: emotional conviction , the Impact of spiritual force

 

I had heard several stories about the Popular Mahashivaratri Padayatra to Dharmasthala. Piligrims from all walks of life embark on this holy Padayatra from far off places like Bangalore,   Chikballapur,Chintamani Mulbagal,Kolar, Bellary, Mysore and other towns. Years ago I had even secretly harboured a wish to do this “trek:” But till date the opportunity has never presented itself.

However, I travelled to Horanadu  last  month to partiucipate in  a re-Union of  Classmates from  Engineering College

                                                      Class of 75  NIE(  mechanical)

Passing Hassan  I saw an endless stream of Devotees walking  on either side of the Road.       I realized that Mahashivaratri  was  only a few days away and the  Padayatris were       among thousands of people  who had ventutred into  the Famous  Shree Kshetra Dharmastala Shivaratri Padayatra.

                                                      on the road .....padayatris

Many were walking   barefoot braving the scortching summer heat chanting  praises in    honour Lord Shiva.. Their reverberating voice filled the air with devotion for Lord Manjunatheshwara, the deity.

                                            welcome   buntings for padayatris

I seized the Opportunity to chat with a number of Groups.

A dozen young men in Saffron Tee Shirts Emblazoned with the Words “ Shri  Manjunatha Padayatra Yuvakara  Sangha”  were resting under a roadside tree  I I learned  that             they began Padayatra from Kolar , some 370 Kms! Away. Asked what motivated them ,         the leader replied  ” We  believe it is our  duty to visit Dharmasthala  at least once in our         lifetime as it washes away our  sins, from not just this life but also previous lives too.              & this is our 4^th Yatra..”

The padayatra consisting mainly of   common folk also included children , women ,  the     Middle aged,elderly ,students,soft ware professionals,engineers,Doctors &  people  from every  section of Society . . The Seva Samitis are  represented  by  a minimum   of 100        and maximum of 700 persons

A striking feature of the padayatra is the determination, and discipline that every                  yatri showed enroute , incessantly  reciting the name of Lord Shiva …

                                                               mountain stream on the way

Nearing Mudigere  the  surge of devotees had swelled .  All the  hospitality Shacks              and Pandals put up by local benefactors  were packed.Volunteers were busy offering Buttermilk, tender coconut,packed food packets & other refreshments and tending to every requirement of    the Yatris. Stopping briefly, I managed to converse with a group of      students:  young men & women rigged in professional trekking oufits & gear who were walking  from Mandya.

“We want to be in Dharmasthala and have darshan of Lord Manjunatha on Shivaratri day. It needs a strong will to take up padayatra. We carry a bottle  of water and          start walking at around 3.30 a.m., take a break at around 830  a.m. for  breakfast         and continue the journey till 11.00 a.m. Later, we  rest for a couple  of hours and       start walking again.We cover about 20 to 25 Kms a day but there  are some who can walk upto 35 Kms a day.Food , water  & night rest  is no       Problem.  All along the    way  donors & local inhabitants   have arranged for food  and shelter …..but,       Walking on the highway has its own risks, due to the heavy     traffic.” they said

At Kottigehara, the road ,shops,eateries and pandals were overflowing with Padayatris and devotion ,religious fervor and gaiety had turned into a frenzy..The final leg of the pilgrimage commences from here. Navigating carefully through the crowd, we took the deviation towards Kalasa and Horanadu. But for a few  piligrims, the  ghat road was deserted which made our travel easier.

                                         one of the many Road side hospitality shacks

Settling down at the beautiful  Homestay, I gathered more information about the Dharmastala Padayatra.    

                                                                    The benefactors

                                                                                

“ Despite its hardships,the traditional pilgrimage  has continued to grow in popularity , especially among the youth from towns & cities.

More adventurous Piligrims trek cross country  barefoot,through the forest !                  on  paths full of thorns and stones, sometimes encountering wild animals.But this          is certainly not for the faint-hearted as it is mentally  and physically challenging. Sometimes,sleeping under the stars at night and depending on the generosity of        local villagers for their sustenance, which they accept with humility,and  learn to    trust in Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Manjunatha’s mysterious ways. It is said that devotees get a  ‘call from the divine’ to take part in this padayatra. Some pilgrims         may not  even make it to the final Destination. But for those who manage to finish        this grueling pilgrimage, it becomes a journey of a lifetime filled with life lessons, wisdom, and liberation.”  Our host said

 

And yes, the pride in their heritage  & belief  was very evident in the Padayatris , Everyone      of them  proudly flaunted their religious identity in one form or the other; Vermillion smeared foreheads, tilaks,Saffron Tee Shirts, sarees Scarves,head bands, caps….It was a sea of Red & saffron.out there. And the general mood suggested that they   did  not want  even remotely to be seen as self-effacing .

So, what is it that motivates people from every strata of society to leave the comfort     of   their     routine  life and do  this pilgrimage? Is it  the beautiful cultural and   natural landscape which  attracts  the pilgrims.? Or is it the several beliefs associated  with the         trek?. Is it the hope of  possible enlightenment,  Or is it that . popular belief   about  the tortured souls of  deceased family members  attaining  peace if one   completes  the pilgrimage?

I recalled the words of an elderly couple on  why they embarked on  this challenging walk

“Walking not only sharpens introspection and mindfulness but also drives  the individual to go beyond physical limitations. Perhaps, this is why our religion has  stressed the importance of padayatra (pilgrimage on foot). But, we don’t really know. We are just doing  it because we’ve always been like this . That’s what our tradition is all about.”

 

An (im)- Purr-(iled) meow-(ment)

 

One evening I was enjoying a quiet moment sitting under the porch when I suddenly saw   a movement behind the potted  plants.   Sounded  like a hiss  emanating  from out there.

And then I saw a   little white kitten with beige coloured  patches   on it body.  It ( Not sure  if it is he or she) looked severely starved, scrawny 

                                                          abandoned, lost ?

I consider myself a dog person insofar as pets are concerned, but this tiny, weak kitten with baleful eyes  quickly attracted us . I knew we would not be the best people to care for this kitten. I have frequently heard people say “feed stray kittens &.They will never leave”

I  consider cat  a nuisance.  Yes, they are  not convenient and are troublesome ,but a life is a life and when put in a situation where you can do something about it or avoid it, what would you do?

when a life is at stake, you push your aversions aside and do what's right. In this case, attempt to save  the helpless kitten . As we approached, the kitten  gazed up at us with frightened eyes.

So my first thought was to get the kitten to safety since the mother was nowhere in sight. I clearly had not thought of any proper course of action.

A small plastic dish filled with milk and a few grains of cooked rice are  placed outside the back door . The kitten has claimed the small fenced space as its Home.The cat consumes the food nervously, frequently pausing to glance around skittishly at some unseen threat. Soon it  stops eating and slinks  away into a safe corner.

                                                  Home!

Gradually the kitten has made friends with everyone in the family, and when the back outside door is opened, it cranes its neck and give a quizzical look.. it is affectionate and sweet, and always uses the flat slab of stone to sit upon. By the time we gave it a name  : initially the nickname  Kutty,(Shortened for பூனை குட்டி Poonai Kutty)  gradually transforming to Kitty later ,  it was obvious to us  that it  wasn’t going anywhere.

His brand new purr , sporadic at first, like a little blender coming to life, is growing stronger .

                                                         Hopscotch anyone?

Life is a funny thing. There are times  when you are convinced that the world has come crashing down and you think you are not resourceful and facing imminent obliteration. But boundless providence   has its own plans. Sometimes you are the one that fights to survive so people can see how relevant you are, and at other times you have to be the one that offers a helping hand so that others or any other living creature can at least  stand a minute chance of survival.

But, then Miracles like Kitty do happen once in a while. With its health still on the mend  , Kitty has shown how feisty and tenacious it  is.  Playful, trusting, stubborn, quick to learn!  I was told by other members of the family that they were surprised how well it is adapting.

                                                      A bit possessive of Big Bro!

Reflecting on  experiences  with the little little furry creature has helped heal a few my  sporadic episodes of anxiety  which were threatening to engulf me.

  Kitty is absolutely part of our family now. It still tests our patience at times–especially with hisses and purrs at inappropriate times in the  night  & wakes us up !

                                                                 snaffle some Food? 

The  kitten shows up every few hours  at the back back door. Initially we had to cajole it  as it  ate , or it’d run off in fear. Not anymore .Now as it is growing  more & more   attached to us & seems to long for human companionship ,the lonely little cat worries  me.

                                                      Monarch (empress) of all I Survey

BTAIM

 

BTAIM…….

Attired in well pressed pin striped sky blue Shirt,  buttoned at the wrist, and  black trousers,  lotioned hair neatly combed , polished black leather formal shoes and       matching hip belt, the  Impeccably well-dressed  dapper Gentleman   looked every        inch  well-groomed    It was not difficult to conclude that  Mr. Varaprasad Rao  ,  "vintage enthusiast" or "retro fashion lover." Was a connoisseur of traditional righteousness?

“ I have  accounts on several  social platforms. My main email account is Gmail, and I use     the social platforms facebook whattsapp, Insta, Snapchat. X and         many more. .       And all my social platform accounts are very active.” he boasted

Asked whether Maneuvering the expanses of social media with its ever evolving abbreviations, slang,  Acronyms  & emojis was  itself  not challenging ?    

He replied  “ Certainly  is ! even knowledgeable native English speakers  panic ”.

“ Technology has   advanced  at such a great pace   over  the  past  few decades        and  established  new social environment  in digital & social media ”

“The  Miillenials particularly are getting  addicted  to this  abbreviation / acronym        / emoji siege. They clog  every post  and  bolster  our messaging instinct.. While    they are intended for enhancing   effectiveness, more often than not, the  result     in the exact        opposite ”

“ So what next, what do we do ” , he is asked

Looking immensely pleased he continued “  Well, that is the reason I have so many Social Media accounts. I make it a point to browse through a large number of posts      .every day ” 

 “ I have  taken  upon myself  the  noble  responsibility  to correct other people’s      grammar on Social media platforms with advise  on the virtues of unsullied  communication.Indulging in  this activity energizes my mind too..After all I owe                this to the Glorious Language  you see.”

My eyes lit up. “ This is  an absolute  Godsend.  I,m conversing with  the next “மடசாம்பிராணி” (Madasambrani)  ”

Latching on I Enquired “ do you offer this service only on Digital space or are       you extending the same in the physical world too? ”

“ My foray into real physical world was brief .  My indulgences are restricted to the     digital world now ”.

“ Why ” ? I quizzed

“ Well  er…err… …. In the physical world  my expertise was frequently misunderstood . Besides the occasional crumpling of my shirt collar & an odd  wallop  on the backside,    I had to endure the discomfort of some choice remarks     generally about my relatives and more specifically about my mother,  & sister. That is when  I found out that getting Trashed in Social Media is  less risky that getting Thrashed In the real  world ”…………. His voice  trailed off

** BTAIM; Be that as it May !

 

 

Dialects......just nod & smile!

 

Dialects

…….just nod & smile!

 

Of late I am watching events & incidents happening around me a little more   intently                          (with nothing else to do, I have to while away time you see!) .Not at all a prudent occupation, I agree.  It follows that the fertile mind starts adding grist  & conjuring up myriads  of concepts &  yarns to the incident(s); “what if?  And I  dare Post these thoughts under the  label                       “மடசம்ப்ராணி”  (Madasambrani)

A Large group of friends gathered one evening and were having a gala time,    indulging in frivolous banter,cracking jokes, pulling each others’ legs and doing           everything that a jolly group is capable of. One of them , a native of North   Karnataka was finding it very difficult to control  the typical     North Karnataka   Slang and casually used the cuss word “Huch….Su……….magane” ! This and                  such oher cuss Words & phrases are used rather casually by  people from North Karnataka . However an altercation broke out.

These words would seem to be very normal  in North Karnataka. It never offends anybody. In a casual tone, it is a kind of an affectionate “Peer”  slang . People                  in NK use this word literally before (& after too) in every sentence. For the  uninitiated it is shocking, intimidating, horrifying & even sacrilegious    

 

This dialect  is unique , as  an adjective is added almost always  to the main                      word  For instance, Churk (sharp/smart) “ Bhaal churk le ava  or  (su…..maga)”  to make it ……..hold your breath….more colourful and affectionate

 

Rough language and lots of swearwords are characteristics of a majority of  North Kannadigas     But, the impression held by some  that North Kannadigas are unsophisticated and uncultured  isn’t really true.

I have found people from North Karnataka are very warm hearted,& spontaneous           even towards strangers. The dialect  spoken is more authentic and  lyrical . And            adds spice to the language.

If I am asked to choose between Mysorepak   & Dharwar Peda, I would choose the former for its smooth consistency and the later for its enchanting ,earthy flavour.

 

ಮಾತು ಒರಟು, ಆದ್ರಾ ಮನಸ್ಸ ಮೃದು ಅರ್ಥ್ ಆಯ್ತ್ರೀಪಾ ದೋಸ್ತಾ? ಅರ್ಥ್ ಆಗಿಲ್ಲ ಅಂದ್ರಾ       ಹೇಳಾ ಚೆಲೋ ಅರ್ಥ್  ಮಾಡಿಸಾತೀನಿ

 

:Now, let me allow “மடசம்ப்ராணி”   ( Madasambrani) to run amok

A guest  visited   his  close friend & his wife.They have  a grandson, not yet two years          of age  with , chubby cheeks, dark eyes .Any one looking at the child  would want  to      cuddle & kiss.him .. But as the guest  sat there looking at him  admiringly,                          The child fixed a steady gaze at him.and the guest was very sure  that the child               was thinking “ Is it not the same one we saw in the  zoo last   week?. What is it           doing, sitting here? 

. At first the child hesitated to approach him,   He  placed the gift, a spring wound  toy Drummer   which went rat-a-tat-a-tat.in front of him

Seeing that this “Uncle” had brought a toy  for him,  the child  jumped on to his   lap & clung to               him as if they  had been friends for years.

Well, It dawned on the guest that  this must be  the earliest  stage of initiation to“bribery”.

 

The Host’s wife, apparently determined to show off her grandson's talents, began    calling out  "Show uncle your eyes,.. uncle's nose,…Uncle’s mouth,  uncle's        neck. Uncle’s belly."………. ,gradually coming down in steps.

 Before the poor child was made to descend any further, the Guest fled.

 

It is a pity that innocent kids  are   forced to dance , sing &  in  front of Guests. What would this child, who   was  not old enough to even speak properly, be    thinking about this sham , I wondered ?  A wicked  thought  flashed  in my  mind !      What if  the kid is a reincarnation  of some archetypal  “Gandu Mettida Naadu”  North Karnataka  common man and able to think   like  him in this present life?

 I am narrating the bizarre impressions in the following episode:

 

G.F (Grandfather): “Munnu dear, do Namaste to Uncle

Child: Folding his hands and bowing before the guest says “Namaate”    in childlish prattle

Child:(in his mind): ಇವ ಚಾಚ ನೇಹ್ರ್ ಅನ್ನಕೊಂಡಾನಾ?

G.F: Say Good morning to uncle

Child: gooool maaanig

Child:(in his mind); ಸಂಜ್ 7 ಆಯ್ತೈತಿ ಗುಡ್ಡಾ  ಮಾರನಿಂಗಾ ಹೇಳ್ ಬೇಕ್ ಎನ್ ?

Guest : sooo sweet ,Good boy

Child: (in his mind) ಉದ್ರಿ ಸಲಹೆ ಕೊಡಾಕ ಅಜ್ಜ ಬರೋಬ್ಬರಿ ಅದಾನ , ಸಿವ್ನೇ

G.F:  Child: (In his Mind)  ಕೆರ್ಲೆಲ್ ಹೊಡೇ ಬೇಕ್ ಬರಗೆಟ್ಟ ನನ್ ಮಗ

Show where Uncle’s eye is ?

Child: :(in his mind)  ಈ ಎಮ್ಮಿಗ್ ತಿಳೀದೇನ್? ಭಳ್ ಬೆರಿಕಿ ಇದಾನಾ

All the same points the eye

Guest: Super. Good boy

Child: (In his Mind) ಯಾವನ್ ಲೇ ಇವ.ಮೈಸೂರ್ನಾ ಅರ್ಮಾನಿ ಕಾಡಾನ್ ಹ್ಯಾಂಗ ಕುನಿಯಾಕ್ ಹತ್ಯಾನ್ .  ಬೇವರ್ಸಿ ಮಂಗ್ಯಾ ನನ್ನ ಮಗನಾ

G.M (Grandmother):  How does a cow Call? Show Uncle

Child: (In his Mind) ಬಾಯಾಗ್  ಅಲ್ದಾ ಮತ್ ಹ್ಯಾಂಗ್ ? ಅಜ್ಜಿ  ಕೂಡಿ        ಕುನಿಸ್ಸಾಕ್ ಹತ್ತಾಳಲ್ಲ

Guest: oh! you can also call like a Cow? 

Child:  Mooo. Mooo”

Child: (In his Mind) ನೀನಾ ಎಮ್ಮಿ. ಆಕಳಾಗ್  ಕೂಗಾಕ್ ಬರಲ್ಲ?    ಏನ್ ಹಾಪ್ ಆದಿ ಲೇ ಅಂಕಲಾ                            

G.F;My sweet Munnu, Show us how a Goat will bleat?

Child: mae,bae…mae….

Child: (In his Mind) ಈ ಮೂರಾ ಮಂದಿ ಮಷ್ಕಿರಿ ಮಾಡಾಕ್ ಹತ್ತಾರೆ.  ಸಿವ್ನೇ ಶಂಭುಲಿಂಗ          

G.F: Sing a beautiful song for uncle dear

Child:  ... Geeya Geeya Gaaga geeya Geeya

Child: (In his Mind)  ಡೀಡ್ ತಾಸ್ ಆಯ್ತೈತಿ ಮನೀಗ್ ಬಂದ್ ಇವಾ       ಹೋರಡಾಂಗಿಲ್ ನೋಡ್ ಮತ್ತ .  ಅಡ್ಡಮಳಿ ಹೊಡದಾಂಗ್ ಕುಂದ್ರಾನ ............. ಇದಾ ತಕ್ಕ …….…& lets out a warm stream    drenching Uncle’s shirt & pant.

G.M. Oh!  my dear Baby, you naughty,what have you done?

Child: Jumping down from Uncle’s lap, clutching the toy Drummer     in his hands,     Starts singing Geeya Geeya Gaagiya Geeya           Geeyiya…… …Geeya Geeya…. and leaves the room with a spring in          his step..

Uncle’s Jaw drops in embarassment