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It’s All About Belief… Belief in One’s Self

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Sometimes I really wonder that does the Devas (Gods) truly listen to our prayers or it’s our belief in them; which works? Here, I’m sharing my experience of some pilgrimages:

Since my childhood I’ve been to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, many times. Almost every alternate year, as my parents used to go there. When I got married; here also my family is a great devotee of MAA. So, that continuation didn’t stop, in fact it increased.

Last year when we went to Vaishno Devi, my sister insisted to go Shiv Khodi also, which is nearby Katra only. I don’t know about that place’s history but I think it’s a newly discovered shrine. One yogi had done his penance over there for around 4o years & 4-5 years ago that Baba ji had died. And after that this place has become an overnight pilgrimage. But frankly when I went there I didn’t feel any devotion. In fact I was thinking how the system of “bhed-chaal” works in India?

Wherever they find three stones together naturally, either they call it a trishul or Lord Ram, Lakshman & Lady Sita, and if a single stone lays at some distance it can easily be called a Shivlinga or Lord Hanuman by painting it with saffron color. And surprisingly in a cave if they find a smaller entry to some other cave (which is quite natural) or don’t know to where, they start calling it the path to heavens. And even add that Lord Shiva showed this way to heaven to 33 crores devi-devtas.

And naturally in every cave we can find water pouring from here & there, so the purpose of Ganga flowing from Lord’s Shiva’s head is also found.

I observed people there; they were like true devotees & were continuously chanting Om Namah Shivay! Om Namah Shivay!

But somehow I found it all funny & unbelievable. May be because I was not attached to that place as I’m with Mata Vaishno Devi.

But this first unbiased observation made me think that a person, going to Mata Vaishno devi for the first time, can obviously think just like that. Because I’m going there since my childhood; I have a deep respect in my heart. But then what about Shiv Khodi?

Really this observation made me smile on myself & on millions of those who are crazy to go to shrines to fulfill their wishes or to ask for something from God. In fact all the abilities lie in them only & these abilities are the ones which work indeed.

But one can’t deny that these pilgrimages give employment to thousands of people.

It’s not like that that now I’m no more a devotee of Maa or Lord Shiva; in fact I’m clear and have respect for these two universal forces even more. But I’m sorry to say that the people in India must rethink about their devotion. They can easily be lead anywhere.

Here I want to share one funnier story. Long time ago a man was crossing a jungle; on the way he stopped to defecate. When he was done and about to continue his journey, he thought I must cover the waste with something so that no one could step over it. So, he collected some flowers & leaves & covered his faeces & moved ahead. After a while two more passengers were crossing the same way, they saw a small pile of flowers & thought there must be some God residing; so they collected some more flowers & added them devotedly, on that pile.

Gradually many people crossed that patch & everybody thought the same thing & by the evening that pile was even bigger with flowers & garlands. And as the days passed a temple was built there.

I can’t tell how much I laughed when I heard this story. But this is the way things work, where people are that crazy about God that they start following everything blindly. 🙂

Hope you would agree with me…

Have a truly devoted day ahead friends!!!

Medhavi 🙂

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