Me & God-” At Southern Temple.
Me & God-”
At Southern Temple.
After Kanya Kumari hitched hiked to various places, then reached (Can’t Tell) a city, at 3 AM. Walked sleeping town and reached to temple by 3.30 AM.
A small shop with assorted thing just opened. He did Namaskaram, I did
Namaskaram. No further talk; by the side of temple there was a water tap, first I just brushed teeth then opted to have a bath, changed my cloth to Dhoti & Kurta, Pants were not allowed in south India Temples, I like it and appreciate maintaining sagacity of dharma. Asked shopkeeper when will temple open, he said 4 o’clock.
And just after few minutes it opened and I got ready to enter and what I saw! Five
priests, with various things welcomed me, placed a Tika on my fore head,
garlanded, did bit of Aarti, fanned with me Chanver ( hope I got name right), blew Conch and escorted me playing drum & A piped Instrument straight up to inner chamber where the deity was.
Then started all sort of rituals, first everything was done to deity then same to me inclusive Aarti, putting Big Gold and Silver Cups on my head, it went on and on, My inner condition was bad, I was shivering in anticipation, what I have seen in Pictures, The Last Moment has come, soon I will be sacrificed. But I was trying to keep myself as if it is all right. Soon all was over I was nicely simmered with camphor ash on my fore head, given Prasadam and escorted out.
Temple door was closed again.
It was about 5.30 AM by then, lot of people has gathered. As I took first step
people surged forward towards me, and starting touching my feet with solemn reverence. I with my folded handed hands requested them please don’t. I was totally out of my depth as what the hell was happening and why. It shook me.
A stranger and nonentity in this city and people are bestowing me the highest
regard. But why! I tried to stop few, but none heeded me, they just wanted to
touch my feet. A man come and luckily could speak English first touched my feet then said, Sir, please just stand easy, let the people have the opportunity to earn merits (Punnaya).
I got hold of him; he let me held him and I asked, and then he explains. It is
believed that The Deity (GOD) of this temple, goes out at night, to look & see
welfare of the people of this city and comes back early in morning and when the priest opens the door, the first stranger at door is taken as the GOD in Human body, and they welcome and bestows all the reverence due to GOD!
So when you came out people touch your feet as to whom God has sanctified your body with his presence.
I asked him does he really believe so. His reply was short to the point, “Didn’t I
touch your feet Sir, and let myself held by you.
God & Man, Man & God an intangible relation of abstract, It just passed my mind of Rocks Swami’s word “You are blessed One”.
Am I! Well don’t know.
May be I am. Who knows!
After many years of life’s passageways, I could analyse and realise GOD…. Perhaps, I am really Blessed One ! I realy dont kmow….
Well here is for all who reads this story the myth of ;
“God realisation is an inner experience based on direct preception that goes beyond the defination and debates of philosophical and speculative concepts. It is not sense , intellect or emotion . Its a transcendental experience and lives of preceptors illustrate the Lord who is believed to be infinite also makes himself accessible to true seeker . 🙏
