Years ago, on one fine New Years day in India, I was trying to cross the Puri bound road close to where our home in Bhubaneswar. I was surprised to see thee abnormal traffic on a normal day, a rush almost similar to what you would see on a day of some major festival, like the famous RATH YATRA (Car festival) in Puri.
I had to tip toe my way, swaying my hips, waving, clenching my hands like an eunuch at the approaching traffic of vehicles big and small, zeroing on me, blaring their cacophonic horn in unison at me. As there were no Zebra crossing, it took 5 minutes exhibiting my dancing skills to cross a 20 feet wide road. (Road crossing is an art in Bhubaneswar and one needs to be a trapeze artist to cross roads at crossroads of Bhubaneswar). That day I went above and beyond my normal hip swaying skills which would have made any danseuse proud.
After managing to reach home in a single piece, I asked my father the reason behind such an unusual rush on an usual day. He said, it has become fashionable now to do a JAGANNATH DARSHAN (take a peek at Lord) on New Year's Day at the His abode in Puri. Like a dip in river Ganga (Ganges), they trust CHAKADOLA (Circular eyelid, another name of Sri Jagannath) with his ever pervading look will purify them off their dirt like Aqua guard, from the previous year and the year next.
It explains why you would see many bloody, bleary eyed folks, still nursing hangover from last night's New year's eve Bacchanalian jamborees, stumbling their way up the BAISI PAHANCHA (the legendary steps) leading to Lord's abode. Many of them I know are prolific slimy characters, congenial liars and champion womanizers, who are known to religiously make this trip on the New year's day. Constipated with sins, they hope that the next 364 days will go as smooth as whistle, as the morning bowel movement post a dinner of RUTI (Chappati) and DALMA (boiled mixed of fiber rich lentils and vegetables), a staple Odia food.
We have this popular Odia Adage - BAARA BARSA RA TAPASYA SUKHUA PODA RE JIBA, transliterated, "Twelve years of penance will be swept away by consuming broiled dry fish". It means, all the great efforts and perseverance for a long period can go wrong by a single stroke of stupid act.
Reverse this theorem - A trip to the abode of the lord on the first day of the year guarantees buying peace and tranquility for the rest of the year, erasing off the sins in one stroke, a la the wiper of a car swishes away all the dust accumulated in summer after fresh monsoon rains. May KAALIA (as Lord Jagannath is known for his Amber complexion) bless them for the next 364 days, until their must visit yet again on 1st January, 2018.
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