An intriguing phenomenon occurs when one embarks on a journey along the banks of Mother Narmada. After traversing a few kilometers, the river's restorative powers begin to take effect, as was the case with Bramhchari ji, who accompanied us on our trek. His shoes were causing him discomfort, and in a fit of frustration, he abandoned them on the path. I observed this, but refrained from intervening. In the days that followed, he traversed the terrain with bare feet, coming to the realization that he had made some missteps. However, it wasn't until another week had passed that he was finally reunited with a fresh pair of shoes.
We traversed a considerable distance until we reached a pivotal juncture where we paused to partake in our inaugural teerthas. The site of our devotion was none other than the hallowed banks of the Holy Narmada, where the Divine Mother once again revealed her benevolent presence to us.
Having meticulously marked all the teerthas that line the banks of the revered mother Narmada, I was taken aback to discover that the local populace was not privy to this knowledge. Nonetheless, I proceeded to document my findings in a video and subsequently indulged in a delicious meal. As I was going to take small rest, I conversed with my fellow parikramavasis, predominantly youthful in nature. I expressed my fervent desire to have darshan of the Shivlinga of Gangeshwar Mahadev. Alas, our attempts to visit the sacred site during the Parikrama were thwarted, as it is situated in the middle of the mighty Narmada River. According to an ancient Indian story, it is said that Rishi Matanga had performed his Tapasya at this very location.
After taking a brief respite, I awoke approximately thirty minutes later and nonchalantly inquired of Atul whether he might procure some tea, It was strange for me because it wasn't tea time, but I still wanted some. Upon hearing this, Yogesh replied that there was no nearby establishment from which to procure tea. I returned to rest once more, and upon rising at approximately 2:00pm, I was greeted by the presence of an individual named Sobhag Chandra Patel seated before me, offering a cup of tea. In a mere 15 minutes, an impossible feat was accomplished. The tea had arrived, and where just moments before there had been no one, now a group of people eagerly awaited me to get up to partake in the hot beverage.
As I engaged in casual conversation, I found myself sipping on a warm cup of tea, contemplating the profound notion that the great Mother Narmada was attentively listening to our every word. However, the tale did not conclude there. This individual happened to be a member of the team responsible for the upkeep of Gangeshwar Mahadev, and proceeded to present me with a series of photographs. My request to see Gangeshwar Mahadev, which I had expressed to my group an hour earlier, was granted by Mother Narmada, who guided us on the trek in her own special way.
( (These are excerpts from a book by Vivek ji on his three thousand kilometre foot journey along the banks of Holy Narmada, recording the Teerthas that graced the riverbanks. If you'd like to reserve a copy of the book before its October publication, please contact us via email.)