It was Bhadra kali all the way!

During childhood every Sunday morning my parents used to take us to a temple. It was a ten minutes drive to the temple, after the temple visit we would go to my paternal grand parents’ house before returning home. I used to love those trips. It was a very powerful temple. The famous Malayalam actor had a vow, that if he became successful, he would donate a baby elephant to the temple.

When he tried to do the donation, there was a hue and cry, because he was a Muslim. In the end the matter was resolved and the baby elephant was accepted in the temple. For any challenges in life, I used to call upon the Devi and I used to get solutions.

After marriage I went to North India and whenever on vacation to Kerala, my husband and I used to visit the temple. But now it was an hours’ journey since my parental house was in Trivandrum by then. In Kerala, men had to remove their shirts to enter inside temples. My husband who used to be a totally logical person, used to wait for me outside the temple, instead of taking off his shirt and coming with me inside. Then gradually, these trips came to a stop.

Over the years, slowly my husband turned spiritual (the result of staying with a totally spiritual wife for 3 decades? God only knows). He was getting interested in visiting temples along the length and breadth of India. During our visit to Kerala in April 2013, suddenly I remembered, we are going to all other temples, why not visit my childhood temple?

My husband agreed and we hired a taxi. He asked me which Devi was the idol of that temple. I was surprised that I did not know. I only remembered it was a Devi. We went straight to the temple. There was not too much crowd and we got to sit there and meditate. Devi asked me, ‘Coming after so many years?’

Then I noticed, it was a Bhadra Kali temple. Wow! That made sense. I used to get messages from Kali ma to do Havans, to prepare dishes etc., so it was Bhadra Kali all the way……

When we reached back home, I asked my father whether he knew which Devi was there in the temple. Even he didn’t know! Then I updated his knowledge and gave him the prasadam.

The missing Shivling

My sister once gifted me with a small Shivling made in stone. I put it near the bonsai banyan tree kept in my balcony. Every day morning I pour water over the Shivling, after my bath.

One day when I went out to the balcony with water, to my shock, I found the Shivling missing. I felt really sad and complained to the divine forces. " This is not fair. I am worshipping you daily, moreover, the Shivling has sentimental value for me as it was gifted by my dear sister. How can it disappear like this? You have to bring it back to me."

The balcony is at the back of the house and many times petty thieves jump the compound wall and come into our compound. I was at a loss to understand what they would gain by stealing the Shivling. Any way I continued my prayers.

On the third day when I reached the balcony in the morning, to my utter joy, I found the Shivling near the banyan tree! Till today I cannot find any logical explanation for ths incidence.

The butterfly’s message

Pitru Paksha  also spelt as Pitr paksha or Pitri paksha, (literally "fortnight of the ancestors") is a 16–lunar day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors (Pitrs), especially through food offerings. The period is also known as Pitru Pakshya, Pitri Pokkho, Sola Shraddha ("sixteen shraddhas"), Kanagat, Jitiya, Mahalaya Paksha and Apara paksha. Shraddha is the way of thanking your ancestors’ souls and paying a small tribute in exchange of whatever they did for our lives.

Last year, according to the messages I got, I did shraddha and this year also I thought I’ll do, especially since I lost my father and mom-in-law during April/May. Shraddha in 2013 was from 19th September to 4th October. Somehow it slipped from my mind.

On 3^rd October when my husband and I came back home from the clinic, he noticed a butterfly sitting quietly on the potted plant in front of the door. He showed it to me. I went near the butterfly, it did not fly off. I gently touched it, thrice. It just stayed put. Then we left it and went inside the house to have lunch.Round the world, butterflies are seen as the departed souls of our ancestors.

Later, suddenly it struck me; I am supposed to do Shraddha. Oh my God, were the dates over? I immediately checked the net and to my relief, saw that October 4^th was the last date.  So on the next day morning, I prepared sweets and served on leaves on the terrace. In the afternoon I went up to check and was glad to see that the offering had been accepted!

Kalima’s instructions

Quite a few months back I got instructions from Kalima to start doing havans on Tuesdays and   Fridays. From then on I burn ghee lamps in the morning and do havan in the evenings. Last Saturday (5^th October 2013) I got instruction to make a garland with red shoe flower petals for her. Can I tie each petal? No, she told two petals have to be tied together to make the garland.

So on Sunday morning I made the garland and put for her. After breakfast I was trimming the plants in the green house and my husband was standing and watching. Suddenly he told, ‘There is a frog behind you. It is showing its tongue to me.’

I turned around and saw a big frog. It started walking towards me. Its big eyes were fixed on me and then it thrust its tongue fully out of the mouth, twice. It was really a sight! We both laughed and went inside the house.

Later it struck me; Kalima’s picture has her tongue thrust out. The frog was conveying the message that Kalima was happy with my garland. Oh, I was so happy!

Vaishnodevi's message

During our visit to Delhi we decided to visit the Mehrauli mandir and ashram in Jaunapur near Mehrauli. We were staying with a cousin in Gudgaon. She told us that on her way to her work place in Delhi she would drop us to the temple. Next day morning we started with her and she dropped us near Jaunapur and went off. We walked around, searching for the temple, asked many people, but nobody could guide us.

We decided to cancel the plan and instead went for a movie, which we enjoyed. At night we told our cousin of our failed attempt to visit the temple. She told that on the next day her driver would come and he might know it. So on the next day again we set out. Her driver knew about the temple and he dropped us very near to the temple.

It is situated amongst huge real estates and is built in a large area. This temple supports a hospital and two schools. It is also the place where Madrasi baba lived and had his own little temple. We came to know that the temple closes at 12 pm. On the previous day we would not have been able to have darshan even if we found the temple, because it was around 12 pm.

There are many idols in the temple and one of them is considered as Vaishnodevi. My husband and I sat there and meditated. The Devi had a message for me during the meditation. She told me to take a vessel that had been used for her puja and gave specific instructions how it should be used to charge drinking water and to be given to people suffering from different problems.

First I felt delicate to ask the pujari to give me a vessel that was used for Devi’s puja. Then I mustered courage and asked him. He gave me a bowl and I brought it home. It is being used for the purpose that she had instructed me and is really helping people.