Velankanni

Whenever we go for our annual vacation a trip to Velankanni is always on the cards. Call it my moms superstition or a family tradition visiting Mother Mary's shrine at Tamil Nadu is inevitable if we have to go on a vaccation. But ever since the tsunami struck Velankanni we haven't been there. Trips to velankanni were religiously planned but for some reason it always got cancelled. Something or the other came up and the Velankanni trip was always shelved. So this Onam vacation when my uncle suggested a family trip to Velankanni everybody at our home jumped at the opportunity to visit the shrine after a long gap...

I personally am not a very religious person but i do believe in mother Mary. So in spite of my initial inhibitions about going for an over crowded family trip i decided to finally give in and join the trip. And boy what a trip it turned out to be!!!From the beginning till the end this trip was an overwhelming experience....

My first jolt was when i saw the the 14 seater tempo traveller hired for a total of 17 people who were coming for the trip. I am not being a complaint box but for a journey that lasts over 12 hours (in the very least) at least adequate seating is a basic necessity! I knew from the start this was not going to be a pleasant experience...Obviously everybody was not very happy with the vehicle but tempers flared when one of my uncle made a last minute call informing his surprise decision to join us!! Before things went out of hand he had to be politely refused. THANK GOD!

Everybody was picked up...the journey began with the customary recital of the rosary seeking the blessings of mother Mary...everybody settled in...kids on the lap of their parents and adults squeezed into the few available seats...general chit chat started...then a break to have dinner...all the home made delicacies were laid out...umm...just one clinch... aren't we going for a pilgrimage? Aren't we supposed to fast?? Cant we give non veg a break at least when we go to Velankanni??? Who am i to raise my voice when there are so many elders in the group... anyways who cares as long as the food is yummy...

Another thing that surprised me was the decision to cook our own food instead of dropping by a wayside hotel. Seems like some people had an issue with hotel food so they came all geared up with cooking gas, stove, food supply that would last for a week!I don't understand who would volunteer to cook in between such a long journey! We even had trouble finding accommodation at Velankanni because most of the hotels didn't allow cooking in their premises....Besides its so embarrassing standing on the road with paper plates and having food...i didn't like the idea at all...

The bad roads delayed us ... our vehicle slows down and we are late by over 5 hours...as soon as we enter the scorching heat of Tamil Nadu our AC breaks down...As if this wasn't enough a couple of miles ahead our bus breaks down with a flat tyre! Talk about a messy journey..this by far tops the charts!

We finally reached Velankanni after a longg 18 hr bus ride which can aptly be summed up as - SAD, BAD, MAD! Back bones dismantled, knees aching i was cursing the moment when i decided to join this trip! i knew it was a bad decision from the start then why the hell did i join the group?! I should have relaxed at home and enjoyed a peace full Onam sadya...

But seems like there was a purpose behind this whole journey...something which wasn't very obvious at first but became clear when i saw the pilgrims visiting Mother Marys shrine...especially the tamilian peasant pilgrims...i saw their passion..i saw their devotion...i saw their sacrifice before seeking the blessings of mother Mary...i saw them scrawling on their knees on the burning beach sand for over 2 kilometers before entering the shrine...i saw them shouting "Mariye Vazhga" on top of their voices without any restraint.. i saw them walking for miles on the burning hot roads from their homes far away til they reached the shrine.....

It was such a humbling experience....Here i am complaining about an AC and a con jested bus when these people have been walking for the entire journey in the burning hot roads...Here i am guarding my complexion with an umbrella and they shave off their heads and walk around bald...not just men and kids even fully grown women! All my complaints seems so trivial now...

I don't know if my prayers would even reach mother Mary...

I don't even know if i deserve to pray...

I wonder if i will ever have the humility that is a prerequisite before praying...