I look back

I was 8 years old. My dad got transferred to Sivagangai. It was a district head in the south of TamilNadu. At first when I heard this name I thought gangai is flowing through this place, though somehow I know that gangai is a river.

There are different versions told regarding the orgin of the name ‘SIVAGANGAI.’Firstly, according to one version sivagangai was the battle field for many rulers shedding blood and hence the ‘SEV VENGA’ which in course of time became sivaganga

Secondly, there was a tank (Theppakulam) near the sivaganga area which was very similar to the sivagangai tank of Natarajar temple of Thillai Chidambaram. So, that the region was named as sivagangai.

In resemblance of the Ganges river being on the head of the Lord Siva as Ganga Devi a palace with a Siva temple was built from which the name ‘sivagangai’ was derived.

Fourthly, in memory of Sasivarna Thevar killing a ‘SHEV VENGA’ or red-tiger at the tanjore raja’s court, the palace was name as Sev-Vengai later gradually changed into sivagangai. Sasivarna Periya Udaya Thevar bathed in a spring which was called by the people as ‘sivagangai’. A place was built near the spring and a town was formed and named after the spring as ‘SIVAGANGAI’.

The temple is built by some king who ruled the We didn’t have much package that tempo was enough to hold all the things. We also travelled in the same vehicle to Sivagangai. It was a 6 hours journey. It was the first time I was coming out of our native at least to my knowledge. I think it’s a human tendency to get scared of new place, at least me. Everything is going to be new for me. New house, new school, new teachers, new classmates and new neighbors. If something is new we all will be happy. But for the first time I am scared of new things. I showed aversion to go with new things.

After two days my dad finalized the school where we are going to study, though he did this research before reaching Sivagangai. I and my bro are taken to the head mistress of the school for “Entrance test”. At least I was studying 3^rd but my bro was just UKG, don’t know why he also required to write a test. She gave me some mathematical problems. Not from trigonometric but some 2+2, 5+7 kind of questions. All went well, she told my dad that my mathematical knowledge is very good and she was happy to admit us to the school. At that moment I was thinking cha “எப்படி இருந்த நான் இப்படி ஆயிட்டேன்”. That time I don’t know that in this place and school I am going to have great time in my life.

.........................to be continued

(Thanks to http://www.sivagangaiseemai.com)