By : Dr. G.R. Vijayakumar
I made a pilgrimage to Amarnath in 2015. It was a perilous journey in the Himalayas amidst snow-storm, rainfall and severe cold. Helicopter services were cancelled. The only option was palanquin costing Rs.12,000 or a horse. I chose the palanquin. Walking slowly over snow-covered mud and ice, the boys avoided holes in the ice. Some holes were so big that you could see a river flowing underneath. We passed a big rock next to the river and I could see several pilgrims taking bath before entering the holy cave.
After trekking 48 kilometers, we arrived at the steps leading to the holy cave. The young men helped me get off the palanquin and said, ‘Uncle, we will wait here for you’. I started walking up a few steps and soon became aware of the high altitude. I stopped, caught my breath, and walked up another few steps. I was glad to see that I was not the only one who had to rest. Even people younger than me had to stop for a while. For a while, I wondered as to how I would climb the steep row of 200 steps. Lord Sainath watched my helplessness and sent me help. A girl of 19-20 years came near me and asked me in Hindi, ‘Brother, do you need any assistance?’ Even before I nodded, she took my hand and slowly led my way. As we climbed, she gave me water to drink and bottled ‘Fruity’ juice.
As soon as we reached the level walkway inside the holy cave, I felt completely overwhelmed. The combination of exhaustion, high altitude, shortage of breath, and intense emotion as I was imbibing the sheer power of the place made me stop. There were only a few more steps up to the ice lingam, but I had to sit down. It could not have been more intense if I had walked straight into Lord Shiva’s arms. Tears were rolling down from the corners of my eyes as my young friend made me sit on a small wooden bench in the cave. An army man walked by, looking at me as I sat there overcome with feeling.
I sat there for around fifteen minutes. In the meanwhile, my friend brought some cashews and raisins to be offered to Lord Shiva. There remained only a few steps up through a brass gate, and I was before the Lord. Since it was hardly two weeks of the beginning of Amarnath yatra, the ice lingam remained virtually intact. My heart was so full. I think if the divine vibration in the cave would have been any stronger, I would have fainted. I handed cashews and raisins to one young priest for offering to Lord Shiva. I got overwhelmed and had to go back down the steps and sit on the bench to compose myself.
The priest came down the steps to hand me the Prasad that I had forgotten. Another priest came and filled my arms with more Prasad and put ‘vibhuti’ on my forehead. The policeman came and put wooden shoes on my feet. ‘You must be cold’, he said. An old man carrying a small bucket used a ladle to pour hot rice pudding Prasad, with lots of saffron into a paper cup and handed it to me. So much love, so much kindness. The Amarnath cave is very high and wide but not as deep as I had imagined. I saw the two pigeons flying in the cave. My young friend told me that they are the immortal pigeons having heard Lord Shiva narrating the ‘secret of immortality’ to Mother Parvati. I was still sitting on the bench and felt a bit self conscious for having shown so much emotion.
There are three ice lingams in the cave. My young friend told me that the large ice lingam is worshipped as Lord Shiva. The ice lingam next to Lord Shiva is worshipped as Mother Parvati and next to the Mother is Ganesha. The area is protected by a grill, most probably to prevent devotees tossing items at the lingams. When I looked intently at the lingams, I felt visualizing the Trinity – Sai Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji blessing me!
As more people started to come into the inner cave, the friendly priest gestured for us to move. At least two hours must have passed since I first entered the holy cave. I could never have stayed this long Suddenly my young friend asked me about my ‘lunch’. Even though I gave an evasive reply, she ran somewhere and brought me some ‘chapati and sabjee’. She also took care that I need not strain myself to go elsewhere to wash my hands! On the other hand, she washed her hands and took care to feed me as my mother fed me when I was a child!
The innocent, loving kindness this young lady had bestowed on me touched me deeply. I felt that she was indeed my sister, and I was not just a rhetorical ‘Bhaiya’. We must have been siblings in some earlier births! I wanted to make her happy and all I had to give was my gratitude and some money. I handed her a five hundred rupees note as a gift before I got into the palanquin. She tried to push back the note. I told her that it was an affectionate gift from her brother! I was awarded with a smile I shall treasure forever.
I asked her name. She replied ‘Vaishnavi’. It was indeed Vaishnodevi who had come in her form to help me. She had carefully held my hand and supported lest I should fall on the slippery path! She fed me like her son! She had also managed a plastic raincoat for me! She was waving at me as I got hoisted on to the palanquin on my return journey.
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