or
this British group of mine things were moving perfectly. A great trip in
great weather. It was in winter of 1998.
We landed up at the peaceful Gajner Palace just outside Bikaner city. I
call Bikaner a true desert city having harsher climate than even Jaisalmer.
But this well maintained palace located in a serene wildlife sanctuary by a
lake is really fascinating and my group was in definite mood to talk.
Normally I leave my guests to be on their own in the evenings after
ensuring that they are being treated well, but today I was being insisted to
join them.
I discovered they had reasons for this. Few of them were upset with what
they saw on the way from Jaisalmer near Pokharan.
James said "I saw a few people rolling on the street. It must
be painful. I fear it is a sort of punishment with some caste connections?"
"I don't think that could be something related to caste system, must
be something else," I asked.
"Oh yes!" Christina (wife of James) said, " Someone was
carrying a colored flag ahead of them".
Now
I understood what they were referring to. It was actually a group of
pilgrims on a pilgrimage to the Baba Ramdev shrine at Ramdevra.
Interestingly Baba Ramdev is rarely considered as one of the millions God
in Hindu beliefs. He is not even worshipped all over Rajasthan in the same
spirit.
To the best of my knowledge and keeping sensitivities apart, I can infer
that Baba Ramdev is a local deity, worshipped in Western Rajasthan.
But what a phenomenon he is in this part of Rajasthan! His
following is in millions and people congregate in hordes and numbers at his
main temple near Phalodi.
Baba Ramdev is always depicted as a warrior riding a horse. His face always
gives an impression of a rare mix of chivalry and kindness.
Perhaps he was a warrior who saved lives and honor. And this includes
honors of those less fortunates who were treated as low caste people or
untouchables.
He must have been revolutionary in honoring those people in the severely
caste-ridden society, so evident now with his massive fan-following among
these people.
His social contribution was enough to assimilate him as deity worth
worshipping in the mainstream Hindu living. Like other Gods he is paid
pilgrimage, that too through popular mannerism of inflicting pain on oneself
(A strong Hindu belief that to get to the universal truths and the God
himself, sacrificing and sufferings are necessary).
This rolling scene, making long pilgrimage walks, fasting, etc are all part
of self-induced sufferings.
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Still
waiting for the victory
" This is a question of beliefs and beliefs defy logic most of
the times" I said, "Like the Gadiya Lauhars which we see
settled in makeshift bullock cart houses along many streets, they are nomads
never settling at one place for long.
They were earlier members of warrior clans in Chittaurgarh. After Emperor
Akbar captured the Chittaur fort from Maharana Pratap, they vowed never to
return back to Chittaur till the Maharana wins the fort back.
Even today, any attempt by the government to relocate them in Chittaur
fails due to their overriding guilt for something happened some five
centuries ago!
Somewhere in their conscience they still believe that their beloved
Maharana will win the fort back."
"That's amazing!" They exclaimed. Generations come and go but
beliefs never die in Rajasthan is all I could say.
Sightseeing next day and another surprise was in hold.
On the way back to hotel in the vehicle the discussion erupted yet again. "How
can one justify the presence of thousands of rats in Karni Mata temple at
Deshnoke as part of some belief?
I mean it can be just a part of strategy of a temple to look different and
unique? Christina asked again.
"Certainly it can be. But if the scores of rats in the temple compound
had been kept just to create a SCENE, they could not have been so highly
revered by the people" I answered "In harsh living conditions when
the things remain largely adverse to any continuous prosperity, any
favorable conditions like a good monsoon, a battle free year or a year
without any epidemic, etc are attributed to some supernatural reasons.
People then believe that the occasional good phases were due to some
strange ritual or practice followed by them that pleased the God and their
ancestors. And then on nobody can affect this belief of theirs."
Not
always a serious affair
But despite such serious reasons of their faith, they never remain a
serious affair.
Like the Pushkar pilgrimage event which turns into a remarkable
congregation of cattle and humans where apart from sincere holy rituals the
colors, joy, fun, socialization, trading, shopping, fixing of engagements,
music and dances all go together!
Even in the annual event of Awan near Tonk where every Makar
Sakranti day a huge ball of cloth painstakingly prepared by village women is
kicked by two groups of men towards opposite gates- ball going to one gate
represents a bad year ahead and towards other a good one.
Crazy men put all efforts to fight for the ball, even they get hurt and
clothes get torn. Nevertheless the village women on the rooftops constantly
tease them by singing folk songs thus making the entire event a colorful
affair.
If we talk again of Baba Ramdev people strongly believe that even
snake-bites become ineffective if the sufferer pays visit to his shrine, at
the same time the faith in him has given birth to most colorful songs and
dances in praise of him.
There are many other local deities in Rajasthan such as Veer Tejaji, Pabuji
and Bhaumiyaji and the rituals attached to all of them are most appealing.
Colors;)
;)
Now
I understood what they were referring to. It was actually a group of
pilgrims on a pilgrimage to the Baba Ramdev shrine at Ramdevra.;)
Still
waiting for the victory ;)
Not
always a serious affair;)
I
recall near Jaipur there is a Goddess Sheetla Mata temple where every year
on Sheetla-ashtami day a huge fair is held- a huge assembly of rural men and
women in their most colorful costumes. They come in camel carts, tractor
trolleys and even on foot. It becomes a great spectacle-watching group of
people singing and dancing in different clusters. But the
unchallenged belief that brings them together on that day is that the
Goddess saves them from smallpox (despite the fact that smallpox is now
eradicated from the globe) and to please her they don't eat anything hot on
that day.
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