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| Demoshgo Baptised in Varanasi | | | Surinder Koul
Rishi Peer, was a re
nowned spiritual saint of Kashmir, in seventeenth century. He was commonly known as PIR PANDIT PADSHA HARDU JAHAN MUSHKIL ASAN among the people in Kashmir. His mother once asked him to arrange her pilgrimage to Varanasi for the Ganga bathe. Based on his spiritual prognosis and soothsayer's foresight, Reshi Peer advised his mother to take dip in the River Vitasta on following day in early morning hours at the corner of Batyar ghat adjoining to Vosee sab mosque, Ali Kadal Bridge, Srinagar. At this specific spot, this river portion would be bestowed the piousness of the Ganges on the dictated day and time. It said that Reshi Peer mother had the dip in the river to her satisfaction with a belief that she had a Ganga bathe.
This was the reverence and religious sanctity for every Hindu, carried in one's heart, for a dip in the Ganges. Bathe in the Ganges in Varanasi is of highest order in pilgrimage. Varanasi is believed to be the holiest pilgrimage. Varanasi is the dwelling place of Lord Shiva, in the form of Lord Vishvanath to bestow enlightening wisdom of liberation on the pilgrims to Kashi. Varanasi continues to be important center of intellectual life and religious thought from immemorial times, despite, its past onslaught of destruction and ravage by marauders. Great religious and spiritual saints and seer had touched the soil of Kashi for their inner awakening and enlightenment. Francois Bernier, a French physician and traveller, was attached with Mughal Empire ( Dara Shuku and Aurangzeb) in 1658. He visited Banaras and called Varanasi as Athens of India in his observation in a letter to one Monsieur Chapelain.
To pay homage to their mothers, the first cousins joined hand to form a group which is coined as DEMOSHGO. They derived the name Demoshgo by combining first two alphabets of their mother's name, who were four sisters by birth. Picture of four sisters in single frame was rested on a table with a flower garland for special tributes. The eldest member of the maternal clan lit the inaugural lamps in reverence was received by rest of members with cheers. On the inaugural day 17th Nov, the single frame photograph of four sisters was offered floral tributes by their descendants as a mark of respect and love. They further narrated their individual value added experience gained by each one of them under their warmth nourishing. And the family tree was conceived wonderfully in blank art form in apparent look. Stemmed up branches of the tree are representing four sisters and one brother lineage of the family with other generation of children and grand children described on bough and buds of the tree to cover even last child. Shading of stemmed branches in five different colours is to distinguish the main progenies. On the very day of the formation of the group, it was decided to make a maiden trip to Varanasi to commemorate their mothers as well as Massis at Varanasi, the holiest of all holy places in India. This group was given abbreviated name V 9 for short references. It was uploaded on Whatsapp for remaining in regular touch on welfare matters and exchange of opinion, views and sharing of pleasantries among members of DEMOSHGO. All relations and their children and grandchildren came forward to enlist their names on Whatsapp to follow Demoshgo group activities.
Varanasi tour was more or less a type of adventure for them. Firstly, most of the members of the group had not visited to Varanasi as it is ascribed with religious connotation. Maturing of the trip was in waiver, due to doubts about its materialisation on the basis of compatibility in understanding among members. In spite of initial hiccups, there was positive response and relations even from far away states like Bangalore, Mumbai and Jammu got enlisted for this outing.
On 18th Nov morning flight was taken by group of V-9 to Varanasi from New Delhi to arrive at Varanasi Airport. On reaching Varanasi, the guest were received and escorted to Hindustan Hotel International over newly opened stretch of fly over by P.M, in short time without any traffic jams. Earlier, the distance from Airport to hotels in main city used to be tiring and time consuming due to heavy congestion of traffic on old narrow net work of roads. Welcome drinks were served to the guests at HHI, Varanasi on check in. Availability of rooms made it easy to get room keys for the members to dump their baggage inside as well as to change and get refreshed for next programme of sightseeing in Varanasi. Around noon time, the members left for sightseeing of Sarnath Stupa and Museum at a distance of 13 km from hotel, by tempo traveller. In midway, they stopped at local restaurant to have lunch with Banaras flavour. Alighting from the vehicle, members were excited to see such huge Stupa and other Buddhist monuments. Sarnath is famous Buddhist centre, where Gautum Buddha gave first preaching after attaining enlightenment in Gaya. King Ashoka built Sarnath stupa as a mark of reverence to Lord Bhuddha and his teachings of piety and non violence. Buddhist from all over World does visit Sarnath once a year as an obligatory to commitment. Members encountered lot of Buddhist followers from Cambodia, Java and from Maharashtra who were gathered around Stupa to pay obeisance to the Stupa. They were seen circumnutating in small batch around Stupa with folded hands and muttering prayers. Certain Buddhist from South East countries was observing some Buddhist rituals to become monks. Sarnth stupa is Mecca for Buddhist. Archaeological excavation in Sarnath also discovered King Ashok's pillar in original now preserved in Museum, is the Indian national emblem. Many beautiful sculptures and carved stone images of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist deities are well sorted out in columns for visitors. With the help of local guide for sightseeing in Varanasi, the group was happy with what they learnt in Sarnath visit?
Evening hours of the group were utilised in watching Ganga prayers at Dashashvmadh Ghat of the Ganges. Thousands of people from various parts of India and abroad thronged the Ghats to be part of the whole prayer assembly and to catch its performance in their mobile for life remembrance. It was spectacular colourful ceremony in which Vedic mantras were amplified for large gathering on the steps of Ghats. The atmosphere was calm and composed with spiritual vibrations. Witnessing this astounding Ganga Pooja at Deshasvmedh Ghat and the huge gathering of human being racing through narrow pathways was itself a new enchanting experience to the group members. On way to hotel, the scene of Ganga Pooja was the central theme of group conversation by the side of dining table at hotel.
Next day, 19th Nov, was the schedule for watching morning Sunrise at river Ganges and to enjoy cruise ride for getting glimpses of all bathing Ghats of Varanasi on river front. So group members got up early in the morning and carried pack breakfast along to be well in time at the Ganga side to look at the twilight of emerging sun in the horizon.
Men driven paddle riksha were hired to drive the members to Asi Ghat through narrow lane of Varanasi for observing sunrise. Fortunately, group was in time and they could see, Sun coming out like blazing fire ball up in sky, with its reflection of varying dimension in the river Ganges. Flash of dazzling light falling on river fronts of eighty high level castles is the eternal source illumination of Varanasi for ages. This splash of brightness from river front has given Varanasi another name Kashi, a place of light. It was followed by another doze of round trip in newly introduced cruise from Asi Ghat to Raj Ghat, to have running glimpses of eighty eight bathing, Puja and two cremation Ghats along the river Ganga. Geographical feature too have marked its niche in Varanasi by giving crescent bent to the river Ganges in Varanasi which is being correlated with the left sided Moon insigne on the forehead of Lord Shiva. The wonderful broad look of the clustered impressive places of worship, meditation and yogic learning Centres along the bank was bewitching affair to the naked eye. Twittering of migratory seagull birds over the boats oaring or steaming through the Ganges was pleasing to ears and charming to sight. Cruise ride was over at Asi Ghat. The group was transhipped to a motor boat for ferrying them to Hanuman Ghat for Sharada ceremony in honour of their departed parents conducted by Karam Kand Brahman of Varanasi. As the Sharada ritual was finished, members proceeded to a local restaurant for special lunch of Varanasi dishes with a dessert of Banarasi pan for digestion. Post lunch period till departure for Delhi in evening was free time for them. Member's choice was to have a round of Banarasi silk saris store for which the city is famous. Over and above religious significance of Varanasi city, it is also craft center of Banarasi silk saries and embroidery. Members of group too got fascinated to see such silk products of Banaras and were interested to visit any silk shop for worth purchasing gifts. Same evening, the group had train booking for New Delhi, the terminating point of the tour. |
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