The temple

I've never been religious...But I guess staying away from home makes you a little...Despite my lack of interest in religion, I somehow always loved small temples, the ones you would find on your way to work, tucked away in a quiet corner of some silent lane...I love monasteries too and the ambience surrounding them....I remember the one in Sikkim...the lovely Buddha chants would float towards you from a distance....the music would be quite haunting...you could smell the pine forest and the fresh fragrance of wild flowers in the heart of Kanchejungha...One would be awestruck to see the little bald Buddhist children dressed in maroon robes....one would be compelled to compare the childhood he had led and the one these "children of God" were leading...The peace would make you intellectual...

Hyderabad does have a lot of temples but most are the big ones where you had to queue up to talk to God...In my desparation to find a small peaceful temple I accidentally discovered one inside Apollo Hospital campus....My friend thought I was mad. I examined the possibility with seriousness but finally decided that I wasn't. The evening aarti towards Lord Venkataswarya was quite beautiful...The smell of camphor reminded me of Saraswati puja we have at home every February. I felt at home.