Around My Little Life: I Read With His Lens, Saw With My Eyes, Exploring: 1.1

One of the first books that truly captivated me was Temples of South India by Salim Pushpanath. It wasn’t just a book—it was a visual experience that opened my eyes to the rich world of culture and architecture that surrounded me.

All the pictures spoke thousand stories without any words.

Growing up, most of my reading was rooted in short stories, novels and travel based true stories which was available in my school library. Travelogues was limited to Newspaper tabloids or occasional magazines available in Dubai.

Information about India was distant. The internet was virtually non-existent, and social media was not even a concept during our school days. College days, year 2002, was beginning of social media in UAE.

Reading life changed after marriage, especially with visits to Kottayam and eventually living in Kerala for about 20 – 25 days in a year. It was during one of these visits, my sight stumbled upon Temples of South India. That moment marked the beginning of a journey, one that was both outward and inward.

The second book that now holds a special place in my heart is South India: The Land of Beginnings, from the same author.

Through these books, I am still exploring South India. With each visit to these destinations, I connect more deeply not only with the land, but with the stories, and the unseen layers Salim Pushpanath so beautifully captured.

Tamil Nadu — Kanyakumari Devi Temple was one of the very first temples I visited in Tamil Nadu.

My amma often tells me that I was taken there when I was barely a year old. I had only her stories to picture it, until I visited the place and temple again myself.

Years later, in 2009, I returned this time with my parents, my husband, and my 8-month-old daughter. It was wonderful! The experience, excitement & emotions. The fascinating view, strong winds, the restless seas, peace, sunrise and sunsets. While standing there, my mind was wondering with the thought of how people once crossed these wild waters in earlier times.

For someone from Thiruvananthapuram, Kanyakumari never felt like a different state. It felt like a continuation of home, something once part of us.

Interestingly, I had visited Kanyakumari temple before discovering the book that later became so special to me. Reading Temples of South India by Salim Pushpanath brought back vivid memories of that 2009 visit.

Kanyakumari is a place we’ve returned to many times—but that trip in 2009 was truly special. I've shared a glimpse of it in my earlier post:🔗 Kanyakumari – 2009 Visit