The chennai city is known for road side pilliar koils ( lord vinayaka temples) . Each temple should be seen as an employment provider. Atleast, 3 to 4 families are directly and a dozen families indirectly depended on a roadside temple.
Recently, I came across an old man around 80 year old holding a milk sachet and entered one such temple. The old man asked the priest to perform "paal abhishekam"to the presiding deity . As the priest was performing abhishekam this old man started slapping his chins with both hands. ( as per rituals, the act of slapping one's own chins seen as a sign of reverence before the lord ).
As I witnessed this tamasha I really got amused at the old man. Living in the twilight years of life, this old
man perceives (still) that god resides only in that idol. So, the opportunity to realise the self is almost lost I wouldn't say completely lost because the realisation can happen at any moment. Otherwise, punarapi jananam, punarapi maranam.......j
