Blessings (Chap 6).

On 3 rd Oct 09, we had few hours free time in the morning. We decided to visit Ganga once more. Father, me and Vaishnavi were eager to bathe again while Mother, Bha and Sri chose to sit and watch. I swam for a while and Vaishnavi learnt few strokes of swimming.


Thereafter, we went on a boat ride in the river. It gives a great view of many ghats on the banks of the river, pilgrims taking bath in those ghats and many rituals being performed. Most of them are public bathing ghats, some are privately owned and in a few ghats like Harischandra and Manikarnika cremation takes place. One of the ghats that we saw was Narada Ghat where husband and wife are NOT supposed to bathe together. If they do so, it is believed that soon they will start quarelling even before they reach their home. I do not know what would happen if the husband and wife have been quarelling even before taking bath in Narada Ghat.
Mornings and evenings are ideal for a boat ride. Foreign visitors generally spend lot of time in the boats trying to satisfy their curiosity in the strange beliefs and rituals we perform. The normal boating charge is around Rs.100 per hour. However, they quote Rs500. If you can spend some time in bargaining and willing for a verbal duel, they scale down the rates. I had not utilized the guide and hence was able to hire a boat for Rs.200. The guides generally make us to pay around Rs.450. I guess, hefty share is flowing back to the guide and the host. After floating down the river for about 20 mins, they turn back. Boating up is very taxing, especially against heavy current, and takes about 40 mins.
After returning from the river, I went to the house of Sri Vishwanatha Sharma to offer my pranams. He is aged more than 90 years, bit hard in hearing, frail and a great scholar with fluency in Sanskrit and English. He complimented me for bringing my parents to Holy Kashi at their old age and remarked “You are a Noble Son…”. I was suddenly overcome with emotions. Thereafter, upon paying my respects, he blessed me in eloquent Sanskrit. I must say I was doubly happy for he not only blessed me but also did so in Sanskrit. I honestly felt that the blessing is worth all the trouble faced while taking the parents on a pilgrimage. Regarding fondness for blessings in Sanskrit, I must recall a story. It appears there was an illiterate person. He was fond of bowing before scholars and asking for blessings in Sanskrit. However, one scholar, desired to put an end to his insistence. Thus, once as soon as the illiterate person bent down too close to comfort and sought for blessings in Sanskrit, the scholar reportedly came up with this retort: मम वृषणौ तव शिरसि भवतः ।
(You need translation? Well, it means “My testicles are resting upon your head”)

Set to return: We finished packing. Took food at Vadiji’s house. At 11.30 am we were set to proceed to airport. The van which was to take us to airport failed to turn up. Since I had booked the van directly and the guide was deprived of his hefty commission, I guess he played the spoilsport. In any case, Shri Sharma immediately arranged an alternate vehicle. With narrow roads and busy traffic, the journey took longer than expected and we were just in time to board the plane back to Mumbai. We reached Mumbai around 4pm. We went to Kumara Bhava’s house. Later in the night he took us for another ride in the city and we traveled in the Bandra-Worli Sea link, a new landmark of Mumbai.

Back to Mangalore: On 4th Oct 09 Sunday morning, Kumara Bhava very thoughtfully took us to Bandra Kurla Complex where National Stock Exchange is situated. I saluted the imposing building. Thereafter he dropped us in Mumbai airport. Reached Mangalore at noon. My colleague Santhosh greeted with a broad smile and dropped us home. Later, parents took a bus to native place. Thus, the trip which is more like a dream came to an end. Once in Mangalore, the bliss experienced in Varanasi gave way to the hard realities of life.
I must quote from Garuda Purana [Verse 6-26]
गर्भे व्याधौ श्मशाने च पुराणे या मतिर्भावेत ।
सा यदि स्थिरतां याति को न मुच्येत बंधनात ॥
(The feelings one get while in mother’s womb, or during illness, or at cremation place or while listening to religious discourses, if remain permanent, every one would have attained Moksha easily) .
My colleague Ramakrishnayya sent the following sms which is echoing in me ever since.
भगवता विश्वेश्वरेण भवान पुनरपि अनुग्रहीत: ।
(You are once again blessed by Lord Vishveshwara !)