Tete-a-Tete with Mother Nature
(An excursion in the benign presence of Maa)
Anant Kandoi
Chh. Sambhaji Nagar
(Aurangabad - Maharashtra)
Hari Aum!
It was bright sunny evening when we set out – thankfully the weather paved way and after a 30-minute drive over highway and through villages, we reached our destination, Golden hills. Perched on the hills, in Satara, a neighbourhood of Aurangabad, it made for a calm and picturesque location for our picnic. This picnic was special as we met with nature holding the divine hand of Maa with us.
The setting made for a very different, yet suitable environment. With not a soul in sight, we were in the midst of Mother Nature. Since it was a picnic, we first attended to Food! We spread out our daris, opened up the chairs, laid out the table and settled in. What followed was bouts of laughter, recounting fun anecdotes, reliving some special memories – all the while munching on the delicacies that each person had got.
Once this was over, Maa narrated a very interesting excerpt from Sreemad Bhaagwat – Vipra Patni Moksh. The most beautiful take-away from this was, that we are not equipped to recognize the Lord, even if He appears before us. We need the guidance of a Guru to lead us to HIM.
Truly an enlightening talk, it was now time for some fun. Next up on the list was Antaakshari – but with a difference. We had to sing a bhajan or recite a shloka starting with the last letter of the previous one. Seated as we were, we split ourselves in two halves and began. Lots of bhajans, a few stotras and shlokas later – one team timed out and this was over. Never before did I connect with nature through this thread as chanting Stotras or singing bhajans was confined only to the Puja ghar of my house.
Last up was the most fun activity, a fun game to call out the alertness and the readiness in us to assume the pose of the name of the Lord being called out. Somewhere it left a thought lingering in me – will I ever be fully ready to the call of Divinity in me?
As will all good things, this picnic too came to an end. It was beginning to get a little dark and so we thought it best to leave at the right time. A quick pack up, and after ensuring that we hadn’t littered the place or left anything behind, we set back for home.
All in all, this made for a refreshingly different experience – the location contributed in no small measure to create a very different ambience. The weather also played out its role beautifully, the setting sun painting the sky in various colours of red, orange and yellow. The breeze gently blowing and of course the hills seemed to have come alive with all the lushness due to the rains. We were in the midst of a vast open stretch of land, yet there was not a person in sight nor a sound to be heard. The silence itself was beautiful and truly impactful.
May Maa bless us with more of these immersive experiences in the midst of Mother Nature.
Hari Aum!