Prasad, Vedanth and I started at 4:00 AM from home to Hyd airport. While I was standing in a Q for security check I met a girl named Pavani with her mother Padma. I just said hello and she said I was looking beautiful. When I started talking to them in Telugu they said they did not expect that I am a Telugu speaking woman. Pavani and Padma garu were talking to me in the security Q like we know them for ages. We spoke about airports, places to pickles and fruits in the season. That’s how my trip to Varanasi began.
After security check, I asked Padma garu where they were going. She said they live in KasI and her husband is the priest in Kasi temple. OMG what a co-incidence. When I heard that I thought god sent some one to help us out to complete our Kasi yatra. Padma garu introduced us to Narayana Sastry garu. He told us where to and how to start our journey.
We hired a Tata Indica car which was booked from Hyd. Our driver Ram (I call him Ram Bhayya) picked us from airport and took us straight to Annadhana asramam as we told him we were very hungry. While we were having lunch Vedu was funny asking for ghee & yogurt which they don’t usually serve. After the lunch Vedu went and gave Rs.100 to the manager. I was very happy to see Vedanth’s attitude and good nature. He can come without giving a Rupee but he thought it was not appropriate to eat and walk out without paying anything. He also said to the cooks that food was very tasty.
Prayaga – Day 1 – 17/06/2012
We started at 2:00 Pm to Prayaga (Allahabad) from Varanasi. Distance between Kasi and Prayaga is 120 km. We were awake for few min and went to sleep. Ram bhayya stopped at a hotel for a cup of tea 20 kms before Prayaga. We had tea and vedu had some snacks and back in our car.
Triveni sangamam
We reached at Triveni sangamam where Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati (Triveni) meet at this point. This place is very sacred to Hindus. 'Prayagasya Praveshu Papam Nashwati Tatkashanam.' In Vedas it was said that "all sins are cleaned with entry in Prayaga". Prayaga is such an important place because Indian standard time is also calculated from the 82½ degrees East Longitude which passes through Zero Road, from a clock tower Mirzapur near Allahabad (reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Standard_Time). AS per Chaganti garu, Loard Brahma choose Prayaga for the beginning of the creation and he also referred this place as Tirtha Raja (king of pilgrimage centers).
Ram bhayya stopped car in front of a fort (not sure what that is) which overlooks the Triveni sangamam. We took a boat to reach the actual place. Sacred Sangamam can be seen very clearly at the point at which the white Ganges meet the greenish Yamuna and water bubbles come at the meeting point which we thought was Saraswathi. We got down and took a bath in the Ganga. We stayed in the water for almost 10-15 min as the weather was really hot, holiest rivers were really calming us down. If any one is interested to do pinda prathan for deceased parents, Pandits perch on small platforms of the boats to perform puja. We wanted to do that in Gaya hence we did not perform any thing there. Before coming back we took a bottle of Ganga water (looked very dirty though!!!). After reaching the muddy banks we half dried our cloths and went straight to Hanuman temple.
Hanuman temple
This Hanuman temple is really unique as I have never seen such a big idol of Lord Hanuman in reclining posture and Lord Rama and Laxmana (small idols) on his shoulders. To go to this temple we have to take a few steps down as this temple stays underground. When I asked the pundit about its importance he said, Lord Hanuman after fighting with Myravana in Pathala brings Lord Rama and Laxmana on his shoulders and rests in this place hence the posture is in reclining. He said when Ganga is in spate, this temple gets submerged in this temple.
Sakthipeetam – Madhaveswari
"Prayage Madhaveswari" also known as Alopi Devi temple is located in Alopi bagh (Daraganj). We parked our car, took some puja items and entered into the temple. I was looking for the idol of shakthi but surprisingly goddess is not in idol form here. It is a unique temple where its presiding deity is in the form of a small wooden Jhula (swing), which is placed above a marble and steel platform which has an opening under the Jhula which is filled with water.
As per Ram bhayya’s information and web Alopi means disappeared. The Goddess gets the name Alopi because of the belief that the last part of Goddess Sati’s body fell here and disappeared. The priest in temple said "that the fingers of the hands of Goddess Sati fell at the spot where the Alopi Devi Temple stands". Hence this is the last spot from where Goddess Sati disappeared from earth and it is considered highly auspicious.
We took a pradakshina of the platform, lit some lights and came out. After walking outside we heard bells ringing so we rushed inside to see the temple was closed and the priest was giving Aarathi (@ 7:00 PM if any one is interested). We could not stand in the front so we went back side and stood there. No one was there so vedu and I started ringing the big bells until the Aarathi was done. Priest took the Aarathi from our side of the door. Aren’t we luck to get that straight to us? We went inside again and took another pradakshina and sat inside the temple for few min.
After walking out we considered our self lucky to be able to attend the Maha Arathi. We bought some peda (milk sweet) not because we were hungry but because it was tempting and I would never say no to sweet.
Veni Danam
I did not get to do Veni danam due to lack of time. I heard the importance of this from Chaganti Koteswara rao gari speeches.
The word Veni means River. An interesting ritual performed at the Sangam is that of Veni Danam. This is a practice followed by married women for the long life of their husbands. The husband is supposed to comb and plait the wife’s hair and after decorating it with flowers, the end of the plait is cut off and offered to the rivers at the confluence. Normally hair floats on water, but at this place, the hair sinks straight to the bottom. Though hundreds of people offer their hair everyday, there is not a single strand of hair seen floating on the river. Whatever may be the scientific reason it is an inspiriting ritual for those who belief in the divinity.
We were on road @ 8:00 Pm from Prayaga to Gaya. We did not feel like eating any dinner. After driving for some time Ram bhayya stopped at a Dhaba to take some rest. Vedu and I slept in car. Mns and Ram bhayya went out and slept on dhaba benches.
After security check, I asked Padma garu where they were going. She said they live in KasI and her husband is the priest in Kasi temple. OMG what a co-incidence. When I heard that I thought god sent some one to help us out to complete our Kasi yatra. Padma garu introduced us to Narayana Sastry garu. He told us where to and how to start our journey.
We hired a Tata Indica car which was booked from Hyd. Our driver Ram (I call him Ram Bhayya) picked us from airport and took us straight to Annadhana asramam as we told him we were very hungry. While we were having lunch Vedu was funny asking for ghee & yogurt which they don’t usually serve. After the lunch Vedu went and gave Rs.100 to the manager. I was very happy to see Vedanth’s attitude and good nature. He can come without giving a Rupee but he thought it was not appropriate to eat and walk out without paying anything. He also said to the cooks that food was very tasty.
Prayaga – Day 1 – 17/06/2012
We started at 2:00 Pm to Prayaga (Allahabad) from Varanasi. Distance between Kasi and Prayaga is 120 km. We were awake for few min and went to sleep. Ram bhayya stopped at a hotel for a cup of tea 20 kms before Prayaga. We had tea and vedu had some snacks and back in our car.
Triveni sangamam
Ram bhayya stopped car in front of a fort (not sure what that is) which overlooks the Triveni sangamam. We took a boat to reach the actual place. Sacred Sangamam can be seen very clearly at the point at which the white Ganges meet the greenish Yamuna and water bubbles come at the meeting point which we thought was Saraswathi. We got down and took a bath in the Ganga. We stayed in the water for almost 10-15 min as the weather was really hot, holiest rivers were really calming us down. If any one is interested to do pinda prathan for deceased parents, Pandits perch on small platforms of the boats to perform puja. We wanted to do that in Gaya hence we did not perform any thing there. Before coming back we took a bottle of Ganga water (looked very dirty though!!!). After reaching the muddy banks we half dried our cloths and went straight to Hanuman temple.
Hanuman temple
This Hanuman temple is really unique as I have never seen such a big idol of Lord Hanuman in reclining posture and Lord Rama and Laxmana (small idols) on his shoulders. To go to this temple we have to take a few steps down as this temple stays underground. When I asked the pundit about its importance he said, Lord Hanuman after fighting with Myravana in Pathala brings Lord Rama and Laxmana on his shoulders and rests in this place hence the posture is in reclining. He said when Ganga is in spate, this temple gets submerged in this temple.
Kumbha mela
On our way to Madhaveswari temple Ram bhayya showed us the place where people who come for kumbha mela stay. It is around 30-40 acres of land and govt already started cleaning the place for 2013 Kumbha mela in Allahabad. Over 20 million people visit this place during this time. Hindus, traditionally regard river confluences as auspicious places, more so the Sangam at Allahabad, where the Yamuna and the Ganges meet the 'River ofEnlightenment', the mythical Saraswati. According to vedas, Vishnu was carrying a kumbh (pot) of amrit (nectar), when a scuffle broke out between the Gods, and four drops were spilled. They fell on the earth at the four tirthas of Prayag, Haridwar, Nasik and Ujjain. The event is commemorated every three years by the Kumbh Mela, held at each tirtha in turn; so, this will be held in each place once every twelve years, is the greatest and holiest of all. Although we missed this, we heard from Ram bhayya that it is very hard to survive for people like us. Wish I can be there one day.
Sakthipeetam – Madhaveswari
"Prayage Madhaveswari" also known as Alopi Devi temple is located in Alopi bagh (Daraganj). We parked our car, took some puja items and entered into the temple. I was looking for the idol of shakthi but surprisingly goddess is not in idol form here. It is a unique temple where its presiding deity is in the form of a small wooden Jhula (swing), which is placed above a marble and steel platform which has an opening under the Jhula which is filled with water.
As per Ram bhayya’s information and web Alopi means disappeared. The Goddess gets the name Alopi because of the belief that the last part of Goddess Sati’s body fell here and disappeared. The priest in temple said "that the fingers of the hands of Goddess Sati fell at the spot where the Alopi Devi Temple stands". Hence this is the last spot from where Goddess Sati disappeared from earth and it is considered highly auspicious.
We took a pradakshina of the platform, lit some lights and came out. After walking outside we heard bells ringing so we rushed inside to see the temple was closed and the priest was giving Aarathi (@ 7:00 PM if any one is interested). We could not stand in the front so we went back side and stood there. No one was there so vedu and I started ringing the big bells until the Aarathi was done. Priest took the Aarathi from our side of the door. Aren’t we luck to get that straight to us? We went inside again and took another pradakshina and sat inside the temple for few min.
After walking out we considered our self lucky to be able to attend the Maha Arathi. We bought some peda (milk sweet) not because we were hungry but because it was tempting and I would never say no to sweet.
Veni Danam
I did not get to do Veni danam due to lack of time. I heard the importance of this from Chaganti Koteswara rao gari speeches.
The word Veni means River. An interesting ritual performed at the Sangam is that of Veni Danam. This is a practice followed by married women for the long life of their husbands. The husband is supposed to comb and plait the wife’s hair and after decorating it with flowers, the end of the plait is cut off and offered to the rivers at the confluence. Normally hair floats on water, but at this place, the hair sinks straight to the bottom. Though hundreds of people offer their hair everyday, there is not a single strand of hair seen floating on the river. Whatever may be the scientific reason it is an inspiriting ritual for those who belief in the divinity.
We were on road @ 8:00 Pm from Prayaga to Gaya. We did not feel like eating any dinner. After driving for some time Ram bhayya stopped at a Dhaba to take some rest. Vedu and I slept in car. Mns and Ram bhayya went out and slept on dhaba benches.
No comments:
Post a Comment