hours. All the plastic bags and carry bags were removed and news papers were issued to wrap.  Even water bottle labels were also removed and advised  to carry back to the base and deposit in the dust bin. But none of them adhered to the forest officials request and bottles, plastic bags & biscuit pocket wrappers were strewn  through out the route. The climate was good and no sign of rain. ( Two times the hill experienced rain during the past week.)

Without any problem we reached the 2^nd hill. Suddenly there was a traffic jam and people could not move up or down due to narrow path. This was due to selfish  attitude of  the people to give way to the others. We were stranded for more than 3 hours on the same spot. The jam cleared around 05.30 Hrs and started trekking  further. 

 The panoramic view of the 7^th hill from 6^th hill top.

My ambition of watching the  sun rise   from the 7^th hill was   not full filled. ( even otherwise I might not have the view due to cloud ).  Reached Top hill around 09.00 Hrs on 03-05-2015.  At the entrance of the cave there was a long q which took around ½ hour to have the Darshan of Lord Shiva.  All the pain were  vanished after the darshan of Lord Shiva.  No body were allowed to stay near the cave shrine due to heavy rush. Volunteers applied the vibhuti on the forehead of all devotees and vibhuti  pockets were also distributed. Any donation were asked to deposit in the Hundi.

A Shiva Linga on the 7^th hill. It was understood that this is a samadhi of a Devotee who had laid the steps for the three hills from his young age.

Vinayagar sannadhi on  7^th hill 

South side of cave  - a view from vattaparai 

China Kumar - self – Arun – Vijayan 

The sun rise

After a brief meditation at vattaparai,  we trekked down. The water in the Andi  sunai was completely spoiled by the devotees  and water became red in colour. On return we trekked slowly taking rest at many places and reached to the base Temple around 16.00 Hrs. I could not match my  old record speed  due to the leg injury  and dislocation of ankle joint.  This time I had seen some of the young  ladies were  also trekking  in addition to old and small girls.

From the base to our guest house we had chosen the Public transport up to Alanthurai  and from there by an auto, since our call taxi could not reach the base due to traffic.  The Govt organised lot of special buses from Gandhipuram to Poondi on this Chitra Pournami day.  While returning we happened to see that the Isha parking lot was occupied by more than 200 buses and 500 cars.  At least 4 lakhs to 5 lakhs devotees might have visited the Cave shrine. Reached Chennai around 22.25 Hrs through Allepy – Dhanbad express on 04-05-2015.

I expressed my sincere thanks to my young friends, Mr Vijayan, Mr Arun and Mr China kumar for accompanying with me for the Velliangiri Yatra.

Thanks to Lord Shiva for the wonderful darshan on this Manmatha Year Chitra Pournami day

VELLIANGIRI YATRA : 2011,  2012,   2013 ,  2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Garbage hill – In-spite of Checking at the base by the forest officials  the people manage to carry the plastic bags and dumped on the route. 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA:---