We were taken for sightseeing in and around Chaing Rai and temples on the way to Bangkok. We halted at a beautiful lake at the foot of a hill. The top of the hill was in clouds. It was sun set time and golden rays were beautifying the entire scene. It was a perfect setting for Bhajan. After half-an-hour bhajan, snacks were served. By now mama and party had arrived from Mae Sai.
We left for Bangkok, and reached the city early next day.
It was wee hours when I woke as the skyscrapers and tall flyovers of Bangkok welcomed us to the Bangkok city. We drove past the wide roads with the tall light posts posing the photographs of King Rama IX.
I remember crossing the Embassy of Peru, Argentina, Iran… I was wondering where we heading to? We finally halted at a huge mansion – Raja Mansion. It was an apartment complex, where arrangements for our next two days were made. Four air conditioned, completely furnished houses were readied for our stay. I simply loved the hospitality.
We were too exhausted after the 13 hour long drive. Many of us chose to rest for a while others were ready to pounce on to the city.
We got ready in an hour’s time, and reached the lobby of the building, and guess what?!! It was Sai Prasanthi Mandir. A brief Bhajan session and breakfast followed. Breakfast was (as usual) elaborate, with Breads of various kinds, idly, poori, sabji, jams, furits lining up in the menu. Everyone ate to thier full, had hot south Indian coffee. It was their Love that was more fulfilling than the actual items on the menu. We were given direction on where to go, and how to reach various places in Bangkok. Our Hosts stuck the address and tel number of the place for us to find our way back.
Bangkok is a lively and well disciplined city. We went shopping, sight seeing, and as the bright day turned into the golden hues and finally dark bule, we boarded the Metro Rail to reach Sukum Vit Soy, from where we reached Rajaji Mansion. On our way, while we were travelling in a taxi, the cab driver asked “ where are you from?” I was sitting in the front and I replied, “ India”. I asked “You come to India?” – meaning have you gone to India?, to which he replied “ I no come to India, but I Love India”. I asked “ Why you Love India?”, the speeding driver, momentarily folded his palms in Namaste, reverentially bowed down and said “ India, land of Budha”. I was taken aback, many youngsters like me do not the worth of the golden soil we hail from and often consider foreign lands as Suvarnabhumi!
Day 2 : Bangkok City.
After Rudra parayanam, Bhajan, the hosts thanked all of us for staying with them and commemorated the event by presenting each one us with a 10 Baht Note. Breakfast and coffee were served. Fourteen mini busses were waiting for us. Most of the drivers were Sikhs from Punjab. We were taken to various places in Bangkok. The Grand Temple Palace was one of them. The entry fee to the Temple Palace is 350 Baht, which was waived for all hundred odd of us. We were guests to the temple and the chief security officer personally guided Mama and party to the various locations in the Palace. About half a dozen guides were escorting the rest of the team. We all reached the jade Budha temple. We chanted Rudram, and it sounded exactly similar to the Buddhist Chants. We were shown the entire temple and Palace complex. We hurried back and it was 01:00 PM by the time we reached back Raja Mansion. This time the meal awaiting us was light. It was Pulao, curry and Papad. The obvious reason was the flight journey ahead.
We picked up our luggage, and left for Suvarnabhumi International Airport, not before profusely thanking the hosts and exchanging cards and contact numbers. We reached the airport and our hosts had come all the way form Chiang Rai and Mea Sai to bade us good bye. The helped us getting us our group boarding passes. Ksheera saagara Madhan and other puranic scenes were depicted in the airport. I wondered what kind of a secular country was India, whose rich traditions, values and culture is more prominent out side that within it!
We boarded the aircraft and after an uneventful flight, we touched down at Chennai four hours later.
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