Compared with Chennai, where I live, Kerala feels remarkably relaxed, lush, and green. Refreshed by the monsoon rains, its trees, plants, and flowers seemed especially vibrant, and even the air felt noticeably fresher.

My purpose in coming to Thrissur was threefold. First, I wanted to visit two of Kerala’s most renowned temples: Vadakkumnathan Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, and Guruvayur Temple, one of the most important Krishna temples in India. I was particularly eager to visit Guruvayur because the presiding deity, Guruvayurappan, is Krishna in child form. Many years ago, Vanamali Mataji in Rishikesh gave me a beloved image of Guruvayurappan, which I placed on my altar and had worshipped ever since. To encounter that same form of Krishna in his own temple felt deeply meaningful.

Second, I hoped to receive darshan from Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, affectionately known as Amma, “Mother.” As one of the most influential spiritual leaders in modern India, she has touched the lives of millions around the world. For me, her influence has been deeply personal ever since my first darshan with her in 1992. By a happy coincidence, she was conducting programmes in both Thrissur and Ernakulam during my visit.

Third, I wanted to spend some time in Fort Kochi, the old part of Kochi, to learn more about Kerala’s colonial past and its vibrant art culture.

Thrissur held a more intimate significance for me as well. It was here that Vanamali Mataji spent her childhood. She wrote more than seventeen books on a wide range of spiritual subjects, and her two-volume Paths to Pilgrimage, covering the temples of North and South India, had inspired many of my own journeys to sacred places.

As a Hindu-Buddhist, I was especially eager to have darshan of the deities in the inner sanctums of these temples. In North India I had generally been able to do so without difficulty, but Kerala is known for stricter temple-entry regulations, and foreign visitors are sometimes asked to provide proof that they are Hindus. Since I had not obtained such a certificate before this trip, I was uncertain whether I would be permitted to enter. To my delight, every temple I visited welcomed me into its inner sanctum. I remain deeply grateful for that grace. From my perspective, it was only through the kindness of the deities themselves that I was able to receive their darshan.

ॐ लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु