Tirumala in Chennai

It was a long pending wish to visit Tirumala and experience what I had heard of it. When I disclosed my wish during tea time in office, my friends told me that there is a replica of Tirumala in Chennai, too and my wish can be satisfied with ease. They also told me all its pros. This replica allows its devotees to fix appointment online, instead of going in person and getting a appointment tag tied around the wrist. Here, there are lots of advantages in comparison to the Tirumala, except for some extra documents. I was convinced to visit this replica.

I visited the webpage to get appointment in July. Quite amazing, I got appointment in November. It seemed that the replica is busier than the original. What to do! I kept waiting all these days, till last week when I got the chance. My appointment was at 3.30 in the afternoon. I went around 3.15. The queue was enough big comparable to the original Tirumala. The queue was at least 500 to 750 m long and everyone had to enjoy the humid and hot sun. I don’t think any idiot would stand this way in Chennai’s hot weather even in his wild dreams. But people considered this a big opportunity as it is believed that this God inside the shrine would bring all riches to their life. I also wanted to try my luck and joined the queue.

There was a surprise waiting for me. The guy behind me told that neither bags nor mobile phones (which I was carrying) were allowed, inside. I had a assumption that if it is not allowed inside, there would be some place where they would collect these articles. To my surprise, nothing of such sort was available. I was informed that there was a tea stall nearby, where the articles were kept for 50 or 100 rupees. Neither I found such stall nor was I ready to leave my mobile with an unknown person. I went to the nearby PCO, called up one of my friends who, I remembered to work somewhere nearby. He guided me to reach his place and said he would also walk down towards me. I rushed towards his office and met him half way through. I handed over my bag and mobile.

While I was back it was already 3.30. I joined the queue which was far away from entrance. Sun was boiling me, when I was already drenched in sweat. I thought Tirumala should have been better as I had heard that the devotees are allowed to stand in a roofed queue, and sometimes even allowed to sit in chairs available along the way. It was 4.30 when security checked me and my appointment and allowed me to enter. As I entered I was thanking that I was finally in. But that was not over. There was another queue inside the four walls. By this way it was 6 o’clock when I neared the Garbha-Griha.

It was entirely a different kind of temple. There were many "glasses covered Garbha-Griha" in front of which people were standing in queue. I could not clearly see what was inside the glass covering. As I neared the glass covering, I could not see any God inside. Instead there were only few white skinned, brown haired Pujaris and Pujarans talking with the devotees. People believe that these Pujaris were the people who scrutinize the eligibility of the devotees to see the so believed, God.

I came out at 7 in the evening filled with experiences that I had only heard off earlier. But from the experiences I heard about Tirumala, I remember that everyone was allowed to see Lord Venkateshwara. But here every religious thing was quite different except the other experiences.

Only a day before I was told that the name of this replica is US Consulate.

Note : All that written above is purely my experience while I went to the US Consulate Chennai to get Visa.