Friday Double Post.- 1. Another Magical, Blessed Trip

The only thought in the minds of those returning from Tirupati after the darshan would be mostly about when they would be able to have the next darshan. That is what I also have on my mind whenever I too return from Tirupati. That is because one can never get enough of the divine feeling at Tirumala. I was there only in May this year with my family on a two day trip. We had gone up the steps from Sri Vari Mettu, and had darshan the next day, though it was very brief and also, from a distance. I had then wondered how long it would be before I got the call for the next visit. Last week, in what could be only called a minor miracle, I was in Tirupati again, but on office work which meant it was an all-expenses paid trip. I am not very lucky when it comes to money, success, or even talent and whatever luck’s come my way has been only in inconsequential things. However, there have been a few occasions when I’ve been overwhelmed by extreme good luck, like this posting in the Secretariat which came out of the blue two years ago. Just as abrupt was the opportunity to visit Tirupati that presented itself a fortnight ago. A Parliament Committee was visiting Tirupati and we were supposed to appear before the Committee. Since we were busy with cyclone related work it was decided we’d make a short one day trip to Tirupati- in one morning and out the next morning. On Saturday morning we (me and the boss) flew to Tirupati only to learn that the meeting in the afternoon was postponed to the next day. We had to change our plans since we had the entire day to ourselves. At around noon we started up on the climb to Tirumala by the same route I had taken in May. We got to the top by two in the afternoon and after lunch we joined a queue for dashan. We had decided not to get any privileged darshan which we were told we were entitled to as we were part of the Committee. However, we had someone from TTD to accompany us in the queue. This person cleared the route for us after we crossed the main entrance to the temple, taking us past many barriers with a few whispers in the ears of those manning those gates. I was amazed and overwhelmed since for the second time in my life I stood inside the sanctum, just a few feet away from the diety, completely undisturbed for more than a minute. We were not jostled or pushed away by the attendants there which is what happens to others. The attendants actually told us to have a good darshan. There was more to come. We went up by car. We stayed the night at Tirumala atop the hill in a top Government guest house where we were accorded VIP status for being part of the Committee. It meant that I got a large room all for myself. Then there was all that glorious looking food. I never tasted food like the stuff I had at the Guest house for breakfast, lunch and also dinner. It was simply too good to describe. The next day the meeting with the Parliament Committee went off without a hitch and incidentally, a picture I was in made it to the newspapers. We caught another plane to Hyderabad in the afternoon after lunch. After landing we had to drive straight from the airport for a meeting with the top man in the State himself. After I got home late in the evening I couldn’t believe that I had been to Tirupati only the day before. I had been to Tirupati by plane, climbed up the steps, had wonderful darshan, stayed in comfort, had great food and returned home with not just one or two but eight Tirupati laddoos which was the only item I had to spend on. If that is not good luck, I do not know what is.