pilgrim
Photograph of a pilgrim at Brahma Sarovara, Kurukshtera (India).
Kurukshtera in the Haryana state of northern India is one of the most revered places of pilgrimage in Hinduism. It is the site of the epic battle of Mahabharata (the Great Bharata War) also where Lord Krishna expounded the various laws of 'Dharma' (Eternal Religion) in the form of most powerful and thought provoking religio-philosophical poetry ever known to the mankind, Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Every year hundreds of thousands of pilgrims come here to take bath in the huge pools of water, Brahma Sarovara, which are said to be created by Lord Brahma at the time of creating this universe. Thousands of pilgrims come every year to the city to commemorate the day when Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to Prince Arjuna almost 5000 years ago. A week long celebration takes place to mark the occasion known as Gita Jayanti.
This holy man or Sadhu as they are commonly known had just finished taking his regular morning dip in the sacred pool when we asked for his permission to be photographed, he obliged and gladly posed for the camera. On conversation with him (a devotee of Lord Shiva, an ex-police-man and an ex-teacher!) he told us that he was once a happily married man with 2 children (both now married and settled). But at the age of 32 after the death of his wife, he decided to embark on his spiritual journey in an attempt to break free from the bondages of maya (the concept of 'illusion' in hinduism, the cause behind all material manifestation). He said he now takes pleasure in simply going from one holy place to another thus being constantly engaged in his quest to be at one with the cosmic energy of his God.
