A Holy Trip on a HOLI Moonlit Cool pleasant Night
Author : C.P. Hariharan
E mail id : cphari_04@yahoo.co.in
We had never planned a trip to Govardhan - Mathura. It was just a bolt from the blue when one of our family friends told us that they are planning pilgrimage to Govardhan shortly to do parikrama on the moonlit night prior to Holi. Even though, he initially nodded to our interest for visiting the place, later he said seats in the cab are already filled. But,fortunately he called us again to confirm our seats as some people had cancelled the tickets. At last, we got the RAC confirmed.
It was God’s will that we should also participate in the spiritual pursuit. We did not get sufficient time to plan anything as other devotees who would usually make up their mind regarding the list of things they wished to materialize by resorting to spiritual pursuit and such kind of meditations.
When the coordinators said that we will have to walk 24 KMs, we, in fact, had lost all the hopes and we were just wondering whether it would be possible for us to tread by foot to cover such a long distance. It is really a bit difficult task for those who are not accustomed to walking even a KM.
The cab carrying us started at 5.15 PM and we reached Govardhan by 9 PM after having dinner on the way at around 8.30PM at Vrindhavan. It was about half an hour more drive after dinner as there was 20 KMs (12 miles ) distance to be covered from vrindhavan to reach Govarhdan.
We were supposed to do three pranams on the entrance of the roads before embarking on Parikrama.
We started our parikrama at 9.30 PM and finished our first round by 11.45PM, not even knowing that this was the bigger round of 12 KM. We took a 15 minutes tea break and resumed our second innings of 9 KMs and felt like manna dropping from heaven when we came to know that it was going to be a smaller round of 9 KMs only. Our enthusiasm knew no bounds .We heaved a sigh of relief. Our confidence doubled. We felt that if we can walk 12 KMs, we can definitely walk 9 more KMs rather easily. Psychologically we were feeling very comfortable.
Parikrama roads were meant for doing parikrama only. Hence, there was hardly any traffic. Some families with children use “Telas’ to make the round as children below age five cannot walk.
We had only heard about Govardhan. Being night, mountain range was not so visible even if it was a moonlit night. Even if, we could see mountain range in some places, in some other places mountains were not so visible since there were so many buildings which stood as obstacles. They looked like Kolkata like Galies (Narrow corridor like roads).
In some places, there were broad roads with dried mud foot path which was soothing for the feet on a cool pleasant night.
Many people were seen chanting “Radhey, Radhey”.
There are so many temples there. Some of them are commercial.
We could see so many widows who were begging with a mug. Even though, thousands of people were doing parikrama, only very few bothered to extend some alms to those beggars. They were awake at night specifically to do their business of begging. Some of them were even sleeping. Whether they were real beggars or were just acting we could not judge anything. Since there were hundred and odd beggars, whom to extend alms was also a challenge .Hence, we extended alms to a widow sitting on the wayside alone as one cannot show partiality to those who are sitting in a group.
There were vendors selling bangles, chains and a variety of cosmetics. Some vendors were sleeping keeping the shops open. Some were selling “Dhooth Pedas”. There were plenty of tea stalls. They were awake for the whole night. One can also measure one’s weight on paying Rs.10/. Many of those talking machines could be seen.
Since we were walking in a group, we did not feel the pinch of walking. First round was very soothing as we did not take rest in between even if chairs were kept in front of so many tea stalls on the waysides. Our enthusiasm knew no bounds. When we resumed the second innings, we felt bit tiring as we had taken 15 minutes tea break in between. We really felt the pinch when we crossed 19 KMs and we felt dead tired.
We could also see some ponds like Radha Kund on the way in which ladies were doing “Aarti” with flowers and lamps in bowls made of cardboard like stuff. It was wonderful to see those lamps float on the pond during night. Some people were seen taking selfie of the aarti.
Mathura is a Holy place. Once you enter there, you will be in a place of devotion, a kind of meditation one can ever think of just as once you enter the Guruvayur temple premises, you can feel the positive vibrations. Only good thoughts will rule your mind.
Some people were using a six foot stick and doing “saashtang pranams” to cover the whole parikrama. They take a month to complete the parikrama. Some resorted to 100 pranams using stones kept in some places to count the number of pranams. They take about a week’s time to finish their round.
It was quite a memorable trip and provided enthusiasm to have a repeat trip in future.
Greatness of this place lies in that even an atheist would start believing in Lord Krishna.
We could also witness Goshala where cows are bred. People put their offerings there.
Some people resorted to pouring dry colored powder “Gulal” on us because of Holi falling at 12 AM.
Our enthusiasm knew no bounds. We were in seventh heavens. You will not feel when you walk in a group. We never felt deserted.
After finishing our rounds at about 3 AM, we went to the temple “Manasi Ganga”. People pour milk on the idol of Govardhan and worship with flowers there. Some men were found even taking bath in the adjoining pond inside the temple premises just after the rounds.
Since the poured milk is not being cleaned properly, temple was stinking. Some devotees found it difficult to withstand the smell.
Even though, devotees are sincere, Mathura being a tourist centre, the faith of devotees is being exploited like anything as in the case of other religious places.
People rush there specifically on full moon days, even if some others go there on 11 th day of full moon or no moon nights.
We left the Holy place at 5.15 AM reached Delhi at 6.45 AM. Only our cab was plying on the highway.
Since it was dawn, highway wore deserted look. it was a memorable trip.
Some Brief Facts About Govardhan.
Govardhan is a 8 KM stretch from Radha kund to south of Govardhan. The highest peak is 100 ft ( 30 meters) from the ground and it is located at 20 K (12 miles) away from Vrindnavan. It is the sacred center of Braj and is considered to be a natural form of the Lord Krsihna himself, idol of Govardhana..
It looked like Eden Gardens with waterfalls,shady trees with floras and faunas, ponds etc. It was where Lord Krishna spent his leisure times with his devotees Gopikas and resorted to his “Raas Leelas” .Even if, there are so many sites like The sandstone monument, Lake of Kusum Sarover,Giriraj temple built with red sandstone, decorated with paintings of Radha and Krishna, Radha KundTemple, Mansi Ganga and Danghati Temple, we visited only few of them like Radha Kund temple, Giriraj temple, Gaushaala and Mansi Ganga.
One can also witness the artwork of the hill with Lord Krishna in a cave along with a bull and peacock and hill as a mountain of food, “Annakut” in the background of floods created by Indra and with Yamuna river.
Rain God Indra insisted that farmers should propitiate him with offerings. But, Lord Krishna intervened and advised them to do their duty of farming and rearing cows only. He made them duty conscious. Enraged by Krishna’s advice, Indra reigned the Govardhan with rains for seven days and nights. Lord krishna protected his disciples and animals by holding the Govardhan hills with one single small finger tip. Indra surrendered to Lord Krishna and returned to his heavenly kingdom.
Since then people learned to do their duties rather than depending on superstitious blind worships.
Devotees believe that Goverdhan is a means of establishing a divine resonation with Lord Krishna.
The End
Author : C.P. Hariharan
E mail id : cphari_04@yahoo.co.in
