SHRINATHJI- a place which is always crowded, a place which is always dirty, a place where you are always swimming against the tide of humans to get that DIVINE DARSHAN OF LORD SHRINATHJI!
A kind of place which I would otherwise not like to revisit!
But #Shrinathji, you are an exception! Inspite of all of the above, you make me fall in love with you again and again and again! May be because you are the land of Lord Krishna who attracted all the Gopis inspite of them knowing that Krishna is a magician, an illusion who can never be theirs. The vibrancy, colours, flavours and smells of this place make it unique and immensely desirable. Otherwise I see no reason why a NASTIK, NOT SO DHARMIK person like me is attracted towards this place again and again!
There is something special and charming about this place.. As you enter this town early in the morning from the bus stand, you are welcomed by silent lanes and closed shops but as you approach the mandir area, the chaupati Bazaar, the string of activities leave you engaged. The chai and poha/khaman/fafda stalls, the pudina (mint leaves) sellers, the milk vendors, the Prasad shops, the shringar shops of Lord shrinathji, the stray dogs, the cows, the beggars, the pilgrims rushing towards the mandir for the Mangala darshan, the pandits directing the people towards the mandir, the police personnel outside the temple, etc etc etc. As you enter the temple complex you are reminded of the travel experience of Mumbai local trains. You don’t Have to make any effort, just stand in the queue and the flow and push of humans will automatically take you inside! All this happens in such a short span of time that you don’t realise when the darshan got over. But inspite of all this rush and activities, the divine image of Lord shrinathji stays etched in your mind…
That eagerness to meet your #SAKHA, that excitement to see him after a long time, that feeling of desperation to run to him when you are at his door step waiting for him to open the door.
And when HE opens the door, that feeling of joy, that feeling of celebration, those tears of joy that start flowing from your eyes, the never ending talk that you want to have with him in the limited time you get with him.. That feeling of heart break when you have to say bye and leave…
These all feelings are inexpressible in words…
You can just experience them when you see the #moorat of #lord #Shrinathji.. You can never be satisfied.. You just want to stay there, in front of him, talking endlessly to him.
The after darshan activities are my favorite part of coming to this place. Sipping the hot ginger mint tea in kulhad with sweet tangy poha and khaman, window shopping of junk jewellery, masalas, wooden toys, etc. The deçked up shops are really attractive and inviting 😊…
Till I meet you again, Jai Shri Krishna ! 😇🙏
