Thought of the day !
I was a guest at Bharti Bapu's Ashram in Girnar Junagad 2007. The hustle bustle pilgrimage centre is host to India's largest Shivratri Festival. Bharti Bapu officiates the celebrations being the Maha-Mandeshwar anointed by the sages of Bharat.
Shivratri Mela attracts about 2.5 million people to Junagad congregating for the Night of Shiva. 1.5 million of the participants could be from the Saint and Sages community.
Bhavnath mandir is the focal attraction. There is a water well at this mandir, the ritual for the Saint community to have a dip in the well as part of the celebrations. It is said for centuries Shiv-Shakti would grace this occasion as ordinary Sadus and dip in the well, the moment they are under water they disappear
Few people over the centuries have recognise the phenomena of Shiva-Shakti.
Bhavnath is associated with mythology from vedic history. The demons engaged the Gods in a contest for Amrit, some dropped at Bhavnath Mandir I was told. (This story is much too long for me to type for a man with very poor typing skills)
My short visit was an opportune moment to visit pilgrimage centres in and around a 30 k.m. radius.
The swamiji in Bharti Bapus ashram encouraged me to visit Kashmiri Bapus ashram a 2.5 k.m walk into the mountain a guide was arranged for me.
The walk could be about 30 minutes crossing three streams to the top. It would be challenging during the monsoons if you are a tourist journeying to the top. I would recommend a guide.
The climb was easy many thoughts flooded my mind on-route, did consider halfway to turn back. My chance encounter with the Great Tapasvi was and extraordinary engagement !
We were about 350 devotees that morning for darshan. Protocol demands standing in a queue darshan of the Great Sage would be a 10 second affair.
My turn approaches I bow down, decided to speak HIM, in a flash the Seva Dal taps me on the back gently to move on.
I was disappointed.
We were asked to proceed to the dining area about 15 meters from the darshan precinct. I began having prasad, pleasantly surprise the Guruji summons for me, He wanted to speak to me. I was overwhelmed spoke to Him briefly in Hindi and Gujarati.
The energy in His midst is Incredible. Bapu in my humble opinion a Mahan Tapasvi !
Very few Sages dwell in the Void - He is the yield of the Transcendental !
The hut from where He gives Darshan must be 7 sq. meter in size. The photographs posted, was standing at the entrance to His shrine as you are not permitted to enter. You bow down at the entrance and He must be seated about 3 metres away.
I peeked in His humble abode, notice a Dhuni on the left, that's burning for many decades I was told by an English speaking gentleman to my surprise.
An imposing work of ART a Shiva painting on the wall of the mandir is breath-taking at Gurujis ashram. I was about to photograph, but told promptly NO, Shiva was revealed to the Great Tapasvi in Dhyan !
You want to enlarge His photograph and take a close look at His forehead. Siddha NATH Kashmiri Bapu is a rare breed, illumined Master.
Many wonders of Bapu's Tapasya are reported by the locals.
His JADA touches the ground !
There is a Datta Mandir at His ashram as Mount Girna being home to Gurudev Dattatreya.
Kashmiri Bapu Ki Jai
Jai Girnari !
Bhagwan SHIV
Kashmiri BAPU