White rose.

Yesterday, that is on 17 th evening , a little after 6 pm ,whilst I was taking a walk on the terrace a full white moon rose in the eastern sky , above a mobile tower, whilst the orange red sun was setting , in the same line just opposite , on the western sky between two coconut palms!

The sun seemed to have delayed a little bit in its daily duty in order to to greet and bid adieu to the silver white moon with its hare mark fully visible . The moon also seemed to have risen eagerly earlier than its normal time in order to see the sun before it dipped into the horizon.

There was something ethereal and eternal in this strange meeting,that made me stop on my tracks and hold my breath !

The following verse from the Gita expresses more clearly the divinity of that moment

Adityam aham Visnur,
Jyotisam ravir amsuman,
Maricir Marutam asmi
naksatranam aham sai||........................ [ Divine glories-- chapter 10 verse 21]


Of the twelve Adityas I am Vishnu,
Among the luminaries I am the radiant Sun,
Among the seven Maruts[ wind] I am Marici,
And of the nakshatras I am the Moon!

To day I came to know that the celestial spectacle that so touched me deeply was a rare one indeed!And that 1000's had thronged at Kanyakumari on this 'Chitra Pournami' day to have a glimpse of this rare sight , only to be disappointed by clouds eclipsing the setting sun.

Chitra Pournami ,the full moon day on the month of Chitrai that is April is regarded as the day when Chitra gupta the assistant of Yama opens his accounts on the deeds ,both good and bad of all humans,noting them for future reference to enable Yama to decide on each individuals seat in heaven or hell.The only temple dedicated to Chitra gupta is in Kancheepuram.

I remembered the moon light picnics with my family in my childhood days on our terrace . Al l our neighbours in their's. But now there wasn't a single human being on my terrace or in the neighbouring one's except for a row of restless crows flying in circles , flapping their wings furiously, before retiring for the night!

Time and the fast pace of life has gobbled up customs and traditions that strengthens family bonds.How ever the temple functions associated with this day are still followed meticulously. As was done in Madurai . The immersing of the processional deity of Khal Azhagar [ Vishnu] in river Vaigai with traditional pomp , pageantry and devotion ,amidst lakhs of devotees at the culmination of Khal Azhagar's sister's marriage ---Meenakshi [ Parvathi] with Sundereshwar [ Siva] !