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Suttur - refreshing memories of school days
The vast expanse of green fields is now golden, with the crops ready to be harvested. The huge green combine harvesting machines harvest acres of paddy fields in a single day. The new technology seems to have helped speed up the process. In other places, mostly (Ragi) harvest is spread out on the road to separate the grains from the plant. This is a common site across the farming territories in the months of December and January.
The loads of sugarcane being carried in lorries reminded me of my school trip to Talakadu and Somnathpura. The annual school trips usually happen around January. It was during one of these trips I remember we had pulled a couple of sugarcanes from the tractor right next to our bus.
Suttur is a small village situated on the banks of River Kapila. It is well-known for the Suttur Math, one of the prominent spiritual centres. The main temple here is the shrine of Adi Jagadguru Sri Shivarathreeswara Shivayogi Mahaswamiji. Having done my primary education in one of the institutions (JSS Mahavidyapeetha) started by the Swamiji, JSS School in Jayanagar, Bangalore, I have heard this familiar name of Suttur numerous times at every event and program in the school.
The township, where the educational institutions and the temple are, was getting a makeover by tarring the road. The small bridge leading to the village is picturesque, and locals throng the banks of the river for their daily fishing and laundry. It was a delight to finally see the place I had always heard in my early childhood.