My journey to Perumathura began with a pre-booked general 2-seater train ticket from Tirur to Thiruvananthapuram on the 5th of December. Before embarking on this adventure, a quick lunch at home fueled my excitement. Rushing to Tirur railway station, I caught the Janashatabdi Express, which, fortunately, was on time. After an 8-hour long journey, the train pulled into Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway station around 9:30 pm. Awaiting my arrival were my friend Hakeem and his uncle, who graciously came to pick me up. As per my plan, I intended to spend the night at Hakeem's home before making the transition to Perumathura the following day.
On the 6th of December, after a hearty breakfast at Hakeem's home, I headed to the railway station with the intention of catching a train to Chirayinkeezhu, anticipating that I could find a bus to Perumathura from there. However, reality played out differently. Deciding to wait for an auto instead, luck favored me as I managed to catch one heading to Perumathura within just 20 minutes. As the auto crossed the long bridge from Azhoor to Perumathura, offering a breathtaking view of the Kadinamkulam lake, I pondered over how the village would receive me.
By noon, I reached Perumathura and made my way directly to Imdadiya Dars, a small Islamic seminary nestled at the heart of the village. This location had been pre-arranged for my stay, thanks to a convincing prospectus I had presented for the fellowship on my short field visit during mid semester break.
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