Post #3 - A day at the temple

“We decided to visit a famous temple in the northern part of the state, during the weekday. We were told not to go during the weekend to avoid rush.

There were two ways to reach there: either by a train directly going to the temple from a nearby town’s railway station or change three buses to reach there. The only catch for the train journey was we had to leave very early in the morning. So we changed three buses, asking strangers to read the bus boards for us. It worked out alright.

By the time we reached there, we had spent about three hours in travel. The line to go inside the temple was long. I was asked to wear a special loin cloth, white in color with a golden border. So we went back to market and purchased one. For women, there is no requirement. But only Hindus are allowed.  I had to deposit my camera and cell phone with the security office of the temple. After two hours of waiting in line, we reached the inside the temple.

The temple was built in 16th century from stones and it is Lord Krishna’s temple. In local language, it is called Guruvayoor temple.  After prayers, when we came out it was 2 p.m. and we understood the reason for the rush of devotees, even on Thursday. The temple door was closed at 1 p.m. for the day.

It is a common accident that often happens where people will be crushed and trampled to death in trying to enter the famous temples on a special day. We came out safely and collected our cell phone and camera. I changed my clothes and searched for a three wheel auto rickshaw.

The temple maintains a nursery for elephants. It was about five miles away and took ten minutes to reach there. We counted a total of sixty-two elephants; only two females without tusks and rest of them were males. Some elephants were violent, so they were heavily chained; a female elephant was pregnant and she was allowing little children to feed her. 

We were lucky that while returning we got a bus coming directly to a nearby town. On the way, we noticed a Christian church having a big statue of Jesus with life size elephant statues on both sides.

To return to our university house, when we got down from the local bus, it was unknown place. A fellow passenger confirmed that it was the university’s other side. She also got down and pointed the way. Before saying goodbye, she said, “The other day, when you two were lost, you asked me for direction. Do you remember?  I remember both of you!”  We had no clue about her, as we ask so many people for directions during our daily evening walk on less traveled roads.”