The recent tragedy at Sabarimala where in a large number of devotees were killed and injured brings to my memory of the pilgrimage I undertook in 1966 when I was a student in an engineering College.
My father was an ardent devotee of Lord Ayyappa and on his return from KL, Malaysia , he undertook his first trip when we were in Trichy . In my School days at Trichy, there was an Ayyappa Bakta Sangam, a registered Soceity established in 1953. The membership fee was four annas per month. This Society was primarily responsible for the spread of Ayyappa Cult in Trichy and its surrounding areas.My father became a member and took his first trip under Kalyanarama Iyer who was the Secretary of the Sangam as his Guru. From then on it became his annual routine and himself became a "Guru" for initiating others when we shifted to our native place in Palamarneri in Tanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. Though he undertook the trip for a number of years, he needed company and assistance to cope up with his age. So he asked me whether I was keen to accompany him. I was a student of Engineering and had to observe the dress regulation of the College for the labs and for other regular classes, I was a member of the College Tennis Team and had to play the tournaments and go for selection trials for the University team. I told my father about these aspects. He made me understand that what was more important was the observance of discipline, prayer and frugal habits. All other aspects are only for training the body to undertake the arduous trek and training the mind for grit and determination by observing the prescribed rules . So he said "there is no embargo to wear your uniform for your labs and classes and also in taking part in sports appropriately attired." On all other times he asked me to harden the soles of my feet by barefoot walking, waking up early morning and going to a temple in the campus and avoiding heavy meals at night. When I was debating these points with a class mate of mine, Raghuraman, he also got motivated and obtained permission from his parents to join me in undertaking the yatra.
So on the first day of the month of Kartik in 1966, me and Raghuram were ordained for the trip by my father at our Village Ayyappa Temple along with about 50 others .
.
My father was an ardent devotee of Lord Ayyappa and on his return from KL, Malaysia , he undertook his first trip when we were in Trichy . In my School days at Trichy, there was an Ayyappa Bakta Sangam, a registered Soceity established in 1953. The membership fee was four annas per month. This Society was primarily responsible for the spread of Ayyappa Cult in Trichy and its surrounding areas.My father became a member and took his first trip under Kalyanarama Iyer who was the Secretary of the Sangam as his Guru. From then on it became his annual routine and himself became a "Guru" for initiating others when we shifted to our native place in Palamarneri in Tanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. Though he undertook the trip for a number of years, he needed company and assistance to cope up with his age. So he asked me whether I was keen to accompany him. I was a student of Engineering and had to observe the dress regulation of the College for the labs and for other regular classes, I was a member of the College Tennis Team and had to play the tournaments and go for selection trials for the University team. I told my father about these aspects. He made me understand that what was more important was the observance of discipline, prayer and frugal habits. All other aspects are only for training the body to undertake the arduous trek and training the mind for grit and determination by observing the prescribed rules . So he said "there is no embargo to wear your uniform for your labs and classes and also in taking part in sports appropriately attired." On all other times he asked me to harden the soles of my feet by barefoot walking, waking up early morning and going to a temple in the campus and avoiding heavy meals at night. When I was debating these points with a class mate of mine, Raghuraman, he also got motivated and obtained permission from his parents to join me in undertaking the yatra.
So on the first day of the month of Kartik in 1966, me and Raghuram were ordained for the trip by my father at our Village Ayyappa Temple along with about 50 others .
.
No comments:
Post a Comment