My family trip to Thirumala

We were in a hurry booking tickets to Thirumala darshan, because the school will re-open for my daughter by June second week. The background of this visit to Thirumala is that I prayed to offer my daughter’s hair to god when she was born. It took us five years. We started to railway station and got into the train sharp by 1.30 and we reached Thirupathi by 5.45 in the evening.

Initially, we planned to book a room and stay at Thirupathi and then go to Thirumala the next day for darshan. I insisted my family to go straight to Thirumala and book a room. We reached Thiurmala in half an hour’s time and my husband was standing in the queue to book the room. After an hour the first batch of people were moved to the ticket counter and in another one hour’s time the security guy said there are no rooms available and the people can disperse. My husband really got irritated. He was scolding me till we returned to Chennai. There is no option to get any room. Then, we decided and took our daughter to tonsure. We were started in the queue by 9.30 p.m. and we came out by 12.00 midnight. I did not expect that my husband will also tonsure. J (He looks like a perfect Telugu movie vilian after he lost his hair)

There is no choice except to use the public stay area and the washrooms as we have not booked the accommodation. Next day morning we had a beautiful darshan of Balaji, ate prasadham, got laddus and came back to the bus stand. We were standing and planning to do next. There came one fellow and asked if we are ready to see six tourist places in Thirumala. We were eager and started our journey; we visited Akasha ganga, Paapavinasam, Rock garden and Siva’s temple, Sri Venugopal swamy temple ( I bought one Kannan idol), and Srivari Padalu. Even my mother-in-law was not tired and she accompanied us to all the places.

After this journey ends, we immediately started to Alamelu Mangapuram. We reached there by 6.00 p.m, but the darshan ticket counter was closed and it opened only by 7.00 p.m. We had a nice darshan and got laddus and came back to the bus terminus. I thought of telling my husband to book a room as we all are very tired and I got reminded the scolding and I kept quite. He immediately took us to board a bus to Kalahasti. Our journey begins again…

We reached Kalahasti around 10.00 p.m. One guy took us to a lodge room and we settled there that night. We ordered for dinner, ate, and we slept. Next day morning it was 10.00 a.m. we woke up.

We got ready and had breakfast and left to Kalahasti temple. We had a good darshan. The prashadham (puliyodharai)  they issued was very tasty. Then, we came back to the room and started our journey to home.

I really felt relaxed and stress less after visiting the holy places. It was nice to see all the tourist spots at one time, which I have never visited. Also, it was a good family trip to me after two years.

My naughty daughter!!!

Every day when I return home from office she will ask me “Mom, what have you bought for me?” Sometimes I will get snacks or chocolates for her, sometimes I will not. One day, I got her snacks like murukku, milk sweet, and samosa. She was surprised to see all at one time. First, she took one samosa and ate. Next her favorable milk sweet. Last but not the least, she finished muruku as well. She shared everything with my mother-in-law and also to me. After completing her snacks she asked me “Mom, we read rhymes”. I said “Ok. Come with your book”. She immediately gave her book and we both started rhyming together. After three to four rhymes she got bored and went to the hall from our bed room. I was just finishing the snack that she shared with me. She came with a cricket bat. I told her to place it there itself, as it is huge and weight she cannot handle it. She tried like hitting a ball and it hit in my left cheek. Immediately tears rolled out from my eyes and she has absconded from my sight. I told her, “This is the punishment you give to your mom, when your mom wants to spend time with you”. I cannot hit her for all her plays, because she is my sweet little naughty child. J