"Have you ever been to a place called "Dev Bhoomi"??"
If not, just have patience because, you are going to be there without being there, where you haven't been yet, but you will evoke your subconscious, without affecting your conscious of undergoing through an intuitive understanding of a perception.
"Don't worry, I know we are losing our direction, but that doesn't mean we are lost!!"
It was Vasant Ritu (Indian spring),
and all of the Himalayan foothill was filled with freshness of vivid flowers, whose aroma enchanted your heart. You being your own witness, would want to dive into the ocean of cool breeze, converting the unconvertable into deep-coloured heartstrings, never ever wanting to be precisely normal!
Madhav was from the downtown area of Mumbai, studying mechanical engineering. He was a restless, smart and fun loving guy.
He was travelling to the North via Indian railways and he found someone in the seat next to him.
They say you come across many people in your life, but there remain very few with whom you share a time which was all uncertain to you when it began, but which you end up enjoying and the English wala 'suffer' turns into Hindi wala 'safar'.
Our human eyes have very limited sight, but we always search for the unlimited, soothing vision. It is just that we need to keep looking.
Madhav pulled out his water bottle and had a casual look at the person next to him.
Have you ever seen the opening of the magnificent gate of seventh heaven, from where incarnated an angel, most pleasing to the eye and arresting one's mind, body and soul? Like being in oblivion but you can still hear your loudly beating restless heart?
Madhav offered her the water bottle as they had a firm eye contact. In respense she extended her hand and quenched her thirst. While returning the bottle, she said,"Thank you! I am Keshavi"
"You are welcome!! I am Madhav", he said with a smile.
It happens when you don't know someone, there is a tornado of thoughts, swirling and trying to unwind the mystery untold. Though you appear to be calm, it is exactly opposite to what is going on deep down inside. A thousand words in your mind but a single output from your tongue,"Where are you from?" Madhav asked.
There was the cursory exchange of information. This exchange was more about knowing the person than of knowing more about the person. The information added one more surprise: both Keshavi and Madhav were heading to the same destination.
They were watching each other, thinking about something, but no words spilled over. Madhav was observing birds flying free at the horizon from the window. Keshavi was busy observing Madhav and she said,"How fascinating they are! Aren't they?"
"Hmm! Yes they are."
"I mean they have this amazing power of embracing uncertainty. Be it dawn or dusk, they never stop singing their good old song of life."
"And what is that song about?", Madhav asked with eyes full of curiosity and ears full of alertness.
"It is the song which we humans, claimed as most intelligent creature on earth, can never understand: Life is full of surprises!These surprises will always be unknown to you. Do you remember any one of your birthday surprises, which you didn't like at all? There may be but a few to count. This means all those uncertain, unknown things happening around are nothing but surprises for us. We hardly appreciate them and cannot figure them out, because we are humans"
Madhav was all ears to Keshavi's words. Smiling gently, while locking eyes with her, he felt like there was an elixir for his ears which was refueling generosity in his mind.
Keshavi continued,"We are always behind the future. Still struggling with past. Disrupting the present. Whereas birds or animals, having less brains than us, have more understanding of the bigger picture called LIFE. In case of birds, you will always find them dancing from one branch to another, singing, playing to the rhythm of winds. Full of joy and zest"
"Dhanya ho!! Mata Keshavi!!", joining his hands, bowing to Keshavi, Madhav smiled.
"Tathastu!!", she replied with a smile, giving him blessings and they laughed at each other.
"Have you ever been to a place called Dev Bhoomi?" Keshavi asked.
"Never, but I know about it and I am on my way."
Soon, they both reached their destination. The place called 'Land of Gods', situated near the foothills of Himalayas. It was full of freshness, cool breeze, vivid colors of flowers, deep valleys echoing the sound of wind. This was the gateway to Lord Vishnu. The preserver of existence. This is Haridwar.
At inception, we just observe things, but in the end we start living.
They checked into their rooms, freshened up and were ready to head to the place where anyone on earth could find peace. They could relate to the phenomena that were apparently inexplicable by natural laws.
It was the time of Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri, which literally meant 'Lord Shiva's Step'. According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu were believed to have visited the Brahmakund in Har Ki Pauri in the Vedic times.
Ganga Aarti is worshipping River Ganges just before the sun is about to set.
Madhav and Keshavi reached Har ki Pauri. All holy priests started chanting the holy name of Lord Shiva and River Ganga. Both of them were engrossed in the procession of worshipping, the view was so beautiful. When the aarti began, the sun was still glowing in different shades, piercing through clouds, spreading rays of hope. At the same time the darkness of falling night was glorified with a large number of people gathered on both the banks of river Ganges to sing its praises. The priests held large fire bowls in their hands, the gongs in the temples at the Ghat began ringing and the chants flowing out of their lips filled the air. People floated earthen diyas, which flickered and had flowers in them as a symbol of hope and wishes. The golden hues of floral diyas reflected in the river Ganges presenting spectacular view. One would never come to know when the sunset happened and when the sky turned dark, when the small diyas in hands of priests turned into large fire bowls, all because one would be lost into exaltation.
Madhav was waiting for the end of aarti, so that he could have a holy dip, to wash away all his sins. He asked Keshavi, "Will you join me?" She said, "The water is too cold for me, you enjoy. I am waiting here."
"The temperature is almost 12 degree celsius, and the water might be 7 to 8."
"No, you enjoy, and please don't miss me!" She laughed.
"Okay!"
As he immersed his foot into the waters of holy Ganga, Madhav couldn't bear the chilled water and jumped out. Keshavi was enjoying this. There were few ladies sitting near her. They were busy with their kirtan, but due Madhav's childish behavior, they also joined Keshavi in this process of enjoyment. This made Madhav self-conscious. Slowly and steadily he stepped in, immersing himself till the knees, then belly and finally his torso. The current was trong to drown a person in its stride. In the mean while, a small kid, not more than six or seven years old with barely any clothes on, ran and nosedove into the river and came out from the opposite end. Madhav watched the kid and Keshavi, enjoying the expressions of Madhav which were a mixture of smile and fear. With his head still above water, Madhav was excited but at the same time he was shivering. Somehow, he gathered his strength and took a deep breathe and immersed himself completely. Within split seconds he was out of the water, breathing heavily and shivering uncontrollably. It was as if hundreds of arrows had struck him on the bones. He could sense the vital animation of the unifying force, louder than anything around.
It was already dark, now there were few people on ghat. Madhav and Keshavi were both busy observing the beauty of River Ganga and the color changing sky, the singing birds, the people around, the priests chanting and the beautiful holy diyas floating and flickering on river bank.
While heading back to their hotel, there found many small shops and stalls, congested lanes through which one could reach the main road to catch a vehicle.
While returning, there were hardly any shops open and they forgot the way to the main road and took a wrong turn.
Keshavi was worried about reaching their hotel safely. There was no one around to guide them. "Don't worry, I know we are losing our direction, but that doesn't mean we are lost!", Madhav said.
Once again, Madhav felt the cyclones of thoughts full of fear and uncertainty but he was put a brave front for Keshavi. This time of theirs, shared no words, only touch. It was completely dark and there were no street lights with a chilling breeze and them holding each other’s hand. With eyes full of hope and sky full of stars, they kept walking.
Sometimes, the reminiscence of the most engaging incidents of life, occupy a rent free space in your permanent memory. When you look down the memory lane, it feels like you are into oblivion.
A journey that began with surprises, ended with revelation of Human living.
A man should not exist, nor just appear to exist, but a man should turn off the existing mode and turn on the living mode.
Have more soul changing experiences, which makes you smile, cry, laugh and care. Just as Madhav and Keshavi had.
You hardly have this one life to live for. You shouldn’t simply inhale air continuously; there is also a need to release it. Similarly, you cannot hold on to your past, because there is also a need to let go!
