Day 14: 12/08/2025 – From Ganga’s Whisper to Evening Aarti Flames: A Pilgrimage Through Monsoon and Memory
Introduction: Setting Foot on Sacred Ground
Radiance of Reverence: Arriving at Rayara Matha
The morning air carried a gentle chill, softened by sporadic showers still lingering on the horizon. Our pilgrimage began at Rayara Matha,
also known as Shri Raghavendra Swami Matha – a spiritual stronghold that crowns
the riverbanks with centuries of devotion, scholarship, and hallowed tradition.
The Matha stands not merely as an institution, but as a living tribute to the
Dvaita philosophy and the enduring legacy of Shri Raghavendra Swami, whose
selfless teachings continue to inspire seekers across the subcontinent.
Bharat Mata Mandir: An Ode to the Motherland's Soul
The path wound next to the Bharat Mata Mandir – a temple
not for deities cast in mythic stone, but for Mother India herself, celebrated
as an embodiment of the land’s diversity, struggles, and triumphs. Unlike the
typical sanctum, this monument stands as a beacon of unity, nationalism, and
cultural heritage. Conceived by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta and inaugurated by
Mahatma Gandhi in 1936, the Bharat Mata Mandir’s walls and halls are suffused
with the spirit of freedom, sacrifice, and aspiration.
Approaching the Mandir, my gaze was drawn upwards by its
uniquely secular architecture: a striking eight-sided structure free from the
trappings of conventional temple iconography. The central chamber housed not a God or Goddess, but a majestic relief map – carved in marble – of the Indian
subcontinent. Every major river, mountain, and spiritual site was rendered in
stone, inviting all visitors to contemplate the very landscape that embodies
the nation’s soul. The temple’s architectural purity – a refusal to depict
anthropomorphic forms – evinces a vision that celebrates unity across religious
and regional divides.
Wandering through its galleries, I paused before intricate
murals depicting freedom fighters, poets, and scientists: an eclectic pantheon
of Indian greatness. Panels detail episodes from the Independence movement,
echoing the struggles and glories writ large in the nation’s history. The
temple’s quiet grandeur instilled a sense of inclusion and belonging – reminding
each visitor that the divine is not confined to heaven but present in every
grain of native soil and every act of communal service.
Schoolchildren and elders alike gathered for educational
tours, their animated chatter bouncing off stone columns. Guides shared stories
– not just of the temple’s founding fathers, but of Bharat Mata as a unifying
idea that transcends religious or linguistic boundaries. Here, devotion assumed
its broadest sense: a patriotic reverence that binds villages and cities, hills
and plains, into a living organism of hope and progress.
In Bharat Mata Mandir, I felt not only a connection to
India’s mythic past, but also a call to shared stewardship of her future. The
temple stands as a testament to the idea that in honoring the land and its people,
one honours the divine itself.
Saptarishi Ashram: Whispered Legends Beneath Ancient Trees
An afternoon mist rolled in as I journeyed next to Saptarishi
Ashram, where the present blurs gently into the mythopoeic past. The
Ashram’s very name draws from ancient lore: here, on the tranquil banks of the
Ganges, it is believed that the seven primordial sages – Saptarishis – performed
intense meditation, shaping the moral and cosmic order of the world.
Nudged away from the main bustle of Haridwar, the Ashram
offered an oasis of serenity. Venerable banyan trees arched over timeworn
courtyards, their aerial roots dangling like veils, cushioning the syllables of
sacred hymns from a group of young ascetics seated in rapt attention. The scent
of ghee lamps mingled with cool earth, anchoring me in a space where myth,
history, and spiritual discipline commingle.
Within the hallowed precincts, the Ashram’s daily life unfolded according to a rhythm that echoed ancient times. Vedic chanting, yoga sessions, and scriptural study were interwoven with acts of service – feeding travelers, maintaining riverbanks, and mentoring orphaned children. The educational role of Saptarishi Ashram radiates outward, preserving time-honored philosophies while equipping new generations with compassion and resilience.
Our stomachs growling for food, we then proceeded to Rayara Matha for our Theerta Prasada, and had a brief rest, post lunch, before leaving for the much-awaited Ganga Aarti.
Har ki Pauri: Where Earth and Sky Embrace in Ganga Aarti
Twilight beckoned as I pressed on to Har ki Pauri – the
revered ghat along the Ganges, the very heart of Haridwar’s spiritual pulse.
The significance of this site is woven into the tapestry of time: it is
believed, by ancient texts and unbroken tradition, to be where Lord Vishnu set
foot, and where the nectar of immortality fell during the mythic Samudra
Manthan.
On this evening, the banks blossomed with humanity:
pilgrims, seekers, and the simply curious pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, all
drawn inexorably by the promise of the Ganga Aarti. More than 100,000
souls gathered, their anticipation a living, surging force that shivered
through every bead of my being. The wet stone beneath my feet, slick from rain,
echoed with chants and laughter; umbrellas bloomed like lotus petals, luminous
beneath the lamp-lit dusk.
Then came the moment when torchbearers – priests clad in
saffron and white – stepped forward. Brass lamps, some tiered with dozens of
flames, were hoisted high, their golden auras reflecting across the restless
river. As the conch shells sounded, a collective hush descended, broken only by
the rhythmic clang of bells and the rumble of converging waves. Hundreds of
hands lifted offering plates – each aglow with a single flame – while voices
rose in unison, chanting hymns as ancient as the Ganga herself.
Some pics of Ganga Ghat at Har ki Pauri and Ganga Aarti
Serendipitous Meeting
Returning to Kashi Matha, we were on time to have a glimpse of the Aarti to Sage Vedavyasa and others, and as we had our usual dinner of chappatis, rice, bean curry, washed down with a glass of hot milk.
On our onward journey, we saw a lady staying at the Kashi Matha and were surprised to see her still camping here. Inquisitive me started a conversation with her, and Suma joined a few minutes later. She said that she is from a border town in Kerala and has been here for the past month or so. Though from an IT background, she has quit her job and is associated with an NGO now. Devi Maa has entrusted me to draw Shree Yantras, she added. She offers them free of cost to those whom she intuitively chooses.
I was lucky enough to be offered one, but had to politely refuse as my house was short of a conducive environment to keep such a powerful Shri Chakra. I thanked her and bid goodbye to this lovely lady.
As we started our final packing and got ready for our last day in Uttarakhand, Sujata and I decided to go down to the River Ganga the next morning to collect Ganga for distribution back home and hit the sack.
Far from South India, it was an emotional visit to Rayara Matha on an auspicious day, a silent tête-à-tête (in Bharat Mata Mandir) with many famous freedom fighters and spiritual gurus, sages, and saints who had walked the length and width of our country, a revered Gurukula in Saptharishi Ashram, to the banks of the River Ganga for the famous Ganga Aarati, our day was a joyous journey transcending our spiritual quest in the Land of Gods.
Our next day's travelogue is in my Day 15 episode.
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