Reaching Varanasi (Chap 3)

In the last 2 postings you have read about Kashi, my plan to visit the said holy place, how the travel got aborted initially and how the trip was miraculously saved at the last minute.
Let us proceed further.

On the early morning of Wednesday, the 30th Sept 09, parents came from my native place by bus. Mother was shivering with cold and father was pale as he could not bring required money for expenditure and the ATM card he had was long expired.

We kept our luggage as light as possible by stuffing all our items in 8 handbags. Daughters took their dress and other items in their school bags and also enthusiastically carried the bags of their grand parents.

We reached Bajpe airport by 9.45 am. I was keen to explain father and daughters, who were curious on their maiden air travel, the normal sequence of check in, filling baggage tags and collecting boarding card etc. However, I could not do so due to unusual rush and also that I needed some modification in the tickets. Frankly, I was tense due to the ongoing strike of pilots and there was no signs of its ending in the near future.

Shortly, we got the first good news that the strike in Air India has been called off. Thereafter, we proceeded to security check, got our hand bags screened and boarded IX 302 to Mumbai. My friend arranged an entire row of 3+3 seats in the plane. Shortly the flight was airborne. Father and Daughters were busy looking out. Mother was oblivious to happenings outside and was focused on her final destination. Daughters quickly observed that the land below looks like Wikimapia!. I began reading my customary “Vishnu Sahasranama” and “Soundarya Lahari” and Bharathi followed soon by reading “Lalitha Sahasranama”. Refreshments were served and soon we landed in Mumbai Sahara (as the flight had originated from Gulf). Got into a taxi and reached Kumarabhava’s quarters in Chembur Camp.

In the evening, after his return from office, Kumara bhava took us in his car for a city tour. Devi akka and Mother stayed back. Bhava showed us India Govt Mint and RBI. I respectfully bowed on sighting the Bombay Stock Exchange Building {as a mark of gratitude for whatever knowledge that I accumulated about shares}, a host of other buildings and ‘land marks’, Gate way of India, Hotel Taj, Marine Drive, Malabar Hills, Pali Hills etc.

On the morning of Thursday, Ist October, he dropped us well in time at Santacruz. Here I could give a boring lecture to father and daughters about the process of check in. We were delighted to see innumerable landings and take offs in the runway. We soon boarded IC195 which left Mumbai at 9.45am. I chanted ‘Ganapathi Atharvasheersha’, ‘Durgasooktha’, ‘Laghunyasa’, ‘Rudra’, ‘Chamaka’ ‘Devi, Medha, Brahma and Shraddha Sookthas’ enroute. There was a brief stop over at Chaudhuri Charan Singh airport at Lucknow. Our next destination was Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport at Babatpur, Varanasi. Babatpur is about 26 kms from Varanasi {towards Lucknow}.
Proceeding further, at about 1 pm we landed at Babatpur, Varanasi.
An apt verse from SHIVAAPARADHA KSHAMAPANA STOTRA
आयु: नश्यति पश्यतां प्रतिदिनं याति क्षयं यौवनं
प्रत्यायन्ति गता: पुन: न दिवसा: कालो जगद्भक्षकः ।
लक्ष्मी: तोय तरंग भंग चपला विद्युत्च्छलं जीवितं
तस्मात् मां शरणागतं करुणया त्व रक्ष रक्षाधुना ॥
[On each passing day, our longevity gets reduced and the Youth passes. The day’s bygone does not come again. Wealth is not permanent. Life is short. Therefore, O lord, kindly save me, save me]