Very happy to have a tonsure at the abode of Sri Venkateshwara Swamy.
While going to Tirupathi it was great and we had a good start. We that is my friends Chaitu and Srikanth bhai reached Renigunta junction at 0330 in the early hours of of course my dear bro Raghu met us in Tirupathi bus stop, he came from Bangalore and the sad part is Sami missed the trip at the last moment because of some important work.
We took a room, which wasn't so nice anyway opposite the Sri Nivasam Choultry. After taking bath we left for Alipiri where we had some hot idli (different from how they are made in Hyderabad and Bangalore) anyway they are good costs much around 20 bugs for 4 idlis and one wada (very very small). Then we continued to the steps, there the shoppers asked us to start the auspicious assent by breaking a coconut at the starting of steps and light the camphor which they are selling for pretty high prices.
Now the real story unfolds, it was good at the beginning, later it took the pulse to max heart beat, then we stopped here to rest for a brief moment, anyway Raghu did not let me sit for a long period of time - thanks to him otherwise we would have delayed our assent even further.Thank God we did not forget to take the water bottle (of course there are lots of water available in the shops along the stairs, but its kind of an achievement) We had lot of food in between, I brought Nuvvula Laddu to keep ourselves going (Once I overheard mom saying somebody to take those when they are going to Tirumala through steps). Lot of devotees have different kinds of Mokku, means Mannat, means wish. If their wish is fulfilled they will come over steps, they will smear kumkum and turmeric on all the steps, they will light camphor on each of the steps, and lot like these.
At one place we had the ISKON's prasadam, the irony is that we thought as anybody would that it was free. But to our shock it was sold for Rs.5/- which was of course quite a very low price for those who are so exhausted, and one more thing at least we need to consider those who brought the prasadam till there (it was situated after 500 steps) thanks to God and the persons who prepared them. Especially the Daddojanam, which was the local name for the curd rice, especially when it is offered as prasadam was very good.
And we started from there after eating all the Daddojanam and Pongal. Along the stairs we have lot of water treatment plants which serve treated water to the pilgrims. And the main thing I forgot to tell you, the weather was so great for a summer day that the temperature was 23-24 all through the day until we had darshan (anyway we had darshan at 2230 - 2300).
After a long walk to the ticket counter (it was 1600 steps above - please correct if I am wrong), we had a very brief stay in the queue to obtain the ticket, thanks to a devotee who pointed us to a counters which are not occupied. And I my brother, Chaitu, Srikanth started to walk in the queue then I spotted a security personnel who was holding an rifle, I thought it was an AK-47, but my brother told that it was an assault rifle. Then another devotee was standing in the queue with a lot of baggage, but the line was out queue, where the devotees resume their assent to the steps by going through that queue, he told that I kept my luggage here thinking that there are nobody in the queue.
Then after obtaining the respective tickets we asked one of the devotee who is passing by to take a snap of us with the tickets.
From there we have gone to the Anjanadri Mountain where there is a tall Idol of Lord Hanuman in standing posture. Srikanth and Chaitanya went in to the temple, I and Raghu took some snaps outside. After that we had some refreshing ginger tea, it was good complementing the weather. It was good, I hesitated to take the biscuit but raghu gave a biscuit to me. Then we filled our empty water bottles with treated water and started the assent.
In between we encountered a little baby who is not even 2 years of age who was walking all the steps. It was a great experience. Its like confronting with your self, like who is making the baby walk, herself or GOD himself is there and walking with her to maintain the fire of faith in each of the devotees soul. We also had taken some memories with us by capturing the baby in the camera and of course in our hearts too.
Then from there we reached the place where the devotees should walk on the road to steps called the famous "Mokalla Metlu" called because long back these steps were constructed when there was no proper way to Tirumala, it is said that to cross these steps one should cross walking on their knees. Some even practice to these day(Its very difficult, anyway if you wish then GOD will anyhow take you to his sanctum sanctorum in Tirumala.)
But gosh a old female devotee on her way to Tirumala has breathed her last. The TTD authorities took her with all the rights, the devotees along helped the staff to take her mortal remains to a mortuary van which was on the road. It was good in some sense as she breathed her last on the auspicious mountains. May GOD bless her soul.
Then we at last reached the Tirumala, it was good, but it was hectic. From there we reached the PAC - the pilgrims amenities center where we have gone for the tonsure, but the rush of devotees was so huge that we heard that we need to wait for at least 3 and a half hours to just take the token, of course we were not ready for that, we went to sapthagiri guest house, there too the queue is there, if we wait, it will take anyway from 4 to 5 hrs. Thats why we went back to PAC and offered some money to the tonsurer and had our tonsure done. It was good. because of that the AC is directly hitting my scalp and I caught COLD.
anyway coming back to tonsure, we had our tonsure and took bath we need to wait there even GOD has not spared anybody. Then we need to put our belongings in the cloak room, that took another hour or so, I and Srikanth were the one who waited in the queue, whereas Raghu and Chaitu were sitting and chatting. Chaitu was the one who was so exhausted (everyone was).
Then we entered in the queue, then after a long walk we were put into those jail like structures where the devotees will be eagerly waiting for the darshan of Lord Sri Venkateshwara.
There we waited for a long time, and I thank Srikanth on behalf of all of us for pushing through the devotees who are waiting for their turn to get the Prasadam and giving us the Bisi Bele Bath that was served on that day. And also God bless him as he also curbed the appetite of some of the devotees who received prasadam through him. Happy to be friend of Srikanth. That was a crucial moment for all of us who are craving for some fuel to our disdain physical bodies, of course you will listen about the fuel to our souls in the coming lines.
After completing our great meal, we discarded the disposable plates in the dustbin and went to wash our hands. There was a huge queue for the drinking water. I spotted a mother with a girl on her shoulder, I saw helplessness in her eyes of how to give water to her little kid. I asked her to give me her bottle and I filled it and drank some of it and gave the rest to her. I felt very happy to have helped her, saw her feeding her little kid with the cap of the bottle.
Then we waited for our turn, before we were left, 5 other compartments we set loose.
Then our time came, we were directed to a place where our tickets will be scrutinized. Then there our tickets are checked and we were left into the corridor, I, Raghu, Chaitu and Srikanth were so organized we never left each other. After that the care taker asked us to come into a different compartment, but we refused. That was for our good, we were let go at the first place. Then as we entered the Temple, The chanting of the sloka, Om Namo Venkatesaya Namah was heard. It swept through our body, mind and soul. Then we were let in to the temple, as a contrast to all the darshans before, this time the darshan was very great, we were queued straight in line with the Sanctum Sanctorum (Garba Gudi), we can directly view the Divya Murthy. It was so great all the pain and delay doesn't meant anything to us for that brief moment of time. We all forgot our Mannats, that is want that we lay before the GOD's presence. We were immersed in the radiance of the Divya Murthy. It cannot be explained. It was great kind of shivering that enables you to know the REALITY and which will pass shocks connecting your existence and non-existence (physical as well as spiritual). It was kind of ................ I can't explain further. Its such a great thing, you can only know by receiving it. Thanks to God for letting me write this post and thanks to all the friends and family members who took the pains to read the blog until here. If there are any mistakes please forgive me.
There lot after these but it would not be good to end with that note, I will share my hectic return travel experience later in another blog due to some time constraints.
And Last but not the least I sincerely request your feedback on my blog. I will be very happy.
Om Namah Shivaya
Om Namo Venkatesaya
and as anybody know
"Sivude Harudu
Harude Sankarudu"
Good Day.
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