Tourist Day: A Not So Holy Experience

Yippee! A day off of work. I’m tired and sick but that won’t stop me from seeing a few sites today. The local Rotarians have arranged for a number of cultural and recreational experiences today to educate and refresh for another surgery day tomorrow.

We boarded a bus about 9 am headed to Chidambaram to see the famed Thillai Natarajar Temple. The temple is known as the foremost of all temples and has influenced worship, architecture, sculpture and performance art for over two millennium. The structure itself took more than 1,100 years to build according to our tour guide. He spoke very quickly but it was apparent that this temple is important to Hindus – there’s a dancing god named Shiva that figures prominently and the person who invented yoga was born near or around here. And there’s a golden temple inside near the inner sanctum as well as a room of 1,000 pillars (the tour guide said something about there only being 999 in reality but who’s counting in this heat?) but he spoke so rapidly that’s about all I got out of his commentary. He was really trying hard and asked me if his English was good; it was and he was pleased with the compliment.

When we first approached the temple we were sent to a side shop where the Rotarians paid to have our shoes checked in while we would tour inside. The 200 feet to the temple door was a sprint for those of us who were more tender footed as the stones were scorching hot. I don’t go barefooted at home so I was truly disgusted by the thought of what I was collecting on the bottoms of my feet. For the duration of the tour it was a sprint between the shade and hot stones. The black ones, which were plentiful, seemed to be the hottest.

Once inside, a Rotarian handed me a strand of jasmine flowers and instructed me to put them in my hair, which Dua helped with. They smelled very sweet, which was a nice break from the scent of human sweat that seemed to permeate the air.

Then we were invited to go into the inner sanctum to see the Dancing Shiva. The guide kept saying “Dancing Shiva” over and over so we could only assume that this was a very important Hindu experience. Outside the sanctum, men were instructed to remove their shirts; a couple joked that the ladies would have to remove theirs once inside. Signs were posted at the entrance announcing that only pure people may enter. There was a rush of people trying to push through mob-style. A bit concerned, I held back but the guide kept encouraging me to go in all the while encouraging me to keep my valuables close to me (I guess pure people steal too). I finally went inside only to find the floor wet. What could possibly be on the floor in this pitch dark room full of hot sweaty (and in some cases half-naked) bodies? At this point I’m getting pretty concerned for my feet. I’m pretty sure there’s not a pedicurist in the Western world who would touch them now. And what about my shoes? I have to put them back into my shoes at some point! (Those of you who know me well understand this concern)

Forgetting about my feet for a few minutes, I tried to take in the experience as I was being pushed and tussled about among a throng of people about a foot shorter than me. About five feet ahead, a skirt-clad monk (or priest…I’m not sure) came walking through with a plate full of fire billowing with smoke and the people surge forward carrying me toward it. Hands reached through the air grasping for the smoke and pulling it over their heads before it dissipated. I’m just trying to keep from catching on fire. Meanwhile somehow the tour guide manages to come up next to me and starts grabbing my hands to get me to gather some holy smoke for myself. Okay, I’ll play. A little smoke on my head and then my thoughts turn again to my feet upon which I feel something long and thin dragging over them. There are too many people packed in there and I can't see my feet. I discover one of our OR nurses Jan is next to me and ask him if he feels anything on his feet. He replies that there is a cobra on the floor. Wrong answer. I’m outta there. Stomping and pushing my way past the crowd, he yells out that it’s only the straps on his backpack dangling on the floor. I don’t care. I’m done.

Finally outside and dripping wet in sweat I look for some familiar faces and head in their direction. I can’t find the exit fast enough. But oh wait, we need to get pictures of the golden temple (we had to receive special permission on the inside to take any pictures) before we exit and try to assemble everyone on the hot stones for yet another group picture. This is one I’ll pass on; the group picture will be better without me.

Back on the bus, I pull off my assaulted shoes to assess the damage. Black on the bottoms and even a few toes got caught up in the action no doubt due to the fact that they were stepped on a few dozen times during mob crush in the inner sanctum. I whip out my wipes and go to work. Mary Gadeken seized the opportunity for a picture as she passed by on the bus (unbeknownst to me) as I clean my feet. (She emailed the photo and I’ve shared it below). Disgust might be one adjective for the caption.

With all of this behind me, I can’t say that that I’m not feeling particularly pure. In fact, I need a shower. However that said, I do have an appreciation for the energy and devotion that the Indian people put into their faith. One really has to believe to get into the inner sanctum ritual and clearly many do. I think that’s cool. The tour bus moves on to our next stop.

Outside of the Temple before the inner sanctum experience.

Styled by Dua (anesthesiologist), my hair with a garland
of jasmine.

Checking our shoes in for a rest...

Just inside the temple, beggars line the walkway -- mostly women.

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A little boy sits off to the side all dressed up for a day
at the Temple. He was too cute for words.

Our tour guide (the one in the brown shirt) begins the tour. He
provided a very detailed, rapid explanation of what we were
seeing and was responsible for pushing me into the mob in the
inner sanctum.

A closer view of the temple reveals intricate and colorful
detail that bears no explanation.

The Golden Temple inside the complex.

One of many statues carved in the walls throughout the
Temple. I can't remember what each of them were about
but all have some significance to the Hindu religion.

Back on the bus working my wipes to rediscover my feet
post cultural experience.