Excerpts from the book of Vivek ji: Narmada Parikrama -Walking the 3,000 kilometres of sacred Riverbanks of holy Narmada
Bhattayan is a place renowned for its connection to Siyaram Baba - a wise and revered saint who has made his home in the village for many years. Most parikramavasis are familiar with his name, as he is a mountain icon for the surrounding area.
On this day we had done our Arti at the banks of Mother Narmada, where also the ashram of Siyaram baba is located. After our Arti in the evening as I strolled along the riverbank, I stumbled upon a group of young children diligently crafting intricate Shivalingas out of sand. Intrigued, I couldn't resist taking a closer look at their impressive creations. It was truly a sight to behold as I watched a group of talented kids transform a pile of sand into a magnificent temple of Lord Shiva. I was amazed by the level of skill and creativity displayed by these local artists. The culture we once cherished as golden was a time when our art was considered a sacred offering to the divine.
I made a donation to the Shivalinga that kids have made, but unfortunately, one of the children took all of the money and ran away. The kid who was constructing the temple and Shivalinga looked at me and hesitated before asking what my intentions were as a donor? I presented a further donation to the temple's representative with a smile, which elicited a positive response from him. The gentleman child was in the company of several young girls who requested to have some confectionery by this donation. He promptly proceeded to a retail establishment and procured candies for each of them. I wish all our temples were built and managed by such a gracious heart.
After having had wonderful time with the kids, I proceeded to visit Siyaram Baba. The elderly saint appeared to be of advanced age, likely in his late nineties. He was seated in a modest room surrounded by copies of the Ramcharitamanas, which he recited continuously. Upon entering, I observed that the individual appeared to be of a delicate physical constitution and was in the process of tallying the monetary contributions that are regularly bestowed upon him by numerous individuals. It has been commonly reported that he does not accept more than INR 10 from anyone. I was carrying an envelope containing INR 200, which I handed over to him. He opened the envelope, inspected its contents, and retained all the money. He initiated a conversation with me and we engaged in a dialogue. We had a great time with Siyaram Baba, despite the many urban legends that circulate about how he never speaks to anyone.
Excerpts from the book of Vivek ji: Narmada Parikrama -Walking the 3,000 kilometres of sacred Riverbanks of holy Narmada
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