We cannot survive without water. A large number of people cannot avoid going to a temple. Their spiritual yearning for Him need physical fulfilment, for which they are ready to suffer stoically, ignoring hunger and fatigue!
At Tirupathy, there is a very long que of common people, men, women and children, patiently remaining in line for a glimpse of the deity, perhaps for more than twenty four hours!
Nowadays, there is arrangement for obtaining computerised tickets for Sudarshan(a glimpse of the deity) costing rupees fifty and two hundred, indicating the time of darshan. It is a good idea, but in practice, works to the disadvantage of poor people, as I learned to my despair!
I joined the long que at Sreenivasam Complex at four thirty in the morning for fifty rupees ticket and remained there for five long, boring hours without any comfort like tea or eatables! At nine thirty, when our turn came, the counter suddenly closed for the day, causing extreme anguish to a thousand people still in the line.
This is the daily experience, not only at Sreenivasam Complex but also at a number of other centres where booking facility has been provided.
The authorities should do something about it.
In addition, there are poor people, waiting for twenty four hours in line.Of course, they get food and water, can comfortably sit and watch T.V. of the Lord.
This is astounding. The total number of such pilgrims is never known. Each pilgrim can remain before the idol only for a second.And they are happy just for this.
At Sabarimala, the men and boys have to travel for miles continuously, through thick forest, frequently confronted by wild elephants and, often in the past, attacked by tigers!
Guruvayoor, near Trichur and Vaishnodevi near Jammu are other instances of long wait and momentary Darshan. Every year, the number of pilgrims is increasing by leaps and bounds, encouraged by media publicity and active involvement of transport and hotel industries who make millions of rupees every day!
In 1963, when I went to Guruvayoor, practically there was no que.A few years ago, we could pray for a minute comfortably in front of the deity at Tirupathy, not now! If the trend continues, we can only imagine the shape of things to come because saturation point has already been reached.
Many are not satisfied with images of God. They need a speaking god who will hear them and bless them! Satyasai Baba and Ma Amrithanandamai are very popular instances .There are thousands of less known Gurus who shamelessly exploit human failings.
There has to be a conscious effort to stem the tide of physical spirituality!
Real, mental spirituality involves meditation in quietude, away from the madding crowd!
At Tirupathy, there is a very long que of common people, men, women and children, patiently remaining in line for a glimpse of the deity, perhaps for more than twenty four hours!
Nowadays, there is arrangement for obtaining computerised tickets for Sudarshan(a glimpse of the deity) costing rupees fifty and two hundred, indicating the time of darshan. It is a good idea, but in practice, works to the disadvantage of poor people, as I learned to my despair!
I joined the long que at Sreenivasam Complex at four thirty in the morning for fifty rupees ticket and remained there for five long, boring hours without any comfort like tea or eatables! At nine thirty, when our turn came, the counter suddenly closed for the day, causing extreme anguish to a thousand people still in the line.
This is the daily experience, not only at Sreenivasam Complex but also at a number of other centres where booking facility has been provided.
The authorities should do something about it.
In addition, there are poor people, waiting for twenty four hours in line.Of course, they get food and water, can comfortably sit and watch T.V. of the Lord.
This is astounding. The total number of such pilgrims is never known. Each pilgrim can remain before the idol only for a second.And they are happy just for this.
At Sabarimala, the men and boys have to travel for miles continuously, through thick forest, frequently confronted by wild elephants and, often in the past, attacked by tigers!
Guruvayoor, near Trichur and Vaishnodevi near Jammu are other instances of long wait and momentary Darshan. Every year, the number of pilgrims is increasing by leaps and bounds, encouraged by media publicity and active involvement of transport and hotel industries who make millions of rupees every day!
In 1963, when I went to Guruvayoor, practically there was no que.A few years ago, we could pray for a minute comfortably in front of the deity at Tirupathy, not now! If the trend continues, we can only imagine the shape of things to come because saturation point has already been reached.
Many are not satisfied with images of God. They need a speaking god who will hear them and bless them! Satyasai Baba and Ma Amrithanandamai are very popular instances .There are thousands of less known Gurus who shamelessly exploit human failings.
There has to be a conscious effort to stem the tide of physical spirituality!
Real, mental spirituality involves meditation in quietude, away from the madding crowd!
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