A Pilgrimage

It is over a month since I got this break to jot down something for this blog, even though I have been checking some of my favourite blogs without fail and cursing myself for my nonstop hopping schedule.
So what I did all this while is something I definitely want to write. The First stop, the non official one! Just ran away from office one Saturday (office anyway was off), took the bus to Tirupati and then called someone.
“Boss, I will be in your jurisdiction, if you can help organize the Darshan of the Lord, God Bless- even otherwise I am going ahead”, I said.
And then the things did fell in place- the Grandeur of the Laal batti :-) , chauffeur driven car and orderlies to welcome you is mesmerizing. I do miss it for sure, but that is part of life. I believe I am not doing too badly either.
Once I reached the temple and the security area for documentation, the video of the pilgrims being rushed in the main shrine- in fraction of seconds- was intimidating.
“Lord! they say one reaches here only if you want him to. Let me have a glance of yours”, I prayed, I begged.
Once the paper work was done I started and reached closer to the main shrine through some vacant corridors. No Dhakka Mukki and I escaped Police Lathi too (Seriously, now I fear that the most).
Then I waited in the neighbouring Rang Mandap for the morning Pooja to get over. The mandap was built by Ranganath Yadav Nayak (of Mysore kingdom probably) to my surprise. The beautiful Golden Sheshanaag was right there in front of me and then I was asked to come to the main temple.
It was a humbling experience! as I was the only person in the sanctum sanctorum, besides the high priests and even they asked me to sit next to the statue of the lord. For so many moments I sat there stunned and wondering if I was really that lucky and where were the thousands of VIPs at those moments that visit the temple.
I tried to capture every minute details of the statue in my memory forever. Then shivering I came out and the journey down the hill began. I thanked my friend for the visit and he explained that he had to arrange so many visits each day and it was my good luck if I had a pleasant visit.
The office staffs were still staring at me in disbelief (scared possibly, as even I was) for they had been doing this duty for ages and rarely had anyone been in the temple alone for so long as they said.
I think and rethink and want to believe the best; may be the Lord had stopped the flow of other pilgrims while I was there.