We were in Tirumala for Nachi’s (my brother-in-law) Shastiabdapoorthi. When we went up the hill on Feb 1st, it showed 33 deg C and I told my beloved Balaji that it’s too hot. 😊
On Feb 1 we were staying the night and my biggest concern was if we would get three cots to sleep as none of us is able to sleep on the floor. The Ahobila Matham has fantastic facilities and we got a large room with three cots, a clean bathroom with piping hot water and best of all – a functioning air-conditioner.
Tirupati Balaji keeps up with all the modern trends 🙏.
We were able to sleep well, infact better than at the serviced apartment in Chennai. On Feb 2nd morning as we came into the hall for the Shastiabdapoorthi ceremony, we looked outside and it was cool and foggy !
See the video and do listen to the Tirumala temple bells … it’s a surreal experience.
Everything about Tirumala is surreal … a living God makes it that way. HE is my friend, brother, teacher, guide and my Ishta devta. I fight with him, give him sandwiches and noodles as naivedyam, and for any challenges I face, it’s HIS responsibility to resolve it.
For 15 years we were not on talking terms because I didn’t like HIS decision regarding my dad. But he kept sending me his Prasadam and kept waiting for me to “get it”. I finally “got it” and HE allowed us to get HIS darshan last year – Meeting Balaji After 15 Years !.
Perumal’s Purapadu (Iyengar – Perumal Yezhlrar)
We had our donor tickets ready for the Supadam entry. The window given to us was from 12 noon till 6 pm. We went around 1.30 pm. The entry through Supadam brings you closer to the queue complex 1, so you are able to get the darshan quickly.
While we left behind our cellphones in the room, we forgot about our watches and had to deposit them at the locker near the Supadam entry.
The crowds were not too heavy and after a couple of security checks we were in the queue to see Perumal. Well, last time he asked the lights to be dimmed and gave us a special darshan, this time, just as we came near the main dwaram, they stopped us because “UTSAVAR” (the murti of Balaji that is taken out in processions) came through the dwaram with Alamelu Manga and Padmavati Thayar on the Adiseshan Pallaku. Krishnan and I had tears in our eyes … we have come so many times to Tirumala, but never got the chance to see Perumal’s Purapadu (procession).
HE literally was in touching distance for us … all we can say is “thank you”. What a blessing!!!
We also had a good darshan inside the sanctum sanctorum and Balaji was resplendent as always. I wish some day they let us stand in front of him for ten minutes, the heart never feels satisfied with these fleeting glimpses of HIS.
Laddu, Heat and a Long Walk
The darshan was completed by 2.30 pm and we headed towards the laddu counters. Managed to get them too and then the long walk started to retrieve our watches. No one seemed to know where exactly the Supadam locker room was. So we did 1.5 rounds of the outer pradakishina (parkota or perimeter). It was quite hot and everyone including Perumal knows how I react to that :):). We finally got our watches back but I lost my cool completely.
The Massive Meltdown
I had a massive meltdown as soon as we climbed up the steps from the Supadam exit…. I yelled at Amma, Krishnan and would have yelled at any passersby too but no one stopped near us. Then I started crying because I felt overwhelmed. Something just came over me and I behaved like the possessed. Balaji also got shouted at and I said all kinds of crazy things.
Came back to the room and continued to rant. Finally reached our room in the serviced apartment in Tirupati without speaking a word with Amma or Krishnan. Got a massive headache and just was fatigued with all the shouting. I don’t remember half the things I told Mom and Krishnan. But I was nasty and mean.
Managed to sleep off that “persona” and the morning saw me back being myself. I apologised to both of them and to my beloved Balaji…. could almost see him smile that mischievous smile of his.
Well, am just glad Nachi’s Shastiabdapoorthi went off really well and my other “persona” didn’t make an appearance there. More on that in a separate blogpost.
Edukondalavada Venkataramana Govinda Govinda 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿 Do give us your darshan again soon…. and help me let go of that other “persona” please.
#KrishnansTempleTrails
Very nicely written Akka , I can feel the connect to Balaji Perumal . I am also little upset at him for Appa but I will forget the moment I step my foot there .
Sriman Narayana 🙏🙏🙏 What a lovely narration! We all have our own relationship with Bhagawan, don’t we?! And that is the beauty of our Dharma. We are free to choose the path towards devotion and HIM. We are free to submit all our emotions, thoughts, regrets, guilt, misgivings, doubts, insecurities and anger (even with HIM!) at HIS Lotus feet; And HE accepts and resolves them all with immense compassion. I am waiting eagerly for HIM to will it so I can have Darshan at Tirupati 🙏🙏.