I am starting this post directly without any Introduction, last week my sister asked me that she is going to visit a shrine called Kaila Devi in Rajasthan and if I wish she could took me with her. I instantly agreed as I was looking for a change and if we leave on Friday night we could easily come back on Monday morning and there was no need to take any official leave. So on Friday afternoon we boarded into Jansatabdi express, my wife and my four year old daughter also joined; there was another relative also, so we were five people.
We left the train at a station Hindaun city, it was a small station on Delhi Baroda section. When we came out the station we heard an announcement that those wanted to visit the shrine, they can take the bus of Rajasthan roadways. We followed the announcement and boarded into a bus which was going to kaila devi shrine, most of the people in the bus were also the devotees,as the bus started they chanted into loud chorus Maiya ki jai ho. Meanwhile all these experiences were not new for me, but what was going to come was astonished me.
As the bus came in outskirts of city, I saw the herds of people, alone, in group, women , man , adolescents were marching toward a direction, it was difficult to find their exact numbers, they can be thousand or lakhs or more. Some of them were the barefoot, old people were walking with the stick. Young girls walking wrapping their dupattas on their head. An old man was sitting next to me; I looked toward him by pointing towards the marching people outside the window and asked, who these people are and where they are marching to. He said that all these people are devotees and they are coming from all the places and by foot only. Some has even travelled more than six hundred kilometre by foot. It took them sometime even month to reach their destination that is Kaila devi temple, and once they have decided to reach the shrine by foot they cannot change their mode of transport, however the conditions are. The footfall was so high that bus was not getting the speed and it was just crawling on narrow hilly roads.
As the journey progressed I saw that there were religious feast organised on both side of the road to feed the walkers. The person sitting next to me said that once you are on your journey to shrine you have to leave yourself completely on Mata, now Mata will feed you protect you, offer you water and take care of you, all of you just have to think about reaching your destination, there were deafning sound of people on road chanting maiya ki jay ho.
I thought what this person is telling me is truth but at least there is something even more to know, and I got the opportunity. Bus stopped at a small makeshift rural hotel for a fifteen minute break, I came out. On a stone distance from the road few women were taking a small break during their progression on a small bridge. They were the rural women, wrapped in colourful sarees, few men along with them were squatting on the road and stretching their legs. I was little bit hesitated but finally I got the courage to ask them that from where they are coming. One of them who seemed to be a little educated said that they are coming from Firozabad a distt in eastern utterpradesh, which is known for its glass business. They belong to a village and it is around 350 km from here. Everyone had secret wish earlier when they had come here before and now mata had fulfilled that wish. Nobody goes home empty if they have any wish Mata always fulfil it.
On the other side of the road there was a musical programme was going on man women children everyone was dancing. It was a total celebration, dancing in devotion. People even after coming so long by foot looking energetic, enthusiastic, celebrating and full of vigour, as Mata has taken all their pain and sufferings. And the only person looking tired and suffered was me, who has come their in chair car AC train.
Contd in second part…..
