Two days back (in an evening) we have been to Besant nagar Ashtalakshmi aka Mahalakshmi temple.It’s a beautifully built but poorly maintained temple, entrance was separated for normal, 10 rs and 100 rs entries, and I believe that setup is for pongal darshan. We first went perumal sannidhi with the flower basket we bought, archagar there took one flower by himself and proceeded for archanai, DD when shown the ‘aarathi thattu’ ,offered 5 rs as dhakshanai,but archagar told him 10 RS is the least they take for archanai, DD offered 10 Rs and was in a dilemma whether to get his 5 Rs change back or not.

Most of the sannidhi’s were deserted without any archagar,we offered those flowers by ourselves,and in Sandhana lakshmi sannidhi, archagar was available, when DD gave the flower basket to him,he picked up a flower by left hand and offered to god by left hand, I felt humiliated,if not for us,should he not have respect for god? Even in home,we do all rituals perfectly and small childrens too will not use left hand for holy stuff,but he who survives because of this deity was not even cared to offer her a flower properly.What is missing in him? Not even basic courtesy,and he lacks the morality.

While going to rest of the sannidhi’s we found one sannidhi with a person, he was in the urge to leave, and I asked him till what time they will be available, he replied me back as, if they wish they will be there,if it is any important day they will be available and he said there are only 8 archagars which is less in capacity for that temple,so they really will not be available in temple all the time, don’t wonder the time was only 6:45 pm then.

After finishing all we came to Aanjaneyar sannidhi and the person just closed and was leaving, asking other one as why he is not leaving?Who is going to stay back and as he is having some other job,he rushed out. It was like a corporate staff discussion of who is going to stay back or who is going to leave.Am not sure if they following a proper schedule of ‘thaligai’ at all.

In spite of its fame, temple is in a poor state, basic pooja’s and thaligai’s are even missing.I really wonder what is there in the name of god.What is the big deal in being a big temple when normal rituals cannot even be followed, even a village temple will have better maintenance than this.

Tiruchendhur temple is no less than this, money money that’s the mantra everywhere.

In ‘valli devasena’sannidhi, they wanted money even to offer kumkum, they offer ábhisheka paal’ in tumbler (cup) to everyone, unfortunately if you get it from them, you will have to pay them at least 10 rs. So far I was feeling “palani” is worst, tiruchendur is competing it.Kerala temples are definitely way better than this. The purpose and satisfaction of visiting a temple is disappears because of this,and the big question is ‘God is really there’?.

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