Ayodhya Darshan

Ayodhya is more an emotion than a place. And when the temple was built, I had to go there. 

But the emotion prior to my journey was not elation but utter fear. You see, I was travelling alone. My friend who was accompanying me to Varanasi was returning the day I had planned for us to go to see Lord Ram.

When my parents got to know about my planned (mis)adventure, they were not happy. Mainly due to the weather they said.

But their misgiving did rub off on me as I have heard reports about the city being basically underdeveloped. And interior UP (Yogi being CM or not) is not considered safe for women. 

“I know Ram. I am going to see Him. It is His kingdom, His hometown.” I said with a false brave spirit.

But by the time the journey was in the offing, my doubts loomed too large and I said to Harish that I just might cancel this part of the trip.

I tried to be brave by thinking of my elder daughter flying alone to Australia and my younger one settling in UK. This is just India.

Lord Hanuman, at out local Temple must have felt stifled by my constant bombardment of questions.

“Will I be safe?”

“Will you take care of me?”

“Is my decision right?”

“Will I get good Darshan?”

The day of reckoning arrived and I decided to travel by taxi. I was to travel to & fro by train but my return journey train was late in the evening and I had nowhere to stay in the heat of Ayodhya from 10 am hotel checkout time till the 5 pm train.

And…

Guess what? Things started falling into place.

My taxi driver (a 6‘2“ 120 kg thick set man) had been to the Ram Temple 10 times before!! Seeing my flustered predicament, he offered to come along (rather take me along) for Darshan. He walked (or should I say bulldozed) ahead and I followed in his wake. 

The gods had sent another vayuputra Bhima to safeguard me! 🥹

I had Darshan of Lord Ram & Hanumanji not once but twice. On my evening of arrival and the next day.

I have now realised that I (maybe) lack the strong faith I talk so often about. 

This Ayodhya story is another one of my tryst with my inner “doubt” demon and its destruction.

Jai Sri Ram.