Tirupathi, Tirumala, India

About 8 years ago I promised my dad that I will visit Lord Govinda(Lord Venkateswara) in Tirupathi, Tirumala, India on his behalf. My dad had make a vow to visit the place because of his health he could not fulfilled that vow. Seeing that he could not I told him I will make it on his behalf. When I took the vow from him, it was like a small burden taken from him or else everyday he will tell me the vow he make.

My dad pass away about 5 years ago, and this promised was at the back of my mind. I tell myself when the time is right I will go. When is the right time, my right time was to go with my 2nd brother. I was waiting for him, and he was waiting for his right time. With all the stories heard about the crowd, I was not prepared to face it too, so I don’t mind the waiting.

Early this year 2008, it was like my conscious was coming after me. In my heart, something keep coming up that there is something I had not done. I keep telling myself what it is that I had not done. I told myself, I had gone to Krishna’s childhood place and gurudev’s temple. After a few weeks, then only I realized it must be this vow. I told my brother I am going to India to fulfill this vow. My brother is still waiting for his right time. I told him, I am not waiting for him, as I am beginning to feel uneasy. I need to visit Lord Govinda at Tirupathi, Tirumala, India.

I got my god-sister to go with me as she wanted to visit this place too. From Chennai airport we went straight to the temple. It takes about 4 to 5 hours drive.

When we had reached Tirupathi, in my heart I can feel, we are in Tirupathi, Lord Venkateswara’s state. I asked the driver, “Are we in Tirupathi”, he said “yes and will reach Tirumala in an hour or so”.

We visited Her Lady first, Mother Padmavathi. It is like a respect and getting permission to visit her husband. The crowd at her temple is not like in Tirumala.

When we reached Tirumala, the security was so tied. We waited for an hour before it was our turn. They check whether there is explosive or not. We checked in, while our guide planed the best time to get his Lord darshan. The best time is when the crowd is not that big. The best time was 9pm. We got ready, we paid to get in from the VIP gate. This will cut the waiting time by half. Half way we were stopped, because we don’t look Indian. The reason was lots of foreigner that went did not respect the place. We told them we are Krishna’s devotee, it was a good thing we went with our tilak on. Seeing this, register first, we registered in a guestbook and continue to queue.

You can feel the excitement when you are near the gate to His Lord main temple hall. Devotees chanting Govinda Govinda Govinda. Once you pass the security check point the pushing will come in all direction. We were lucky as our guide works in the temple, he said keep to the right and he was always behind us so that we were not push around. When we reached the Lord, he pulled us to a side. We had about 5 minute’s darshan with Lord Venkateswara. I paid obeisance, told the Lord, “I am here to fulfill the vow my dad make and……”. The guide showed us around, where to drop our donation and special places where normally we won’t get to visit.

It took us 2 hours to finish the whole thing, from queuing till we leave the temple main hall. It was unbelievable, such a short time. All that time, I can feel the mercy from the Lord, as it was not difficult to get his Darshan. A whole 5 minutes, normally you just get a glance only.

My stayed at the hill, Tirumala, I felt so peaceful and bliss. My sleep at the hill was so good and peaceful which I had never had.

The next day we visited other temples on the way down-hill. The place is so clean and electricity there is generated using the windmill. I told myself if I want a place to rest I will come to Tirupathi, Tirumala.

Once at the airport, my heart was at ease as the vow had been made. We told friends it took us only 2 hours, they did not believed us. Both of us know we had the mercy of Lord Venkateswara all the way.

Jaya Jaya Govinda!