Time: March 17th, 2024
Place: Davanagere
Company: Solo onwards, but joined by relatives at location and return leg
Highlights: Was in two minds - to go or not all through the weeks leading up to 17th March. Primarily because events schedule was not that appealing and wife and daughter could not accompany because of school exams. On 16th night, when I was watching the live event, something made me suddenly want to go. So, at 8 pm, I searched for trains and found a train with availability at 00:15 hrs to Davanagere. Quickly booked it and I was off.
Journey was uneventful, except train was really dirty! Reached about an hour late, still made it to the big choultry hall where the event was being conducted for the morning Suprabhata seva. Quickly refreshed myself after meeting the relatives already gathered there, and attended all the subsequent functions such as Pontiff's Pooja rituals amidst vedic chanting, religious discourses, Dhanvantri Homa, Flower offering to Raghavendra Swamy, etc.. Felt spiritually cleansed, and I felt good about making the decision to visit. Had lunch, went to the lodge room where relatives were staying for a quick nap, then headed back to the choultry for the Srinivasa Kalyanotsavam - although we made stops for local market for shopping and tea. It was crowded when we got back, and we decided to head towards BLR since it would get too delayed. Anyways, we had seen this in Papparapatti.
It was 7:40 pm when we left and I thought it would be an enjoyable drive back home in my cousin's new Grand Vitara car but too many trucks on annoying lanes caused a dissatisfactory drive. Thankfully it was safe and nothing untoward happened. It took 5 hours exactly to reach home.
A sudden, short and fulfilling trip to cater to the soul...!
