This August end, I had the blessed opportunity to walk from Tirupati to Tirumala, called Srivari Mettlu--climbing all 2,388 sacred steps, about 3.1 kms.The height of the Tirumala Hills is approximately 3,200 feet (980 meters) above sea level. The journey was not just physical—it was deeply spiritual. With every step, I placed a bottu (Govinda Naamam) made of Kumkum and Turmeric mixed with water, as an offering and softly chanted the holy “Govinda Naamalu” and Lord Sri Venkateswara Stotra along with reciting few devotional lines. The climb of nearly 3,200 feet should have exhausted me, but instead, I felt light, energized, and carried by an unseen strength. I’m not exaggerating in pride, rather would like to reveal how spirituality and divinity takes you to the greater heights!!
What amazed me most was how, despite walking steadily for nearly five to six hours, I experienced no strain, no fatigue, no pain. It felt as though the Lord Himself was carrying me along, each step becoming an act of devotion rather than effort. It’s not only me, but I could also see many devotees’ elderly, children who climbed along the steps to Tirumala. No doubt, my family too is a great strength to accompany.
This experience reminded me of my daily practice back home listening for an hour or so to spiritual discourses on Lord Sri Venkateswara by Brahmasri Chaganti Koteswara Rao garu. Those discourses have been shaping my thoughts, filling me with devotion, and perhaps preparing me silently for this divine yatra. On the steps of Tirumala, I realized how the words I hear every day were living through me—each mantra, each story of the Lord turning into strength under my feet.
The next evening, I was further blessed with a blissful darshan of Lord Sri Venkateswara at Tirumala. While waiting in compartment 21 for nearly two hours in the evening, something unexpected and divine happened—the Tirumala volunteers brought huge containers of Kadambam—a special prasadam right where I was standing. To my joy, I was given the chance to distribute prasadam to fellow devotees. In that sacred moment, I felt the Lord had allowed me to serve Him directly by serving His devotees.
As I reached the sanctum and had darshan, I didn’t just feel like I had climbed a hill—I felt lifted into a higher space of peace, devotion, and divine energy. Truly, it was not my body’s strength but Lord Sri Venkateswara’s grace that carried me and allowed me to experience both seva and darshan in the most blissful way.
Friends, visiting a temple nearby or at holy places of worship is never an easy thing in one’s life. It’s said that it’s not that we intend to visit the God to have darshan, rather it’s God’s blessing to have darshan of Himself that we are allowed to have. Every act of seeing God and reaching Him is really a divine experience!!
Stay blessed, dear ones.
--Devi BS
No comments:
Post a Comment