The 2006 Kickoff!

Any festival or celebration, for the last few years, has had me sitting in front of the TV, watching all the special programs, surfing channels and passing time from home. But, this new year, for a change, had me on the move the whole day!

My brother had planned to go to the big Shiva temple in Thiruvannamalai with his friends. I had been there once, when I had gone on a school trip - some time in high school. It's been many months already, since we as a family, went on a trip like this. With my dad too showing interest in joining the journey, we two squeezed in. So, we quickly finished our breakfast by 9.00 and set out in our car. The place as roughly 3 hours drive from my place. It was mostly enjoyable but for the potholes and bad roads that showed up in between.

We reached the temple at 12pm praying that it should be open atleast till we have the darshan. I heard the natives saying "I had not expected this much crowd in the middle of the day!" A huge crowd and long queue received us at the entrance. With my endangered foot, I was not sure whether to go inside or to return back. "Return back? We came all the way to just return back?" was pricking at the back of my mind. So, before I could decide, I found myself already in a sea of humans - surrounded by all those who arrived after us... leaving no chance to think of returning back now!

So we were there, kaal kadukka (with legs paining) standing in the long queue, with chill margazhi (winter) breeze ruffling our clothes every now and then, and we, trying all possible conversations and distractions to push the time. It was not before some 2.5 to 3 hours that we could get the darshan which lasted for 3-4 seconds! But it was worth the wait. The shivalinga had Vibhoodi alankaaram (sacred ash decoration) and was looking awesome!

After visiting other shrines we finally came out just in time to meet one of our friends, who dragged us along to his house for lunch. With everybody's stomach growling with hunger at 4pm, we were so much grateful for the tasty homefood! mmMmm!
By the time we returned, I had just enough time to call up few people to wish for the new year and pack up for my trip back to bangalore! Hope the year too is as eventful and memorable as the start of it!