Thursday, February 17, 2005
At the doorstep
The Govindaraja Swami Temple in Tirupati is not as well known as the widely known Balaji temple, commonly referred to as "Tirupati", which is a few miles up the hill in Tirumala. However, my Mom ensures that we visit this lower profile temple.
Last December was no exception.
My Mom (Amma), sister (Akka) and I got off the Rickshaw on the main street and walked through the long lane, lined by shops on both sides, that led to the Gopuram. Like all shops near temples, especially in Southern India, they carried things like coconuts, turmeric, kum-kum, camphor, betel leaves, devotional music CD and tape collections, bangles and of course flowers.
The shop that was closest to the Gopuram is the one we chose to pick up the flowers and coconuts from. We duly paid the shopkeeper and rushed off towards the temple as they would temporarily shut down the gate in 20 minutes. That would mean we would have to wait another hour or so before we have the next opportunity.
As we were about to join the queue, we were reminded by signs that Cell Phones were not allowed inside the premises and that we would have to drop them off at the counter opposite. The long queue at the cell phone drop off/pick up counter deterred us. With the closing time approaching quickly, I suggested that we drop off the cell phones with the shopkeeper from where we had bought out coconuts and flowers.
We deliberated for a minute. "Would the phones be safe?", "Why take a risk?", "What were we thinking - we should never have brought the phones with us".
Finally, we decided that the choice was to leave the phones at the shop and make it in time or to queue up at the cell phone counter understanding that we might only make it in time for the next darshan the next hour. We opted for the former.
I ran to the shopkeeper and told him our predicament and asked if he could help me out by keeping the two cell phones with him. He seemed a little taken aback and asked me if I was sure. I said I was. He then said - "If you trust them with me, you can leave them here. My name is Srinivas. Ask for me when you return".
I found myself feeling better about our decision and quickly ran back to join Amma and Akka. We got in fine, offered our coconuts and flowers, sat for a while in the square outside this 500 year old temple and then slowly made our way back.
We then returned to the shop that Srinivas ran. I half expected that he would see me and hand back the phones to us. He didn't. So, I gently reminded him that I was the guy who left the phones with him. He thought for a second, which seemed an eternity to me, as I was fighting my paranoid side. He then reached out for the phones, safely tucked away on a shelf to his left, wrapped in a rubber band and handed them to me.
I was relieved. And thankful. I then whispered to Amma that she should buy a few more things from his shop. So. we did. A couple of candle stands I think. The total came to some 30 odd rupees. I slipped him a fifty rupee note and said a sincere thank you and was beginning to walk out of the shop, expecting him to keep the change as a gesture of my gratitude.
I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. It was Srinivas. Handing me back the change, he politely but firmly said: "No need for this, Sir. After all you already bought coconuts, flowers and the stands from us ".
He had a smile and a look that almost seemed to say: "Who did you think I was?". I quickly realized that it was futile to persuade him to change his mind. I took the change, made a somewhat sheepish gesture with my hand to say thanks and left his shop.
At the doorstep of his Govindaraja Swami, Srinivas did not need anything from me.
Last December was no exception.
My Mom (Amma), sister (Akka) and I got off the Rickshaw on the main street and walked through the long lane, lined by shops on both sides, that led to the Gopuram. Like all shops near temples, especially in Southern India, they carried things like coconuts, turmeric, kum-kum, camphor, betel leaves, devotional music CD and tape collections, bangles and of course flowers.
The shop that was closest to the Gopuram is the one we chose to pick up the flowers and coconuts from. We duly paid the shopkeeper and rushed off towards the temple as they would temporarily shut down the gate in 20 minutes. That would mean we would have to wait another hour or so before we have the next opportunity.
As we were about to join the queue, we were reminded by signs that Cell Phones were not allowed inside the premises and that we would have to drop them off at the counter opposite. The long queue at the cell phone drop off/pick up counter deterred us. With the closing time approaching quickly, I suggested that we drop off the cell phones with the shopkeeper from where we had bought out coconuts and flowers.
We deliberated for a minute. "Would the phones be safe?", "Why take a risk?", "What were we thinking - we should never have brought the phones with us".
Finally, we decided that the choice was to leave the phones at the shop and make it in time or to queue up at the cell phone counter understanding that we might only make it in time for the next darshan the next hour. We opted for the former.
I ran to the shopkeeper and told him our predicament and asked if he could help me out by keeping the two cell phones with him. He seemed a little taken aback and asked me if I was sure. I said I was. He then said - "If you trust them with me, you can leave them here. My name is Srinivas. Ask for me when you return".
I found myself feeling better about our decision and quickly ran back to join Amma and Akka. We got in fine, offered our coconuts and flowers, sat for a while in the square outside this 500 year old temple and then slowly made our way back.
We then returned to the shop that Srinivas ran. I half expected that he would see me and hand back the phones to us. He didn't. So, I gently reminded him that I was the guy who left the phones with him. He thought for a second, which seemed an eternity to me, as I was fighting my paranoid side. He then reached out for the phones, safely tucked away on a shelf to his left, wrapped in a rubber band and handed them to me.
I was relieved. And thankful. I then whispered to Amma that she should buy a few more things from his shop. So. we did. A couple of candle stands I think. The total came to some 30 odd rupees. I slipped him a fifty rupee note and said a sincere thank you and was beginning to walk out of the shop, expecting him to keep the change as a gesture of my gratitude.
I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. It was Srinivas. Handing me back the change, he politely but firmly said: "No need for this, Sir. After all you already bought coconuts, flowers and the stands from us ".
He had a smile and a look that almost seemed to say: "Who did you think I was?". I quickly realized that it was futile to persuade him to change his mind. I took the change, made a somewhat sheepish gesture with my hand to say thanks and left his shop.
At the doorstep of his Govindaraja Swami, Srinivas did not need anything from me.
