Sep 22, 2008

Sabarimala Pilgrimage - Part 3- 22 Sep 2008

Irumudi

So , we 3 started on Nilagiri Express to Coimbatore on 18 th night . As it departs early , had home made Dinner and some chat till the sleep caught up with us . After an un-fitful sleep , reached Coimbatore ahead of schedule ( 4.35 AM ) .

You need to negotiate before you board the Auto / Call-taxi ( most claim their Meter is faulty) .. From their part , they let you board with all the luggage's and try to announce exorbitant fare , hoping the trapped சவாரி will not take the trouble of getting down with all the luggage and try to hail another .After agreeing for a premium of Rs 20 over metered fare on Call-taxi we reached our home before 5.00 AM .

After deciding who is take bath first and unloaded our stuff , TNEB promptly cut the power @ 5 . They did not implement the 5-6 AM power cut for the past 15 days and subsequent days , but they diligently acted on 19 th . Anyways , armed with candles , we had bath and strong coffee and enjoyed the cool Coimbatore morning weather . You can still stay in room not feeling uncomfortable without a Fan ! .

Reached Siddapudur Ayyappan temple by 6.45 AM and found our Gurusamy Hari waiting for us and to start off ' Irumdi' ritual . After organizing few left out items like Garland for Swami and all , Gurusammy priest started the rituals with கன்னிசாமி ரமேஷ் around 7.15 AM

We were 6 of us ( Sridhar felt it was not proper to do Irumudi without traditional 41 day penance) , hence only 5 of us were having our Irumudikattu . Our priest made us sit cross-legged and kicked-off with praying before the Ayyappan picture and proceeded to prepare the special Irumdi bag , a 2 comparmented bag with one side with shaved cocunt filled with holy ghee and other side with Rice , Aval and other items supposedly to quench our hunger, joined by 2 other சிதறு தேங்காய் for traditional offering to the God on our way to God's abode . Ghee is heated up and every one pours the Ghee into the Coconut inner chamber and sealed and the Irumdikattu is kept safely on the bed-sheet to protect from mis-handling . When this irumudikattu is prepared , others who came to send -off can put their காணிக்கை , which would be offered to Him .

Few of our realtives came to this , including my parents and in-laws . Finally we all done up by 8.40 AM and with 'Irumudi' in our head safely perched , boarded our Innova . After traditonal ' திருஸ்டி நிவர்த்தி' for the vehicle and send-off from our relatives and curious passer-byes , we earnestly started for our journey to seek blessings from Ayyappa

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