‘They searched the sanctum sanctorum and then rushed out. One of them gruffly demanded of the woman, “Hey you … did a party of seventy people, with a pretty girl, pass by? Did they come into this temple?”

‘“No … not that I know of,” she replied, sounding sure and regal. “I’ve been here all this time.”

‘The soldiers believed her words, leapt on to their horses and rode away. She watched them disappear, turned to us with a smile and said, “Crazy guys.”

‘Just as we were getting ready for bed, my uncle asked my grandmother, “Amma, do you think it is wise to stay here any more?”

‘“Wherever we go, we can’t avoid our shadows,” replied my grandmother. She raised both her hands towards the sanctum sanctorum and continued, her voice trembling with tears, “At least here, we are under her care.”

‘Our saviour walked up to my grandmother and quietly handed her the palm box and the cane. My grandmother looked at her curiously and accepted them.

‘“Keep them safe,” the woman bade, before turning around and walking into the temple.

‘My grandmother and I followed her in, wondering what she was up to. But she wasn’t in there. The pedestal on which the idol stood was in the centre of the sanctum sanctorum. We looked for her everywhere. My grandmother was becoming rather jumpy. Suddenly she screamed, as never before, “Amma … Amma …”; she placed the box and cane on the pedestal and fell unconscious to the floor.

‘Initially we assumed that she was overcome by her emotions; it was much later that we realized that she had lost consciousness. Though we splashed her face with cold water, she regained consciousness after a long time.

‘As soon as she sat up, she hugged Chennadevi and wept, tears of joy streaming from her eyes. “I’ll die in peace now, my dear. You are safe. I have witnessed three miracles in my lifetime. Devi chose to appear, in person, before my very eyes. How blessed am I! How blessed …” she continued to sob. We wept too, then fell to the floor and worshipped the box and cane, with devotion.

‘The next morning, we bathed in the stream and then went around the temple in our wet clothes. We dropped two different flowers at the goddess’s feet to decide if should leave or remain there. We were told to leave. My grandmother gave the box and cane to your uncle. Then she wrapped some of the temple soil in a piece of yellow cloth. We took the goddess’s blessing and left.’

13

‘PASSERS-BY WERE ALWAYS CURIOUS about where we were from, and where we were headed. We were always careful to maintain that we were on a pilgrimage. On our way we were joined by a group of real pilgrims. Their chants and the devotional songs they sang assuaged our fears. We too joined in the chorus. We stopped at several temples, bathed in the holy waters and took the gods’ blessings. We told them our pains and cleansed our hearts with our tears.