India Trip: A Rollicking Start

The India trip got off to a rollicking start on Feb. 17!
We began our journey in Chennai (formerly Madras.) Chennai is the capital city of southern state of Tamil Nadu. It has a population of nearly seven million people.

Chennai’s economy has a broad industrial base in the automobile, computer technology, hardware manufacturing and health care industries. The city is the second largest exporter of software and information technology services in India.  It is also an important center for Indian culture and the arts.


On the first day, we visited a beautiful temple for Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and good fortune. The temple overlooks the Bay of Bengal and is frequented by thousands of visitors from all over the region. The temple priest conducted a special “pooja” (worship) for the health, well-being, and prosperity of all members. He wished us well on our trip.
Our next stop was at a nearby shrine for Mother Vailankanni (the virgin Mary). This shrine is frequented by Christians, Hindus, and Muslims as she is believed to have magical healing powers. Some are physical, others spiritual.
Later that evening, many of us attended a special program at the Unitarian Christian Church of Madras.  The church was founded by William Roberts, a Hindu convert to Unitarianism, in 1795.  Rev. Roberts was sold as a slave to a British captain who was also a Unitarian.  He later granted Roberts his freedom and helped him return to his native land. The church is located in a busy business district in Chennai. It was completely rebuilt after the tsunami with generous support from the Unitarian Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. 
The current minister, Rev. Harrison Kingsley gave us a warm welcome and introduced us to members of his congregation. The program began with the singing of ‘What A Friend We Have in Jesus’ in English and Tamil and following that, a brief presentation on the history of the church by Rev. Kingsley. The children and youth presented a wonderful cultural program that everyone loved.  We ended the evening by singing another traditional Christian hymn, ‘Abide With Me,’ which Rev. Kingsley shared as being Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite hymn.

On the second  day, we visited a Center for Fine Arts which offers a holistic education in Indian classical dance, music, and art; an Indian silk store where Maya’s parents bought her a couple of beautiful silk outfits for her birthday; and a National Handicraft Fair showcasing a variety of clothing, jewelry, art work, shoes, and decorative items from all parts of India.
We took an early morning flight on Feb. 19 to travel to the temple city of Madurai.  Madurai is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in India.  It is the second largest city in Tamil Nadu by area and the third largest in population.  Madurai’s cultural heritage goes back 2500 years. The city has been an important commercial center and has conducted trade with ancient Rome and Greece since as early as 550 BCE.
We visited the Meenakshi temple which stands today as one of India’s greatest cultural and architectural landmarks. The labyrinthine temple celebrates the love of goddess Meenakshi and her groom Shiva. The complex houses 14 magnificent towers that are elaborately sculptured and painted. The tallest temple tower is 170 ft. high..
One of the highlights of our visit to the temple was receiving a blessing from the temple elephant. Each of us lined up in front of the elephant which then proceeded to place a garland around our necks and bless us by placing its trunk gently on our heads. It was something that Allison Snell was eagerly looking forward to ever since she decided to go on the trip.  “It exceeded anything I thought it was gonna be,” said Allison later with tears in her eyes. When I asked her about her thoughts on the trip so far, she said, “It’s really hot and really tiring but I am having a great time.”
I am delighted to report that Mark Brandt has taken a liking for spicy food and speaks fluent Tamil!
That about sums it up for now.
Namaste.
Abhi