Senior citizen darshan at Lord Venkateswara's Temple at Tirumala.

 Sirnivsar/Venkateswara with His consorts Sri Devi and BhooDevi at Tirumala Temple.

Having once tasted the senior citizen darshan at Tirumala which went off very smoothly i wanted to  avail it again hence i was off to Tirumala.Last time which was the first time i availed this concession offered to senior citizens at Tirumala i got the token in a jiffy and immediately had a unhurried view of the Lord of seven hills walking in a queue that proceeded  slowly which  was solely for old persons and handicapped  persons. This time on it was a reverse of fortune .
After paying our obseince to Thaayar at Trichanoor we proceeded to the hills.The hot blast of Tirupati tapered down as we went up the hills .It became cooler and cooler.Went to Peria  Zeeyar mattam seeking accomodation .Peria jeeyar the head of this mutt is a pious sanyasi .He is the keeper of the keys to the temple .An arrangement made by Sri Ramanujar which is still being carried on .
This month is  Puratasi as per Tamil calender This month is very special to Srinivasar as he is said to have been born in this month.Whole of this month devotees throng the hills to celeberate this and to pay their obseince .Hence we were told that all rooms were occupied and we would have  to wait for few hours till one of them was vacated .
So we waited at the basement in a huge empty marriage hall.I had woken up at  3.30 am in the morning to get ready  to catch the 6.30 am train to Tirupati.It was nice ,cool  and quiet in that hall , it was so quiet that a ants breathing could be heard and the time was the one reserved for my usual after noon siesta.With sleep pressing my eyes i slowly  stretched myself on the floor .and felt mother earth .A thrill ran through me.It seems eons since i was cradled by her .Since 2002 i am living in first floor of flat with no contact with Bhooma Devi, which had taken me away and further away from nature and her comforting presence.Felt her on my back and experienced her gentleness, patience and protective affection .Though a film of dust covered the floor and few red ants were crawling by it was inconsequential as i was feeling very safe and secure .
After spending two hours thus it was time to get up and proceed to the room allotted to us .

Freshening up  came out to see the daily evening temple festival of Sahasara deepa alankara seva.Any one can see this utsavam held in open air near the temple gates .Those with tickets can sit nearer to the processional deities and then go for drashan of moolvar/prime deity .
This evening it was held in a huge hall as clouds threatened to pour rain.It was full of people but not overcrowded.The vahanas or vehicles used in annual Brahmotsavam and in monthly processions  and festivals were housed on one side of this hall.
At the centre of the hall on a stage a screen of yellow silk saree with huge gold borders was draped side to side .This silk dhothi is the vastram known as pithambaram which  adorns moolavar the 9 feet tall Srinivasar .This pithambaram screen was covering from view the processional deity of Srinivasar  fondly known as Malayappa swamy and his two consorts as it was not yet the time to start the festival . Assistants of priests and muttadhipadi's were lighting the 1000 oil wick lamps in the background [behind the deities.]

Since there was few minutes to spare i went to the showcases ,to have a closer look at the various vahanas.There are several of them.Except for Garuda vahana all are gold plated.Garuda glowed in dull silvery light .He was all silver .The elephant vahana had a foot ball like object under one of its feet .It also had umbari/seat  like kings had .The chinna seshavahana or small serpent vehicle had  a flattened tortoise under it  as if to bear the weight ,with its face looking up and pudgy limbs on the sides . The kalpaka vriksha vahana had a small hooded serpent at its centre.These details are not visible during actual processions as they are covered by flowers and ornaments .

Around t 4.50pm drums started beating and nadaswaram was blown and the Pithamabara screen was removed and Malayappa swamy rose into view  in a brilliant blaze of diamonds  shimmering from  head to foot along with his consorts whose diamond adornments' s brilliance was toned down by soothing green light of emeralds that lined  their diamond crowns ,  diamond necklaces ,diamond bangles and several other diamond ornaments  ,
Malayappa is a small petite idol in gold casing .He was dazzling with rows upon rows of diamonds starting from his turban like diamond crown .to innumerable  diamond necklaces with diamond pendants cascading one below the other till his feet .His shanku [conch] and chakram adorning  each of his shoulders gleamed with circles of diamonds .His arms were covered from top to bottom with diamond armulets and bangles .His right palm turned downwards radiated the bright light of diamonds covering it .His ankles and feet also had diamond ornaments covering them .Not a single inch of his sacred body or the vastrams he wore was visible .It was diamonds and diamonds all the way .He was seated on a swing along with his consorts .

Every one got up moved by His presence shouting  Govinda Govinda Govinda with folded palms held high over the head .This chant rippled around washing the sacred feet of Malayappa and his consorts with unshed tears emanating from the hearts of all with the overwhelming feeling  sweeping over all that one was actually  in His presence at Vaikuntum .

With 1000  golden lights waving and shimmering as a back drop ,Malayappa was a effulgence of bright white light  in a handsome and petite form, giving a tiny taste of what it was like up there at His permanent residence -Vaikuntum and kindling the desire to strive and reach it .

Then Vedic pandits seated near the stage  recited the Vedas for several minutes and this was followed by Bhakthi songs by vocalists and instrumentalists. Priests moved the swing gently up and down .Then it seemed too soon though a half an hour  and more had elapsed when priests presented Malayappa with oil wick aarti followed by camphor aarti.Again the chant 'Govinda Govinda Govinda' by awe struck devotees  rent the air piercing the roof as if to reach His ears up there. Many wiped their eyes .All stood up as Malayappa and His consorts were borne on a palanquin to his next destination, a hall nearby.
The next utsavam scheduled at 7 pm.

I was lucky this time .That evening was special because it marked the end of Samrokshanam  festival which is held once 12 years ,which  started 48 days back .Hence Malayappa was to go around the temple in Pedda [big] Seshavahanam [Serpent Adhi seshan -who is His bed, throne and shade].

Since there was 1 and a half  hour to spare ,visited Varahar temple which is near Srinivasar temple.Not much crowd and had a easy and nice darshan .
Moolavar .Varahar swamy along with his consort Bhooma devi is quite small.He has along snout like a wild boar ,yet looks handsome and delicate .His consort is tiny and sweet and fits neatly into his possesive and loving embrace that cradles Her in His chest .

This avatar of Vishnu ,was the original lord of Tirumala.When Vishnu/Naryana descended as Srinivasar  in times gone by to please devotees in His archa form ,Varahar swamy very graciously gave him land to enshrine Himself.But there after Varahar was relegated to the position of near  non entity as Srinivasar's eminence , fame and stature grew in leaps and bounds Even now it is  increasing day by day .The steady stream of devotees in 1000's per day testifies this .

A  pushkarni [tank] abuts this temple .Water was pouring over a huge Chakra  raking  the crystal clear water with innumerable bubbles and wavelets.Few people were bathing .I wondered at the irony and the influence of Time.Decades back it was the norm the bounden duty of all those visiting temples to first take a dip in   its pushkarni and then go inside the temple to pay their obseince.A pilgrimage to temples was akin to a thertheertha yatra in several decades back.Devotees would take a dip in pushkarnis unmindful of  the muddy and dirty waters that could cause disease.Even this pushkarni was dirty few decades back
Now it is like a huge glossy 5 star swimming pool but hardly anyone bathes in it !Like me,nearly all the  devotees prefer bathing in piped hot water in boarding rooms and choultries. Dip in this bewitching bluish green pushkarni is taken only once a year by crowds of devotees simultaneously when Chakra snanam is performed .
A whole chapter in Mahabharat is devoted to giving the location of 100's of theerthas viz rivers and lakes and tanks which Pandavas visited and took a dip  during thier long exile , all over Bharat it and explains the reasons as to  why they are sacred in great detail.According to Mahabharat a river or lake became a sacred place  because   sages , celestials and gods performed severe tapas or conducted  yagnas  in thier banks in eons  prior to reign of Kurus viz Pandavas and kauravas .

With more and more comforts available coupled with awareness of hygeine and the demands of a fast paced life these age old practises have been abandoned ,and religious  traditions forgotten specially in pilgrimages to temples .

Then proceeded to the mattam to pay our obscience to the Jeeyar swamy.He is a kindly  person with a smiling countenance.He blessed us and gave us Perumal theertham viz the water gathered during the abishekam of Lord Venkateswara/Srinivasar that is performed every friday morning, in a small bottle.It is orange in colour and and has a sharp pungent taste of camphor that reminded me of the sacred chin of Srinivasar.The sacred chin of Lord Srinivasar is said to have a dent caused by the crow bar thrown at Him a 1000 years back by the  disciple of Ramanujar known as Ananthaazhwan who didnot know that a young nosy  do gooder who was bent on helping  him and pregnant wife  despite his warning him not to interfere in their services  to the Lord ,whilst breaking the hard ground to build a tank to water the garden of the temple, was Srinivasar Himself .The crow bar struck that lad's chin and immediately the granite hard chin of Srinivasar in the temple is said to have started to bleed to the consentration of the priests who applied  raw camphor to the chin to staunch the bleeding .The bleeding stopped but a dent  in chin remained and  ever since raw camphor is daubed to it.

Then walked to the building which is was nearby, from where Malayappa would start his rounds of the temple in His Seshavahanam.The space at front of the building was cleared with ropes and fence marking the boundary.Security, volunteers ,camera men and only few devotees were allowed inside the boundry whilst all others had to stand outside the fence .
At seven pm sharp  the curtain rolled open and Aarti was shown by a priest to Malayappa swamy and his consorts seated in the Pedda Seshavahanam.-a huge five headed  hooded serpent in gold plating, forming the throne and the shade to the Swamy and his consorts .
Again the air was rent with emotional Govinda naama from the devotees.Most of them were floating population [pilgrims], having time in their hands to spare either before or after a darshan of  the main deity -Srinivasar.

Malayappa dazzled in a sheath of diamonds .so did His two consorts.Another Govinda rent the sky with awestruck catch in every one's breath when the stout  bearers lifted his palanquin on to their shoulders and Malayappa viewed us all  from above ,majestically from his serpent throne,flanked by two huge white but delicate looking lacy umbrellas with shining gold borders . He was preceded by two elephants and prabhandha ghoshti with jeeyar swamy as its head The palanquin moved towards the temple gates and it would be a full hour and a half before He completed the circumbulation of the temple before retiring to the sanctum of Srinivasar.

The next day was up at 3am as we were cautioned that the 750 tickets issued to senior citizens when issued at 7am  for 10 am darshan will be snapped up at no time by those waiting in the queue  for it from early in the morning.
Felt sleepy and tired and wondered was it  really necessary to be up so early ?Heard the slokas recited in the sanctum of Srinivasar which was broadcast by loud speakers .That revived me .Bathed and was ready by 4.30am.Outside it was drizzling.Cold winds carresed my nose and cheeks.Had to walk quite distance to the token counter.

Was amazed to see a long line outside the closed office.All above 60 .many were squatting on the wet floor .It was a admixture of well to do's , middle classes ,lower classes and poor  .I joined the queue.between two buildings ,stood watching others as i had nowhere else to see to pass the time.Some had come here by 2am and were waiting patiently!
It  made me  wonder at the fact that news and information regarding free services or sevas available does get around fast these days irrespective of which strata of society one comes from and the 100's of devotees who are ready to avail it.
Three decades back only few  were  aware of the various sevas and free services that were available at Tirumala .Even the educated middle class did not  have much awareness It was the very few who went through the pamphlets published by ttd who would avail such services .I remember attending several such sevas in the temple after booking them a month ahead and we could easily get tickets to most of the sevas performed in the temple .But a decade back tickets for sevas were booked till 2016!We no longer hoped to get a ticket for any seva since then.Which means that there is lot of awareness amongst people .Coupled with affordability there is fierce competition  in all fields , temple services, included Now every one seems to have information in their finger tips and are ready to put it to use.

I looked around  barring few  persons nobody looked very ill or wasted .Some  looked old,and tired , some glum,some had a permanent frown,some looked cynical with the look that seemed to say i have seen it all.,some looked stern,some had a gloomy look that matched the  gloomy weather . Their gloominess seem to seep into me I wondered if their glum company was worth having for the 5 hours i have to spend with them?  I was standing for nearly 1 and half hours in this dispirited gathering.Had i gone by 300 rs ticket i would had darshan by now in the company of happy young faces .They would have pushed and shoved me but thier eagerness , cheerfulness and confidence would have been better than the spiritless company of this depressing lot.There were some who looked robust  with hair dyed black and cheerful but they were few and far between .                                                                                                                                 Many were waiting from 2am!There must be many a sugar patients, feeling pangs of hunger and many would want to rest their bones , yet they were there, brushing aside such discomforts  and prepared to wait for hours which promised a free and easy darshan  of Srinivasar at the end.

Suddenly it started to rain and we all dashed for cover .Some plastered themselves to the wall near their queue hoping to ward off the pouring rain  but couldn't .They were drenched yet didn't move away .They were scared that  they would lose thier position in the queue if they had followed us to a nearby enclosure . They bore the rain stoically.
Devotion/ bhakthi  is amazing.It gave them patience and endurance.I had already started to chaffe at ttd loudly.Is this the way to treat senior citizens ?Can't they provide a sheltered q line with seats .Yes it is not thier fault that some many come and sit from 2 am onwards but what is the harm in providing some shelter . They must be aware of this fact but have not responded suitably to the reality of the situation.

After lashing for 30 minutes the rain stopped.At 5.30 coffee was served by ttd officials .There was a fracas between a  cranky. devotee  and the official.How can there not be?On our own we had none.
I stood shifting my weight from one leg to another and sitting gingerly on a small wedge of a wall alternatively.. At this point i felt this long wait was undue of me.I have never waited for a ticket either for darshan or for something else this long in my life.
                                                                                  Despite the discomfort  i quietly recited few slokas.Soon i heard Vishnu sahsarnama being recited in a even pace  .This was being rendered by a group of  middle class women mostly Brahmins i guess, from Karnataka.I have seen and heard group of Brahmin women reciting this Stotram on Vishnu /Narayana in temples  .They are either from Tamilnadu or Andhrapradesh or Karnataka.They recite with great clarity. without a break  , in the same rythym as one and in a fast pace.
Another group of men and women were singing Bhakthi songs.

The counter opened at 7 .There after the processing was quick and efficient.Buses were waiting to drop the tokenees near the temple. Didn't take it as it would mean being cooped up for another 3 hours in a hall.So decided to visit Lakshmi Narsimhar temple .Whilst walking it started to rain heavily again .My new umbrella couldn't bear the weight of the down pour and broke.Took shelter in a empty q enclosure.Vendors were selling hot idlis as also  boiled and salted ground nuts.Hot vapours arose from them enticingly.With little capital investment just a huge tiffin carrier  and hot box they were doing brisk business.Tirumala is full of devotees and many like to snack on road sides .

When the rain stopped walked upto the Narsimhar temple.Every one has to walk one to two kms  in and around the main temple .No vehicle is allowed inside .whilst walking i remembered the days several decades back when our family, kids and all  would be up at 2 am and bathed and ready to join the seva queue by 2.30 am ,walking shivering down the deserted  and dimly lit roads from our cottage [which was a quite a distance away unlike this mutt ] avoiding shadows,  lest a leopard sprang on us  . Sevas like archana, thomala and several other sevas held early in the morning.during which we could sit in front of Srinivasar and watch the rituals for an hour.And i thought i am up so early just to get a ticket for darshan at 10 am?Was it worth it? .
 Climbed the steps to lakshmi Narasimhar temple and had a peaceful darshan .Apart from walking one has to climb up steps at several places .
Then proceeded to the waiting hall and reached it at 9.It was full.All were eating hot upma and drinking milk which was served free of cost.Sat on the steel chairs .At 10 all got up to go for the darshan but were told to wait for another 40 minutes.So back to our seats.Then finally nearly at 11 am we were made to form a line that moved slowly towards the temple gate.Our bags were checked for mobiles,,knives  guns, bombs etc by metal detectors and were all bodily frisked lest  one of  us wore a belt.Irony! A temple is a place for worship without any fear of violence.Changing times  has turned this temple and the hills around to a fortress.

It was straight path ahead of us .The movement in the ordinary q was stopped for us.All walked slowly. Nobody hurried us unlike the usual queues.Things speeded up only near the sanctum .Till then it was like aVIP darshan q .with no rude pushing or shoving with none of the  bouncers  laying thier hands on us..
Garuda standing right in front of Srinivasar greeted us from below a mirror.There one has to turn slightly to come face to face with Srinivasar few yards away.

For the first time since long i had a very good view of Srinivasar .He looked tall dark and handsome.I saw His eyes clearly since a smaller Thirumun than the usual was applied on HIS  forehead that day.His sankhu and chakram gleamed from either side of his shoulders.A huge gold lecklace that had big balls of  intricately designed gold strung together , adorned His majestic and huge form from neck to His abdomen.Did i fancy that smile lingering around His well shaped lips only for me to see? I guess not ,It was a wonderful and awe inspiring sight to behold.The strain of five hour long wait in cold and, rain vanished in a second in His mesmerising presence..

Though i  fully couldn't register His other facial features as devotees are no longer allowed near the sanctum i could see that He was smiling and could feel the assurance radiating from Him as if to say "I know'"


Few seconds later i was asked to leave and  nudged away No rush at Chadari or theertahm or at Hundi. Paid obsceince to Vishnu in vimana. and to Ramanujar and Narsimhar in thier respective sannidhis. For prasadam received puliyodharai in small leaf cups .This was from the pulihorai  pavadai seva held in the morning .

Again it rained.In its lull came out  and walked back to the mutt .All the pains and fatigue seems to have called it a day and my heart felt as light as the white fluffy clouds that was  appearing in the sky.

Malayappa and Srinivasar evoke contrasting emotions .Whilst the petite form  of Malappa arouses the protective instinct the gigantic form of Sirnivasar makes me seek His protection .
The hymns of two aazhwars very aptly describe this contrasting emotions .
Peria aazhwar feared for the safety of Sriman Narayana awe struck by his beauty when He came riding on Garuda to bless him on winning a debate in a king's court.Like  a mother who wants to ward evil eyes cast at her innocent and charming child by applying a dot of black coloriyum [kajal] on its cheeks after dressing up her  child in a attractive manner Pria azhwar sang the following song to ward off evil eyes that could be cast at Him .A hymn which is song in all temples and in all Sri Vaishnavaite households  every day till date.
It is as follows
Pallandu pallandu pallayirathu andu pala kodi noorayoram
mallanada thinthol manivanna un sevadi thirukappu.
Adiyomodum ninodum pirivindri aayiram pallandu
vadivaai nin valamarbil nil vaazhkindra mangaiyum pallandu
vadivaar jothi vallathuraiyum sudaraazhiyum pallandu
padai porukku muzhangum app paanjyachaniyum pallande!

meaning --For several years , several more years , for several thousands of years and for crores of lakhs of years .

The strong shouldered blue hued victor of wrestlers .
May your reddish sacred feet be well protected .
 We the devout followers of You, our Swamy , hope and pray that we be inseparable from You for several thousands of yeras
And that Mahalakshmi who brought lustre to your sacred self by residing permanently on the right side of Your chest continues to do so for several thousands of years .
That the bright and glowing chakra [disc] held in Your sacred right hand and that conch known as Panjyasannium that roars in wars continues to do so for several thousands of years

The following hymn by Namaazhwar  seeks His protection by surrendering  absolutely under lord Srinivasar's  feet at Tirumala.This hymn show cases the  fraility of human beings before the might and power of almighty Srinivasar and the need of mortals to be protected by Him.

Agalagilen irraiyum yendru alarmel mangai urai maarbha !
nigaril pughazhai ! ullagum moondru udaiyai!yennai aallvane!
nigaril amarar munikannanagal virumbhum thiru Vengadathane!
pugal ondrilla adiyen unnadi keezh amarindhu pugundhene!

meaning
            I will never leave You even for a moment  says Alarmel magai[mahalakshmi] who resides in Your chest
In all the three worlds You are of incomparable of fame.,
One who rules over me!
Incomparable freed atmas and muni's adore You ,Sri Venkatanatha!
Having no other refuge this devotee of Yours  sat under Your sacred feet and entered You .








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On way back down the hills saw freshly laid out beds of flower saplings on several slopes.Are they watered by treated water?Hope not.