An odyssey of exploration—of the self and the world

"We are going to Tirupati in June," announced my co-sister, sometime in March. And I was elated— not because I'm a believer, but this was my chance to trek the 11-km climb to the Tirumala temple from Alipiri.
The next few weeks were spent with zero preparation for the trek, and the D-day arrived in no time. On a hot Saturday afternoon, we were standing at the foot of the hill, while I stared at the steep steps and told myself, "no, I can't do this."
But then, this happens each time, and I know I can march on and reach the top. Armed with a water bottle, a towel and glucose tablets, and no slippers on our feet, we start climbing up. The stone steps scorch the feet, forcing us to climb faster.

Three minutes into the climb, my heart starts beating rapidly, and sweat starts inundating my body, when not even a few hundred metres of the trek are covered. The next 10+ kms seem impossible, and I just want to give up and start resting on the side platforms meant for it.
And that's when I notice the sea of humanity climbing up. A thin woman with all-white hair... a man with a toddler on his shoulders.. a woman applying turmeric and vermilion to each step while climbing... another girl placing camphor pieces on the steps, and the boy behind her lighting them up.. a foreigner lady with her Indian partner… a man pepping up an elderly lady, probably his mother, who is about to give up.. the cute couple chatting jovially without a care in the world.. all headed to the same destination.


The steps look saffron with every other devotee applying vermilion and turmeric. The light and smell from camphor render it all a pleasant feel. And we sip some water and start moving up.
I can't help but notice how the whitewashed roof and the cement platforms are filled with names of couples written inside heart lines— scores of unwritten love stories, the ends of which remain unknown to the world.


On the sides of the walking path lies the forest of Tirumala hill. Devotees of the God of Seven Hills believe if they stack stones here, they'll be able to build their own houses soon. Thus, the sides of the path are filled with so many small small stacks of stones.

By this time, I stop caring about how steep the steps are or how many people who started after me have passed by me. All that matters is my journey, how enjoyable I can make it and how meaningful it can be. It is me, my mind and my lethargy that I have to beat, no one else.
The vendors who have set up shop on the sides are the saviours for a tired trekker. The cool buttermilk kept in a pitcher covered with wet towels, available for Rs 5 per cup, itself feels like a god.
All types of local fruits and other edible items help replenish the energy. Drinking water is available free everywhere, apart from packaged mineral water bottles that cost a bomb. We get to experience such reliefs even in the journey of life, don’t we?


Looking back, the view of the hill and the Tirupati city makes one realise how far one has come. The deer park, in fact, a deer breeding centre, helps kids and elders relax for a while, feeding the spotted deer across the barricades.
The magnanimous rocky formations invoke curiosity, but one cannot afford to diverge from the walking path and invite the wrath of the security guarding the area.

Once the first stretch is over, the path becomes less steep and walking becomes faster. Kilometres go by without difficulty. The walking path on the road, to the relief of the walkers, is painted in white to help keep the feet cool.

Administration in Tirupati-Tirumala seems to agree that 'Cleanliness is godliness' — steps and walking paths and all related establishments are cleaned often. Sights like this are heartwarming, for some strange reason...

In no time one reaches the foot of the last hill, which is steeper than the first one. Scores of people worship the steps here, and many start crawling up on the steps instead of climbing it.

One such woman was crying inconsolably, and I couldn't ask why. Is it a way to deal with the near-vertical ascend? “No, people want to punish themselves for the sins they have committed,” said my partner.
Every climb has to end—this too ends in a few minutes. For those without physical stamina, it is the sheer willpower that carries them along. For believers, this comes from their faith, and for nonbelievers, it is the thrill and happiness of reaching the zenith— the fulfilment that comes from achieving what looked impossible to start with.

The journey on feet uphill to Tirumala is a life lesson. For non-believers, it is an exploration of life, with parallels everywhere.


It shows how believers just want to latch on to something—an unseen power, a godman, a belief—which reassures them, absolves them of their responsibility, protects them, helps shed the baggage of the past and gives them the mental strength to move forward, for which they are willing to walk the extra mile. Faith is what drives them. The devotion felt and expressed by these is on a different level—which those who visit the Hills in helicopters and private cars or subscribe to expensive sewas can never be able to match.


Postscript: Incidentally, the free darshan of the God of the Seven Hills guaranteed for those who climb the Hills was cancelled on the said day, as the next day the Prime Minister was supposed to visit the Hills. This meant the walkers had to wait for 18 hours in the regular queue for free darshan. And no one grumbled. "He is our Prime Minister, he has so much to do, we can wait for our darshan," said one devotee, while also asking, "Will we get to see him?"
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