A Temple & its serenity (not lost yet!)

I admit that I am not an avid or regular temple-goer. And even if I go, I will never go by walking. Usually I take my car, if I can reach there by it. I do the ritual, and then get home as soon as I can. I never care to spent time, in temple premises.

But there is a very old small Lord Shiva temple some, 2.5 km from my house. I went there first when I was 5 yrs old. My father's youngest sister took me there (she was 25 yrs then). That was when I came to my dad's house for summer vacation. The thing is that, this temple is almost 2-3 km inside from the main road. Actually there isnt any proper-tarred road. Its reachable only by walking thru higher and lower areas of lonely wilderness. As it is too much inside from the main road, we wouldnt even hear a single sound of an automobile there. Both sides of the primitive road to the temple, are still covered with so much wild trees and flowers that, we feel that we are almost walking thru a forest, till we reach the temple.

I decided to start walking to that temple back and forth everyday, to give some exercise to my otherwise dull body.(OK, the truth was, I wanted to reduce some weight!). But after the first time, I really got glued to the ritual. It was so hard to reach the temple. By the time, u reach there, you will be really out of breath! (After going thru all the ups and downs of the muddy route!)

At 6:30pm the "Deepaaradhana" or "Aart" starts. I start from home at 6:10pm and when I reach there it will be 6:35pm, and I will be out of breath. The route is so secluded and dark that my parents were very worried about me traveling alone, when I did it for the first time. The original reason is mainly cos, the local people here, dont know me, as I dont go outside thru this local routes, and that too by walking. (OK, its true that they stare at me, may be cos of my short hair and unfamiliar face LOL!)

Everyday I try new small local routes to reach from temple to main road. (OK, my mom has strictly prevented me from doing it, cos I dont know any local routes here!) Today when I walked panting, the only sound I could hear was the sound of cuckoo and some other wild birds. Couldnt even hear the "kaaw" of our crows--only cuckoo sounds were there. I stopped there looking up at the trees, to find cuckoos. But couldnt, find anyone. It was very dark, after 7pm.

Almost all temples are associated with a temple-pond or "ambalakkulam". And most of them will be filled with water lilies. Here also there is one, near the big Peepal tree (which is also another common, thing in a temple). We are supposed to wash our feet in pond, before entering temple. But now the temple-pond is so dirty that nobody bothers to do it. The water is very dark green and when I sat in the stone-steps, I cud see small fishes touching my feet. In big temples, we will never get to feel so much silence and serenity. But as this temple is very much inside and is not known to public other than local people, there are still natures blessings in it.

As soon as the "aarti"("deeparadhana") is over the people (max there will be only 6-7) leave the temple and it becomes so secluded and lonely again.

I have really fallen in love with that place. Mainly cos, it hadnt had much changes since my first visit, when I was 5 yr old. But yea, 1 or 2 concrete houses are coming up...still the only sound I could hear while traveling through those narrow muddy road are those of cuckoo songs!

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