Sunset and Sunrise at Gadisar lake - Jaisalmer

 

How events unfold has always been an enchanting concept for me. For the same, I love to keep some unplanned elements in my life - Be it travels, be it daily time tables etc. That balanced recipe of planned and unplanned is life for me. Any of these missing - it loses it's taste. 

We opted for a paddle boat ride in this serene man made lake around 5:30. With some chatris (memorials for the dead ones) in middle of the lake - it has a charming view. The lake has a shiv temple on it's side, and a nice restaurant. The ducks, pigeons, parrots, and crows making rounds made an enchanting view in the setting sun. Fortunately for us - the place was not very crowded, as we had chosen the period just before the long Christmas weekend, hence avoiding the major rush. 

The colors of the sun and the flatness of the terrain gave a very different tint to the sunset. Visiting the lake was not the 'unplanned part'. What ensued after the paddling was. 

While paddling, I could hear some faint noises of the aarti from the lake facing Shiv temple. After wrapping up the ride, I just walked down to the temple, while rest of folks were indulging in Vyan's (my wife's 2 year old nephew) horse and camel rides. I am amazed of the passion and obsession the kiddo has with animals. He could spend the day just talking about cows, and listening to cow stories. So much so, I convinced him that on the highway if he keeps shouting 

"cow mata aa jao " - then they will appear. And he would repeat it for half an hour, and get amazed at every sight of the cow :) When listening to cow stories, he will listen to the full story and then innocently say "Now tell me story for yellow cow". Will hear the same story again just replacing the cow with yellow cow. And then for blue cow, and it never ends :)

So, I entered this small Shiva temple, and reached into like the last 5 mins of the evening Aarti. There was something different about the Aarti here - there seemed to be a group of 7-8 local aged men who assembled everyday to do the Aarti. The sounds were reverberating like an instrument is being played - and the pronunciations were very unique. I felt some kind of pristine awareness in the place. Pujari ji was very courteous, and answered my questions on how old the temple is - It turned out to be the royal temple for Jaisalmer royal family, and has been in its present shape for last 400 odd years. They all were sitting after the aarti on temple steps, and he even laid down a dari for me to sit - kind of treating me like a guest. Having missed a significant part of the Aarti, I asked Pujari ji if they do the Aarti in the morning. To which he said (which I later realised was known to me) that Aarti happens only in evening. And then mentioned that he does Rudra abhishek every day morning at 6 am - without considering if anyones comes or no. I was amazed that how in chilly winters, priests do not give up on their routines and duties. That sounded interesting to me, and I considered the idea to come to the temple at 6 am in the morning, after bathing and do the rudra abhishek. It sounded a little crazy - something religious that you don't even do at your hometown - you are trying to do in a tourist town. But that was the call from the inside - the "unplanned part". 

On my way back, I picked this small local instrument called Morchang (Jaw's harp) from the street shops outside Gadisar lake and temple complex. It costed me around 400 bucks, and I took like a 5 mins session with the local artist. When I looked it up on internet, it costs almost above 3k everywhere. Looks like this instrument is a very old instrument, and it's technology is father to Harmonica and Harmonium. Check out a video of how it sounds here.

 

Meanwhile, my co travellers started looking me up, and I said good bye to Hariram boppa - the local artist who sold me the Morchang. I told him that I might be here in the morning, and he said I can learn from him in the morning, as he reaches at 7:30. 

We had a long day planned as we had to drive to Longevala and Tanot mata mandir the next day - which is almost a full day plan. I told my idea to my co travellers - they were little baffled at the randomness. Especially given the winters.

Next day morning, I got up at 5:30 am. Went to take a shower and realized for some reason there is no hot water OR I couldn't figure as I was half asleep. Took a cold shower on that chilly morning, packed myself in winterwear, and drove around 10 kms back to Shiv temple at Gadisar lake. I reached at around 5:50, and the temple was closed. Realizing that I have around 10 minutes, I just sat on the steps and did my routine morning mantras quickly. Around 6:05 am I could hear some footsteps, and I thought now we will start the rudra abhishek, but it turned out to be a dog - my only companion in that dark and cold morning. It was slowly becoming clear that Pujari ji is not coming. I wasn't ready to believe it though, and I felt that maybe there is a back door to the temple and Pujari ji might have started pooja after entering from back door - In pursuit of that back door, I climbed the easily accessible roof of adjoining houses thinking this might be house of the priest. Given the darkness, I felt like someone will start shouting Chor, Chor on spotting me - but then I didn't want to leave any stones unturned. I was feeling a bit stupid, but at the same time the experience was pleasant - there was an unparralleled freshness of the morning by the lake side. It was silent, serene, and solitude - which otherwise is not possible to get. There was uncertaiity, there was all the time to do whatever I would like to. A duck's quack would reverberate in the atmosphere every now and then, and so would the ripples in the water at different spots and different intervals. It was still pitch dark.

I started walking by the lake. And in 20-30 minutes 2-3 local folks became visible and started doing their morning walk ritual. It felt really pleasant to see people's rituals - while I was missing out on the religious rituals, I did catch glimpse of regular folk's rituals. It reminded me of my childhood days, when I used to get up early in the morning on a daily basis, and used to go on a 4-5 km walk with dad to get milk. The sight probably struck a chord. 

I sat towards the end of the lakeside walk track, and started playing Raga puriya on flute. It's a morning Raga, and very soothing. Interestingly, a pack of ducks which was swimming away from me reversed their direction and started swimming towards me - and came to around 20-25m distance. It was surprising - it felt that they could appreciate the music and it's fitment to the timing. Looking at this  - a little later, I changed the raga to hamsadhwani (thinking ducks to be similar to swans) and to even more surprise they again started moving back. It felt that they understood the aptness of music. It was still dark, and the 3 morning walkers were doing the rounds. I was absorbing the freshness of the dawn, and the lingering 

sounds of evanescent music. 

There was a sort of establishment opposite where I was sitting, which was the only source of light at time of dawn. The concoction of morning energy had already instilled a peace and freshness within me. I was feeling uncaged of regular experiences& routine. Meanwhile, Sun had started sending signals of rising, and sent a pink skyline in it's announcement.

The pastel colors in the sky stayed for almost 30 mins. I literally just kept staring for almost this time, hearing the voice of birds, quacks of ducks, and watching a ripple in water now and then. Meanwhile, 2 folks were walking, and asked me if there is a way to go to that property which was lighted. I said no and that I am also new - but they started walking towards a sandy patch on the left side, and it just struck me that there might be this unpaved desert patch that leads to this property after covering a semicircle. I started following them, and actually caught up with them. The elder one was serving in army, and started mentioning benefits of army. He was quiet fit, and I first mistook him to be elder brother of his son, who was in 2nd year of studying medicine. Fitness of army folks is indeed a different ball game. We talked about the discipline in army, and how he can not even imagine his son living up to that (I felt he also subtly included me in the reference :)) As you can guess the walk was brisk. We reached the property, opened the small latched gate, and entered this beautiful 'mandir' aangan with atleast 200-300 year old trees, and a mesmerizing view of the fort city. 

Gadisar lake complex, backgrounded with the living fort of Jaisalmer. And the reflections. Absorbed the moment for 5-10 mins. This was a Hingalaj mata mandir - a very powerful goddess widly worshipped in Rajasthan. Original Hingalaj mata mandir is in current day Pakistan, and is one of the Shaktipeeths. The room has an energy, and had the small nagaras kept like most temples in Rajasthan - these small drums are used at time of artis. Looks like it was darshan of mata, rather than Rudra abhishek that was written in my destiny. Later in the same day, we were also going to Tanot mata mandir (Tanot mata had blessings of Hingalaj mata, and has been instrumental in well being of the deserted area Tanot. It also has a famous war story, of making all bomb shells diffuse)

When we came out of the temple, intelligent ducks were waiting for us in the crowd - they were used to getting grains from whoever comes out. They just surrounded us without any fear, and demanded food like we were one of their own. There was a bowl kept on the boundary of the temple full with grains - we distributed grains to them, and walked on. A by chance event of an unplanned journey. 

We started back. The army duo went back jogging. I was in slippers (remember I came for the temple :)), and just walked my way through. There was still only 3-4 people around us. Sun has risen. I thought, let's go and check - what's the status of the temple. Midway, another morning walker stopped me and asked what are you carrying referring to my flute. In conversations, it came out he worked in 'Rajasthan Patrika', and asked if I could play something on flute. He wanted to capture a shot with ducks in background - which we were not very successful in. Well I just played my part, and then moved towards the temple (with a slight hope that I might get a coverage :D). 

The best was still awaiting though. The glimpses of sunrise, through beautiful sights of Gadisar lake. I reached the temple complex, and clicked these pictures from there. Nature welcoming and enjoying the warmth of the Sun. 

As I approached the temple, a vibrant voice grew louder. In one of the chatris, someone was sitting and reciting dohas of Kabir  in a reverberating voice.

I sat there with him, and supported him with beats and chorus for his words of wisdom. With all the freshness, this felt surreal to me. It transported me to a state of devotional trance. Putting the small video clip here.

We had to leave for Longevala and Tanot mata at 9 am, and I started my journey back at around 7:50 am. I did not wish to leave the setup, but rest of the family must be waiting. So, I headed back after exchanging an acknowledgement with the satsang partner. Temple was still closed though :) I actually asked one of the morning walkers, what time does the temple open - and I was told around 9 am. Would have loved to confirm this with Pujari ji, but didn't get a chance. Hariram (the morchang player) who mentioned coming at 7:30 am was also missing. The fairy desert town stuck in time, clearly played some magic trick on my mind - to get me to experience this blissful morning. 

Coming back to unplanned experiences. I like them as they resonate life. This particular experience - I had 2 choices a) of being disappointed that I got up in morning and did so much for no use as temple was closed or b) Take it with open hands and experience what I got. While I did not plan for it, I might have got an experience which was even more memorable than doing the Rudra Abhishek. The destiny played it's dices. It's just in hands of human to try - rest is given by destiny.