“Delhi feels like one big happy family this morning. Strangers smiling at each other” was something a dumbo had imagined after AAP’s landslide victory in 2015. But if that imagination was to really come alive, it has come alive at Ayodhya Dham Road (or ‘Bhakti Path’ as some call it) since a few days now.
I spent a few hours here today, and you’ve to be dead from inside or a leftist (same thing) to not feel the energy. You can see all kinds of faces carrying blessings of Bhagwan Ram greeting each other with Bhagwan’s name. Once in a while some shobha yatra will pass by (I witnessed one by Naga Sadhus), or a group of devotees carrying something to gift the temple (wonder where will the trust keep it all), and they’d be singing and dancing; you can’t just stop yourself from stopping and singing along, and dancing too unless you’ve two left feet.
On other quieter or usual occasions, someone would randomly shout “Jai Shri Ram” or “Siyavar Ram Chandra Ki Jai” while no such yatra or jatththa is passing by, and yet people would reciprocate; I did too. When eyes of strangers meet, they smile. Some random person, perhaps not even a local resident, would ask you if the day has been good and depart after saying ‘Ram Ram’. Everyone is a host, and everyone is a guest.
There are some mini stages where people are showcasing their talent with bhajan singing, dancing, and there was one music band too. It played ‘Shri Ram Janki baithe hain mere seene mein’ and people couldn’t help but sing along. Almost every house or shop has a bhagwa dhwaj, and the road has been especially decorated for tomorrow’s Pran Pratishtha event. I was here last weekend too, and I could witness some of these. Today it was on another level, and I could not only witness it, I could feel it.
In my childhood, parents would take me to Durga Puja pandal hopping in Patna. The city was specially cleaned and lit up on the occasion and there was much variety to witness. Different pandals, different murtis, different decoration. As a kid, I was awestruck. Today I felt similar. I was awestruck by the energy and the entire experience. You don’t feel like going back. You’re happy lost in the sea of celebration and devotion.
I used to find it pretty banal when people used the term “blessed” for some invite they’d receive or some reward they’d got. I feel truly blessed now that I got the invite and witnessed all this (although I must add that you didn’t need invite to pran pratishtha to witness this as Bhakti Path was open for all today; won’t be tomorrow). Prop to Uttar Pradesh policemen too who were all polite and respectful in controlling the crowd and movement.
The road and streets are being kept clean and people also are fulfilling their responsibility of keeping it clean. Biggest proof of that is that I saw a couple of folks spitting gutkha in specially kept dustbins. That is nothing short of a miracle, you know. This is one aspect I hope continues. The bhakti will continue; that isn’t going anywhere I feel. We are witnessing a miracle, a revival, a reawakening. We are witnessing a momentous history being made.
I hope every year at least an entire week around 22 January is dedicated to recreating such celebrations. Everyone deserves to live this and experience this.