It was sudden. A day of change. Something shifted.

Paradigm. Light.

Its been months that I had known where to look yet It took time to find. Because it had already found me. It was in my hands and sooner I became it. In my search for the permanent, in this land which once was ruled by the snakes.

Forest.

In the name itself, energy resides. I reached Yogmaya. After months, without telling even my own self. The moment that child arrived I packed my bag, took my documents, opened the door and started walking towards her. As if she called on the eve of her birth night.

It was five thousand and sixty eight hundred years ago.

5068. 

From today starts Nine days of Worshipping the mother.

How will you do it?
I will take the help of Fire.   

When she calls, the time subsides. Last evening, I was brimming with energy. I passed through the mausoleum and Mehrauli felt like a foreign country. It had been long I thought i was looking, rather I had forgotten how to hide. Though I carry an identity. Else you die. In an instant it became clear as a mountain sky that I am here to put secrets out in to the world, and if I am going to do it, it has to go through those doors that are not yet knocked. And it is not for every one to open them.

I have been here before i said to him. I had known this place, the like of it. But I had to close myself to know it again. From the back side. Or the earliest. To see what is not. To realize who was here first. And only then, surrender. Bow later, to touch where her head is; there is only the head. In front of me at last. At last.

The magic was already placed. I was looking at the walls. There were no monkeys. But the sound of twigs, flying leaves. The fall had started to work her magic and soon this greenery will all be gone. I was stopped by the guard selling flowers, to take some flowers. But I only had two coins of a rupee each. I could not give him. Neither could he. Yet I carried those flowers without touching them. The name that I wanted to see for a year, appeared in front on an arch like gate, one of the few memories of the old. It assured me of the first steps towards my truth.

I entered through the gate but did not remove my socks. I small talked with the widow who sat by the gate. She told me to read the board outside. But I already knew what it said. I told her I want to hear it. She went quiet. And quietly i said to me. I really want to hear some one. Only one. Assure me. Calm me. No one knows for how long I have waited to hear that one thing which will take me to the sound of forest. Not of the trees but even before the time of the trees. Even before the time any Ocean was churned. When it all was one. When this was Khandava.

Dense Bushes. 

And the sound. Of?

Quietly I entered like a bird. Looking.

Electricity came. Suddenly everything became new. Painted walls, tiles shining, purple coloured flooring. Flowers everywhere. Men decorating, cleaning, eating from phone. There was no sign of the kund, a deep well, where the mother used to bathe once a year. No Ashvattha tree. But there on the side at a far away corner was one Dhuni, the old yagya yantra. Cold, messy, not looked after, scattered, diffused, disorderly.

Impure.

I sat on one leg, took some ash and put it on my antenna, some on my forehead. Stood and the moment I took the first step to do its parikrama. Water took my socks away. Earth of Yogmaya welcomed me thus. And I saw Mahant ji in deep meditation, waiting to tell me all about the Mother and Aurangzeb.


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Thank you for dreaming.


If today is the first time you have arrived on The Road to Nara, you are heartily welcome ~ Namaste


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I will take this opportunity to introduce you to About me and importantly;

As a co-traveller, will take you through the Ten Lessons I learnt from several years on the road, before you coarse on your own Road to Nara.

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You also might like to know about My Little School. If you wish to come over for a visit, to share your stories or to share one of your magic tricks with children, you are heartily welcome here

If you would like to contribute to my travels, you can please do so here


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Above all, If you have anything to share, or feel like saying a hello, please feel free to write to me at nara@road-to-nara.com

To visit other long-term photographic works, you can visit here.

To follow my walks through the rural Indian Subcontinent, find me at 
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