THOOTHUKUDI: A businessman from Gumudipoondi took Therku Theethampatti villagers by surprise by landing from a private helicopter to attend a temple festival at his native village. The Mahakumbabishekam for Arulmigu PathraKaliamman temple was held at Therku Theethampatti village near Ottapidaram on Monday. Even as the preparations were afoot, the villagers were startled on hearing a helicopter sound close by. They were surprised to see B Natarajan along with his family members -- his wife Sundaravalli, son Mohit, brother Rajadurai and friend Ashok -- come out of the helicopter.
Natarajan, an iron scrap seller, had settled at Gumudipoondi near Chennai. He said that it was his long-pending wish to travel in a helicopter and hence planned a trip to his native village to take part in the festival. To board a helicopter, Natarajan and his family had travelled from Gumudipoondi to Bengaluru by road. They returned to Bengaluru in the same helicopter on the same day. Flying to and fro from Bengaluru to Thooothukudi cost him Rs 7 lakh, he said.