My Sunday outing :)

Went to the temple with my parents ( after, um, 3 months ? ) on the Sunday.

Was less-crowded than ive ever seen it.

(Remember we are talking about the Meenakshi temple, the 23rd (?) Wonder of the world (heh heh) when it is crowded, we're talking like a 100,000 people all at once. )

Can't help feel that the Rajahs of Yesteryears were pretty jobless blokes - the 1000 pillar hall, about a 100 shrines and what else, about, i dunno 200 acres of prime realty wasted. Not to mention an indoor Pond with a "Golden lotus".

I guess iam getting carried away here, all this must av been for some reason or the other. Defense (like the wall garrisions) ? Commerce (streets around the temple have loads of shops selling al kindsa stuff). The temple mustav attracted a huge number of people even then.

The temple's Elephants - I saw atleast two of them (i gave the small one, a coin for his blessings). All seemed ok until i found that the big elephant had a wound on his hindleg as wide as, well, a bus tyre. I have a good mind to report the temple authorities to the SPCA and put those mahouts behind bars. The b&#@&#s !!

The evening's highlight came at the "Mukuruni Vinayagar" shrine. The pundit there wud av been about 80 years old (almost totally toothless) and was mumbling some mantras. One of his equally aged chums (almost equally toothless, he sounded like Popeye the sailor's dad) was walking past carrying some smoking pot, mumbling something to himself.

Our pundit called out "Enna Oi, Score ennaachu ?" (hey, whats the score?)

His friend (pappy :) ) stopped turned around and said, "erunoothi enbathi nalu , dravid noothi moonu not out oi, neeru paakaliya ?" (284, dravid 103 not out, did you not see?) and went his away, resuming his chanting.

Our pundit: Resumes chanting with renewed vigour

{ i may have gotten the score wrong here, i dont remember }

Iam reminded of the cliched expression "In India, cricket is a religion". How true :) That made my evening.

The icing on the cake came when i came home to watch Man U win 1-0 against Chelsea. Darren flectcher accidentally headed one in :). Man U need to play better than this !! The match was very exciting though.

It is 12:48 AM, and iam afraid i have to find a way to kill this insomnia or iam going to find myself sleeping on files tomorrow :)