The Rented Mundu !!

A bright and beautiful morning.  I am at home for the weekend, and am feeling happy.  There is something awesome about weekends.  Since I’ve come home after a long time, my mom tells me that I should pray at a temple in the town.  I totally agree with her since spirituality has amazing  capabilities and makes one get back on the right track.

Its 7 am, and I’m ready to go to the temple.  We leave home, and reach the temple in an hour.  The temple looks beautiful from outside, and the atmosphere is very positive.  I’ve just entered the temple compound, and I can already feel the spiritual vibes touching me.  Some devotees are seen walking around the temple compound, with prayers in their mouth and hope in their hearts.  An old man sits near a pillar, and i hear him chanting the name of God.  His eyes closed, and shut from the world around.  There is a small stall selling coconuts, vermilion, sandal, flowers, incense sticks, etc;  

My mom and I stand in the queue to enter the temple.  After some time of waiting in the queue, mom reaches the entrance and walks in.  It’s my turn now, and as I’m about to enter, I hear a voice call me and say, ‘Salwar Kameez idan padilya.’, which means ‘You can’t wear Salwar Kameez.’  It is the security guard at the door of the temple.  I promptly get out of the queue, and begin walking away from it. I signal mom, who is inside the temple to finish her prayer.  As I am out of the queue now, I notice many others who share the same fate as me.  They have the same question marks on their faces as I do, as to what is to be done now. Just then, another security guard comes to me and says that there is a way by which I can enter the temple.  I have to rent a Mundu, also called Dhoti.  ‘Well! A mundu ?! And and ... how will I wear it ?, I ask him.  ‘Just wear it over your salwar..simple. ‘, is his prompt reply.  He shows me the stall where I can hire the Mundu, grins  at me, and disappears.  By this time, mom had finished praying and come out.  I tell her about the interesting events that took place after she got into the temple.  She can’t help but have a shocked expression on her face.

I reach the stall, pay 15 bucks and get a Mundu on hire. It’s a saffron-brown colored one, with some designs at the end.  The lady at the counter gives it to me, and offers me a sympathetic smile, as if to console me.  Her expression looks like India has lost the World Cup match by 1 run.  I feel that if I stand near her stall for even one more minute, she would come out and offer me a talk of consolation.  I rush away from the stall with mom !

I see some other people struggling to wrap their Mundus over their dress.  I join their army, get some tips from an aunty nearby, and somehow successfully wrap the Mundu.  A white and pink salwar, and a saffron- brown mundu to top it ! I seem to be ready to set a new trend ! Mom and I reach the queue again.  A few people look at me with a surprised expression, and some with pity.  Their look seems to be telling me ‘Poor you. You should have just worn a sari or ghagra.’ Never mind ! I turn away.  I am near the entrance now, and the security seems pleased by the fact that I followed instructions, and got back so soon.  He looks at the Mundu, and says ‘You can enter now and pray.’  He smiles at me and has the look of the captain of a cricket team, who has won a match by 1 run!

I rush in, and reach the inside of the temple. A beautifully carved temple, with marvelous architecture! Peace, tranquility and calmness seem to fill the temple.  I pray and speak to God.  I close my eyes before him, and surrender to him for a moment.  I open my eyes and am peaceful now.  All the confusion about the Mundu, how to wear it, how to walk with it seems to have disappeared.  

I walk out of the temple, with a feeling of joy and a funny memory of how I wore a saffron – brown Mundu along with a pink and white Salwar Kameez once in my life !