stairway to heaven

It was indeed long since i had the been in person to seek the blessings of the "rich dude" as some of my friends call it, but last week i felt rejuvenated when me, along with my family had been to visit the "permanent resident" of the sacred hills. This was not the first time I had been there, but each time I set my foot on this place, its a different experience. I was flabbergasted to see millions of spirited people who had come there, leaving aside their ephemeral joys and sorrows. I must say I forgot life for a while.

I remember that we had almost reached there at midnight and I happened to see towards my left the splendid hill, with lights along side the steps decorating the hill which I may call as the "Stairway to Heaven". After a while, I was in deep slumber and was raring to hit the sack. Right from the hotel reception to the room boy, to the shop keepers and taxi drivers... everybody looked still busy. Indeed, "the city never sleeps !!".

This time around, we didnt go on foot to the top of the hill, but last time when I did, I realised something. The climbing of the hill gives us the snapshot of our very own lives. Initially, if we observe, the steps are a bit high and tough to climb. The first few steps gives us feeling of fatigue and loss of energy. This is because most of us think as to how many more steps are remaining to reach the destination. It is certainly a turn off when someone says, "hey cmon, there are seven more hills to climb". This is the mistake i feel we generally make in our lives. We have one eye fixed on the destination and hence we can only spare one eye for the journey. As long as we know we are heading in the right direction, if feel we should not be constantly bothered about the end result. Then as we climb the hills, we breathe cool air and feel a lot more energetic seeing the picturesque places around. We even get refreshments of our choice to quench our thirst. Again, this is the reflection of our own lives where these refreshments around are like worldly pleasures. We should not get carried away by this. We shouldnot forget the path we have come so far and the journey which is yet to be travelled. It is not wrong to savour the taste of these pleasures of life as long as we dont lose track of where we are heading.

One thing which has kept me awestruck is the role of the TTD management, who in my opinion is doing an awesome job. They have to accomodate lakhs of devotees everyday and provide them with adequate food, shelter and timely darshan . Even the quality of laddoos is stupefying to the core. There is no way that something like this can be made anywhere else in the world. I have heard that the coca cola secret formula is patented for hundreds of millions of dollars, but I can vouch for it that this beats it !!!

We stood in the queue finally to fulfill the purpose we had come there for. I looked with awe at the people around me who had flocked together. But I was really disappointed at this time when I saw some people trying to break the queue discipline and move ahead in haste. Some others who were irked by this started swearing at them in their own languages. I know we are all in the rat race back home, but havent we come there to forget life for a while ?? I am sure everybody there gets to see the God and nobody comes back disappointed. This kind of incongruous behaviour leads us to nowhere. God is fair and just to all. This being the case, why do we have to do all this? One incident that really disturbed me when a young boy wanted to relieve himself took the help of his parents who took him to a side which was right outside the sanctum. I dont blame the boy, but elders atleast should know that the whole purpose is defeated. Where are the basic values? Slapping one's face incessantly while seeing the God definitely wont help. I know some people who say that they have plans of visiting Tirupati if their daughter gets married, some people go just before their exams or results. Some just see God as a granter of wishes. Others come there to thank him for getting some favour done. Why do we have to treat him like the way we treat our fellow human beings?

Finally the wait was over. I could hear the resonance of "Aum" in the sanctum which literally gave me goosebumps. I had reached the place which was the effulgence of all eyes abode by the Supreme. The moment I saw the God, I was on top of the world.. I was just staring at him like a confused kid staring at a toy shop who doesnt know what to ask for. I didnt want to move from there, but few seconds later, I was pushed out like as if someone was saying "Hey buddy, u cant stay here.. please make way !! ". My time was up and after I came out, I instantly forgot the long hours I waited. I must say, it was much more than a visual treat. While returning back, I felt that I would rather go through all this for hours rather than go in and come out like the Bachchans or the Ambanis. After all, its not only the end that matters !!!