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Published: December 1st 2009
OLD COUPLES KASHI YATRA VIA KHAJURAHO (5)
29th September, 2009 - Saturday.
So far we have covered a distance of 2,014 km. On seeing a Maruti Authorised Service Station by the side of our place of stay, we have decided to give the car for servicing which has so far given untroubled service. We have spent the day in the Sankarmath only. This is a palace belonging to the princess of Kasi who has donated the same to Sringeri Sankarmath. A very big room on the first floor, of 15’ x 30’ with attached bath room three cots and 4 beds was given to us for our stay. We expressed our wish to stay for a period of 11 days. Shri Annapurna Prasad in charge of this palace is a devotee of Sringeri Sankaracharya and is doing very good service to pilgrims on behalf of Sringeri Sankarmath.
In the evening we visited Kedarghat on the banks of Ganges where there was a Shiva temple constructed by the Maharaja of Vijayanagar. The Shiva temple was consecrated by the Sankaracharya of Kanchi Math. The Ghat was also constructed by the Maharaj of Vijayanagar. This holy Ghat is placed in a scenic location and a pond known as Parvati Kund is there just down of the Kedar Ghat. We have witnessed the evening Aarati at Kedar Ghat and after spending some time there returned to our place of stay. Many Kings and Zamindaras constructed Ghats on the banks of Ganges facilitating easy dips in the Ganges by the pilgrims.
30th September, 2007 - Sunday.
Today we have decided to visit all the Ghats on the Ganges which were all side by side. We first went to Dasaswamedha Ghat and there we engaged a boat, at a cost of Rs.300/-, to take us to all the Ghats. Dasaswamedh Ghat is located close to the Viswanadha temple and is probably the most spectacular Ghat. According to legend Lord Brahma sacrificed ten horses in a yajna here and hence the name of Dasa
Aswamedha Ghat. We find that every evening a group of priests perform Agni Pooja wherein a dedication is made to Lord Viswanadha, River Ganges, Surya, Agni and to the whole universe.
The boatman took us to various Ghats known as Kedar Ghat, Harischandra Ghat, Raja Ghat, Asi Ghat,Manikarnika Ghat, Lalitha Ghat (built by King of Nepal), Tulasi Ghat, where Tulasidas written Ramayana Maha Kavyam known as Rama Charita Manas, etc. The boatman suggested for us to have a dip in the Ganges in Raja Ghat which is by the side of Kedar Ghat. In this Ghat water would be more cleaner because drains are let out into the Ganges after this Ghat. We had a holy dip in the Ganges and from there proceeded to the Manikarnika Ghat. Here also we had another dip in the Ganges. Manikarnika Ghat is the place where there is a Kund known as Manikarnika Kund. It is believed that the ear ring (mani karnika) of Lord Vishnu fell into the pit. According to another ledgend, Parvati hid her ear rings in this kund. According to ancient texts, Veera Bahu is the owner of this Manikarnika Ghat, who purchased King Harischandra as his slave and made him to work in this Smasana Ghat. Many a Hindu cremations customarily take place here and at Harischandra Ghat. It is the belief of Hindus that bathing in Ganga remits sins and that dying in Kashi ensures release of a person’s soul from the cycle of births and deaths.
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Ganga Harati every evening in Dasaswamedha Ghat - a wonderful event to be seen.
Many Purohits sit in this Ghat on wooden planks and perform Sraddha Karmas, sankalpams for holy bath in Ganges, etc., to the visiting pilgrims. There is also a ShivaTemple here partially submerged in the Ganges. After three holy dips in the Ganges at this Ghat, we slowly proceeded to the temple of Lord Visweswara through Lalita Ghat to have his divine darshan. Some how we missed to visit the Ganga Keshav wooden temple on the way constructed by Nepal King. This temple has an image of Pasupati Nath, a manifestation of Lord Shiva and also a Manmadha statue (a little erotic). Crossing the barricades and checking by Policemen at various places, (it is to be remembered by every pilgrim that Mobiles, Ballpoint Pens, etc. are not allowed inside the temple), taking the blessings of Sakshi Ganapati on the way, we had the darshanam of Lord Visweswara and at the first darshanam performed abhishekam with the water collected from the Ganges at Kedar Ghat. After visiting the temple of Matha Annapurneswari which is nearer to the temple of Lord Visweswara, we proceeded to our lodge and took rest for the day.
Pilgrims performing religious cores at a Ghat.
1st October, 2007 - Monday.
Today is the day of annual ceremony of my mother. Earlier we arranged with Shri Tulsiram Joshi, a purohit connected with Andhra Ashramam, and a permanent resident of Kashi and made arrangements for performing the annual ceremony in his house. He charged Rs.2,100 for performing the annual ceremony in his house. He arranged for three Brahamins, two as Pitrudevatas and the other for performing the Abdeekam. It is the tradition that for Abdeekam meals is to be separately prepared and offered to these Brahmins treating them as Pitrudevatas. A telugu Purohit from Berhampur who is on a visit to Kashi performed the annual ceremony of my mother very systematically and in accordance with our tradition. After this we returned to our lodge and took rest for the day.
2nd October, 2007 - Tuesday.
We requested earlier Shri Annapurna Prasad, in charge of Shankar Math, to arrange for a comfortable Panchamrita Abhishekam to Lord Visweswara. Today he arranged for this (charged Rs.500 for this puja) and sent an young educated priest from Orissa, doing Ph.D., Shri Dayanidhi, who is also residing in a room in Shankar Math, for performing panchamrita Abhishekam to Lord Visweswara and Kunkuma Puja to Matha Annapurneswari. Shri Dayanidhi took us to the temple and after reciting Sankalpam arranged for our Abhishekam to the divine icon of Lord Visweswara in the Garbhalayam. After this we proceeded to the temple of Matha Annapurneswari and performed Kumkuma Pooja. By paying a sumptuous dakshina to the Pujari of the temple, we touched the feet of Matha Annapurneswari icon and obtained the rice biksha at her feet. We whole heartedly felt that the purpose of visiting Kashi is partly fulfilled with this Abhishekam to Lord Visweswara and Kumkuma puja to Matha Annapurneswari and obtaining the divine blessings. Ater this we returned to our lodge and took rest for the day.
Ganga Taranga ramaneeya jataakalapam
Gauri nirantara vibhushita vamabhagam
Narayanapriyam Ananga Madaapahaaram
Vaaranasipura patim bhaja Vishwanatham - Veda Vyasa.
3rd October, 2007 - Wednesday.
Today we have engaged an auto and decided to see as many tourist places as possible in Kasi. We have visited the following places:
Durga Temple : This is also known as Monkey Temple because of the presence of a large number of monkeys in the temple premises. According to legend, the statue of Goddess Durga was not made by man but appeared on its own in the temple. There is a rectangular tank of water called Durga Kund. It is said that earlier the Ganges water was directly coming into the Durga Kund but the channel was closed in later years. This is one of the beautiful temples in Kasi.
DURGA TEMPLE
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple: This is another famous temple in Kasi visited by many a pilgrims. It is said that Tulasidas had written Ramcharita Manas sitting in this temple. A huge explosion has taken place in this temple in March, 2006 and many pilgrims and worshippers died on the spot. Lord Hanuman in this temple is very popular with the local citizens.
SANKAT MOCHAN HANUMAN TEMPLE
Temple of Lord Shiva’s sister: There is a temple for the sister of Lord Shiva where gavvalu are offered. It is the belief that the kasi yatra is not complete until this temple is visited.
BIRLA TEMPLE: Raja Birla of Birla group of Indusries built a replica of the old Kashi Viswanath Temple in the premises of Banaras Hindu University. This New VISHWANADHA TEMPLE is very beautiful and a temple worth visiting. Banaras Hindu University was established by Madan Mohan Malaviya and the Viswanadha temple in the premises stands for national revival and the temple is open to people of all castes and religions.
After visiting these places and taking lunch in a Kerala Hotel, which provides delicious items of South India, we returned to our place of residence and took rest for the day.
I give here below an article written by me earlier taking into accoun the views of some of the tourists and my own.
OTHER SIDE OF GANGES AND KASI
Some of the people who visited Kasi and the Ganges, have a different tale to tell. The water in the Ganges is dirty, with sewage pipes dumping into river, and dead carcasses and garbage floating here and there. Above the flow of Ganges in Kasi, the chemicals and dirtiest smelling residue of leather factories are released into the Ganges. But people were dutifully bathing in the sacred river, brushing their teeth and even gulping the water.
It is said that Akbar used to drink the water of Ganges getting it from the far of places of his residence. It is also said that Britishers examined the water of the Ganges and found that even colora bacteria does not survive and the water has such an amazing power and properties. The Ganges does have miraculous capability of processing bacteria, but even it cannot withstand the kind of abuse it takes in present days. It is not the way to treat the Goddess Ganges. Of course, nowadays, there is some awareness and the people and Government are trying to reduce the pollution of water in the Ganges. But a lot remains to be done.
Shivalingam was described by some as an icon representing the masculine force of spirituality in the form of a conical rock symbolising the human penis. It fits in a yoni, symbolizing the female genital, and thus completes the pairs of opposite, generating the creative force of the world - the north pole and south pole of a magnet.
The level of filth that exists around Viswanath temple cannot be described. A place without adequate sewage facilities and choked with full of piles of cow dung. This is the kind of place where major diseases fester and it is a tribute to the immune system of the natives that they are not all sick. You have actually to work to find a relatively clean spot to stop and sit down, where there is no shit, urine, human spit, sewage water or rotting garbage.
Before our tour, when I talked about Kasi Tour, Mr.D.A.Narasimharao, who earlier undertaken the tour, advised me that whoever undertaken kasi yatra has fallen sick because of unhealthy conditions and strictly advised to drink only boiled water and not to trust even the bottled water. Of course, we managed with the bottled water without boiling the same and returned without falling sick.
But inspite of all the above, there is a spiritual magnetic force in the place Kasi and a divine power around the temple Kasi Viswanatha. Place of salvation is Kasi. So described our Puranas about Kasi. Kasi is mentioned in Upanisads, Puranas and all religious scriptures. Kasi is one of the oldest and holiest recorded city of civilisation, education and religious centre, where people thronged to live and die and worshipping Eswara. Every learned man's wish is to visit Kasi and prove his merit there and get recognition. Every devotee's wish is to worship Siva at Kasi and leave his mortal remains in the Ganges. Taking food there amounts to accepting the prasadam of Eswara with devotion. Bathing in the Ganges amount to shedding the sins of the body and mind. By the Grace of Mata Annapurneswari, nobody suffers the pangs of hungry in Kasi. That is the wonder of the city of Kasi, the place of residence of Eswara, the viswanadha. Many a residents, who follow sanatana dharma of Jambudwipa wish to visit Kasi, at least once in their life time. It is the belief of many a learned people that merging the 'asthikalu' (Is 'bones', a correct word of translation into English?, I doubt) in the Ganges leads to attainment of elated worlds (swargaloka, suvarloka, Goloka, etc).
With the increase in population, increase in awareness of our Sanatana Dharma, increase in transportation facilities, and easy access, people are thronging to the darshan of Kasi Visweswara. They are not bothered about the irregular puja performed by archakas or their demand for dakshinas. In the earlier days the adage is that kasiki poinavadu katiki poina vaditho samanamu. Because, the journey was so arduous and difficult, with full of dangers. When I had undertaken yatra, of course on LTC, to Himalayas in 1990, a choudary couple of business, with whom I have no contact earlier, hearing about my Himalaya Yatra, came to my house and requested me to allow them to follow me. With great reluctance, I accepted their request and during the yatra, they informed that their sons insisted on writing a 'will' before their departure on yatra and they had to oblige them unwillingly. Kasi is the seat of Indian philosophy, spiritual heart and the destination for proof of our Dharma Sastras (vedas and vedantas). Many a great Cities perished in the long history of world. But Kasi is the only City in the world continuously inhabited, since times immemorial. Unless there is some magnetic and divine power, do you think it is possible?
As usual, Aurangzeeb destroyed the temples in Kasi and appears to have renamed the city as Mohammadabad. Surprisingly while the names of other Hindu Holy Cities renamed continue their muslim names such as Allahabad for Prayag, Hyderabad for Bhagyanagar, Dhilli for Hastinapur, the name Mohammadabad for Kasi faded away into history with the rule of Aurangazeeb. Ninety nine per cent of people do not know that Kasi was renamed as Mohammadabad.
Though we have made Kasi Yatra, I feel it is not complete. We have missed several places of interest. Some of ancient maths and ashrams of reverred sages, and their spiritual teachings, their recitation of mantras and slokas, etc. These places are to be visited, to know the importance of Kasi. Of course, we are fortunate to have prasadam along with several Sadhus on the jayanti day of the previous Sankaracharya of Sringeri on account of our stay in the Sringeri math premises. The following places also appear to be places to be visited in Kasi, on the basis of information gathered subsequently. One is the sangamam place where Asi river meets river Ganga. Here is a temple known as Lolarka Surya Temple. Second is the place where River Varuna meets river Ganga. Here is situated Kesavaswamy temple. The third is pancha-ganga ghat. It is said to be the sangamam of five rivers - kiranghata, Papa, Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati (according to puranas). Here is the temple of Bindu Madhava Swamy. Fourth is the Dasa-Aswamedha Ghat, which we visited. Finally, the most important one is the Manikarnika Ghat. Re: Manikarnika ghat: Once Lord Vishnu made a pond with his sudarshan chakra on the bank of the River Ganga and doing penace. The sweat emerged from his body filled the pond and formed a small tank. Even then Lord Vishnu did not stop his penace. In appreciation Lord Shive bend his head when his ear-ring (mani karnika) fell into the pond. Hence, it is said that bathing in the Pond results in conferring moksha - it is believed. Though we had a dip in the Ganges in Manikarnika Ghat, but we missed the dip in Mani Karnika pond. I think, we have to make another Kasi Yatra to make good the omissions.
Even in puranic days also every sage, king and students of Vedas, etc., all visited Kasi, but do not appear to have chosen to reside in their Vanaprastha days awaiting the vimukti from Deha. Instead, they chose deep forest areas for vanaprastha life, far away from civic life and religious places, devoting to meditation and dhyanam. It is surprising that only in Kaliyuga, perhaps, vanaprasthas wished to spend their last days in Kasi, the earthly kingdom of Eswara, awaiting a place in divine kingdom of Kailas of Eswara. Or, perhaps, when renunciation has taken place, bahya-puja may not be necessary and manasika puja and meditation in serine and calm places appears to be what is required. Is there any other explanation?
OM TAT SAT OM TAT SAT OM TAT SAT
RAGHAVARAO, U.V.G.V. DUGGIRALA,
HYDERABAD, Dt.1st DECEMBER, 2009.
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modak
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seior citizens tour of kashinepal
would like to know if such tours are available in April and what would be roughly the total cost in indian rupee