GOING BACK IN TIME…..
It is late evening. Mom, Dad, my brother and I get into our
Ambassador car. I look out through the window and to my delight, I see a star
spangled sky..Not even an inch of the sky is left empty. It looks more like a
Silver Star spangled carpet. Adorning it is the moon in all its glory, looming
large. The moon is my friend. Somehow to my lonely 5 year old self, and to my
vivid imagination, I always envisage a bunny rabbit snuggled well inside the
moon. The bunny too is my buddy.
As my Dad drives, the moon seems to be following our car and
I gaze at it in wide eyed wonder. As Dad drives out through the outskirts of
the little town of Kovilpatti, towards an ancient hill temple nestled atop a
nearby hillock, Kurumalai, I can hear Mom ranting on about my sister who is in
a hostel at Nagercoil, pursuing her studies. Dad drives on silently. I watch my
brother snoring away peacefully; it has been a long day for him at the school,
what with NCC Camp, hockey practice and so on.
It is dark outside, except for the moon beams illumining our
way. Dad drives on towards an unmanned railway station. This particular station
holds a lot of mystery, intrigue and fear to my childlike mind. What if a train
came hurtling by as we were about to cross the rails? I shuddered at the
thought. Well, my dad is fearless and strong, he would guide us away from all
danger, and my trusting mind assured me.
The breeze picks up speed as we drive up the brief yet steep
hillock. I hug myself... brrr… it is very cold and chilly and the wind whips at
us, as we tumble out of the car, my brother and I. Dad parks the car and we
walk towards the ancient Shiva temple, that remains bathed in silvery moonlight.
We come here every month on full moon day; the chief priest at this temple, the
“siddhan” as mom calls him is treating her holistically to cure her of asthma
which has been ravaging her thin frail body for ages. Thanks to him, to a large
extent, the treatment has been successful and her asthma attacks have become
few and far between. The siddhan combines faith healing, spirituality and
naturopathy to treat several patients who come to him for remedy and solace.
Inside the temple precincts, I bow down to my favorite deity
Lord Shiva. As the night deepens, the wind picks up velocity and blows hard,
freezing and chilling me to my bones. A willowy, wisp of a kid that I am, I
half expect to be blown down the hillock pretty soon. I imagine myself hurtling
down the dark brooding hill, and an icy tendril of fear travels down my spine.
My Mom gives me a nudge and I am broken out of my reverie.
Within the temple, on the right hand corner, there is a well
with ice cold water and everyone is required to either bathe in this ice cold
water or at the very least, wash the hands and feet with the water from the
well .Dad draws up some water and beckons to me. I tenderly dip a finger into
the bucket. OUCH! My brother pours some water over my legs and I howl and screech
in protest.
My mom shushes me, and I look on in horror as a bevy of
ladies walk briskly up to the well, draw up icy cold water and without batting
an eyelid, and pour it over their heads!
The strident ringing of the temple bells has my attention
diverted and I pray in obeisance and devotion. The whole temple is lined with
camphor and they are all lit at the same time, and this exudes an aura of the
whole temple being on fire. I feel awed and terrified at the same time, by the
continued chiming of the huge temple bells and the lamps and camphor lines
being all lit at the same time... I feel as if all my senses have been brought
to a point of total awareness and my hair stands on end. The chilly wind
continues its assault and I cow down behind Mom in fear and trepidation.
Some of the devotees sway in a rhythmic dance as the bells
continues to chime and arathi is done. The fumes from the arathi assault my
nostrils and I feel as if I would drown myself in the smoke and flames arising
all around us. This is repeated at each sanctum sanctorum of the deities
presiding in the temple, mainly in front of Lord Shiva’s and Goddess
Parvathi’s. The noise ascends to a deafening crescendo as we approach the
Goddess’s sanctorum. As I watch in wide eyed wonder, the full moon in all her
glory comes in line with the abode of the Goddess and I can see Devi’s nose
stud glittering in the dark.
Years later, I still remember and cherish the ethereal
beauty and the tantric ambiance created by the Siddhan. Finally, it is time to
go home. Mom takes consultation from the siddhan who gives her some dried herbs
and twigs to partake daily, and also some prasadam .Eyes heavy with sleep, we clamber back in
to the car. I look out and I see the moon with its bunny inside smiling down
cheerily at me, assuring me that it will follow me back home. I smile back and
bid a silent good bye to the now silent hillock that is the abode of the Lord
and His Divine Consort, and I am sure they would continue their cosmic dance in
peace and solitude.
Very well described, but not able to carry anything...was expecting some twist in the end, so that could be the reason, otherwise well said lovely english, everyone can understand....nice story telling....I think you should attempt a Novel...
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