23- Kailash, Kathmandu and Kashi – A Story of Shiva and me.

(A decade ago after a trip to Tibet, Nepal and India, I wrote down my impressions. It was not meant to be a book, however after it was read by some, it was suggested that if it gets published, interested persons can use it. However I thought (and still think) that the narration was more of a personal quest into Bhagavan Shiva and that it may not interest a wider audience. Therefore instead of commercially publishing it, I thought of placing it on a website of Publishing house Harper Collins’s website known as Authonomy.com. It remained on their website for people to review my narration for many years. However, last year, when Harper Collins shutdown Authonomy.com and I realized that some people still wanted to read my account, I decided to place all 26 chapters of that travelogue on this blog. Reader views and comments are welcome)

Chapter 23.  Kashi.

Sense of thrill overcame me on entering this great city- A Harvard or Cambridge for learning in the ancient times. All the subjects, from Grammar, Science, Law, Medicines, Administration, Vedas and Upanishads were taught here by expert teachers. Kings of the time felt honored to host graduates form Varanasi and felt privileged if they can be employed by them. A king’s value as a connoisseur of arts, literature and philosophy was measured from the number of graduates present from Kashi in his court. Kashi-Graduates had to spend almost twenty years before graduating in any discipline and were taught to be always judicious and independent. Most of the graduates would decline to be in paid service of a king so as to maintain their fearless independence. For this reason, Kashi-Graduates were valued like trophies in the courts of Kings. My ancestor, a graduate from Kashi came for this illustrious heritage, who was invited by King Siddharaj Jaysinnh of Gujarat. Millions of people, since time immemorial have craved to come here, valued its education, spent lifetime dispensing knowledge gathered here. Their desire was so strong that if one is unable to make it to this city in one’s prime age, he would, at the minimum desire for his last days to be spent on this soil from where a non-stop series of life-illuminating scholars came to enrich lives of masses. Even death here becomes divine. So much is the magnetic pull of this city among devout that, those who could not make it while being alive, leave their last wish, to be cremated in Kashi. A long continuous queue of the dead bodies, awaiting their turn is its proof for everyone to see on the Manikarnika-Ghat or Raja-Harishchandra-Ghat. (Remember the story, King Harishchandra gives away his kingdom for the sake of truth and is forced to accept the job as menial as cremation ground laborer?) Even today, although crushed by centuries of oppression, massacres and destruction by brute muscle power of foreign invaders, Varanasi is considered one of the best places of learning Indian scriptures and Sanskrit language. Its “Benaras Hindu University” (BHU) is considered an elite place of learning, not only Sanskrit but also nearly all the modern and ancient disciplines. Varanasi attracts millions of pilgrims every year from all parts of the world and is still considered to be the one place; one should visit at least once-in-a-life-time. (More info on BHU at www.bhu.ac.in)

 

Above indeed reads like a magnificent account of the city. The readers are forewarned that battered by cruel history, ignored by socialistic-communist anti-tradition mindset of generations of Indian political leaders, the city has suffered in terms of civic developments, cleanliness and meaningful political or intellectual support. All put together only a real brave could today say that he still has some reverence left in him for Kashi. The city is dirty, roads narrow, crowded and unmanaged, short on electric power necessitating unannounced power cuts and in general the city is an embarrassment to any reasonable person. River Ganga is polluted to an extent that unless you are blind, you won’t be taking holy dip there. All this despite everyday flow of thousands of Indian as well as foreign tourists! It is as if, like the monkeys of Mahatma Gandhi, the civic administration sees nothing hears nothing and says nothing. Well, one day the administration and the intellectuals would wake up.

 

When we reached Varanasi in the early hours of morning, the city was still asleep. Took an Auto-Rikshaw and reached the hotel, not far from downtown.

 

Varanasi is situated on two confluences. River Varana comes from north to meet Holy River Ganga and a distance away at another place; river Asi comes from south to meet Ganga. These two rivers mark the location of this city on the route traced by holy River Ganga, which flows from Himalayas into the Bay of Bengal. These two rivers, never mind if they are tiny in comparison with magnificent river Ganga, but Indian seers chose to honor them with naming of the holiest cities on the bank of Ganga, the Varan-Asi. There was a good reason for this; it was the arena of intellectual struggle of ancient King Divodas.

 

City of Varanasi, otherwise known by its more ancient name Kashi is also known as ‘Benaras’, in anglicized version popularized during colonial times.

King Divodas

 

River Ganga is holy, but it is said to be especially so at Kashi. A dip there can rinse sins of whole life. It is said that death in Kashi gives Mukti, liberation from cycle of life and death. What was so special about Kashi? At one time, millennia ago, King Divodas ruled Kashi. He made Kashi a center of excellence in learning in every discipline. Graduates from here spread to all parts of known world at that time and illuminated lives of people wherever they went.

 

He brought about a major change in the way people looked at life, the the way they looked at God. He made everyone to understand that worshipping God sitting at home or in a temple is not enough. A God worshipper should go to public and demonstrate by self-example and preaching as to how to lead a good quality  life, a life of fulfillment, a brilliant life full of self-respect and efficiency; how not to succumb to greed and laziness and how compassion for others to convert into selfless work for others. Divodas showed that a true worshipper is that who rolls into one the ‘Gnyan-Yoga’ (Yoga of Knowledge), the ‘Bhakti-Yoga’ (Yoga of Love and Devotion), and the ‘Karma-Yoga’ (Yoga of Work and Action). Kashi became known as home of dedicated brilliant, loving and active youthful teachers. In their hearts was simply love for everyone and minds the knowledge. King Divodas became known for sending these teachers far and wide to impart the knowledge of healthy way of life. Great many people have preached love, non-covetousness, peace and non-violence. However life is not these values alone but has many more dimensions that need to be squarely understood, and put to proper use rather than rejecting or ignoring. Jealousy, pride, selfishness, self-esteem, gratefulness, fearlessness, adventure, duty towards self, society and God, bravery, arts, crafts, literature, creativity of every kind, disdain for wrong, jest, laugh, cry, romance, war, disease, disasters, death, every dimension is part of our daily life. Vedic philosophers have found a way to welcome every human impulse ‘bad’ or ‘good’ and put it to a wonderful use in human’s personal development and societal development. Devoid of this technique, today; no one, ‘civilized’ and ‘advanced’ Western world included, teaches us how respect every impulse endowed by us and use it for self-betterment.

 

Despite all the modernity and advances that we claim, we live our life by the jungle law of ‘survival of fittest’. Our mercantile laws have no chapter on ethics and there is no upper limit of profit. Our relationship with outside world is of ‘exploiter-exploited’. In the name of personal liberty we sabotage the society and some in the name of society kill the personal freedom. Our intelligentsia seems to be stuck in these ‘irreconcilables’. Our business model works on the principle of exploitation in the name of free trade and the people at opposite pole who follow Karl Marx, do not understand motivation is a principle of life and that everyone can not be equal, no matter what you do.

 

King Divodas created society that worked harmoniously for years and its population enjoyed material, as well as spiritual bliss and lived a fulfilled life. His city became a heaven on earth where king never failed in his kingly duties and his subjects from their natural duties. A father performed his duties to his best ability and son his; a teacher his, and a pupil his; a shopkeeper his and a customer his, an administrator his and citizens their; an employer his and employees their. Exploitation of others was unheard of. Everyone lived long, felt secured and felt needed. Life was considered as an opportunity for life-long learning and Death, not dreaded, a necessity in progress when the present body becomes weak enough not to support further learning. It was a world where people felt happy giving instead of taking.

 

Hearing the fame of Kashi, even Gods and Devas came from heaven and made Kashi their home. Bhagavan Shiva too craved to live here.  But a small technicality prevented Bhagavan Shiva from entering Kashi.

 

Story of ‘technicality’ begins in a remote past. World has witnessed several cycles of growth and decay in civilizational progress and human values; several appalling decadence and several glorious eras. At one time during an especially murky period King Divodas, a descendant of King Ripunjaya Vivaswan, became disillusioned with the decadent world around him. He thought, what king am I that seem helpless in reforming the voluptuous, greedy fellow rulers, the corrupted religious authorities, the money-centric education, selfish turned family life? He became very disheartened. Pained with the hopelessness, he sat down in meditation at some place in between two confluences, on the bank of river Ganga. Deep in the mediation he spoke to Bhagavan Shiva that the world has so much deteriorated that it is painful even to exist on this planet; that it is far better to leave this world. He asked Bhagavan Shiva to liberate him from the ‘terribly corrupt’ world. At that time, God tells him that his Liberation lie in the liberation the world from that hopelessness and in instilling character in his populace; it does not lie in trying to look for escape in the inaction. Liberation can not come by physical inaction. Divodas agreed with the guidance God gave him. God told him to work hard, work intelligently and work with a sensitive and loving heart; to work towards instilling fearlessness, purity, charity, self-discipline, truth, compassion even for animals, non-greediness, gentleness, forgiving nature, strength etcetera, considered as divine attributes. But Divodas knew that for putting God’s suggestion to work, he would need a long, enemy-free, peaceful time to inculcate divine values. Therefore, while agreeing with God, King Divodas made a simple one condition; that no one except his writ can work in Kashi.

 

It was this innocent condition, made in the earnest, accidentally precluded Bhagavan from Kashi. On one hand God can not be under anyone’s power, however on the other hand, as per his own promise, no one could have power over Divodas in Kashi. Thus Bhagavan Shiva and King Divodas became mutually exclusive in the territory of Kashi. No matter how strongly Bhagavan Shiva wished to visit Kashi, technically he could not.

 

Divodas, blissfully unaware of this technical dimension, always busy at work, at spiritual and moral upliftment of masses by providing them with proper education and sending his educated emissaries to neighboring kingdoms to convince them of correct way of living. However, at one stage he becomes aware, and feels sad that God is unable to come there due to his condition. He is much pained at being an instrument in preventing Bhagavan Shiva. Knowing what Bhagavan wished and also knowing that he has completed the work he had set for himself, King Divodas hands over the city to worthy successor and leaves the city that he created, nourished and loved so that Bhagavan Shiva can come and stay there. Salute to Divodas who created a city which captivated Gods and Devas and which even enthralled the Mahadeva (Bhagavan Shiva)! One more salute to Divodas for his instant and unhesitant renunciation of his beloved city. Way of thinking, way of life and way of worship inculcated by King Divodas was so ingrained in this city that for millennia, this city could guide humanity. 

 

Kashi became Bhagavan Shiva’s abode since that day. There He stays under the title of ‘Kashi-Vishvanath’. Every Hindu who knows what Kashi stands for craves for Darshan (glimpse) of Kashi-Vishwa-Nath, a dip in Ganges there, homage to King Divodas and if possible death in that city in the arms of God Shiva. It was to honour the achievement of a mortal Divodas that Bhagavan migrated to Kashi.

 

In jest, some poets and writers have invoked ‘worldly-wise’ imagery in their literary work; explaining Bhagavan Shiva’s eagerness of changing his residence to Varanasi from Mount Kailash. It was to move out of father-in-laws’s house! Mata Parvati is daughter of Himalayas, therefore His stay in Himalayas is like staying in the estate of father-in-law; which no self-respecting son-in-law could like. Poetically suggesting that perhaps, Bhagavan Shiva was taunted for his stay in father-in-law’s home even after marriage with Goddess Paravati! And Kashi being such a nice place under the rule of Divodas, it was but a natural choice. However for record’s sake, Kailash is His permanent address despite His other addresses.

 

Today, Varanasi has lost almost all its greatness; however its remnants are still potent for inspiring dedicated thinkers and action-oriented philosophers. Currently, it is a city that simultaneously lives in our times as well as in the ancient. It is one of the world’s oldest continuously surviving cities. As this city has been a continuously inhabited for several millennia, it has innumerable signatures of the ancient times and ancient personalities. To see and feel everything, no exaggeration, one needs to live in Varanasi for several months. Kashi is home to literally thousands of noteworthy temples. It was physically impossible for us to visit every place and hence after visiting Kashi-Vishwa-Nath temple, we sought advice from a tour guide and visited just a few among the more frequented holy places.

Kashi-Vishwa-Nath Temple, Ghats and Ganga-Aarti

 

Kashi-Vishwa-Nath temple is on the banks of holy river Ganga and is part of old city characterized by narrow lanes. The temple of Kashi-Vishwa-Nath is one among twelve most important places of Bhagavan Shiva, known as “Jyotirlinga” (Symbol with power to illumine or give knowledge). He is represented in Varanasi as a four-faced Shiva-Linga and is known to possess very high degree of spiritual power. This temple was destroyed several times and also was rebuilt every time. First time, about 800 years ago, it was looted and razed to ground by Mohammad Ghori in 1194 A.D. and he took away tons of Gold and other valuables. Second time, it was demolished by Kutbuddin Aybak. Third time around, in the year 1351, Firoz Shah Taghlak demolished it. Fourth time around was a double blow by Aurangzeb, who, in 1669 not only razed the temple, but he also built a large mosque at the very place, where once stood the consecrated Shiva-Linga. Till today that mosque exists there in a painful reminder to Hindus. Hindu organizations have made fervent, appeals to Muslim communities to give up that mosque.  Unheeded as yet, however I am hopeful, someday they may do the much sought reparation.

 

The temple, as seen now, was built by Maratha Queen, Ahalya Bai Holkar, in around 1780 at a place, just a few meters away from the mosque. She did not demolish the mosque tit for tat to make way for temple. A grand mosque, known as “Gnyanvapi Mosque” still stands there today. Originally Holy Bull, Nandi that was facing the Shiva-Linga is still there; however in front of him is not the Shiva-Linga but its enforced substitution, a mosque! Sikh King Ranajit Singh donated tons of gold to cover the domes of the new temple.

 

On advice from our guide, we removed our shoes and deposited our belongings with a shopkeeper, bought flaked-sugar as Prasad and entered the temple. Prayed before the Shiva-Linga, consecrated the flaked-Sugar and walked around rest of the temple. Next to the huge metal Nandi Bull, we saw the well, in where priests of the temple had hid the original Shiva-Linga in desperation to protect it from Muslim soldiers, before they were butchered by their swords. This Linga was later recovered and reinstalled at present location. Before leaving the temple, we went to the office of the temple as my mom had sent a sum of money that she had keenly desired to donate there. We approached a man who had a computer on his table and appeared to be the Cashier or Accounts-officer, among a few more officials occupying three or four tables there. He almost barked at us with impatience, when I was trying to extricate Indian Rupees that my mom had sent from the bunch that also had remainder Nepalese Rupees and Chinese Yuans. I was probably taking longer than his expectation and from the angle of my eye I had seen that he was in the midst of a game of cards on his computer terminal and I had disturbed him. But I saw no point in saying any word of my disappointment with him; I knew from experience that the religious trusts of all the famous and rich Hindu temples have been taken over by the government and my words would only be wasted. As it was express wish of my mom to donate there, I could not help handing over the sum and collected the receipt. Many people, like my mom, are not aware that the money donated by them to Hindu religious institutions for religious activities is squandered by government interfered entities over many non-religious or outright anti-Hindu activities. The vote-bank politics of independent India has set in motion a different set of dynamics. Government appointees have known to have disposed off temple lands, properties and released temple funds. (For more on this refer to various press reports and web sites. Famously, refer to tenure of Abdul Rehman Antulay, tainted ex-Chief Minister of Maharashtra when he was a trustee of famous Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Unethical disposal of lands belonging to Guruvayuer and Sabrimalai temples, allocation of Tirupati Temple funds for purposes of other religion’s activities etc. As of now most of the famous temples in India are in the fist of government appointees, who are subservient to their political masters and automatically, the assets of temple are utilized for their irreligious and outright unholy work)

 

Varanasi’s Ganga-Riverfront is made with sandstone steps, known as ‘Ghat’, or a place for taking holy-dip in the river. There are more than hundred Ghats, spanning a length of a few kilometers where thousands of pilgrims take holy dip every single day in the flowing waters of Ganga. Prayers are offered to Holy River Ganga by way of evening ‘Aarti’, an occasion that no tourist or pilgrim to this city would ever miss. The ceremony that lasts for about an hour provides a fantastic spectacle of moving huge burning fire in a ceremonial manner, honoring the River. It starts at 7 p. m. every evening. A large crowd of tourists had gathered on the ghats for this everyday spectacle. Ritual Aarti performers were strong and handsome youths, who wore traditional orange-yellow silken Dhoti. In their hands were huge burning lamps that they moved in clockwise as well anti-clockwise direction in front of Goddess River Ganga singing appropriate hymns. Crowd is usually huge, with a large number of white faces.

Durga Mata Mandir, (Monkey temple)

 

Durga Mata Temple is a 12 centuries old structure, made by a Bengal queen. The original temple however is of much greater antiquity. A plaque on the temple places its historicity to very ancient times, by referring to the 23^rd Chapter of Bhagavat-Puran which narrates story of an ancient King Subahu of Kashi, who has established this temple in the honor of Mother Durga where She had promised to stay as was desired by the king. It is believed that Mother Durga lives here and protects people. We stood there for a while reading the plaque and watching devotees, mostly Bengali families, women in their trade mark cotton sarees going in and out of the temple. Flowers and Prasad items in their hands. Mother Durga is a fierce Goddess, a form of Mata Parvati. A water-tank style large pond with Ghat-style steps also forms part of the temple. Square shape and blood-red color seems to define this temple as everything here is fashioned in square shape and red color. The temple, its campus and the pond, everything is in square shape. This temple is an important Shakti-Peeth of Shakt worship, meaning, this place is a strong energy source for the worshippers. There is a large number of monkeys around this temple, earning it a nickname among western tourists as ‘Monkey temple’.

Tulasi Manas Mandir (Saint Tulasi Das)

 

Just a few minutes walk away from red temple of Durga Mata, is a Tulasi Manas Mandir. It marks the site, sitting where, Saint Tulsidas had written “Ram-Charit Manas”, the famous chronicle of Ramayana into local dilect with his own inputs for masses to easily understand story of Bhagavan Rama. Owing to his own intensity of love for Bhagavan Rama and Bhagavan Hanuman, and the divine insight that he had, his work, although written on the lines of original Sanskrit work by Sage (Rishi) Valmiki, stands on its own merit and has independent following of millions. His style is easy to follow yet has impossibly intense devotional sentiments. On the walls of the temple is inscribed complete “Ram-Charit Manas”. It was a nice white-marble mansion style temple and received many tourists who would read the verses written all around the wall. If one is tired, one can sit for a while and again resume reading. Especially among people of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the “Rama-Charit-Manas” of Tulsi Das evokes more reverence than even the original text of Ramayana by Sage Valmiki.

Sankat Mochan Mandir (Hanumaan Temple)

 

‘Sankat Mochan’ in English is “Trouble-remover”. There is one and only, deity who is known for that benevolence, Bhagavan Hanumaan. An able assistant of Bhagavan Rama, Hanumaan is said to be alive even today and is said to answer one’s requests. This one temple I especially enjoyed as it is set within a garden like compound with many large old shadowy trees, with freely roaming monkeys. In fact due to presence of ‘monkey God’ Hanumaan and due to an army of monkeys on trees around, if this temple was called as Monkey temple it would have been more appropriate I thought. In large campus, there were many people and wee probably in preparation for some feast from their manners and big utensils I saw being worked on at a place behind a holy well.

 

Bhagavan Hanuman, is considered as Bhagavan Shiva’s incarnation.  He being alive, it is said that anywhere if one was to perform pooja of Bhagavan Rama, he would invariable show his presence there. Hanumaan is endowed with brilliant intellect, self control and total submission to Bhagavan Rama. His style of dedication is celebrated as a ‘perfect servant-master relationship’

Benaras Hindu University Campus, ‘Island of Tranquility’

 

The new Kashi-Vishwanath Temple in BHU as well as BHU itself is a different world; very much within hustle and bustle of Kashi, yet completely removed from it inside its campus. It was a wonderful change of scene for us. A tranquil island in the midst of noisy city. Wikipedia describes BHU as world’s largest residential university and second in India in field of research. The University was established in the year 1916 after herculean effort by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, a scholar and a person who loved Indian culture dearly. During its “Bhumi-Pujan” or Hindu  equivalent of ground breaking ceremony or foundation laying ceremony, many dignitaries came including Mahatma Gandhi came there on 6^th Feb 1916. The land on which the BHU stands was donated by the then King of Kashi, Dr. Vibhuti Narayan Singh, in the illustrious foot step of his ancient predecessor, the King Divodas. BHU was a dream of Pandit Malaviya during the colonial times. Predictably, a lot of conditions were placed by British administration before granting permission to build the university. One being, a fund of Rupees five million!! And second being that the ‘Central Hindu College’ started by Dr. Annie Besant be merged with the proposed university. Both conditions were met by Hindu leaders of colonial India and the permission was ultimately granted in 1915 by the British administration. (Dr Annie Besant was founding member of Theosophical Society, a British lady who was highly impressed by Hindu culture and its leading holy books, the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and the Vedas. Her translation of Bhagavad Gita is said to have inspired Mahatma Gandhi. She also held presidentship of India’s leading political party, the Indian National Congress.)

Modern Kashi-Vishwa-Nath Mandir

 

The New Vishwanath temple was built on BHU campus from the donations made by famous industrialist and philanthropist Birla family. Temple is a replica of the original temple that was destroyed by Aurangzeb and is made from white marble. Temple is open to all and is spotlessly clean. We were impressed with professional conduct of the temple staff and wonderful quotes on its walls. All roads in BHU are tree-lined on both sides and are conspicuously clean. The area around the temple is made into a small touristic place with souvenir shops and restaurants and a garden. In the centre, a statue of Pandit Malaviya is placed before the sliding wrought Iron gates in memory of the creator of BHU.

Kaal-Bhairav Mandir, Fanatic Aurangzeb Terrified ?

 

To visit Kaal-Bhairav temple, one needs to pass through a very congested city area with a very narrow access lane. This ancient temple, in its current form was built by Maratha King Bajirao Peshwa II in 1817. Kaal-Bhairav is a terrible aspect of Bhagavan Shiva. He was so fierce that He is said to have done what no other God had done, cutting off a head of another God, no other than that of the creator God Brahma. As per the story, Brahma had five heads originally but after that episode, He is left only with four. Kaal Bhairav is also recognized as a ‘Kshetra-paal’ (‘Sentry’ or ‘care taker of territory’ in Sanskrit), and He is said to guard the area. Fanatic Muslim king Aurangzeb who had butchered his own brother (Dara Sikoh) and imprisoned till death his own father (Shahjehan, famed as builder of Taj Mahal) had ruthlessly demolished all the temples of Varanasi, however even he did not touch this one presumably, became nervous by the reputation of the patron of the temple.

Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service

 

Ramakrishna Mission is running a charity hospital, situated in downtown Varanasi, not far from Ghats. We had a good opportunity getting acquainted with its working. A Sanyasi (A renuncient, a Hindu monk wearing Saffron clothes, dedicated to education and service to society and self-improvements), who also was a doctor, was looking after this hospital. He ran us through history of the 109 year old hospital, initially set up by a group of friends, good Samaritans inspired by Swami Vivekananda’s writings. Many years thereafter, during one of the visits of swami Vivekananda to Kashi, they merged it with the Mission. Swami explained why the name of the institution was “Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service”; it is because: “we can not cure; it is only God who cures. We, humans can only perform the service”. This hospital has wards for nearly all the medical disciplines. Their large campus houses their own dairy with several cows to fully meet hospital’s milk requirement. It also houses laundry, kitchen, library etc. We spent a morning there, bought some books from their bookstore and made some donation. We also told about Swadhyay activity. Renuncient Doctor was well versed with Swadhyay and had high regards for its creator, Revered Pandurang Shashtri Athavale. We were discussing about the hidden delights of “Bhaav Feri” and “Bhakti feri” where Swadhyayees visit, uninvited, and at their own cost and consequences, the homes of strangers and how wonderful it becomes to know these strangers and invariably discover something or the other from hearts and minds of those strangers - Their life, their abilities, their skills, their love and the invaluable signature of the indwelling God. In the course of this discussion he referred to a book written by Swami Anand, “Dharati nee Aarati”, published (reprint of the old book) by Mahendra Zaverchand Trust. I, with a sense of modest pride informed the Doctor that Swami Anand happend to be our family, my uncle. He was brother of my great grandmother Diwali-Ba. In her old age, Diwali-Ba, known to us as ‘Ma’ used to live with her daughter, my favorite grandmother Saraswati Ben. In every vacation during my school days, I used to go to grandmother Saraswati Ben’s house who lived in Wadhawan, a town in Saurashtra region of Gujarat state in India. Because Swami Anand was real brother of my great grandmother Diwali-Ba, in relation he becomes first maternal uncle of my dad and consequently mine too. Swami Anand became a sanyaasi. He renounced the world and put on saffron robes when he was a young man. He spent all of his time in studies, meditation and in public service. He did not marry. He was a prolific writer but so self-effacing was he that he did not allow any of his writing to be published. At last bowing to wishes of his friends and associates, he wrote in his will that after his death, the books may be published. He was an associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Any one who has read preface of Mahatma Gandhi’s “Experiment with truth” knows Swami Anand as Mahatma’s mentor, at whose instance he wrote that famous book. My grandmother Saraswati Ben, whom we used to address as Moti-Ba. was famously partial to me over her rest of the grandchildren, indeed pleasing me but also embarrassing sometimes when I am preferred over my other siblings. For all her goodness for me like a jerk I returned her favors with my destructive mischief and pranks for which I feel sorry today. On one of the worst mischief, ever, I had dug up the cow-dung-flooring of her house for which I am inconsolably ashamed even now.

Pandaas, Rituals Performers-Record Keepers: A Vanishing Tribe

Pandaas are those Brahmins who help pilgrims to perform religious ceremony, escort the devotees into the temple or bathing Ghats at holy places such as Kashi, Haridwar, Nashik etc and maintain written records of lineages and family trees. But they are infamous for selling their services rather aggressively. They usually work as unsalaried or freelance priests or assistants to priests and their income is from ‘Dakshina’ (Fees for performing rituals) ‘tips’ or ‘commissions’ paid by pilgrims and main priests.  As per the ancient tradition, the pilgrim has the right to choose the amount that he is willing to pay to the performing priests and the performing priests do not have right to demand fees. However that practices is outdated and now as done in other businesses the price is set by the seller, i.e. the Pandaa. They came to acquire bad name when began aggressively selling their wares, demanding bigger dakshina and in a worst case scenario, extortion, cursing or even fighting with the pilgrims who does not give him business or gives smaller than expected ‘Dakshina’.

 

All Pandaas can not be blamed but most have this notoriety. In Kashi, I was surprised by the drastic reduction in the number of “Pandaas”. Apparently this tribe is on the verge of extinction and with them the entire database of millions of pilgrim.  Their database is a unique system, developed centuries before computers came into existence and still, till date, can win over it, hands down. A Pandaa can trace pilgrim’s ancestors, their place of residence and even connect to other relatives. Traditionally, Brahmins were more into education and God contemplation instead of in the art of business and multiplying money. There was a time when education and meditation commanded more respect. However, as always, time changes. Today, money is most valuable. Brahmins adapted to the change by selling their services and in due course became master at how to get most out of the pilgrims. They could not run their PR as masterly as what an insurance company, a cigarette company or a cosmetic company could do. This failure made their ‘product’ unwanted or unattractive and their income started to dwindle. Now hardly any Pandaa trains his son into his business. Pandaas’ children have happily become tour-guides, salesmen, clerks and whatever; only the son who is ‘good for nothing’ would take up father’s profession. Perhaps a harsh comment, perhaps not always true, but so it seemed to me.  Our own guide that we had unsuspectingly hired in Kashi, was a son of a Pandaa, completely devoid of any religious knowledge or Vedic mantras, who hardly even knew of glorious Kashi history, takes pilgrims to the temples in the morning, arranges for Pandaa, arranges for boatman, etc and in the evening works as roving canvasser whose task it is to bring in free roaming tourist to silk shops. Varanasi is very famous for its silk. We too were taken to a silk emporium, however our interest was different. We were told by the guide-cum-roving-canvasser that he would be paid by the emporium for each tourist that he can manage to muster into the emporium, irrespective of purchase or not of silk. So like a Good Samaritan, we allowed ourselves to be led into the emporium by that Brahmin. Hopefully that Marawadi businessman would have done the right thing. Marawadi is said to be an astute business community that originated from western Indian desert state of Rajasthan.

 

Before ending our Kashi trip I must admit that at one time Kashi was famous for its food varieties, like sweets and Golagappas. However they have it seems not been able to maintain lead over other centers. Now they are no where near the quality that one finds in Mumbai.

 

24- Kailash, Kathmandu and Kashi – A story of Shiva and me.

(A decade ago after a trip to Tibet, Nepal and India, I wrote down my impressions. It was not meant to be a book, however after it was read by some, it was suggested that if it gets published, interested persons can use it. However I thought (and still think) that the narration was more of a personal quest into Bhagavan Shiva and that it may not interest a wider audience. Therefore instead of commercially publishing it, I thought of placing it on a website of Publishing house Harper Collins’s website known as Authonomy.com. It remained on their website for people to review my narration for many years. However, last year, when Harper Collins shutdown Authonomy.com and I realized that some people still wanted to read my account, I decided to place all 26 chapters of that travelogue on this blog. Reader views and comments are welcome)

Chapter-24.   Indian National  Emblems: Ashok Chakra and 4 - Lions

 

Last town we visited on this trail was Saranath. From its history the independent India has received its national emblem of the Ashok-Pillar-Lions and its flag, the 24-spoked-wheel. Ashok (304 BC-232 BC) was a king from Mauryan Dynasty who ruled over almost entire south Asia, from Iran to Assam. After a particularly bloody war with Kalinga (Orissa) king, he vowed to renounce violence. He followed Bhagavan Buddha’s teaching. Historians have found him to be among the great kings, not so much for the territory he controlled but his welfare measures for his subjects. His rock edicts and pillars are inscribed with his laws that were meant for noble living. ‘Ashok Pillar’ of Saranath is made from stones and atop stood monument, ‘Lion-Capital’; the four lions standing back to back with a Chakra (wheel) at its base.   It was here that Bhagavan Buddha gave his first discourse to first five pupils. In here stands the Ashok Pillar of about 2,300 year’s antiquity. At one time thousands of deer freely roamed about here protected by Jains and Buddhist kings, known for their non-violence, earning its original name ‘Sarang-Nath’. ‘Saranath’ is corrupted version of the old name. Sarang means Peacock and Sarang-Nath, ‘protector of Peacocks. Even at present, Saranath and surrounding area is a government notified park. Due to presence of deer, this place is a protected deer sanctury.

Sacred to Buddhists and Jains

 

Saranath is a small town, just 12 km from Varanasi. A thick brickwork pillar like ‘Dharmekh’ Stupa marks exact location where Bhagavan Buddha’s five childhood friends, turned his disciples received first sermon from him. Town has old ruins of the monasteries and temples that were ransacked by Turkic Muslim invaders. There are temples, monasteries, meditation centers and memorials near the Stupa. Its museum houses the Indian national emblem that was once atop Ashok Pillar before being ransacked. Town is sacred also for Jains, being birthplace of Shri Chandra Prabhu the 8^th Tirthankar as well of Shri Shyeyansh Nath, the 11^th Tirthankar. This small town therefore receives several Indian as well as foreign pilgrims from Japan, Korea, China, Tibet, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. Many of them have their own hostels and places of worship that are managed by them. In one of the monasteries, we found a large map that shows the route Chinese pilgrim Hue-en-Tsang took thousands of years ago. Not only did he visit Bodhagaya, Nalanda, Pataliputra etc, he visited Srinagar in Kashmir,,Kalinga (Orissa), Ujjain, and Nashik; in far south up to Tamilnadu’s Kanchipuram; in west till Gujarat’s Kachchh, Saurashtra and Vallabhipur; in north west (through Pakistan) till Uzbekistan’s Samarkand and Tashkent; in north till Kazakhstan’s Bishkek until he returned to China.  Hue-en-Tsang was a great traveler, our Kailash-Kathmandu-Kashi trip was nothing compared to what he had done. We saluted him there and headed home after bidding good be to Saranath,

 

As compared to my last trip to Uttar Pradesh many years ago, I found that many aspects had changed.  Population appeared to have been increased, bottled water and fancy factory packed snack items is now more common, houses under construction have swelled, mosques are more visible, roads and bridges are being constructed and people in general are busier. The roads are a shade better and it did not feel as dusty as what it used to be. Amenities have increased and the pilgrimages have become more comfortable. Business seems brisk, tourists are plenty, telephone and internet is available everywhere. But also, that everything has become dearer, hotels rates are very high, and one feels that no more it would be easy for poor to undertake pilgrimage in near future.

 

25- Kailash, Kathmandu and Kashi – A story of Shiva and me.

(A decade ago after a trip to Tibet, Nepal and India, I wrote down my impressions. It was not meant to be a book, however after it was read by some, it was suggested that if it gets published, interested persons can use it. However I thought (and still think) that the narration was more of a personal quest into Bhagavan Shiva and that it may not interest a wider audience. Therefore instead of commercially publishing it, I thought of placing it on a website of Publishing house Harper Collins’s website known as Authonomy.com. It remained on their website for people to review my narration for many years. However, last year, when Harper Collins shutdown Authonomy.com and I realized that some people still wanted to read my account, I decided to place all 26 chapters of that travelogue on this blog. Reader views and comments are welcome)

Chapter-25.   BORN ANEW

In the end, after those twenty days, if I were to say, I am born anew, then, it was because what I saw and felt there. Not that all answers were found, because they can not be, but vicinity of Kailash and Manasarovar provided a unique experience, describable as sense of fulfillment, satisfaction or happiness that one feels after having cleaned up something important, having cleaned up something valuable that was otherwise not cleanable, that something which is more important than any worldly matter. All kinds of misplaced understanding, misplaced priorities and misjudged things had accumulated in my mind when I began my journey. Behind one’s ‘fine’ exterior how many skeletons are hidden in their closets! It was the wonderful satisfaction having rid myself of some of those ‘trash’, those ‘rubbish’

 

But beware! you are not done yet. I know a lot of trash yet remains…

 

Think of your laptop, you have happily rid the unwanted file by deleting or dumping in the recycle-bin. But remember, the recycle-bin is now loaded with those unwanted files. Just with a click of the mouse, all of them can be restored. Smart user uses right click and commands its laptop to empty the bin. We however can not do so simply for our Karmas. Mouse of the human computer has a different software, restoring the ‘skeletons’ into ‘closet’ is easy but not so easy it is to empty the bin. The skeletons would continue to remain in your recycle bin by the law of Karma and the user should be very careful, firstly not to restore those skeletons and secondly not to create, import or save new ones.

Bhagavan Shiva, No More Perplexing

 

So long as you are up there near Kailash, the ideas of cleansing and story of recycle-bin and mouse clicks may sound nice, but it is easier said than done once you are facing hard realities of life upon reaching home. However, every ‘Guru’, would tell you that it is doable by regular contemplation of God. I agree but also disagree. Because hardly anyone from the ‘advising’ fraternity, who seems to be good only at parroting this advise and good at doing oversimplification of a complex problem, know any workable method. What is God contemplation? Prayers to God to say thank You? Seek His forgiveness? Pleading for His mercy? Yes, we do these all the time. Who does not do it? But in no time we are back to square one repeating the same ‘sins’. Is there anything further that can help me avoid being a guy who would commit crimes and needing to plead for mercy? Is there a way to improve my behavior in such a way that it becomes my real nature? How to achieve a permanent shift from bad to good, from sinfulness to no-sin-ness? For that we need positive stimuli, positive suggestions. Instead of sermons and instead of begging for mercy, what if we can work on our own self, holding our head high to become good humans?

You Are What You Think

 

Ancient Indian sages knew the trick. They seem to have monopoly in having used innate ability of humans to mould itself by use of iconic symbols. We become what we think of. This is where those ‘perplexing’ imagery surrounding Bhagavan Shiva comes in play.

 

In every language and culture, some words or objects denote certain characteristics or values. An Olive branch signifies ‘offer of peace’ or a white pigeon signifies ‘messenger of peace’. Similarly, the Sanskrit literature and scriptures are replete with icons, signs and suggestions connected with several words and objects. River Ganga is connected with  “Gnyan-Yogi” (Knowledge-Yogi), ‘spreading knowledge’ and ‘Cleansing  of body and soul’. Crescent Moon is connected with a “Karma-Yogi” or an efficient worker and a ‘confident donor’ who does not shirk from helping others by donating his wealth even to the extent of giving away every bit of it. For, he has confidence on his ability to be able to earn again using his efficiency and efforts. Himalayas represent High Chair. White color (of Snow) represents purity and stigma-free-ness. Drum represents love for music-arts-crafts-dance and world of creativity. Clothlessness suggests fit body and renunciation of non-essentials. Proximity of wife and children indicates glory of family life. Cremation ground indicates death, ashes and loneliness. Ultimately one has to leave the world alone. Ash represents ultimate remainder, the essence after death. Trident represents either protection or attack respectively for friends and foes. Third eye is indicative of extra-vision, to see something not visible to usual two eyes. His good, bad and ugly assistants (Shiva-Ganas) represent true universal loving acceptance of every individual, whoever he may be. That is “Bhakti-yoga” (Yoga of devotion and love). Blue throat is indicative of poison frozen into inaction. Skulls represent, like ash remainder or essence of man. Snakes around Bhagavan Shiva’s neck represents our desires, once the sting is removed from the snakes they become harmless. Also snake can be said to represent us. We are like snakes, always making others afraid of us. May be necessary for survival but as most snakes are harmless, most people are harmless. As some snakes are poisonous, some people too are poisonous. We use the poisonous snakes and use their poison for good medical use and render even poisonous snakes useful. A smart society could put their poisonous people to good use.

Method of God Contemplation: Art of Becoming a Better Being

 

Visualize your own self sitting in the God contemplation, all alone in a peaceful, quite, and pleasant surrounding looking intent fully at Bhagavan Shiva thinking of metaphors surrounding all the images on and around Him. Visualize further, if you were to say: “God, You value knowledge and you like those who spread knowledge, I too would become knowledgeable and would spread knowledge. Bhagavan Shiva would then honor me like he does to River Ganga. The crescent moon has a great confidence that he would be able to earn his livelihood and more, so why not I donate what I have for good cause or give to needy? I would follow Crescent moon’s style to be honored by Bhagavan Shiva. His is a high chair on the top of the world. If I was to be in power and was ever to sit in a high chair, I should keep it stigma free by controlling my bad or inappropriate actions, then can only I claim to be worthy worshipper of Him. If You, Bhagavan Shiva, can do without clothes, I too can do with minimum of luxuries and my body should be physically fit to be able to withstand vagaries of climate. I can use my wealth on others rather than spending away just on me alone. Moreover I should be able to indulge or not indulge in sensual activity at my own will and not on the will of ‘outside agency’. If I became master of my body, just as You, I would not degrade myself by dancing at the tunes of every Tom, Dick and Harry.  Family life is very important to You, Bhagavan Shiva. I see how nicely the entire family is living together, respecting and supporting each other. Even their animals and vehicles are respectfully treated by them. I should try and imitate these great qualities. Bhagavan Shiva, You love arts, crafts, music and drama, I too should value creative bug within me, my family and society to enrich everyone’s life. Bhagavan Shiva, You do not forget even those who have died doing good work. You apply their ashes on Your body and keep their skulls in remembrance. I will do good work so that Bhagavan Shiva meets me in the cremation ground and honors me by retaining my skull in his garland using my ash upon my cremation. God, I must learn to view world not only through my two physical eyes but also with the third eye. This third eye is eye of knowledge, love and discrimination. Before making any conclusion from the visible facts, I must apply my third eye to every issue. Many a time, the apparent good is in actual fact bad and the apparent bad prove to be good later on. Bhagavan Shiva, You, do not exclude anyone; good, bad or ugly. God, I too would cultivate broadness of mind and include everyone in my thinking. But God, the world is full of people who emit poison. If I accept their poison, I would die and if I spit out the poison someone else would die. What should I do? God, I would follow your example, I would just keep that poison within me neither gulping it down nor throwing it back at society. God, you are so powerful yet you never claim it. Bhagavan Shiva, I too would be silent on my abilities. If I brag about my accomplishments I would fall in my own esteem.

 

Contemplation of Bhagavan Shiva, on above lines give us positive stimuli for development and improvement. A man can become a yogi, efficient at knowledge(Gnyan), work (Karma), love and devotion (Bhakti). With this done everyday, slowly but certainly we would begin our journey of change. The path to perfection.  My life is my chance for evolution into a great good being. I know that the feel of guilt or embarrassment or dependence on someone’s mercy is not conducive for my healthy growth. With above style of God contemplation, I can use my own innate natural abilities borne out of my body mind, heart, ego, wisdom, ego to develop and become a great and yet a good individual who helps himself and the world around him without suffering from any guilt, phobia or dependence of any individual, any material thing, time, health or age. Simple auto suggestions.

 

With contemplation of Bhagavan Shiva in this style provides one with another significant but invisible boon. It is virtually impossible for us humans to be good and not feel proud of it. This pride is like a ‘snake’ in the game of “Snake and ladder”. Pride when becomes arrogance, suddenly takes a man well below even after climbing great heights. It is a boon if one can become a great person and yet remains humble. It is my ego that helps me challenge myself and rise above my limitations, but if that ego makes me egocentric, I would become a harmful and arrogant self far away from the heights of divine greatness. History is full with such people. How can I simultaneously be great and yet humble? How can I be good and great without giving rise to sense of arrogance or false pride? Bhagavan Shiva contemplation done in the style described above is the answer. Because my reference is Bhagavan Shiva, who is way ahead of me and I a in constant struggle to bridge that gulf, thus at no time can I feel that I have achieved enough greatness now. I am always below par and hence false pride can not touch me. I know I am not in competition with fellow humans in my quest for perfection. There is no race. Everyone would one day sooner or later reach the destination, the door of divinity. If it is race, it is a race with me alone. This knowledge and this in-built ability to remain humble is that secret boon.

 

The imageries and iconography surrounding Bhagavan Shiva begins making sense gradually. And there is no end to this quest. As one goes further, road ahead opens up.….endlessly, well almost. I realize in the end that it is not Bhagavan Shiva, who wants me to say ‘Om, Namah Shivaay’; it is me who would like to say that and inculcate within me Shiva-ness by His contemplation. I do not want to just appreciate the great idea contained in Shiva-imagery and symbols, the Shiva-experience is much more important and that can come only after my efforts at really becoming a Shiva (Kalyaan-Kaari, having become agent for betterment or goodness) by developing the characteristics that are adored by Bhagavan Shiva. We can claim to be his real worshipper if we were to follow his path, not mere parroting ‘about’ His path.

 

It is me born anew if I could continue my quest.

 

Bhagavan Shiva has been extremely merciful to me. I am not young any more. I have undergone four procedures of angiography with three of them having ended up as angioplasty. Cardiac surgeons have placed five stents in my heart. Last was put about five years ago. Two of them are concentrically placed, one within the second; when a 4 mm one got clogged a 2.5 mm was inserted within that older one. Poonam too is not in her best health, gets tired from long walks. On this trip, to make things worse, I had a mini accident at Nyalam on the third day when my left knee was sprained, seriously putting in peril any walking.

 

Under the circumstances, if every sensible person told us to hire a pony, they can not be faulted. They insisted that under no circumstances should we trek on foot. Among the well wishers were all my relatives including my mother, my children and cardiologist cousin. Many friends too had warned us about trekking on foot. However, unless I did it on foot, I would find it hard to convince myself that I did a Parikrama. Therefore throwing caution to wind, we both went around the Mount Kailash on foot. Homage to Bhagavan Shiva has to be paid properly as long as one can physically manage.

 

It could have ended up as a misadventure. But it did not.

 

We were certainly cautious knowing my cardiac status and the status of knees of both of us, however, very curiously, we never felt seriously worried except once when I did feel exhausted on Parikrama’s second day at Mount Kailash. It was then that I had instructed Poonam on how to dispose off my body, should I not pull through the Mount Kailash ordeal.

 

Having once accepted imminent death, if I am still alive, in itself, it is a rebirth. However, what was more akin to rebirth followed later.

 

Post Kailash-Manasarovar trip, I think, I have changed. My uncontrollable hunger seems to have become slightly manageable and my sensitivity towards physical pain has decreased. My anger has reduced and I seem not to care about many things that were once occupying most of my brain-space. I feel, I am now more restrained in my speech. None of these changes I had coveted or had even thought about. I do not know why those changes came; I do not know how they have come. With no answer forthcoming, I am left with no other conclusion except to think that perhaps they would be for some spiritual help.

 

I recall my earlier trip to Himalayas and what changes I had noticed then. Post that trip; four years ago, I noticed significant increase in compassion towards animals. Unexpectedly, love for the animals grew as if it was switched on, just like we switch on a light bulb. I even lost disdain for the worms, insects and mosquitoes; I look at them in amazement at their aerodynamics and at powers their tiny brains have in performing intricate maneuvers. That is not to say that I let them crawl all over me and let them suck my blood; I certainly avoid that, but if bitten, I am not perturbed enough to swear at them. I no more become ‘that’ angry (I mean really angry to hate or wish bad for anyone). I found that the changes that I noticed at that time were also unsought out. This change has stayed with me since.

 

I am sure that Himalayas change people. It has changed many, including those who are not even from traditional Hindu faith. It is the spirits of Sages, Saints, Devas and Gods at work up there in the rarefied Himalayan atmosphere and soil trodden by divine entities.

 

However, this time around, I have taken my experiment further. I am convinced that people change for better when they become God-sensitive; when God’s vicinity, communion and relationship with us is discovered. I am sold on those ideas that King Divodas worked on, that his emissaries and people of Kashi worked on. Of doing just that, I made promise to Bhagavan Shiva.

 

I am sure; gift of God, in terms of changes in me would help me fulfill the promise.  

 

That I am alive today is like new birth. That we can work on Divodas-path, the path of selfless-work is a new birth. That we can worship and appreciate Bhagavan Shiva is a new birth and if we can appreciate Mata Parvati is a new birth.

 

26- Kailash, Kathmandu and Kashi – A story of Shiva and me.

(A decade ago after a trip to Tibet, Nepal and India, I wrote down my impressions. It was not meant to be a book, however after it was read by some, it was suggested that if it gets published, interested persons can use it. However I thought (and still think) that the narration was more of a personal quest into Bhagavan Shiva and that it may not interest a wider audience. Therefore instead of commercially publishing it, I thought of placing it on a website of Publishing house Harper Collins’s website known as Authonomy.com. It remained on their website for people to review my narration for many years. However, last year, when Harper Collins shutdown Authonomy.com and I realized that some people still wanted to read my account, I decided to place all 26 chapters of that travelogue on this blog. Reader views and comments are welcome)

Chapter: 26. In acknowledgement, In confession, in Miracles and in recommendations for potential tourists.

 

Thank You, O, Bhagavan Shiva for the strength you gave us.

In Acknowledgement

 

Uncle Labhshanker Gaurishankar Shukla who lived in Gujarat, was visiting us in Mumbai. He expired in our home on May 7th 1972 at an age of 59. He was eldest brother of my father, Madhusudan Gaurishanker Shukla, elder to him by 15 years. Papa spent his spare time doing a lot of social service, helped bringing about ‘Ghatkopar-Local’ (Additional terminal on

Mumbai’s suburban train network) and ‘Sarvajanik High School’ (a large school in Ghatkopar, a suburb of Mumbai) into being. A cheerful individual who tolerated my impudence. Retired at the age of 53, spent time roaming India, visiting holy places and meeting holy men. He expired on 1st March 1997, at age of 69 during a surgical procedure in Mumbai. I am thankful to uncle for setting me up in the quest for Bhagavan Shiva and my dad for keeping the worship practice alive in our home.

 

I thankfully acknowledge help and cooperation of Sunita Kapadia and Jawaher Kapadia, Our dear family friends. Sunita Ben being veteran of Kailash trip provided us with most vivid information that was biggest help during our trip. Harish Bhatt (Dr.), my cousin, a cardiologist who provided us with necessary medical certificates and advised on what to stock up in our medicine chest. Harish Trivedi, Managing Director, Travels company. Gautam, the group leader. Kami Sherapa, an Everest veteran. Our co-tourists: Devout Mistry family of Rugby UK (Jyotsna Ben, Ramanik Bhai, their son Prakash and daughter Nimisha, all of them were extremely friendly and helped us at every stage), youthful devotee, Kanaiya Galiel from Mumbai who works at a fashionable Mumbai gym as a fitness trainer, and Shiva Radhakrishnan elderly devotee and retired IT hardware engineer from Canada, Jugal Kishore Vyas, an elderly gentleman from Guna (Madhya Pradesh in India), who helped us all the way till we were comfortably seated in the train to Varanasi and Dr. V P Sharma, MD Medicine also from Guna.

 

Personally for me, Poonam was the biggest help in every way. I must record here the incredible story of her change of mind. She was not prepared for trekking around Mount Kailash, due to her fear of knee pain. It was a precondition to the trip that pony was to be hired for her. I am unable to fathom as to what happened at the last moment that she undertook the Parikrama on feet along with me. Believe me; I did do no goading. That she changed her mind and that nothing happened to her feet despite a demanding trek was a miracle.

 

In the end the most important, to Revered Pandurang Shastri, who gave a true perspective of Bhagavan Shiva, idea behind pilgrimage and the method of putting in practice the ideas that can change a man to be a better man with dignity by meaningful method of Shiva worship. It was he who told us who King Divodas was. Winning a war is easier than changing a man to be a better man. King Divodas bettered not one man but thousands of them. It was greatest of the great feats. Human upliftment, making a man into a good human. Pilgrimage is for communication with God, for spreading God’s love, for confession, for saying thank you and for showing  gratitude to great people who paved path for us and finally for two promises, one: not to repeat old mistakes and two: for committing to do good work. All these in the august presence of active deity and haloed by several other great beings!

 

The inspiration was of Pandurang Shastri behind my promise.

In Confession                            

 

We must record here that Ganga in Varanasi appeared so much polluted that we had to only content ourselves by placing a few drops of Ganga-Water on our heads in gesture of actual dip. In hindsight, when we were in a boat, we could have chosen a mid-stream point and could have taken a dip in the cleaner water. Readers can take a note and not miss what we missed. The dip. 

 

There were a few other noteworthy places which got omitted due to our inadequate pre-tour research and preparation. These were some interesting spots that we could have easily visited, as they were either on the same road or were in close proximity to our trail. As guidance to any future tourist who takes this trail, I want to list these places here, hoping that they do not miss as we did. Lumbini, the birthplace of Bhagavan Buddha and the town Kapilvastu, his kingdom were just a 30 minutes ride away from Bhairahawa in Nepal. Kushinagar, where Bhagavan Buddha breathed his last was just an hour’s drive away from Gorakhpur. Ayodhya, the birthplace of Bhagavan Rama and Chitrakut where Bharat came to plead with his brother Bhagavan Rama to return home, were just a couple of hours drive away from Varanasi.

 

Last, but most important, the ‘changes’ that I have listed as having come in me should not fool anyone in assuming me to have been metamorphosed into a sensitive, kind and a peaceful person; that I am far from. I am still flawed and even flawed at that promise I made.

In Miracles

 

Escape from sliding rock

Flash communication from departed

Continuously resonating ‘Om Namah Shivaay’

Darshan of Shiva-Parvati on North face

Sudden disappearance of Pain from Sprained Knee

Escape from Fire

No vehicular breakdown of our Landcruiser

Fair weather most of the time, ensuring almost uninterrupted Darshan, free from cloud, mist and rain

No altitude sickness

Poonam’s change of mind and her decision to do Parikrama on foot

No other sickness or pain to both of us, not even knee pain in the aftermath of trek.

 

In Recommendations

Pre-Trip

 

Gather knowledge of religious aspects of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, also read historical, geographical, political and topographical information on the areas that you would cover. Persons who are familiar with stories surrounding Bhagavan Shiva and Mata Parvati will derive greater joy. A good Camera and a binocular can increase your joy manifolds

 

Be fit with daily Yoga and Pranayam (Breathing exercise) well before even planning this trip. Strong lungs are fundamental to trekking at high altitude in oxygen depleted atmosphere.

 

Choose a reliable tour operator (ours was a par excellence), Take all the necessary things as suggested by them (but keep to absolute minimum). Ask tour operator beforehand as to how much free-cash would be required (Amounts charged for pony can change from time to time depending upon season and demand. Also the exchange rate of Yuan varies from time to time) Credit Cards are no help in Tibet. Check with them seasonal peculiarities, wind, rain, snow, hail-stone and temperatures (during our trip, temperature varied between 4° to 25° Celsius)

 

Take with you all the possible medicines that one can need - regular medicines as well as emergency medicines. Good walking shoes (ensure that they are not new, but slightly used, so as to not give shoe-bite)

During Trip

 

When in Tibet, keep your expectations very low, remember it is desolate ‘roof of the world’ and not a picnic spot.

 

Do not shy away from abundant use of, sun-block cream, thick cotton face mask (to filter fine dust from entering your nostrils and mouth) and warm cap that covers both ears. (Failure to do these would surely blacken and warp your skin, especially, you should be lucky if skin on the tip of your nose does not blacken and start peeling by the time you are back)

 

Eat as less as possible during the trip, but do take energy pills, multivitamins, dry fruits, nuts and energy drinks. Do not believe even your best friend if he advices you to ‘eat well’ and stuff your stomach.

 

It is a convention to warn overseas tourists about dangers of drinking tap water.  However, in my view tourists need not be overly worried about drinking water, although some precautions are necessary. I am not a resident of south Asia but I used tap water almost everywhere (including at railway stations even in the ‘most dangerous’ monsoon season) without any adverse effect. (I do use bottled water if I am in a humid-warm territory that can be a fertile breeding ground of germs and in certain other ‘obviously unhygienic’ places.) In drier places, far away from sea, such as the places we visited, tap water seemed to be fine. At some hotels, they provided tap water via normal commercial cooler with inbuilt filter.

 

Tibetans are yet uncorrupted simple people.  Their children appreciate small gifts such as pencils, sharpeners, erasers, scales, colors etc and their small girls are very fond of ‘bindis’ to decorate their foreheads. I highly recommend tourists to keep a good stock of these inexpensive yet useful things that would bring cheer on their lovely pink faces. If your vehicle was to stop anywhere on the route, soon enough you would find children of Tibetan nomads, grazing their animals, surrounding you. This is a good time to hand over some of those goodies.

 

In and around most temples and holy rivers, you are likely to find filth, dirt and pollutants. If you find filth, no need to remark, grumble, criticize or shout as if it is only you who cares. Everyone knows, and every Tom, Dick and Harry does just that-idle grumbling. None have succeeded in bringing about long-lasting improvements by that technique. Do something different, perhaps more effective at the end of the day. Find some time, talk with someone, anyone, about the great heritage that he possesses; about the haloed significance of the place where he is fortunate to live; do not complain that the temples and rivers are filthy; let it dawn upon him by his own mind that his surroundings, the holy temples and holy rivers that people come to from all over the world, travel thousands of kilometers in their reverence, deserve a better ambience. And if you happen to meet a person who does not care about heritage but who is more ‘practical’, tactfully talk to him that good ambience encourages longer stay and consequently more business and more money coming from tourists.

 

Try to meet trustees of temples, social workers, hospitals, other charities. See their working, understand them, and appreciate them and if felt like, make donations to deserving institutions who are engaged in upholding true values.

 

It should have been first, but purposefully, I have kept following recommendations as last: Please, please, please, spend as much time possible in meditation and Godly thoughts. Do not vile away time in meaningless discussions; having come all the way to Kailash, Pashu-Pati-Nath or Kashi-Vishwa-Nath; do say something to God. He listens. Be perceptive towards any changes that you may observe.

 

All said and done, if for some reason, Kailash-Manasarovar Darshan eludes you, do not be upset, no one can help it. Just pray; truly only God can help here.  I have personally known cases of pilgrims who had to turn back due to avalanches and excessive snow or hail storms even after having reached all the way to the Darchen base camp and even after being physically fit.

After Trip

 

You may want to thank God for everything done by Him. Your relatives, friends and acquaintances would appreciate if you were to share tour Prasad with them when they visit your home; the holy water of Manasarovar, the Bilva-Leaf (from Pashu-Pati-Nath or Kashi-Vishwanath) or any other items such as flaked sugar etc. that you may have brought from there. Also if they want to know, do share your tour experiences and pictures.

 

 

 

End

 

 

 

Om, Namah Shivaay, indeed. “O God, I reverently bow to Bhagavan Shiva”

 

 

 

Game of Chess and Secularism...Elementary, my dear Watson,

I must figure out what the hell is this ‘secularism’. The word ‘secularism’ is a magic word or so it seems, at least in the Indian context. It is magical because that word has helped Nehru-Gandhi dynasty to lord over a billion gullible people and the largest loot-able coffers of the world.

My love for the game of chess helped me clearly understand what ‘secularism’ is, who needs it and who does not.

Europe needed secularism because their chess board has four bishops meddling into affairs of state and where two queens calling the shots. King was made into an almost tottering imbecile, immobile idiot by queens.

India hardly needed secularism because in Indian Chaturang (Chess) there are neither bishops or Hindu clergy nor wives of kings meddling in the affairs of state. King here abides by the advice of his appointed commander in Chief.

Elementary, my dear Watson.

Raashtra-Pati to Raashtra-Pramukh

Should we not revise the title- From Raashtra-Pati to Raashtra-Pramukh and correct error ?
 

Since ancient times people living here have considered themselves as Children of Maa Bharat. That relationship is part of our continuing ethos. President of a country is ‘Head of the State’. Its nearest equivalent word in the Indian languages is ‘Raashtra-Pramukh’ (translated, ‘Country’s foremost face/leader’).

Among many innocent translation mistakes India has done in her naivety, one is ‘Raashtra-Pati’ for “President”. After Independence, gradually freer minds are now able to look more independently at Indian ethos. ‘Pati’ with ‘Raashtra’ is not a good fit. In Indian languages ‘Raashtra-Pati’ conveys the sense that the incumbent is Mother India’s ‘husband’, ‘owner’ or ‘boss’. That he or she is not and Indian ethos do not even imagine so in its wildest imagination.

Therefore, it is time we correct this error and make changes as “Raashtra-Pramukh”, ‘Oop-Raashtra-Pramukh’, ‘Raashtra-Pramukh-Bhavan’ etc and so on as applicable.

Fortunately for us, the current incumbent Pranab Mukherjee is a man who has insight into Sanskriti and is well versed in Indian Ethos and languages. Surely, therefore, the title ‘Raashtra-Pati’ may be already bothering him. I am seeking his help in taking initiative. The process of this change would fill citizens with patriotic fervor. He can herald this change and create history. We know him as a person who has heralded many innovations and changed perception of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

People are people and among all, Indians are the most argumentative. If above change is mooted, some may start quarrelling over usage of ‘Raashtra-Pitaa’ title of Mahatma Gandhi. They should not. Even if ideally no one can claim to be ‘Pitaa’ (Father) of India as it has been a well-known entity from the time immemorial, the case of today’s India as geographically defined current territory is different. There is no harm in accepting Mahatma Gandhi as Father of Nation, he being one of the main leaders, a father figure (people spontaneously addressed him as ‘Baapu’-Father) and internationally acclaimed person who shaped what is currently known in world as “India”. The word, ‘father’ is applied not to only a biological father, but also to creator of things too. To the best of my knowledge, there is no title or position as ‘Raashtra-Pitaa’ (Father of Nation), specified in the Indian constitution. Therefore, at best it is only an informal term, lovingly bestowed by her people.  

Chances that above feared feud may take place among argumentative Indians can be eliminated to a great extent and transition can be made from ‘Pati’ to ‘Pramukh’, if incumbent President himself takes lead and requests for change in his Indian language title. His English language title ‘President’ needs no change.

‘Pati’ of Indian ‘Raashtra’ is an outrageous idea.