Last night we attended arti (prayer and chanting) on the river Godavari - one of the most sacred of rivers (like the Ganges) in Maharastra. If you remember and earlier blog, Nashik area is where Ram was in exile, and along with Lakshman and Ram's love, Sita, this river area is where Ram and Sita bathed and there are beautiful temples (too many to count) all around.
Down the street is the Panchvita - the five trees (they look like Banyan trees) that mark the area of Ram's stay here. Another significant event that happened here is that (hope I get this story right) here is where Lakshman (Ram's brother extraordinaire) cut off the demon Ravena's nose . Demon Ravena was disquised as a beautiful woman whose name we'll have to get later). The Sanskrit name for nose is Nasika - hence the city named Nashik (sometimes spelled Nasik). The demon was trying to distract Lakshman so he could get rid of Ram and kidnap Sita, which at some point he is successful. Lakshman's got Ram's back 24/7 and Sita too for that matter.
In entreprenurial fashion, we purchased the priviledge of touring the underground cave area where Sita was kept during the battles; and another diorama of the nose event and a replica of Ravena (UGH he has many heads) on his chariot.
Nashik is also preparing for many upcoming anniversaries - one being Rama's birthday next week. There were many festivities going on - I'm having trouble uploading pics from picasa right now, but bands were playing and women were dancing in the streets. Everyone was dressed up in sparkles and the mood was very festive. Many children spoke to me and wanted to shake my hand "like westerners do".
Thursday is a special day because it's the day the Gods of the house have their bath. Wow. Synapses were firing as I thought of the judgements people have about "idols" in Hinduism. I thought about how it would be if we did a similar thing for a statue of Jesus (maybe even a crucifix) or an abstract symbol for God like Shiva being represented as a stone - quite a meditation focus, no?
How personal washing is - remember the stories about Martha (or was it Mary) washing Jesus' feet? As I helped to bathe Sai Baba (he's one of the six or so), I remembered all of the people I have bathed - children mostly, but a few adults for one reason or another - illness, disability. You can't help but connect to them as a frail human just like you; then I thought of God-as-human-revealed-to-us (as we see Jesus and Hindu's see their Gods as coming down as humans to help us). Then, as we are all connected to God in some way (some say we have God in us).
I'm no philosopher, certainly no intellectual - but this was a very powerful. Try bathing someone - with intention. Think about their walk on this earth - how they're trying to get through it with meaning just like you. Think of the dirt on their feet (this is easier when you're in India) - the sweat from work; how you can make them feel better - cleaner, cared for, loved, respected. This is why they bathe their God.
Namaste
No comments:
Post a Comment