It was a rainy day and P~ was back to from Horanadu that morning, still tired. Horanadu is 100 kms south-west of Chickmagalur district in Karnataka state. The holy place is known for Goddess Annapoorneshwari who is an incarnation of Goddess Parvati. In Kannada language, "Anna" means rice; "poorna" means full. Hence, Annapoorna known to be feeding without one being hungry until your tummy is full. :)

My friend, P~, narrated the hospitality one could receive at the Annapoorna Temple, the way the premises are maintained, lunch and breakfast served with hot steaming coffee, sleeping mats and blankets provided in the night, one would never want to come back. The crystal clear water at the hola (river) where visitors would bathe during the dawn.

The temple is never short of devotees coming from various parts of the state. Some pray with offerings they promised to the goddess when their mannat( or wish) come true.

Unlike, other holy place in the whole of India, "photography is prohibited" here, too. Huge boards in Kannada and English are hung in temple premises reminding - "You are not supposed to click here. Be it with a mobile phone or a soap box camera. You would never know the consequences." P~ narrated one such incidence which stunned me. A well-educated guy just came out of the sanctum, took his mobile phone, zoomed in and click!.
A security personnel, in his mid forties, noticed and came to him, "show me your mobile phone."
Guy: "huh? why?"
Security:"It looks good. I wanna see it once."
**Security sees the photo of the idol.**
"Sir, photography is prohibited here. You look well-educated, can't you read Kannada or English?"
Guy: Looks shocked.
"I was checking some sms on my mobile phone, it was clicked by mistake."
Security: Grabs the mobile phone from him and drops it into the huge HUNDI. ;)

The best offering the goddess would have received. :D

Now, guess who the loyal devotee is! ;)

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