Velliangiri Yatra - His Call...! - Part 1

Namaskarams...!

 

It is always tough to understand His Intent, His Call, His Design and His Plans...! It all looked like a routine call from Him for doing the Velliangiri Yatra and have His Darshan...! It turned out to be beyond this and His Plans were revealed (or I thought so...!) only after the Yatra...!

 

When the Senior Narayanan of our Girivalam Troupe (we have two Narayanans here...!) called me sometime in early April (if my recollection is right...!), I only wanted to have a good peaceful Darshan of Velliangireeswarar and nothing more and nothing less...! His Plans were 'slightly' different though...!

 

Our Girivalam Troupe is an excellent set of people who are very agile and brisk. They needed only two days for the entire Yatra. I was sceptic and Senior Narayanan was supporting me. The plan was made for three days, starting the Yatra on Thursday evening and plan to return on Saturday evening (18th Apr to 20th Apr). We wanted to complete The Yatra before Chitra Pournami, since the crowd that would be there will be humungous...!

 

This is the third time Call from Him for the Yatra. First time, He took me till third mountain start and second time He gave me Darshan on the Seventh Mountain. I was not sure what He was planning, but thought He will do the Best for me. On the day of Yatra, I decided not to wear my slippers, my specs, not take my wallet, since our thoughts could be scattered in them. 

 

I had several Visions of Velliangiri Yatra before I started, something new, which I've never experienced earlier. He made me do Atma Velliangiri Yatra, where I had fancy visions of flight over the Temple and to His Abode on Seventh Mountain. I had goosebumps whenever I had this Vision in my mind. I was telling my wife about this, who also was taken aback with my experiences.

 

Very Honestly, not much of preparations were done for the Yatra, I was a child accompanied by the Parent, who was handholding me. My thoughts were too worldly, like no slippers, no specs etc, nothing about walking, climbing etc. I was ofcourse, waiting to have Chill Dip at Andi Sunai, which was a very refreshing experience during last visit. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

On reaching the Coimbatore, we straight went to Isha to get energy from the Surya Kund. That was a very exhilarating experience, where three Rasalingas immersed in water, gives us phenomenal energy. Then we were off to Velliangireeswarar Temple to have a Darshan of 'Manonmaniammal sametha Velliangireeswarar'. Manomani Ammal is a very rare Deity says Ravi Anna, our Group's Mentor, who improves the clarity of our thoughts.

 

It was around 4 PM when we rested in the Mandapam adjacent to the temple to get ready for the Yatra. We put our bags into cloak room and were about set the sail off. Then came a though in me. I had a boil in my thigh and was mid way through my anti-biotics. I had told my wife that no anti-biotics is required while on the Mountain. She put the remaining tablets in my bag on abundant precaution and at this time, I thought it was a good idea to have the same 'to ensure a smooth Yatra'. I was absolutely wrong...!

 

The anti-biotic weakened my system, which I did not realize till I was half way in the Yatra...! And, this was His Plan, possibly...! I was forced to take a one week leave on the return from Yatra, due to my mistakes, which was sensed only in hind-sight and not when I was doing the mistake...! Blunder...!

 

(My experiences to be continued...!)

 

Pranams

Ram