Deity Darshan is the most wanted
phenomenon, dwelling ever in the hearts and minds of pilgrims. It is a special
and distinctive occasion in their lives. They wish to have Deity Darshan as
they are His devout devotees. They feel blessed by means of Deity Darshan.
The members of family, Raghuram,
with his wife Maithili, eldest son Vinay, daughter-in-law Vinuthna,
Granddaughter Harshita and Grandson Sandarsh, on pilgrimage in devotion to the
Deity of Lord Venkateshwara undertook pilgrimage in the season of prayers
offered to the deity by a good number of devotees. His son Vinay got the train
tickets reserved well in advance. They were unable to get letters from the
ministers for quick deity darshan and comfortable accommodation. It is the
usual practice of pilgrims to get them beforehand, three months in advance when
they want to visit Tirumala. He was unable to get them despite his best efforts
at the nick of the moment.
Raghuram with the members of his
family was prepared to travel by the special train to Thirupathi as tickets
were reserved for one Wednesday. He decided to have the Darshan of Deity and
got into the compartment for his tour to Thirupathi along with his family
members. He expected some source to get letters or tickets for quick darshan
and good accommodation in other ways on the hills.
First, Raghuram wanted to have the
darshan of Lord Srikalahastishvara at Sri Kalahasti and so he and his family got
off the train at Sri Kalahasti railway station.
Raghuram and the members of his
family refreshed themselves at a lodge and stood in the queue line to have
Deity Darshan. Though there was rush, the pilgrims felt comfortable in having Deity
Darshan.
The temple is famous for beautiful sculptures.
It is a big temple with various gods and goddesses for the pilgrims to offer
their prayers to them. After having the darshan of Lord Shiva (Srikalahastishvara)
and others. They travelled to Thirupathi by bus. They enquired at the Tirupathi
bus station about the availability of accommodation at Thirumala on the seven
hills. They took a room in a lodge near the bus station.
Well before the sunrise at four, they
hired a car. The owner of the car dropped them at Thirumala. As they did not
find letters and tickets otherwise for darshan and stay, they stood in the
queue line well before dawn at five o’ clock. Pilgrims started running inside
the queue overtaking them who were sincerely proceeding to Deity Darshan. They
were unhappy with that.
The queue was like serpent Vasuki. They
were to go long and long to have Deity Darshan. They were facing all hurdles
due to over rush, no police to control the pilgrims in queue, and the indiscipline
of overtaking on the part of pilgrims.
“The pilgrims are not principled,
and it was clearly seen in every inch… They do not know discipline, or they
deliberately ignored it as per the situation.
“If it is our school and the drill
master is here, he punishes them severely,” said Harshita.
“Yes, the drill master surely punishes
them for violating rules,” said Sandarsh.
“It is not your school with your
drill master…The pilgrims standing in the queue are unruly…Only God must be at
their hearts guiding them to be sincere,” said Vinuthna.
“God is in shrine busy blessing the
pilgrims. When none is there to control the pilgrims, rules and principles are
ignored and rules are violated…,” said Vinay.
Like that the members of Raghuram’s
family were commenting on the pilgrims. They were in helpless position.
Pilgrims first stood in the queue to
have the opportunity of having Deity Darshan. They violated the rule, ‘First
come, first served’ to have the deity darshan as early as possible.
A stout woman appeared suddenly on
the scene as she used her strength and vigor. She opened her mouth and started
speaking loudly. She scolded the pilgrims overtaking other pilgrims,
“Don’t you have sense to be
disciplined,” she said to them.
They kept quiet. They hesitated to
speak to her. She went on abusing them to give impression that she was sincerely
standing and coming in the queue. She talked about the deity. She referred to the
insincere pilgrims,
“The deity is watching you from a
distance… He will punish you at the right time in the right way,” said the
woman.
“What you said is right,” said
Raghuram to her,
“Insincere pilgrims, don’t think that
the deity is silent in the shrine,” said the woman.
“The deity is Almighty…all powerful…All
pervasive…He is everywhere to watch them,” said Raghuram.
“The deity is kind…He blesses the
pilgrims who are sincere and devotional. Last time my niece came and sought the
blessing of the munificent deity. Last month, she was blessed with twins…They
are like Lava and Kusa, the sons of Sri Rama,” said the woman happily.
“Very good news,” said Maithili.
All pilgrims talked about God’s
benevolent acts and spent their time. The fat woman also entertained all of
them by speaking about politics. All understood she did not like politicians. In
their conversation, they did not notice the passage of time in speaking to her
in diverse topics.
Pilgrims were in the queue for about
four hours. Pilgrims who had come late at nine and beyond were seen in front of
them in the queue. ‘What a wonder!’ they thought. It was very troublesome for
them to stand in the queue for so much time. There were pilgrims of all ages.
There were senior citizens grumbling. Babies in arms were crying. It was like havoc
unbearable for them. They felt like running away but it was not possible as
they were devotees coming for Deity Darshan.
Food items were sold though pilgrims
were supplied with tiffin and tea at their T.T.D. stalls. They had all and
encroached wherever possible causing troubles to others.
There were devout devotees of Lord
Venkateshvara! They wanted to have Deity Darshan. It was their sole goal. There
was a stampede-like situation on one hand. They uttered the name of the deity
on the other, bearing the brunt.
Raghuram was facing the situation
along with the members of his family. His grandchildren were facing the same situation.
He and elders in the family were looking after grandchildren.
Raghuram looked at the lake beside
the queue. He saw water birds swimming in joy. They were as well playing in the
lake as they felt comfortable and freedom in the lake. Like water birds he felt
like swimming in full freedom in the lake in the vicinity of the shrine of Lord
Venkateshwara.
“Dear birds! You are happy and
comfortable in swimming and playing in the lake… You have your own free world unlike
us. You are blessed with carefree life,” Raghuram said to himself.
He witnessed waterbirds swimming in
the lake in full freedom. At the same time, he felt having deity darshan as
early as possible. He was in a series of feelings while watching waterbirds.
Now and then the pilgrims moved a
little distance and stopped staying at a place longer and longer in the queue
line.
“O waterbirds, can you stand in the
queue line like us without swimming and playing happily…? You can’t, for you
are free… You can pray to God in the vicinity while swimming without standing
in the queue,” said Raghuram to himself.
The words on TV about the time of
eighteen hours to have Deity Darshan were ringing in the ears of Raghuram. He
felt restless now and then.
After four hours, all the pilgrims
were accommodated in a big hall. Food items like upma and tea were supplied. They
were to stay there in the hall for about an hour. All started to sleep on the
floor in the hall. Suddenly they were allowed to stand in the queue. They were
running fast. They expected Deity Darshan soon. They felt a boon on their part
after spending hours facing hurdles in the queue and the hall.
Pilgrims were in the queue to
proceed towards sanctum sanctorum. They were happy to have Deity Darshan soon. They
were eagerly waiting for that in the queue, moving whenever the line was clear.
Within no time, the queue stopped for a longer while. Meanwhile a series of
cars’ sirens were heard. The pilgrims in the queue line understood that
ministers, M.P. s, MLAs and other VIPs had visited the temple. They came and
were going back leisurely after Deity Darshan.
Pilgrims appealed to the deity with
folded hands, making comments sincerely. The comments were heard throughout the
queue.
“O my Lord, all pilgrims are equal
to you…You have given priority to ministers and other VIPs. You allowed them to
visit you at their convenient time…while common pilgrims as real devotees are
waiting, standing in the queue for you,” said the pilgrims to the Lord in the
meditative mood with folded hands.
“They say that ministers and VIPs are
busy. They are ever at the service of the people who are my real devotees…,” said
the deity and it echoed.
“We are your real devotees…What they
are, you know,” said the pilgrims.
“I know what they are,” said the
deity.
“Time is precious for all…Leaders may
say that time is more precious for them,” said the pilgrims.
“I am to keep quiet for all these
things in shrines on earth. I am speaking to all of you telling the fact… I am
busy… I am to look after all creatures, flora and fauna…In wars all creatures
including human beings right from the newborn babies to decrepit old age people…There
the war is going on…I am to be born as an idea of peace in the minds of warmongers
enabling them to stop the war,” said the deity to pilgrims.
“Yes, you are the creator, all
powerful Almighty!” said the Pilgrims.
The powerful mantra, ‘Aum Namo
Venkateshaya!’ was heard in echo everywhere. All forgot the hurdles and hazards
faced and to be faced and were in smiles.
“Why should the deity keep quiet for
the leaders?” said Maithili to Raghuram.
“The deity will punish them for the
violation of rules,” said Raghuram to Maithili.
All understood the Deity and His
busy schedule. He was to bless all pilgrims duly not only here but also there,
everywhere as he was to safeguard them as their deity.
Within no time, all were in
compartments. Raghuram and others were in the eighth compartment. They expected
the deity would be seen. They were in the compartment until 11.30 pm. They were
supplied food, tiffin and milk. Their hunger ran away. They slept in the compartment.
They did not know how to spend time until they had deity Darshan.
Meanwhile, a film of the Ramayana was
screened. It was Sampurna Ramayana in Telugu depicting Sri Rama’s life and
adventures. For the pilgrims, it was a nice entertainment. They watched the
film talking of the important milestones in Sri Rama’s adventurous journey.
Suddenly, the gate of the eighth
compartment was open to let the heavy flood of pilgrims stand in the queue
line. They felt relief with the charming idea of having Deity Darshan soon.
They were in their jubilant mood.
Devout pilgrims were proceeding with
deep devotion to the deity. Youth were in a mood of overtaking, disturbing the
line here and there. There echoed the name of the lord everywhere.
Raghuram, as a writer, was ready with
his novel dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara. He got the concept of the novel in
his mind when he visited the deity last. He successfully wrote it and so he
wanted to put it before the deity in the way he had put another poetry anthology
in the holy hands of Goddess Vani at Her sanctum sanctorum at Basara. He was
curiously waiting for an opportunity for that happy moment.
The deity was scintillating, filling
dazzling light of divine light into the hearts of devotees. They stepped into
the sanctum sanctorum. They had a glance at the deity in infinite charms. The
volunteers were throwing the devotees one after the other.
Raghuram was also thrown. He just
showed his book to the deity and moved on. He had at least the pleasure of
showing the book to the deity. The deity blessed him quickly, understanding the
volunteers’ mood.
In fact, there was a lot of rush to
have the deity darshan. From the holy shrine, they came out, letting others
have the deity darshan. They were out to go out of the temple. Some gentlemen
stopped all of them, speaking to them, taking a considerable amount of time. What
he was speaking to them was not heard and not known. All thought that he was a
political leader, “Such leaders get a chance in temples for them to tell pilgrims
what they want,” they said.
Raghuram and his family deposited
their money and valuables into the lord’s hundies. They came out at last promising
to visit the deity again in times of less traffic.
They had sweet memories about the pilgrimage
despite the hurdles they faced while standing in the queue and staying in the
compartment. Hurdles are for pilgrims to face and have the blessings of the
deity, Lord Venkateshwara.
Published:
AFFLATUS CREATIONS
An International Literary Journal
April – June 2026 | Volume 3 | Issue 11
https://afflatuscreations.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Short-Stories-Dr.-Rajamouly-Katta-Pg-25-40.pdf
