Sunday, December 24, 2017

Christmas Eve

We went to the Venkateswara temple after a long time this evening.

It was late. The priest welcomed us and told us Arati was about to begin. The lights were switched off. There was small cradle placed in front of the main deity. The priest lit an oil lamp and he rocked the cradle gently. Then he drew a curtain all round it and offered us prasad: a spoonful of warm, sweet milk.

This was the 'Shayan Arati'. The Lord, in infant form, had been put to bed for the night in a tender and reverent ceremony.

In the darkness around the tea gardens of Dibrugarh, every pond I crossed on my way home had a reflection of Sirius rising in the East.  

1 comment:

Umesh K. Dubey said...

I liked the idea . Do exactly what your heart dictates.