Rishikesh

On my recent tour to Badrinath ,I had to touch Delhi.I was at once flooded by nostalgic memories.That of my 5 school friends sunning ourselves in the watery sun of the winter months during the recess , in nearby Buddha jayanthi park.

There was always something to talk about and giggle.The swapping of each others sweaters just for the fun of it and gobbling hot gulab jamuns at 50 ps a plate in nearby, Gol-dakana [p.o.], Bengal sweet house . Always going dutch as our purses were perpetually thin and ill fed.

The thick mango shake doled out generously in tall glasses , characteristic of Northerners hospitality, for Rs 2 , by a sardarji conducting his business in a tiny cubicle with only a mixie as his capital ,in Khanmarket ,satisfying my terrible thirst during the hot summer months ,especially after attending classes at Delhi Univ,on my way home and the 2 nd hand mills and boon books I often bought in the same market to lighten my days,the scrumptious 1 Re masala dosa ,vegetable burgers and cold coffee at 50 ps served at the university canteen,are fresh in my memory .Their taste still lingers on !



Friends, food and books are the pleasant memories of my school and college days at Delhi .There are also some unpleasant one's[vague, though].That of eve teasing, I was often subject to .Some of the male population at Delhi were of the opinion that any female , teenager to middle aged women out in public places and in the buses are a fair game , for cheap thrills.I learnt over a period of time to successfully evade and tackle this menace[stood my ground and took a swipe ].

As we hovered over Delhi before landing at 7.30 pm a glittering spectacle of yellow , red , and blue lights of the city below greeted us.It twinkled and shimmered and looked like a photo of a distant galaxy , captured and beamed by the Hubble telescope!

I stepped out of the plane in trepidation . The TV news channels and blogs had filled me with stories of calamity kalmadi and the mess the roads in Delhi were in the run up to the on coming common wealth games.

Over exaggeration [ i.e regarding the roads]. The roads I travelled through were excellent. No city in India can compare with Delhi roads and its upkeep.Even after the digging up operations, constantly reported , most of the roads are shining strips of tar and concrete.

But once the mini bus we were travelling on our onward trip to the Himalayas entered U.P ,the roads were rattle tops and it became smooth sailing only when we entered Uttarakand ,thanks mainly to the Border roads organisations meticulous efforts.

We reached Rishikesh the first leg of our pilgrimage deep into the Himalayas in pouring rain.The river Ganges which is normally calm.,placid blue lake from my memories of earlier trips,was surprisingly flowing furiously.Braving the constantly pelting rain we took a dip in the holy waters , ice cold to touch.With the backdrop of emerald green hills ,whose top was submerged in white fleecy clouds, I scooped a handful of the toffee coloured ,swiftly flowing river to sip and sprinkle andAdhi Shankara's gentle advise came to my mind

"Ganga jalalava kanikapetha"

Drink but a drop of Ganga's water and put an end to the debate regarding death.

I shivered in the sheer beauty and sacredness of the place.

Rishikesh is a apt name to this place . It is truly a place to meditate as rishi's of yore did. The most sullen minds would be ventilated thoroughly in this sylvan surroundings. Ganga maiyya [mother] flowing perennially and the Himalayas standing solidly at the back is sure to purify and cleanse the vilest minds of its wickedest thoughts.

Could that be the honey i.e attracting several westerners to this place?I saw them everywhere Largely at the most crowded and dirtiest parts of the town. This place abounds in scenic bathing ghats and dotted with serene spots all along the river , a perfect place to meditate and connect with nature. I am unable to comprehend some Westerners inordinate fascination towards the dirty gullies and narrow alleys of our towns.

A huge sad looking Langur sitting pensively atop a wall near Laxman Jula[bridge],obliged every camera totting person's ,by sitting in the same postures for hours at an end.

Our lodgings were in a Ashram ,a stone throw away from Ganga maiyya and we could see her flow rapidly from our windows.The Ashram trains boys inVedic rites and Bhajjans . It is a perfect back drop to a religious tour.Their mellifluous voices rendering the Vedic hymns and kirtans on Hanuman ,Siva and Ram,early in the morning and at night in unison matched well with the age old religiosity of the place.

The spiritual atmosphere,the Vedic chantings, singing of slokas, and hymns through out the day and the Aarthi to Ganga maiyya every evening, rain or shine,is in a way similar to the one prevailing in deep South viz Kancheepuram.The saffron clad sadhu's in their matted long tresses ,beards Rudraksha malaas and ash smeared foreheads , seen every where, do their bit to enhance the religiosity of this cool, quiet and picturesque town.