My Trip to Mata VaishnoDevi Shrine

MY TRIP TO MATA VAISHNODEVI SHRINE

Maa Vaishnodevi Ki Jai Ho!  JAI MATA DI!

PART I

The Holy Temple of Maa VaishnoDevi is situated at an altitude of 5200 ft and at a distance of 14 kms from the base, i.e. Katra.  One can reach the place from the nearest route being Jammu, which is at a distance of 48 kms.   It is estimated that on an average about 8 million pilgrims visit the temple every year to pay their obeisance to Mata Rani as she is fondly called.  

The belief is also true that until and unless one gets a call from her, nobody can take this trip on their own.  My mom and I had been planning this trip for quite a few years and all our attempts JUST FAILED.  I was at the fag end, ready to break down as she was my favorite Goddess, and I had always kept her close to my heart every time I faced a problematic situation in my life. She was always there as my guide.   One fine day, I still do not realize how it just clicked for my mom and me simultaneously. Sipping our morning coffee, we decided to give this trip a try and taking her name was just DIVINE! 

I sat in front of my comp ready to handle all the online requisites for the trip and as a miracle everything happened to just fall into place like a jigsaw puzzle.  I broke down once all was arranged saying, “Dhanya Ho, Maa, without your help and blessings, I am nowhere!” (Mother, you are Great!)

Mom and I took a Go Air flight to Jammu.  Reaching there at 13:45 pm was a bit tiring as it was a long flight from Bangalore- New Delhi – Srinagar – Jammu. 

From Jammu it was a rented car that we took at a nominal price and an experienced driver who was kind enough to drop us at the hotel Vandurga in Katra.  Here too I must say all security checks at the posts and highways were quick, again with the blessings of Mata Rani.  It was late evening when we reached Katra.

We had an early dinner as we decided to rest well before starting the steep trek to the main Bhavan the next morning.  I must say the hotel staff was very courteous and obliging with the necessary tips for the trek, seeing my mom’s fragile health and age at 78 years. The next morning we had a very light breakfast consisting of bread toasted with butter and a cup of hot coffee.   

We had to obtain the yatra slip from the yatra registration counter at the Tourist Reception Centre at the Katra bus stand and nowhere else. Without an authentic yatra slip, crossing of the Ban Ganga check post is not permitted.

Our hotel driver, from where we had to start the trek – dropped us at the main entrance of the temple THE DARSHINI DARWAAZA.  Saddled with a stick to keep the balance on the steep hill and a strolley with mom’s medicines and a pair of warm clothes we began the steep climb. 

We reached BANGANGA and this was the place, where the goddess shot an arrow into the ground and a spring gushed out.  BANGANGA is at an altitude of 2800 ft., and about a kilometer from the base point. Here, we had to produce the Yatri Parchi, which is mandatory.  A quick check and we took off once more, crossing the hurdles on the way with a lot of potholes, and horse shit.  We got to meet those who were returning from the Darshan with chants of JAI MATA DI, and some kindly advice on the roads ahead.   We somehow managed to go on without the slightest trace of fatigue or breathlessness, much to our surprise.   I turned to see if my mom was feeling fine, but there was a look of determination and faith in her eyes that encouraged me to climb further. 

Our next stop was at CHARAN PADUKA.  This is at a height of 3380 ft. and it is here that the imprints of the Holy Mother’s feet are believed to be imprinted on a rock slab. The reason behind paying obeisance at this place is to take Her blessings at the start of the journey.  By now the first traces of tiredness crept in, as the level of oxygen starts decreasing at higher altitudes.  Luckily, we had enough of energy drinks with us so that helped us a lot.  We were advised to cut down on the eating and keep up to the fluid levels on the entire trek.  That really was a timely advice. The only things we munched were a handful of dry fruits and nuts that helped in keeping us energetic. We trudged on accompanied by the youngsters encouraging my mom saying “Great Naani, at this age you are rocking!” Mom had a new energy boost and with full gusto she marched. 

Our next halt was at ADHKUWARI, which is at a height of 4800 ft.  Here we got to meet a lot of our Langur friends.  Here, we have the 15-foot long cave where the Goddess hid herself from the Demon Bhairon for nine months.  From here, we were advised by most yatris coming down after their Darshan to bye-pass the route by taking the new route to Bhawan.  Luckily, thanks to some miracle, we spotted an Auto battery-car that was just being reversed.  I casually asked the driver if he could help us in a lift to the Bhawan.  Voila! His words just left me speechless.  I heard him say, “ Memsaab, hum aapko niche se upar thak aapke pichha kar rahe the, ab toh bait jaayeeaye!”(Madame, I was following and observing you all the way from the base point.  At least now, please allow me to help you with a lift).  This man was following us all the way from the base and watching us to see how far we could go.  I just heaved a sigh of relief – JAI MATA DI!!  The route was just awesome with splendid scenery that reminded me of PANDORA ISLE, in the movie ‘AVATAAR’ the mountain fresh air, the mist all around us with thick forest enveloped in the choicest of greenery that one could imagine only in dreams, the chirping of birds, the sighting of the Rare Blue bird which is supposed to be a very good omen that brings us a lot of luck, the smell of fresh pine trees that was enough to make us exhilarate with a sense of purpose.  My mom could not hold back her tears nor could I at the sheer generosity of the Goddess in welcoming us to her heavenly abode.  If people say they do not believe in Miracles, I wish to remind them of the experience we just had.  I never knew what more was to come ahead!!

We managed to cover the remaining stretch of the trek till the Bhawan in about 45 minutes crossing HIMKOTI, SANJICHHAT and finally reaching the last point Bhawan, which was at an altitude of 5200 ft.  Here, the only gesture known in the local parlance as a way of saying ‘Thank you’ is JAI MATA DI!!!

I must put in a word about the local people here.  The people of Kashmir are simpletons, non-aggressive, God-fearing.  They are very friendly, extremely warm hearted and always cheerful.  What has touched me the most is that they are not touched by corruption and its evils compared to that of the urban folks in our cities.    They are self-satisfied with what they earn and what Nature has provided them with.  Innocence? yes, you could see it in their eyes that they trust just anybody and if ever we do have a conscience, we would not dare to exploit them in any way.  That would not help us in any way where the Goddess resides.  Well, here again we had a lot of security checks and once it was known that we came from a place as far as Bangalore, Wow!  We got a royal treatment from one and all.  We were made to feel at home and not in a temple. 

Entering the sanctity of the temple is blissful!   There is some sort of a spiritual aura that just cannot be described but needs to be experienced by one and all.  You get the feeling that you are being watched, your thoughts are read even if you do not have to speak it loudly.   This Holy sanctum retains an aura of mystery.   I had taken some souvenirs to be blessed by the Goddess, which I felt I need to bring back home.  The sudden turn of events left me spellbound.  The chief Priest casually asked me, if he could retain my souvenir for the Goddess.  I just could not deny what was requested, assuming it to be the wish of the Goddess herself.  I was quick to acknowledge the kind request.  I felt so blessed at that juncture!

By now, we had decided to continue our uphill trek to Bhairon Ghati.  It is at a height of 6619 ft.  It is believed that every devotee, in order to ensure completion of the pilgrimage, had to visit Bhairav Nath's temple near the Holy cave after the darshan of the Goddess.   The only way to reach this temple was either on foot or on horseback.  Here we decided to use the horse ride, as I was very sure my mom would not be able to start the trek down if she went on foot to the last point of our trek.  As again, I felt that we were blessed when a young man – PITHU, offered to help us get two horses and also carry our luggage.  We managed to cover the distance of 2 kms in about half an hour uphill.   We reached the Bhawan back in time and were scouting around for some way of getting tickets for the return to the journey back till Ardhkuwari by Auto battery car.  Looking at the snake-like queue waiting at the ticket stand made us lose all hopes of getting even a single ticket.  Perplexed I just stood there and sighed, “ Maa, please help me, my mom isn’t too co-operative to walk back on foot.”    The next moment, a middle-aged man comes towards me saying the security guard had sent him to me to offer two tickets by the Auto battery-car.  I slowly looked towards PITHU with a questioning look – “Now whose hand is in this?”  With a glint in his eager eyes, he tells me, “Didi aaj aap toh dhanya ho Gaye, Mata Rani ne aapka saath diya!” (Sister, today you are truly blessed, as Mother Goddess has supported you.”)   I just did not know how to thank her.  On my way back I had shed enough of tears just thinking how courteous Mother Goddess is, and even then there are people who are so ungrateful to her. 

We started the trek down after we were dropped to Ardhkuwri by the Auto battery car.  This trek was relaxing as we felt more at ease coming down rather than climbing up in the morning to the steep heights where oxygen was indeed very less. 

Half way down, we were a witness to a small altercation between a youth on horseback and two other local people.  As we stood there to see what was happening, the fight got really out of control and the youth on horseback was roughly pulled down from his horse and shoved mercilessly.  Mom and I were requesting the passers-by to intervene and put an end to the beatings.  Nobody rescued and even the local police were all by-standers watching the scene. Eventually, we learned that the youth on horseback was one of the yatris and whilst going up for the Darshan, he had consumed alcohol and was found eve teasing one of the other female devotees.   This is not something that is taken lightly by the local people of Kashmir in their land or territory, where women are held in high esteem.  

It must be noted that anyone venturing to take this religious trek has to bear in mind that at least a month prior to the journey, they should refrain from consumption of any alcohol drinks, Non-vegetarian foods and even foods that contain onions and garlic which is a strict taboo.  Keeping these points in mind will do a lot of good going by one’s personal experience.  So, coming back to the scenario of the youth on horseback, he earned the fruits of his lust and passion, something that is not easily forgiven or forgotten.

Well, we reached the base in a short span of four hours, and were relieved to see our hotel car-driver ready to pick us up.  Once back at our hotel, we were given a nice massage for our legs that was very much welcomed.  So, this is one trip that just cannot be forgotten easily and I am looking forward to visiting the Holy Shrine once again.   JAI MATA DI!!!

Continued in Part II.

Empowering Women

I believe that "A woman becomes a woman when she realizes she doesn't always need a man to comfort her."

 I would like to share ways to empower women and Girls on International Women's Day.  Please read on:

1. Save a woman’s life in child birth:
Did you know that in countries like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Bolivia, having a baby is one of the most dangerous things a woman can do? By helping train local midwives in remote communities, you could save a life. Visit StrongWomenStrongWorld.org to learn more.

2. Mentor a girl close to home:
A growing poverty rate, poor-performing schools, and teen violence make it tough to be a girl growing up here in our own country. Reach out and influence the life of a young girl in your own community by volunteering as a tutor or mentor. Get connected at BBBS.org.

3. Use your voice to stop trafficking:
Human trafficking and sexual exploitation affects girls and women in horrific ways all around the world, but the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in the US Senate can help end the practice. Contact your Senators and ask them to renew this bill to protect women and girls, both here in the US and around the world.

4. Invest in a small business owner:
Websites like WorldVisionMicro.org or Kiva.org connect you to hardworking women entrepreneurs, waiting to realize their dream of a dressmaking business, chicken farm, or food stall that will help them provide for their family. Even better, when the loan is paid off, your donated funds are loaned out again and again to make a bigger impact.

5. Provide the ticket to education—clean water:
One of the most common reasons girls in poor communities miss schooling is the lack of clean water in their village. Millions of girls and women spend several hours each day fetching water—often dirty and dangerous to their health—instead of attending school. Give the gift of clean water, and open the door to education for a young girl.

6. Band together with like-minded women:
Whatever your passion for helping other women, you’ll do it better—and have more fun doing it—with other women excited about the same cause. National movements like Women of Vision can connect you to a network of resources while allowing you to grow your own local group of women who want to make the world better for girls and their mothers.

7. Tell the women in your life that you care:
Empowering women starts right in our families, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Celebrate this International Women’s Day by writing a note of thanks to that teacher who encouraged you years ago, picking up coffee for that new mom in your office who’s struggling to balance it all, or telling your own sister, daughter, or mother how much you appreciate them.

I hope all you readers, will definitely help in the contribution of uplifting women in general.

Why do we Shout?

“Why We Shout In Anger” A Hindu saint who was visiting river Ganges to take bath found a group of family members on the banks, shouting in anger at each other. He turned to his disciples smiled ‘n asked. ‘Why do people shout in anger shout at each other?’ Disciples thought for a while, one of them said, ‘Because we lose our calm, we shout.’ ‘But, why should you shout when the other person is just next to you? You can as well tell him what you have to say in a soft manner.’ asked the saint Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the other disciples.

Finally the saint explained, . ‘When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other to cover that great distance.

What happens when two people fall in love? They don’t shout at each other but talk softly, because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is either nonexistent or very small…’ The saint continued, ‘When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper ‘n they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other ‘n that’s all. That is how close two people are when they love each other.’

He looked at his disciples and said. ‘So when you argue do not let your hearts get distant, Do not say words that distance each other more, Or else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.’

After A While You Learn - Veronica A. Shofstall

After a while you learn


The subtle difference between


Holding a hand and chaining a soul


And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning


And company doesn’t always mean security.

And you begin to learn


That kisses aren’t contracts


And presents aren’t promises


And you begin to accept your defeats


With your head up and your eyes ahead


With the grace of a woman


Not the grief of a child

And you learn


To build all your roads on today


Because tomorrow’s ground is


Too uncertain for plans


And futures have a way
Of falling down in mid flight

After a while you learn


That even sunshine burns if you get too much


So you plant your own garden


And decorate your own soul


Instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers

And you learn


That you really can endure


That you are really strong


And you really do have worth


And you learn and you learn


With every good bye you learn.

The Lessons I've Learned

I’ve learned- that you cannot make someone love you.

All you can do is be someone who can be loved.

The rest is up to them.

I’ve learned- that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

I’ve learned- that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I’ve learned- that no matter how good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I’ve learned- that it’s not what you have in your life but who you have in your life that counts.

I’ve learned- that you should never ruin an apology with an excuse. I’ve learned- that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.

I’ve learned- that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do. I’ve learned- that you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I’ve learned- that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I’ve learned- that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I’ve learned- that you can keep going long after you can’t.

I’ve learned- that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel. I’ve learned- that either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I’ve learned- that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first, the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place. I’ve learned- that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I’ve learned- that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I’ve learned- that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I’ve learned- that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I’ve learned- that sometimes when I’m angry I have the right to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I’ve learned- that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I’ve learned- that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

I’ve learned- that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.

I’ve learned- that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I’ve learned- that your family won’t always be there for you. It may seem funny, but people you aren’t related to can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again. Families aren’t biological.

I’ve learned- that it isn’t always enough to be forgiven by others. Sometimes you are to learn to forgive yourself.

I’ve learned- that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

I’ve learned- that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I’ve learned- that a rich person is not the one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

I’ve learned- that just because two people argue, it doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. And just because they don’t argue, it doesn’t mean they do. I’ve learned- that we don’t have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I’ve learned- that you shouldn’t be so eager to find out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I’ve learned- that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I’ve learned- that no matter how you try to protect your children, they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I’ve learned- that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I’ve learned- that credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I’ve learned- that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I’ve learned- that it’s hard to determine where to draw the line between being nice and not hurting people’s feelings, and standing up for what you believe.

I’ve learned- that people will forget what you said, and people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel -

Never Never Quit

One day I decided to quit…I quit my job, my relationship, my spirituality.

I wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.

“God”, I said. “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”

His answer surprised me.

“Look around”, He said. “Do you see the fern and the bamboo?”

“Yes”, I replied.

“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.

“In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. The same in year four.

“Then in the fifth year, a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant.

But just six months later, the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall.

It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle.

“Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo.. I will never quit on you.

“Don’t compare yourself to others.” He said. “The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful.

“Your time will come”, God said to me. “You will rise high”

“How high should I rise?” I asked.

“How high will the bamboo rise?” He asked in return.

“As high as it can?” I questioned

“Yes.” He said, “Give me glory by rising as high as you can.”

I left the forest, realizing that God will never give up on me. And He will never give up on you.

Survival Kit

Daily Survival Kit -

Items to put in kit: Toothpick, Rubber band, Band aid, Pencil, Eraser, Chewing gum, Mint, Candy kiss, Tea bag.. Why??

A Toothpick … To remind you to pick the good qualities in all your brothers and sisters, including yourself.

A Rubber Band … To remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.

A Band-Aid … To remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else’s.

An Eraser … To remind you everyone makes mistakes. That’s okay, we learn by our errors.

A Candy Kiss … To remind you everyone needs a hug or A compliment every day.

A Mint … To remind you that you are worth a mint to your spiritual family!

A Bubble Gum … To remind you to stick with it…and you can accomplish anything with Jehovah’s help.

A Pencil … To remind you to list your blessings every day.

Tea Bag … To remind you to take time to relax daily, so you can go over that list of Jehovah’s blessings.