ACTIVE CULTURE

We loaded into the van with our excellent hired driver, with our two friends from morning temple visit and our new friend, whose name we never did get, but who was another colleague of Pavan's father. We had no idea where we were going. Shortish drive in the car and we're at what appears to be another Venkateshwara temple. Turns out that Venkateshwara came here before he went up the mountain, so this temple called dibs. It did look older than Tirumala in some places. They say that Tirumala was already an established Hindu temple complex by the 2nd century bc and that it's been dated at 2000 years old. This one felt older. It really reminded us both of Egyptian temples in layout and feeling, age-wise. It just felt a lot more sacred. g Again, you leave shoes and cameras in the car and head to get in line. There was a lot of bustle with our companions. We figured that they were just paying for us to use the short line. This temple was a lot more local, so even fewer white folks come here. We were quite the attention getters with our pale feet burning on the hot noon pavement! Before you get to the temple building threshold, there's a constant stream of water where you wash your feet. Let me tell ya, it feels really good!! g First you pass through a room with 4 large statues that were on platforms that can obviously be hoisted into the air. On the end that I saw, there was an elephant and Hanuman. I think on the other end was a horse, but without a photo, the brain isn't so sure! ;-) This queue is almost pushier than Tirumala. You'd think that people would get that pushing doesn't make you get there faster, it makes your darshan shorter. I guess it's human nature though. This line was crammed into narrow spaces as you head toward the murti. There were again chants of "Gooooooooooovinda!" By now, I had told Dan about the Valley Girl cheerleader routine and he was giggling with me too. It was much, much hotter here in the enclosed space. There was a group of gawking school kids in line with us. Maybe they recognized me as Salma, but I'll never know. I did a namaste/namaskar at them and their eyes got as big as dinner plates as they returned the gesture. I'm sure they were impressed that Salma knew what to do at a temple! ;-) g As we approached the inner sanctum, we prepared to do the fast pranam that happens when one is shuffled by the deity. Instead, our friends ushered us inside the small gate and about 5 feet from Lord Ventkateshwara! The air was extremely heavy with perfume and deepak (cotton wicks soaked in ghee and lit) lit the chamber. The murti was probably 8 feet tall. His wife, an aspect of Lakshmi, was nearly as large. There were others too, but we were pretty overwhelmed at being so close to them and I can't tell you who they were. They asked our names and did a mini puja (ceremonial prayer service) which included lighting a finger-sized bit of incense that flamed like a flare! Very impressive. As I offered my name, I was thinking of everyone who had asked that I offer prayers for. At the end of the puja, you make a little bowl with your hands and the pujari puts a little scoop of spiced water into your hands. You drink it and then wipe your hands on your crown chakra (top of your head). I found out later, that this water is used to bathe the deity. When they run out, they run out. This felt so powerful and deep. I don't think that words can adequately describe the feeling. However, the best was yet to come! g After leaving this temple, we gave equal time to Lord Venkatewshara's wife, Goddess Padmavathi, an aspect of Lakshmi. This was a much larger temple complex and it seems that they feed people here as well as we passed through a large hall with people eating off small banana leaves. There was another section where there was ararti (devotional service) going on and quite a crowd there. We continued to queue for the main temple. This line was longer and less organized. It was difficult to keep together and it was much, much hotter and stuffier. There was a sort of courtyard area that we reached before the inner sanctum. I think it was more queue area used for busier days. They probably would have had a more orderly crowd if they'd used it the day we were there. ;-) We ventured into the darkened temple proper and the mood got very, very quiet. There were people everywhere with lotus blossom bouquets (truly gorgeous in appearance and scent) and there was a feeling of hushed reverence. Again, this murti was probably 8 feet tall. There was more chatter amongst our new friends and again, we were in the inner sanctum, about 3 feet from the murti. I was asked to kneel, as she's sacred to women, and did so. I got very overcome with emotions that I can't fully express, I was really choked up and trying to keep it together. It really felt like I had a direct line to the Goddess and she was listening. They asked for our names and did the mini puja, also asking us to touch a tray of plants that would be offered to the deity. The pujari added jewelry and our financial donation to the tray and make the offering on our behalf. I was holding all our dear ones names in my heart asking for health and happiness. This was certainly right up there with surreal, out of body spiritual experiences I've experienced! We were given more of the holy water and given a little part of the plants that had been offered. Our friends put it behind their ears, so we did the same. When in Rome... g As we exited the inner sanctum, the queue took us through another area with murti, but the pujari sort of shoo'd us away, much to the irritation of our hosts. We said it was ok and no worries. Honestly, I don't know how many people get that feeling of having God's ear for a few moments. I don't think I could top it, and certainly not at that moment. g As we left the complex, they asked if we'd had coconut water yet. We hadn't and after clarifying that there was no water added to it, we were slurping warm, slightly coconuty, not sweet, but very thirst quenching coconut water our of a fresh coconut. I can see why they drink this stuff! g We loaded back into the van and Dan and I were getting concerned about cleaning up, packing and getting ready to leave for the airport. We were driven back to the wedding hall, where things were winding down. Of course, there was another meal, and we ate very, very lightly. We got to talk to the bride and groom, who were eating lunch before they went to Tirumala for their solemnization. Before this final phase of the marriage ceremony, they go to their respective homes for a little bit. Pavan wanted us to come with him and we agreed. We loaded back in the van with our new friends and tried to convey where we wanted to go, but ended up at the hotel. It was actually ok in the end. We got a shower and about an hour of nap before our 3 hour ride to the airport. And at least we did get to say congratulations before our departure and theirs.