SIDE TRIP TO HARIDWAR AND THE KUMBHA MELA

SIDE TRIP TO HARIDWAR AND THE KUMBHA MELA

Today I have decided to take a trial run to Haridwar so that I would know my way around on April 14th when I go for the celebrations.

I take the long stairway up out of Rishikesh and then got a rickshaw to Haridwar, overcharged of course.

They dropped me off at Shanti Kunj and then I had to walk the rest of the way. It was very hot and I had not hat, glasses or umbrella. I don’t know how far I walked before I began to feel weak. But I just said to myself, “don’t think, just walk.” I kept this up till evidentially I knew I had to get out of the sun. I found a little spot on the bridge that was shaded and many Indians sitting under those trees on the other side of the railing of the bridge. I used my water to pour on my head and found it had become hot, but drank a bit, as I knew I needed it. After awhile I began to feel steadier and not so weak. Looking around I noticed that across the street on the other side of the bridge were some little stands selling chips etc. and thought I could find cool water. I also thought that this is the place I will recuperate at before turning around and heading back. I knew I would never be able to make it the distance that was before me to get to the center of where I wanted to be.

It was almost impossible to cross the street with all the traffic but a policeman saw me and came over and walked me across. Thank God for him!!! I followed the dirt path on that side of the bridge down to where I could see some trees and the little carts selling bananas and cucumbers. I bought some bananas and ate them, feeding the peels to a cow standing near me. He was grateful. I then began scanning the place for a restroom, but never did find one. In fact it was the end of the night at 9:30pm that I finally got to pee!!

After not finding a bathroom, I walked over to a pole and leaned against it to rest. I scanned the place for a place to sit on the ground that was not just dirt and also for some shade. I had only been standing a moment when a gentleman motioned for me to come over to him. I looked around to see if perhaps he was motioning to someone else, but no he was referring to me. I went over to him and he told me to sit in a chain next to him. These were the only few chairs in the whole area. It was perfect, a chair and in a shady spot. India has come to my rescue once again. The man then offered me some Chai tea which I did not want as I was cautious about the water. But in India it does not good to turn down Chai. So I accepted it but am slow to drink it. But as always they say,’ You finish your chai?” The gentleman is some official, I think with tourism. I never quite understood exactly what his position was. He is interesting and speaks English. I try to understand the things he is telling me but I only pick up bits and pieces here and there, and never enough to make much sense. I did understand when he told me,” India loves you.” Where did that come from? We were talking about something that caused me to bring my red book out (my notes and info. for India I had prepared before leaving the states). When I opened it he saw the picture of Maharaji and said,” May I see the picture, is that Neem Karoli Baba?” He took the book, placed his forehead on the picture and bowed his head in reverence.

We talked about meditation and unfortunately I missed it in translation, but I do remember him saying, ‘coming to the heart’. He also said something about me being Shanti Devi and this is interesting as Devi was brought to my mind before leaving the states, Shanti of course was presented to me when I was about 24-25 years old. In the same way as Devi came, out of the blue, as a flash in my consciousness. I was introduced as Shanti-Devi to others instead of Linda Smith as I had told him was my name.

Not to long after having had tea, yes I did finish it, he said to me,” Come with me.” So I got up and followed him. He mentioned something about having to do part of his job and that I was to assist him. How was I too assist him in doing his job? And would it mean having to leave my much needed shady spot? As it would turn out, it definitely meant leaving the comfort of the shade, and for a long time under the pounding India sun. The job he was referring to turned out to be leading a group of Sadhus and Babas to their camp for the Kumbha Mela. So there we were standing side by side behind two policemen on horses, which were also side-by-side. Soon the procession began and we started what would turn out to be another long walk. Another uniformed man approached him and asked if I was on duty! My new friend said yes I was on duty. So on we walked in and around the camps on the long, long road. Once he said to me, “we must hurry.” So I ran ahead of him with the bells on my ankles ringing. I looked back at him and hollered out in Hindi for him to hurry up. He ran to catch up with me and laughed and made a comment. Little did he know that I was about to fall over from that short burst of energy. He was only smiling saying that I was indeed Shanthi with the bells ringing from the anklets I wore on my ankles.

The Sadhus made it to their camp and we went on from there. I was thinking that we would return to the shady spot from which I had so reluctantly left. But this would not be the case. Finally we stopped at a little cart selling cups of ice-cream on the dirt road. It was rather funny to see this tiny cart in the middle of nowhere. He bought me an ice cream and then we proceeded on our walk, to who knows where…. Further down the road I began getting week again and he took my water bottle and poured water over my head, asking why I did not have an umbrella. It was simply because I did not know of the necessity of it, same reason for not bringing a hat. I know better now and those two items will be on my must bring list next time I come.

Eventually we came to the Ganga and a half tent with some people sitting around it. I noticed he spoke to someone and motioning to me saying something in Hindi and Shanti-Devi to the man. As I came closer I realized that the man he was talking to was a Naga Baba. A Naga Baba is a Sadhu that lives completely naked. The Naga Baba came over to me and pointed to a cloth on the ground and said,” Sit.” My new friend said he would return shortly and left me in the care of the Naga Baba. I sat on the cloth by the Ganga River, once again in the much-appreciated shade. Soon the Chai is starting to cook over the fire in front of me and my immediate thought, of course, is this water good? Or is this Ganga water!!!! But…. you do not say, “No thank you to a Baba!” That would be intensely rude and is just not done. So Ganga water or not the Chai was soon served in the traditional metal glasses at half full as to not burn your fingers. You hold the glass at the top where the boiling liquid has not been filled. The other method of serving Chai is the tiny clay cups which you smash on the ground when you are finished.

This Naga Baba was a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba, although Neem Karoli himself was not a Naga Baba. My new caretaker, the Naga Baba is clothed only in ash as is the custom. He wears numerous beads around his neck and bracelets and rings. He also wears a dark brown cowboy type hat with rukshaka beads covering the top and a glittery pin in front on the hat. Sticking from the top of the hat is a peacock feather. He carries the Neptune shaped spear of Shiva.

At one point some man starts a quarrel with him. Words fly back and forth but the guy is a real nuisance. The Sadhu gets up and starts wacking him with his stick. Police are there and gently try to get the ragging Saduh off the man. When the Saduh came back and took his seat next to me I wanted to say, “shanthi, shanthi”, to him but I did not want to get wacked with his stick….lol…. so instead I said to him, “Remind me to never get you mad at me!” That broke up all the negative energy and he started laughing. As a matter of fact it remained a joke throughout the afternoon.

Invited to partake of Chivras, (the smoking of marijuana) I turned it down because I in no way wanted to risk being put in jail and not seeing my children again. The Saduh frankly told me that as long as I was with him no trouble could befall me. But I remained resigned to not participate and was never asked again.

During the course of the afternoon many people came and left. Most were just there to pay their respects and leave donations and taking a bit of ash from the fire as a blessing. One German couple did come and smoke along with a few policeman. Guess I would been safe after all.

It was interesting to watch how the grass was prepared for smoking. A bud was taken, cleaned of stems and seeds, and then put in the palm of the hand with a few drops of water. Then it is rolled and mashed for quite a long time with the thumb of the other hand. Then this is put into the chillum and a small rag is put around the mouthpiece.

One Sakhu asks me, “ Are you a guru?” I cracked up laughing, me a guru?!!!! Far from it folks!

My seat is next to the Naga Baba and I realize not only am I the only westerner, but also the only woman. Perhaps it is a strange sight for the Indians as they come and stare at me and the ones sitting around have their eyes fixed on me.

Every now and then the Saduh would start making sounds with a little drum and a few minutes latter, take a long stick and wrap his penis around it and roll it up tight. Then he would squat with the long stick behind each knee. Every once in a while the stick would be wound tighter and pressed up higher under his knees and thighs.

One man came to touch the Sadhu’s foot and the Saduh removed his foot quickly so the man could not touch it. I have never seen this happen before nor have I ever heard of it. I can only think that for some reason the Sadhu was not granting his blessing.

At the end of the evening I told my friend I should be getting back to Rishikesh. I was first invited to stay at the tiny camp of the Saduh, which was very nice to have this offer, but with all the coming mosquitoes the experience was simply not worth it to my untrained mind. As things go, my uniformed friend from the bridge tells me that a friend of his was available to take me to where the buses and rickshaws do pick ups. I paid my respects, and said adieu to the Sadhu and his devotees of which I had spent most of the day with. Upon their request that I return I told them that it was indeed my plan on the 14^th. But I never did go back. I was too concerned about the heat and how sick I had become. So this day was my only experience of the Kumbha Mela, the main thing that got me serious about coming to India.

The walk to transportation was short…much appreciated, thank you…but the wait for a ride was long. I was very fortunate to have my friend’s, friend as a escort as I really do not know how I would have figured out what bus or auto rickshaw to take with the many rides that were passing by. Hundreds of people were standing along the roadside waiting for rides. It was dark before the right rickshaw came. My escort made sure I was on the right one and negotiated fare for me. It was great to see all the people hanging off the back, the sides of the rickshaws. I got a seat in the front. The ride was long as we kept going one way and then back the same way. I never knew why. But upon arrival in Rishikesh I was left off who knows where and then was charged more, of course. I asked the driver where the bridge that crosses over the Ganga was, because I had no idea of where I was. I was only pointed the direction out….ah well….One must always ask a few people and get the same answer a few times before believing anything. As Indians, will tell you anything to avoid saying that they do not know. I started walking down the long road and awhile latter an auto-rickshaw stops and says, “Get in”. I’m going to the bridge I tell him. Yes, yes, was the response. It turns out the bridge is about 20 minutes away by auto. I would never have made it with out the rickshaw, and especially that late at night on the road alone. Saved, once again. I never did flag down the rickshaw. It just stopped and the man said, get in. He did not ask me to, he just told me to. When he left me off, I meandered through the dark little streets. I see a little place where I can get a bottle of water and to pee!!! Finally!!! I have been holding it since the afternoon at the bridge where I met my friend who would ‘take care of my safety’. The men in the store were very nice. When I was leaving a man ran from behind the counter to the front door to open it for me. I continued my walk to the bridge. I was very happy to have my bearings once again. I crossed over the long Laxman-Jhula Bridge, which hangs suspended about the Ganga, to the other side, which is Laxman-Jhula and waked to my guesthouse and to my room. A hard day? You better believe it! But interesting and unforgettable…you bet!!