As we traveled from Koyambedu Bus Terminus to Vellore, for nearly three and a half hours, we passed by verdant greenery of the country-side with tall palm trees, banana cultivations, hills and thatched houses. We passed by the Sri Rajiv Gandhi Smarak at Sriperumbudur, where the former Prime Minister of India was brutally assassinated. Now a memorial with 4 tall pillars capped with our National Emblem of four lions; and a huge tricolor, our National Flag, stand testimony to his memory. We said silent prayers for the departed soul.
When we reached Vellore, we had to again board a special bus going to the temple at Sripuram, which is around 8 kms. away. The fare per head was Rs. 10/- only.
Set amidst 100 acres of lush-green, manicured, landscaped lawns and flowering bushes, ringed in the distance by hills, cascading fountains, with life-size sculptures of the Dashavatars of Lord Vishnu, Goddesses and sages, the Golden temple glitters brightly in the bright morning sunlight and dazzles you. It's a pity that photography is strictly prohibited! Here all that glitters is pure, solid gold! 1500 kilos of gold went into the making of this temple and the main idol of Goddess Laxmi itself weighs 70 kgs. of gold.
The serene surroundings and the ornate arches on flat steps leading to the temple, give a surreal effect. I felt as though I had inadvertently stepped onto some South-Indian movie’s elaborate set. Only this was a permanent one! It is said that the illumination in the evenings is worth a watch; hence I mentally made a note for the next time that we visited that temple.
The temple has been constructed in 2009. It lies exactly in the centre of a star-shaped area, known as the Divine yantra. Of course, this view will be visible only aerially. The founder is a young seer named Sri Sakthi Amma.
. Under the aegis of his Trust, lots of welfare activities are conducted for the needy people. Even the special darshan charges at the temple go into the Trust’s funds. The temple is spic and span and has a marble-paved walk-way all around it, which is sheltered from the sun appropriately, with arched sheds. One may even sit down on the marble seats running the entire length of this long walk-way. Stalls sell the religious paraphernalia, bottled-water, snacks, etc.
The devotees have to deposit all their belongings at the Cloak room and separate receipts are issued for footwear, mobiles/cameras and bags. Only small purses may be carried in. Clean toilets are a boon.
The only minus point is the hefty charge of Rs. 250/- per person, for Special Entry Pass. Those who opt for ordinary darshan are made to wait and stand, till the aarti is performed in front of those sitting with Special passes. They are also given a free kit containing a booklet with info about the temple and the Trust, pictures of the temple and a laminated photo of the Goddess, a packet of kumkum, prasad of coconut barfi and a sacred thread. To save time, we had bought the passes.
As we waited for the diety to be unveiled, I observed the ceiling and walls, rich with carvings etched in gold. The huge chandeliers sparkled in multi-colored rays. All around the temple runs a tank of water, into which devotees had showered coins with prayers (though it is prohibited!) Golden elephants shower jets of water into the tank. The reflection of the temple in the tank’s glittering waters was beautiful.
The idol is breath-taking and we watched mesmerized, taking in all the details, as the aarti was performed by the priests. I prayed to the Goddess to be with the rich and poor alike, thinking of all those who were watching the aarti with aching legs.
A life-sized, silver statue of the Kamadhenu cow was another highlight there.
While returning, I purchased a small combined figurine of Lord Ganesh and Goddess Laxmi, in a standing pose. We met a family from Malaysia who were relaxing after the darshan. We chatted and I requested for some small currency coins for my collection. The gentleman amazed me by giving the equivalent of one Malaysian dollar, to which his Dad added some small cents. We promised to keep in touch through the internet. He remarked wistfully that Indians looked very happy and relaxed as compared to the Malaysians who were workaholics. I told him that we were contented with our lot and didn’t hanker for more!
We returned with lots of happy memories and positive vibes. Through the dazzle, the Goddess’s benevolence shone through and made our day!
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The copyright of this travelogue is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.
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