Nine days of Prayers! Navarathiri- Day seven!

So its Navarathiri again, which basically means nine days of prayers.

Three days for courage and bravery - Prayers to Durga ( goddess of courage)
Three days for wealth and money $$$, - Prayers to Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth)
Three days for education and excelling in music, arts and crafts- prayers to saraswathy ( goddess of education and music)

The fun and tedious bit of it is all your family invites all the women ranging from two to ninety year olds to come visit their shrine room. Some of the ladies go all out and do this beautiful set up with dolls and decoration. The others like me and my cousins who are caught up in the work world just do prayers in the evening.

Fun bit of it is you get gifts at every house you visit. So i have a whole collection of glass bangles and knick knacks. Each gift is given with betel leaves coconut and fruits. Also you get to eat all this yummy food. Which means in return I have to do the same.

I got some cute tiny kitchen weighing scales to give as return gifts, except i got distracted and bought some other unnecessary stuff. Never mind!

Katharagama 2010!

There I was on the annual pilgrimage to Katharagama. I was looking for signs of some sort to show me something about how my year is. Waiting at the entrance, we could not get in, there was huge crowds, was temporarily distracted by the kavadi dancers. They seemed so full of spirit dancing their cares away. A lady in front got posessed and started dancing. Kids were highly excited and wanted to join in the dance. Stopped them. The crowds were large in numbers due to the first weekend, no its always crowded. Two dogs started fighting and there was temporary panic. Held the kids tight. There was a two year old girl lost and crying for her parents. People from the temple led her away. So easy to lose yourself and belonging there. Went in with the crowds was pushed pulled was there for a few minutes. Still my mind was not at peace. It was just too short. I have so many things to ask for (although i know its not right that we should not ask god for things).

Next morning we went for the four thirty pooja. The gates were closed we were waiting with a small que. The weather was just right pleasantly cold. Yes katharagama was pleasant weather this weekend. It was not dry and hot as i always felt. We got into the temple just in time to wait for the five am pooja for the lord. I turned to look out, the crowds were there again. We had just made it on time. I looked at the beautiful face of Lord Muruga. I was going to start listing the things i wanted then i stopped. The clanging of the bells started. Suddenly i could not stay in there. The bells beating and the sound of the conch shell was making me dizzy. I was sweating maybe i should move out. But no i could not, the guy does the announcing was telling "dont move" repeatedly. For a moment i could understand how the women get possessed and lose their mind temporarily. It is so very easy. I stayed was feeling slighly ill, too much of heat and sound. looked again to the face of the lord. I felt he was looking at me. I just stayed with my prayers and a fear of fainting. Of course i did not faint and cause drama. I did not ask all the things i wanted. I realised that this year we will get the things we deserve. Isnt that always the case with life.

The last arathi and they gave us blessings turning around one of the priests smiled he gestured come forward and pray. That was the sign that I have been looking for...

St. Jude at Gampaha

I went to St. Jude church at Gampaha today. Had a vow to print some novenas and give lunch for some poor. It was long over due and one of those days when i really wanted to get away from it all. So went along with a friend who needed some mind clearing. After a load of mix ups about what to do about the lunch involving asking my parents cook to make lunch then realising the poor need some good food and not the crap she dishes out. Thought i will buy some on the way. So we stop half way at kadawatha to buy lunch. the smell of food was a bit too much in the car for the rest of the journey. We saw this Soya place which sells all this soya pastry and ice cream, we decided to stop there on our way back. Even on the way to a religious place the stomach is always having its own agenda.

Get to the church. I have to say there are miracles which do happen when u visit here. DH kept asking why i was going off so far today but at moments of real messes involving work and life going to this church has given an extra energy to face things. I have seen miracles happen too. So we went in prayed a bit lit candles. I felt at peace and that things are going to be positively charged. The church is so peaceful and huge gardens which are nicely maintained. actually there are two churches. Am not sure about the history. Felt a bit lost in memory of coming there for feasts so many years ago.

Came out there were no people to give the food. The driver wanted to bring it back to colombo to give to some people here. i was adamant that due to vow we have to give in gampaha. Outside the church there are some accharu ladies who sell some really great veralu acharu, pineapple , woodapple accharu and manioc with sambol. went out and managed to give away all the lunch and buy a whole load of the achharu and stuff our faces. When i was a kid and mum used to take me to this place i use to go only for eating the achharu. i thought we were going all the way for that.

get back to soya place to have soya icecream. Looking at the pastries friend asks whats a mofin. Oh yes the soya mofin. had to explain to her thats the village muffin and had her laughing.
The mofin is in fact a roti shaped like a triangle (or square shape gone kind of wrong or mofin shape) nothing to do with the blueberry muffin.

Superstition playing through...

Once in two months my cousin calls me up and tells special poojas to be performed at the temples for the betterment of life. the easy ones i do the hard ones i leave it. last saturday she told me a fairly simple thing involving lighting of three lamps at three different temples. Woke up bright and early got ready started the car it did not start.

I got freaked out (yes i am a bit mad that i decided it was a bad omen) Got DH to start the car started. Then set off to temple. Went there decided shall pray before doing the lamp thing and left it and went inside. while praying mind was in a confused state and as such when i finished prayers was in a confused state of mind.

Came out to get my lamps someone had broken not only one lamp but the whole bottle of oil. i totally broke down. get home and was bawling non stop since i decided this is very bad news. I know it sounds mad but i was so depressed all day. I just could not get over it.

wake up in the morning open the front door and find a lizard dead with his tail seperate. scream shout and go and cry somemore that bad omen for dead lizard. So lie down on the sofa and am depressed. TV is on and i cant help but listen to some preacher say that getting obsessed about superstion is one of the stupidest habits of human beings. wierd but a coincidence...

why is it that i cant let go of all this superstitious mumbo jumbo.... I look at good omens all day...

Mahasivarathiri 2009!

Out of sheer boredom decided to accompany parents to Muneeswaram temple for Sivarathiri. Every year I visit a shiva temple in colombo. This was the first time i was attempting to spend it in Muneeswaram Temple which is in chilaw. My parents, brother and I left at eight to get there. I felt like it was almost the old days when i was single and no responsibility. I had a vision in my mind where the temple would be silent and no crowd.

Oh boy was i wrong the temple was brightly lit with huge crowds. It was a mini carnival out there with the baloon man, ice cream man and the small shops with loads of household stuff. This temple has ardent buddhist followers who had come to give their offerings and pray to lord shiva. Ten O clock pooja, I was totally mesmerised. Huge crowds, chanting, different drum beats ( mix of south indian and kandyan). Buddhists and Hindus Standing together and praying loudly at the decorated deity...

I think i can relate to people losing it and dancing as if something as entered into them, the temple has many people who become like that and have watched them from afar. No i did not jump to join them. But i suddenly could relate to it. The end of the pooja and i knew one thing if god Beckons me all the way to his temple so far, i guess its meant to be I am going to make it... Somehow figure it out. Not all but some of it to start........

Prayer, Peace and Problems!

On my way to Kataragama with the Ada Derana giving news on the fall of killinochi. Keeping the kids entertained on a long drive so far is no joke. They drive you nuts and u want to jump off the car, Specially if they decide not to sleep right through the drive. Parents were giving their two cents worth on phone every one hour.

Mum : U know if u stop at three thirty near Udawalave u can see the baby elephants being fed.

Dad : u have to stop and feed the elephants some sugar cane.

Me : (I am very frightened of wild elephants of any sort and I aint doing any of that)

We get to the dam and inquire we had just missed the feeding bit. So off we went. Boy oh boy there were so many of the Elephants hanging out near the fence. Happily munching the grass and huge trees and posing. So we had to stop and kids were getting far too excited and shouting, I was sure that we were going to get chased by them any minute. This went on for quite a bit with no accidents and off we were.

Have not been to the temple for some years now and going there I had this intuition that we were going to be called in and don’t have to wait in the que. I was on a torn and upset mood when I went to the temple and the guys kept telling not to come in to wait till the pooja is over. Then as I knew one guy came and told us to cross in through the rope. So there my intuition was right. We were there right through the pooja and I felt thorought blessed inside the temple.

Went back to the temple next day. Miracles don’t happen twice so had to wait and went in after the poojava. The rice that they give as Prasad is out of this world I must say during afternoon.

My impatience of god setting everything right immediately is not going to work I was to realize when I made it back to Colombo. That’s ok I shall wait for the gods powers to work. DD has been advising so many times to go to kataragama which I have managed to do, so let me wait and see for the wonders to work…….

Another Year Ends!

The year 2008 was one of the worst years I have dealt with. Simply because I have gone through some of the toughest times of my life in this year. I think it is ending with quite a bang what with a Global crisis in hand which is going to make next year suck. A few good things that I can think of that I have achieved in the year is starting yoga after only talking about it for ages. The astrologer has been on busy schedule looking up my charts too many times this year due to moms pestering

Have been conferencing with the gods far too much and I am sure they are very much in a confused state of mind with my measly day to day problems. For the first time in my life my phone was stolen and I had a visiting Burglar who was trying to burgle my place a many number of times. I need to vent and rant about this year so I can leave it all behind and go for a fresh new start next year.

I have also learnt that worries can keep u sleepless for months and your tear ducts don’t dry out however much you cry (god that sounds so miserable)

So starting it off with a bang hope to visit Katharagama this Friday. More conferencing with the gods and on a religious note. . 31st night is far too over rated (ok I am not going out anywhere and am spending it at home, so shall make that sad comment) The kids are far too scared of the cracker sound and I don’t want to leave them alone. (not bug them but home alone)

Out of this topic, so many of my office colleagues seem to have invested money in Golden key and are panicking so much.

That’s it dear bloggers, Wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

God and I

So god appeared in full glory in front of me and said
”What would be your three wishes whatever granted”
Me being the Good person I am said “ World Peace, Food for the poor , Happier Sri lanka”
Well that was an attempt at a dry joke.

I have just stopped praying for the fourth day in a row. I don’t think Hinduism does say you have to pray everyday. But I was praying everyday and visiting temples like no tomorrow. Due to misery in my personal life in general I had to blame it on someone. First thought was my parents who brought me into this world but then again poor souls how were they suppose to predict that my life was going to be one big carnival (Not). Then I realized I had to blame it on someone else so its god. I tried having an annoyed conversation with God but stopped since I might look like a mental talking to oneself. I don’t know how long I am going to continue this, but then again could things get worse that it is already if I don’t pray. Hemmm that’s a thought to think about for now.

Religion and Life

Had to go for a wedding of my mom’s cook’s daughter last week. My cook had got a good proposal for her daughter and the girl is going abroad. The only thing was the girl had to convert to get married. She is a born Hindu. My mom was a bit upset that this girl was converting religion. I was quite and listened to her and told her that I don’t find anything wrong with her converting. Quite frankly if it was a choice of life and religion she would obviously chose life.

If converting from being a Hindu to another religion is the only ticket for that. She might as well do that and have a strong belief on the religion that gave her. For once, my mom was forced to agree with me that it did make sense.

I have this unhealthy relationship with religion. Unhealthy meaning I pray far too much and then get annoyed when my prayers are not answered and not pray for long periods. It’s very childish but that’s the way it has been.