Temple Visits

I love visiting temples. I have learnt to admire and appreciate them from my mom. I usually accompany my mom on her religious tours whenever I get the time. The whole experience is one of joy and pure bliss. There is a lot of mental satisfaction that I experience every time I visit any temple. In a way, it also helps me go back to my roots and stay rooted.
 
After offering your prayers, we join the long queue for the prasadam. The puliyodhirai (tamarind rice) or thayir sadam (curd rice) prepared for the diety is terribly flavorful and no matter how much you try, it is almost impossible to mimic the proportions at home. I suspect the flavour is acquired by the single-minded devotion with which the food is prepared and infused with the chants.


A long time back, I had taken my mom to the Marundeeshwarar temple for Shani Pradosham. A legendary temple dating back to the Chola period, the Marundesshwarar temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is famous for its powers to cure ailments.

Marundu in Tamizh, means medicine and Eeshwarar means Lord. Few people whom I have known, have prayed at the temple for specific ailments and have seen miracles happen. 


I was also a frequent visitor at the Thiruporur Murugan temple on OMR, Chennai. It is my favourite temple to visit. I usually drive down on a weekend or maybe after work if I finish early. This is one temple I miss visiting now. 

Back in the United States, I visited the beautiful Shiva-Vishnu temple in Maryland during Pongal and the Bridgewater Sreenivasa temple in New Jersey on my friend's wedding anniversary. 

Temple visits are fascinating. You don't need to camera to capture the moment, but just experience, absorb and delve in it.