Get up at 7.30 ish in the morning – Spend as much quality time as possible with Chittu – Get ready and go to office at 11.30 ish – Internal team meetings throughout the day - 6.30 to 8.30 PM IST attend US client meeting – come back to home at around 9 – have dinner and sleep at 10.30. That more or less sums up my week day. Weekends are spent rejuvenating myself to face another hectic week. So that is the reason for not updating Chittu’s Diary though there are loads to be written about my darling daughter. But I would like to write this post exclusively on our Guruvayoor trip – on this day, when Chittu has completed her 8 months.
We had planned Chittu’s Annapraasanam (Choroonu) quite sometime back and had booked the tickets for me, S, K paati, J paati, thatha and S mama in Allepey express. J paati and thatha had booked their respective office guest houses too for accomodation. We couldn’t celebrate any function for almost 2.5 years as we were mourning for someone or the other in the close family circle. All of that got over on July 3rd and we were ready to start to Guruvayoor on 15th July 2011. I wanted to kick-off with an abhishekam to PiLLayar and so arranged for it on 14th July in our aasthaana piLLayar temple. I had a prarthanai of breaking 108 coconuts when S was in the hospital after his accident, almost 4 years back. So took this opportunity and completed that one too. I prepared a big list of what all to pack for Chittu and it helped a lot as I started packing on 15th morning only - thanks to my office schedule.
The arrangement was – J paati, thatha and S mama would come directly to Central, S, K paati and Chittu would start from home in call taxi, pick me up at my office and we would catch up with my parents in the station. The call taxi that I had booked sodhappidifed and came almost half an hour late. S was tensed as 72 year K paati had to walk to the platform (if we don’t get the Senior citizens vehicle – which we actually didn’t get) we had to carry all luggages and Chittu and catch the train in time. So he took a rick and started from home even before the call taxi arrived. I joined them mid way and we entered the compartment just 10 minutes before the train moved. Chittu slept by 10.30 and was a darling until 1 AM. I was awake all that time and slowly my eyelids started drooping at 1 when Chittu got up and was in her peak playful mood and was shouting on the top of her voice, throwing away all the toys which were caught in time by me / J paati so that it didn’t hit our sleeping co-passengers.
By 2.30 or so, S mama said he would take care of Chittu and thankfully I was able to catch some sleep after that. We reached Thrissur station at 6.50 AM and one of thatha’s acquaintances had offered his Innova for our use. The driver Jeyan was very friendly and helped us out throughout our trip. We reached Guruvayoor and all women stayed in one guest house and the men stayed in the other. J paati had bought a new induction stove exclusively for preparing Chittu’s kanji during the trip. Also, we don’t get Aavin milk in Kerala. So, I had bought 2 Aavin tetra packets, which needs no refrigeration and can be used for 60 days until it is opened. Because of all these preparations, Chittu’s diet schedule did not get affected much (just that we couldn’t give her veggies and idly)
Our plan was to have a darshan, read Narayaneeyam in the chuttambalam (another prarthanai which I had during S’s hospitalization) and on day 2 –Annaprasanam and Thulabaram for Chittu. We had our breakfast in Hotel Krishna Bhavan (awesome home made idlys – I would recommend this place for breakfast and dinner for anyone visiting Guruvayoor) We entered the temple’s main entrance from the East Nada and enquired for darshan, when the security there asked us if Choroonu is done for Chittu. We said, we had planned it for the next day. That was when he told us that Chittu cannot be taken inside Sree Kovil (sanctum sanctorum) before that. We didn’t know about this custom. So, we thought that it was Guruvayoorappan’s wish to have Annaprasanam on the first day itself. I had bought a mallu style (off white color with golden zari) skirt and blouse for Chittu from Naidu Hall and thought would make Chittu wear that the next day. But as our plan was turned topsy turvy, rushed to a nearby shop and bought a mallu style frock. We made Chittu wear it directly in the shop and took her inside the temple. It was monsoon time in Kerala and was raining heavily. Thoughtfully I had taken an umbrella and it was damn useful throughout the trip.
J paati and thatha went to get the tickets and the rest of us were waiting in a small mandapam near the Thulabaram counter. Almost 45 restless minutes passed by and they both came back with the tickets and said there was a serpentine queue for getting the ticket for Annapraasanam. Chittu slept well in that gap and was fresh and all ready to taste the first bite of rice. Just outside the Sreekovil entrance, on the right side near the kunnikuruvu uruLi, we were made to sit. Chittu sat on her dad’s lap and had aravanai paayasam, rice, pappadam, pachidi, kootu and vaazhapazham. She was a sweet heart and tasted all of those with all smiles. Since cameras and mobile phones are not allowed inside the temple, the temple photographers clicked the pictures for us and we got the CD from them (awaiting hard copies through speed post) The photographer assigned to us was kind enough to comply to all our requests (as to how we exactly wanted the photos) and we even took a group photo with Kesavan’s tusks in the back ground. Kesavan is an elephant – a parama bhagawathan, who was extremely close to Lord Guruvayoorappan and after his demise, his tusks adorne the entrance to Sree Kovil.
After Annapraasanam, we stood in the queue (which was short and moved pretty fast) for Thulabaram. We gave panchasaarai (Sugar) and pazham (Banana) as offering. We had taken a couple of snaps there too. It was almost 1 PM by then and for Choroonu, there was a free quick darshan allowed for the mother and baby. So, me and Chittu had our glimpse of our dear Guruvayoorappan and prayed to HIM. The last I had seen HIM was around 10 years back when I was doing my college. We saw him at close quarters, where we were allowed just before the steps that lead to the main deity. In the inner prakaram were Lord Ganapathy, Dasavatharam idols, Sesha sayana perumal with Sridevi having HIS head on her lap and Bhoodevi having HIS foot on her lap, Brahma from HIS naabhi, and all devas inscribed on the walls and Hanuman shrines. We joined the others after darshan and went to Brahmana samooham for lunch and retired to the room to take rest.
2nd half of the day started at 4.30 PM. We went to the temple and our driver and thatha went to the Devaswom board office to meet an official who could help us for darshan. Thatha’s acquaintance (mentioned earlier) had already spoken to the officials and we were taken to a shorter VIP queue and had a serene darshan. This time around it wasn’t as close as our morning darshan. Just as we entered the Sree Kovil, we also saw the vathilmatam - platforms where Narayana Battathiri (who was affected by paralysis) was lying and rendered Narayaneeyam to get rid of his disease. Legend says that he sang one dasakam a day and by the end of 100 days, he was completely cured. We prayed to Sastha and Bhagavathi amman shrines in the chuttambalam and once we came out of the temple, we found it very hard to locate our driver. I still don’t remember how we survived before mobile phones became a part of our lives. From there we headed to Mammiyoor Shivan temple after dinner (Same Krishna Bhavan – home made dosas J). The sthala purana says that Lord Shiva gave permission for Guruvayoorappan to stay in Guruvayoor and the Guruvayoor trip is not complete without a visit to Mammiyoor. We came back to the guest house and all of us slept like a log.
Next day morning, we had our breakfast and went to Narayana Siras – temple pond and proceeded to the temple, searching for a place in Chuttambalam to sit and read Narayaneeyam. It was a Sunday and the temple was crowded than usual. The side (non-darshan) entrance, through which we entered freely the previous day, had a long queue on Sunday and it took 15 minutes to enter Chuttambalam. We searched and searched but couldn’t find a place in which we can sit throughout uninterrupted by the rains. Somehow thatha was not in for reading in Chuttambalam as he was scared if Chittu would poop in between and it could cause any hindrance. But me and J paati were stubborn as that was a prarthanai. Just then someone showed us a staircase near the West nada entrance (it was the backside of the main deity) and told us that we can read there too. When we went up, we saw 2 long halls with N number of Krishna idols. There was a discourse going on in one of these halls and the other one was empty. We entered this hall and started our parayanam at 9 AM. Our only aim was to complete all 100 dasakas by 1 PM. Chittu helped us a great deal by sleeping throughout and not disturbing us an iota. S mama took care of her during the short while she was playing. S gave her pre-prepared kanji when she was hungry. With all the assistance from everyone and with Guruvayoorappan’s blessings, we completed 90 dasakas by 12.30 PM.
We had arranged (with the Devaswom board official) for a special darshan at 12.30. So started from the mandapam and joined the VIP queue. Started from the 91st dasakam while standing in the queue and when I was face to face with Guruvayoorappan I was in the 93rd. After fervently praying to him for aayur aarogya sowkyam, went to the exact backside of the sanctum sanctorum and finished the remaining 7 dasakams there. I couldn’t control my tears for I had a nagging thought if I would be able to complete this when we started at 9. Guruvayoorappan not only helped us finish this but also gave me a chance to read in the inner prakaram of Sree kovil. I had goose bumps all over when I read the namaskara slokams (98th dasakam – 10 slokas) and did the prostration. We were done by 1.30 PM and came out with complete satisfaction and absolute peace. We had lunch at Brahmana samooham, came back to the guest house, packed and were off to Thrissur. The return train was late by 1 hour and we reached Chennai at 7 AM the next morning and were at home by 7.45. Chittu was a highly co-operative kid and I am so proud of how my little angel was able to cope up situations. When Chittu grows up and becomes a little big of an understandable age, I want to take her & S with me for Nirmalyam / Vaagai Chaathu darshan. It is a wish which I am sure will get fulfilled by HIM J
When I look back at the trip, all I could see is the way how the omnipresent Guruvayoorappan guided us throughout
· Change in plan. The temple was extremely crowded on Sunday. If we had Annaprasanam and Thulabaram on Sunday as initially planned, it would have left us tensed and exhausted as the queue was too long. Also, we were able to do the procedures in Aani month itself (Sunday was aadi maasa pirappu) rather than in Aadi
· Getting a big hall exclusively for us to read Narayanaeeyam uninterruptedly was a miracle
· Making us complete 100 dasakas in a record time of 4.5 hours and doing namaskara slokams in the inner prakaram
· Making Chittu sleep on day 2 and helping us out in the parayanam
· Thatha’s acquaintance, whom he has not even seen, assisting us with the vehicle and darshan
Tips for people visiting Guruvayoor
· You don’t have to see Nakshatram / Thithi to do Annaprasanam or Thulabaram in Guruvayoor. Everything happens as per God’s will and wish.
· Chorronu ticket costs Rs. 10 and can be done anytime when the Nada is open in the morning hours (upto 1 PM). You may need to give an amount as dakshina (of your wish) to the person performing it
· The baby cannot be taken inside the Sree Kovil before Choroonu
· Avoid Sundays
· There is a non-darshan entrance through west nada (main entry point) and east nada (bhavavathy amman shrine side). Check that out if you want to enter the temple without darshan
· Mother and baby are entitled for a free darshan after Choroonu. So retain the tickets with you
· On any day other than Sundays, you can pay Rs. 250 per head and enter the VIP queue for a quick Darshan. There are people (near East nada shops) who have contacts in Devaswom board and make it possible unofficially. We came to know about this when we were waiting for our driver to come, when a person who looked like a broker, approached us and offered. But did not use this option.
· Hotel Krishna Bhavan – here you get home made breakfast and dinner. It is in the East nada opposite to Akshaya tours and travels. When you come out of East Nada take the first left.
· Brahmana samooham in East Nada – here you get free lunch for Brahmins. However, you need to book and get a token before 10 AM. You can pay whatever amount you wish as donation. A simple curry, kootu, sambar, rasam, buttermilk and Paal payasam prasadam is offered for lunch.
· If your want to dress up your kid in mallu style, there are lots of shops that sell these just outside the temple at economic price, from where you can buy
was looking for choroonu timings at Guruvayur and came across this blog....I am sorry to read that you paid Rs.250 per head to get into VIP queue at Guruvayur...I am a keralite and a frequent visitor at Guruvayur.Believe me there is no such paid darshan in Guruayur. Sometimes the devasom ppl 'on duty' let devotees go into the naalambalam in special queue but that is not a paid service...unlike in other states, temples in kerala do not have paid service darshan...everyone gets the same sort of darshan depending on the rush.
ReplyDeleteNice post. Guruvayoor is is believed to be the holy abode of Lord Vishnu on earth and is a small town that has grown around a Krishna temple. All hotels in Guruvayoor offer all basic amenities and services one may require for a cozy and comfortable stay.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading the post. Nice informative post on functions happening at Guruvayur temple, which is a famous temple of Kerala. Its believed that lord Krishna used to worship the idol of Vishnu. It also has entry dress code and is a famous pilgrim site. Check Guruvayoor temple timings for details
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