Golden Chariot...Ascetic God.....

Some journeys...
Like marriages...
Are truly made in heaven!!!

I had a vow to fulfil...
To the Andavar at Palani...
The ascetic God...
Who stands...
Clad in a loin cloth..
Staff in hand...
And so is called....
Thandayuthapani...

Train journeys fill me with foreboding...
Images of mangled corpses...
Twisted...
Charred remains..
Haunt my dreams...

Why don't we go by car???
I ask...
My suggestion is quickly shot down...

But the journey is pleasant!!!!
Comfortable..
We are met at Dindugal...
In the early hours of the morning...
Conveyed to our Hotel in Palani..

A few hours later...
We begin to walk uphill..
By the path that the elephants took...in the old days...
An hour later...
We arrive at the top of the hill!!
Buy the ticket for the Golden Chariot ritual..
Then a quick darshan..

A horde of pilgrims...
Clad in ochre robes..
Beads around their neck...
Shout..
Arohara...
And dance...
Their spirits at a high!!!!
The most enthusiastic..
Leads in front...
Swirling like a dervish ....
All of them...
Transported...
To a different energy level...

We express our devotion
In so many ...different ways...
To reach...the same destination!!!!

Later..
As I sit on the steps...
Outside the sanctum...
Waiting to be allowed in to the ucchi kala pooja...
I close my eyes...
Suddenly...
I hear more boisterous shouts...
Of the same...
Arohara.....

The noise swirls around...
And around the shrine...
Where..
He stands..
The Still Center..of our being....
Watching...
Listening to this cacophony...
That symbolizes the tumult of life and living....
Taking in..our Worship of Him....
Approving...

I enjoy the rituals of the abhishekam...
Feel cleansed...born again...
My faith replenished...
And then we trudge out...

In the evening...
We wait at our post for the ritual of the Golden Chariot to begin...
It begins to drizzle...
We worry..
Will it be canceled after all???
But it isn't...

The Golden Chariot...
Pulled by devotees...
Appears on the horizon...
Quite suddenly...
Resplendent!!!!!....
Glorious!!!!!....

And there He is..
The Ascetic God....
The little utschavar...
Now shimmers in His Garb of Diamonds...
He strikes a pose..
Staff in hand...
He seems to smile....
He looks....
So stylish!!!

We move in to take our turn at pulling the Chariot...
Take the silver yoke...
And push it..
To more shouts of Arohara...
From the waiting crowds!!!!

Even my normally prosaic spouse..
Turns poetic..
The drizzle seemed like someone was drenching the earth...
Before making a kolam...he says
As he keeps going back..
To see Him...
Again and again!!!

We move away..after our turn...
And after another brief look at the Moolavar
We return for the final benediction...
And then leave...
For the journey to the town...

I need this...
To touch base with my Maker...
It rejuvenates me...
Fills me with fresh...
Hope..
And enthusiasm!!!

We return...
To our every day lives
Refreshed!!!