Second Day in Chennai
Visit to Shenoy Nagar and Mel Maruvattur
Actually my aunt from Cheepurpalli rang and invited us to her place as I was on leave. It was years that I visited their place. We were in a fix. My mother rang to another aunt in Tirupati and said that we may go there. My brother insisted to visit Nellore. My mom also wanted me to visit Maruvattur at any cost. I want to visit Shenoy Nagar temple and Annababa Mandir and I didn't liked the idea to leave Chennai without visiting them. What to do? Where to go? My brother insisted to go to Nellore. We don't know the correct address of any of the two temples.
Anyway we started by 9 am. We went to the Sai temple near Guindy by auto. ( I did not have any communication to/from my cell as I didn't charge it. I was so shy and what we call (mohamatam), I couldn't charge my cell in my NET friend's house though I took charger with me) The temple was closed. There an elderly man guided us. He asked us to visit Shenoy Nagar by dropping at Nunjambakkam. From Guindy, Nunjambakkam comes after 4 stops. Mambalam, ? , Kodambakkam, Nunjambakkam. We dropped at Nunjambakkam and went to Shenoy Nagar.
The Autowallahs charged much. But we bargained and went there for 40 rs. But to our dismay, the temple was also closed. And we came to know that Anna Baba Mandir is very far and they are not sure if it is open all the day. So we decided to visit Maruvattur (I thought that because of this reason baba punished me without giving darshan in Guindy and Shenoy Nagar). But I felt very very sorry for not being able to see the temple. The temple was locked. Though they allowed inside, we couldn't see anything. We just went round the temple. One generous lady who stays in the opposite house suggested us to visit Maruvattur and then return in the evening if we have enough time. She spoke in telugu.
I am not sure if we can make it to the temple in the evening. I was depressed and got angry on baba like 'See. I came from hyderabad. Ok. It is not me who came but it is you who brought me here. But then why didn't you allow me to have your darshan here. I am really really anxious to visit these 4 temples in Chennai. Why didn't you permit me?' Anyway we again took auto to Koyembedu station and boarded Maruvattur bus. This temple is also closed by the time we reached there. We reached there by 1:15 pm and the temple will be open after 3 pm. What to do? I cursed myself that why didn't I prefer to come to Maruvattur in the morning itself so that I can return and visit both the temples. My brother insisted to go to either Cheepurpalli or Nellore. I told him like I have to visit one of the temples anyhow. This way we quarreled.
The temple is very beautiful and so the goddess. The premises are also very clean. I bought two sarees there. I missed the main devotee (He is a man and devotees call him 'Amma'). We came to know that HE will come by car by 4 pm. I was neither interested nor indifferent. I was anxious to return to Chennai asap. We went to ring to my parents and aunt and by the time we returned he just left. It was only 3:35 pm. I felt very disappointed. We missed Him in the matter of 5 minutes or so. I thought 'Ok Baba. Ok. Your will. I am not so interested. It would be good, if I could see Him. Ok. May be some other time. Never mind:) Atleast bless me with your darshan in any one of the temples'. Heart in heart I wished to visit Shenoy Nagar only as we know the way for it.
I am somewhat disheartened and so I decided to return to hyderabad only instead of going to Cheepurpalli. Two reasons for it. Mood out (I am completely moody fellow and they fluctuate like anything. All of a sudden I will be depressed for no reason :( :) Also I invited an elderly person to my house and he agreed to visit. It would be bad if I am not present there in hyderabad. Also my leg became something beyond description. I am limping actually and I became an object to look at for everyone. So I thought of visiting doctor asap. So I asked my brother to take tickets to hyderabad only. If not, then take tickets for vizag or so (because we decided to leave chennai the very day). Luckily we got tickets (last seats). It was 6:15pm and the bus is at 8 pm. We rushed to Shenoy Nagar in Auto and you belive me or not, this mandir is wonderful. Do not miss it. The mandir is so simple and rich in serenity. There is Swami Kesavaiahji's samadhi too. I liked the priest. He just shouts 'Sai' when any new devotee comes and pray to the main photo in sanctum sanctorum. It was like calling HIM, informing HIM that someone came for you. His call is too good and I felt straight from the heart too, that I wished to listen to it again and again.
After sitting few minutes near Swami Kesavaiahji's Samadhi ( I read his life history long back and from then I wonder if I can ever visit this temple because Chennai was never in our list of places as we have no one there), I came to main mandir and sat before baba and began speaking to him. Though I missed Annababa Mandir, I am happy that I could atleast visit this temple and baba listened to my prayer. I began talking to HIM, 'Baba can you give me prasad, I am feeling hungry'. At that time there was no prasad. Priest gave me some flower (pedda malle damdalo chinna mukka) and sugar candy (patika bellam). Immediately a devotee couple came and brought two dozens of bananas and the priest asked them to distribute to the devotees sitting in the mandir. It was amrutapani banana and very big. One banana was enough for the time being. I felt very joy because that is itself like baba talking to me.
Earlier our conversations are such, I feel or ask something and he would respond immediately. Whether he grants every wish or not is not the question, but whether he talks or not is the one that matters to me the most. So I was happy. Then there were many poolamalas (garlands) on the feet. I thought 'Baba what would you do with such big poolamalas. why don't you give me one?'. But ofcourse he didn't :)) Anyway after having very good time in the temple, we left it. There is a small Vinayaka temple in the same premises. The priest of the temple spoke to us in the morning. He recognized me and he gave me the poolamala (ofcourse a small one as given by the main priest:)) and enquired if I visited Maruvattur. We started at 7:40 pm from the temple. Ofcourse bus was late. It started at 8:30 pm.
Actually my aunt from Cheepurpalli rang and invited us to her place as I was on leave. It was years that I visited their place. We were in a fix. My mother rang to another aunt in Tirupati and said that we may go there. My brother insisted to visit Nellore. My mom also wanted me to visit Maruvattur at any cost. I want to visit Shenoy Nagar temple and Annababa Mandir and I didn't liked the idea to leave Chennai without visiting them. What to do? Where to go? My brother insisted to go to Nellore. We don't know the correct address of any of the two temples.
Anyway we started by 9 am. We went to the Sai temple near Guindy by auto. ( I did not have any communication to/from my cell as I didn't charge it. I was so shy and what we call (mohamatam), I couldn't charge my cell in my NET friend's house though I took charger with me) The temple was closed. There an elderly man guided us. He asked us to visit Shenoy Nagar by dropping at Nunjambakkam. From Guindy, Nunjambakkam comes after 4 stops. Mambalam, ? , Kodambakkam, Nunjambakkam. We dropped at Nunjambakkam and went to Shenoy Nagar.
The Autowallahs charged much. But we bargained and went there for 40 rs. But to our dismay, the temple was also closed. And we came to know that Anna Baba Mandir is very far and they are not sure if it is open all the day. So we decided to visit Maruvattur (I thought that because of this reason baba punished me without giving darshan in Guindy and Shenoy Nagar). But I felt very very sorry for not being able to see the temple. The temple was locked. Though they allowed inside, we couldn't see anything. We just went round the temple. One generous lady who stays in the opposite house suggested us to visit Maruvattur and then return in the evening if we have enough time. She spoke in telugu.
I am not sure if we can make it to the temple in the evening. I was depressed and got angry on baba like 'See. I came from hyderabad. Ok. It is not me who came but it is you who brought me here. But then why didn't you allow me to have your darshan here. I am really really anxious to visit these 4 temples in Chennai. Why didn't you permit me?' Anyway we again took auto to Koyembedu station and boarded Maruvattur bus. This temple is also closed by the time we reached there. We reached there by 1:15 pm and the temple will be open after 3 pm. What to do? I cursed myself that why didn't I prefer to come to Maruvattur in the morning itself so that I can return and visit both the temples. My brother insisted to go to either Cheepurpalli or Nellore. I told him like I have to visit one of the temples anyhow. This way we quarreled.
The temple is very beautiful and so the goddess. The premises are also very clean. I bought two sarees there. I missed the main devotee (He is a man and devotees call him 'Amma'). We came to know that HE will come by car by 4 pm. I was neither interested nor indifferent. I was anxious to return to Chennai asap. We went to ring to my parents and aunt and by the time we returned he just left. It was only 3:35 pm. I felt very disappointed. We missed Him in the matter of 5 minutes or so. I thought 'Ok Baba. Ok. Your will. I am not so interested. It would be good, if I could see Him. Ok. May be some other time. Never mind:) Atleast bless me with your darshan in any one of the temples'. Heart in heart I wished to visit Shenoy Nagar only as we know the way for it.
I am somewhat disheartened and so I decided to return to hyderabad only instead of going to Cheepurpalli. Two reasons for it. Mood out (I am completely moody fellow and they fluctuate like anything. All of a sudden I will be depressed for no reason :( :) Also I invited an elderly person to my house and he agreed to visit. It would be bad if I am not present there in hyderabad. Also my leg became something beyond description. I am limping actually and I became an object to look at for everyone. So I thought of visiting doctor asap. So I asked my brother to take tickets to hyderabad only. If not, then take tickets for vizag or so (because we decided to leave chennai the very day). Luckily we got tickets (last seats). It was 6:15pm and the bus is at 8 pm. We rushed to Shenoy Nagar in Auto and you belive me or not, this mandir is wonderful. Do not miss it. The mandir is so simple and rich in serenity. There is Swami Kesavaiahji's samadhi too. I liked the priest. He just shouts 'Sai' when any new devotee comes and pray to the main photo in sanctum sanctorum. It was like calling HIM, informing HIM that someone came for you. His call is too good and I felt straight from the heart too, that I wished to listen to it again and again.
After sitting few minutes near Swami Kesavaiahji's Samadhi ( I read his life history long back and from then I wonder if I can ever visit this temple because Chennai was never in our list of places as we have no one there), I came to main mandir and sat before baba and began speaking to him. Though I missed Annababa Mandir, I am happy that I could atleast visit this temple and baba listened to my prayer. I began talking to HIM, 'Baba can you give me prasad, I am feeling hungry'. At that time there was no prasad. Priest gave me some flower (pedda malle damdalo chinna mukka) and sugar candy (patika bellam). Immediately a devotee couple came and brought two dozens of bananas and the priest asked them to distribute to the devotees sitting in the mandir. It was amrutapani banana and very big. One banana was enough for the time being. I felt very joy because that is itself like baba talking to me.
Earlier our conversations are such, I feel or ask something and he would respond immediately. Whether he grants every wish or not is not the question, but whether he talks or not is the one that matters to me the most. So I was happy. Then there were many poolamalas (garlands) on the feet. I thought 'Baba what would you do with such big poolamalas. why don't you give me one?'. But ofcourse he didn't :)) Anyway after having very good time in the temple, we left it. There is a small Vinayaka temple in the same premises. The priest of the temple spoke to us in the morning. He recognized me and he gave me the poolamala (ofcourse a small one as given by the main priest:)) and enquired if I visited Maruvattur. We started at 7:40 pm from the temple. Ofcourse bus was late. It started at 8:30 pm.
posted by saigeetika | 5:21 AM
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