What triggered me to write this was a blog of a friend...
The Durga-mata mandir. Everyone who lives around knows it. It has been there ever since I was born. It was at a stones throw from my home. It used to be a my favorite evening spot. We attended the school in the morning. When I used to return in the afternoon, I used to have lunch, help my grandmother in kitchen, study and go to the playground in the evening. And finally before I came home abandoning all the freedom, I used to enjoy it's last bit at around 7pm at the Durga-mata mandir.
It had a nice wide courtyard, surrounded by Ashoka trees. The half open orange-coloured gate made the mandir noticeable. It had two raised squares at the entrance to sit over. I used to find it strange that the mandir was painted pink from within; and it did go well with the black stone used. The mandir did not have walls, in fact it had low walls and inter-spaced pillars to let in and out plenty of breeze.
The brahmin who was in-charge of the mandir wore a hearing aid and knew all of us. It had it's aarti-time at 7am and 7pm. I think they had aarti at 12pm too, when I used to be in the school. We could hear the huge bells and drums from my house when they played it during the aarti. And the sounds of these bells and drums were an alarm for us to return home if we were nearby.
I never realized how much I loved the mandir until they renovated it. (Yes, like most temples of these days, it is intended to make a good business). They have added idols of all possible gods and goddesses, they have a glass collage on the ceiling which is a good art, but i hate it in the mandir. That makes the mandir glitzy, something a mandir ought not be! The additional constructions in the couteyard makes it look cluttered and unwelcoming (to me at least). I do not understand whether it is about the mentality of people here. Why don't they understand that putting together all that looks good makes it look ugly overall!! But the charm is already gone... The serenity, I feel, has diminished.
I still visit the mandir. I still hope to see the same old pink pillars and black stone. And then there is disappointment. My heart mourns for a moment and then moves on.
Why do i feel so deeply about the Mandir? Maybe because I have owned it up.. I have made it mine, in my heart. Yes, it is strange how we go on owning up things, even if they don't belong to us...
The Durga-mata mandir. Everyone who lives around knows it. It has been there ever since I was born. It was at a stones throw from my home. It used to be a my favorite evening spot. We attended the school in the morning. When I used to return in the afternoon, I used to have lunch, help my grandmother in kitchen, study and go to the playground in the evening. And finally before I came home abandoning all the freedom, I used to enjoy it's last bit at around 7pm at the Durga-mata mandir.
It had a nice wide courtyard, surrounded by Ashoka trees. The half open orange-coloured gate made the mandir noticeable. It had two raised squares at the entrance to sit over. I used to find it strange that the mandir was painted pink from within; and it did go well with the black stone used. The mandir did not have walls, in fact it had low walls and inter-spaced pillars to let in and out plenty of breeze.
The brahmin who was in-charge of the mandir wore a hearing aid and knew all of us. It had it's aarti-time at 7am and 7pm. I think they had aarti at 12pm too, when I used to be in the school. We could hear the huge bells and drums from my house when they played it during the aarti. And the sounds of these bells and drums were an alarm for us to return home if we were nearby.
I never realized how much I loved the mandir until they renovated it. (Yes, like most temples of these days, it is intended to make a good business). They have added idols of all possible gods and goddesses, they have a glass collage on the ceiling which is a good art, but i hate it in the mandir. That makes the mandir glitzy, something a mandir ought not be! The additional constructions in the couteyard makes it look cluttered and unwelcoming (to me at least). I do not understand whether it is about the mentality of people here. Why don't they understand that putting together all that looks good makes it look ugly overall!! But the charm is already gone... The serenity, I feel, has diminished.
I still visit the mandir. I still hope to see the same old pink pillars and black stone. And then there is disappointment. My heart mourns for a moment and then moves on.
Why do i feel so deeply about the Mandir? Maybe because I have owned it up.. I have made it mine, in my heart. Yes, it is strange how we go on owning up things, even if they don't belong to us...
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