My Sabarimalai Pilgrimage :: The Vratham Period.

Hi folks,
One fine November morning,I sudenly got a mail from my friends Suku/Athi regarding a trip to Sabarimalai this year.I had gone to Malai in my final year of college with the same college group. It was an awesomely spiritual experience ...but thats a different story and I wouldn't talk abt that now.Still, when I got this mail, it occurred to me IF I hadn't slipped quite far from God (as we conventionally call the Unknown Higher Power) - except for the times when I was in trouble and prayed .Its been a loooong time since I've been to any temple for that matter.So, I decided it was high time I did something spiritual to recharge my soul.
So, I put on my maalai on 4th November 2005.I was joined in this endeavour by my college friends Sujin in bangalore and Suku,Athi,Mummy,Half & Senthil (Suku's friend) from Chennai.

For people who aren't aware about the intricacies of SabariMaalai and the general details of the pilgrimage to Sabarimalai - Please visit this website. The vrath that I had undertaken was a very uphill task....especially to a guy like me who's become accustomed to a decadent and excessive lifestyle.
But I decided to make the effort.One of the main driving forces for taking this decision was that the last time I had been to Sabarimalai, I had been plagued with very heavy wheezing due to the dust and the cold.So, I had to climb the Sabarimalai with wheezing.I would climb 5 steps and stop to get back my breath, and I still dont actually remember how or even believe that I actually managed to climb the whole mountain.I climbed the 18 steps (ponu pathinettam padi), and as soon as I had the darishanam of Aiyyappan, I passed out.The next thing I remember is that I was lying in the hospital in Sabarimalai with my blood being tainted with Asthalin spiked glucose.The other fact that i remember was that every now and then, a new doctor would come and stick in the needle in another vein on my hands -only he knew why.But I was proud that I had atleast steeled my body till I had the darishanam.
This had been a pretty bad experience for me and so, I also wanted to prove to myself that I could do it properly.

So, coming back to the present, having donned the Maalai(put on my neck by a Guruswamy at the local Aiyyappan temple), I set out to be the ultimate pilgrim.
I got up early in the morning around 5:30 - 6:00 AM , took bath in cold water (which in Bangalore is not usually wise) . donned the kaavi (sandalwood color) dhothi , went to the templ, prayed to God , came back and got doned my formal dress for the company - sans shoes , went to company, as soon as i got to my desk, i would take the print out which had the 108 Saranams and chant them, In the evening, when I got home, I'ld sleep on a mat instead of a mattress. I bought some MP3 CDs of Aiyyappan songs and listened to them all the time on my MP3 player.I stopped listening to ROCK or any other music for that matter.This was one of the bigger sacrifices to a rock fanatic like me.I didn't shave/ cut my hair and tried to be as inconspicuous as possible.But I wasn't able to totally curb my active tongue.But I was good enough.

The reasons for all these chittai's (rules) as I understand them are very practical.
* U have to take bath in cold water in the morning 'coz during the pilgrimage, the only baths that u will be able to take will be in rivers and no one has till now devised a way to heat up rivers.So, ur body should be hardened to the water.
* U have to walk on bare feet as the path to Sabarimalai through 5 hills will be done on bare feet and the 50 days of walking like this before that will harden ur feet for the ordeal ahead.
* The non usage of luxuries is for the same reason - Ur going for a pilgrimage not for a 5 star trek.

I don't claim that I followed ALL these rules ALL the time, But I tried my utmost to keep my body and most importantly my mind clean all the time.Which is pretty tough especially considering how the gals in my company dress up (or is it dress down??) on fridays.I am proud to say that there were very few instances when I let down my guard and was for the most part a pretty good (if not perfect) Saamy.

This is the way I looked during those days.....


So enough about my Preparations about my trip...I'll shift to the Trip log now.
-Cne