An unusual experience

An unusual experience
Dipika Chakrabarty

Once we went to Trambakeswar. There is a famous Shiva temple. On some
serious business we went to Maharastra .Then we visited that place.
On our bus we met a person who was going to Nasik, he suggested that
we must visit Trambakeswar. There people used to perform Rudravisheka,
a puja to appease the planet Rahu. Sir, Dr. Ramesh Mukhopadhyaya, was
interested to that. At Trambakeswar we first visited the Shiva temple.
Then Sir talked to the pundits there about Rudravisheka . But it was
very expensive. So Sir did not perform that. Then we went to visit the
cave of Gorokshanathji.This was on the top of a hill. One has to walk
at least 2/3 kilometers from the Trambakeswar main town to the feet
of the hillock. Then one has to scale the height of the hill. Of
course there were steps that lead to the mountain top. But at least
300-350 steps are there. We took the steps. These are very steep
steps. Now and then I had to take rest. I took nimbu-pani (fresh lemon
water) that the vendors at the side of the steps were selling. Sir for
this reason could not scale it quickly. However at last we reached
the mountain top and there was the cave of the Gorokshanath , the
founder of the Nath sampradaya, a sect in Hindu religion. Reaching
the mandir/temple I sat outside for a while and took rest. Sir went
inside.He began to talk with the sanyasi (belonging to Nath cult and
staying in that temple to perform puja to the picture of
Gorokshonathji). Within that short time Sir could build a rapport with
that sanyasi with his outlandish Hindi-speaking. (In this context I
cannot deter myself to tell you that Sir claims that he speaks perfect
Hindi!) Be that as it may, Sir convinced that Sanyasi that he would
stay with him (the sanyasi) the whole night there in that cave. And
then I entered there. Sir then asked the sanyasi whether I would also
be allowed to stay there along with them. The sanyasi looked at me and
nodded in the affirmative sense. But we were supposed to leave on
that day. Hence we again came down through all those steps and went to
that place where we stayed in the town and informed others of our
changed travel plan. Then we took some food in a restaurant. There we
met another sanyasi who used to perform puja in another temple on the
hill top of that same mountain range- a little lower height. When Sir
told that sanyasi about our plan, he seemed to be very much surprised.
He said that generally none used to stay there at night in the cave of
Gorokshonath, not even the pujari sayasi. And in the different caves
there on different hill-tops as a whole pujaris had to come down at
night. But as the sanyasi of Gorokshanath allowed sir and me to stay
there,he himself would stay in the night at his guha turned into a
temple. This sanyasi also assured us if situation became queer we
might come to his cave.

However we started early much ahead of Sun set because there was no
light on the hill. The ladies who were vending lemon water became
quite surprised to see us to go upstairs again. And when they heard
our plan they tried to deter us and said-Don’t go for such risky
venture as because there are ferocious animals to harm you. None of us
used to stay here after sun set in the night. But sir did not pay any
heed and I had no other alternative but to follow him.


At last we reached the cave of Gorokshanathji. I was dogged tired.
Hence as soon as I reached the temple I could not but lie there
straight on the stone slab just in front of the temple. Sir went
inside and started discussion with the sanyasi. I within some time
began to start snoring surely. ( I am famous for that!). Suddenly I
in my trance like situation heard the sanyasi to say sir that he
would be visiting someone but let us wait there. We should be cautious
of only one thing that the diya or the lamp in front of the picture of
the idol should always remain a-burning and we should not cover the
temple door/entrance ( there was only once entrance of the guha turned
into a small temple with two separated portions) as because the chitas
used to come there to pay their homage or to do the namaskara every
day to the deity from a distance. If they did not find it they would
be anxious and might come nearer. Think of the situation! There was no
light visible on that mountain. I was sleeping alone or in a half
recling posture totally shrouded in the darkness. Below the entire
Trambakeswar town was visible with its streets along with the
different type of vehicles with their head- lights on. The Godavari
river was shining here and there with the reflection of the
neon/electric lights coming from the houses, shops and street lights.
And then the sanyasi went off the sight and vanished within that
engulfing visible darkness. His words rang within my ears but with no
tangible effect. Because I did not have the strength to move an inch.
Sir was inside the cave and I remained there outside .Come what may I
should not move an inch rather I did not have the strength to do so.
Silence pervaded everywhere. I could not chant God’s name even
silently. Simply in a vacant mood I was looking at the moving and
enlightened Trambakeswar city below.
After some time the Sanyasi came back. Both Sir and the sanyasi lay
outside on the other side of the slab. In between myself and them
there was the door of the cave. And the light of the cave that was
always burning within the cave came out faintly. I again fell fast
asleep.


It was perhaps midnight. Suddenly I got up. And I heard a sound. A
buzzing sound as if some ferocious type of bees was moving around. I
was scared of that but I could not have the power to call either Sir
or the sanyasi. I began to chant god’s name in that dire need. After
some time it went away and I again started sleeping.


The next day early in the morning I got up. What a sight was there! It
seemed as if we were in Kailasha, the abode of Lord Shiva! My senses
fail to describe it. However much I felt like staying there and
enjoying the sight we have to go back to the humdrum of the city life
with all its paltry getting and spending ,so we started. After coming
down some 100 steps perhaps we met the other sanyasi at his temple. In
fact he was waiting for us. He asked us that surely we had any unusual
experience that night. Because the cave of Gorokshanathji is a holy
place and that night the other sanyasi visited him after we reached
there. And he expressed his feelings to this sanyasi. In fact when sir
requested him for such unusual thing he could not but allowed him.
There was no tangible reason behind it. Might be it was god’s or
Gorokshanathji’s desire that sir should remain there. To me it was
simply the Bengali saying -Sat sange swarga bas-that is in a good
company you will be benefited.
However then I said him my experience about the sound of bees or bee
like insect he said that it was impossible for any such insect to go
that height. But I am sure that I heard that sound clearly and was
horrified. Did Gorokhonathji not like my presence? I do not know. But
I had an unique experience that night. About Sir’s experience? I am
sure that he is the right person to dwell it on. I restrict myself to
do that.
As per sanyasiji’s request I then cooked food there in his guha and
happily we three had enjoyed the hot khichri along with pure ghee like
amrita/ necter.


After long 7/8 years we again visited that sacred guha of
Gorokshanathji during the Kumbha mela ( the Kumbha mela bathing along
with the procession of the sanyasis and all elaborate rituals used to
be there both in Nasik and Trambakeswar). Interestingly that very
sanyasi was there and among so many people he cold easily recognized
us(sir and myself). Might be that was an unusual experience to him
also.

An unusual Experience

Nandita Bhattacharya



There is a place called Handol in Paschim Medinipur, a district of West
Bengal. To reach Handol one has to take a bus towards Mayna. Mayna is a
block of Purba Midnapore. Earlier there was only one district called
Midnapore and it had 54 blocks. Just imagine of a district which was so big…
the biggest district (in count of blocks, otherwise Bastar was the biggest
one) in India having 54 blocks. The district has been divided into two
districts in Paschim Medinipur and Purba Medinipur for the sake of better as
well as effective administration.


However, Handal is a place located on the way to Mayna from Midnapore town.
The bus stoppage is called Handol Katpul. A morum road enters the village
living behind the main road or bus road here in this stoppage. One can go
through the morum by cab or van rickshaw but after that, s/he has to walk
through a kaacha road as that road is under construction.


One of my friends Swapan Maity took me to that temple on his byke. In fact I
heard of this temple from Bijoy Maity a teacher of English. He lives
in Rampura
village of Pingla block of Paschim Medinipur. The Handol also falls under
the same block in Pingla. Bijoy Babu wrote his experience of Handol in the
bulletin of Writers Forum also.


Handol is very much like other ordinary villages of Paschim Medinipur. Like
many other villages of WB it has a Kali temple also. But unlike other Kali
temple here stays a person who is the real attraction of the temple side by
side with Ma Kali. In fact Ma enters his soul every evening. And he speaks
to the devotees of the holy Mother from the Kali temple. He is not a
fortuneteller. The not so rich people go to the temple with their different
kind of problems. And that particular person or Ma Herself gives solutions
to the problems of the people who come to her/ him. It is a small temple but
very neat and clean. There is no pomp and show in and around the temple. It
is like other village temples. When one enters the area of the temple s/he
feels different. There are big trees in and around the temple. As soon as
one enters the temple, s/he feels her/his body gets cool. He will have a
soothing feeling. The air immediately takes away one’s anxiety, which always
hangs heavy upon him/her. One feels the touch of his/her own mother.


Swapan Babu a social activist of the area told me *Didi wash your feet hands
and face*. He pointed at a tube well . It was half past six then. The sun
god was just set. The glow of the setting sun was still lingering on the
temple. I tried to pump the tube well. Seeing me not handling the tube well
properly, Swapan Babu came forward and pumped the tube well for me. The
villagers I found always very generous and they do not have any ego as such
if s/he is associated with politics, panchayets, and any govt. office. I
washed my hands, feet and face and saw a gathering in the varandha of the
temple. This varavda is in fact at the backside of the temple. I joined the
crowd. Men women young boys and girls and children together form the crowd.
I saw most of them were trying to peep through a gate made of grill. I was
quite curious to know what was there inside that closed gate. I stood on the
tip of my toes and tried to find out what was there inside but I could not
see anything. I did not see any image of Kali even.


One small child who is hardly 4years old was shouting and playing around.
His mother happily was sharing with others that her son became so happy
after coming to the temple. It appeared from his face that the boy was sick.
Suddenly I heard Swapan Babu calling me. I looked out of the varandha.
Swapan Babu waved his hand and I followed him. We reached to the other side
of the temple. He introduced me with a gentle man whose look was quite
ordinary. A lanky person age group between 33-36 wished me *Namaskar*. I
reciprocated the same. Swapan Babu said to me that he is the person who
gives remedies to everybody. *He is my friend…*Swapan Babu added proudly.
The man smiled and nodded his head to affirm Swapan Babu’s claim. He then
said to me *Its time to enter the temple. You please wait and we must
interact.* He was not at all impressive. But there was a simplicity in him
which I believe touches everybody. He was clad in a white coarse dhoti and
he covered his body with the other end of the same dhoti. I can remember his
head was covered but I cannot remember whether it was with the same cloth or
not. The place was not very illuminated rather it was shaddy. I came back to
the same varanda where I stood before. After 10/15 minutes, Swapan Babu
called me again. He took me to the same place where I met that divine
person. It was the varanda of the front side of the temple. There was no
light in the varanda. The lights cast from the other side of the temple
added a light and shade to the place. I saw some people sitting there inside
the varanda. I also entered in the varanda and sat in a corner. In that
light and shade, I heard a female voice talking something. I looked around
once again. My eyes were accustomed with the light and shade in the mean
time. Now I could see that some people were sitting in a queue. Most of them
though were women but males were also there in the queue. One after another,
they dragged themselves in a sitting posture near the closed door of the
temple. They prostrated before the closed door. A voice from the temple
asked *Bosechis? *(have you sat) the person from the outside replied *Yes
Ma. *The Ma or Mr. Prabir Samamnta (name of that divine person) started
talking. The male speaks in a female voice. The devotees believe that Ma
Herself speaks through Prabir Babu. Yes I also believe very much Ma speaks.
Ma wants to give solace to the distressed souls like us who visited Her. I
sat before the closed door of the temple following the same procedure of the
other devotees. Now I understood that the image of Ma Kali is there inside
the closed door. By the time, I reached the place the daily evening worship
was complete. And they close the door of the temple after the daily worship.
Then Mr. Samantha or Ma Herself interacted to her devotees through Mr.
Samantha.


The voice inside however asked me as usual *Bosechis* ? I said *yes Ma. *The
voice from inside started speaking. And to my utter dismay I found whatever
the voice told me were all true.


Surprisingly enough they do not have any charge for all this things . If one
feels like S/he can offer whatever S/he likes to offer. While waiting in
that varanda I heard the people keeping coins in the ground before
prostrating in front of that closed door. It must be maximum a five rupees
coin. It can not be more than that. When I sat before the closed door I did
not give anything. I came back surprised. On the way Swapan babu was telling
me that Prabir Babu was very religious since his childhood. He used to
perform puja of Ma Kali when he was a mere boy. Once he was coming from the
market place. It was a drizzling evening. The village road was desolate. He
suddenly heard a jingling sound of anklets of a woman in front of him. He
did not pay much heed to it at first. Nevertheless he could not ignore it
also. He was bit scared too. He stopped for a while and he heard the sound
as if just in front of him. Then he got the *Hukum* (command) …that is the
very word Swapan Babu used…of Ma. And since then he is giving service to
the people who are in need. People come there to Prabir babu for the safe
delivery of their goats, they come to get medicine for their diseases, they
come to settle the quarrel between the mother in law and the daughter in
law. Young Jacks come to know whether they will get their Jills and vice
versa. Ma keeps on answering tirelessly even if it is a silly (?) question .
By the by Ma interacts only in the evening. Nevertheless, Prabir Babu is
always there to give you a patient hearing. Does the so called civilization
has the ears to listen to these voices? Police came there to Prabir Babu.
They harassed him. Ultimately, they constructed a portion of the temple.
There are many things in earth and heaven which science and Philosophy can
not explain. People like Prabir Babu and Ma Kali are still the shelter for
the common men and women. The do not rob them at least like doctors lawyers
…the so called educated intelligentsia.