TIRUPATHI TALE

Tirupathi Tale featuring our ever so wonderful co-ordinating gang Sasi, Shankar, Arun, CDW, Shiva, Karthi and I. Never planned shot up abruptly at me was the plan of going to Tirumala. Although there were rumours around, i didn't really think i would go along until CDW invited me to go along. We were up and ready for the trip to visit LORD Venkatesh. It was around 8PM 14th when this happened. We all had to rush back home, take baths and return to take off together. Its never LATER, for Sasi N his colleagues to finish a job they are hired to do. We sat down and did the usual chats and browses we always do while we waited for them to finish up. It was 12:00 AM on the 15th January. Some of us reading might know why it means special for me to go visit The Lord on this particular day. We left Babu saheb palya bidding good byes. The six of us later to be joined by Karti left to Tin Factory, where we were supposed to board a bus. Karti joined us at tin factory but there were no signs of any bus. We tried out all the magic tricks and manoeuvres in the box but all in vain. Not a thing happened. Ramaswamy and Sasi had a challenge going on meanwhile, apparently sasi wanted to tear off Ramaswamy's new pair of footwear and Ramaswamy dared him to do so. Shankar however stood there silently and watched also thinking of Plan B. Sasi suggested we go to Majestic and a board a bus there. It was not something everybody took to. Eventually we had to give up and bow to Sasi's idea. We took a cab to majestic.

Majestic was not a same as it would be during the day, people snooping around. Some trying there best shot to find company etc etc which i'm not sure if i should bore you with. Unfortunately for us, we heard one of the security guards say to us that none of the buses left to Tirupathi until after 4 in the morning. Grrr !!! I tried calling a friend of mine in search of means to get to Tirupathi, so did the lot but none worked out to our disappoinment. Not to mention hunger, always one of our weaknesses. Had tea and waited for over an hour while Sasi and cdw found a bus waiting on the side from us and we ran to get ourselves some decent places to sit. CDW and i started discussing the existence of God and his forms. Soon the bus took off. At the devastating degrees of 14 and 15, we were and i shall emphasize this NOT COZY. Atleast the rest weren't. I was jammed taking the middle seat beside CDW and Shankar. Arun Ramaswamy had a really tortured time seating himself beside the driver. To my amazement these people still dozed away to glory. Anyway apart this, had a beautiful journey.. greens and waters around with misty tops, roadway not visible, drunk passengers, uncomfortable seats, somethings we don't normally enjoy. I know reading this would anger a few.

At precisely 9:01 we reached Tirupathi, here we go..

4k steps approx and we couldn't wait to get started. Least I couldn't 200 steps up and we started looking at each other. We realised it was gonna be an uphill task. well !! LITERALLY to say. (Loads of laughter) It was indeed the toughest i have ever worked in the my life physically except those times at the gym, i don't think i should even compare. We took pit stops every few steps. Sometimes stopped for drinks, fruits, idlis, dosas.. everything that looked edible had to be consumed.

We stood in line to pick up our tokens. Left to fight some more steps. Yes, fight! We were dripping all over. Everything we consumed lasted only a few hundred steps. Thanks to those who sold fruits and water around there. If not for them, i'm sure we would find a lot of dead bodies around. Its not easy, not one bit.

We climbed, dragged, walked roads and finally got to Tirumala.

TIRUMALA..

This is a place where the actual temple is located, supposedly clean, spiritual and holy in the words of CDW. All i could see was havoc everywhere, not clean but sure holy **** !!! We had to buy a locker to drop in our luggage.. CDW and Arun left to get their heads shaved. Shiva and Shankar stood in line to buy a locker. I went up with Sasi and Karthi to wait for 'em. Shiva texted from the queue- " U and karthi come down and take our places after bath" . I'm gonna be honest here, WE DOZED OFF !! this is the very reason for us to catch up late with u guys. To go on, we all left for our showers.. CDW was wrong again, some of the bathrooms were plain dirty, slow water flow, no mugs.. its bad enough that we got to stand in the dirt to clean ourselves and the dripping water makes it even worse. Hanging on to the situation! we had to.

All in 2, i mean the luggage and foot wear went into 2 different lockers and we started towards the Temple. Hungry that we always are, stopped for lunch. To our amazement we found Chinese cuisines in Tirumala. What kinda people eat Chinese food before darshan??? Its not insane but certainly ain't sane either.

The Final 2 Hrs before Darshan..

After lunch we walked through to the Temple. Led by Shankar and Arun who knew all the shortcuts. Before we knew it, there was huge crowd ahead of us waiting for the darshan. Like always, since we walked upstairs to the mountain top... Should i call it stairs? its outside but inside a forest. U decide !! we got to take the sane lane where we didn't have to wait for hours. Gut wrenching pain in the feet and people decide to continuously step on them for my fortune. It was a long queue, had to squat wherever possible to keep ourselves from fading out. Finally, the moment of glory, passion, spirituality, holy forgiveness in the Lord showed himself before us. I'd like to say so.. We do laze ourselves in every which way possible, for all i know there are a very few things that need physicality to work with these days. To work ourselves up those stairs, take filthy baths, shave heads, stand in line for hrs and then, The sigh of relief... Presence of the Lord.. So undescribable.. Amidst the land covered with greens and wildlife.. Stands tall an Idol worshipped by millions over the world. The illuminating light, the state of holy-ness it takes you to, its brilliant!! Paying 800 bucks to stand in line after driving up the hill is far less satisfying in comparison with that of walking up stairs.. 4000 of em for the sight is such a good feeling. Feels like an achievement.

With satisfaction painted on our faces, we got out of the temple and bought LADDUS. For those reading, we are sorry not to have shared the prasadham.. thumba thumba shortage happened off. Moving on, we left back to our lockers broken and decimated. Rested on our bottoms for sometime and left to Thiruma bus stand. Booked tickets to Bangalore from Tirupathi and started towards Tirupathi. Off at 11:45PM from Tirupthi in a Super luxury and 6hrs of journey went boom.. Woke up and got down, Tin Factory.. We were back. Some real fun it was but sure nobody wanted to give it another go right away. well of course not !!

To sum up, an EXCELLENT SUPER FANTASTIC MIND BLASTING B'day it was !!

ALL THANKS TO- Sasi Kumar, Shiva Shankar, Arun Ramaswamy, Arun Kumar Kannan referred to as CDW, Shivanand Sadashivan and Karthi..

ASTHALA VEESTHA !!