A little bit of context before you begin reading this book review. I have recently enrolled for an MA in Philosophy at the University of Mumbai. Philosophy is something I have been getting interested in, over the past few years, as those of you who have been reading my blogs and Instagram posts would know. During the pandemic, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do next, and this is what I eventually came up with. It has been a challenge, getting back into academics as a student at this age, especially in a subject I have no academic background in. However, it has also been very exciting, especially thanks to my wonderful classmates (who, surprisingly, are of all age-groups, including some quite near my own) and my teachers, who have been very supportive and understanding. How well I will do is something that remains to be seen, but so far, I am enjoying this new journey and look forward to where it leads. Now that you know the background , you probably get an idea of how
To my right, the waves rush to the shore, eager to merge
with the sand. To my left, the same waves crash against the rocks, their spray
diverting my reverie as I ponder over the beauty of nature, and wonder what
first brought people here. Was it this beauty that encouraged them to build a
temple here, or was it the fresh, sweet spring water flowing from the hill here
that made this place special? No matter what the reason, I am glad my auto
driver brought me here. We are at the Rama temple in Gokarna, just a few
minutes away from the Mahabaleshwara Temple, yet offering so different a
perspective.
It is the main Gokarna beach that I can see on my right. At one
time, the temple would have stood on this shore. Today, the sands, trees and
houses separate it from the sea, and I can barely see the temple spires, even
from this height.
The Rama temple is a simple one – just a small shrine, a
wooden structure, with an idol of the Lord with his brother Lakshman and his
wife, Sita.
However, the temple is nowhere near as interesting as the
water that flows from this hill. Where the mountain stream emerges from the
hill, a small tank has been built, and even though the temple is deserted,
there are many people bathing here. I can see the reason. This is so much
better a place to bathe than either the sea, or the Koti Teertha, both of which
are no longer pristine, as is this small source of water.
I just hope it remains just as pristine, a few years from
now!
More interesting to me than even the water, is this –
probably a hero stone. It was apparently found here, and when the tank was
restored recently, this was added to the concrete structure which was built. I wonder
if there is any way we could learn more about this.
A little further up, near the temple, is another spring,
again from the mountain, and here again is a mouth carved out of the rock. It is
clean here, and it is meant for drinking. We taste the water – it is cold and
sweet, and Samhith takes another mouthful, complaining that even the cold water
we bought at the shop isn’t as cold as this! The water, coming, as it does, from the hills, is believed to have medicinal qualities, with the minerals it brings along with it.
The temple is built on the hill which separates Gokarna
beach from Kudle beach, and there are steps cut into the stone which take us to
the other side. I am not in the mood to climb, and we decide to turn back, but
not without noticing that for those in better shape, and with the energy to
climb, the hill offers more….
Information:
The Rama Temple is located
a few minutes drive from the Mahabaleshwara Temple at Gokarna. You can also
walk to the temple, though it might take a while longer. There is a road which
runs along the beach, towards the hill, which leads straight to the temple.
Hiring an auto and asking him to take you to all the temples is a better idea.
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Lovely post...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vineeta!
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