Rachna Vinod
In certain communities and places, it is customary for newly married couples to embark on a holy shrine trip to seek divine blessings for their happy married life. During the wedding season or shortly after, it is common to witness newly wedded couples paying obeisance to the deity at such places. Nimmi and Barun had also embarked on a religious trip to the holy shrine of Lord Shiva to seek divine blessings soon after their marriage. This journey took place during the Amarnath Yatra, a pilgrimage to the Holy shrine of Lord Shiva. The Amarnath Yatra in Kashmir occurs annually in the monsoon months of July and August, which are characterized by unpredictable heavy rains and storms. The pilgrimage culminates on the full moon night of Raksha Bandhan, usually in August. This shrine is deeply intertwined with divine storytelling. Anyone with knowledge of the Hindu religion understands the profound importance of this pilgrimage. The Holy Amarnath is one of the most sacred shrines for devotees of Lord Shiva, the Ultimate Creator, Nurturer, and Destroyer of the universe. In the Holy Cave of the Amarnath shrine, where the Yatra leads, Lord Shiva had narrated the story of the universe to his consort, goddess Parvati.
Situated in the Himalayas at an altitude of about 14,000 feet and accessible through two routes, Pahalgam and Sonamarg, the Amarnath Yatra is a highly revered pilgrimage for Hindus from all over the world. The Amarnath Cave is believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, housing a naturally formed ice Shiva Linga. Every year, thousands of pilgrims undertake the challenging trek to reach the cave shrine, navigating rugged terrains and unpredictable weather conditions. The Yatra is not only a test of physical endurance but also a spiritual journey symbolizing the devotees’ devotion and determination. Pilgrims from various corners of the country embark on this journey seeking blessings and inner transformation, making it a deeply revered and celebrated event in Hindu culture.
Nimmi and Barun, as a newly wedded couple, embarked on this sacred journey to the shrine. Whether on foot or on horses, the pilgrims prefer to travel in groups due to the challenging terrain and unpredictable weather, ensuring that no one gets lost along the way. Nimmi and Barun were also part of a group. In the final stretch of the pilgrimage, they encountered pleasant and favourable weather. So, without informing anyone around them, both of them, habitual adventurers, started walking towards the Holy shrine on their own. They had only gone a short distance when suddenly, the weather took a turn and became ferocious. It began with high-velocity winds, followed by rain, and then heavy snowfall. Soon, a heavy snowstorm covered the entire area, and they lost their way. It was a strenuous climb without any respite from the snowstorm, and there was no shelter nearby. Daylight was replaced by total darkness, with thick clouds hanging overhead and heavy snowfall all around. Nothing was visible. In the poor visibility, they lost their way, with no possibility of any help around. The thick fog enveloped the surroundings, creating a hostile and eerie atmosphere.
Nimmi, a staunch devotee of Ma Vaishno, the virgin form of goddess Parvati, did not lose faith in the Supreme Power. She remained confident in God’s judgment. Both she and Barun kept their composure. Somehow, they didn’t feel scared, perhaps because of the sanctity of the surroundings. They prayed for a miraculous intervention. Their prayers were answered when suddenly, out of nowhere, a child appeared through the dense fog, holding two pairs of specific mountain footwear made of straw in his hands. With a smile, he handed them the footwear, suggesting that wearing such footwear would prevent them from slipping on the slippery ground and make their journey through the tough terrain easier. He inquired about their destination, and they told him about their pilgrimage to the Holy Shrine of Lord Shiva. However, at that moment, they wanted to return to their campsite and rejoin the group heading for the pilgrimage. The child smiled and asked them to follow him. Wearing the straw footwear given by the child, Barun and Nimmi felt comfortable, and tightly holding each other’s hands, they started following him. He guided them back onto the right track, which was previously lost to them and now seemed not too far from the Holy shrine. Soon, the search party looking for the missing persons in the group also arrived and led them to a safe and comfortable zone. Barun and Nimmi breathed a sigh of relief, looking around for the little boy who had rescued and guided them, but he was nowhere to be seen. He had simply disappeared after bringing them to a safer place. Barun and Nimmi completed their pilgrimage comfortably and returned home safely. Nimmi always believed that it was Lord Shiva himself who, in the form of a child, had come to bless them, rescue them, and put them back on the right path. Both Barun and Nimmi were highly spiritual people who had complete faith in the Supreme Power. Their belief remained unshaken. They were later blessed with a healthy child.
Like any other child, their child would often coax his mother Nimmi to sing a lullaby or tell him a story to help him fall asleep. Nimmi turned this experience of her life into a bedtime story for her child. He was always amused by the way Nimmi narrated the incident, complete with matching voice expressions. The child simply loved it and asked her to tell the same story again and again. The divine experience was always fresh in her mind, and she enjoyed reliving those moments whenever she narrated her experience as a story to her child. Not every story has a happy ending, but everyone, whether young or old, prefers stories with happy endings. Nimmi’s child, for whom his mother was the best storyteller, always felt very happy knowing that his parents had survived that ordeal and their pilgrimage had a happy ending. He eagerly looked forward to undertaking the same religious trip to the Holy Shrine of Amarnath, of course, age permitting.
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