my own boswell

At The Lord’s Feet…

My brother tells me of this sublime experience, shared by millions of others…

The temple at Sabarimala opens at three in the morning during the pilgrimage season and other designated days. Lakhs of devotees converge at the Sabari hills for the darshan, enduring many hardships that the forest and the hilly terrain lay out. Right through the day and night, there is an unending stream of pilgrims who trek their way to the Sannidhanam for a second’s glimpse of The Lord. Thousands upon thousands of devotees are always present in the Sabari hill ranges and on the banks of the River Pampa, calling out The Lord’s name and singing songs in His praise. As the night falls, lamps and lights are lit all around, and the pilgrims wait, often braving chilly winds, wild animals and inclement weather. Night birds and insects add their voice to the constant entreaties of the pilgrims and the orders and directions of security personnel. Coming from a million and more gathering, the many sounds of the multitude make the night reverberate with His name repeated endlessly. The evening pooja is over, but The Lord is awake, showering His infinite blessings on the devotees…

Comes the stroke of midnight, and it is time for The Lord to sleep and The Temple to close its door till it reopens in another three hours’ time. The public address system comes alive, and the announcement is made…

“Harivarasanam…”

In a second, silence descends miles around; even the night birds and insects have fallen silent. It is as though nature stands still to let The Lord rest…

And then…

Harivarasanam…

The Lord’s song breaks through the silence in the divine voice of Gaana Gandharvan Yesudas, bringing tears of gratitude to the millions fortunate to live the sublime moment. The song echoes through the misty hills and vales of Sabari, through the forests spread across miles, wafting over the gently flowing River Pampa, giving solace to all His devotees. The head priest and his assisting priests put out the lamps one by one, and as the last Aum is pronounced, The Temple door at the sanctum sanctorum is closed…

According to published sources, Harivarasanam was written by Kambangudi Kulathur Iyer and was first sung by Swami Vimochanananda at the Sannidhanam. V.R. Gopala Menon who accompanied the then head priest Easwaran Nampoothiri used to recite Harivarasanam every day as The Temple was closed. After Menon’s death, the head priest himself would recite the divine song. Yesudas, an ardent devotee of Lor Ayyappa, has sung Harivarasanam at Sabarimala which is now played every night as The Temple closes…

I haven’t had an occasion to be at Sabarimala when the Harivarasanam is sung. But every time I hear the divine song, I can well understand – and feel - the sublime experience my brother talks about: one has to close one’s eyes, mentally shift oneself to Sabarimala, be on the banks of the River Pampa or at the Sannidhanam or in the sabari hills range on a moonlit night, breathe in the fresh air of the gently swaying forest trees, savour the cool breeze of the hills on one’s body, submit oneself to The Lord…

And then, Harivarasanam…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_hQ-9qymXQ

Source of Harivarasanam: Youtube, as above.