A small corrigendum. In my travelogue posted on 26 May 2008, I had said that SPIC Pharma has a school in Tuticorin. Few days ago I have come to know that the school I was referring to is of Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation Ltd. The error is regretted.

While going to Cuddalore, when I spotted SPIC Pharma (and was fairly excited to see) for reasons better left unsaid, I asked Shanu, who was driving the car, in a very casual tone if he had heard about SPIC. Shanu in a similar tone replied that yes he knows about one SPIC Petroleum. I scoffed at him, telling that it can't be and SPIC is definitely into medicines. I knew almost nothing about SPIC but somehow I wanted to think that this SPIC was the same one who has a colony (SPIC Nagar) and a school in Tuticorin. Anyway, facts were put straight by someone whose knowledge in this is indisputable. Hence this post.

I forgot to mention in my travelogue, that the place I mentioned, Bhuvanagiri, is the birthplace of Adi Shankaracharya. I came to know that after returning to Bangalore.

One of my paternal uncles, had run away from home, became an ascetic, and eventually becoming a monk. He became the president of Kaanch Mandir, an ashram on the banks of River Ganga (for some strange reason it's referred to as Hoogly) in Calcutta. I was doing my graduation in Asansol, when with a friend we went there on a short trip, without informing at home. One morning we visited Dakshineshwar Temple on the other side of Ganga and my friend offered pujas. When we returned to ashram we were led to uncle's room. He was very old by that time and his health was failing. He was sitting on the bed and my friend and I sat on the floor. We were offered prasad, which was also breakfast for us. While eating we said that we had been to the Kali Temple. He asked if we had gone to see the place where Ramkrishna lived, and few other places which tourists and devotees can see. I replied in negative. He then in a very calm voice said, "It's foolish to set out seeing a place without knowing the importance of the place or knowing what should be seen."

One would have thought that I learnt my lessons after being reprimanded. But looks like I haven't yet. Had I have any inkling about the historical importance about that place I would have screamed, cried, done anything to make the car stop there. I am not interested in the religious aspect of it. I would have loved to stop there, and look around. Don't ask me why.