OLD COUPLES MINI MAGHA MASA YATRA (2)

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OLD COUPLES MINI MIGHA MASA YATRA (2)

Dt.20th FEBRUARY, 2011 - SUNDAY

We proceeded to the temple of Brahma Lingeswara Shiva Temple where priests are performing pujas to Lord Vighneswara and Lord Shiva. We enquired about the temple of Lord Chaturmukha Brahma and the priests informed that this temple is by the side of the Shiva Temple and it is situated in a pushkarini in a low lying area and on account of heavy rains during this year, lot of water accumulated in the pushkarini and the temple is partly submerged in water and there is no way to enter into the temple and hence the sanctum sanctorium was closed and it may likely to be reopened around May when water in the pushkarnini may recede. The priests advised us to visit the temple from the banks of the pushkarini and may offer our prayers. After offering our prayers to Maha Ganadhipati and Lord Brahma Lingeswara and seeking the blessings of the priests, we proceeded to the pushkarini and had the darshan of Chaturmukha Brahma temple from the banks of the pushkarini and silently offered our prayers to Lord Brahma. We felt sorry for the state of affairs of this temple which is also under the care of Archeological Department. As this is said to be the only temple of Lord Brahma in this part of India, Government or Tourism Department or Hindu Dharmic Institutions ought to have taken greater care of this unique temple. It is not difficult to pump out the water from the Pushkarini and make the way to Sanctum Sanctorium and restore regular pujas in this temple of Lord Brahma, who is the creator of this universe. Perhaps, the curse of Lord Parameswara prevailed in restoring the worship activities in the temple. The temple when it is not submerged in the pushkarini waters would be as under:





What a beautiful view of the temple! If one sits before the sanctum sanctorium and prays Lord Brahma, there is no wonder that he blesses in the shortest time possible and fulfils our wishes. He had the reputation of evening fulfilling the desires and wishes of devotees who subsequently used the boons against humanity and for destruction of His own universe and against sattvic people. If Hiranya pradana activities, pujas similarly performed in Pushkar are performed here, we are sure that this temple and village would definitely be equally popular as that of Pushkar, and certainly would have been a popular pilgrimage centre for Sanathana Dharma activitists.

After offering our prayers at the temples of Brahma Lingeswara Shiva Temple and Chaturmukha Brahma Temple, we proceeded towards Baptla Sea Shore near Surya Lanka. My wife entertained doubts whether she would be able to make to the sea shore as one has to walk about more than half-a-kilometre to reach the sea shore from Surya Lanka car parking area (we had in 2000 visited this sea shore). Military establishments are located in Surya Lanka Beach and the area is under their control. I explained her that we can convince the security personnel to allow our Car to the nearest point to the beach as we are old persons visiting the area as a pilgrimage to have Samudra Snanam in Magha Masam.

Discussing the issue of possibility of our ability to walk and reach Surya Lanka Beach, we have reached Bapatla where we have to take turn to Surya Lanka and travel about 16 kms. We have also noticed that Chirala is only about 15 km where there is a facility to take bath in the sea in Vadareveu beach which is about another 4 km. Suddenly we entertained an idea to proceed to Vadarevu beach instead of Suryalanka Beach as we have a standing invitation from my wife’s cousin who is working in a managerial position in ILTD Company at Chirala to visit Vadarevu Beach for spending a couple of days peacefully in the Guest House of ILTD Co., situated on the beach of Vadarevu. But I have noted his telephone number in a diary kept in my other car. However, as Chirala is a small place and as we can ascertain his phone number and address at ILTD Factory premises which is situated on the main road itself before entering Chirala Town, we proceeded towards Chirala instead of Surya Lanka Beach. After reaching ILTD Factory, I ascertained the telephone number of my cousin at the reception office and telephoned him. On speaking to him we noticed that he was presently in Vijayawada, at his brother’s house, attending to his mother who had a small health problem on account of old age. He felt very sorry that he was not in Chirala when we visited that place and insisted that we should visit his house and his daughter and wife would make all arrangements for our comfortable stay and for our Magha Snanam in Vadarevu Beach. But I politely declined his offer as we have not so far had an occasion to meet his wife and daughter. As we are discussing about this issue, his daughter Chy. Tejaswani arrived on a Scooter (he had contacted his family on another phone and directed his daughter to meet us at the factory reception and take us to their house) and invited us to proceed to their house without any hesitation. She had just finished her post graduation in Bio Technology (M.Tech., gold medallist from an University in Chennai). The hospitality of the family of my wife’s cousin left us with no other option except to proceed to their house.

After reaching the house, they said that Chy.Tejaswani will accompany us to the Vadarevu Beach and help us in having Samudra Snanam and in the meanwhile, Mrs.Viswanatham will prepare lunch at home and we have to leave Chirala only after taking lunch in their House. I suggested to them that we all proceed to Vadarevu Beach and afterwards we can have lunch in a Hotel or in their house leisurely talking about the family relatives and acquaintances. They agreed. In the meanwhile, Mr.Viswanatham, my wife’s cousin, telephoned to say that he had arranged for a suit of rooms in the Guest House of ILTD on the beach of Vadarevu and breakfast and Lunch would be provided in the Guest House itself and they will make arrangements for our comfortable sea bath.

We then proceeded to Vadarevu beach which is about 4 km and reached the Guest House of ILTD and comfortably settled in the Room provided to us. The Guest House was constructed in an old British style surrounded by big trees providing cool shade and breeze. A beautiful garden is maintained keeping the place very pleasant. The incharge informed us that four plastic chairs were arranged on the seashore and we can have a comfortable bath in the sea and after that the breakfast would be ready in the Room itself.
We slowly proceeded to the seashore and had a dip in the sea-waters. My wife also had a comfortable bath with the help of Mrs.Viswanatham. We spent about one hour in the sea waters, reciting Aditya Hridaya Strotram thrice, Namaka Parayanam once and Parayanam of Vishnu Sahasra Namam amd Sree Suktam. By the time we returned to the Guest House, breakfast, tasty Hot Upma, was ready. We had again a bath in normal waters and spent time till 1 pm remembering the affairs of our relatives. At 1 pm we had tasty lunch in the Guest House and then proceeded to their House. After taking rest for a brief period, we proceeded towards Guntur after profusely thanking the hosts for their willing hospitality to relatives whom they have seen for the first time.

In the return journey thoughts came over that Lord Brahma, though had not given his darshan in the temple, certainly answered our prayers by blessing us to fulfil our desire of performing Magha Snanam very comfortably in the ocean on a Sunday of Magha Masam, inspite of our initial hesitation about our ability to perform the same. He blessed us to spend more than a Ghadiya in Sea Waters on Magha Adivaram as ordained in our Puranas and worship Lord Surya Bhagavan, Ishwara and Vishnu. We felt that our body became lighter after taking bath in sea waters on a sunny day.

Magha snanamidam punyam snaasyeham deva maadhava
Dukha daaridraya naashaya – shri vishno stoshanaaya cha
Pratah snanam karomyada – makarasthe ravou maagha govindaachyuta
Maadhava - Snaanenaanena me deva yathokta phalado bhava.

By the time we reached Guntur it was about 5 pm and we decided to stay for the night in Guntur Hotel itself instead of our original programme of proceeding to either Vijayawada or Nuzvid in pursuit of our further pilgrimage.

OLD COUPLE AT THEIR HOUSE BEFORE STARTING MAGHA MASA YATRA




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RAGHAVARAO, U.V.G.V. DUGGIRALA,

HYDERABAD, Dt.5th MARCH, 2011.

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