The sweetness of Southern India circuit (Day 9 morning) - Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram - The 19th of February 2015

We drove to Kanchipuram to visit the Ekambareswarar Temple dedicated to Shiva and considered one of the five major Shiva Pancha Bootha Stalams ( representing a natural element) temples - in this particular case  the element earth.

 

 

As we stood outside the Temple and soon after inside its courtyard I tried to remember the legends  related to it in an attempt to (maybe) get a better  "grasp" the moment we started the visit.  According to one legend, Parvati, Shiva's consort was doing penance under  the Temple's old mango tree when Shiva sent fire onto her in order to test the degree of her devotion. Shiva is then said to have called for her brother Vishnu's help. Vishnu is  then said to have taken the Moon  from her head and showing its rays cooled the tree and Parvati down. In order to disrupt Parvati's penance once more Shiva sent the river Ganga, whom parvati convinced not to harm her allegedly saying they were sisters. Subsequently Ganga made a Shiva Linga out of sand so that it got united with Shiva, thus the name for which Shiva has come to be known around the area - Ekambareswarar or "Lord of the mango tree".

 

 

Another legend has it that Parvati worshipped Shiva in the form of a lingam improvised out of sand under a mango tree. When neighbouring Vegavati river overflew and threatened to engulf the Shiva Lingam, Parvati is said to have embraced it. Having been touched by the gesture Shiva materialised in person and married her.

 

 

The vast Temple, with one of the tallest gopurams in India (59 metres tall) is also said to exist since 600A.D. though remodelled throughout the centuries.

 

 

 

We walked into a hallway with highly decorated pillars, which I couldn't help photographing as in any other Hindu Temple I had visited before. I tried to capture the atmosphere by silently watching the worshippers and the bustling around one of the shrines.

(To be continued)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My beloved colleagues and students (cont.) ... - March 2015

I may sound repetitive but  I love being surrounded by people who do respect my work and my commitment, just as I believe anyone would ... 

 

 

I have the privilege of having had an undeniably hard working week amidst these kind of people, students (I hadn't seen since 1983 and some I had had in my classes not long ago) who have become colleagues and whom I have been attached to since the first time they walked into my classrooms (despite not having seen them regularly).

 

 

The refresher courses, besides the training obligations, allow me to find out what they have done with their lives beyond what is professionally required, as far as the English Language is concerned, as well as the impact I have (or haven't) had in the development of the language. 

Refresher course groups from Porto Santo and Faro

My beloved colleagues and students ... March 2015









 

The sweetness of Southern India circuit (Day 8 evening and Day 9 morning and late afternoon) - The MGM Beach Resort Hotel, Mahabalipuram - The 18th and 19th of February 2015

Hotels might not be that important but whenever you have some free time in your cultural oriented circuits, especially after having had some tiring days travelling around by bus hotels like the MGM beach resort we were lodged at did make a difference. Not only was it located close to the Bay of Bengal with kilometres of beach, we could spend some time on (not being my case, as I was still feverish) with a sea water swimming pool (which again I wouldn't take advantage from) but also surrounded by grass lawns and trees that somehow provided quite a relaxing type of atmosphere.

 

The garland we were given as a welcome gift was made of shells and little pebbles, which again reminded us of the proximity of the sea. Crows could be seen almost everywhere and it was clear that they could be the only nuisance once they showed their presence even at the dinning restaurant despite the fact that is was netted as a protective means (which didn't fully work).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The buffet meal didn't impress any of us but the non-buffet dinner did, especially the rather exquisite soup which tasted really good. A Charlot dressed up character came around to our table and it was very entertaining not to mention the different type of entertainment provided by the live music band playing hits of the seventies and eighties in the restaurant room close to the one we were having dinner at.

 

 

 

 

 

As we got back from the Temple visits on the 19th of February and as most of my trip companions made it to the swimming-pool area I  sat on my hotel room balcony and read, whilst admiring the surrounding landscape.