Visiting Goddess Meenakshi Amman Temple In Madurai In Tamil Nadu State In South India

Visiting Goddess Meenakshi Amman Temple In Madurai In Tamil Nadu State In South India

When I was in Chennai I had the opportunity to visit Chennai Central Railway Station and the train that had pulled in not much earlier to depart was none other Chennai Central Lokmanya Terminus (Mumbai) Super Fast Express. The thought that crossed my mind was where were the tracks for trains to run at full throttle and much crumbling railway structure was a cause of concern. Having returned back to Tourist Homes I was yet to free myself from sentiments swirling around Indian Railways hitting one running imponderable after another with passage of time. Coming to my entry to Madurai The City I desired to stay next to the temple and not College House the option which I had exercised on previous occasions. The lodge in West Chitrai Street seem to be the perfect setting for me to sail and I could think of proceeding to other destinations with ease. No sooner I waded into West Tower Street right next to a police van an old gentleman spitted before me and I could visualise personnel from Home Ministry New Delhi had infiltrated this Madurai Space As Well. Checking the centres from where milk and black tea could be availed there was not much success and as directed by lodge personnel I visited North India Bhojanalaya (Food Centre) to take North Indian Meals. To my horror I bumped into a restaurant fellow who expressed his desire to serve and there were nasty tales to follow. Every time he used to bring roti (bread) prior to that he would clear his throat and spit as I was sitting in the vicinity of Kitchen Area. I could sense this meal could give me goose bumps and that was the script to unfold few hours later. 

Overcoming Stomach Tangle With No Clarity On Visiting Goddess Meenakshi Amman Temple

When I finished the meal and returned to my room just under three hours early Friday morning I had a long session of stomach upset followed by pain all over the body. Prior to taking black tea from Sri Meenakshi Coffee Bar just before noon had set in I had curd rice to get stomach in order. In Sri Meenakshi Coffee Bar there is a huge rush as always and it is no less than a challenge to get your turn to get the requisite tea. That tea did wonders and my pain had largely subsided. I even collected apples from a store that is almost 3 kms from West Tower Street and they too looked probable to bring me close to a desired outcome. As evening set in I was still in a state of uncertainty whether I would be able to visit Meenakshi Amman Temple and that too the next day. Stomach sending mixed signals it seemed I may or may not get out of this impasse. 

Gaining Glimpse Of Goddess Meenakshi

Saturday I left the bed and once having taken shower set out for my pilgrimage to Meenakshi Amman Temple. I had joined the queue by 6.15 AM and from 6.30 onwards the queue did not move. Till 7.30 I was at the same point where I was one hour earlier and I jumped the railing to get the special entrance ticket. For this as well the queue in inner courtyard seem to be long and by the time I entered sanctum sanctorum it would have been well past 9. Sighting Goddess Meenakshi draped in green was blessing indeed and I thanked Goddess Meenakshi for letting me have more than a fleeting glimpse. 

Reaching Lord Shiva Idol 

Reaching Lord Shiva idol one need not circumvent as directions are clear and precise. Moments later I bowed before Lord Shiva lingam and desired to gain one more time glimpse of Goddess Meenakshi. The security personnel well briefed in Hindi did not let me in and after purchase of Special Entrance Ticket approached Superintendent of Temple who made noting in Tamil. By the time I reached sanctum sanctorum it was already 10.30 and doors were shut. By 10.45 I had another opportunity to gain glimpse of Goddess Meenakshi and it was wonderful. It was no less than outstanding achievement and may Goddess Meenakshi bless all in the world. With diary content done and dusted on three different occasions in the temple it was a fabulous moment for me. 

Sale Of Sweets Inside Temple Should Be Stopped To Maintain Sanctity Of Temple

Coming to the temple proceedings on earlier occasions after visiting Lord Shiva sanctum sanctorum one could still return to Goddess Meenakshi Idol and by standing on the iron railing get the glimpse. All of that had been stopped for now. The rush inside the temple is huge and so is the rush of vendors to sell eatables and sweets. This sale of sweets should be stopped as I have noticed that while standing in the queue with the hands with which devotees have these sweets with the same hands they touch idols. To maintain sanctity of temple this sale should be stopped keeping in mind there are large number of idols of Lord Ganesh and others that one can bow before and touch as well. The temple is gargantuan with one noticeable Idol of Lord Ganesh which is giant. The temple is there from time immemorial and though mammoth may be the gathering the devotees have wishes which are by no means monumental as seen through the eyes of Goddess Meenakshi and these wishes are spelt with an eye on the world. By the time I came out of Temple it was almost 11 and this visit would be recalled for giving me three occasions to see Goddess Meenakshi and her excellence in giving each soul the opportunity to gain a glance howsoever brief it may be. Broad has been the opening to the temple and temple hosts devotees running into thousands each day round the year. If one were to take a round of outer courtyard it would roughly take 15 to 18 minutes translating to 2 kms in all. I would remain ever grateful to Goddess Meenakshi and may she shower blessings on occasions that bring good or mixed tidings. 

Visiting Madurai Airport

Once back to the lodge I changed clothes and returned to Sri Meenakshi Hotel Pure Veg and took curd rice. This was followed by a visit to a travel agent office where a woman expressed her inability to dispense flight ticket. Flight ticket for the very fact that plans to visit Rameswaram and Kanniyakumari had been dropped and it was a better bet to head to New Delhi The Capital Of India and wait for the opportune moment to visit these two pilgrimage centres. Felicitations in good quantum would have poured in had I visited Rameswaram And Kanniyakumari but for now it was appropriate to head to North India and not South or West India much chased by rains. Connectivity to these two places from Madurai was not remarkable as trains departed in the middle of night and there was no convoy which ran during day time except for one which ran on Thursday. There were slew of travel agent stores across Madurai Railway Station but there were none to man them. I set out for Madurai Airport in an auto with Mr Zaheer Husain/Khan at the helm and reached the destination under 30 minutes. The airport looked to be less cluttered unlike airports in North and West India and passage to booking centre swift and easy. 

YEDU KONDALWADA VENKATRAMNA GOVINDA GOVINDA