What shall I say of the Hazarat Baba Jan shrine and the
atmosphere, the magic of it all ? The Char Bawdi area
where I grew up, 2 minutes away from my home, the same
place where Avatar Meher Baba decided to become a
disciple of the lady who set him on his life's great journey ?
place where Avatar Meher Baba decided to become a
disciple of the lady who set him on his life's great journey ?
My thanks to Jitendra, a Flickr friend who recently shared
this pic/gift (Click the link) when I spoke of a yearning to see
this special shrine one more time. The place where I stood and
stared, danced with whirling, piercing, bleeding, entranced
dervishes who flogged themselves so forcefully that the scene
took root in my brain and I just had to go home and try to flog
myself with a belt. True story. Ouch ! I gave up within a few
days.....
this special shrine one more time. The place where I stood and
stared, danced with whirling, piercing, bleeding, entranced
dervishes who flogged themselves so forcefully that the scene
took root in my brain and I just had to go home and try to flog
myself with a belt. True story. Ouch ! I gave up within a few
days.....
On Ash Wednesdays and throughout Lent I would stop by and
smear ash on my forehead from a bowl that rested at the entrance.
The thick pungent aroma of Incense was overwhelming and blinding
but the ash was all-important to me back then, for it served as
physical 'proof' for my Christian family to see and approve that yes,
I had been to Church (which I hadn't). I saw no wrongdoing
but the ash was all-important to me back then, for it served as
physical 'proof' for my Christian family to see and approve that yes,
I had been to Church (which I hadn't). I saw no wrongdoing
in my trickery since I believed that the ashes were holy anyway
as witness the number of devotees from different faiths who
stopped by at all hours to pay respect. I respected that.
as witness the number of devotees from different faiths who
stopped by at all hours to pay respect. I respected that.
Such is the power of Baba Jan. Read and appreciate what this
all means to people around the world :
but don't take my word for it. How about a Celeb's devotion ?all means to people around the world :
Meherabad, a colony near Ahmednagar, where the Meher
Baba Ashram is located.
Kudos . . . . brought back sweet memories of Poona and its traditions. The Moharrum processions and distribution of Sharbat at Sharbatwala Chowk. I used to watch all these safely from my balcony . . . .
ReplyDeleteYou lived in Sharbatwala chowk ?? Man we were neighbors so to speak ! See great Pune collections uploaded by Jitendra on Flickr
ReplyDeletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/23982570@N08/4539775807/
and thanks a million for reading and commenting buddy !
The charbawadi area is still full of activity.
ReplyDeleteyes, as I discovered a few weeks ago when my niece sent me some closeups of the Matam
ReplyDelete