Ma Rewa tharo pani nirmal...

Taking from one of my previous post ma reva at the same place.

"ma rewa taro paani nirmal....
ma rewa tharo paani nirmal
khal khal behto jaaye

amarkanth se nikli O rewa
jann jann kari rayo thaari sewa
sewa se sab pawe mewa,
aso ved puran batayo re..."

Every time I go home, these lines appear more and more true to me. I spent early years of my childhood in Barwani. This place is known for two things - Adiwasis from Jhabua, and Narmada Bachao Andolan. NBA in those old days, prior to entry of celebrities like Arundhati Roy, was based in Barwani. Baba Amte and Medha Patkar had this place as their Karmbhumi. These was one of the worst affected area because of construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujrat. Still Barwani continued to progress. A city can not survive by keeping itself inert. This all was my first encounter with the phenomenon called Narmada.

Later we moved to West Nimar and I spent most of my later part of childhood there. Last year my dad got transferred to Maheshwar, and here I was again, in lap of Narmada river. Maheshwar, famous for its Maheshwari Sari, is a temple town on the banks of Narmada River close to the world famour piligrimage place Omkareshwar. Holkar Rulers specially Rajmata Ahilya Devi, gave grace to this place. She made regular visit to this place. There is a fort built on the banks. She used to come on all the important occassions and do pooja of maa narmada. Umpteen Temples were built and Ghats were made on the banks. The Fort provides a royal look to the ghats here.

With the arrival of Firang tourists, this place caught the eyes of Tourism Department. MP Tourism started promoting this place in its programs. It built a very beautiful resort just on the banks; it's called Naramada Retreat. This time I got a chance to visit this place. Rooms made and decorated like royal palaces, with a beautiful view of Narmada river and ok types food. Overall, really beautiful and peaceful place. I would surely stay there sometime (alas as long as my parents live in Maheshwar I cant think of it).

Ahilya Ghat is the most important ghat here. It has many temples, most important of them being the Narmada Temple and Ahilya Mata ki chatari. The Fort has Rajarajeshwara temple which has great historical and religious significance. Fort also has a private heritage hotel which is run and maintained by the Holkars (Prince Richard lives in Delhi and regularly comes here to maintain this place).

For people in Maheshwar, morning starts with a bath in Narmada river. There are many who regulary server milk to the river. I exactly dont know the significance of it, but it is supposed to be a very important religious custom. There are kids, young souls and olders all taking bath, enjoying the clean water of Narmada and doing pooja. Many do yoga and pranayam. Some firang also try to mimic them. Many others like me just come there and enjoy the sun rise. A red ball, rising in the distant sky, with temples and narmada river in background. It is fascinating.

I went there again and again. Each morning and evening. I wanted to just live their for sometime. With the silence, talking to myself. Nirvana indeed.