There are sixty four ghats in Kasi. Each under a God's name or some Holy Personality's name or some King's name. Out of this only two ghats are used to burn the pyre viz. Harichandra Ghat and Manikarnigha Ghat. Out of these two, Harichandran Ghat has to burn one pyre atleast, since the ashes from this is taken for early morning abisekham to Kasi Viswanathar.
The day of travel to Gaya, we started early in the morning to Shivala Ghat and started our yet another exciting bath in Ganges. The experience is something that cannot be conveyed in words. The kids really enjoyed it. They were screaming and jumping in the water. We made several dips in the water. I remembered our 'Thula Snanam' that we had with the Blessings of Kaveri Matha in Srirangam. Probably Kaveri Matha blessed us to have yet another exciting experience with Ganga Matha...!
By early noon we started to Gaya and visited Bodhgaya on the way. We had a guide by name Mishra in his mid 30s, who was the only disappointing person in this entire tour. We were never sure what was the purpose of his accompanying. He either walked before us or behind us. Bodhgaya is a peaceful and beautiful place where Buddha got enlightened. The description of Buddha's enlightenment was in too simple words and if one attempts meditation, it was easily coming thru. The place was definitely something special...!
We reached Gaya around 8 pm and stayed in Karnatak Bhavan. This seems to be the place of all south indians coming to Gaya for Pinda Tharpanam. People are very courteous, but the facilities are bare minimum. If Pithru rituals are on the top of the mind, one need not bother about the facilities. Sekar Sastrigal had organized Shri Chandrasekar to take care of us at Karnatak Bhavan. We had a good Upma for dinner and went to sleep.
Morning we got up and readied to go to Vishnu Padham, which is walkable from Karnatak Bhavan. Here we have to cook the rice using the water from Falguni. Water is not evident at the surface of Falguni, but on digging a little. There was a boy who was selling water by digging a huge crater on the bed of Falguni. We picked up water from this one.
We can offer pindam to our ancestors and to all known departed souls. This could be any of our deceased relatives, friends,pets, gurus, animals, birds etc. Motherless people have to offer 64 pindams and those with mother should offer 48 pindams. I offered 48, which included my classmate Alexander who recently passed away. Felt very happy, since his soul would've now settled peacefully.
These pindams were dropped on the Vishnu Padham, which is hard impression of Lord Vishnuhimself. Puranas tell that Gayasuran took a boon that whoever touches him will attain Moksham and reach heaven. Due to this there was no one coming to hell, and Heaven was overcrowded. Devars complained about this to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu, in turn asked the Thevars to request Gayasuran's body to perform a yagna. This request from Devars was immediately accepted by Gayasuran and yagna was performed. But, Gayasuran's head was shaking and was not steady, for which Lord Vishnu pressed His foot on Gayasuran's body.
Gayasuran understood all of their intent, and told that he would've done all this more willingly, if he knew it was Lord Vishnu's wish. He then asked Lord Vishnu to provide a boon again, where anyone doing Pinda Tharpanam here will make their Pithrus go to Moksha forever and all their misdeeds will be cleansed off. Lord Vishnu gave him this boon. It is so believed that when one provides Pinda Tharpanam and completes Gaya Srartham, their forefathers will reach Moksha and will never have birth again by having Happy Life in Heaven.
After this we went to Akshaya Vadam, the most fascinating place. This tree's root is in Prayag, trunk in Varanasi and tip in Gaya. This is the place Dasarathar is supposed to have got His Pindam. The first pindam was given to Dasrathar by Seetha...! Seetha who came out from Falguni, saw the hungry Dassrathar asking for Pindam.Since Shri Ramar was just then cooking the rice for Pindam, Seetha took the sand on the banks of Falguni and made into two Pindams and offered it to Dasarathar. Dasarathar was happy with this and consumed it.
When Shri Ramar offered Pindam, Dasarathar did not take it, instead informed that He has already taken it from Seetha. Shri Ramar asks for eye-witness to this incident, which Seetha had. They were Thulasi, Falguni river, Gaya Brahmin, Cow and Akshaya Vatam. Except Akshaya Vatam, all other, fearing conflict between Rama and Seetha, tell that they are not aware of this. Seetha curses these four, but Akshaya Vatam, which tells the truth is blessed to live across yugas. So Akshaya Vatam is very Holy. We did Pinda Tharpanam here and offered to Akshaya Vatam.
We offered on Pindam to crow as well. Mom had a high sense of satisfaction. I could see from her face that there was sense of achievement and fulfillment. My prayer to Him for giving a strong physique and strong mind seems to have been addressed...!
We reached to Karnatak Bhavan to do Srartham, with homam. Vadhyar organized by Sekar Sastrigal at Gaya was very good. He guided us through slokas clearly. After Srartham, Gaya Brahmana Bhojanam was done. They don't take much of rice but more of pooris and vadais.Sekar Sastrigal asked my wife to server lots of Poori and Vadai to these brahmins to have a happy food. They also looked very happy after the bhojanam, and blessed us.
When we sat to eat it was 4:30 pm. After this we had a small sleep and started back to Kasi around 6 pm. We reached Kasi around midnight. We were now getting into the last leg of our Kasi Yatra...! It continued look like dream...!
(To be continued...!)
Pranams
Ram
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