Kareena, Katrina, Priyanka and Lord Vishnu By Shridhar Sadasivan In English: Niruj Mohan -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------It was the month of Purattasi1. On that beautiful morning, though the city was in its usual hurry, things were calm, pleasant and peaceful on the temple street. Since it was Brahmotsavam2, the temple was beautifully decorated and the crowd of devotees was larger than usual. The shops surrounding the temple were overflowing with people. Everyone, from school children to the elderly, people who arrived on foot to the ones who got out of cars, was chanting the mantra 'Namo Narayana' as they entered the temple. As is common Hindu practice, each of them touched the floor as they entered. Whether the devotees entered through the common entrance or through the special one, the deities of the temple, Perumal (Vishnu) and Thaayar (Lakshmi)3, seemed to bless them all with the same radiant smile. Inside the temple, the office was around the corner. Raghuram was inside with the ledger, diligently trying to balance the accounts. “Ugh, disgusting! I just can’t stand this anymore!” said Kesavan, as he stepped into the office. “What happened, Kesava?” Raghuram closed the ledger and looked at him. “What can I say Sir? Go out and see, you will know what I am talking about.” “Oh come on, just tell me what it is.” “It's these Aravaanis4. They are there at the temple entrance, begging yet again. They don’t let anyone get past in peace.” Raghuram sighed, “What can one say? It is atrocious.” “There is a gang sir, not just one. The way they look, the way they talk, and the way they walk, yuck! It makes me throw up!” said Kesavan, making a disgusted face. “Women and children who visit the temple are so scared of them. Don’t these Aravaanis realise that the temple is a sacred place and that they should not come and be a nuisance here?” “No, they don’t care. Balu shouted at them yesterday. They started arguing with him, they were asking him ‘there are lots of others begging at the temple entrance, why can’t we beg?’” “This is terrible! Who can have a rational conversation with them?” “Exactly, but they know we are afraid of them and they take advantage of it. They are now everywhere in the city sir, it’s getting beyond control!” “That‘s true. Yesterday, when I was coming to work, there were two of them at the traffic signal, clapping their hands5. I tried shooing them away and they started touching my hands and legs, begging for money! ” 1
Purattasi – a Tamil month equivalent to the period between mid-September and mid-October. Also known as Bhaadrapada, it is auspicious for Vaishnavites. Vaishnavites are Hindus that worship Lord Vishnu. 2 Brahmotsavam – ‘Brahma's festival’, major annual festival of Vishnu temples 3 Vishnu is the god that protects and Lakshmi his wife, is the goddess of wealth 4 Aravaani – Transgender in Tamil, corresponding Hindi term is Hijraa
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