I had a very satisfying experience at Tirpati-Tirumala, all thanks to the Lord Venkateswara who took me through this, amidst TTD’s specially laid out problems and barriers for his Bhakts, to make it a memorable and cherishable moment of my life.
Tirumala is always a beautiful experience from my childhood. Apart from the long queues, there was nothing much to complain till the recent past. My father used to complain about the rampant corruption in Tirumala 35 years back, where any service is proportional to the tips staff receive. Then, a Super Bhakt appeared on the scene. I still faintly remember an NTR cut out at Tirumala in saffron clothes is if he is watching TTD directly. Don’t know if his gaze helped, NTR ensured a golden experience for the poor visiting Tirumala. He brought in various free amenities which still holds good along with the famous sign board, not to give any tips to the staff, something I read many many times just to enjoy an almost corruption free experience, a rarity in India of that time. From then onwards, there was no looking back on Tirumala experience with brokers getting eliminated and innovative online bookings to avoid cumbersome queues for availing basic facilities. But, nowadays, I am afraid if Tirumala is on a downward slide on whatever goodness accumulated by its beautiful administration of the past….
The Ali Piri Pilgrimage – Climbing steps From 420 to face 840:
The Rule of the Jungle experience started at the auto-stand where the Auto guys started bargaining trying to squeeze as much as possible from the hapless passengers. What is your rate? It actually depends how soft and pliable you are, allowing the driver to take a ride on you. After fooling myself I managed to reach the footpath starting point. The trek to Tirumala called as “Ali piri” has always been a very blissful route. I started it during my college days owing to long queues and lack of Buses and money then and eventually started falling in love with the beautiful journey. Twenty five years back, Ali piri was just uneven steps with few Mandapams and mostly People trek with their footwear on, so as to beat the heat. Last decade changed things, providing special care for Ali piri pilgrims with the uneven steps standardised along with a nice roof making it a safe passage for footwear free experience. I could sense a genuine care extended by TTD then, for people who tried to walk the extra mile for the Lord, providing good facilities all along the Path.
Now, the serene trek is kind of commercialised replacing the 24×7 the only open organic trek with synthetic crowd controlling measures, simulating rush hour scenario, allowing pilgrims in batches along with barricades. So, even if you start at 3 AM, you are only allowed at 4:20 AM along with few hundreds accumulated by then, leading to the rush hour scenario in the steps, just like the familiar scene “creation” in Tirumala. TTD – the organisational body governing the temple, blames it on a Cheetah. There was a stray incident of a Cheetah happened to nab an infant on the Alipiri footpath. While the crowd controlling rush hour marketing seems well intentioned, due to the newly found Villain Cheetah, there seems no remorse on harassing Bhakts or regretfully lack of resolution on this. TTD conveniently avoids the following questions just like a newly trained Fascist. Why a cheetah should cross over to its alien human world? What made the cheetah hungry for prey? Why it’s changing the path now, when not for last 30 years? What has actually changed in the Forest, driving the cheetah out of its habitat? Is it a sign of the Lord unhappy with the current greedy administration treating him like a well decorated Barbie-Ken type Doll, rather treating his Bhakts well? Well, rather answering any of this, TTD made it simple, by just implementing its masterful marketing technique – make it “look” big with crowd collation creating mad racing scenario.
So, as expected, once they opened gate at 4:20 AM, there was a mad rush to the Lord’s abode with varying trekking pace of the People. It should have been a sight to behold, at least for the so called Double 420s – TTD Administrators. Ok! All seems well! I started climbing like a tortoise at my own slow pace. Honestly the footpath imparted an illusionary on-steroids-magic in me, as I am someone who struggle hard to climb two floors of a greedy entity who squeezed the stair space to accommodate for profits. Now, Alipiri pilgrimage kept me in a state of trance. I planned few things to keep up my energy and even song playlists to keep me up. But, nothing came to mind for the whole trek. Just pure bliss! I am not sure if it was just my own illusional Mind or the almighty makes us push through any physical adversities, once we keep the faith on him. Whatever… when in doubt, just Praise the Lord!
But, there were always testing times sponsored by TTD. Seems PET water bottles are not allowed in Tirumala. Strangely, buttermilk is available in non bio-degradable plastic packs, but not water in plastic packs. Tetra packs are available in plenty, but no water tetra packs. It’s still debatable why only PET bottles are disallowed, while all other sorts of toxic consumerism are allowed. I am not sure if TTD is getting lessons from Tamilnadu’s TASMAC, promoting junk beverages rather plain and simple water. Anyone who wants water in the steps, need to buy a 1 liter Glass bottle for 30 Rupees water and take it in a single gulp. If you still insist keeping the bottle, get ready to pay yet another 60 rupees for the glass bottle. To make matters worse, one person dropped the glass bottle in the 2000th step office queue, for anyone to bleed if they dare to step into the queue, after all, blood is organic, if not PET water right? I do not know if the TTD officials are reverse engineering our beliefs on the Alipiri route, to shed confidence on the belief and start wearing footwear.
After daring the glassy queues, walking like cinderella on glass shoes, one had to suffer another strange “innovation” of Token system for Darshan. Usually, people taking footpath, are given a Divya Darshan Token which eases the Darshan atop. This is normally given in the 100th step when you begin and you cannot miss the queue. If you quit the trek, there is a guard placed on the reverse direction to take the token. It’s made foolproof further with sealing by the officials at various vantage points till completion. Now, everything got removed and looks like you are provided a token somewhere else. So, anybody who understands the route can easily bypass the footpath, and reach the Galigopuram at the nearest road-footpath intersection, and easily get stamped. TTD is just making way for all corrupt processes, which was eliminated by earlier administration. Current TTD and EO DramaReddy is acting like a Monkey who does not know what to do with a divine bouquet / garland.
“If you kept the small rules you could break the big ones.”
1984 George Orwell
Strangely, there are no sign boards, instructing the yatris to take the token first to avail Darshan, or other tips to bear with the flimsy administration, throwing up process tantrums, now and then without any rationale, like bringing own water bottles in hand rather trusting them to take care of our most basic need. Maybe it’s a well kept Tirumala TTD secret! Having missed such tokens and information, I was asked to take the Free Darshan queue. It’s not a big deal to me, as I usually go with backup plan like a Seva ticket. But, wonder what stops TTD from telling the yatris about it during the start of the Journey, who are too innocent to see the grey side of TTD? Should we rely on the Touts and Merchants for any such “insider” tips and information every-time?
Maybe there are guardian angels along the Path lifting our spirits up, making the trek still a nice experience, bearing with all the TTD’s tests thrown on the way. Luckily I did not feel thirsty to sip water and helped up with Drinking water taps installed every few hundred steps. But, At least, take a tumbler or water bottle to avoid any major hiccups / thirst as some taps are not functioning and their hygiene is still a question. Only TTD Jalaprasad Kiosks seem to have potable water and they are scarce. If the present TTD administration don’t even bother simple sign boards, how can we expect hygienic water?
Along the trek, I was searching for the newest Villain of Tirupati, the Cheetah guy. I could only see few deers. But looks like TTD is more obsessed with Cheetah, that they used the Speaker system, ( actually “after” you finish climbing ) to caution Bhakts to go in groups and chant Govinda nama, making one wonder if Cheetah is roaming in Tirumala or on the hill steps. Maybe they can only announce where it’s convenient to them. It was funny to hear about chanting Govinda nama to avoid Cheetah, because the Speaker system in the steps was not even functioning like earlier. It was used to create a nice ambience with Govinda chants. Only God knows, why can’t they use the Speaker system on the steps for divine chanting. The only electrical mechanism which worked was prompt switching off the lights in the steps early morning even when it was moderately dark and cloudy.
“We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.”
1984 George Orwell
With blessings of the Lord, the trek appeared to be faster for me and reached Pilgrim Amenities Center in approximately 5 hours. PAC is one of the best amenities provided by TTD for anyone who could not avail separate accommodation. Luckily, PAC was not crowded and the occupancy of its lockers was around 30%, an indication of crowd strength. I had a Seva ticket for 5:00 PM which should take another 3 hours for the Darshan to complete around 9 PM. But, I usually make Darshan as the first task. Having run out of Divya Darshan token for the footpath, I was forced / decided to take Sarva Darshan, the free one and managed to get into the compartment by 10 AM. The slip had 10 PM as Darshan time, but the pilgrims were hopeful of a quick Darshan as it was rainy with very low occupancy. There was no rational explanation of why someone should wait for twelve hours, as even the TTD Live TV showed thin and casually trickling crowd at the temple.
The Not so “Free” Darshan
But TTD being a vile fox, running the Darshan event like a Blockbuster movie had its own plans. Before we dwell on the Darshan aspects, we need to understand what provides the “oomph” factor at Tirumala. It’s actually their flash news and crowd collation – “Free Darshan is taking 12-24 hours!”. Is it really so? How does TTD handle 4-8 times the crowd in festive occasions? Well, the secret lies in how TTD segregates the Haves and Have-nots in different compartments and uses them for their scheming purpose. Of course, VIPs take the easiest path and let’s not get into that. The Haves who could afford a paid Darshan are allowed within 3 Hours for payment. The Have-nots who don’t have the “VIP power” or the “money of the Haves” are segregated in a distant compartment, after circling around whole Tirumala to reach there. They actually pay more than any others by spending more energy by circling around for nothing and more time in the cage so as to create a crowd spectacle when they are opened for Darshan, to create a flash news on incredible waiting times. Afterall, these are the innocent folks who are content with the Sambar rice provided every 3 hours and seemingly fine to submit themselves to endless waiting on any information on gate opening time, a growing trend of lack of TTD’s transparency nowadays . The Clueless flock attentively wait for any Lock rattling sound or a “Dog whistle” from the Security team, usually a sign of gate opening, like Jail wardens waking up people in the morning as they show in movies.
“Between pigs and human beings there was not and there need not be any clash of interest whatsoever.”
Animal farm, George Orwell
Earlier, TTD allowed Free Darshan based on the crowd strength. Usually the gatekeeper and sign boards will tell us how long it takes, which is not more than 5-6 hours. I have made free Darshans in just 2 hours in the past, usually in the nights as the VIPs will not bother the Lord in night times, as they get busy themselves. But, now we are left with a huge digital sign board at the cage for the expected time of opening the gate. Only difference now, is that it just shows Zeroes, maybe signifying the Have-nots gathered there.
Now, it looks like Free Darshan is a standardised stigma. If you don’t have money just wait for the flash mob show orchestrated by TTD. After all, it’s the way TTD is displaying its massy theme of massive crowd, like any Politician or Celebrity could crave for. Else what good it is for the VIPs to take pride on their extra special quick Darshan unless they are shown the difference of them placed at Hilltop while the Have-nots are struggling to peek a Darshan just for a second staying at foothills?
The waiting compartments are treated like mini Jails with the food provided in the most haphazard manner possible. I was looking for a cup of milk provided through an iron gate holes and the crowd was rushing towards it as if they never knew Milk was white in colour. Obviously you cannot blame the innocent flock, because they don’t even understand how they are rendered to become animals in the animal Farm as they are encouraged to do such antics without any restrictions. The same vending could have been possibly provided with a much more civilised queue system, but what good it for administration who wish to create mob spectacles? The major disadvantage lies with the females who had to compete “physically” for a cup of milk. So, there were not many who were willing exchange their modesty for a cup of milk.
“The creatures outside looked from pig to man, and from man to pig, and from pig to man again; but already it was impossible to say which was which.”
Animal farm, George Orwell
The TTD Animal farm served with Sambar Rice
The painful part of the Compartmentalised Animal Farm Show Event is that, it creates an Inferno for ten hours and then try to show them Heaven in a very clever way, installing air cooling mechanism at the temple entrance to make them enjoy the synthetic bliss of the Lord. But, few hard questions kept lingering in my mind… Why can’t they be allowed to enjoy bliss in the Compartments? Can’t food get delivered in a civilised manner? Can’t mobiles be allowed inside Compartments in case of any emergencies or just for recreation? Can’t they tell the actual time of Darshan at various places with sign boards, like earlier rather keeping the crowd in hopeful darkness waking up for each and every dog whistle from the Security? Transparent intimations, used to happen earlier would have allowed people to carry their Medicines and other essentials based on the wait times, before they get themselves locked in cages? Is it too much for people to ask for basic needs in this growingly secretive and fascist TTD organisation? In my case, I had to miss my tablets and I could see a miserable Diabetic going through recovery from low blood sugar.
“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”
1984 George Orwell
Of course, the “Free Darshan” is free of cost, but comes at the expense of our own valuable independence and dignity.
If I had to put it honestly, unlike TTD, the Lord did not disappoint me with his blissful Darshan. Either availing Seva ticket or Free Darshan I would have completed by Darshan at 9-10 PM. Also, God never allowed me to be greedy, allowing back to back Double Darshans as I usually buy two tokens to avoid TTD’s atrocities. But, this time he gave me a glimpse of how the poor people are used like an essential tool for crowd gimmicks, as if TTD is running a fake Blockbuster and they cant take up any bad news that the crowd has dipped in the weekdays. Hence the need for 12 Hour waiting time make-believe-magic-shows.
“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”
1984 George Orwell
When the Lord did not give Tea or Coffee for his Staff.
There was another point of concern – the corruption mushrooming among the middle segment officials, who seem not to be inhibited of asking for their Tea or Coffee expenses. The Person delivering Smart Phones from locker insists on Tirupati Balaji is not proving him Tea / Coffee. Same case with Laddu vendor in Tiruchanoor who demands 5 rupees extra for giving Adai, deeming it is only for Seva but gets sanctified/degraded enough to be provided for everyone just for 5 rupee more. The PAC locker in charge who does not shy of demanding tea coffee to make an entry of giving the lock back on behalf of another incharge. I am no Super Bhakt like NTR, but at least I could write a blog, if not sign boards, requesting for the Lord to take care of himself first from these corrupt ones, and the message is not for the all knowing Lord.
The RSS-Reddy trouble… All atrocities in the name of God…
It also made me wonder, what good is TTD building a temple in Jammu and Kashmir, just to help envision RSS’ Hindu Rashtra, if they could not provide the people with proper information and protect pilgrims with basics like food and water in a dignified manner. Maybe, TTD is becoming just another apparatus of the RSS fascist ploy to build a fake Hindutva utilising the Lord’s influence and his own money. To reinforce such thoughts you could see TTD chief Dharma Reddy, boasting about being the richest temple in the world having close discussions with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. If you refer to the mythology of Lord Venkateswara, he is just a humble and mighty being, still paying debts to Kubera with his earnings at Tirumala. But the megalomaniac TTD Chief is on a different ego-trip .
“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
Animal Farm, George Orwell
After all, what good is such mythology, if TTD’s sole focus is to create show pieces and event management with a corrupt Reddy mafia at the helm, occupying the all powerful Temple Board. One such well known Sand Mafia Sekar Reddy , a power Broker who bartered TN sand with ADMK powers for Tirupati Laddu, was arrested by the RSS BJP government to take over the ADMK Government after then TN CM Amma’s demise. He is now turned a holy white washed saint as the ADMK Party is fully in control of BJP. But the Reddy domination continues under the noble(?) Rule of a most corrupt AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, who escaped imprisonment by licking Modi’s boots.
“To die hating them, that was freedom.”
1984 George Orwell
Recently, Jagan Reddy’s uncle, a Christian Evangelist Subba Reddy was appointed as Chairman of the Hindu TTD Temple Board. I am not someone with Faith bias, but RSS talking of proud Hindu Rashtra is quite fine with all these corrupt atrocities, as long as the Lord’s Sri Vari Hundi is turned to a generic Corpus fund to propagate their Hindutva interests, establishing the fact that Hindutva fascism has no limits of greed or shame as long it suits their selfish brahmanical supremacy agenda.
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever.”
1984 George Orwell
Srivani trust allocates money gained by Darshan diverting it towards other shady works as raised by the opposition. As usual TTD denied even before trying to introspect why it should use Balaji’s money for RSS work. There were even VIPs claiming on corrupt practices at Tirumala. As usual TTD denied it as misunderstanding, as they don’t collect bribe but only “special tickets”. There were complaints on the laddu weight, forget about quality for now. As usual TTD denied and blamed it on their own faulty weight machine and not Laddu. Looks like even Lord Venkateswara may be at fault, but TTD can never be never at fault or fail.
All Tirumala needs is a few good men
Just few good men at the helm could change things for better. Tirumala was brimming golden under the able leadership of NTR and NCBN then CMs. For another example, Tamilnadu’s endowment Minister wants to remove the VIP Darshan at all TN temples. A noble thought process which could strike only if you are genuine and ardent devotee rather silly political clouts who does not understand the religion or progating caste supremacy. Earlier, TTD was a role model for efficient corruption free crowd management. But its toxic methodology of pushing people out of Sanctum Sanctorum was adopted by mushrooming temples where pilgrims will get pushed even if there was no one behind them waiting for Darshan, for gaining TTD like mass publicity. Just like Politics, we are at devotional cross roads on which way we want to be. Godly Good or Devilishly Greedy?
The TTD rat who ate my raisins and cashews
Finally, at home, after completing Puja, I handed over the Laddu Prasadam to my Mother. She informed, the laddu looked like a cheap imitation version of its own of its glorious past, without any signs of raisins or the biggest cashews it’s usually loaded with. It used to be a fun ritual earlier like plucking the raisins and contesting with peers on who got the biggest of the biggest Cashews. Now, TTD has saved me from the competition as there were no traces of raisins and few cashews were broken and tasteless. I wonder which TTD rat ate those ingredients. After tasting the Laddu, my mother simply asked a simple question? “Did you really went to Tirumala?”. My wife threw a playfully cold stare not believing the whole story, checking my card statement for any Laddu shopping in A2B. At least, that would have tasted better rather this gram flour dung. Obviously only the Lord could save me from that stare, if at all I could survive Jail compartments and managed to get squeezed in for a Darshan.
Now, I am not very sure if I had to praise my Lord or just pray to him to protect himself from the seemingly powerful Reddy Mafia controlling His Majesty. Well, God has his own mysterious ways of tackling the evil forces. Afterall, you just cannot hide from his ever watchful eyes by covering with Ornaments.
TTD = Paise the Lord?
To make things light, let’s dwell on a beautiful tamil story by renowned author PudumaiPithan – The God and Kandasamy Pillai abridged in english. It’s a funny story of Lord Shiva visiting our Earth in human form meeting a Siddha Doctor by name Kandasamy. He tries to find a Job for his living along with his spouse Parvathi as his savings are soon to get expended. He decides to make a living by what he does and enjoys best – Thandavam – Dancing. The Sabha orchestrator, Diwan Bhagadhur, could not bear God’s original form and asks him to move out of his place.
Hey Koothanar (dancer)! Stop your koothu (dance)” Diwan Bhagadhur shouted.
“This is a sham. Why are they dressed like barbarians of Borneo”
The God just stopped his dancing feet and reclined on his Trishul and stood like a statue.
“Hey! Do you know anything about the Art? You have worn Tiger Skin. If you have to wear a snake, you should wear an imitation. Would you wear a live snake? You should wear silk which looks like tiger skin. The Art should be pleasing to the eyes. Even if Goddess Parvathi and Lord Shiva dance like this, it will not be called dance according to the art of dance. First you put all the snakes in a bag and remove your make-up. Children are playing here. Be careful!” said Diwan Bagadhur.
He did not leave Kandasamy Pillai also. “Hey! Just because you are giving me medicine I can’t watch this dance and introduce them to the club. I can’t walk on the street if I do this!”
After fifteen minutes they were sitting in Pillai’s magazine office. The Devi was not there. Kandasamy’s child was sleeping on a mat.
Both were keeping quite. After few minutes The God said, “looks like I can’t survive with the skills I have.”
“You did not like what I suggested. The world does not like what you like; may be you should run a Vedic School!”
The God sighed.
“So already the earth is sour for you?” asked Kandasamy Pillai.
“When I have seen one human being it means I have seen the world.” Replied The God.
“We can only stay afar and give boons to human beings. But we can’t live with you.” Said The God.
“All The Gods are only good for that!” said Kandasamy Pillai.
After that there was no one there to speak to.
The child woke up asking, “Dad, has Grandpa left for his village?”
“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.”
Animal Farm, George Orwell
Timepass Politics 