When you reflect on your experience, you make some meaning.
It stuns you!
I visited Aurangabad. The garden outside the airport was
well maintained, and green.
The driver said that Ghrushneshwar, one of the twelve
Jyotirlingas, temple was just about 30 min drive so we decided to visit. On our
way and soon after we left the city behind, we sighted the Daulatabad fort.
This is where Mohammed Tughlak moved his capital. The entire area was lush
green. With everybody talking about the drought in Marathwada, I did not expect
to see greenery anywhere. Pleasant surprise.
The driver drove us to Bhadramaruti Mandir. He parked our
car about 300 feet away from the temple. I removed my shoes in the car and
walked barefoot. That was a terrible thing to do. Stones sharp and small were
strewn all the way. For a city born person like me, unaccustomed to walking barefoot,
it was quite a punishment.
This is what wikipedia says about Bharamaruti temple: 'In ancient times the Khuldabad was known as Bhadravati and the ruler was a noble king named Bhadrasena, who was an ardent devotee of Rama and used to sing songs in His praise. One day Hanumanji descended in the place, listening to the devotional songs sung in praise of Rama. He was mesmerized and without his knowledge took a reclining posture – called 'Bhava-samadhi' (Bhava samadhi is a yogic posture). King Bhadrasen, when he had finished his song, was astonished to find Hanuman in Samadhi before him. He requested Hanuman to reside there forever and bless his and Lord Rama's devotees.'
As I approached the temple, I entered a pandal where
this group was singing bhajans [devotional songs].
I thought that they must have come there to thank the lord
for satisfying their wishes. I was wrong! Or perhaps for praying to grant their wishes. I was wrong!! They had walked 80 kms in two days from
Nandgaon near Nashik to offer prayers. Why all the way so far, I asked. “We do
not have any purpose except offering our ‘bhakti’ [devotion]” they said. Only
to sing Bhajan and offer they walked 80 Kms! For a city born this was another jolt!!
On our way back, the driver told us that we were passing
Khuldabad, and that Aurangzeb’s tomb was in Khuldabad. Why was it named Khuldabad,
I asked our driver, Raees. He did not know. But Google knows! I searched. ‘Aurangzeb,
was described in official writings by the posthumous title of Khuld-makan (‘He
whose abode is in eternity').’…. [The Kabr] was erected by the Nizam at the
request of Lord Curzon, then Viceroy of India (who was shocked by the
simplicity of the tomb) in the year 1911.
The ‘darshan’ of Ghrushneshwar temple was not-so-happy
experience. There was a big rush. It appeared that the devotees had come from
the Rajasthan. Long queue for darshan. There were barricades. And also dirt all
the way. People standing near our car said ‘They have come from Nashik, after
the Kumbh-mela.’ I decided not to stand in queue and go inside temple.
‘Simplicity, surrender and devotion’ was the divine message I received
from this visit. It was delivered through the old men from Nandgaon who did not
come to the temple to ask for favours from the Lord. It was delivered by the
knowledge of history. Aurangzeb died in Ahmednagar but had chosen Khuldabad as
his burial place. Reason? He wanted his burial place to be near the dargah of
his ‘guru’ Sheikh Zainuddin.
Old Hindu penniless devotees, alive and singing, and a dead Moghul
Emperor – both chose to be at the feet of their respective Lords.
Yes, I got the message, my Lord!!
Vivek S Patwardhan
NOTE: All my photographs. Except the photograph of Aurangzeb's tomb - courtesy internet.