||Aum Sri Ramakrishna
Sharanam||
Aum Namo Narayanaya
Boat to Benares
 |
| Sunrise at Varanasi- google images |
With much trepidation I
stepped out into the narrow, grey and chilly alleyway, as I proceeded to the
pavement where animals were scattering on account of the increasing pedestrian
traffic. There was a sense of urgency in the gait of everyone but that did not
deter many making a brief pit stop at the chaiwala who enticed the lot by
waving his urn filled with strongly brewed chai. The exchange was brief though,
2 to 3 swigs and the cup was disposed, upon which the journey resumed. It felt
like we were all hypnotised by the notes of the pied piper, a mass migration of
sorts to one part of the city. It was not long before hundreds if not thousands
from their different pathways arrived upon the ancients ghats. There she was in
all her majesty embracing one of the oldest cities in the world, Mother Ganga.
It was to seek her compassion and blessing in bounty at the auspicious sunrise
that so many fled their homes to the Ghats.
Standing tall within the
premium inches on the ghats which are sanctified and hallowed by the touch of
great and enlightened saints and sages, it’s not long before a wave of
solemnness engulfed the banks. Cupping small amounts of water for purification
we all then joined our hands together eyes fixated on the horizon in
anticipation of the sun's arrival. This was no flash-mob but a morning
regime that inspired hope, confidence and contentment in thousands by placing
God at the centre of their beings. That has been the life-buoy of India,
through all her difficulties God is always the first port of call. I recall
Swami Vivekananda who said: "Hidden under the ashes of apparent
death, the fire of our national life is yet smouldering and... the life of this
nation is religion, its language religion, and its idea religion. If you succeed
in the attempt to throw off your religion and take up either politics, or
society, or any other things as your centre, as the vitality of your national
life, the result will be that you will become extinct.”
With the mind deeply lost in
contemplation, time seemed irrelevant, a deep connection was negotiated between
the earth and heaven by the coursing river. In that moment all differences
dissolved and just the vastness and nothingness felt real and then the striking
glow of the sun started to claw the mind back in. The rising ball humbled the
assembled and in an instant they all bowed their head in reverence ceding all
superiority to the divine. The sun now seated on the throne in the horizon
signalled the start of the secular day. My moment of beating with the pulse
of India faded with the post midnight darkness. The sun convincingly identified
me as an inquisitive tourist who was togged and kitted with a Bisleri in one
hand for the morning cruise on the river.
My tour guide made conscious
gestures to lure me towards the chartered vessel lest I remain lost in the
bustling assemblage. It was a modest craft powered by 2 oars. My disquieted
gaze immediately prompted a response from the oarsman who reassured me through
head and hand gestures that he had floated heavier people along the Ganga
before. As I stepped on board and occupied my seat, the boat set off with some
melodious singing by the oarsman. His singing was set to music by boat cutting
through the murky waters.
As the boat made its way from
one end to the other, I received a panoramic view of the city from the other
bank. It's such a disruptive scene from what I thought would be a seamless run.
The view from this side was grim and sulky for the untrained mind. The entire
stretch was consumed by cremation grounds. It was a vulgar contradiction that
convulsed me into utter bewilderment at how a city teeming with the stench of
death can at the same be the epi-centre of bliss and peace. Varanasi or Benares
is the terminus station, it's where millions have come to cast off their bodies
yet in the very cold face of death everyone adorns a smile and maintains their
humanity. Here for certain death is the kind and friendly version!!!
There is space for research
and investigation here because to the rest of the world death manifests as the
most feared concept so much so that multibillion-dollar industries have thrived
making people believe they can fool the inevitable. From tonics, medical
procedures, apparatus, miracle crusades -you name it- have had the attention of
the world, even extracting substantial financial resources from people but to
no avail eventually.
Today, as this blog is being
penned - the world is being harassed and tormented by a very micro form of
death which ironically within weeks has the entire world in a shut-down. It is
not possible to conceive that in the 21st century, not an army or an arsenal of
weapons but a microbe has literally brought the globe to a standstill. Death
seems to be roaming unleashed upon the earth with many countries succumbing to
the virus with lots of fatalities.
But as I pointed out above,
humans have this inherent fear of death, but when placed in a crisis we start
to see the extremity of this fear is so great that peoples actions start to
defy rationality and logic. When governments of the world ordered a lockdown to
create social isolation, it was with the intention to flatten the curve and
ensure the containment and spread of the virus to prevent deaths, yet people in
the fear of running out of food and dying defy the lockdown and gather in large
numbers at supermarkets and stores for long periods to get supplies. This
social interaction is counter to the aims and efforts to flatten the curve and
brings people closer and in direct contact with infection.
Whilst this pandemic is
ravaging the world Hindus are observing Ramayan Week and in the course of this
great scripture we come across an episode where Sri Rama's brother
inscribed what is known as a Lakshman Rekha around the homestead and instructed
Mother Sita not to cross the line for her own safety. We are all aware of the
danger and hardship the Mother had to face when she defied the order. This
valuable lesson is very apt and relevant to us now.
Governments have ordered a
lock down for our own safety. Please adhere to this call for the preservation
of your own life and the rest of the country. Stay at home!!!! Be
responsible!!! Grab this opportunity to take an intrepid journey inwards, to
explore the uncharted territories of the universe within. In this journey you
could find that great amounts of joy can be found in the simplest of things
like a nice cup of tea in your own garden, or playing with your pet than in the
rat race you are used to pursuing. Bring God back to the centre of your life so
that He can bear the weight of your burdens, thus freeing you to adorn your
smile and sail to Benares because death is a friendly citizen there!!!
With
love and prayers always!!!
Yogan
Naidoo
