Monday, August 25, 2008

Goverdhan Parikrama

“Enervating” is an adjective, which I think, will aptly describe my parikrama around the Goverdhan Hill on the eve of Janmastami. I have trekked 36 kms in 30 hrs (to Gomukh from Gangotri & back), cycled 22kms in 40 minutes (ring road of Rourkela) but never ever I experienced this type of physical exhaustion like I did yesterday. But I must say it was worth going. When Datta asked me on Saturday afternoon if I were interested in coming for Parikrama, “Yes” was my immediate reply. I was more excited about the adventure part rather than the spiritual part. Although the old cliché says that “Two is a company and three is a crowd” I asked Praveen if wanted to come. Surprisingly he replied in the affirmative. So the regular Sunday Cricket match of our department was cancelled with immediate effect and was communicated to concerned persons. After dinner, we started out around 8.30pm from Refinery Township. Datta was in his own bike while I rode pillion to Praveen’s. It was the very first time I was visiting Goverdhan. Looking at the traffic on the link road to Goverdhan from NH-2, we could guess that it will be crowded night. We started our parikrama with a visit to the Girraj Temple. The parikrama path starts just in front of this temple. The path was full of devotees. Some were walking, some were rolling on the ground (People say it takes months to complete the 21 km stretch like this.) Along the road you will find a lot of beggars asking you for money, food and what ever you could afford to give. There are also a lot of small shops along the roads selling coins (People may not use 25 paise coins any where else but here it sells like hot cake.) Along the path you will meet a wide variety of people some very old and some very young all walking with the same aim to complete the parikrama. Those who couldn’t walk used rickshaw trolleys for their journey. Couples were walking hand in hand (hopefully promising each other their company till death). There are a number of tea stalls along the path to provide refreshments if necessary. Tired people rest and some even manage to sleep on the chairs. The whole parikrama path is in the shape of the number 8. The first circle is of the circumference 12kms and second one is about 9kms.We completed the first 12kms quiet easily in 2.5hrs without any stoppages. The first circle will bring you back to Goverdhan town, where you started. We decided to take a break get refreshed and start again. By then aching on feet and leg had already started (it has been years I took a walk on naked feet). After taking some tasteless tea and a break of 45 minutes we decided to start again. The moment I stood up I knew that the next 9kms will not be easy. It was already 1 o’clock in the early hours of Sunday. Anyhow we managed to start. Dutta was faster then I and Praveen. After walking for another 1 hours we couldn’t take it anymore. We took another brief rest near a temple just before Radhakund. I felt like sleeping on the floor of the temple. The empty trolleys and vehicle were very tempting. I even suggested to Praveen that we should ride back to Goverdhan on one of the tractors. He said we should finish by walking only. 15-20 minutes later we started again. On the way we luckily found a Paanwala, chewed a few pieces of paan to keep us engaged along the way. After another 1 hour we rested again in Radhakund. Walking after that caused unbearable pain. But I realized that devotees who were chanting God’s name some how generated more enthusiasm to walk and bear the pain. Anyhow we managed to complete the parikarma. It ended with a Darshan to a temple (not the one where we started). There was a huge pool of water. Devotees took bath before visiting the temple. After that we rested in Goverdhan for about an hour before starting for Mathura at around 5 AM. The ride back to Mathura was horrible. I almost slept riding pillion to Dutta. All along the way he kept waking me up from my sleep. When we reached Mathura people had already started coming for Janmastami. Back in my room I slept like a log, till a phone call from a friend woke me up.

In retrospection I found the whole Parikrama had a striking similarity with our lives. We all live our lives with different goals but same destination. We meet different types of people along the way, some stays with us forever, some meet us for a few moment. But each of them leaves behind their impressions on our lives. The small shops along the path selling refreshments are like short term success. It surely gives us relief and happiness but that is not our goals. We have to keep on working hard to achieve our ultimate goals. The pains we bear are like difficulties in our lives. The certainly will cause uneasiness but it will make us stronger. The trolleys pulling people around the parikrama path, may be analogous to the shortcuts we take in lives to avoid problems. They will no doubt get things done easier but ultimately you miss the experience which could make you a richer person. Moreover chanting Almighty’s name eases your pain, same is the case in our lives. It gives you immense strength to carry on.
Ironically, at the end of the whole affair, I enjoyed the spiritual part more than the adventure part.

Happy Janmasthami.

rabindra-
24-Aug-2008
Note: Goverdhan is the mythological hill that lord Krishna carried on his finger tip to save Mathura from incessant rain.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Prologue


A man (I hope woman too), would do anything to kill TIME (“SOLITUDE” will be more appropriate in my case). Though writing was never my hobby, I was inspired by the recent craze about blogging. Especially after some famous movie celebrities decided to go public with their personal lives and our media person were quick to seize the opportunity to earn some quick bucks by publishing the details. Although I do not blame them (after all it’s their bread and butter), they could divert their energy and tremendous potential to more constructive causes. India as a country has enough problem to worry about then to think over Mr. Bacchhan’s lost baggage or his war of words with Mr.Sinha. Coming back to my writing…should I say typing (I hardly use a pen these days)...I thought over it many times before...even during college days. One of my aunts had also suggested me to write down thoughts in case I feel lonely. But I was lazy enough to never attempt writing (now onwards consider writing and typing as synonyms). Till date what ever I have written had the sole purpose of getting some marks to clear the numerous examinations (read hurdles) that I had to clear (cross) before I became a graduate engineer. And in that writings too mathematical expressions and numbers were more frequent than ornamental paragraphs. This was the reason why I had scored more than 90% in Mathematics but a paltry 65 % in Oriya in class 10th exam. As a novice in this field, I thought that I would be nice if I could get a feedback from my dear friends (who I miss so much). That’s when the idea of blogging came into my mind. Although I never aspire my blog to be as famous as Mr. Bacchhan’s and discussed among the so called Page-3 public, but I desire that some of my friends, who matter more to me than Page-3 public, take time off their busy schedule, if possible, to browse through my blog and give their opinion on my writing as well my points of views. I honestly hope they would do that.

Now, after I decided to blog than another dilemma arises…..what to write about. Coming back to my aunt’s suggestion to write about my thoughts, I would love to do that and most of the times I will do that. But thoughts would come to your mind only if you think. I hardly ever thought about anything that didn’t affect me are anyone I know. But there are many issues that can be discussed and thought over. And if you think deeply about anything, than I bet you will be a much richer person (in terms intellectual property….don’t worry. No government in this world has levied tax on this type of property till now). Thinking as well as writing your thoughts down will also broadens your view points. I also choose writing as it is easier way to spread your thought. You can give as much time as you want to write down your thought and correct as many times as you can till you are satisfied with the content. More over it has an intangible benefit by improving your English vocabulary and grammar. I have been trying to learn it since last 15 - 16 years and yet to maser it. I think enough has been written about the background happenings that made this blog a reality. Now I should divert some of my time to think something to write about in my next post.

But before I do that, I would like to use this opportunity to thank few people / things / corporation who have made blogging (writing, typing…what ever you like to call it) for me a little bit easier. First of all I would like to thank my parents, elder sister and teachers, who provided me education so that I could read and write well (and well enough to share it). My aunt, who had first suggested writing to me. Mr. Bill Gates and his colleagues as well as ex-colleagues at Microsoft Corporation, for developing such wonderful tool as MS Word (which acts as a guide and offers immediately, a correction to my mistakes. MS Excel is equally helpful in office). Indian Oil Corporation, who gave me a loan to buy a laptop, provided me electricity (at a nominal charge of Rs. 16.00 per month) and free access to internet. Numerous books, newspaper articles, their authors as well as publishers for broadening my knowledge so that I can pen down my own thoughts. I would like to thank GOD, for giving me the determination and opportunity to write. I would also like to thank all my friends who have been a part of my life ever since we met and helped me to be the person I am. Last but not the least; I would like to thank and congratulate myself for taking so much pain and spending so much time (which I could religiously use, without any guilt, to doze off…) to write down my thoughts.

I hope I shall develop my writing habit and keep on updating my blog….consistently.

With love
rabindra:

A word of caution: Everything I have written/shall write is/shall be just a personal opinion. I never intend to hurt anybody’s sentiments, intentionally or otherwise.

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