In New Delhi, there is a Hanuman temple on the Irwin Road. The temple would be crowded on all Tuesdays.
At the entrance to the temple, there are several shops selling sweets. Devotees would buy laddu and other sweets to offer to Lord Hanuman. The Panditji doing the pooja would offer the sweets to the Lord, and apply Sindhur on the forehead of the devotees.
A person from Chennai called Swaminathan went to this 'Hanuman Mandir' on a Tuesday.
He was shocked!
Lord Hanuman was wearing a garland out of Jalebi!
A Jalebi garland for Hanuman! Do people worship the Lord in this manner too! Is this not a little too much!!
Once Swaminathan returned to Chennai, he went to Kancheepuram for Periva's darshan.
".....There they have adorned Hanuman with Jalebi maalai (garland)! Here, we offer Vada maalai !
"Isn't both the same", said Periva.
Swaminathan could not understand. What is Periva implying? How can a sweet and karam be the same, he wondered.
"You see, the main ingredient for both is the same - batter made of Urad Dal! One ingredient is known in different names and forms to different people. The Upanishad also says the same thing. Only we don't understand. When we see with our own eyes, we are bewildered!"
"Those in the north are fond of sweets. So, they added sugar to the basic ingredient. Here in the south, people generally like salt and karam, and so they added salt and pepper! They are worshiping with Jalebi maalai and here people are worshiping with Vada maalai!"
Swaminathan stood thoughtfully pondering over this advaitha thathvam from Periva.
At the entrance to the temple, there are several shops selling sweets. Devotees would buy laddu and other sweets to offer to Lord Hanuman. The Panditji doing the pooja would offer the sweets to the Lord, and apply Sindhur on the forehead of the devotees.
A person from Chennai called Swaminathan went to this 'Hanuman Mandir' on a Tuesday.
He was shocked!
Lord Hanuman was wearing a garland out of Jalebi!
A Jalebi garland for Hanuman! Do people worship the Lord in this manner too! Is this not a little too much!!
Once Swaminathan returned to Chennai, he went to Kancheepuram for Periva's darshan.
".....There they have adorned Hanuman with Jalebi maalai (garland)! Here, we offer Vada maalai !
"Isn't both the same", said Periva.
Swaminathan could not understand. What is Periva implying? How can a sweet and karam be the same, he wondered.
"You see, the main ingredient for both is the same - batter made of Urad Dal! One ingredient is known in different names and forms to different people. The Upanishad also says the same thing. Only we don't understand. When we see with our own eyes, we are bewildered!"
"Those in the north are fond of sweets. So, they added sugar to the basic ingredient. Here in the south, people generally like salt and karam, and so they added salt and pepper! They are worshiping with Jalebi maalai and here people are worshiping with Vada maalai!"
Swaminathan stood thoughtfully pondering over this advaitha thathvam from Periva.
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