Paaru Hobbies

God's Own Country Before starting this travel blog, one question kept coming to my mind: Why is Kerala called "God's Own Country"? Like most people, I searched Google hoping to find the answer. Most explanations spoke about Kerala's breathtaking landscapes, backwaters, beaches, and the tourism campaign that made the phrase famous. While all of that is true, I felt there was something more. To me, Kerala is truly God's Own Country because of its rich spiritual heritage. It is home to Guruvayoor , one of the most sacred temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. According to temple tradition, the idol worshipped here was once in Dwarka during Lord Krishna's lifetime. After Dwarka was submerged, Guru (Brihaspati) and Vayu brought the idol to its present location, giving the place its name— Guruvayoor . Kerala is also blessed as the birthplace of Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya at Kalady . His life and teachings transformed Hindu philosophy. He tr...

The second day of our journey began early. We started towards Kalady , the birthplace of Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya . We had pre-booked a taxi from our hotel in Thrissur to Kalady and back to Thrissur Railway Station. The total cost was around ₹2,500 . The journey from Thrissur to Kalady takes approximately 2 hours . The monsoon had already arrived in Kerala, and it was raining heavily throughout the journey. We reached Kalady around 9:30 AM and had breakfast at Matha . After breakfast, we proceeded with our planned rituals. We had booked two sevas— Sri Chakra Puja and Rudrabhishekam . We visited the nearby Krishna Temple , which is located adjacent to the Matha. Standing in the very place where   Sri Adi Shankaracharya was born was a deeply moving experience. It was a blessing to be present at the birthplace of a saint who travelled across India, spread the message of Advaita Vedanta, and left an unforgettable mark on Indian spiritual history. We had also p...

We travelled from Yeshwanthpur (Bengaluru) to Thrissur by the Yeshwanthpur–Thiruvananthapuram Express . The train departs from Yeshwanthpur at around 3:20 PM and reaches Thrissur at about 1:00 AM the next day. Since our itinerary included both Guruvayoor and Kalady , Thrissur turned out to be the most convenient railway station, as there are no direct trains connecting both destinations. Another good option is the Kanyakumari Express , which departs from KSR Bengaluru (Majestic) at around 8:10 PM and reaches Thrissur at approximately 6:00 AM . If you prefer arriving in the morning instead of the middle of the night, this is a better choice. For this trip, we booked a 1AC Coupe . It is almost like having a private room on the train, offering more privacy, comfort, and space. Whenever we travel with our child, we always try to book First AC . If that isn't available, our next preference is Second AC (2AC) . The extra space and quieter environment make long train journey...