OUR TRAVEL TRIPS- VELLORE TEMPLE

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OUR VISIT TO MAHALAKSHMI GOLDEN TEMPLE, VELLORE

On Wednesday, 20th September 08 Mrs and MR AVK arrived in chennai. We decided to visit Vellore golden temple the next day.

As per plan we left on 21st September early morning. We had taken with ourselves some water and snacks.

On the way at Poonamallee in the HIGHWAY restaurant, which is situated at the junction where one has to divert for Tirupati and Bangalore roads, we stopped for break fast and to refresh ourselves. We then proceeded via bangalore highway through Sriperumpudur, the place where Rajiv Gandhi was assasinated, and reached vellore. It was a very plesant drive It is toll paid road in the Chennai- Bangalore highway forming part of golden quadrilateral. We reached the temple gate around 12-30 pm. The temple is situated in a place called SRIPURAM. After entering vellore from highway we have to cross vellore hospital to the other side. Everyone knows this famous temple and guide us through as it is a tourist centre attraction.

There were two queues- one general and one special seva. We took the special seva darshan @ Rs.250/- per head. The seva darshan allows one to go nearer to the deity. Then we were to enter the queue from a different gate being seva ticket holders.

It is a spectacularly built temple. If one sees from above it looks like a star. Every devotee has to enter from one of tips of the star and go through or walk through every wing before reaching the center. The walk way was well built with shade and cool breeze. On the way there are stalls for water and also inscriptions about the temple and reasons for the star formation and its effects. The explanation is that if one goes through the wings and reaches the centre one gets energy. The total distance one would have covered or walked by the time one reaches the centre of the temple is around 3 kms.

In the centre of the temple, seva ticket holders are again sent through a special way to reach the sanctum quickly. We have to walk around the sanctum building before reaching the deity. The sanctum is surrounded by water. The main gopuram and sanctum building is covered fully with GOLDEN SHEETS. All other walls from the gate to the centre are pained with golden yellow color. So from a distance it looks like total golden temple

After entering the sanctum we were allowed to sit in front of the goddess for about 15 minutes. On that day the goddesses mahalakshmi was decked with all costly stones and covered with gold from head to foot. It was breath taking. After a few minutes, AARTI was shown and we were asked to proceed as next batch of people were there for the darshan. On the way back we were given special prasadams.

We walked back through the final wing of the star to the outgate. We were also given ANNA PRASADAM which was a tasty rasam sadaam of different type in thonnai.

On coming our we strolled in the shopping centre briefly and started our journey back. We decided to have our lunch at SARAVANA Bhavan hotel at vellore. IT was around 3-20 pm. The snacks and water taken with us helped us see through till that time which we had enroute.

On the way back we stopped in between for small refreshment and reached chennai aroung 7-30 pm through heavy traffic. Had light dinner at our home at T nagar and Mrs and MR AVK left for K K NAGAR for taking rest.

IT was a nice and wonderful experience. Next day we planned a trip to THENNAGOOR temple