A trip down south!!

Round the corner from my house is a small south-indian temple which i frequent every week. Not that I'm very religious minded, but the experience at this place is unique in many ways.
The whole ambience... the decor, carefully though-out tapestries, dim lighting with an array of diyas outlining every idol, the distinct aroma floating around....the authenticity of the people reflecting their culture. White, the favorite colour in south, can be seen in abundance: from white tilak,white dhotis, white rangoli to white flowers adorned by the Gods...the devotional slow- music, though I can't comprehend anything beyond 'Narayana', find it mesmerizing.

They follow a different way of praying. We buy a small diya, light it, rotate it in clockwise direction in front of God and throw it in a huge kadaii with blazing flames! Then, there is a small cell enshrined with Gods of 9 planets. Doing parikrama of this cell reminds me of 'saat phere' of Indian marriages... If I'm feeling adventurous, i also traverse the narrow,pitch dark cave-like small pathway there.
There are many regular south-indian faces.. I gawk at them as they go about whispering prayers and shloks in their mother tongue!

The place has an aura, a sanctity that touches you somewhere deep. The pujari uncle, a retired ex- director of DRDO, welcomes me with an imperceptible nod which makes me feel special.
Gobbling up the delicious coconut prasad, i return back, warm and happy from my south-indian sojourn!!! :) :)