Sabarimala Pilgrimage 2009
Place & Year: Sabarimala, Kerala, India / 2009
After a staunch virada with ayyappa maala in the neck, it was the day to start for
the divine, pious pilgrimage to Sabarimala, 23rd of December, the peak period for
Sabarimala dharshan. Sriram couldn't come for the darshan since he had his US visa
interview on 23rd.Our Guruswamy was my Uncle(Chittapa) whose trip this year is his
25th time. Along with us in our group for the pilgrimage were Guru, my relative
and his collegue, Mohanakrishnan, the Kanniswamy. The morning of 23rd was the filling
up of cocunuts with ghee for abhishekam of the Lord and fastening of the Irumudi.
It was 11:50 am, when we started from Guru's home on a fastrack Cab, taking us towards
Koyambedu bus stand. We had to start before the Ragu Kalam at 12 noon and we did.
We reached the CMBT bus stand in 30 minutes and our bus was only at 3:00 PM. We
had enough time. We sat on the rustic, though relatively new benches on the platform
facing a staggering crowd for SETC reservation.Guru was nostalgic and was briefing
us about his interesting turning points in his study career.We then had a hot cup
of tea from the platform vendor.After finding the platform for our bus to Chenganchery
(although our destination was a few kms before Chenganachery) , we found the bus
getting loaded only at 3 pm and starting by 3:30 pm. It was not a typical hot chennai
afternoon. The bus started. Guruswamy and I were on the front seats (just before
the last seat) and Guru/Mohana sitting behind us on the last seats. Even before
reaching the outskirts of Chennai, we were kinda hungry and had to depend upon the
"muruku" in Guruswamy's bag. We knew its going to be a long journey (Designated
time 13 hours) . We got down after a 3 hours travel at Vizhupuram and took a pee
at the unclean paid toilets (very much expected). Then had a tea. After a while
we also had the Idlis with the tomato chutney. Soon after we got into the bus again,
the other three went to sleep and I din't quite feel like.I was awake.I was taking
only quick naps during that period on the way to Trichy. But before trichy was this
accident which held our bus for around 30 minutes. It was heart wrenching to know
that a person in bike had died on spot and was unimaginable to think that someone
at home would be waiting for him , but will hear only the worst news.All I could
do was pray Lord Ayyappa, for the best to happen.
Traffic then moved on slowly and then it was trichy , where I again dropped down
for a pee and a tea, while others were sleeping in the bus.Everybody woke up at
the next stop at Kambam.Again the routine TEA break. It was around ten hours
of travel then. The bus climbed up the hill to Kumili (Kerala - Tamil Nadu) border,
in a traffic condition. I was feeling sleepy then and had quite a few long naps.
When I realized it was Vandi periyar, we knew we were late already. It was 9:00
AM in the morning.At last at 10:00 AM , we reached 28th mile , where we got down
, finished our looing ang again a kerala chai. We took an auto after a fight between
the auto drivers, to Erumeli for 100 bucks. We reached Erumeli, had a darshan at
Vaavar Mosque, Pettai Sastha Temple. Then did a Pettai Thullal and had "prokhshanam"
from the Erumeli River" to have the darshan of the powerful Lord Dharmasastha. It
was a very good Darshan.
We then had the remaining chappatis.Booked an autorickshaw for 400 bucks to the
Pamba. Pamba is around 50 Kms from Erumeli. Through the ride, Guru was chanting
the 108 charanams of Lord Ayyappa. The auto driver was tired of making the auto
climb up the hill and so we pulled over for a Chai. We had the chai in the tea shop
looking over the gorgeous mountains swarming around Sabarimala. We were counting
down the kilometers to Pamba. We reached Pamba in around a hour.As expected Pamba
was swarming with hundreds of people with the Holy Irumudi, police and the buses.
There was a hotel with the side provision for just settling down. Guru , Mohan and
I had a bath in the Pamba river after trying to search for a clean place. We din't
find it though. Then the Guruswamy came in for the bath. Then, the charanams and
deeparadhanai for the Ayyapaswamy.
We took off Pamba at 3:00 PM, started climbing the "Chinna Paathai" via Neeli Malai.
Started it with praying Lord Kannimoola Ganapathy, although the "Nadai" was closed.
It was quite a bit of rush. People with the Holy Irumudi, chanting the Lord's names
and charanams and goshams , were climbing up the hill. Old people, kids, no one
was even bothered about the distance or the route or the toughness of the hill.
It was Lord Ayyapa's Darshan in the mind.We took a couple of rests and then reached
Sarankuthi via Appachi medu, Sabarai Peedam at 5:00pm.The queue to the Lord's Sannidhanam
started there. There were people serving medicated water to the devotees in thirst.
we aimed to reach the sannidhanam and have darshan at 8 or 10 PM. In the queue I
was shocked and angry to see a guy taking in "Hans". What is the need for such people
to come to see the Lord or is is necessary for them to have the Maalai? Can't people
control these habits for 48 days or atleast on the day of the darshan? I left it
all to the Darmasastha, who knows what to do with such people. The queue seemed
to be going for ever. There were people from the back of the queue tryin to push
in. We were angry. There were a few instances where the police kicked them out,
but how can everybody be controlled. Is it not the people wearing maalai to bahave
well , atleast at the God's sannidhanam. This is very well the Kali Yuga.
At around 10:15 PM, we went in and broke the holy cocunut (padi thengai) and climbed
the 18 holy steps. What a feeling that was? The hunger, the stiffness of body and
the aches that I had during the wait, went away in that minute and afterwards. We
were unavoidably running to the darshan , In less than 15 minutes, I had 5 seconds
of the most powerful Lord Dharmasastha's Darshan. I knew it was the moment of my
life.How long have I been waiting for this. The last time I had the darshan was
probably 13 years ago? Then we went through the other sannidhi's and then to the
accomodation office to meet the officer, whom we had been talking to via a VIP.Out
of the God's grace , we got a room, then we had dinner and then a nap. The guruswamy
got up early at 2 AM after we slept at 1 AM. He bathed and brought out the ghee
from the Holy Irumudi for the morning Abhishekam. At 6 or 7 Am ( I don't quite realize)
I got up , we all got bathed , before which the ghee was given for the "Ney
Abhishekam" of the Lord.When we went to find the person who would give us VIP darshan
of Ney abhishekam, we had a cup of Bru Coffee. Then it was the Darshan. The 15 seconds
of sheer excitement and the purpose of life came infront of my eyes. The Lord Dharmasastha's
Ney Abhisheka Darshan told me it was only one more thing in my life, Makarajothi
and nothing else.I was happy from the inside.
Then it was time for us to buy the prasadams, diary for my dad and the Lord ayyapa
photo. Got them, got to our room. Made the prasadam with the remaining ghee and
cocunuts. Got out of the room. Broke the Padi thengai. and started againn, climbing
down the hill. We opted the same neeli malai path. We started aat around 12:15 PM
and reached Pamba at 2:15 PM. Had lunch and tea, then took a short walk to the Pamba
bus stand for our bus at 4:00 PM. The bus started at 4:30 PM and again the journey
to the pathetic normal life , that was to begin tommorow ,started. After the bus
stopped for the famous "Nendrangai Chips' at Kumili, it pulled over for dinner at
another place. After that I dont quite remember what happened till the next morning,
since it was a very sound sleep. We reached Chrompet at 9:00 AM and house at 9:30
AM.Broke a Padi Kaai to release the Boothaganam that were protecting my house in
my absence and came in.