The Spectacles

She had conveniently skipped her evening prep and was loitering around the corridor. It was one of those gratifying moments she loved to entertain herself with.  The old school building had many a secret passageway, where taking refuge from the strict eyes of the hostel warden was not a hard task. She was deep in thought about her next adventure when  Sister Letsnotnameher beckoned her.

‘Damn!, did I just get caught’?

‘Good evening sister, I was I am I mean ..actually...I wanted to …’  No! the crisis was grave! Her brain had phased out and no reasonably logical explanation seemed to make way. However, the saving grace, Sister Letsnotnameher was a gentle old lady, she might just buy even the lamest excuse or even a no-sense mumble. Praying that she did, our protagonist, began the prelude to her excuse (which she was still desperately trying to concoct) for not being where she was supposed to be. Sister Letsnotnameher was least interested in the creative extempore, hence, gently interrupted the happy wanderer's tale, 'Child could you bring my spectacles from the parlor, I can't see well enough without them’.

Oh! That was easy! Our relieved child scooted to the parlor, found the pair on the piano, and in a jiffy scooted back to hand them over to the owner but strange!! Sister L was nowhere in sight. She spent the next few minutes in search of the missing. An octogenarian without glasses couldn't have walked away in seconds.

Finally, confused and exhausted, she headed towards the dormitory, prep hour was over and she didn’t want to risk running into non-gentle beings ( the strict convent had an abundance of them). On the way back, she noticed that the lights, near the kindergarten playground, were on, which was unusual for this time of the day. Unmindful, she passed it off without deeper analysis. 

Back in the dorm, she heard the girls chatter louder than usual. The spectacles in hand she hollered at the crowd for attention, ‘Girls has anyone seen Sister Letsnotnameher anywhere? I met her near the chapel. She wanted her specs. they are here with me but I can’t seem to find her. Absolute silence followed for the next couple of minutes. Then one of her seemingly aghast confidantes broke the shocking news – Don’t you know?

What?

They just buried her a while back. That answered the lights at the cemetery next to the playground.

_________

Fictionalized but based on the real experience of Sanjukta C. She claims it happened. 

Posted on the rare occasion of Friday the 13th meets Bhoot Chaturdashi (The same was posted by me in my school blog)

The Dwadas ( Twelve ) Maha (Supreme) Jyotirlings (Divine Elements)

Honestly, am not quite religious but my inquisitiveness and curiosity to explore did take me to many religious places. I was quite curious about the 12 jyotirlingas and did manage to visit 8 of them.

     Google Earth locations of the 12 (+3) Maha Jyotirlingams

According to the Shiva Puranas, there were a total of 64 jyotirlingas. Jyotirlingas means the 'divine radiant elements'. Of these 64, 12 are considered the most auspicious, the Dwadas Maha Jyotirlingas. The Shiva Purana has a stotram (sacred hymn) that mentions the 12. However, there is confusion about a couple maha Jyotirlingas, and different sages have different interpretations (the three are marked in green while the rest are marked in yellow in the above image.

The Dwadasha Jyotirlinga Stotram 

Saurāṣṭre Somanāthaṃ ca Śrīśaile Mallikārjunam
Somnath in Saurashtra and Mallikarjuna in Srisailam 

1. SOMNATH: Lord of the Moon (Som - Moon; Nath - Lord)

Location: Prabhas Patan, Gujrat

Legend: It is said the Linga in Somnath was a levitating sculpture that was destroyed by Md. Gazni. The lingam was supposed to have been made of iron and a huge loadstone was fixed on the ceiling exactly above it which caused it to float. 

2. MALLIKARJUNA: The Lord in the form of white Jasmine entwined around Arjuna (Mallika - Jasmine flower; Arjuna - Arjun tree)

Location: Srisailam, Telangana

Intriguing fact: It is the only temple that is both a Shakti Peeth (seat of Shakti - Goddess is the main deity - The divine Feminine Principle)  and a Maha Jyotirling (seat of Radiant element - God is the main deity - The divine Masculine Principle).  It is considered one of the holiest and most powerful temples because of the influence of both Shakti and Shiv.

Ujjayinyāṃ Mahākālam Omkāram Mamleśhwaram

Mahakalam in Ujjain and Mamaleshwar in Omkar

3. MAHAKALESHWAR: The Lord of Destruction (Maha - Supreme; Kaal - end of time/death/destruction; Ishwar - Lord)

Location: Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Intriguing Fact: Bhasma Arti (Offering of light and ash) is performed at 4:00 am in the morning (the Brahma muhurta - which is the most auspicious time of the day as per Hindu scriptures. It starts at 1 1/2 hrs before sunrise and ends at 48 minutes before sunrise). Women were not allowed to participate in the ritual. The arti was performed with the ashes of a fresh pyre from crematoriums brought by Aghori sadhus. 

4 OMKARESHWAR and MAMLESHWAR: The Lord of OM and Lord of Lords ( Om - is a sound and symbol which denotes the universal consciousness; Ishwar - God; Mamleshwar - etymology unknown but the meaning is lord of the lords of the most powerful. I tried to look up the Sanskrit dictionaries and the closest I could get to is Mahabali or Mahamalla both mean supreme power.)

Location: Mandhata, Madhya Pradesh

Interesting fact: It's a twin temple complex and there are two lingams. Omkareshwar graces the northern bank of the Narmada river and Mamleshwar graces the southern bank of the river. Many people visit only Omkareshwar, the better-known of the two. However, the local legends say Mamleshwar, is the original swayambhu - the place where the divine radiating linga self-manifested on earth. All Maha Jyotirlingas are supposed to be swayambhu lingas.

Paralyam Vaidyanāthaṃ cha Ḍākinyāṃ Bhīmaśhaṅkaram

Vaidyanath at the crematory ground and Bhimshankara where the Dakinis reside

Vaijnath, Parli

Photo Sources: By J.M.Garg - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7185985

Baidyanath, Deogarh
By Ravishekharojha - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46611855

Baijnath, Almora
By Pramod Rawal - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=72809119

5. VAIDYANATH: The Lord of medicines (Vaidya - Medicine; Nath - Lord)                                              

Location: Parli, Maharastra or Deoghar, Jharkhand  or Almora, Uttarakhand          

There are different versions and interpretations claiming the location of Maha Vaidyanath Jyotirlinga. I have not visited either of the three as yet. The photos of the three temples have been sourced from Wikipedia.

Photo source:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bhimashankar.jpg

6. BHIMASHANKAR: The Formidable destroyer of evil (Bhim-Formidable; Shanka-Doubt/evil/wrong; Hara-Destroyer, defeater)

I am yet to visit Bhimshankar.

Interesting Fact: There is a Gupt (Hidden) Bhimshankar near the main temple, accessed through a forest trail. The Gupt linga is mostly submerged under the waters of a waterfall.

Location: Near Pune, Maharastra

Setubandhe tu Rāmeśaṃ Nāgeśhaṃ Dārukāvane

Rameshwar at the strait, Nageshwaram at Daruka forest

Photo source: By Ssriram mt - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48384927

7. RAMESHWAR: The Lord of Rama (Lord Rama; Ishwar - Lord)

Location: Rameshwaram, Tamil  Nadu

Intriguing fact: There are 24 teerthams or holy sites where the devotees are advised to take a dip before entering the garbhagriha or sanctum. 2 of the holy sites are near the sea and 22 are ponds or wells inside the temple (these days many do not take a dip, buckets of water from the ponds/wells are poured over the devotees). However, it is not mandatory but a choice. There are legends related to each site and it is said the holy water of the teerthams can cure illness, and curses, and give wisdom and prosperity. 

Nageshwar, Dwarka

Aundha Nagnath

8. NAGESHWAR: The Lord of Nagas (Naag - Cobra/snakes)

Location: Dwarka, Gujrat or  Aundha, Maharastra or Almora, Uttarakhand

There are versions in old scriptures that suggest the temple at Dwarka is the main Lord of Nags Jyotirling while some texts suggest the one at Aundh is the main Jyotirling. While some believe the Almora temple is the main Nagnath Jyotirling. 

Well, I am no expert but I found the Nageshwar temple in Dwarka a relatively newer construction (as compared to the other shrines but it might have been so because of renovation. I have not visited the Almora one but those who believe Jageshwar in Almora is the actual jyotirlinga stress on the stortam mention the location as 'darukavanam', which may be interpreted as a forest of Deodar trees. 

The Nagnath temple in Aundh, however, has a very mystic feel. This place could have been a forest long back, though not a forest of deodars.

Intriguing Fact: There is a basement chamber in the temple, where the lingam is established. One has to climb down a narrow opening barely enough for a person to pass through to reach the chamber. Just a feeling inside, that this is the actual Maha Jyotirling. Can't speak for Jageshwat since I haven't visited the place yet.

Vārāṇasyāṃ tu Viśveśaṃ Tryambakaṃ Gautamītaṭe
Vishveshwara in Varanasi and Trimbakeshwara on the banks of Gautami (Gomati)

9. VISHWANATH: The Lord of the universe (Vishwa - Universe; Nath / Ishwar - Lord)

Location: Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Legend: It is said this temple is one of the three temples which is seated on the tip of Lord Shiva's trident. Thus making it a floating temple. The other two temples are Omkareshwar and Kedarnath temples.

Photo source: By Niraj Suryawanshi - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29271240

10. TRIMBAKESHWAR: The trinity of three lords Bhrma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar. (Tri - Three; Bhakta - Portion; Ishwar - Lord)

Location: Nashik, Maharastra

I am yet to visit this Jyotirling. 

Interesting fact: There are three faces to the linga.

Himālaye tu Kedāraṃ Ghuśmeśaṃ ca Śivālaye

Kedarnath in the Himalayas and Grishmeshwar in Shivalaye

Photo source: By Shaq774 at en. Wikipedia - Transferred from en.Wikipedia Source at Wikipedia, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4624438

11. KEDARNATH: The Lord of Kedar Khand (Kedara - Meadow; Nath - Lord)

Location: Kedarnath, Uttarakhand

I think this is the most beautiful and mystic of all the Jyotirlingas. I have not visited Rudraprayag as yet but its photographs mesmerize me and I can't wait to get there. 

Intriguing Fact: When the entire Kedarnath was destroyed and submerged under the catastrophic floods in 2013, the temple remained intact and the water did not enter it. A huge boulder rerouted the flood waters away from the temple. Many consider this a divine intervention.

12. GRISHNESHWAR: The Lord of compassion (Ghrsu - Lively, Mirthful; Ishwar - Lord)

Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Interesting Fact: This is the smallest of the 12 Maha Jyotirlingas

etāni jyotirliṅgāni sāyaṃ prātaḥ paṭhennaraḥ

saptajanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ smaraṇena vinaśyati

eteśāṃ darśanādeva pātakaṃ naiva tiṣṭhati

karmakṣayo bhavettasya yasya tuṣṭo maheśvarāḥ    

"Those who recite this in the mornings and the evenings will be blessed by Maheshwar (Lord Shiva) and their sins of seven lives will be forgiven".    

An interesting fact to note is many of the Jyotirlingas were renovated by Ahilya Bai Holkar.

The Road Trip to Delhi From Pondicherry

7 Days, 7 States, 2 Union Territories, 3000 km, and an Ignis

The Trip: Pondicherry to Delhi

Auroville, Tamil Nadu - An experimental tree house

A unique community that celebrates humanity, spirituality, creativity, and technology. The 'No nation, no religion' concept intrigued me. An absolute visit if near Pondicherry.

Pulicat Bird Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh - A flamboyance of Greater Flamingoes

The second-largest saltwater lake/lagoon in India. One of the best places to bird watch especially thousands of 'Greater Flamingoes'

Aundha, Maharastra - Aundha Nagnath Jyotirling Temple

Considered the 8th of the 12 Jyotirlingas. This beautiful stone-carved temple is a popular pilgrim destination for devotees of Lord Shiva. The main sanctum is located in an underground cave. Photography is prohibited inside the complex.

Aurangabad, Maharastra  - Bibi Ka Maqbara

One of the only two edifices commissioned by Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb. Bibi ka Maqbara is a tomb built in memory of his beloved wife Dilras Banu Begum.

Ellora, Maharastra - Ellora Caves

Unesco heritage site, Ellora, is a spectacular complex of rock-cut cave temples built from 600 to 1000 CE.

Fardapur, Maharashtra - Ajanta Fresco in Cave I

About 100 km away from Ellora is the Ajanta Caves complex. This UNESCO heritage site is home to some of the finest rock paintings of the ancient world. These caves date back to the 2nd to 6th century BC.

Mandhata, Madhya Pradesh - Omkareshwar Temple

Omkareshwar is considered the 4th of the 12 Jyotirlingas. Located on an island named Mandhata on the banks of river Narmada

Jhalawar, Rajasthan - Gagron Fort

The Gagron Fort is a picturesque island fort accessible through a bridge that gets submerged during the monsoons as seen in the photograph above

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh - Gwalior Fort

It is said the architectural planning and the structure of the Gwalior fort are so strong that no attacks on the fort were successful 

Most of the roads were well-maintained and scenic. Pondicherry to Nizamabad has good connectivity to National highways. We faced the dilapidated roads once we entered Maharashtra. Nizamabad to Aundha, Aundha to Aurangabad, Ellora to Ajanta, and Ajanta to Burhanpur were terrible stretches. Barwaha, Madhya Pradesh to Delhi is well connected by well-maintained National Highways. 

More Indian Than I Thought

My first international trip happened a couple decades back. I was fresh out of college, a novice teen with big dreams and a lot of curiosity to see 'The World' - A world that was defined by the many books I had read all through my growing years and of course the many English movies. Though thrilled at the prospect of finally being able to explore and experience the pages of those books and movies in real, stepping out of a sheltered life into a big wide world of the unknown presented some apprehensions.

My parents had come to see me off at the airport. The hardest part was bidding farewell to a crying mother. After a long hug and promises to write long detailed letters, I headed towards the journey forward. When the announcement for the boarding knocked into my ears, the feeling finally sunk in, I was 'REALLY' leaving. Leaving the country I knew so well. Leaving my home. Leaving my people. Leaving my family. Leaving my friends. Leaving everything that I loved and cared for.

With moistened eyes, I walked solemnly towards the aircraft, trying hard to control my lachrymal glands, trickling tears anyway, against my wishes :((

At the entrance gate, an Italian flight attendant smiled and welcomed me with a warm "Namaste".  I reverted with a namaste.

Having noticed my sad face, she asked, “Going out for the first time?”

I nodded silently. I wasn’t in a mood to converse.

She said, “Don’t worry! You won't be too far from home." In her broken Hindi, she continued “Gar idar bi hai.” (There’s a home here as well)

Instantly my face brightened. I laughed.

“You know Hindi”

“ Mai koshish kar rahi hai" (I am trying)

“Bohut Achcha (very good) That’s so very sweet of you”

I already felt comfortable. Perhaps the world outside won’t be as scary as I imagined it could be.  Maybe I can find a home there as well.

The air hostess asked me, “So, you live in Bombay?” (since I had boarded from Bombay)

I replied, “ No, I am coming from Delhi”

“Ah!!! You are traveling to Milan?”

“ No!! to the US for higher studies. Milan is a transit"

“ So you got your Visa from the Delhi consulate?”

“Actually No, I went to the Chennai consulate to get my visa stamped”

“Were you studying in Chennai?”

“No, I studied in Hyderabad”

“Oh, so you got your passport work done from Hyderabad”

“No,  I got my passport made from Bhopal”

“Oh!!! Is that where you are from?”

“No, my father works in MP, I am a Bengali”

“Oh! So I guess you were born in Kolkata”

“No, I was born in Assam”

“My dear you are more Indian than I thought"

A Short Tryst With The Mountains

Where Journeys end, stories begin

During a trek to a remote, mystic monastery, I stopped over for a month at a tiny village in Zanskar Valley. The hamlet, felt like the last point on earth, beyond which lay miles and miles of barren mountains - majestic, immovable, invincible yet ever changing! Once in a while random adventure seekers trekked across them, enduring all the adversities, of a rough terrain inhabited by snow leopards, for that ineffable, glorious feeling of having triumphed over the untamed.  Aware of my limitations, I contended myself by capturing the breathtaking experience in my camera.

Some days, the mountains were cloaked behind layers of cottony clouds waiting to reveal well-kept secrets. Some days, the peaks glistened with fresh dust of snow while romancing the sunrays kissing them. Some days, they looked dry, barren and lifeless as if in mourning. Yet other days, they looked like a surreal painting on a bright blue canvas.  The mountain-scape kept changing, mysterious, intimidating to sublime and alluring.

The mountains spoke a story of change.  Change, they say is inevitable but not everlasting. It brings with it the apprehension of letting go the known yet it gives the thrill of discovering the unknown.