On our way home from the Village, Raja and I stopped to take a small pilgrimage to the Naina Devi Temple...
Apparently Shiva didn't get along with his wife's' parents. He told Parvati, his wife, not to go to their house unless she was invited, in order to reduce conflict in his own life. Parvati became homesick and used her brother's wedding as a reason to visit her parents. She went and inevitably got into a bad argument with her father. She was so distraught about his situation that she threw herself into the fire and died. Shiva, in his grief, took up her body in his arms and danced his violent dance--thus disentangling her body parts and throwing them asunder. They landed in various parts parts of India and the Naina Devi Temple marks the place where Parvati's eyes have landed.
We climbed three hundred steps to the temple, with many markets and monkeys along the way. It seems that people find begging at the foot of a temple to be more effective, for they can claim that giving them money
brings good fortune from Mother and refusing them brings wrath upon us. People would sometimes crawl up the stairs to express humility and win more favor for a certain outcome-almost like a sun salutation for every step. I suppose that practice would bring some sort of benefit. Being that I was the only white woman there, I garnered many stares. Fortunately Raja told me that I could say,"Jai Mata Di" to people whom I passed. I was then able to turn curious (unending) stares into recognition of humanity and mutual adoration for the goddess with a single utterance.As we climbed and our breathing became heavier, our minds purified by altitude and oxygen, I felt the strong presence of the goddess there. It began with a cat-eyed snake charmer woman who gazed at me like she had known me for a thousand years. I gave her rupees, she gave me snake skin and I started to notice my increasing love for woman-ness. By the time we reached the top, sisterhood was everywhere--women acknowledging the beauty of our common state as we bowed to one another, men present and ego-less in the divine space of the mother. Little girls
would flock to me, first staring hesitantly and then openly running up to introduce themselves, hug me, volunteer to be in a picture.
There was a huge line of people waiting to go inside the little alter, but I was happy to wander around the temple and was reluctant to stand in the line for the whole line was watching my every white lady move as a form of entertainment. For some reason I was compelled to walk counter-clockwise at this place-which is generally not recommended at such temples; I thought perhaps she wanted the change of energy that is caused by these moves against the flow.
a small digression: After courting for about six months, I married myself in Arizona last Spring. It was a particularly beautiful day--where everything was feeling clean and light. While laying on my bed, I felt a huge burst of energy lowering down upon me from the sky and I knew that it was time to merge with myself; with everything I ever have been and will be, with every experience I have had and to accept it all with only love. This began with a small Malachite ring that I bought from a hippie at the Tucson Gem Show and extended itself into a beautiful line of abstract found object goddess rings (see www.nest.carbonmade.com) that I make to aid the women around me as they find a similar ceremony within themselves. I had lent the original ring to my sister for a little while and got it back just in time to wear it to India. I had it on for Naina Devi.
I came upon a beautiful tree in the center of the temple and felt that was really the true effigy to worship. I sat under it for a while and was then compelled to
give her my wedding ring. I took it off and placed it into an eye-shaped womb hole in her trunk, wondering all the while why I would give such a special piece to the eyes of the mother-as eyes are important and beautiful, but not lately one of my main concerns. I then graced my own eyelids with the puddle at her roots and left with a wonderful sense of lightness. I was so blissed out by my love for womanhood!
We then returned home in time for Bhaiya Dooj, a puja with Raja's cousin-sisters in honor of Brothers. This involves the sisters stuffing treats into the mouths of their brothers and brothers worshiping their sister's feet. The whole thing is finalized by setting off the remaining fire crackers from Diwali and everybody eating too much sugar. A perfect way to finish this feminine day.
The next day we went to the family astrologist to submit my birthday for consideration. He read my palm and told me some interesting things about my life and character. With no prompting from me, he affirmed me that I have finally passed through the near-death-like experience that I've been waiting for since a psychic bum guy read my palm when I was fourteen (there have been many, I've been wondering which one). He said that my life line is long and the seeming breaks, which have caused concern in other amateur readers, merely indicate the danger/excitement that accompanies a love for adventure. He also told me that my health is very good save for an operable problem with my eyes later in my life.....hmmmm......
