We went with a guide that we met in the street who provided a pundit and proceeded through the VIP line. If the line we were in was VIP, I dread to think what the normal line was. On the way through the temple there are lots of beggars who will hound you to no avail so be weary and watch you pockets because they aren't at all as naive as they look. We went up one of the narrow staircases where we were piled into the waiting area for half an hour. People were angry, fed up and cursing at each other as well as the guard controlling the door. The guard then stepped to one side and thus ensued the scrum of elbows, shouting, pushing and kicking to get through the arch and to form another queue to get in front of the goddess. Do not come here if you are claustrophobic, germaphobic or generally afraid of aggressive behavior, you won't last five minutes. When we reached the front our guide pundit stepped to one side and let the resident priest take over, blessing my parents first as my brother and I watched on and waited to be next. However my parents, listening to our guide, decided to hold back on giving money which angered the priest and led him to start shouting and chastising both my parents and the guide. When my parents moved on he took one look at us, realized we were related and ushered us along, not allowing us the same time in front of Kali as our parents. We were told earlier not to give any money to the pundit at the foot of the statue by our guide and not to fold to any pressure. That was our mistake, we trusted the man guiding us thinking he had our best interests at heart when really he was in it for himself, like most people who reside around the temple.
Awesome place, middle of town gamariya
Nice place
Crowded area
Love you gamharia
