visit to divya desams part 7

[Guest guest]

Dear bhagavathas,

 

This posting is about our thirumala experiences.

 

By the time we reached the Tirumala hills it was around 7PM and it

was drizzling. We have booked our accomodation at Ahobila mutt and

first we went there and left our luggage. Then went to Padmavadhi

Guest house to collect our original seva coupons, as our booking was

thru internet.After this we went to Pedda Jeeyar mutt which is just

next to the Pedda Anjeneyar koil but we could not meet the

bhagavathas referred by Sri Chinna Jeeyar swami. However we met one

bhagavatha by name, Ramaswamy and he told us to be near the entrance

by 6.30AM and he will come over there for Jeeyar seva. Later adiyen

learnt that the he is an Ekangi and they only conduct the Jeeyar seva

these days and Jeeyar swami comes once in a while only. We took

darshan of Sri Anjeneya and went to room to retire for that day.

 

Next day in the early hours we went to the temple to have darshan of

the Lord. Our seva was archanantra seva. After waiting for about 2

hours we could go close to the sannidhi. adiyen could complete the

recitation of entire nityanusandhanam by that time. Also adiyen was

reciting desika

stotras and in the early morning along with thousands of devotees who

has come from every corner of the country, it was a thrilling

experience waiting to have the darshan of the lord. Earlier adiyen

used to think that why should we wait for such long time to this

Perumal only. But when adiyen learnt that thirty million devas are

standing in a queue to have darshan of Ksherabhi nathan in

Thirupparkadal, adiyen thought that our waiting is not that bad.

 

Now we have come close the main sannidhi and we could see HIS kreedam

and the big thiruman and the HIS divya thirumeni, although we are

still near the entrance only. There are many Scout volunteers who are

just pulling the devotees to move fast and more than the shouting of

Govinda we could hear the shouting of "Jaraku" or "Jarakandi" meaning

move fast. Every one was pulled close to the deity by one Volunteer

and in a fraction of second you will be pushed out by another and you

have to capture HIM in your heart in that split second. All the

months of planning and eagerness to have darshan of

Thiruvenkatamudaiyan will be just for that second. Once you are out

that's all. You can only see HIM only during your next trip.

 

When adiyen came close to the deity, the volunteer whos was pulling

the devotees saw me in traditional attaire with 12 thirumans etc,

held her hand out and with respect told me politely to have quick

darshan and leave. This gave me little more than 10 seconds to see

HIM from the foot to head and adiyen was in divine ecstasy. If we

have to see this perumal then we have to become a "padi" just outside

his sannidhi as Kulesekara azhvar wanted to be. The crowd around us

did not matter at that moment and adiyen for a moment felt i am

standing in front of HIM alone and HE is telling to me " See, I am

standing alone here waiting for you. Keep coming". Probably HE has

read my mind about the crowd and assured me of HIS darshan all the

times. Tears were

rolling down my cheeks and the crowd behind you pushed us out of the

sannidhi.

 

We came out and after having darshan of Sri Bhashyakara and Sri

Narasimha we came out of the sannidhi. The srivaishnavas were waiting

for Jeeyar seva and adiyen and my father stood in the queue. They

were around 100 bhagavathas. After waiting for about half an hour, we

went in and had the darshan of Perumal once again and we were blessed

to recite Sarrumurai in front of HIM

and thiirtham and satari was provided for all of us. Then ther

sarrumurai seva was performed at Sri Ramanujar sannidhi. This is the

first time adiyen is participating in Jeeyar seva and it was indeed a

memorable experience. We had prasadam and came out of the temple.

 

By 12.30PM, we came again for arjitha brahmotsavam. After brief

waiting we were allowed to have darshan of Moolavar again and this is

the third darshan in 6 hours. After this, we were asked to wait in

the mandapam for our seva. The waiting was for long time as the

proceedings were running behind time.

 

Finally the Utsavar along with his consorts came to mandapam. They

were kept at the entrance and only the perumal was taken inside and

he was placed on the Garuda, Hamsa and Sesha vahanas for a moment and

harathi was performed. adiyen felt bad since the Sri Bhu devi thayars

were just left at the entrance and they did not accompany the

perumal. No one is bothered to have darshan of the Utsavar and the

main attraction is moolavar only. People are pushed and pulled out of

main sannidhi and not even allowed a second to be with moolavar, but

the crowd runs to HIM only. Whereas the Utsavar is coming to us in

the mandapam but no one is even bothered to go close to HIM for

darshan and the consorts of HIM are just standing alone near the

entrance. adiyen understood that the consorts will accompany the

perumal for Unjal seva which will be performed after the arjitha

brahmostava seva. The whole seva was over in 10 minutes but it wasn't

impressive. adiyen after seeing the perumal in different vahanams

with beautiful alankarams, could not enjoy the name sake utsavam like

this. It appears that all the utsavams are made to enable the

devotees to have darshan of moolavar.

 

We came to room and took rest for a while. Appa left for Madras and

we stayed back to attend the upanayanam next day. Since we were not

allowed to sit inside the temple even for 10 minutes adiyen could not

recite the daya shatakam sitting in side the temple. But in the

evening sat in front of Malolan, Srinivasa and adiyen's acharya

Srimad Azhagiya singar and recited the verses. In every room, a photo

with Malolan, Srinivasan and Srimad Azhagiya singar has been kept.

 

Next day morning, adiyen again went to Jeeyar seva as I could not

control myself to miss this seva. Since we were staying close to the

temple, in 5 minutes adiyen was in the queue waiting for the Jeeyar

seva. That day preparations were going on for sahasra kalasa

abhishekam and there was some delay. adiyen could recite dasavatara

stotram, Hayagreeva stotram and Vishnu

sahasra namam etc while waiting and adiyen felt that the seeing so

many srivaishnavas itself is a divine blessing. Finally adiyen had

darshan of Perumal and recited the sarrumurai in the goshti. On the

way back to sri ahobila mutt, went to Sri Varaha swami sannidhi and

then returned to the

mutt. We also went to srimad Andavan ashramam and had darshan of Divya

padukas there.

 

In short the trip was memorable and adiyen will be cherishing the

time spent in Thirumala for the years to come till my next trip. It

was possible by HIS blessings and all the azhvars (except Thondar adi

podi) cried to him for his blessings and we too pray to HIM following

the azhvar's path.

 

Next will be adiyen's trip to Thirunangur divya desams.

 

regards

dasan venkat