This Is Home
Kolkata, India
A level of relief came upon us when Daruka, Maha Mantra and I spent a layover at dubai. The squished nature of being crammed in an aircraft seat makes you want to explode when reaching an open space like their expansive airport with particularly long corridors. We were birds in a cage. Now we could spread our wings, until…
Another four hours in flight to Kolkata by way of the metal bird. For any pilgrim journey, austerity becomes a component. We landed before 8AM and caught with our nostrils the musty scent of the flat Bengal terrain. I haggled with cab drivers for an unsatisfactory rate to a four hour drive to Mayapur. What to do? Our scheduled cab didn’t show up. I was at the mercy of mercenary cabbies. We drove off, I being embittered. Eventually, my own heart melted though, the two thin men took shifts behind the wheel encouraged us, the passengers, to do kirtan. This appears to be at the heart itself of Bangla culture- song and dance in honor of the Goddess Kali, if not Krishna.
On the dashboard was a dusty small framed picture of the Goddess. Our drivers were caught in the sentiments of Gauranga, Krishna as the Golden One. They were raised with the songs we were familiar with, and then came the words from their voices, “Bhaja Gauranga! Kaha Gauranga!”... “Sing the praises of Chaitanya…”
After an arduous bumpy ride on an fight-for road-spaceordeal, we arrived at the Dham (sacred place)- at last. Aftrer two days of travel, we were worn, tired and dirty, but we feel we’re at home. It’s the first time in India for Daruka and Maha Mantra. It’s my 25th or more. I know so little Bengali, other than some songs, but we all feel that this is home.
4 KM
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