A Stairway to Heaven (or at least a sacred temple)

Nestled on a hilltop in southern Andhra Pradesh, Tirupati is a sacred pilgrimage site.  Every year, thousands of devout Hindus come to pay homage to the patron god - known as Balaji, among other names - by climbing the 3,800-step stairway that leads to the temple at the top of the hill.  Then they wait impatiently, pushing their way through a long, winding cue for Darshan - a chance to glimpse the idol at the heart of the elaborate stone temple.

"Are we there yet?" raced through my mind as Sri and I hiked up the looming staircase.  But I kept my mouth shut when I realized that the truly devout don't just climb the staircase - they mark each step with bright turmeric or a small oil lamp.  After weeks with little exercise and hours traveling in a car, the basic climb was more than enough for me. 

By the time we reached the top, I was drenched with sweat but feeling invigorated and alive.

By the time we pushed our way through the line for Darshan, I was wondering why on earth anyone would subject themselves to such an ordeal.  Thankfully, it was the cool season but that didn't prevent one woman from passing out as we waited in the restless line.  As a foreign guest, I was granted the privilege of an extra half-second in front of the glittering idol but the rest of the pilgrims were ushered roughly past with less than a moment to appreciate its splendor.

I tried but failed to appreciate the honor I'd been granted.  At heart, it is clear I am not a devout Hindu. 

Sri, on the other hand, was about to take part in another ritual that sometimes marks a trip to Tirupati - shaving your head as a gesture of sacrifice.  This can be done with a general impulse for spiritual cleansing, but in Sri's case, he was keeping his end of a bargain with God.  Several months earlier, back in the US, he'd promised to sacrifice his hair at Tirupati if his visa problems in the US worked out.

His visa came through, and now, true to his word, in a small room in Tirupati, Sri sat before a man with a straight razor who deftly sheared away his dark locks of hair.

"You look like a wise monk," I joked, "Or perhaps, "Mike Tyson."  I couldn't help thinking that he resembles a heavyweight boxer with this new style.

Everyone looks quite different without hair.  Holier, perhaps, but different to say the least. 

For a moment, I entertained the impulse to join him, shaving my own head to the scalp, but I resisted - for me it would have been a novelty, not an act of faith.  That night, after a filling South Indian dinner, I slept well on a full head of hair. 

Comments

Posted on 1/07/2010 by

Chaitanya Teppa

Nice post. It refreshes the memories of my last trip to Tirupati. Nice pictures as well :-) and its good that you did not join Sri to shave your head ;-)

Posted on 1/08/2010 by

Nath Vemula

The article is so pristine, I might have difficulty expressing the experience is so few paragraphs. But the details that went in this article are amazing which is reminiscent. Great work!!

Posted on 1/08/2010 by

Kriss Roy

The post seems to me like a professional NYTimes/WSJ blogger's. It makes me nostalgic to continue my yearly visit to Tirumala, while I read this , and the articulate details about the faith and glory of the Temple city are commendable. On a lighter note,Sri indeed looks like a boxer :) Keep up the good work and hoping to see many more.. -- Varun Reddy

Posted on 1/28/2010 by

Valerie Hohman

Hi folks, Thank you for all the feedback on this piece. It was, indeed, an intense but invigorating experience at Tirupati. Just posted a short piece about my trip to Lumbini. Hope you like it. V

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