Vaari and me..

                                                            I have always been a believer of god..a strong one...though I never forgot to pray every night to the almighty..I always skipped the temples when I was on sight seeing...never fasted..didn't do any of the pooja's and stuff...and yet..I believed that god existed. I believed in the energy that made the universe work...and that fixed things right..that gave justice to the good people..and punished the bad...!!

                                                          Now...I had read,heard about the vaari since I was a child. it didn't interest me at all...I didn't get the point why people..young and old..men and women,walked so many miles for 15 long days..in that scorching sun and unpredictable weather...I never found out what made this process going for so many centuries...until I myself was a part of it...

                                                            I went to the vaari..first time..last year..on 15th of july..it was merciless sunny day..with tremendous heat and not a single breeze flowing in..I began my quest for the paalkhi.I was stunned to see the bright colors flowing through the roads...people so enthusiastic and carefree about all the odds..Intially given up..I didn't even realise when I began pacing in the direction with hundreds and thousands of other people..in the only search for the paalkhi..Didn't even remembering what life I had back home..what crisis I went through..what problems I faced..I became one among the innumerable vaarkari's..cherishing the unbound and selfless happiness..It was something that was very hard to feel or express,but at the same time..very lucid and simple..The rythmic sounds in the praise of the god were the best background music my life ever had. It was like having a long lost cousin back at your place. Everything seemed so familiar. I was astonished to find myself..so very stubborn usually..to be among the people I never knew..and would probably never meet again all my life...Everyone was a "Mauli" for everone else. There hardly existed any prejudices and hence personality,looks,gender,proffesion didn't matter at all. All that mattered was the uncontaminated expression of gratitude.Everyone had it in plenty..!!

                                                      These people stayed together,ate together,lived together. Wonder how many of them knew each other's names..!! The huge pan's toasting crisp huge-sized bhaakris.The tea stalls.The police men.The n.g.o. organised medical teams. The philanthropical associations providing anything right from mineral water to mobile charging centres..vaari is not just a phenomena..it is a way of living..a culture..in a broader sense..a religion.That religion which believes in spirituality and humanity.The one which has no discrimination and will never have..I wish the international religious crisis makers ever realise what following a religion means..

                                                                      And then came the ultimate point..when the paalkhi arrived..Until then then I never beleived in Idol worship.I just didn't find it right to trap the enormous energy into a single word-singular structured object..But when I saw paalkhi..and the way people flooded towards it..I realised something. Believing in idolatry wasn't a bad either...If it granted the immense strength and energy for infinite lives..why not..!! and I let myself in the crowd.Just for one whole hearted darshan.And I saw hundreds of eyes watered and smiling at the same time,all filled with emotions..finding their own almighty in the paalkhi..I looked at them with immense pleasure and gratitude for letting me be a part of this...and didn't even realise when tiny teardrops flowed through my cheeks.The myth says..You don't decide whether you be in the vaari or you don't. Its a calling..from "mauli"  itself..and trust me..I went for it once again..and will always go...indeed..once a vaarkari..a believer for ever..!!! :) :)