Om Sai Ram friends,
I went to my family deity’s temple called “Palani Murugan Temple” situated approximately 110 Kms from Coimbatore. My Amma asked me to go by bus as I drive too fast and she felt its better I take bus. So, I took bus and felt good about the journey. My appa used to work for the Tamil Nadu State Transport corporation as a manager and hence I love the buses here. Once I reached Palani, I offered by hair and while doing so remembered by Appa.
I prayed for my Sister, Brother in law, my Amma and my Sister’s daughter Katya who will be joining in a university in the US next year. My Sister is a US citizen. University education is expensive and hence I keep praying for my neice to get admission in a good university and bless her with a good career.
I took bath after the hair offering to Lord Murugan. While doing so, poor man in his late 40s asked me “Is it okay to wear the same under wear after bath as I did not bring new one”.
I told him “There’s nothing wrong about it and he can wear the same and walk towards the top of the hill temple”.
After that, the man told me very innocently. “Be careful Anne. The floor seems to slip”.
He cares for me though am a stranger to me. I smiled to myself!.
I love these lower middle class people in India. They do some work and lead a very simple life. What kind of innocence he should have to ask a stranger like me if it’s okay to wear the same under wear after bath and walk to temple?
Then, I walked on top of the Palani hill and had good darshan of Lord Murugan. To be honest, the priests there focus more on earning money from devotees which deeply hurt me. Nothing wrong about it as that’s their means to earn but I feel they should realize that serving near Lord Murugan is a gift they got by several births of punya. Not all priests in most temple realize this though.
I walked out of the main sannidhi and worship the Kailasanathar Shiva temple. Towards the right side of this temple, there’s a little Lord Murugan sculpted in the pillar. I loved this Murugan statue a lot. I sat near that Murugan and thought about my life and my Father.
I don’t have any desires for myself now a days. I just wish to go to my Appa. Since my Amma asked me to pray for myself also, I told Lord Murugan to fulfill whatever my Appa desires for me.
On walked down the steps, I saw a priest near Lord Ganesha sannithi. He was mersmerised by a devotional song in praise of Lord Murugan. His eyes were blissfully immersed in thoughts about Lord Murugan. I felt he is the only priest who has really understood the gift he got to serve Lord Murugan in this birth. Not all could be like him. I wish to offer him dakshina next time I go to Palani. Wish I atleast see him the next time I visit Palani.
I came back to Coimbatore, went to Saibaba temple here and reached home and gave prasad to my Amma.
Everyday, I am getting closer to my Appa.
Venkat
