Was walking on the longish red tiled terrace of the lodge where we were put up at srirangam in the morning.
A delicious wind .cool and fresh stroked me gently trying to cool the heat of the dusty and crowded train travel,the smoulderings in my mind caused by non stop harassment's,hostile glares and uncalled for arguments even in the sacred percinints of temples by conniving priests and their conduct that was in direct offence and con tray and insulting to long established normal Hindu practises[of course deliberately stoked by politicos and co to provoke me] and crammed with news specially regarding the Telengana bill as well as the long history of this very ancient temple town and the linkages with my own personal history.
A mango tree ,whose top reached this terrace was in full bloom .Th
e green leaves were over laid with bunches upon bunches of red tendrils ,that bore tiny creamy yellow flowers which spread the tangy aroma of unripe mangoes ,all around.The sun had risen and birds , the usual variety viz parrots, eagles, pigeons, myna's,swallows,cranes and others were flying around ,hopping from one tree to another and some rested on the towering gopuram of sri ranganathars temple.that has its niche Narayana's calm and reclining posture.
The aazhwars/saint whose hymn that immediately came to my mind was that of Thondaradi podi aazhwar [9 cent ad]who has written heavenly verses in Tamil to awaken Sri ranga from is sleep.
His very first verse was quite apt to my surroundings,that of the sun rising and nectar dripping from mango flowers with birds having woken up and of kings having reached the temple gates waiting for it to open and male and female elephants trumpeting whilst drums are beaten so that ranga should wake up.
Only that assembly of kings has been substituted by array of posters and busts of political leaders,Amma glared and gleamed with a victorious smile from a poster at the flag of hand fluttering on a pole across the street whilst periyar's bust installed by dravidian party is immersed in deep studies showing half his form to ranganathar within whilst Gandhi's bust installed by his followers from Cong is showing his entire back in total disrespect to the ancient and sacred deity within !Rama!Whilst the former leader is known only locally the latter is known nationally and internationally.whilst the former was notorious for burning ramayana his followers who have installed that bust have however shown some restraint whilst the latter who was proud of his faith and had often chanted Rama nama ,his followers who have installed his bust have shown little restraint or respect.
The blaring of horns of buses, vehicle and two wheelers ridden by women substituted the trumpeting of elephants ,in the busy road below and the beat of drums from a nearby bereaved home came up loud and clear.
A delicious wind .cool and fresh stroked me gently trying to cool the heat of the dusty and crowded train travel,the smoulderings in my mind caused by non stop harassment's,hostile glares and uncalled for arguments even in the sacred percinints of temples by conniving priests and their conduct that was in direct offence and con tray and insulting to long established normal Hindu practises[of course deliberately stoked by politicos and co to provoke me] and crammed with news specially regarding the Telengana bill as well as the long history of this very ancient temple town and the linkages with my own personal history.
A mango tree ,whose top reached this terrace was in full bloom .Th
The aazhwars/saint whose hymn that immediately came to my mind was that of Thondaradi podi aazhwar [9 cent ad]who has written heavenly verses in Tamil to awaken Sri ranga from is sleep.
His very first verse was quite apt to my surroundings,that of the sun rising and nectar dripping from mango flowers with birds having woken up and of kings having reached the temple gates waiting for it to open and male and female elephants trumpeting whilst drums are beaten so that ranga should wake up.
Only that assembly of kings has been substituted by array of posters and busts of political leaders,Amma glared and gleamed with a victorious smile from a poster at the flag of hand fluttering on a pole across the street whilst periyar's bust installed by dravidian party is immersed in deep studies showing half his form to ranganathar within whilst Gandhi's bust installed by his followers from Cong is showing his entire back in total disrespect to the ancient and sacred deity within !Rama!Whilst the former leader is known only locally the latter is known nationally and internationally.whilst the former was notorious for burning ramayana his followers who have installed that bust have however shown some restraint whilst the latter who was proud of his faith and had often chanted Rama nama ,his followers who have installed his bust have shown little restraint or respect.
The blaring of horns of buses, vehicle and two wheelers ridden by women substituted the trumpeting of elephants ,in the busy road below and the beat of drums from a nearby bereaved home came up loud and clear.
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