I really do not relate to the concept of making a wish or asking for a favour to the many idols and expect it to be granted. Also the concept of kanikai(money put in hundial - A collection box used in temples). So you pay the God that your wish gets prioritised? and some pay the pusari ayya(Priest) so that he puts in a recommendation in a language that God understands?
I don't hate temple visits completely. The architecture that dates back to days with no advanced technology yet amazingly wonderful, the little history, the ancient scriptures by the temple walls, and bangle shopping by the temple side are other motivations. The dip in the kauveri (the little I could do from the other side of the border) followed by the pulliyotharai (tamrin rice) packed all the way from Coimbatore was a golden ticket!!!
As a kid this used to be one of my vacation trips and I loved it then. My dad used to lift me up so that I could see the idols and ring the bell, mom would give me one rupee to drop in as kanikai and I used to wait form my turn to drop it, eagerly waiting to do my practiced art of touching the deepam (flame) and taking it all over my head while I was scared if the fire would hurt me, the teertham tasting(holy water), taking the precised amount of kugumam and viputhi (red and white powders used for social and religious markings) while sisters will do the honours of blowing the excess away! That was all fun but in past tense.
Golden tickets were not sufficient enough because it was merely a cliché every year. So I thought "okay, this year I will make a wish" for the sake of it, but I dint have one. (passed 10th, 12th, college, have a job with 'salary', not hoping to get married any time soon. so what else do I wish for?) . While I was wondering I got enlighten!!! (this is sarcasm if you do not get it!)
Probably temples exist so that the lost and wandering soul 'think' what they want in life and condense it to a 'wish' so that there is 'focus' and 'believe' that it will come true, provoking actions and 'human efforts' that leads to results. So the very wish is the grant (I finally arrived at a theory to survive further temple hopping)
While I was recollecting these thoughts under a shower couldn't type it right away as I do not have a water proof smart phone. I later typed it out of my outdated phone with a broken screen while wishing for a new phone. Fb and google are acting as priests taking or translating my wish to online stores as they are bombarding me with water proof smart phone advertisements from flipkart and Amazon. How did they hear my wish? Are they Gods? I don't know, but they will grant your wish if you pay for it! ;)
