Finding ABV a top
Mahendra Hills in HYD should be a breeze on any day. Day that it. But if you
are new in town, your navigator knows neither the place
nor Telugu and the sun has long gone down, trust enthusiasm to take
you far. Pretty far. Four detours and a hour behind, we made to the ABV. All
smiles - for having found or having the Buddha watch over us, who knows...
Check the route
before you head out as there are no markings to turn to Mahendra. That said,
the small uphill ride starts building up the excitement. Why is it that
generally all meditative places are built a top? Something about them looking
down on us or we looking up ahead. Again, a question I have not tried to answer
but which pops up every time I find such a place up hill.
While signboards 10
minutes before the place will guide you, the entrance itself has no placard to
announce. Or may be it was the night. But your instincts will guide you there.
You are greeted with a long flight of stairs to the entrance of the main
meditative hall where the Buddha statue is seated. Surprisingly, I could not
find a count of the steps but it sure must be worth someone's time.
The entrance boundary
has a Buddha figurine on the inside that looks directly to the hall on the top.
As you ascend the stairs, the vast openness of the space fills you. The mild
breeze will ruffle through your hairs and the sweet smell of jasmine permeates
through your senses. As you stop to feel this and turn, you will see the HYD
skyline till as far naked eye can, that point where the concrete and asphalt
meets the horizon and disappears. Enough motivation to climb all of the stairs
to the main hall.
Night time. Just the
three of us. And a large empty hall with the Buddha seated at the end. You can
never find so much space and tranquility in a bustling city no matter what. Or
may be we were just supposed to. I may not have observed it another day but
standing there straight in his sight makes you pause. That brief, fleeting
moment. Like all meditative places, it has the calming effect. Imagine if a
hyperactive 2 year kid goes quiet.
Like most Buddha
statues, this one too was in bronze and lotuses around it. Another question I
am yet to get an answer to. With no one around at 8 pm, you could stand for
long till the place closes down at 8:30 PM. I was told that religious
ceremonies are performed from 5:30 pm onward and the crowd starts thinning at
7. The early hours will get you company, may be lots, and a better view of the
skyline. Should you want to contribute, there is a donation box in the hall.
We did our bit and
descended the stairs. Like everything in life, what you take away depends also
on what you expected. For us, it was a calm and pleasant evening out. I may
just come back for the ceremony and be one with the crowd.
LAS.
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