“What you are is God’s gift to you, what you become is your gift to God.”
Hans Urs von Balthasar
My year-and-a-half travel writing journey has taken me to popular destinations and places people haven’t heard of. While unearthing travel treasures, I have come across cultural experiences that weave a character into these destinations. The ‘InWords’ series seeks to look inward and talks of the culture around a place. I will publish it on the first Saturday of every month, and I start the series with ‘Connecting with the Divine’.
Connecting with the Divine
The capture above is from the Panchavati Ghat (a riverbank with five Arjun trees) at Bhedaghat, 25 km from Jabalpur city in the heart of Madhya Pradesh, India. Narmada, a life-giving perennial river with its origins in Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, surrounds the city on three sides and creates varied vistas at different sites. Bhedaghat is famous for the Marble Rock mountains through which the mighty Narmada flows.
In the central and northern states of India, Shiva is a much-loved deity, easy to please. One can find him in homes, on street corners, under a tree, on river banks and small and large temples. Bhole-baba or Bholenath is the name used by his devotees, which means ‘One who is innocent and down-to-earth’. He is the Lord of simple people, ready to shower his blessings without complex rituals.
A prayer and an offering
Offering water and Bel (Wood Apple) leaves to the Linga (phallic symbol representing Shiva) is a practice of the devout since time immemorial. A devotee in the image is conducting this simple ritual of offering the Narmada water to the Shivaling on the banks and praying for his well being. A Nandi bull sits in witness to this heartfelt devotion and recital of the sacred mantra ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, meaning I bow to Shiva.
Panchavati Ghat is a place with a legend from the Hindu epic, Ramayana. The belief is Lord Rama had halted here during his 14-year exile. And since Lord Rama is a devotee of Shiva, performing this ritual here has huge significance.
