So i was asked about a month back if i would go to a temple with a friend once he got his car. I said 'why not i think it would be good for me'. Little was I aware that I would get an insight into what pilgrims must feel during Haj and the almost madenning concept of lines in India.
The trip started out on a Thursday (9th Feb 2005) afternoon and the usual bullshit that can be associated with trying to get people to go on the trip (someone drops out, someone wants pickups at a specified point). Once that all got done we were finally on our way out the door and I was genuinely interested in seeing the temple and all that it had to offer. Someone I had talked to prior to my trip to this place said it was the second most richest temple in the world and the most richest was apparently the Vatican in Rome. So i was expecting something like the Vatican. A few beers and some silly conversation on how someone thought their concept of God was the 'one-to-end-all' explanations we were finally in the town that actually borders the entrance to the temple. The name of the town was Tirumala.
I was then told we could not carry any alcohol or cigarettes up the hill so I thought hey these guys wont drink on the hill top afterall they are going on a pilgrimage lol. Boy was i wrong lol. We managed to smuggle some contraband (hehe i feel like a terrorist) into the area we were staying in and I said well here begins the journey. We had to buy tickets (yes the kind you buy to see the superbowl) to stand in line to get to see the deity (Balaji) and what other names you can come up with for him.
5:00 AM
---------
So now im standing in line and its frigid but not too bothersome to me. I was quite excited and had not slept the whole day as I had been working the night before and hadn't had a chance to sleep. But I am now waiting in this line with all these people who have shaved their heads in honor of this deity. Its quite a sight to see bald ppl (men and women alike) waiting in line. I think people probably realized that i wasnt a hindu but I could care less. Now here begins the interesting part of the trip, they started telling me about these amazing laddus (sweets) that are prepared in this temple. At this point im wondering what people really come to this temple for ? hehe. But then again im one to judge so I talk less about the topic and actualyl cant wait to get in the temple.
6:00 AM
---------
Still waiting in the line and now im inside the main line kiosk that gets into the temple and all i can think about is how this resembles some of the prisons I have seen in east asian movies. Its almost dismal to say the least and people are walking about with no shoes on. I even tell one of my friends that it looks like a prison and he begins to explain to me about how many people come through here and how they have to lock people in rooms to maintain queue control. Quite interesting stuff i say and then we move on.
8:00 AM
---------
After about three hours of finally waiting in the queue, we finall come up to the moment of truth. I am now standing inside what seems to be a pre-entry to the final shrine and It is quite amazing. The stone walls and the carpeted floor almost makes it worth the three hour wait in line which was told to me later was short as there werent alot of people there.
8:30 AM
---------
Now heres what gets me about this place. It cost me Rs. 200 ($50) to get a ticket, stand in line for three hours and push and shove these people around to just get to the temple shrine and after finally getting to what can be explained as totally calming and i only get to see the deity for about 5 seconds before someone is pushing me along and telling me to move as fast as I can say. It has to be the most RIDICULOUS thing in the world. I know its a small cave and all but for this they should have free lines and no money at all an then let people pay how much they want to. Anyways, the statue is truly amazing to see and the shrine has some very interesting architecture to it as the light in the there is all natural and not generated by any source.
9:30 AM
---------
After visting the shrine and seeing the place around it, i finally did something tourist like and got a guy on the side to take a polaroid snap of me and my mates near the temple entrance. Ate some breakfast as i was totally starved. Got some blessed sweets while leaving the temple and ate it too.
11:00AM
----------
Once we were done there I stil wanted to see what else this place had to offer. My friend told me that there were two waterfalls in the vicinity that were quite amazing to see so i said why not go there. Just my bad luck, the roads were closed so we could not go. Instead, we went to see a rock garden which housed a natural arch made of rock and a rather lazy peacock lol.
Afterthoughts
---------------
Tirupathi is quite an amazing shrine I must say. For that many people to come there all the time and visit a deity that can be seen for a total of five minutes it certainly has to be. But at the cost they have going for the public that are willing to pay to see it. I think its a sham and to be honest I would not condone such a behavior from the Catholic church as a Roman Catholic. The place is very soothing but alas it has been destroyed by the masses that come in hordes and drag their children and the house pets to this event. And last but not least i went with people that talked in their native tongue and did not really speak to me about things and I went there with an open mind and had so much to learn in mind but alas all i learned was with my eyes and not my ears so heres to a trip with three lessons for the learning.
1 - Dont take a trip with people that dont want to talk and arent as excited as you
2 - Dont take a trip with people you will never be comfortable with
3 - Dont take a trip with people that arent serious about what they are going to do
Ill post pictures once i get the chance
Cheers
MEL - Much better as a person and better relaxed as a man
No comments:
Post a Comment