Govinda … Govinda

 

In front of the Lord’s Sanctum Sanctorum at Tirumala Venkateswara Swamy Temple, the Dhwajastambham (flagstaff) gleamed with a golden radiance. Devotees, filled with longing to have a darshan were eagerly waiting - “When will we behold the Lord with our own eyes?”

That intense yearning was leading to pushing and jostling in the crowd. Yet, those immersed in devotional ecstasy hardly felt the discomfort.

As we neared the Dhwajastambham, my wife Smt. Sridevi suddenly collapsed, saying that she couldn’t walk anymore. Seeing her suffering, a security guard moved both of us out of the crowded main queue. Even in such pain, she did not stop chanting “Govinda.” Sitting on the ground and dragging herself forward, she kept trying to move ahead.

In that condition, would she be able to have Darshan? Still, inch by inch, she crawled across the Dhwajastambham.

Just then, two young volunteers arrived, “Amma, you will definitely have Darshan. If you’re okay with it, we will carry you.”

“What trouble is there, my sons? Please help me have darshan,” she said, wiping the tears that welled up from deep devotion.

Until that moment, all the anxiety I had been feeling suddenly disappeared. Those two strong young men, affectionately calling out “Amma, Amma,” gently carried Sridevi, and I followed them. They quickly took us into the sanctum and said, “Please look, Amma—have darshan of the Lord,” and in an instant, showed us the deity and brought us out.

Once outside, they called for a wheelchair and seated her in it. Everything happened so quickly—it felt like a miracle unfolding in just a few moments. When I tried to offer them money, they politely refused. I felt a deep sense of respect for them within me.

I asked, “What are your names, dear boys?”

One of them said his name was Jayashankar, and the other said Vijay Kumar.

The moment I heard their names, a thought arose in my heart—that they were none other than Jaya and Vijaya, the divine gatekeepers of the Lord, who had come in these forms to make possible what seemed impossible: the darshan. I realized then that when the Lord wills it, Divine beings move amidst us in human forms, ensuring that devotees face no hardship.

What Actually Transpired:

At that time, we were living in Hyderabad. Our son Rajesh, who was working at Wipro, had gone to England on an onsite assignment. Along with our daughter Divya, we went to Chennai to stay at my elder sister’s house. From there, all of us hired a car and set out on a pilgrimage to Tirupati.

After having a Darshan of Lord Vinayaka at Kanipakam, we continued our journey to Tirupati and on the way stopped at a place called Aragonda, also known as Ardhagiri. It is believed that when Lord Anjaneya was carrying the Sanjeevani Mountain, a portion of it broke off and fell here. The Anjaneya Swamy temple here is quite famous.

Our car was moving along the ghat road of the Tirumala hills. For some reason, I don’t know why, this song came to my lips:

“Will you show compassion only to the wealthy?

Will you not listen to the pleas of the poor?

What more can we ask of you, O Mother Alimelu Manga…” (Kalavaarine kaani karunincha levaa? Nirupeda moralevi vinipinchukovaa?)

We reached the Vaikhanasa Ashram, which is located close to Lord Venkateswara’s temple in Tirumala, where our stay had been arranged. After approaching the ashram, the driver parked the car carefully.

Right there, the seed of both a disaster and a miracle was sown.

Along the roadside, drainage canals had been dug and lined with cement, but the slabs to cover them had not yet been placed. Around 8 PM, the driver reversed the car to park it. Just behind the car, very close by, was one such open drain.

Except for Sridevi, all of us got down from the car and walked towards the front. But she started stepping backwards, without noticing the uncovered drain. In a split second, she almost fell into it. In an attempt to save herself, she stretched her leg. She herself did not understand what was happening, and even we who were nearby could not grasp it immediately. 

With Mrs. Sridevi limping all the way, we somehow reached our accommodation. We had to go for darshan early the next morning, but throughout the night, she kept groaning in pain.

The next day she was firmly resolved that she must have the darshan. A wheelchair was arranged, and we set out for the darshan. The rest of the group went into the special darshan queue. The wheelchair was taken almost up to the Bangaru Vakili (Golden Entrance). Only a short distance remained.

With determination, she said she could walk the rest of the way and got up to take a few steps. But just at that moment, she fell down. Unable to see her suffering, the security personnel allowed us to have the darshan quickly. Near the Dhwajastambham, I felt as if Jaya and Vijaya themselves had appeared and ensured that the darshan happened in an instant—what else could it be but the miracle of the Lord?

Until then, I used to think that Tirumala Venkateswara was a “costly God.” That belief was completely shattered. From that moment on, I stopped singing the song I mentioned earlier. While she stood as an example of unwavering devotion, this incident became the reason for the sprouting of devotion within me.

After the darshan, we took her to Ashwini Hospital. They said the swelling was severe, gave her some temporary medication and advised us to consult a specialist. Later, after reaching Chennai, tests were conducted at Vijaya Hospital, where it was concluded that surgery was unavoidable. With the support of our relatives, the operation was completed, and after about fifteen days, she was sent back to Hyderabad by flight.

Tirupati – Bhimas:

In the early days of our marriage, Sridevi made a wish.

“What is it? Go ahead, ask,” I said.

“At least once a year, let’s have the darshan of Lord Venkateswara,” she replied.

“Oh, is that all?” I said casually.

But we got caught up in the Maya (illusion) and bustle of worldly life and this Maya covered us so much that a trip to Tirupati hardly crossed our minds. It is at such times that Lord Vishnu reveals His divine power and opens our eyes.

Soon after our marriage, we once stayed at Bhimas Hotel. Knowing that we were there, our Eenadu friend Jandhyala Sarath Babu came to our room and conveyed his wishes. From then on, whenever we visited Tirupati, it became a habit to have meals and snacks at Bhimas.

Recently, we booked darshan tickets under the senior citizen quota. On our return journey, we suddenly remembered Bhimas and went there for lunch. The taste remains unchanged from then to now—gongura chutney, mango pickle, dal powder, papad, ghee… everything was delightful. With such a good meal, the fatigue of the pilgrimage just melted away! We fondly recalled our early married days and our association with Bhimas, and laughed wholeheartedly.

We got curd rice and lemon pulihora packed for dinner on the train and boarded it. On this occasion, a few words about the founder of Bhimas, K.R. Venkatachalam Iyer:

Founder of Bhimas:

“If you work hard, you will be rewarded. Whatever you do, do it with sincerity.”

These were the principles strongly believed in by K.R. Venkatachalam Iyer.

Around 1952, a 17-year-old boy came from Palakkad in Kerala to Chandragiri, near Tirupati, and started a small vegetarian mess. The seed he planted back then has now grown into what we know today as the Bhimas Group of Hotels. Later, his son, K. V. Ranganathan, also joined the business at the age of 17 and stood by his father, supporting and developing it further.

I told you recently that we had gone to Bhimas, right? There, I noticed a life-size portrait of the founder.

“Naaham Karta, Harihi Karta” (I am not the doer, God is the doer):

Whenever we think of a Tirupati trip, having darshans of Lord Govindaraja Swamy and Goddess Padmavathi is just as important. After having lunch at Bhimas Hotel, we went to the Govindaraja Swamy temple. On the way, I told myself that this time I should observe everything more carefully and also remember a great person who was instrumental in all this.

When the intention is good, everything falls into place. That’s why the idea “nurture good and share good” really resonates with me.

After having darshan of Lord Govindaraja Swamy, we went towards the mandapam. Right next to it, Lord Parthasarathi, along with Satyabhama and Rukmini, was smiling gracefully giving his darshan. Usually, in temples, the main deity is aligned facing the gopuram. But here, instead of the main deity - Govindaraja Swamy’s idol, the Parthasarathi sanctum is located directly opposite the main Rajagopuram. I shared these things, which I had heard earlier, with Sridevi.

At this point, I should also say a few words about P. V. R. K. Prasad garu, who served as an IAS officer and also rendered his services in TTD.

Patri Venkata Ramakrishna Prasad popularly known as Sri P. V. R. K. Prasad, served as a senior official in both the state government and the central government. He served as the Executive Officer of TTD from 1978 to 1982.

His vision was sharp and far-reaching. The decisions he took regarding TTD, and the results they produced, are remembered by countless devotees even today. One of his most remarkable decisions led to the rediscovery of the Parthasarathi temple, where worship had not been performed for nearly 700 years.

While visiting the Govindaraja Swamy temple, Prasad garu noticed that there was just a wall in the mandapam opposite the Gali Gopuram. This surprised him. Thinking deeply about it, and after consulting Agama scholars, he uncovered a hidden mystery that had long remained buried. He ordered the wall opposite the gopuram to be demolished.

What followed was astonishing - a divine wonder! Just about three feet behind the wall, the idol of Lord Parthasarathi was found. Thus, after 700 years the worship of Lord Parthasarathi was restored. This happened through the initiative of Prasad garu.

That is why Prasad garu would often say: “I am not the doer; Hari alone is the doer.”

Similarly, as I mentioned earlier in this work, the bold decision taken by P. V. R. K. Prasad garu to install a new Dhwajastambha in Tirumala was something nobody else would have dared to accomplish. It became possible only because he saw Hari as the true doer.

His autobiography was later published as a book titled:

“Sarva Sambhavam – Naaham Karta, Harihi Karta.”

Experiences of a Tirupati pilgrimage are not something you can tell just once. I have many more memories and I will narrate those incidents when the occasion arises.