Last week has been one of hectic travelling for me. After coming back from Guruvayur on Sunday, we went to take darshan at a temple called Thiru maandhaan kunnu - in Malappuuram district of Kerala. My wife had performed a mangalya puja there before marriage - to get married ! Anyone who does this puja is suupposed to visit the temple with their husbands. So, we finally made it after 5 years and 2 kids !! How is that for delaying your vows ! Anyway, this temple has Siva-parvati deities, Bhadra-kali and Ganesha. Ironically enough, the mangalya puja is performed in front of Ganesha who is famous as a bachelor !Its a big temple and very crowded. Obivously its crowded with lots and lots of unmarried girls. It was a 4 hour drive from my place and we returned late in the afternoon after a tiring but rewarding trip. Both Gauranga and Madhava were down after the long journey. The great devotee of Lord Guruvayurappan named Poonthaanam Nampoothiri also lived near this temple and there is small temple nearby where he has established a Guruvayurappan deity. Unfortunately, we got there late and the temple was closed. I plan to make it up the next time I visit there.
In my town, we have a big Mahadeva temple and it was utsavam there for 10 days. Lord Mahadeva is very merciful and attracts lots of people. Krishna deity is there in the same temple compound but in a smaller outer temple. I visit there everyday because its just 5 minutes away from my house. On Friday,there was "pooram"there. Pooram is a festival where the Lord sits atop an elephant and is accompanied by other elephants. Then, there will be vaadhyam in front of the Lord for His pleasure. This year there was a total of 11 elephants with the Lord being carried by one of the biggest elephants in Kerala. I was told that the elephant is rented for 200,000 rupees per day !!! This does not include his food and transport charges !!! Anyways, it was wonderful to see a team of more than 80 performers with "panchari melam" performing in front of the utsava murthy. The function started at 3.30 in the afternoon and was going on till about 7 in the evening.
I took all the family and went to see the celebration. Gauranga and Madhava thoroughly enjoyed it and Madhava was troubling me so much that he wanted to touch the elephant and sit on top !!!
I left by 5.30 because I had to take a bus to Guruvayur. I arrived at Guruvayur by 10 in the night and went for darshan at around 2.30 a.m. I got darshan by 5 a.m. due to heavy rush. This is Sabarimala season in Kerala now and every temple is crowded. Guruvayurappan already attracts millions, but during this month he attracts more people. Many people come to see Him on their way to see Ayyappa at Sabarimala. Anyway, the darshan, though short, was very sweet. The Lord had His usual sweet smile. There wasnt much time to submit too many prayers in front of Him, so II just prayed, "please do what is in my ultimate bbenefit". I guess that covers everything.
The bus to Coimbatore leaves at 7 in the morning and I am ready by 6.30. On to Coimbatore.....where Lord Jagannatha is preparing to shower His mercy on thousands of Coimbatorians !!!!
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