Should not think of a handicapped/very old and feeble devotee

Should not think of a  handicapped/very  old and feeble  devotee

By

P.R.Ramachander

About 18 years back  I had visited California state of USA.My son in law  took me to Shiva  Vishnu temple at  Livermoore near  San  Francisco,. We   entered the temple  together and all the temples   of different Gods  I  that  temple   were on a three foot high, very huge platform. There were  steps leading up  the platform on both sides  but what   attracted me more  was a  small elevator which can carry  few people  on to the platform. The  first question that I put the  priest   was the need of a  elevator for  just climbing three  feet. He told   that when the  temple was built  a government official   asked them how can  a handicapped person or  senior citizen   visit the temples as they cannot climb  and insisted them to have a  small elevator. Within my mind  I appreciated that concept greatly

   A few  years  later   when I visited the  temple  of Lord Vaidhyanatha    at Vaitheeswaran koil, I saw   a lame   adult  being carried and brought inside the temple due to the very tall steps. Later once them reached the Garbha Graha, the officials  objected  to a person being carried inside the temple and that  person had to crawl  like a baby   but could not see God  because he was not allowed any human support. After  a few years  just inside the same temple they had  made available some wheel chairs but again  , before  God that  person was  not  allowed to sit on a  chair.

    I know an old lady nearing 90  who is a great devotee  of Guruvayurappan. AS  long as she could walk she used to stand in a queue and see God but due to Arthritis. Nowadays   she is not able to walk. The temple does provide  a wheel chair but the best she can do it  is to go near  dwaja sthambha and with flowing tears  and say  “Ende  Guruvayurappa”