I went to Tirupati on Tuesday, the 15th day of March, 2005. I describe the date in so much detail because it has been the singularly most sublime experience of my life.
The Padmavathy temple at Tiruchanur [aka Alamelumangapuram, apaprently] was nice, but didn't have the same effect the hubby's shrine...
Cutting through all the bookkeeping details, we made it at last to the sanctum sanctorum, after grappling with a most unruly, rowdy bunch of so-called 'pilgrims' [One guy actually yelled "Yenna myra pudungara!" at me! While in line! Inside the temple!].
Ecstasy.
For the entire duration of the minute I was there.
No sounds audible. Nothing else visible. No thoughts. Nothing. But the idol and its aura. Unadulterated divinity. Unsullied by the rotten world. Untouched by the trials of time. Pure.
Unquestionably the most spiritually and physically overwhelming encounter in my life.
Even the variegated, unlimited lunch after the darshan couldn't do much to shake me out of this kind of trance state...
6 comments:
Tell me about it! Mind turns to mulch..
And how come you aren't posting too much? [as if I am, but that's a different argument..]
I am planning to visit Tirupati next week. Could you give me some advice? Where did you stay? How did you get to the Temple from the R.way Station? How long is the wait in the queue?
Hi, Anonymous Person.
I went by the TTDC package tour, and this was virtually my first time there, so I can't be of too much help if you're going to Renigunta and stuff. But I've heard that it's the easiest thing in the world to get to Tirupati from the station. And I didn't 'stay' anyplace. The entire trip was over in less than a day. As for the wait in the queue, it's pretty tolerable. About 2 hours it took for me. Which is really short, but then I was there on a Tuesday afternoon...
My advice to you would be to do what I did, and run to your nearest TTDC office to book a Tirupati tour. They handle everything, and all you have to do is follow the guide. He even collects your laddoos for you!
Oh yeah, it costs 600 bucks, if you take the non-A/C package. Food is included!
i never knew u had such a strong spiritual side to urself!! good...Come down to B'bay sometimes...we will visit Pune and Osho's ...and this time...go inside...me gatherin' all necessary info...abt it...cya here ...take care till then buddy...Manish.
Thanks for the info. The nearest TTDC office to my home would be 9500 miles away :( so i will be roughing it out myself. good to know that the line will be 2hrs long.
-Nilka
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