Navaratri – Day 4 continued…
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The evening programme was scheduled in eThongatti from 7 pm. This is a an old but small township, about 50 Kms away from Durban ashram. Our forefathers who reached here about 150 years back made many temples. One of them is Chinna Tirupati Devasthanam. It houses Lord Venkateshwara otherwise popularly known as Balaji. The temple had its ten-day festival of Brahmotsavam. This is an annual festival when the Lord Balaji is given different decorations, taken round the streets on His Garuda, the great bird around the temple and also with number of speakers invited every day. The satsang on the last Sunday was vibrant with bhajans.
The decor (in Tamil ‘alankaram’) of Balaji was of Sri Rama with His bow and arrows. By His side Thirumagal (Mahalakshmi) was dazzling in Her splendour. I started off my discourse with the connection of Sri Rama with the family of our Master. He was born in a family where Sri Rama was the ishta-devata. Then proceeded to explain the seven hills of Balaji in India representing seven bhumis or chakras. Discussed about the Love of God. Master’s parable about Arjuna’s egoism and how Lord Sri Krishna crushed it.
Bala Moodley, the Chairman of CT Devasthanam gave a traditional welcome with a garland. Yogan Naidoo gave an intro about me to the audience. The supper was hosted by Murli while the Programme Director was Kola Govendar.