Saturday, August 13, 2016

Day 7: Visiting the Devi at her abode at Manakamna

Most part of the day today was spent in traveling back to Kathmandu in preparation for the next phase of our journey. We have had the fun, we have enjoyed the external, we have tested our physical limits. Now time to focus more internally. To get us going in this sadana that we will be undertaking, we stopped at the Manakamna temple on the way to Kathmandu. The Manakamna temple is one of  the highly revered place of worship for Hindus in Nepal where Goddess Bagavati (Parvati) is worshipped as the wish fulfilling goddess (Mana meaning mind, Kamana meaning what one desires). In her most benevolent and graceful form, she sits on top of a big hill which is about 700 metres journey up in a cable car. The way up presents beautiful views of the Gandaki snaking below alongside the mountains, and the dense forests of the mountain Manakamna resides on. The entire 20 or so minutes it takes to make it to the top is filled with wonder and delight as one tries to take in the entire 360 degree view offered by the glass covered cable car.

Today being the Varamahalakshmi Pooja will be a grand occasion back home. I woke up with a slight feeling of nostalgia as I thought of my MIL having to do all the preparations herself without me to help around and the Goddess being worshipped at home. But as her grace would have it, I am here at Manakamna to receive her blessings, here far away from home. And we never planned to coincide these two occasions - it has happened purely by her wish. One is filled with gratitude as one feels the presence of the Shakti continuously keeping us in her folds through out this trip to Nepal so far. I have surrendered myself completely to her and I feel like a child of the universe totally for the first time in my life. The mother will take care.





No comments: