Feats of the Goddess...

Lord Balaji’s consort Padmavathi is considered the chastest of all the Goddesses. She is so pure that you can actually see only her face, while other parts are fully decked with jewels and rich silk sari. In Srirangam , the abode of Ranganthar (Sleeping version of Mr.Balaji) , Mrs. Ranganathar happens to show here feet only once a year. (In Sanathana Dharma, the feet are considered the most sacred) Incidentally, I happened to be in Srirangam during this perennial event, last week.

We (my family, consisting of my father, mother, G-father and G-mother) reached the temple and noticed the notice which was kept in a noticeable place that this notable event was going to take place that day. We rushed to the place and realized that we were a bit too early. But stalwarts who have had many experiences in these matters had arrived almost an hour early to bear witness to this episode. I should mention the fact that all Vaishnavites display their belief by smearing a large ‘Namam’ on their forehead (which seemed to have grown extra large due to generations of practice) Today being a very important day, the ‘namam’ seemed to be superfluously outsized, that it spread all over their bald heads! We somehow managed to reach the front and awaited the darshan. It was then that I came to know that the Goddess was brought out by the devotees in a palanquin and for a change; the Goddess herself came out for the devotees to have a look at her sacred feet.

There was a loud reverberation made by a conch that announced the arrival of the palanquin. This sound was accompanied by the thud of infinite drums and the clangs of other infinite bells. It was truly hair rising! It was then; that a real turn of events took place...... it was truly a ‘turn’......

It is my habit to look at the faces of people when I am in a crowd. It helps me in creating caricatures. Succumbing to this habit, I was gazing thro’ the thronging crowds(while I was being sandwiched) when I noticed a very beautiful face. A girl. She looked like a Goddess. In the south-west direction.

Like the sunflowers that face the sun, all the heads were turned towards the palanquin, except mine. I stared (I repeat, stared and didn’t letch) nonchalantly at that girl. My brain stopped working. It was partly because I was being pushed around like a victim of tsunami in the waves of people. At this juncture, my dad turned his head..... Not towards that girl (!) but at me, to check if I was having a good darshan from my position. I obviously didn’t notice this and continued my good work. My dad followed my gaze and saw what I had been seeing. Now, it was my mom’s turn. She saw my dad and followed his gaze. My grand father and grand mother followed next. This started a domino.

It is man’s nature to replicate actions; after all we are just better versions of monkeys. This instinct worked against me. Since some 5 odd faces were turned in another direction, other devotees around us thought some other distinct and unique happening was taking place in that direction. They deliberated that they were missing that occurrence (which I assume, they thought was more important than the feet) and turned their cranium towards our gaze. But like the “Hamunaptra” in ‘The Mummy’ movie, only I could spot the significance from my wonton place, while others wondered what I was gawking at.

The circumference of the curious gaze intensified and at one stage almost everyone was having a look at south-west direction, while the feet of Goddess Padmavathi was forgotten!

Here, again a turn of incidents took place. The wheel of gaze kept rolling. Eventually, the girl in the south-west direction turned towards the south-west direction to see what the sea of people were wanting to see. I could now see only the back of her head now. I lost my view. I suddenly realized the purpose of me being sandwiched and swiveled my head towards the feet of the Goddess. I am a religious fellow and mentally asked for forgiveness from the Goddess for getting distracted. This simple act helped the in switching on the reverse gear and the wheel of gaze (after a slow 2 minutes) came back to its original position.

By this time the palanquin carrying the Goddess (and her feet) started moving. This initiated the sea of devotees to move behind the palanquin. The moving shuffled the crowd. In spite of the outrageous decibel levels, a small voice inside me urged me to have a second look in the south-west. I turned once again, but I had lost sight.

After this many insignificant things happened, which are not worth describing. As we bade good bye to the temple and to the feet, a small voice (not from inside me, but from outside) called out. I apprehended that we were entitled to get the ‘prasadam’ (i.e.: offerings to the Goddess and later distributed to devotees, AKA hot, tasty food!). I instantly turned and extended my hand and received it. I was gulping the food (like a starved cannibal), when a small voice (this time, from inside me) said that someone was gazing at me. I responded and saw that it was THE girl who was staring at me with great disgust (for my hand was half hidden inside my mouth and the prasadam was half oozing out from my mouth).