By Gargee Tambe
Travelling through the Western Ghats in a car,
My mother, brother and I felt the sharp turnings of the path
The enormous deep valleys evoke a sense of deep hidden emotions that almost drown us,
While the high mountains on the other side resembled the mighty lofty ambitions we caress in our heart.
We reach the sleepy town late at night,
Situated at the confluence of Seven holy rivers,
A town where we have come to perform a ritual to please our angry ancestors.
Early morning we travel through the narrow lanes of the town,
The small humble shops selling Tulsi beads and Rudrakshas,
The contentment in the eyes of the people fills my heart with a question
How in this complex chaotic modern world they could find peace and satisfaction?
The scent of burning essence, the smoke from the agarbattis,
The cows along the road, leads us to the temple.
A line awaits us,” After the darshan meet me at the left side of the main temple”, says my mother. (I tend to get lost while walking down a spiritual path)
As I stood in the line a girl standing before me was busy on her phone.
“Pray to the lord with all your heart and you will be blessed with a soulmate of a pious family” said a women next to her.
I tired my best to focus my mind on God, pure thoughts and my hands clap,
Whereas as I could see the 20 something girl was swiping left on a tinder app.
“Oh! Focus or the threshold Guardians will not let you enter the God’s chamber”, said the left side of my brain, while the right corner of my eye was busy looking at the girl.
The material and spiritual side on mine which are always in conflict
Miraculously blended in her world as if it was the god’s invisible hand that guided her to at last swipe a right (on her phone).
As we reached the temple chamber,
I bowed down before the deity so did she with a sincerity, questioning it would be a Sin:
As the line dispersed I followed her from a distance. She fed the hungry dogs whatever of the prasadam was left and absentmindedly I was eating all the prasadam which I was suppose to distribute.
She climbed down the staircase towards the river and after worshipping the river she sat down and took out her phone.
“It was a match”.(the other person had swiped right too I guess)
I had a feel of wonderment, which I couldn’t understand
Meanwhile my mother was searching for me at the temple above the stairs for an hour as the pooja for ancestors had to be performed.
I guessed The Gods were pleased at her, while my ancestors were boiling in fury.