How temple visits have changed!

Yesterday, I spent my day hopping from one temple to another. Being the karkidaka masam – the time of the year dedicated to your dead ancestors, it is auspicious to visit 4 specific temples in one day. So, my mom wished. Like a dutiful son, I complied. Being the holy month coupled with the day falling on the weekend provided a lot of insight into the devotees and the temple authorities.

All these temples put up barricades to regulate the queues. And, there were long queues resembling the hairpin curves on the roads leading to the hills and mountains. The curves were many and often extended till the exit gate. The devotees possess patience in abundance. This is evident from the long queues and how patiently they wait in the queue for the darshan. On the flip side, they wait only till the sree kovil(central sanctum) is opened. Once the sree kovil opens, the queue breakers get into action. They either plead with a smile or fight fiercely to get into the queue. If you want to see god as a dividing factor and not an uniting factor, please visit famous temples during auspicious seasons.

Despite all these, the temple authorities emerge as winners. I remember a time when my mom and myself spending hours standing in the queue to get darshan. After the darshan, we run into a nearby hotel to overcome fatigue. Now, the temple authorities have refreshments like water and even buttermilk in some temples for the devotees. The water bearers walk along the line and help the devotees. In addition, they also allow old people and people with small kids to get inside the inner sanctum.

Tags: Musings,Kerala,Temple