Loving mother ...Sri Mariamman...

A short story in celebration of the Kumbashiegam on 10th April 2010.


She ran with great difficulty.Holding her swollen stomach...trying to hold her unborn child safely within her.Tears and sweat mingled and flowed freely and burnt her eyes.behind her people were shouting and crying calling out to loved ones to hurry up.she stopped as a sharp pain went thru her and made her cry out.Two hands held her and asked in tender urgency ..."Are you alright amma..?? " .."it is just a a few more minutes amma to the temple,Mariamma will take care of you ...come my child" said her father as his eyes showed concern and tried to hide his fear. "Nanna where is Bava?" She asked after her husband."He is coming amma..come.." said her father.

As they ran ...they could hear the bombs and sirens going off.They had left the so called safety of their homes and were running to the only place they knew where they will be protected.Where her father went daily to give his gratitude and love for being blessed.As they crossed the threshold of the temple...she gave a cry and swooned to the cool floor of the temple.The temple pandaram came running...crying..."Ayiah vanga vanga....come come ...Thangachi thangachi,..."
They gently carried her to the santcum and gave her some of the holy water .

"Nanna ..where is bava ...my husband ? " she muttered...Her father looked away worried and walked to the temple entrance. He was not only his son in law but also his nephew the one who was to take care of his business and family. The sudden bombing had scattered all of them and he had bought his pregnant daughter to the only safe haven on the island ...the Sri Mariamman temple in south bridge road..
a stones drive from his residence on Cantonmant road.

He saw his daughter quietly sobbing at the sanctum of Mariamma, The mother of the universe..where each year all devotees walked on fire for their gratitude to her loving grace. She was due in a few months time and he was worried about her.He bowed to the goddess who from the day he landed on this island had been his guiding force.

As he prospered on this tiny island, he did all he could for the Goddess.He maintained and painted and did the kumbashigem a ritual of energizing the temple.
He would stand in front of her with his towel stretched ,begging her for her divine grace and love with tear streaming down his face.And she had never once disappointed him..and never would he know for he had full confidence in his mother...the mother of the universe.

A sudden siren was heard and all of them ran to the bomb shelter which was placed directly opposite to the sanctum and all of them went silently into it.All in their own thoughts.Of loved ones separated and having belief in Mariamma who will bring them back to them.

His daughter looked at him and he smiled and nodded ..."Laksmu will come komala...be brave" And she swallowed her fresh bout of tears and nodded.

Dong dong ...the temples bells were ringing..all of them looked at each other ...and they slowly stood up...as the shelter door opened ..they heard a gentle hum of the mantra ...Om shakthi ...Om Shakthi..and as they came out..they saw ..arthi being offered to the Goddess and Lakshmu .,,standing there...Lakshmana Perumal..

His daugther held his hands and cried ...running...to her husband...Govindasamy looked at his daughter and his son in law...and at His mariamma who never disappointed him ...tears flowed and as he walked towards the sanctum with his towel strected out in a form of begging.....and told his loving mother Mariamma ....Generations to come my family will be at your feet my mother...with your love and blessings...he vowed..

S L Mythili Devi...(2010)

This is as told to me by my mother Komalavalli Perumal.Who has a long relationship with Mother MAriammam at South Bridge Road.Before her father B.GOvindsamy Chettier PBM and her husband S L Perumal and after her ..son S L P Mohan and all of the SLP family.
Mariamma please bless us this day ..10 April 2010..... You talked to my grandafather...and gudied him ...please guide us as we fall at your feet...