Thursday, 10th June 2021 morning. I had visitors. Two of them. A major and a corporal. Both from the nearest army camp. They were on a routine visit. The corporal is the one from the army who continuously monitors my movements. To make it easy for him he is on my mailing + what's up list.
On the previous day, I phoned the local police to help me in my travel to Mirusuvil Arulmiku Pillayar temple for pooja. They showed their empty hands expressing their inability.
I repeated my request to the visiting army men. They told me that it was neither an emergency nor a curfew. So issuing passes do not arise. Being a distant area I should not travel, they said.
I repeated my request to the visiting army men. They told me that it was neither an emergency nor a curfew. So issuing passes do not arise. Being a distant area I should not travel, they said.
I insisted. They indicated the possibility of being blocked in on the first check post.
I told them that I am going to pray. I am going for pooja. Also, I told them as it is social-customary, it is necessary to be at the side of those affected. I told them I am not going to a bar, a gym, a casino, a brothel, or a slaughterhouse. I am going to a temple. Hospitals provide physicaL medicare and temples provide mind soothing medicare.
They phoned and had a lengthy conversation. I did not understand because of my linguistic ignorance.
Thereafter they asked me for my travel plan.
I told them that I will inform them after consulting my colleagues who may wish to join.
In the evening after consultations with consenting fellow travelers, I sent a schedule. Four devotees consented to join me.
Pooja and pongal being the agreed agenda, we divided responsibilities.
I carried Nanthi flags, prayer books, pooja utensils. Others brought as agreed, abhishekam, pooja, and pongal ingredients.
On Friday afternoon, the Penta-team met at Chavakcheri junction. To our surprise, the major and the corporal were there. They escorted us facilitating road barrier crossings. Five of us traveled in separate vehicles.
As we gave prior information to Mirusuvil devotees, they were there with firewood and water.
The escorts went to a shaded area not far away from, where there were other soldiers.
We began with a prayer. Cleaning the area, we set the pongal fire. We washed the broken floor, arranged the abishekam + pooja ingredients and utensils.
An army convey came on the highway from the eastern side. Brigadier Harindra Peries commander of the nearest camp. walked towards us, greeted us, and spoke encouraging words. He told us that they will contribute a major share in the reconstruction of the temple. I encouraged the trustees to share their phone numbers with the convoy's civil affairs officer. We placed holy ash on the foreheads of each one of them. They left thereafter.
As they left a police vehicle came and halted near the shade joining the soldiers who were there.
A team from Sivaboomi trust came. They connected me by phone to Dr. Aruthirumurugan, the chief trustee. He told me that Sivaboomi's trust will contribute in a big way towards reconstruction. I connected him to the temple trustees.
We erected the 19ft flag post to hoist the Nandhi flag. When pongal was about to be ready, one of us was at the sanctum sanctorum to perform the abhishekam in the following order. Oil, arukam pul + milk, curd, young coconut, five-fruit salad in honey, holy ash, sandal, perfumed water with theepam and ringing handbell after each. Arulmiku Pillayar was adorned with silk and flower garland.
Pongal was ready. Placed it on a banana leaf with fruits, betel, coconut, etc. as padayal.
We distributed to the assembled 15 or so a pooja-order booklet. All of them started reciting the Tamil prayer songs while the one at sanctum sanctorum performed the arthis in a sequence as per the booklet order. A recital of the pancha puranam with final arthi and pooja for the handbell symbolizing Arulmiku Sandesuwarar.
The sanctum sanctorum devotee began to bless each present with holy ash, theertham, flower, sandal, and kumkum.
There was some disturbance. Devotees turned their heads towards two men who had arrived just then to announce that the driver and the heavy-duty vehicle has been nabbed by the army intelligence to be handed over to the police.
The devotees shouted arohara arohara.
We invited the security team to bless. I took one piece of silk from the deity to tie a top, paddam, for the police sergeant. He was also garlanded. The trustees said that they were not treated properly at the police station. The sergeant replied from now on trustees will be taken special courteous care at the police station.
We left most of the pooja utensils we took with us at the temple with holy rudhracham for each devotee. Copies of Pillayaar Kathai books and Pooja guide books were distributed to all devotees.
We assured them of continued support. In return, we asked them to cleanse Mirusuvil of evangelists. A banner was also put up near the temple.
We left for our homes escorted up to the nearest main junction.
I told them that I am going to pray. I am going for pooja. Also, I told them as it is social-customary, it is necessary to be at the side of those affected. I told them I am not going to a bar, a gym, a casino, a brothel, or a slaughterhouse. I am going to a temple. Hospitals provide physicaL medicare and temples provide mind soothing medicare.
They phoned and had a lengthy conversation. I did not understand because of my linguistic ignorance.
Thereafter they asked me for my travel plan.
I told them that I will inform them after consulting my colleagues who may wish to join.
In the evening after consultations with consenting fellow travelers, I sent a schedule. Four devotees consented to join me.
Pooja and pongal being the agreed agenda, we divided responsibilities.
I carried Nanthi flags, prayer books, pooja utensils. Others brought as agreed, abhishekam, pooja, and pongal ingredients.
On Friday afternoon, the Penta-team met at Chavakcheri junction. To our surprise, the major and the corporal were there. They escorted us facilitating road barrier crossings. Five of us traveled in separate vehicles.
As we gave prior information to Mirusuvil devotees, they were there with firewood and water.
The escorts went to a shaded area not far away from, where there were other soldiers.
We began with a prayer. Cleaning the area, we set the pongal fire. We washed the broken floor, arranged the abishekam + pooja ingredients and utensils.
An army convey came on the highway from the eastern side. Brigadier Harindra Peries commander of the nearest camp. walked towards us, greeted us, and spoke encouraging words. He told us that they will contribute a major share in the reconstruction of the temple. I encouraged the trustees to share their phone numbers with the convoy's civil affairs officer. We placed holy ash on the foreheads of each one of them. They left thereafter.
As they left a police vehicle came and halted near the shade joining the soldiers who were there.
A team from Sivaboomi trust came. They connected me by phone to Dr. Aruthirumurugan, the chief trustee. He told me that Sivaboomi's trust will contribute in a big way towards reconstruction. I connected him to the temple trustees.
We erected the 19ft flag post to hoist the Nandhi flag. When pongal was about to be ready, one of us was at the sanctum sanctorum to perform the abhishekam in the following order. Oil, arukam pul + milk, curd, young coconut, five-fruit salad in honey, holy ash, sandal, perfumed water with theepam and ringing handbell after each. Arulmiku Pillayar was adorned with silk and flower garland.
Pongal was ready. Placed it on a banana leaf with fruits, betel, coconut, etc. as padayal.
We distributed to the assembled 15 or so a pooja-order booklet. All of them started reciting the Tamil prayer songs while the one at sanctum sanctorum performed the arthis in a sequence as per the booklet order. A recital of the pancha puranam with final arthi and pooja for the handbell symbolizing Arulmiku Sandesuwarar.
The sanctum sanctorum devotee began to bless each present with holy ash, theertham, flower, sandal, and kumkum.
There was some disturbance. Devotees turned their heads towards two men who had arrived just then to announce that the driver and the heavy-duty vehicle has been nabbed by the army intelligence to be handed over to the police.
The devotees shouted arohara arohara.
We invited the security team to bless. I took one piece of silk from the deity to tie a top, paddam, for the police sergeant. He was also garlanded. The trustees said that they were not treated properly at the police station. The sergeant replied from now on trustees will be taken special courteous care at the police station.
We left most of the pooja utensils we took with us at the temple with holy rudhracham for each devotee. Copies of Pillayaar Kathai books and Pooja guide books were distributed to all devotees.
We assured them of continued support. In return, we asked them to cleanse Mirusuvil of evangelists. A banner was also put up near the temple.
We left for our homes escorted up to the nearest main junction.
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