The long distance from Mumbai to Pudukottai hardly mattered to this couple during the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown, determined that they were to be with their two minor children after a gap of seven months and to take part in the birthday celebration of their six-year-old son.
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R. Selvam, 41, and S. Sangeetha, 35, covered nearly 1,400 km on a two-wheeler from Mumbai to remote Pillakurichi village in Karambakudi taluk where the children stayed in their grandmother's house.
Upon accomplishment of their mission a few days ago, the joy of the couple knew no bounds. They were elated to meet their 13-year-old daughter Veni and six-year-old son Yogeshwar and to celebrate the boy's birthday on October 28.
A native of Pudukottai district, Selvam says he settled down nearly 40-years ago in Mumbai where he runs a petty shop at Sion. His wife Sangeetha hails from Pillakurichi village.
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A couple of days before the lockdown was clamped on March 22, Selvam brought his children to his mother-in-law's house at Pillakurichi as the school they were studying in Mumbai was closed.
“We took the children to Pillakurichi so that they could learn about the culture and rural life in Pudukottai district unaware of the commencement of the lockdown in only a matter of days from then,” says Mr. Selvam.
After leaving behind his two children, Selvam immediately returned to Mumbai after which the lockdown was clamped with complete suspension of train and flight services. For the past seven months, the children have been staying with their grandmother.
“We began to miss our children and decided to take part in the birthday celebration of Yogeswar as we never missed him on his birthday all these years,” said Mr. Selvam.
With no train service to Tamil Nadu from Mumbai and flight charges being costly, the couple decided to leave for Pudukottai district from Mumbai on their two-wheeler.
Selvam and his wife left Sion on October 20 evening and made night halts in lodges at Kolhapur in Maharashtra and at Neelamangalam in Karnataka during their journey covering 1,400 km. “We stayed put in lodges during the two night halts and filled fuel at the petrol stations situated along Maharastra - Bengaluru highway.”