The Journeys - Part II

Devghar

Devghar is a very important place in Hindu religion. Lord Shiva (The Destroyer) is worshipped throughout the year. The city thrives on the tourists who visit the place. You will find head shaved (except for a small pony) pandas roaming, chatting, fooling around through out the city. Sometimes i wondered, whose population is more, the pandas or the tourists.

My earlier trips to this place have been a total disaster, i hated this place. The cramped up streets with vendors literally shouting in your ears to buy their products. The pandas, hovering around for any new face and attack them with their usual dialogues. The rubbish thrown on the ground, the religion on sale, everything. I just loathed that place until this trip.

I, dad and mom went to Devghar to thank god as he was kind enough to land me up with a job. A job which i was not thankful for. In such circumstances, you are screwed. You cant say no, there is not a chance. Not only you fall short of parents expectation but it is seen as an act of challenging the existence of God. Never ever go on those line of discussion with your mom.

After checking in, i and my dad went for a walk. He took me through the busy and narrow streets of Devghar. The smells of jalebi's .... hmmm. When that walk finally came to an end. We were near a lake and the darkness was taking over. For 23 years i dreamt about it and it happened. Dad and I had a heart to heart talk about various things. Sitting on the banks of the lake, the smell of sweets and the sound of evening aarti. I was getting cleansed, I was getting aware of how much my dad cares and how much he sacrificed. I wanted the time to freeze and the waters to be still. I lost track of time. I was trying to fight my tears and was about to give up when, we started walking back to the hotel room. I felt, he was feeling the same. The sleep that night was carefree, fearless and proud.

The next morning my dad woke us up all early. I mean 3:30am early. By 4 I was sleepwalking to temple. Cursing everything which came in my way. I assumed that it was my dad's big plan to cut out the crowd. Well actually it was but also, there is a special aarti which happens every morning. By the time, we reach temple, i was almost awake. I entered the doors and i saw heaven. There were 8-10 people in the vicinity. The temple was clean. Suddenly, i realized that no one is trying to make a living at this hour. The smell, i just loved it. The people singing the hymns and there was some kind of energy which moved me. I don't know what, where or how. There were tears rolling down my years. My head was bent in respect and in devotion. A question kept coming and going "Why cannot be it like this always?". Why ? Why do i had to see a old lady fall twice and get hurt before managing to enter the temple? Why do i have to see a very educated man in rags and doping and abusing the world and telling the harshest of truth? Why ? Why?

Why can't be a god's place be a god's place? Why is it needed to be invaded by human beings? Why? Why do we have to spoil the sanctity?

By the time we returned, I was a different man. Cleansed!!!