Temple? I prefer to call it my petting zoo

Ever been to a place for a reason that is not what the place is meant for?

Okay that was a bit confusing even for me.

So I will get to the point straight. I am a pretty religious person. I go to the temple early in the morning almost everyday before I started college. Once I got busy, I do that whenever I get the energy to wake up at 4 am.

The reason why I chose at the time is that the ambiance is so good and calm. It calms you in a way that you will feel so good the entire day(apart from the slight tiredness you might get by waking up at such an early hour) Although there is another reason why I go there at that time.

The temple I go to is the Lord Kapaleeshwarar Temple located in Mylapore, Chennai. A pretty famous one. Early morning is the time when all the residents of that temple decide to come out and sometimes even mingle with you. I am talking about the birds, cats and dogs(there used to be a few there), turtles (yes there are turtles), cows, calves…

The best of the bunch are the turkeys that always roam around in a group. Well they run around the temple with those scrawny legs that make me wonder why their physiology was so comical. I mean they have a very small head. My dad asked how big their brains would be if they had one. And they have this completely disproportionate body that is huge compared to their head and two stick like legs that carry them.

They make this horrible yet soothing noise that disrupts the entire peaceful nature at that time. But its always comical.

This one is what I could manage with my iPhone that too when those buggers run like hell the second you walk towards them. If you think there are just two, you are so wrong. There were just two once upon a time. But now there are like 6-7 I think

They all roam around together no matter what. The only good thing I do is get them some grains whenever I go. The least I could do for the guys who make my day fun.

What attracts me so much to these birds are that they respond if you talk to them. Although you won’t understand anything from their cackles, it is funny when a turkey turns around, looks you in the eye and produces a weird sound and runs the heck out of your way. They also tend to flap their wings while running resulting in somersault because they trip over those wings and well if that doesn’t make your day, you can gladly go to hell.

Earlier (I am talking about a year or so ago) there used to be a couple dogs who stay near the counter where you leave your slippers. I have no idea but those doggies come and hug me every time I go to the temple (and the frequency was almost like once in a month at that time) They don’t go near everyone as well. Only a select few and they are just so adorable. As soon as they listen to my foot steps they come running towards me and hug me. Since dogs are not allowed inside the temple premises (something I don’t understand because they allow cats and other animals inside) I ask them to wait outside. The lovely beings wait outside until I come back and as soon as they see me, they get all excited. But I don’t even offer them food. I just give money to the lady who takes care of them.

Sadly the dogs were taken by the blue cross after the temple people complained that the dogs are entering the temple making it “impure”.

And there are cats… Oh! These creatures are so villain like that they make it look like they own the temple. Out of all the cats only one cat had caught my eye and I will talking about that guy in another post.

Sadly I don’t have pictures of the turtles that live in the tank.

 

Until I saw this, I didn’t know that ducks sleep in such a style!  So yeah the temple is not a place I visit just so I can thank god. But it is also like a petting zoo for me. Where these creatures look into your souls and make you feel so good for no apparent reason! I wish they get an elephant. Elephants are fun!