2025 Tirumala Dharshan!!!

A post after 1+ years :) Glad to dust my blog with a temple blog as always!

Every year my father-in-law's side of family group together and we do an ancestral worship to Tirupathi.This year when the planning started,I was as usual excited..But as the dates started to near,one or the other thing started to crop up..My husband had a work,which he cannot skip on the day of darshan,my son fell ill and was recovering..I somehow decided to visit Tirupathi Balaji come what may.Having said that,I can make all the plans but execution happens only when god Balaji gives a green signal.The day before the darshan date,my son became terribly upset that his cousin could not join this trip due to unavoidable reasons..I have to give an ear full to my son  about life,importance of visiting ancestral deity,how we should accept things and move and not get attached with people or situation!He was not convinced..He was upset that we could not plan for a stay at Tirupathi nor could enjoy with his other cousins..My son and I love to have a dip in pushkarani(holy bath inside the temple premises) but this time we had to miss it..The next day,I woke him up..He was bit cheerful than the previous day :)A huge sigh of relief for me..In every stage of childhood,you will need to face battles being a parent :)Now that he is in teens, I am in a stage to answer all his logical questions :)

We booked a driver to drive our car..He was on the dot wrt timings..When things start on time,the work that we plan for is half done :)All our family members were planning to meet near Sangeetha Poonamalle..The moment we reached Sangeetha,my tongue longed for hotel tiffin :) I actually thought to pack idlis and tamarind rice..But as always laziness took charge and there we were at Sangeethas eating 2 idlis ,a  dosa and a half coffee sharing it with my son..Vishnu sahasranamam in the background and piping hot idlis on plate..heaven..second sign that proved all is going to be smooth..

After meeting our family members on the go,we were all set for Balaji's darshan..I wanted to visit Padmavathi Ammavari temple and so asked my MIL if we can break and see her..My MIL and son approved..We landed in Padmavathi temple..1 min super darshan of her..no jarakandi moment here..Yet another time got a good sign..

I hate car travels because I have travel sickness..The moment I board a car,my stomach goes for a churn and I endup vomiting.. After coming out of Padmavathi temple,had slight churning sensation..Got lime soda there and had it to make myself feel little better..Every time I go to Thiruchanoor,it is  ritual for me to get green,maroon plain glass bangles and kumkum..This time is also not an exception..Went to ladoo counter and got our share..

From there we started to climb the hill..After the initial car security checks in checkpoint,my son wanted me to take photos in every possible angle(Teen age,here we go )..I shy away from photos and here is my offspring who wanted me to shoot photos of him in different angles!Previous day's my preaching of acceptance to him landed straight there in my mind!Acceptance is the way of life you see :)After all the photoshoots,reached hill..

We booked for online seva darshan and subsequently got a special entry ticket ..after our security checks,we started walking in queue..we were made to sit in confined hall..We got piping hot sambhar rice served as prasadam there..After a longer wait of close to 5 hours,we landed there to see him for a second :) I could not see his highness completely because jeragandi moment started..May be there is always a next time..But I had the unexplainable happiness of seeing him for a second..The one to whom millions of devotees share their problems..The one who sleeps only for an hour..The one who stands and watches each and every devotee..om namo venkatesaya.

Came out of darshan to get puliyodarai as prasadam..second gift for the day post sambhar rice prasadam..After relishing puliyodharai,came out of temple..Straightly walked to ladoo counter..It took,its own time..In the interim MIL,son,FIL and I were playing hide and seek game of finding the other :) No phones inside the temple and so we could not reach anyone and have to search manually to find people..somehow after getting ladoo,we met at a common place..My mind was longing for Tirupathi diary but the thought of standing in queue was bothering me as we were well past 8pm..One of my family members suggested that we have our dinner at annaprasadam..

Boy I am ever grateful to TTD for the amount of the annaprasadam they offer to the devotees on a daily basis..We had annaprasadam dinner and my stomach was feeling grateful to Balaji and TTD for this selfless act.

In all the rush,I forgot to note down the driver's number..Somehow asked a fellow devotee if they can give their phone to make a call and they readily helped..I called my husband and got the driver's number..again there was no pen around..While you dont have options,innovation sparks..I asked my son,FIL and MIL to memorize the first 8 numbers of the driver's number by memory(allotted 2 digits to my son,3 to MIL and 3 to FIL) and I memorized the last 2 digits..All 4 of us had the allotted numbers memorized already in no time(when situation puts stress,you somehow find solutions)...And called the driver and conveyed the point where he has to come and pick us..The driver got the directions right and picked us exactly on the spot where we wanted him to pick us..

The first enquiry that I made to him was,Anna did you sleep while we were away for darshan..Prompt came the response, "NO",This was a shocker to me..so the entire return journey,I have to be wide awake is what I got confirmed..I learnt from my family members that PS4 hotel is good in Tirupathi..While starting the journey from Tirupathi,my son wanted a coffee and we were there at PS4..My son got tempted and ordered paneer tikka briyani..I tasted from his plate and it was indeed too good..It was 11pm by the time we boarded the car..

I did not sleep from there on..thanks to the coffee that helped me to stay wide awake..Since the driver was driving,I did not speak anything while my FIL,MIL and Son went to sleep mode..I started reading out the sign boards aloud so that driver knows that someone is awake or he might think that I am mad or whatsoever..After some 30 minutes,my MIL woke up and started to be wide awake so that the driver has company of people who are awake in the journey.

The driver did a fantastic job of making us reach home around 3am..Immensely grateful to him for his safe driving and speaking about different topics during the commute so that we were alert and did not get into sleep mode.

Immensely grateful to TTD for their abundant anna prasadam..It was served piping hot..my every cell is abundantly brimming with gratitude..

Immensely grateful to my family members for coming together every year for the ancestral deity darshan.

I have 2 wishes to Balaji..one to take my parents some day there..Because only if he approves,I can execute the plan which I am dreaming for years now..Second,once in my lifetime want to see him in Srivani darshan ticket.And obviously I prayed for loka shemam and to people who are helping me abundantly..

Yes I missed taking dip in pushkarani and getting his diary..But I know that he is going to call me for  a darshan spoon some how(hope is life).

If you have read till now,thanks again for taking your time to read my experiences.

May your life be filled with all the abundancy..

Om namo venkatesaya