The Rhythm of Divinity - Part VI
The sacred Ganga flows through several cities and has made each one of them holy. Cities like Haridwar, Varanasi, and Prayagraj are the most popular among them. Varanasi is perhaps the holiest city located on a riverbank. This eternal city is very old. It is the home to the Banaras Hindu University which was founded by Pundit Madanmohan Malwiya and Kasi Vishwanath Temple which is among the twelve Jyotirlinga Kshetrams. The Maratha Queen, Ahilyabai Holkar had contributed enormously to this temple.
The temples of Bhairav and Hanuman have stood against time. Pilgrims visiting Varanasi are ever keen to watch the glorious Ganga Arati. This place is said to offer salvation. Therefore, a huge number of people wish to spend their last days on the banks of river Ganga at Varanasi. Sant Kabir decided to move away from this sacred spot during his advanced stage, he had wanted his good karma to offer him salvation. A bath in Ganga was said to clear the sins of a lifetime. The pious and the devout visit the Ganga at Varanasi in order to clean up their part. Therefore, the Ganga at Varanasi was eternally a busy junction.
Once upon a time, Parvati and Shiva were looking at the ghats and the river at Kasi. They found a number of people taking a holy dip in the waters of the Ganga. The one’s who had completed their bath looked relieved for they believed that they had been purged. Mother Parvati and Lord Shiva were wondering if the pilgrims believed in their own actions. They began to observe the ghats and the river closely with the earnest hope that something would be discovered.
Suddenly, an elderly lady who was smeared with turmeric all over her person began to scream for help. This drew the attention of many people and they moved towards her. The Dheerga Sumangali was in tears while telling them that her husband had been caught by a crocodile in the river. The dark-complexioned lady was glowing additionally due to the presence of the bright Sindur on her forehead. A number of people decided to jump into the river and save her husband.
The lady addressed the helpers, “Your help is welcome on one condition. People loaded with sins cannot help my husband.” Immediately, all of them withdrew. But there was this one boy who ran into the river in spite of this warning. He caught hold of the old man, extricated him from the crocodile and brought him back to the banks. While the old lady looked immensely pleased, the rest of the crowd looked puzzled.
One of them went up to the lad and asked him, if he had ever sinned. The answer was a “yes” from the lad. Then another wondered how a sinner could save the old man for it had been declared that a person free of sins could only help. Pat came the reply from the lad, “Yes, I'm aware of the condition and have sinned in the past. However, i believe that a dip in the river Ganga would purify me. Therefore, i got purified the moment i dived into the river and this gave me the energy to save the old man.”
The puzzled devotees got their clarity and they were surprised to notice that the stately couple were missing from there. The old lady and her husband were none other than Mother Parvati and her spouse Lord Vishwanath. This historic incident drove home a very good point and it is holding good even today. A dip in the river Ganga at Varanasi is more than mere just a ritual for it is based on faith and belief. Our forefathers had acquired wisdom even before the rest of the world began to get smart and intelligent. This eternal wisdom has been the basis for our survival.
India that is Bharat and its people have been in love with the river Ganga since time immemorial. The sacred waters of the divine mother Ganga have enriched the lives of every Indian whole also offering salvation as a blessing. The great river Ganga is the soul-mate of the oldest civilization in the world.
Devi Annapoorneshwari resides in Kasi and she feeds the entire universe. Visitors to this holy city would offer their prayers to this giver of plenty. She is said to offer food to Lord Pashupathi. Come Diwali and the shrine of Annapoorneshwari would be decked with Laddus and the same would be offered to the devotees coming to the temple. The Laddu from the shrine of the universal provider, Maata Annapoorneshwari is considered to be auspicious by the faithful. Devotees returning home from Varanasi would carry an icon of Annapoorneshwari. The Holy mother would be carrying a pot full of freshly cooked rice. This Vigraham of her would be placed in a tiny plate full of raw rice. The ladies of the household would add this raw rice to their cooking pot. Once in a way this practice was done with the full faith that the blessings of Annapoorneshwari and Viswanath would be present in the rice.
