Page 70 - GOTIL (ENG) Sample

292 Glimpses of Traditional Indian Life

“Once a year Lord Pārtha-sārathi visits the fields He owns
just outside Madras city,” my mother explained. “The
farmers bring the harvested grain in front of the Lord,
measure it, and then pay a portion of it as tax to the
Lord. The grains are used to make offerings at the temple
throughout the year.”

“Why does the Lord have to go?” I asked. “Can’t the pūjārīs
collect it?”

“Well, the pūjārīs feel that when the Lord is in the field
there’s less chance of the farmers trying to reduce the
tax by hiding the harvest. But just as important, people
who live far away from the temple get to see the Lord.”
“This also gives the Lord a chance to get out of the temple,”
my grandmother sagely added.

By now my mother’s cooking was nearing the end. “Five
more minutes and the Lord will be here,” she calculated,
looking up at the clock. “Now go to the corner and stand
there till you sight the procession. When it nears our
street, wave to the pūjārī to stop. Go right now! Run!”

I reached the corner in no time. Shielding my eyes against
the late afternoon sun, I peered across the street. “What
if the Lord has already passed by?” I worried.

Suddenly, there was the procession turning onto Eldams
Road! A Śrī Vaiṣṇava pūjārī walked in front of the stately
but small procession of four palanquin carriers bearing
the utsava-mūrti of the Lord. I was surprised to see the