Animals are the 'love'liest

 Have you watched that cutest and sweetest video from Thailand? Lek Chailert, the lady who initiated the "Save Elephants" movement there, has shared it. It seems that she took shelter under a mushroom shaped arbor as it started drizzling. She was singing along. The entire herd of elephants thronged the place, attracted by the sound. Fa Mai, a cow elephant, felt worried that Lek might get hurt, and kept protecting her with her trunk.

What a lovely, that is, both full of love and beautiful, gesture! What tremendous emotional intelligence and maturity! Most human beings completely and totally lack either of these emotions, eaten up as they are by competitiveness, one-up-man-ship, viciousness, cruelty, self-centered-ness, wickedness; oh, the list is endless! Why waste words on such negativities? Well, the wonder of wonders is that such beasts call poor animals names!

Let me give you another example. My brother has a beagle. As the breed is very cute and smart, everyone likes him a lot. Yet Tashu has a special fund, a great reserve, of love for me. When I go to my brother's place, his joy is unbounded. When I am about to leave, he stares most mournfully. With his nose jutting out of the grill of the balcony, he keeps on looking at me as long-n-far and as much as he can.

Well, for the five or six hours that I am there, he has to play with me. He is all the time hovering around, keeping me constantly in sight. Indeed, like children, animals understand and reciprocate the language of love, and that, too, without any expectations of any return gifts! No wonder, the very memory of that gentle, innocent visage is such a calming balm. Long live the love of animals!

Pratima@At Mana village in the "Devbhoomi", there is "swarg-rohini", the final path to heaven the Pandavas took. There are (rather garish, gaudy and glitzy golden) statues of all the Pandavas and Draupadi about to tread that path, the road of no return. Leading them all is the statue of a dog who, according to the legend, was the only one to accompany Dharmaraj till the end! Sure I remembered Tashu, Jimu, our dogs, and that friend of mine at Yamunotri. 'Dog', read the other way round, is 'god'!

Fare well, Weather

 Does the title of the blog surprise you? Well, 'fare' as a verb means to do, to behave. Let me give you an example. 'How did you fare in the exam?' means 'did you do well in the exam?'. If it is indeed the way the verb fares, the title must surprise you, right?

Well, I read a news item, and it did not fare well with me. It described the extremely bleak weather in the 'devbhoomi', Uttarakhand. Especially were mentioned the districts Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri and Haridwar. It was stated that the rivers are in full spate, and there are landslides galore.

It indeed made my heart bleed. I have recently been there. As luck would have it, neither a drop of rain nor a single boulder from a landslide disturbed my journey. In fact, each one of these districts, despite all the corrosions, both natural and man-made, fared really well throughout my journey. 

Indescribable was their beauty. At every twist and turn that went in to the making of the narrow strip of the road, a newer and lovelier vista would open up. My mind, my vision, my imagination are filled to capacity with those lovely, truly divine visions. My ears can still hear both the gentle murmur and the giant roar of those rivers, tributaries of Bhagirathi/Ganges,  who were at times like a bubbly brook, at times a regular deep stream. Honestly, the mountains and the rivers really felt like friends, long lost but now forever united, eternally together.

It is hence difficult to read that thunderstorms, cloudbursts, boulders due to landslides are destroying that noble beauty full of divine peace. Sure, the climate there IS tough, quite a bully whose rough moods can change any nano second. Human beings, moreover, are adding their own  disturbances. Why, there are houses that are almost built mid-stream!

One knows all the causes. One regretfully accepts, too, that one cannot single-handedly do much to prevent the loss, and yet this mind of mine, this hurt heart, this seared soul of mine refuse to just read the news item, and clean forget it. The only supplication from the bottom of my being is to the Lord who SURELY listens to the fervent prayers, and protects all the wonders one genuinely cares for. Amen!

Pratima@ If such are my worries, imagine the tensions of people surviving there day in and day out. Real bravehearts!

Panduranga

 Panduranga, known as Vithoba in Prakrit Marathi, has been described, praised, venerated most beautifully by Marathi saints. Today let us look at his description by the great Adi Shankaracharya.

At Kedarnath, one of the most beautiful sights, besides the Kedarnath Temple itself and the Bheemshila protecting it beyond all rational explanations, is the Adi Shankaracharya Samadhi sthan. There is a lovely statue of this young monk who literally rejuvenated the moribund Vaidic "sanatana dharma".

Shankaracharya has written a beautiful stotra, a hymn so to say, praising and venerating Vitthala, that is, Panduranga. In his attempt to quail the in-fighting between the two major sects, that is, the Shaivaites and the Vaishnvaites, the arch philosopher of Advaita, calls Panduranga "parabramha lingam", and yet continues to praise him as an avatar of, a manifestation of Vishnu.

Actually, that is the real core of Vithoba's existence. The great Marathi saint, Dnyaneshwar, too, repeatedly presents him thus. The idol, mostly adorned with the Vishnurup, has a crown which has the typical Shiva iconography. Incidentally, in a way, in the Marathi folklore, he absorbs the form of the 'local' deity as well.

The great Shankaracharya praises Panduranga's divine beauty and grace, his captivating smile (which always lingers in his every pic which I get to see every morning as the Headmaster of Aai's school sends it as a token appreciation of the prize instituted in Aai's memory), his Krishna like bluish dark brilliance, his splendour comparable with the autumn moon.

There are lovely references to the jewels that add to the Lord's beauty. Why, the great Acharya refers to the beautiful flute the Lord plays, and whose lyrical melodious sweetness is repeatedly referred to in the Marathi bhakti poetry.  

More than that, Pandurang is "anandkand", that is, the root cause of bliss. The stotra does refer to the Pundarik legend. The core of the stotra, however, is the description of the Lord as "tribhangi", that is, the guide beyond the three doshas, of the three stages of dhyata, dheya, etc. 

Shankaracharya's Pandurang, however, is radically relevant because he explains the idol putting his hands on his waist. The great Acharya argues that this position signifies that the ocean of the world and its multiple ebbs and flows are merely up to the waist, and hence easily vincible. Thus this Lord, the supreme abode of Kaivalya, is the god of gods in this stotra that the Acharya wrote for his ailing mother. 

The lovely lilt of the melodious Sanskrit in the stotra adds to the divine praise in the sholkas which are simply unforgettable. Thus, Pandurang, the elder brother of Lord Venkatash at Tirupati, absolutely comes alive in this symphony of a stotra!

Pratima@In the Pandurang Stotra, we meet the "sagun", that is, the physical form, of the bramhan, that leads us towards the "nirgun", that is, the idea(s), the ideational realities!

Rituals

 Aai was from Pandharpur, while Papa was from Kolhapur. Like my brothers, I, too, am born in Pandharpur. I never ever forget the fact that as a baby, I must have been first put on the feet that were once touched by the great Shankaracharya, and my favourite most saint, Sant Dnyaneshwar. 

Hence watching the Vitthal Mahapuja in the morning wee hours of Ashadhi Ekadashi has been a ritual religiously followed since 2005 when I came to stay with Aai in our Mukund Nagar home. I used to wake up exactly at 2.30 a.m., wake Aai up, and if she wanted, make a cup of tea for her before the transmission of the puja began. 

 She used to watch on the t.v. the warkari procession from day one onwards. Hence watching this early morning maha pooja was a joy for her. I, too, love to watch it. That is what I did until just now.

Watching the poojari decorate the idols of Vithoba and Rukmini is a pleasure. In my opinion, it is a minor art. Look at the Rukmini idol. Making such a beautiful but small little idol wear a nauwari saree is indeed quite some skill. 

During the Navratra, Aai used to watch the entire evening aarti sequence of the Kolhapur Mahalaxmi. Indeed it is an art, this decking up the idol in a rich but holy way. Why, I like the way the priests apply the chandan/sandalwood paste to the idol's forehead, and stick the tulashi patra to the forehead of the idol. The idols literally come alive in a jiffy.

Sure it is anthropomorphism. It hardly matters to me though. I love the love of the devotees for the "sagun/sakar" murti which takes them to the "nirgun, nirakar." Without such touches, may be, theology would be truly  cut-n-dry, and beyond the common man. 

This morning, the Lord in bluish-purple tunic really looked like the "Dark God" Krishna whose manifestation he is. More about him in the blog tomorrow for Ashadhi Ekadashi.

Pratima@i cannot help watching the Kedarnath valley/temple at least for a few minutes every day. Today, the entire valley was diffused in dark clouds, like the Shiva himself, while Mandakini was roaring past, like the Bhagirathi from Shiva's locks.

Luckily July 5, the much predicted doomsday, is past without any destructive tsunami. Let it be so. Let nature's rituals not be harsh this year, or ever. Let the divinity continue to tolerate human frolics, foolishnesses, frivolousness fondly! 

Memories

 Once you have been to the Himalayas, you just cannot let go the journey. The travel/travail continues to tug at your heart strings. Look at me. It is more than seven days that I am back from the Chardham Yatra. Yet every moment is still alive.

Why is it so? In my case, may be, it is due to illness. I am still not exactly okay. I was absolutely fine during those fourteen days. Now though, my body refuses to get back to normalcy. But it is not just the illness. 

Personally my opinion is that the journey continues to hold one in thrall because of the life threatening dangers one escaped due to sheer luck. I had decided that everyday I would spend a few minutes thinking of that travel. Well, I do not even have to look at any videos. The news every day is full of the Chardham Yatra.

Unfortunately, however, the news is always negative. The Yamunotri parents who lost their daughter in a split second to a landslide, the landslides at Janakichatti, at Gaurikund, at Sonprayag, the devotees complaining of the horse-wallahs, the terrible traffic jams sure to last hours on end, only wails and complaints one gets to hear whenever one tries to access the Chardham yatra news.

May be, hence, one cannot thank enough one's lucky stars that saved one from each one of these horrid terrifying horrors. At Yamunotri, there WAS a conscious attempt of the Indore variety. Even when I overcame it, there WERE conscious horse stampedes in the way of my pony. The incident at Kedarnath while waiting for  the special pooja, the Maan village incident, and many more, each time one felt as if people had accepted money for such unfair treatment, though it IS difficult, nay, almost impossible, to provide any proof for such bribing. Well, the company agent, who repeatedly said that 'everything is money game here' openly boasted that he "CAN reserve each and every palakhi in advance" if he so wished!

Just as I wonder at my own naivete in believing people, I cannot thank enough all that is Great, Good, Glorious in this infinite universe for making my journey so safe that storms, landslides, traffic jams, each and every thing that could go wrong, happened ONLY after I was happily and safely out of the venue.

Though such sad memories linger, they immediately vanish the moment one remembers the gorgeous Himalayas. My Himalayan journey was indeed a great, grand and gratifying success so much so that the minute I close my eyes, the beautiful sights/sites I captured moment by moment in my short term and long term memory re-emerge!

Beyond such sheer luck, what must be done to make the yatra memorable for everybody? First and foremost, the obvious corruption must be controlled. Shame on those who can be corrupt in such a scenario! Yet platitudes cannot be a genuine help in the real time world, right? The government must wake up to its duties. There have to be systemic changes.

First and foremost, there MUST be a control on the number of devotees allowed up the dangerous treks whose railings on the ravine sides must be rebuilt any number of times they break due to landslides, given the fragile ecology/geography of the region.

At the foot of, at the entrée point of all these divinities, strict government control must be exercised. Every 'yatri' going up must be identified, whichever mode (s)he chooses. The ghode-wallahs, the palakhi-wallahs, the pittu/kandi-wallahs who take the devotees up must be counted. The Aadhar cards of everybody up there in the mountain ranges must be with the authorities at the time they begin the trek up, and must be returned only when they return to that entry point. I am sure, such strict measures are taken for all the hiking/trekking expeditions, right? Why not here, too?

Thus the revellers who trek up for making reels/videos will be controlled.  People would know that there IS some check on, some observation of their behaviour. The moment the number is thus controlled, the narrow paths would stop being so dangerous. Should there be a very heavy entry fee? May be, yes. Thus, may be, people would stop thinking of "doing Kedar" et al as sheer time-pass!

The Himalayas are very young but very wise. The Divinity must not be tarnished due to irresponsible human behaviour!

Pratima@Unless such strict measures are put in to place, I WILL NOT recommend the Chardham Yatra to anyone 

Why not to eat?

 Just two days away from the Devshayani Aashadh Ekadashi on Sunday, tomorrow happens to be "Kande Navami". Beyond tomorrow, for four months, till Dev Diwali, we would not use either onions, brinjals, or garlic.

Aai was from Pandharpur. She felt rather strongly that the Chaturmas should be followed, and I always respected each of her opinions, every one of her structures/strictures. The tradition continues even now.

Why not to eat these veggies? In my opinion, the religious restrictions often are a way to avoid health hazards, especially according to the Ayurveda. These are the "tamasic" food items that alleviate the passions, it seems. It is believed that the "chaturmas" is health wise so unique that even the Lord goes off to sleep. So the "Devshayani Ekadashi". Hereafter, there is always a pillow behind the idol's nape!

I do not know enough, but onion, brinjal, and garlic increase the "vat" and the "kapha" "tatva" in the body which would be bothersome in the monsoon which, despite the global climate change, still happens to be from June to October.

Personally, I do not need such justifications. If a minor restriction honours the memory of my parents and their simple wishes, I have absolutely no issues following a practice! In a way, it sure adds finer contours to one's character, right?

Pratima@Restrictions are not a handcuff. Wherever we are, in the corporate office or in an academic space, we have to follow certain rules and regulations about our dress code, food patterns, et al. Why not follow them at home to please our elders in a simple way? Why not  not eat onions/garlic/brinjals for just four months, right?

Media Trial!

 I do know that this blog, risque in all senses of the term, may not exactly make me popular. Well, something within me says though, that it MUST be attempted. Yes, I am referring to the Sonam saga!

While it was getting unravelled, I was in the Himalayas. Hence the intensity of the danger,  may be, I can understand absolutely intimately. The treks and trails are so tough-n-dangerous that neither a supari-killer nor a pistol nor a hatchet is required, believe me, if you are keen on finishing off someone!

 Sure, many of the horrendous details of the case I would not know then. One IS quite cut off from such uglinesses, and, yes, one enjoys that grand feel the Himalayas provide in abundance, despite the obvious dangers constantly lurking around you everywhere!

Now, happily and safely back in Pune, with that story constantly being thrown in to one's face ( I am sure the frequency must be much less now!), I have been thinking 'through', rather than 'about', it. Nothing seems to make sense to me. Many, much much too many, doubts cloud my mind.

May be, I am too avid a reader of Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple and Vyomkesh Bakshi and Narayan Dharap, and types. Somehow though, it confuses me that the so-called double-dealer, the much vilified Sonam is not allowed a single word. It is all the police version, as reported by the media. Forget her legal denying it in the court.

Logically and/or psychologically, if she were indeed such a scheming vamp, would she commit such an obvious crime for which she clearly would be caught? Crime fiction tells us that she would be far more calculating, right? What possibly could be the motive which according to crime narratives drives the characters. NOTHING seems so very attractive about the so-called paramour, Raj, whose mother and sisters were crying their hearts out. They appeared very simple people, not possibly up to much artifice. Neither of the friends of either co-accused ever mentions any 'shadi'  and the 'second mangalsutra', et al 

Sure, I have not gotten in to all the finer details. The very contours of the roughly known narration appear very curious to me. Makes me wonder if "hawala" money or some business deals/interests etc is involved in the murder for which she is being scapegoated 

I find it equally curious that the dead husband is being projected as a saint, if not a god! His mother, unlike the so-called lover's poor mother, always appears on the screen with fancy danglers in her ears, and in good drapes! In the initial videos, she repeatedly says that punishment must be given to whosoever has done it! Indeed, is it business interests of either family that are the real culprits? Otherwise, the Oscar for excellent acting must go to Sonam this year.

Sure, it cannot be a love triangle. In many of the marriage videos, she appears very happy, participating actively in the rituals, too. That Raj fellow appears more an insignificant use-n-throw cog in the wheel, too. There IS something more to this mystery. Of course, I have not bothered to read the details, as I find the entire circus disgusting.

I think, the media are encroaching much too much in to private lives, and unthinkingly. With the tidbits thrown in by baseless gossip and the police, who, may be, want to keep their agenda under wraps, the media have already decided the plot, the culprits, the victim. Roles are too nicely-n-neatly distributed to appear authentic! 

Simple details like the dead body being carried away so far from the scene of crime, and that, too, in such a hilly terrain are difficult to unravel as the place has a proper secure bridge,too. Accountability and/or authenticity, in brief, does not seem to matter much to the media. Incidentally, the victim, too, was video-shot chatting with the perpetrators.

Without any fancy feminist positioning, one constantly gets the gnawing suspicion that there is something much more to this media trial. God alone knows what truths would tumble out during the actual court proceedings. Hope the media would report those aspects of their own current clumsy reporting of  scandal-mongering. They sure would, I suppose, but only if some other screaming headline were not to obsess them then.

Pratima@ Truth will be, and is, out, however much the powerful and the monied might try to push it under the carpet!