A Wandering Mind

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Diwali Tour Part 2 – Rameswaram and Nainar Kovil

Rameswaram Temple If Varanasi is the heart of the land that is India , Rameswaram is the foot. A journey to Kashi is invariably linked with a visit to Rameswaram. Aeons ago, it was Rama who consecrated the lingam at Rameswaram to atone for his sin of killing Ravana and all the other Rakshasas. Much, much later, in the holy city of Varanasi, Tulsidas made His story available for the common man in his own dialect with the Ramcharitmanas. At Rameswaram, the lingam is bathed with many materials, as in all places but the most important of them all is the water of the holy Ganges, obtained all the way from Varanasi. All through the year, the temple is thronged by devotees from all over India, all carrying a brass or copper pot of Ganges water as an offering to the lord. As at Varanasi, the rites to one’s forefathers occupy an important part of a journey to Rameswaram. The Teertha Shrardham at Rameswaram is traditionally performed at Dhanushkodi, the farthest point of India in this directio...

A Temple tour during Diwali – Part 1

Diwali – The festival of lights…. Everything associated with this festival, celebrated in every nook and corner of this vast land of ours, is related to light and gaiety - new clothes, rows of oil lamps and candles (now replaced by serial lights) lighting up the house, whether a mansion or a hut, and of course, the fire crackers! One of my most cherished memories of Diwali is the one I spent at Varanasi in 1989. Once our ritual oil bath early in the morning was done, we made our way to the Annapoorna Temple to have darshan of the golden image of the goddess which is taken out only that one day every year. We spent more than half the day in the queue at the temple, and were rewarded with a glance at the beautiful trinity of goddesses – Annapoorna in the centre, flanked by Bhoomi Devi and Sri Devi, all made of gold; and the tall image of Lord Shiva, made in silver, accepting Bhiksha (alms) from the goddess. Though we had but momentary darshan of this wonderful tableau, it is fresh in m...

Navaratri Experience -11- Dusshera

The tenth day of Navaratri – Dusshera or Vijaya Dashami celebrates the victory of good over evil. Whether one considers it the celebration of the Devi’s victory over Mahishasura, or Rama’s victory over Ravana, we celebrate the end of tyranny and evil, and usher in a new era of goodness and righteousness. This is the reason it is considered auspicious to begin new ventures on this day. Be it buying a new house, opening a shop, or starting a course of study, this is one of the most auspicious days to do so. People studying the arts, especially the classical forms like music and dance, begin their classes on this day. This year, Samhith stepped into the vast world of classical music, joining a music initiation course for Tiny Tots at the Chembur Fine Arts Society. It was a beautiful sight at the hall, which was lined with musical instruments of every kind. From Miscellaneous From Miscellaneous The prayers began at 9 AM sharp, followed by a symbolic beginning of each class. I ha...

Navaratri Experiences – 10

Navami – the ninth day of Navaratri is dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of learning. At home, we place books and writing implements near the altar of the God, and place an image of Saraswati over it. We do not read or write the whole day, taking the books out and reading them only on the next day, Dusshera, when it is auspicious to begin studies. We pray not only to the goddess of learning, but also to those things which aid us in learning. In the south, students welcome this day, as it gives them a respite from studies, but for us, it has never been so. I remember, we not only had school, but also exams during this period, and had no choice but to study on this day too. My mother used to make me keep textbooks of those subjects whose exams I had already completed, and had to use the other books to study. Not once did I get a break from studies as my cousins in Chennai did. Today, Samhith has no exams, so thank God; we can keep his books for the puja, but just for a couple more year...

Navaratri Experiences – 9

Ashtami – the eighth day of Navaratri is celebrated as Durgaashtami all over India. We too celebrated this day remembering the Devi in her avatar as MAHISHASURA MARDINI, for this was the decoration in the temple yesterday. From Miscellaneous According to the Devi Mahatmyam, the Asura named Mahisha (who took the form of a wild bull) performed great penance to Brahma, who, pleased with him, offered a boon. Mahisha asked for immortality, which Brahma said was impossible. Mahisha then asked that he should not be killed by men, Devas, asuras, or any other creatures, and this boon was granted by Brahma. In his arrogance, he did not name women, for he considered them inferior to him. When the Devas could no longer bear the atrocities of Mahisha, they went with Brahma to Shiva and Vishnu, and asked them to relieve them of their troubles. Vishnu and Shiva’s anger presented itself in the form of a lustre, to which was added the lustre of the other gods – Brahma, Indra and all the other Dev...

Navaratri Experiences – 8

The seventh day of Navaratri, the temple decoration was that of SIVA – KAMESHWARI or Kameshwara- Kameshwari, as they are also known. From Miscellaneous Kama – the god of love was burnt to ashes when he tried to make the meditating Shiva fall in love with Parvati, born as the daughter of the mountain king, Himavan. When at last Shiva married Parvati after years of austerities, he also brought back Kama to life. However, at the same time, an Asura by the name of Bandasura was born from the smoke. The Devas pleaded to the Devi to rescue them from this Asura, and she appeared in the form of Kameshwari, and put an end to Bandasura. Siva married her as Kameshwara, and this is the form depicted above. I have also appended a Tanjore painting of Kameshwara and Kameshwari (which I found on the net) so as to understand this depiction better. From Miscellaneous Well, that’s all for today. Looking forward to being back tomorrow with (hopefully) more photographs….

Navaratri Experiences – 6 and 7

Weekends during Navaratri are busy, for these are the days of hectic socializing – these are the days we have more visitors at home, and we have to go to others’ houses as well. At least, Samhith was happy as he got to see a lovely golu at one of our friends’ houses. They also have a young son, and he had enthusiastically exhibited a cricket team as well an airport. From Miscellaneous From Miscellaneous From Miscellaneous Navaratri is a time we pay obeisance to the Devi in her each and every form. It was one such form that was depicted in the temple on Saturday, the fifth day of Navaratri – SAKHAMBARI. From Miscellaneous In the Devi Mahatmyam, Durga prophesies that when the earth has been dry for a hundred years, the wise ones who continuously meditate upon her will cause her to be born in a superhuman fashion and she will bring forth from her body; fruits, flowers, vegetables and herbs to take away our hunger and thirst and our fear of death. She calls herself...