Deprived First; Granted Tenfold Later – 3-day Temple Visit

It is not always that one manages to execute one’s plans to a T. Circumstances sometimes conspire to deny that privilege. Precisely that is what happened to me and my friend, Ragu, in two unconnected instances.

That evening Ragu and Padma were waiting for the taxi to catch the train to Kumbakonam. A visit to their family deity, Swamimalai temple. He got a call. Ragu presumed it was from the taxi chap and hastened, ‘We are already at the Gate.” No, it was not him. It was from a relative to convey a sad news. They headed for Chennai instead.

In my case, when my son and family were here last month, we had planned Vaitheeswaran temple, our family deity,. But a sprain that my son sustained during the preceding trip because of a sudden bump in the road denied us the opportunity. 

This deprival however proved a blessing in disguise to both. Ragu proposed later and I agreed - to undertake a joint trip as the two temples are only fifty kilometers apart. And we covered as many as ten other ancient temples. As they say in Hindi: ऊपर वाला जब देता है तो छप्पर फाड़ के देता है. 

Ragu had made arrangements for Abhishekam at Swamimalai and also for us to sit closest to sanctum sanctorum. That forced me sit cross-legged for forty-five minutes continuously – a tall order, but I managed.

I had no contacts at Vaitheeswaran temple, but I had a hassle free darshan in my last visit. I took it easy. But this time it was a muhurtam day with at least 10 or 12 newly married couples and their groups of 20-30 people. 

Our ladies sprung into action. They noticed a purohit hurrying towards the temple. They interrupted him and asked him if someone could help them to get darshan at the temple. “How many of you are there?” he asked. “Just four.” They quipped. “Follow me,” he said and rushed to the sanctum sanctorum without even checking whether we were following him. Yes, he seemed the Chief Priest or the priest on duty. He instructed the gate keeper at the final point to let us in. We thus got to watch the archanai and deeparadhanai from the closest point – short of performing it ourselves. God sent. 

The other shrines we covered included Oppiliappan koil; Ramaswamy temple, Chakrapani temple, Thiruvidaimarudur temple, Kamphahareswarar temple, Dhenupueeswarar temple, Airavateswarar temple, Adi Kumbeswarar temple, Saranatha Perumal temple,  Brahmapureeswarar temple… Space constraints disallow me to share the sthala puranam of these temples. Suffice it to say each of it was as interesting to listen as the architectural splendour was to watch. In one, Lord Vishnu appears as an old man asking for the hand of Markandeya Rishi’s daughter, Bhoomi Devi. The latter refuses it on the ground, “she is too young for you sir,” only for the Lord to reappear in his real form and marry. Another is dedicated to the Lord removing the fears of Prahlada and Devas after they watched the gruesome killing of Hiranya Kashipu by Lord Narasimha. In the other it is Lord giving darshan to Kaveri, and moksham to Markandeya. Yet another relates to how a Chola king who accidentally kills a Brahmin is chased by the spirit Brahmahathi, and he escapes to his favourite Shiva temple, prays to Him for relief, and exits through another gate. Swamimalai is associated with how Lord Muruga explained to his father, Shiva, the meaning of Om. In Vaitheeswaran temple, Lord Shiva is identified as Vaitheeswaran who cures any illness. Rewarding experience, simply put. 

Ragu had suggested Mangalambika hotel for breakfast and dinner. The hotel was started way back in 1914 and is going strong. Most of us know of Kumbakonam Degree Coffee (KDC), but few know it is this hotel that introduced  KDC way back in the 1940s as the newspaper cuttings that are prominently displayed on the walls substantiate. 

“On the go for continuously three days, Uncle? Wasn’t it tiring?”  “Yes, of course it was – nearly 1100 kilometers in all. So, to compensate it, on return the four of us went along with another senior couple to Forum Mall to watch a movie, followed of course by snacks in a restaurant. 

Can there be a better way to celebrate Senior Citizens Day?