Yamuna's two faces in Delhi

I feel bad for the 'disconnect' between the Yamuna and Delhi's aam janta more than anything. Delhi has been a capital city of several dynasties and Yamuna's river fronts at various times have played an important role.


However, when Britishers built the 'New Delhi' in the 20th century, they somehow "missed" the connection. So, today, it is only occasionally that common Delhiites reach the Yamuna banks (the real river bank and not the metro station of the same name). 

'Idyllic' at Ramghat, a small ghat upstream of Wazirabad water works.

Ram ghat again ... alive and full of cultural symbols

One of the drains bringing sewage into the Yamuna 24X7

And then, after Wazirabad, the river is dead. Immediately 50 metres downstream of the Wazirabad barrage joins in the first drain emptying sewage into the Yamuna. Official statistics show that Delhi has just only 2 % of the length of Yamuna but contributes to 90 % of its pollution. 




Recently, coinciding with Yamuna Jayanti (Yamuna's birthday) in the last week of March, a group of religio-environmentalist and also Yamuna devotees from Braj went all the way up to Hathni Kund, some 200 kms north of Delhi to find out how and where their beloved 'Yamunaraani' is lost. Braj area, 3,800-odd sq kms, is home to popular pilgrim places such as Vrindavan associated with Lord Krishna. IT attracts 40 lakh pilgrims annually.     

The filthy drain that Yamuna resembles just downstream of the Okhla barrage

The national capital that Delhi is, it has till date gotten away with such criminal pollution. Hundreds and thousands of crores of rupees have literally gone down the drain and even then, this is what all that remains in the name of the Yamuna. 

Delhi's Yamuna ...

I am sure, someone is going to ask me what's the big deal about Delhi's Yamuna? Every one knows Yamuna more as a filthy drain and less as a river cutting across the length of the national capital.

But what many Delhiites are not aware of is the wonderful Yamuna stretch upstream of Wazirabad bridge. Take a look ...

 

 

Yes, this is Yamuna in Delhi

This wonderful river is very much the Yamuna in Delhi.

And this place is very much accessible.











But the unfortunate part is, neither many people know about this nor they make any effort to know. 

  

I recently went to these and many other places along the Yamuna bank. There were very bad stretches too. But here I want to showcase only the beautiful ones. And the group I was travelling with had wonderful encounters. More about all such adventures in the next blog post.

 

My Goan Temple

Many people equate Goa with beaches and the foaming sea. But there's more to Goa that this. I can actually boast about it and say, yes, there is definitely more to Goa than the beaches and rave parties. Temples ... some dating back to more than 400 years old.

One such temple is the famous Shri Mahalasa Narayani temple in Mhardol village on the Panaji-Fonda road. Shri Mahalasa Narayani is our family deity, Kul Devataa or Kul Devi as we call it. (Kul - Clan/dynasty and Devi - Goddess).  

We, the Khandekars, are basically from the Konkan region of Maharashtra and hence our family deity is in that region, Goa to be precise. Well, today Goa is another state but earlier there were no political boundaries, least of all for family deities.

Mahalasa Narayani idol at the time of Sunday Palkhi

The temple (see left) is at Mhardol, just 1 km from Shri Mangeshi temple towards Fonda. Mahalasa, the principal deity worshipped is a form of Vishnu (Mohini during the fight between the Gods and the demons.

This photo (right) may look a bit odd view because of the two poles jutting out bang in the middle of the frame. But I chose this just to show the backdrop of the verdant hills.In fact, most temples in Fonda tehsil boast of a similar view as they are situated in a bowl like geographical feature due to surrounding hills.

The temple has a simple yet profoundly beautiful architecture. What stand out tall (literally and figuratively) are the two deep maalas (garlands of lamps, literal translation). There is this old brick and mortar deep maala which has small niches to keep small oil-lit diyas (lamps). The deep maala is cleaned and painted every year. It is decorated diyas in all niches on special occasions. This is believed to be as old as the temple, that is almost 400 years old. 

A close up of the old deep mala

There are various specialties of the temple. One, it is believed to be a 'living deity' as in, you wish for something at the Mahalasa Narayani's feet and she ensures your wish comes true. Another, this is apparently the only temple where a female deity - Goddess - wears a janeu (called the jaanave), the sacred thread worn by Brahmins. 

One of the devotees - or was it an entire family - donated this brass deep maala. This too is cleaned regularly and on special occasions - like the ongoing navaratri festival (nine nights worship of Goddess) each plate is filled with oil to host scores of jyotis (flame sticks). The close up can give an idea about the grandeur of the same deep maala as seen in the temple's second photo above.    

Sunday is Mahalasa Narayani's day. There is a special palakhi (palanquin) procession for the Goddess. The actual murti (idol) is not taken out of the sanctum sanctorum.Instead, a very beautiful, eye catching silver idol is decorated with all the jewellery and flowers and taken around the temple in a procession. Families like mine are called kulaavi (whose kul devi is Mahalasa Narayani). Most of the Kulaavis will try and attend the palakhi procession on Sunday.

 

 

Golden dome atop the sanctum sanctorum of Sriman Mahalasa Narayan

Families bring in their newly weds to seek blessings of their beloved Kul Devi. And in most of the cases, the Sunday pujas would be done by the newly weds. 

I personally believe that the temple visit offers two benefits. One, of course, you seek blessings of the deity - and get it. And the other, which is to be felt than spoken, is that the serene temple with its pristine surroundings have a soothing effect on one's mind. The visitor, he/she may be or many not be a devotee, leaves the temple rich with spiritual well being and mental calm.