Yup! That’s right, I got a tonsure. It has been 5 days, and there is already a black silhouette. But I must admit, the whole experience at Tirupati was appauling!
It started with a mad rush into a zigzag queued enclosure, like sheeps leading themselves to the slaughterhouse. After standing there for over 30 min, so densely packed that I could smell the sweat of the person 5 people ahead of me, we were let loose into a huge cage, the only thing missing were the restraining chains. The entire crowd was stuck there for an hour or so. This was the worst. There was absolutely no ventilation, no proper wash basins or toilets. There were scores of couple with 1-2 year old kids who cant hold their bladders or bowls. I dont think I need to elaborate on it.
At the end of it all u get into a queue and the barber tonsures the piligrims one after another with the skill of a veteran butcher deskinning the chicken.
At the end of it I was all too happy to be out in the open again, and be able to breathe air that was stinking!
After that there wasn way I was going there for the darshan…. There is no way I am even gonna attempt to get any close within a 10 mile radius of tirupati!
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