Kashi Yatre

KASHI YATRE

Preface: My mother Saraswathi (aged 62 years) had a wish of many years to visit holy Kashi and take dip in river Ganga. She was not keen to visit other places like Gaya, Prayaga or Ayodhya. However, I could not take her there due to many reasons viz., her failing health, inability to undertake a trip of many days as it happens in expensive package tour etc. Finally, I decided that I will take her on a trip from Mangalore to Kashi (also known as Varanasi) and back by train. The journey started from Mangalore at midnight on 8.12.2006 and we were back here on midnight of 13.12.2006. The following is a brief account of the said trip.

“Kathi Kavayaha Kathi Kruthayaha”{How many poets! How many poems!} wondered 17 the century Sanskrit poet Neelakanta Deekshitha. Similarly, is there a need for one more travel account when many people have already written and published books about the glorious Kashi ? I convinced that I must write to encourage those who desire to go there but not gone yet. If any of our havyaka members in google group actually benefit, however insignificant it may be, I would be glad.

Ticket booking: On the night of 25th November I checked the Indian railway and IRCTC websites to locate the trains and availability of tickets. As no internet bookings are allowed on the said sites during late night, I woke up early the next day and booked onward and return tickets over net.
Date From Leaving time To Scheduled Reaching time Name of Train
9.12.06 Sat (Kankanady)00:30 am Mumbai, LTT 16:40 Hrs Nethravathi Exp
10.12.06 Sun Mumbai, CST 00:10 am Varanasi Jn 04:30 Hrs/11.12.06Mahanagari Exp
11.12.06Mon Varanasi Jn 23:10 pm Mumbai, Kalyan Jn 02:45 am/13.12.06 MFP-LTT Pawan
13.12.06 Wed Kalyan Jn 08:50 am Kankanady 00:30 am/14.12.06 Mangala Lakshadweep

The return tickets were confirmed whereas the onward tickets were in the waiting list. I was confident that the same would get confirmed before the start of journey.

For stay at Kashi: I was told that one Mysore Vishwanatha Sharma stays at Kashi and he caters to the needs of visitors from Karnataka. I spoke to his land line number 0542-2275291. His son Kedar Sharma answered and spoke in Kannada and ascertained my requirement. He agreed to arrange a person to receive us at the Railway station, book a room at a decent lodge, arrangements for Ganga snana and a boat trip in Ganga, Darshana of Lord Vishwanatha and Vishalakshi, and other few temples. He also assured us south Indian food at a nearby mess and drop to railway station in the night. He also provided his mobile number 09450546017 and his brother Prasanna Kumar’s number 09415303222.



Preparations for travel: I prefer to travel light and my mother- lighter. Hence, there were only two bags. I stuffed my preferred companions i.e., books. Vishnu Sahasranama, Lalitha Sahasranama, Veda Kusumanjali and Shathavadhani R Ganesh’s book on Shathakatraya of Neelakantha Deekshitha.

Lord Vishnu is described as “Bhayakruth Bhaya nashanaha”, i.e. one who instills fear and then removes the same. From my own experience, I have found that a faithful rendering of Vishnu sahasranam enables one to overcome many a hurdles.
Although I have been reciting Lalitha Sahasranam for some time, I wanted read the Bhashya (commentary) on that and hence took that book.
I wanted to chant Rudra (Om namo bhagavathe rudraya..) at Kashi. Although I was taught the above mantra at Madhur during Veda learning many years back, I needed book for comfort.
R Ganesh’s book is a must read for those who want to enjoy the master piece of sharp witted poet Neelakantha Deekshitha. The book contains 3 parts: Sabha ranjana shathaka, Kali vidambana shathaka (ridiculing the happenings of Kaliyuga) and Vairagya Shathaka.

The travel: My one worry got resolved as the ticket from Mangalore to Mumbai got confirmed. We reached Mumbai 3 hours late. My relative Kumaraswami who is working for BPCL in a very senior position and his wife received us at Kurla station and took us to their quarters. After refreshing, good supper and packet of Chapathi’s for next day they dropped us at Mumbai CST. To my horror, I realized that my tickets were on waiting list 1&2 and had not got confirmed.

The resolve: It was midnight in an alien place Mumbai with a huge crowd trying to board Mahanagari express and I was stuck with my old mother and an unconfirmed AC railway ticket. I explained the situation as calmly as possible to mother. I told her the available options are:
Cancel the ticket and return home
Travel in unreserved or general compartment.
Get into the reserved compartment and see what happens.

We took the 3rd option. I calculated that, since my mother looked feeble, we are unlikely to be pushed out of the compartment. Further, we were satisfied just to travel and not concerned about the lack of comforts. The ticket examiners informed me that it is incorrect to board the train but realizing our predicament did not take any harsh measures.

At Kashi or Varanasi Junction one Santhosh received us. He took us in an auto to the Balananda Ashram near Hanuman Ghat. Enroute we saw that even before sunrise the vegetable market were abuzz with lot of activity. After a brief rest in the lodge, he took us to Holy Ganga. I was not sure whether I will dip in Ganga, thinking about the polluted water. Gladly, the water looked better than I feared and took dips merrily one each for dear ones. Later we visited the house of Mysore Vishwanatha Sharma. His son Prasanna kumar welcomed us. He suggested to take boat trip down the river and to see various ghats. Next we visited Vishwanatha Temple and saw the brutalities of Aurangazeb.