News Reading Practice #50
(100 Day Challenge)
PRIEST FROM HARIDWAR IS AT HOME IN KERALA TEMPLE
Sankar Datt Panaru, trained in Kashmiri tantric tradition, came to Thrissur in 2014 in search of a priest
who used to frequent Haridwar and to work under him. Now well-versed with the Kerala tantric rituals, he is assisting
the Tantri of Painkannikkavu Sreekrishna Temple Sankar Datt Panaru circumambulating the Sreekovil at Painkannikkavu Sreekrishna Temple with
the idol as part of the installation day ceremony at Kattoor in Thrissur.
Though Mr. Panaru started making a living at a very
young age by doing odd jobs at small
temples in Haridwar, a steady income continued to elude him even after his education. It was a sage at
Haridwar who told Mr. Panaru about a priest from Kerala, who used to visit
Haridwar at regular intervals. The only detail available was that the priest hailed from Thriprayar in Thrissur.
"When I boarded the train, I did not even know
how much time it would take to get to Kerala. The train reached Thrissur after
three days. I had not eaten anything all those days as I had hardly ₹400 with me. I just wanted to meet the priest.
Though I caught a bus to Thriprayar from Thrissur, the conductor dropped me off
at Puzhuvil, around 10 km away from my destination," says Mr. Panaru.
"I described my plight
to the people nearby, but no one could guide me to the priest. An autorickshaw
driver told me about a priest at Painkannikkavu Sreekrishna Temple nearby who
used to visit the Himalayas and took me to the temple. It was the priest I was
looking for. When I narrated my ordeal, he first served me a plate of porridge. It was
the beginning. I have been his trusted lieutenant at the temple for more than
10 years now. Over the years, he taught me the rituals in the Kerala
tantra," says Mr. Panaru.
Though Kerala has one of the largest north Indian
migrant populations in the country, hardly anyone comes to Kerala for priestly
jobs since the rituals in the Kerala tradition are more complex and deeper than
those in Kashmiri Saivism or other tantric traditions.
On the other hand, priests from Kerala have been at
the helm of the affairs at temples like Badrinath. Though he
knows both traditions now, Mr. Panaru says the spiritual experience he receives while performing the rituals in the Kerala
tantric tradition is more encompassing.
Though Kerala has one of the largest north Indian
migrant populations, hardly anyone comes here for priestly jobs
TRADITION: A set of spiritual practices and rituals often associated with
mystical or esoteric aspects of Hinduism. (à´ªാà´°à´®്പര്à´¯ം)
FREQUENT: Occurring or happening at short intervals.(ഇടക്à´•ിà´Ÿെ)
WELL-VERSED: Knowledgeable or skilled in a particular subject or activity.(നല്à´² പരിà´œ്à´žാനമുà´³്à´³)
CIRCUMAMBULATE:
Moving or walking around a sacred object or idol as a form of religious
devotion.(à´…à´¨ുà´·്à´ ാനങ്ങള്, à´šà´Ÿà´™്à´™ുà´•à´³്)
BOARD: Entered or got on a train or other mode of transportation.
(à´µിà´®ാà´¨ം/à´¤ീവണ്à´Ÿി à´Žà´¨്à´¨ിവയിà´²് കയറുà´•)
KERALA-BOUND – Going towards Kerala (à´•േരളത്à´¤ിà´²േà´•്à´•ുà´³്à´³)
MAKE A LIVING – To earn money that one needs to pay for housing, food, etc. (ഉപജീവനത്à´¤ിà´¨ാà´¯ി à´®ാà´¤്à´°ം സമ്à´ªാà´¦ിà´•്à´•ുà´•.)
ODD JOBS: Irregular or miscellaneous tasks, usually of a simple nature. (à´šിà´²്ലറപ്പണിà´•à´³്, à´šെà´±ിà´¯ à´œോà´²ിà´•à´³്)
ELUDE: Evade or escape from, especially in a skillful or cunning way.(à´’à´´ിà´ž്à´žു കളയുà´•)
SAGE – A wise man who has attained enlightenment through spiritual practice(à´‹à´·ി, à´¯ോà´—ി)
HAIL FROM – A
native person of a certain region.(à´¸്വദേà´¶ിà´¯ാà´µുà´•)
DROP (SOME ONE) OFF- To take someone or something to a place by a
vehicle and leave them there on your way to another place. (ഇറക്à´•ുà´•)
PLIGHT: A
difficult or adverse situation.(à´•à´·്à´Ÿാവസ്à´¥)
LIEUTENANT-
A devoted servant. (à´¤ൊà´Ÿ്à´Ÿുà´¤ാà´´െà´¯ുà´³്à´³ à´¸േവകന്)
MIGRANT POPULATION
– People who moves from one place to another, especially to find work or better
living conditions. (à´•ുà´Ÿിà´¯േà´±്à´± ജനസംà´–്à´¯)
ON THE OTHER
HAND – In another sense; introduce a contrasting point of view, fact, or
situation.(മറുവശത്à´¤്, മറ്à´±ൊà´°à´°്à´¤്ഥത്à´¤ിà´²്)
HELM: The
position of leadership or control.(à´šുà´•്à´•ാà´¨് à´ªിà´Ÿിà´•്à´•ുà´¨്നത്)
ENCOMPASS: Including or covering a wide range.(à´•ുà´Ÿുതല് à´ªൂà´°്à´£്ണമാà´¯)
