The next day was an important one—we were visiting my family’s deity at the Vaitheeswaran Koil. Although we finished breakfast around 7:30 a.m., we had to rush since the temple was a 90-minute drive away. One of my well-connected nephews had arranged for an abhishegam in advance. Visiting and praying at the family deity’s temple is an essential part of our religious lives, so we were delighted to find everything impeccably organized. The abhishegams and archanas went smoothly, and after a fulfilling darshan, we returned to the resort at Swamimalai, munching on the prasadam along the way. 

We stopped for lunch at a simple, down-to-earth restaurant that one of my nephews had recommended. Although it was unassuming, the food was excellent. With our minds and stomachs satisfied, we headed back to the resort for a brief rest. 

Later that evening, we planned to visit another temple, about two hours away. Unfortunately, the roads were in terrible condition. We left at 5 p.m., but my son had some work to attend to before we could head out. The two-hour drive felt like twenty, as the rough roads and the size of our bus forced us to take a longer, roundabout route. Exhausted, we arrived just 30 minutes before the temple closed. 

The sight of the temple’s beauty instantly revived us. With hardly any crowd at that hour, we enjoyed a peaceful darshan. As we moved through the temple, we noticed the gates slowly closing behind us—just in the nick of time. We couldn’t help but feel that it was divine timing. 

The return journey was equally exhausting. We called ahead to the resort, asking them to keep something ready for dinner. After eating whatever was available, we crashed into bed, knowing we had another early morning ahead. 

The next day, we planned to visit the temple of another family group’s deity, just 2 kilometers from the resort. Our strategy was to head to the temple first, return for breakfast, and then visit the village temple before departing for Chennai that same day. It was a short trip, but every moment counted. 

Despite our hectic schedule, everyone in the group showed remarkable dedication. For three consecutive days, we went to bed at midnight and woke up at 5 a.m. without complaints. The enthusiasm for the trip and our shared reverence kept us going. 

By 7 a.m., everyone was up, dressed, and ready for the temple visit.

Contd. 330. Energy, Synergy and Company - Part 6