A Divine Calling to Kottiyoor – My Journey of Faith and Surrender

Last month, I was truly blessed to experience something beyond the ordinary—a sacred visit to the Kottiyoor Temple Utsavam. Looking back, I now realize this wasn’t just a trip. It was a soul calling.

Initially, when my mother asked me if I wanted to join the colony group for the pilgrimage, I politely declined. Something in me wasn’t ready—or so I thought. A month later, without any obvious reason or plan, I felt a deep urge rise within me. I knew I was meant to go. There was no logic, only inner knowing.

It was a Saturday, and to my surprise, Vande Bharat tickets were still available. That in itself felt like a sign. Without a second thought, I booked my ticket and joined my parents and a group of 36 members from our colony.

The blessings began unfolding from the moment we reached. Our group received special passes allowing us to bypass the long queues and move closer to the sanctum for darshan. As fate would have it, I ended up without a pass. But strangely, I wasn’t anxious. I had a quiet trust that somehow, the path would open for me.

As we approached the final checkpoint, a volunteer began checking the passes and counting heads. For a moment, doubt crept in. I silently decided to step aside and let my father go ahead for darshan.

But in that very moment, something unexpected happened.

A few women barged into the queue behind us, causing confusion and agitation. The volunteer got distracted while counting and, in the commotion, pushed both my father and me inside the barricade to move things along. Before I could process what had happened, we were inside. Face to face with divinity.

Some might say it wasn’t fair, or it wasn’t the 'right' way. But to me, it was Shiva’s grace—unplanned, unexpected, yet perfectly timed.

Our journey from Cochin to Kannur, the stay at my cousin’s home, and the drive to Kottiyoor in pouring rain—everything aligned beautifully. There were no visible obstacles, yet the circumstances weren’t entirely easy either. Still, the path unfolded just as it should. This reminded me of the same divine pull I felt during my Banaras calling… and the unshakable magnetism of Mahakaal.

Sometimes, life reminds us that plans are human, but callings are divine.All I can say is…

"Om Nama Shivaya"