Four Perfect Days

Situated in the rolling mountains of Southwest Gujarat, India, is Palitana, a sprawling Jain Tirth (pilgrimage site) home to more than 900 temples. Further north, in the Patan district of Gujarat, is Shankeshwar. The grandeur of Shankeshwar is highlighted by a six feet high Parshwanath statue. The temple is also home to other deities, including Goddess Padmavatidevi. Along our journey, I can not help but catch a glimpse of the stray cows and flat lands of Gujarat. In the background, the various voices of family members flooded the air in anticipation of our four day jatra in honor of my late Nana, or grandfather. Would I feel Nana’s presence, God’s presence, or both? I questioned this as we traveled through the Gujarat flatlands. 

Day 1, December 22: 

At 6 AM, we wake up to catch our short flight. We walk outside the Marriot to find the airport shuttle service already loaded with our bags and prepared for a highway run to the airport. We gather with extended family and close friends at the airport who will be joining us on this four day jatra. Within an hour, we land on the tarmac; the balmy Indian air meets my face as I walk off the plane. Before our journey to Palitana begins, we eat a complete Jain meal at the Imperial Palace, filled with an assortment of subzis and fresh rotis. At 1 PM, all 23 of us pilgrims board the bus, our second home for the next 4 days. Stocked with water, food, and entertainment, we are well suited for our five hour ride to Palitana. We arrive at the dharamshala, similar to a hotel, in decent time (considering the Gujarat roads) by 9 PM, stopping only once for a bathroom and chai break. The dharamshala is much better than I imagined it would be, with air conditioning and ample hot water. Our entire party occupies one floor, making it convenient for an impromptu dinner that night, consisting of thepla and gattia, as well as last minute to-dos before the main Jatra day. Even though everyone is exhausted after our journey, no one falls asleep before 11:00 PM. 

Day 2, December 23: 

I fell ill overnight, intense pains in my stomach and acid build up in an already sore throat. I wonder if it was the guava or the oily dinner last night. Yet, I push through and eat a protein bar, enough to make my stomach quickly recover. We are slated to climb Palitana by 8 AM, early enough to beat the heat. In order to get to the base, we take a rickshaw ride from the dharamshala to the steps of Palitana. We weave through crowds of people clamoring for us to pick their doli. My parents, brother, and I decide to trek the 3,500 steps on foot. Luckily, we reach the peak in about seventy minutes, just in time to grab a pass for morning Pakshal, or the cleansing of God. Our five hour visit consists of Pakshal pooja, visits to various century-old temples, and a group prayer led by my Nani. When we stand beside the immortal Rayan Tree, we cannot help but marvel at its power. I touch the walls of a temple, thinking to myself that I just touched a surface thousands of years old. Palitana is one of the few places where I feel that I am with God in harmony. God’s warmth surrounds us as we engulf his spirituality and feel blessed, knowing God will always be there for us. As we pray, I think to myself what is really behind those magnificent eyes. The poojas and prayers we do are simple on the outside. However, what is God like on the inside? I realize that behind those eyes is his love for us. At 2 PM, we start our descent, running down the steps to spare our knees. On the streets of Palitana at Om Pav Bhaji, we eat delicious Jain pav bhaji and dosa. Exhausted but excited, we board the bus at 6 PM and travel to another Tirth, this one consisting of a temple and dharamshala. Stuffed from pav bhaji, I decide to skip dinner and enjoy the river view. While we stare at the sun, my Nani is busy bidding to host the aarti. Nani outbids everyone, of course. Eventually, all twenty-three of us gather and lead the aarti for two hundred people. Standing by the Shatrunjaya river, listening to the hymns behind us, I feel as though I am in a different place, free from conflict and surrounded by peace. We are nearing the end of another tiring day, but we have one more stop. We visit the Sahitay Mandir, home to the “Blinking Padmavatidevi.” It is said that she blinks once every year on Diwali; it is one of the most beautiful images of any deity I’ve ever seen. I watch her piercing eyes carefully, making sure not to miss a possible blink. We also listen to a Maharaj Saheb, among the most priestly people in Jainism, describe how Palitana emerged from the mountains countless generations ago. We head back to our original dharamshala, legs weary but souls enlightened.

Day 3, December 24: 

I wake up hungry for breakfast, yet before I can eat, I have a higher calling. At 7:15 AM, our entire group participates in gochari, or serving food to the Maharaj Sahebs. I look in awe at the heaps of food, ranging from thepla to nuts to fresh fruit, all perfectly arranged for the Maharaj Sahebs. I position myself in front of the cut apples, my serving spoon held firmly in hand. Slowly, the Maharj Sahebs walk in with their tiffins, ready to collect food and offer their blessings. It is a fulfilling experience. Our next stop is Giri Vihar, a home for sick Maharaj Sahebs. We even pray with a Maharaj Saheb who suffers from Alzheimers. A mixture of emotions flood my heart, feeling sad and helpless for these Maharaj Sahebs in their last days.  Next, we travel to a boarding school for Jain boys whose parents can no longer take care of them. We tour the school, meet with some students, and lastly, donate to this special place. Onward, it was now time to make our way to Shankeshwar. It was a typical seven hour journey - I sleep periodically, play games on my phone, teach my cousin how to play ultimate tictactoe, and enjoy the countryside view. Along the way, we stop at a Gallops rest stop, which to my surprise, has better food than most rest stops in the U.S. I enjoy a delicious paneer pizza from Dominos (who would’ve thought). At 8 PM, we arrive at the next dharamshala. Yet again, the dharamshala surprises me with hot water and comfortable beds. I do not fall asleep until closer to midnight - not only am I excited for tomorrow’s 4 AM wake up call, but the sounds of people yelling from the floors below pervade the rooms. 

Day 4, December 25: 

By 6 AM, we are already in line for Vaksakshep pooja, where we take holy powder and place it on the deity. The scene in the morning at the temple is surreal. Candles are lit in the corners, allowing the idols to shine against the sunrise. The men’s line for the Vaksakshep pooja goes surprisingly fast. We meander past all the idols in their brass covering, looking pure as can be.  With each barefoot step, additional blessings can be felt. Shankeshwar, with its tarp coverings and quartz walls, feels like the perfect place to indulge with abandon in God’s love. The highlight for me, however, is praying to Padmavatidevi and dressing her with a special veil. Almost exactly five years ago, Padmavatidevi had saved my parents. We had come to Shankeshwar in December of 2017 and stood before Padmavatidevi, asking for protection. The next day, my parents were in a tragic restaurant fire that killed 14 people. We as a family truly believe that our prayers that day to Padmavatidevi saved my parents. After covering Padmavatidevi with her veil, my Nani takes us to the Boat Derasar, a temple built on a boat, but the boat is on land! We partake in another group prayer. It is here where I fully realize how special this jatra is to our family. No matter where you pray, be it on a boat or in a traditional temple, or how you pray, God’s aura is palpable. On the “boat,” I feel a sense of rejuvenation and refresh that is much needed. Before we pack our bags, we make a final visit to the Shankeshwar temple for darshan. However, I’m now in shorts after shedding my pooja clothes. I am stopped by the guards, and before I know it, Nani’s shawl is wrapped around my legs as a makeshift dhoti (leg covering). Embarrassed but happy to be back in the derasar, I do my last darshan of this jatra. It is time for our three hour journey from Shankeshwar to the airport. We stop for a rushed meal of Jain pav bhaji and dosa (again) at Honest. Back on the road, we face an enormous stand-still traffic jam.  We eventually reach the airport and rush through security with our wheelchair bound seniors, only to learn that our flight is delayed 40 minutes (sigh). The calmness of the flight back is reassuring after the voyage. Within fifty minutes we land, signaling the end of our successful and unforgettable jatra. After such an adventurous four days, I realize it’s December 25th - Merry Christmas everyone!