For the past so many decades, my day always begins with lighting a lamp and agarbhatti in the pooja room. The wonderful agarbatthi smell taht wafts the entire house calms me and I know the day ahead will be a blessed one for me and my family...
I have many a story about the power of prayer in my life. But the below one is my favourite....
It was a beautiful wintery night in December when a team consisting of my nieces along with a college gang went on an excursion to Delhi by the Tamil Nadu express.One of the nieces was a professor and made us join her team. It was an enjoyable journey full of sound and frolic.
Reaching Delhi, we were ushered into a luxury bus, our companion for 10 days. The old driver very dexterously drove the bus through foggy roads. It was fun and food all the way.There were two students entertaining us with their melodious singing. Our itinerary was Delhi, Agra, Mathura, Amritsar and the holy shrine of Vaisnodevi.
On reaching Agra, we decided to go to Mathura, first. We went to Brindavan in Mathura to offer our prayers to Lord Krishna.Walking on the rough terrain, I chanced to see a monkey walking on the overhead cable wires. I thought how ugly the monkey was.The next moment, I felt myself hurtling down with full force after having hit a big stone. Maybe, it was a punishment by Lord Hanuman for having thought of one of his clans in an insulting manner.
I lay stunned, not knowing what happened. Nearby people helped me to my feet, and I staggered to stand properly.Everything seemed OK. We went to the temple where everyone had to sit cross -legged for prayer.
The moment I tried to sit, I had a sharp pain on my right knee and found it impossible to bend my leg.As it was night, we decided to go to our hotel and visit Agra the next day. On reaching the hotel, I got down from the bus and experienced an excruciating pain when my left foot touched the ground.I went dizzy with the pain and stood rooted at the spot not able to move. Everyone got worried.A chair was put for me to sit. My nieces helped me up to the chair. An auto rikshaw was called, and I was helped into it and taken to a nearby ortho clinic.
The good natured auto driver too helped me up the steps leading to the hospital. Upon entering the hospital, we could see the rural people (patients) huddled together watching an English movie. It was really funny, and I smiled in spite of the severe pain.The doctor attending to a patient took sometime to come. When he entered his chamber, I was taken in. The moment he saw my foot, he said that I had a fracture.
I was heartbroken because the next day, we were supposed to visit the Vaishnodevi shrine. I told the doctor, and he replied in Hindi that if the Mother wanted, I would surely be able to see Her.
He put a pair of tight socks on my fractured foot. The pain became unbearable.
I was literally carried to the hotel and to the alloted room. The other professors and students trooped in one by one to see me.
I was in real agony.At bed-time, I managed to do some foot exercises amidst the pain and prayed to the Lord with all my heart for some miracle so that I did not miss my Vaishnodevi trip.
Upon waking up the next morning, I felt a little relief to know that I was able to walk a little without the agonizing pain. We all boarded the bus to see The Taj mahal.On the way, everyone got down to visit Fatehpur Sikri. I stayed back and one of my nieces too stayed back with me. She insisted that I should try to go out and walk. I was able to walk without any pain much to our delight.
After reaching the Taj Mahal venue, everyone got out forming a line to go inside. Even though I had seen the Taj Mahal a few times, I too joined the line and was amazed to see that I was able to walk normally.Then it was back to the bus and off to Amrithsar for a darshan of The Golden Temple.My loving nieces formed a protective shield around me so that no one stepped on my injured foot. After a wonderful darshan, all of us were on the way to Wagh Border to see the flag closing ceremony between India and Pakistan.
It was an unprecedented crowd there, and all the way I had my nieces protecting me. It was a wonderful experience. The last lap of our itinerary was Vaishnodevi.
It was indeed the Goddess's blessing that I was able to climb the hill to the shrine without any difficulty.It was as if I had not injured my foot at all. Vaisnodevi Mata had indeed heard my prayer.
Upon returning to Chennai, my husband who was in the dark about everything immediately took me to an ortho.An X-ray was taken clearly showing that there was a nasty fracture. The doctor was amazed and told me in wonder, "I still cannot understand how you walked".
It is true that if one offers his/her prayer to the Lord from the botton of their heart the Lord listens!
With Diwali round the corner, I am spring cleaning the house in preparation for the Laksmi Pooja! Thus I was delighted when I heard of the Sampporna Lakshmi Pooja package bought out by the reputed Cycle Agarbatthi Brand - no more running around poojaris or the market to source the ingredients! Am off to visit Pureprayer and get myself a pack of it - how about you?
I have many a story about the power of prayer in my life. But the below one is my favourite....
It was a beautiful wintery night in December when a team consisting of my nieces along with a college gang went on an excursion to Delhi by the Tamil Nadu express.One of the nieces was a professor and made us join her team. It was an enjoyable journey full of sound and frolic.
Reaching Delhi, we were ushered into a luxury bus, our companion for 10 days. The old driver very dexterously drove the bus through foggy roads. It was fun and food all the way.There were two students entertaining us with their melodious singing. Our itinerary was Delhi, Agra, Mathura, Amritsar and the holy shrine of Vaisnodevi.
On reaching Agra, we decided to go to Mathura, first. We went to Brindavan in Mathura to offer our prayers to Lord Krishna.Walking on the rough terrain, I chanced to see a monkey walking on the overhead cable wires. I thought how ugly the monkey was.The next moment, I felt myself hurtling down with full force after having hit a big stone. Maybe, it was a punishment by Lord Hanuman for having thought of one of his clans in an insulting manner.
I lay stunned, not knowing what happened. Nearby people helped me to my feet, and I staggered to stand properly.Everything seemed OK. We went to the temple where everyone had to sit cross -legged for prayer.
The moment I tried to sit, I had a sharp pain on my right knee and found it impossible to bend my leg.As it was night, we decided to go to our hotel and visit Agra the next day. On reaching the hotel, I got down from the bus and experienced an excruciating pain when my left foot touched the ground.I went dizzy with the pain and stood rooted at the spot not able to move. Everyone got worried.A chair was put for me to sit. My nieces helped me up to the chair. An auto rikshaw was called, and I was helped into it and taken to a nearby ortho clinic.
The good natured auto driver too helped me up the steps leading to the hospital. Upon entering the hospital, we could see the rural people (patients) huddled together watching an English movie. It was really funny, and I smiled in spite of the severe pain.The doctor attending to a patient took sometime to come. When he entered his chamber, I was taken in. The moment he saw my foot, he said that I had a fracture.
I was heartbroken because the next day, we were supposed to visit the Vaishnodevi shrine. I told the doctor, and he replied in Hindi that if the Mother wanted, I would surely be able to see Her.
Upon waking up the next morning, I felt a little relief to know that I was able to walk a little without the agonizing pain. We all boarded the bus to see The Taj mahal.On the way, everyone got down to visit Fatehpur Sikri. I stayed back and one of my nieces too stayed back with me. She insisted that I should try to go out and walk. I was able to walk without any pain much to our delight.
After reaching the Taj Mahal venue, everyone got out forming a line to go inside. Even though I had seen the Taj Mahal a few times, I too joined the line and was amazed to see that I was able to walk normally.Then it was back to the bus and off to Amrithsar for a darshan of The Golden Temple.My loving nieces formed a protective shield around me so that no one stepped on my injured foot. After a wonderful darshan, all of us were on the way to Wagh Border to see the flag closing ceremony between India and Pakistan.
It was an unprecedented crowd there, and all the way I had my nieces protecting me. It was a wonderful experience. The last lap of our itinerary was Vaishnodevi.
It was indeed the Goddess's blessing that I was able to climb the hill to the shrine without any difficulty.It was as if I had not injured my foot at all. Vaisnodevi Mata had indeed heard my prayer.
Upon returning to Chennai, my husband who was in the dark about everything immediately took me to an ortho.An X-ray was taken clearly showing that there was a nasty fracture. The doctor was amazed and told me in wonder, "I still cannot understand how you walked".
It is true that if one offers his/her prayer to the Lord from the botton of their heart the Lord listens!
With Diwali round the corner, I am spring cleaning the house in preparation for the Laksmi Pooja! Thus I was delighted when I heard of the Sampporna Lakshmi Pooja package bought out by the reputed Cycle Agarbatthi Brand - no more running around poojaris or the market to source the ingredients! Am off to visit Pureprayer and get myself a pack of it - how about you?
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