AYODHYA YAATRAA DAY 5 - 706

 AYODHYA YAATRAA DAY 5 

ASHOK HAD ALREADY INFORMED US THE PREVIOUS NIGHT ITSELF THAT WE WERE IN FOR A VERY BUSY DAY ON DAY 5 OF THE YAATRAA .

AS HAS NOW BECOME ALMOST A  ROUTINE WE WERE UP AND READY FOR A VISIT TO SIX IMPORTANT PLACES AT VARANASI BY 5.00 AM IN THE MORNING . 

SEVEN MINI VANS WERE ENGAGED FOR THIS PURPOSE . SPRUCED UP AFTER AN EARLY MORNING BATH AND A  HOT CUP OF COFFEE WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE KAAL BHAIRAV TEMPLE . 

IT IS BELIEVED THAT NO VISIT TO VARANASI AND KASHI VISHWANATH IS COMPLETE WITHOUT A VISIT TO THE KAAL BHAIRAV TEMPLE TO PAY YOUR RESPECTS AND SEEK  HIS BLESSINGS TO LEAVE THE HOLY PLACE FOR NOW .

A CROWD WAS ALREADY THERE AT THIS EARLY MORNING HOUR WHICH KEPT INCREASING EACH PASSING MINUTE .WE PRAYED AND OFFERED OUR RESPECTS .

 BLACK WRIST BANDS FOR BOTH THE LADIES AND GENTS ARE TIED BY A PUNDIT AND A WHACK ON THE BACK IS A RITUAL HERE . IT IS SUPPOSED TO RELIEVE YOU OF ALL YOUR PAINS AND THE HECTIC TROUBLE TAKEN TO VISIT ALL THE HOLY PLACES IN KASHI THUS FAR . 

THE NEXT WAS THE VISIT TO THE SANKAT MOCHAN TEMPLE. LEGEND HAS IT THAT ,  AS THE NAME SUGGESTS THE HANUMAAN HERE WILL RELIEVE YOU OF ANY OBSTACLE THAT MAY HAVE COME YOUR WAY  . FAIRLY LONG QUEUE WAITED PATIENTLY FOR A DARSHAN . EVEN MORE SURPRISING WAS TO SEE MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL AGES SITTING IN THE OPEN COURTYARD AND RECITING THE THULASI DAS - RAM CHARITH MAANAS .

THE NEXT WAS THE VISIT TO THE THULASI MANAS MANDIR. IT IS BELIEVED THAT GOSWAMI THULASI DAS WROTE THE RAMAYAN AND CHARITH MAANAS FROM HERE .

THE NEXT WAS THE DURGA MANDIR WHERE ONE CAN PAY RESPECTS AND PRAY TO  MA DURGA IN HER MANY FORMS .

CHOZHI MAATA TEMPLE THOUGH SMALL IN SIZE IS AN IMPORTANT PLACE OF VISIT FOR ANYONE VISITING VARANASI . FIVE CONCH SHELLS OR CHOZHI ARE PRESENTED AS AN OFFERING TO THE GOD AND AFTER PRAYERS ONE CONCH SHELL  IS TAKEN TO BE PLACED  IN YOUR SWAMI ROOM BACK AT YOUR HOME . IT SYMBOLIZES THAT YOU ARE LEAVING ALL THE BAD THINGS IN YOU AND TAKING THE BLESSINGS OF THE GOD TO YOUR HOME .

OUR LAST PLACE OF VISIT WAS THE 108 SIVA LINGA TEMPLE . THIS IS A COMPARATIVELY NEWER TEMPLE WHERE THE 108  LINGAAS ARE PLACED AT DIFFERENT PLACES AND THE STAND OUT FEATURE IS THAT THERE IS ONE BIG LARGE LINGAM WHERE ONE CAN TOUCH THE LINGA AND OFFER YOUR PRAYERS . A TRULY DIVINE EXPERIENCE .

AFTER A  HECTIC NEAR 3 HOUR EXPERIENCE,  WE WERE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE THE SINGH RESIDENCY PREMISES AT 11.30 AM . 

OUR BUSES WHICH  WERE  PARKED SOME 15 KMS AWAY WHEN WE FIRST REACHED VARANASI HAD TO BE ACCESSED AGAIN . GETTING THE LUGGAGE OF THE 70 OF US FROM THE HOTEL TO THE PLACE WHERE THE BUSES WERE PARKED IS SOMETHING WHICH ONLY ASHOKE AND HIS TEAM CAN MANAGE . A SMALL MINI TRUCK WAS ENGAGED FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE TRAFFIC HERE IS ALMOST ALWAYS AT CHAOS WITH NO SEMBLANCE OF ANY RULES BEING FOLLOWED . THE RETIRED RTO WHO WAS AMONGST US AS A YAATREE MUST HAVE FOUND IT VERY HARD TO DIGEST THE ALL AROUND  MISMANAGEMENT .

THREE  CHEERS TO THE TEAM FOR DOING THIS WITHOUT A HAZZLE OF ANY SORT .

WE LEFT VARANASI FOR OUR FINAL DESTINATION OF GAYA WHICH WAS 250 KMS AWAY AT 1.45 PM AND REACHED BODHI GAYA RESIDENCY AT 9.30 PM AFTER THE USUAL STOPS ENROUTE AND A MINOR BRUSH AND FORTUNATELY ONLY MINOR DAMAGES .

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A HECTIC DAY INDEED .