328. Day 6 – Gaya

We started early this morning and went to the Vishnu Paadam Temple. This temple is one of the most significant sacred temples in Gaya dedicated to the worship of Lord Vishnu. The temple’s architecture is influenced by the Shikara style although it underwent reconstruction and renovation by the Rani Ahilya Bai in the year 1787.

Several travelers and locals flock to the temple to worship the footprints present inside this temple. Lord Vishnu’s footprint is about 40 centimeters in length and encircled by silver plates, as many of the Hindu religious scriptures have described it.  The temple stands on the banks of River Phalgu and is a large complex dedicated to several gods and goddesses. The temple houses shrines of deities like Lord Narasimha and Lord Shiva. (source Wikipedia)

Since we were doing pind tharpanam today, we did not have lunch and left the hotel by 7am.  I had spoken to the priest the day before and he had asked us to be at the Vishnu Paadam temple by 730am.  We reached there just before that time.  We were told that mobile phones are not allowed inside the temple premises.  So, we deposited the same with our slippers in a nearby shop.  Later, when I saw the priest himself using the phone inside the temple, I asked him how he got it inside.  He said since he comes to the temple daily, he is allowed to bring it in😊!!

The priest made us wait before starting the pooja.  He said rice is being cooked and it will take some time before it comes.  In the meanwhile, he went to do pind tharpanam for a group of people waiting there.  This group consisted of about 35-40 people including ladies.  Even the ladies were doing the tharpanam and were chanting and doing the rituals.  The priest had a mike across his neck and was using that to spell out the rituals.

In the meanwhile, two big plates of rice were given to me and my brother-in-law (Mukundan).  We were told to make 64 balls of the rice provided.  The rice was piping hot.  With the help of some water, we were able to start making small balls of rice.  Then we were told that the wives too can help in making the balls. So, our wives joined us and we completed making the required number of balls.  We waited for another 15-20 minutes.

Then the priest joined us and started the rituals.  It took about 45-50 minutes for the rituals to end.  We were then told to take the rice balls to the river Phalgu and put in in the river.  The river is just besides the temple.  After that we were told to visit Vishnu Paadam, the foot of Lord Vishnu, which is there in the temple and is the main deity.  There was a little crowd with everyone coming from all sides to touch the Paadam.  After this, we went to the Akshay Vat tree and put some offerings there.  Then we came back to the priest, gave him Dakshina and thanked him for conducting the rituals.

It is believed that once a demon named Gayasur (Gaya named after him) committed a penance. It was said that whoever sees him would get salvation. And as it is known that salvation is attained if a person does something right in his life, everyone started attaining it easily.

To prevent bad people, Lord Vishnu asked Gayasur to go beneath the earth’s surface. Lord Vishnu himself sent Gayasur beneath the earth’s surface by keeping his right foot and pressing him under the earth surface.

While pushing Gayasur beneath the surface, Lord Vishnu’s footprint remained on the surface. This footprint is still visible and we can see it. This footprint has nine different signs symbols including Shankha, Chakram, and Gadham. These symbols are believed to be Lord Vishnu’s weapons.

After being pushed beneath the earth’s surface, Gayasur started pleading for food. That day Lord Vishnu said that every day there will be someone who will feed him food and whoever will feed him will be sent to heaven. Hence, this is the reason why people go there to do pind-daan of their loved ones. It is believed that the day Gayasur doesn’t get his food will be the day of his return to the world.

There is an immortal banyan tree where the final rituals for the dead are done. This banyan tree is named Akshayavat.

There is a gold flag and a couple of Kalash at the top of the Temple which always glitter. it is said that two thieves once tried to steal them, but one thief became stone at the temple and the other became stone and fell on the ground. These stones are not in the shape of humans, but a flat stone. These stones are kept for public view. (Source www.myoksha.com)

We were a bit hungry as we had not eaten anything since morning.  We decided against eating food outside and decided to go the Bodh Gaya hotel, where we stayed the night, to have lunch.  In the meanwhile, our driver asked if we wanted to visit Mangla Gouri temple. He was a Muslim driver.  He said that anybody whom he had brought earlier, visited this temple also.  He narrated a back-story, wherein he was once scolded by a guest when he did not take him to this temple. As he was a Muslim, he did not know about the temple as he used to only take the guest where the guest asked him to.  After this scolding, he made a point to cover this temple for every party, after the visit to Vishnu Paadam😊!  We too said we will visit this temple. 

Mangla Gauri Temple is a temple of high importance for the Hindus, as it has been mentioned in the most sacred religious scriptures such as the Vayu Purana, Padma Purana, and Agni Purana as well as in many other tantric scriptures as well. Mangla Gauri Temple forms one of the 18 Maha Shakti-peeth’s in the country and stands proudly since the 15-century.

The temple shrine is dedicated to the worship of Sati, the wife of Shiva, the Goddesses of the Vaishnavites residing in Gaya. One of the greatest attractions of this temple is the UPA-Shaktipeeth, which is popularly believed to be housing a part of the goddess that fell from the heavens. The goddess is here worshipped in the breast-form, which symbolizes the nourishment and love of a mother.

The temple is situated atop the Mangalagauri Hill and is believed to be a sacred spot granting the wishes of her devotees. One has to climb some stairs to reach the temple. Inside the temple, you will be able to see some beautiful ancient sculptures, and two shrines of Shiva with the images of Goddess Durga, and her incarnations Mahisasura Mardini and Dakshina Kali. The temple complex also houses the temples of Goddess Kali, Lord Hanuman, and Lord Ganesha. (source Wikipedia).

We visited the temple.  There was a big line and the gate was closed. I enquired from a pandit inside and he said there is also a VIP darshan ticket for Rs 300 per head. We took that ticket and we were asked to go inside the temple.  There was a shorter line there circling the inner temple.  We had a nice darshan here and came out.  We then came back to our hotel, had lunch and then started to Varanasi.

This day was the one when Mukundan had his marriage anniversary.  So, I had thought of making the couple cut an anniversary cake at night.  I had, the day before, called his wife’s (Kavita’s) mother to inform her to keep herself free so that I can do a live video call of the cake cutting.  Now, my interaction with her so far was just to saying hi and hello each time we meet.  She had already gone to sleep that night.  So, I told her daughter-in-law to inform her that I had called and that I would call her again the next day.

Now, the next day, when she heard that I had called, she became panicky thinking that her daughter had somehow offended me and that is why I had called her to complain😊!! She then called her grand-daughter (Rakshana) and asked why I wanted to speak to her.  Nobody in our party, including Jayashree, knew what I had planned.  I had earlier asked Jayashree for the phone number of Kavita’s mother and that was that. Rakshana gave the phone to Kavita.  Kavita told her mother she did not know and said she will give the phone to me.  I didn’t want to lie to her saying something else as I did not want anyone to know what I was planning! So, I told Kavita to tell her that I will call her later.

Only after I did a video call with her during the cake cutting at night, did I come to know that the entire day of hers was spent worrying as to what I am going to talk to her😊!!

I had asked the vendor who organized the tour to ask the hotel to arrange for a cake for me at night. He informed the hotel and also asked me to call them directly so that it can be arranged.  I also called the hotel and spoke to the manager and he said he would do the needful.

We had arrived at a place for having coffee, en-route to Varanasi, and I was walking much ahead to the place so that others should not hear that I am talking about some cake for tonight.  I wanted it to be a surprise.  I was busy walking and talking, when I noticed that some bees for targeting my face.  One bit me near the ear and another on my forehead.  I simply swatted them away and ran into the hotel.  The sting was very painful.  The driver went to the kitchen and got me choona (sunnanmbhu) and applied it on my face. We then had coffee and started to walk towards our vehicle.

Suddenly, I find the bees attacking me again.  No one else was getting bitten. Only I was being targeted😊!! This time, I got stung below my eye.  I made it back to the hotel again.  Others had reached the vehicle and entered inside so that they did not get stung.  One waiter told me that someone had thrown a stone at the beehive and that is the reason the bees were angry.   The waiter at the hotel asked the driver to bring the car to the back of the hotel so that I can get into the vehicle from there.  When I tried to exit from the back, the found the bees starting to attack me again😊!!  I borrowed one jacket from someone and put it on my head. I asked the waiter to escort me to the car from the back side.  Someone, I managed to enter the car and returned the jacket to him!  Maybe I resembled the guy who threw the stone at them, or was dressed similar to the guy😊!!

Once we hit the next town, our driver went to a paan shop and again got some choona to apply on me. He also took out a sting of the bee from near my eye and applied the choona there. By the time we reached Varanasi, the sting was somewhat less painful. Because of the application of choona, the area of the sting also did not bulge.

We went to a banarasi saree weaving factory and did some shopping.  Then we went to the hotel and had dinner.  In the meantime, I met the manager and enquired about the cake. He said everything was ready and it can be delivered whenever I want it.  Since it was Mukundan and Kavita’s marriage anniversary, we had gifted them a dress each.  Kavita put on the dress for dinner to show us how it was.  After dinner, I asked my Mukundan also to put on the new dress. He said he will put it the next day.  Jayashree then went to their room and requested him to put the dress and show it to me in our room.  In the meantime, I had asked the hotel guy to bring the cake to our room and keep it ready for cutting.

I then called Kavita’s mother.  Some other relative picked up the call.  I told him to tell Kavita’s mother that I will call again in 5 minutes and she and others can watch her daughter and son-in-law cutting their marriage anniversary cake!

Once Mukundan, Kavita and Rakshana came to our room, I video called Kavita’s mother on WhatsApp and she and other members of her family were able to witness the cake-cutting.  Later, Kavita thanked me and told me that this was the first time she had ever cut any cake😊!!

In hindsight, I think the bees were targeting me as inadvertently Kavita’s mother had to feel tensed throughout the day😊!!

Thus ended the Day 6 of our tour!

Cheers till next time😊!!