Page 18 - OPIHI (English)

4 nAthdwArA

getting to see the lord It’s pretty rough and tumble. The

The ärati starts at 5:30. The temple temple staff at the doors and by
doors open, and everyone just the altar in front constantly move
piles in. They may be sophisticated people on, saying, “Calo Jé!” (“Please
businessmen or whatever, but when keep moving”). The sevakas, or
it comes time to see the Lord it’s assistants, by the altar hang onto
“get in somehow or other.” ropes with one hand to keep their
balance and lean into the crowd,
The hall for darçana (seeing the waving cloth gämchäs in the other
Deity) has a series of broad step- hand to whisk people on. Everyone
like platforms gradually going is moving, saying their prayers, and
higher toward the back, as in a at the same time being pushed and
sports stadium. The entrance is on shoved. But for a few seconds before
one side and the exit on the other. you get moved on you get a very
Women enter toward the front, men nice, close darçana of Çrénäthajé.
toward the back.

There’s always plenty of activity outside the temple, making it a great place
for shopkeepers and newspaper-selling sädhus.