When I stand at my bedroom window, I can see many things. I see children flying kites on rooftops, cows grazing on inedible delicacies at the side of the road and the vegetable seller pulling his cart shouting bhajiwala at the top of his lungs.
I’ve seen a wedding procession from my window. The groom perched on top of a beautifully decorated, pristine white horse accompanied by a brass band, women in beautiful sarees and overenthusiastic dancing uncles. I felt sorry for the horse, she looked completely petrified in all her finery, the brass band played so loudly and fire crackers were being let off every so often (the groom on the horse looked just as scared).
I’ve seen a funeral procession from my window. The body being carried to the pyre, covered in flowers, the mourners wearing white. I watch life go by from my window, but one thing in particular keeps catching my eye.
Towering above the trees is a temple. I hear the conch shells sounding and the temple bells ringing and I am growing curiouser and curiouser about what this temple holds. I often find myself looking at the tower and imagining what it looks like from the inside. When we ride passed, I always try to catch a glimpse of the deity. A glimpse is all I get, a flash of orange from a marigold garland and sometimes a splash of red. My husband told me that this is a Lord Datta temple, a deity I had never heard of before. This increased my curiosity even more so, so I started to read about Lord Datta.
Lord Datta encompasses the trinity of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer). The story of the birth of Lord Datta is set in Mahur (Maharashtra), not too far away from where I now call home. Anasuya was the wife of an ancient rishi named Atri, and she was the epitome of devotion. She was so pious and had so much devotion she attained miraculous powers. One fine day the Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati conspired to test the chastity of Anasuya by sending their husbands (Lords Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) in disguise to ask her to serve them food without her clothes on. To overcome the problem she was faced, Anasuya used her powers to transform the trinity into three small babies so she could serve them food naked as requested and maintain her chastity. The Goddesses soon became worried when their husbands did not return to them. They went to Anasuya and found their husbands were now babies. The Goddesses repented and granted Anasuya a boon (a favour). Anasuya requested those babies be born to her as a son and so Lord Dattatreya was born, born with the three faces and six arms of the trinity. The faces of Lord Datta represent creation, preservation and destruction signifying the intimate unity of all things.
I have been quite ill lately so I have been looking out of my window quite a lot and not doing enough exploring. Once I feel completely well again I am going to satisfy my curiosity, reflect on the intimate unity of all things and visit the temple of Lord Datta, the temple I see every day from my window.
Such a nice reflection! Your storytelling is vivid plus we even have pictures. Do explore that temple. And thanks for the spiritual background. I hope you’re feeling better very soon. Phebe
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Thank you so much, Phebe!! I am feeling a little better every day, my stomach is becoming a lot stronger! This is a photograph I took in July before I moved here, back in the days when I had a memory card (my curiosity about the temple started then).
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Take care of your health. Also share some pictures of you and your Mr. Right together. I can understand switching a lifestyle can take a toll on health, but after few days everything’s gonna be fine. When you are bored you can read some of my blogs, do read on Marine Drive that blog is very different from my usual Top 5 type of blog posts. 🙂 See Ya
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Thank you for the offer, Sharukh! I hope you are both well. I am feeling a little better every day so hopefully in a few days I will be A OK. 🙂
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Hi
Very interestingly described and a nice story. As the temple is so close, could you not just walk there any time and have a look?
Regards.
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Thank you so much!
I haven’t been feeling well enough to go out for a walk for a while now. As soon as I am feeling better, I am going to hot foot it over there 🙂
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I am sorry to hear that. Here is to wishing that you get well soon fast.
Regards and thank a lot for the comment.
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Welcome to India – 1 is my pick of all the documentaries so far. I have seen it all in real life all as I am a Indian but nothing compared to this documentary. Its a master piece according to me.
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The link on your page doesn’t work for me for that one… I will look another version on youtube 🙂
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one sec..I will give it you you
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Thank you very very much!! 😀
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I take it that you did not see the documentary yesterday as it was quite late.
I would like you to watch it today.
Regards.
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To have some Indian nostalgic feeling its not a bad idea to buy all the work of Merchant-Ivory movies.
A little bit of colonial times movies…
Not every body’s cup of tea…You can call them Art movies, very slow paced but I like them.
Ismail Merchant(Indian) and James Ivory(American) Duo made many movies together….mostly about India
when I looked for them I actually found the complete set ….costing less than thousand rupees…
Something to look for …in your shopping list
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Hope you are feeling much better.
Have you been to temple yet?
It is very common to visit temple and all the Indians can go to a temple any time of the day and there are no set rules.
did you see the documentary?
Regards
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May be watching a nice Indian documentary will help.
On my blog I have listed some Indian documentaries and they are very good and all made by BBC. They are available on you tube allso.
It can help in diverting thoughts and bring some cheer.
wish you a fast recovery.
Regards.
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Thank you so much for the fab idea!! I will check out your list (I may have already seen quite a few of them!)
Many thanks!
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You are write you may have seen some some Sanjeev Bhaskar ones…
Welcome to India was made in 2012…so a bit new
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Lauren, I look so forward to your posts describing your new life and new (old) love in India. It is wonderful that you share your life with the rest of us. Can’t wait to hear about the temple. I do hope you will soon be well. Probably all the stress of change even though good and the new diet hit you. Take good care. Do you have ginger or ginger oil? xx ellen
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Aww thank you so much, Ellen!!
I think you are right, the complete change of environment and diet has hit me hard.
I am going to make some ginger tea straight away! I am unable to sleep (2:24am) and that is a great idea, thank you!! I hope you are well, hoping to post about the temple soon xxx
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Get well soon dear, and get out to that temple. Post us a picture when you makei there, ok? You’ve piqued my curiosity!
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Haha, I will post a couple of photos once I make it!
I hope you are well
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[…] Nagpur is still decorated with the aftermath of Makar Sankranti, you can still see the kites everywhere you go. In every tree, on every telephone line, even tangled around the top of the temple next door. […]
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[…] Nagpur is still decorated with the aftermath of Makar Sankranti, you can still see the kites everywhere you go. In every tree, on every telephone line, even tangled around the top of the temple next door. […]
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A big story in a nutshell. Good understanding and naturally Good English…
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