The Specialist Gods
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The other day while reading The Times of India, Bhubaneswar edition, dated 26/08/2006, I came across an interesting write-up. Its title ran something like this :
“When everything else fails, visit the ‘specialist Gods’”.
Mr Ketan Tanna, its contributor seems to have enjoyed writing this--at least as much as I enjoyed reading it. The report speaks of one Visa Balaji of Hyderabad who specializes in clearing all hurdles for the issuance of visa. Interesting!
Even yesterday there was a news item about US relaxing H1B visa for the Indians in a big way—by 25 percent from the current 80,000. I don’t know if the miracle can be traced to the blessings of Visa Balaji of Hyderabad.
The report goes further. Then it tells us about one more temple where special prasadam is offered to its goddess Jivantika. It is located near Rajkot in Gujarat and the special offerings are none but loads of pizzas and candies, chocolates and peppermint. Should be a lovely place for the children, and the teenagers!
The list does not end here. There is yet another interesting temple in Tamil Nadu as per the report. Seated at a distance of 220 Kilometer from Chennai, Sree Kulanjiappar, son of Lord Shiva receives written applications from his devotees to help them out of their litigations and marital disharmony. A bureaucratic formality, isn't it?
Now I am reminded of at least two such interesting religious spots of mundane import. One of them is located at Ryli of Amalapuram district in Andhra Pradesh and his area of specialization is transfer. Yes, he is known for helping government servants securing transfers to their places of choice!
The other one I’m reminded of is Parsanakadavu of Malabar coast where the devotees are treated as friends of the presiding deities. On arrival there, one is treated with a glass of tea and soaked gram. If you can linger over such introductory treat, you can take other meals of the day too. Usually people stay there for a darsan of gods at night. Lord Shiva and lord Vishnu, the two primeval gods from the holy trinity, appear bodily at night. Lord Siva is blindfolded and he is led by lord Vishnu. [They are human beings who acquire their godhood at night!] Both the gods bless their friendly devotees. Unlike other temples in India, dogs are allowed here, straight into inner circle, the sanctum sanctorum. You can even present a brass dog there.
Hold it a second—temples are not for gods alone; there are temples of film stars and politicians too. And they are mostly found in/reported from Tamil Nadu. So, the concept of living god is just not a figment of somebody’s imagination; it is real, as real as visa God or the god that receives written appeals!
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By
A. N. Nanda
28/08/2006
Berhampur
________________________________________________________________
The other day while reading The Times of India, Bhubaneswar edition, dated 26/08/2006, I came across an interesting write-up. Its title ran something like this :
“When everything else fails, visit the ‘specialist Gods’”.
Mr Ketan Tanna, its contributor seems to have enjoyed writing this--at least as much as I enjoyed reading it. The report speaks of one Visa Balaji of Hyderabad who specializes in clearing all hurdles for the issuance of visa. Interesting!
Even yesterday there was a news item about US relaxing H1B visa for the Indians in a big way—by 25 percent from the current 80,000. I don’t know if the miracle can be traced to the blessings of Visa Balaji of Hyderabad.
The report goes further. Then it tells us about one more temple where special prasadam is offered to its goddess Jivantika. It is located near Rajkot in Gujarat and the special offerings are none but loads of pizzas and candies, chocolates and peppermint. Should be a lovely place for the children, and the teenagers!
The list does not end here. There is yet another interesting temple in Tamil Nadu as per the report. Seated at a distance of 220 Kilometer from Chennai, Sree Kulanjiappar, son of Lord Shiva receives written applications from his devotees to help them out of their litigations and marital disharmony. A bureaucratic formality, isn't it?
Now I am reminded of at least two such interesting religious spots of mundane import. One of them is located at Ryli of Amalapuram district in Andhra Pradesh and his area of specialization is transfer. Yes, he is known for helping government servants securing transfers to their places of choice!
The other one I’m reminded of is Parsanakadavu of Malabar coast where the devotees are treated as friends of the presiding deities. On arrival there, one is treated with a glass of tea and soaked gram. If you can linger over such introductory treat, you can take other meals of the day too. Usually people stay there for a darsan of gods at night. Lord Shiva and lord Vishnu, the two primeval gods from the holy trinity, appear bodily at night. Lord Siva is blindfolded and he is led by lord Vishnu. [They are human beings who acquire their godhood at night!] Both the gods bless their friendly devotees. Unlike other temples in India, dogs are allowed here, straight into inner circle, the sanctum sanctorum. You can even present a brass dog there.
Hold it a second—temples are not for gods alone; there are temples of film stars and politicians too. And they are mostly found in/reported from Tamil Nadu. So, the concept of living god is just not a figment of somebody’s imagination; it is real, as real as visa God or the god that receives written appeals!
________________________________________________________________
By
A. N. Nanda
28/08/2006
Berhampur
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Labels: Humour
posted by The Unadorned | 1:07 AM
3 Comments:
Hi Nanda,
I read the article in http://ramblingnanda.blogspot.com/2006_08_01_archive.html about " GODS who Specialise ".
Can you please provide me more inputs about Shree Kulanjiappar temple situated 220 kms from chennai .
I am planning to go there .
Please let me know the transport and town name where it is situated.
Highly appreciate your help.
Regards
Ram
Respected Sir,
Although it is a matter of belief, still when one has no control over what is going on around and at the same time he is deeply affected by it, he leaves everything in the hands of the supernatural deities who can not be seen. Gradually he changes the unseen and supernatural powers to something user friendly (just like the gadgets) and specific to his own purpose. By the way this is the only blog I visit regularly to find something of my own interest and I have never been disappointed. Thank you Sir.
They say, 'If you believe in god no proof is necessary, and if you don't no proof is enough.' There was some humour I thought I should presnt and that is to be read though this particular blog post. Otherwise, I too believe in god, especially when I need him to make it easier for me to move.
Thanks, Padma, for visiting my blog and reviving my interest in my earlier posts.
A N nanda
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