Experience in Hampi, Karnataka, India, at the Temple and Birthplace of Hanuman
Recently, there was a response by Purple Lama to a thread created by Monkey King titled "Reverse Culture Shock". I am quite appreciative of this because it spurned this memory, and I would not have shared this otherwise:
I will begin by saying that if you have not read the "Ramayana", I urge you to do so. It is the singular most influential text that I have read, which was the William Buck English adaption. Forgive me for I do not read Sanskrit, or else I would reference the original. Regardless, I did not read Buck's "Ramayana" until after this life-changing experience:
In 2000 something or other, my wife and I visited my parents in India. My father was employed there indefinitely and our visit was a breath of fresh air to them. After a few weeks in the city they were living and working in, we decided to venture out and see what we could see. It was the monsoon season and northern India was practically unreachable due to money and time constraints. So, on a whim, not knowing what we would find, and by recommendation of a cousin who had been there, we decided to go to Hampi and see the ruins. Little did I know what I would encounter. I will attempt to make a long story short.
A week into the visit, we set out on a long hike to see the Temple and Birthplace of Hanuman, the Monkey God and companion of Rama. A very long, hot, humid, winding walk brought us on top of the mountain where it is written that Hanuman was born. Earlier we had set out from Hampi, and we stopped by a shrine that held an effigy within of Hanuman, three dimensional profile , dancing, with his long tail encircling him. There was an old hag of a woman who was the caretaker of this shrine and she demanded a dew Rupees for our visit and viewing of the effigy, and I was eager to olbige. By mistake, as often occurred, I gave her waaaay too many rupees and she was ecstatic. She blessed us, and proceeded to give my wife and I a bindi on our third eye with her ochre powder. We were proud and we continued on....
On the hike up the mountains, monkeys were abundant and ready to accept whatever food offerings were given to them. We made our way up the switchbacks and upon reaching the top, we found a shepherd with a herd of goats. He was happy to have his picture taken and later we lingered in the strong winds that rake the mountaintop, relieved by the cool air, drained from the humid hike to the top. During our rest, I slept for what seemed like a century but was only a few minutes. Upon entering the temple and the actual chamber where the rock that Hanuman was born upon and his effigy, brightly painted in saffron, stood, an air of solemn joy was instantly impressed upon me. Words cannot describe this feeling. Beethoven's use of Schiller's "An die Freude" does not even come close, but it is my closest attempt to describe the vibe, so to say.
We entered the chamber, and painted upon the left wall was Hanuman, regally white, adorned with jewels, and meditating in the asana position, eyes closed. The two priests were speaking in a tongue I could not comprehend, but they appeared to be delighted and overjoyed at our visit, and eagerly welcomed us to partake in a ceremony. We approached and I assumed the asana position, my wife as well, and solemnly we meditated in the most holy presence that I have thus been in during my incarnation on this planet.
At some point revery occurred. I opened my eyes amidst the droning chants, and glanced to my left, and there was Hanuman on the wall. His eyes opened and his wizened mouth widened to a mischievous smirk and he winked at me! I could not believe it, and I thought it was a hallucination! He became three dimensional before me! I have been under the influence of hallucinogens before, but this was something I have never experienced, unparalleled! I saw a two dimensional painting come to life, move, smirk and wink at me, and I about lost it!! Giddy with nothing but pure JOY, and not knowing why, I attempted to meditate longer, but felt the urge to leave. We donated some more rupees, the priests seemed satisfied and joyous, excitedly speaking to each other in Marathi, I assume, and we departed back down the mountain, amongst the monkeys, across the river, through the banana plantations, back into the Hampi valley.
I was overcome with a tingling joy and I knew not from whence it came. I was literally stunned and dumbfounded with what I had witnessed. We made our way back to the stone shrine of Hanuman's effigy, kilometers later, exhausted, where the road to Hanuman's temple began. And the same old hag lady was there. She remembered me because I had tipped her what to her was an astronomical amount of money, but to my dumbassed privileged American self was but an insignificant donation. She blessed us again.
We journeyed on towards the town of Hampi, past ruins and columns, and handworked stones and monkeys, until we came to the gate that lead us back into the path to town. Before we entered town, my wife and I decided that the Bindis made us even more apparent as tourists, and in some way we felt somewhat ashamed and self-conscious. We are both glaringly untanned and we stood out regardless, but the bindis somehow made us feel even more so like tourists, and even American at that.
Regardless, for whatever egotistical reasons, we decided to erase the bindis before entering Hampi. I used my sweat-drenched handkerchief to remove my wife's bindi and then it was gone. I tried to do the same thing to myself, and, here is the strange thing: it would not go away! The more I scrubbed, the more defined the bindi became! The edges of it wore away leaving an effigy of Hanuman! Identical to the right profile effigy of Hanuman in the temple where the old hag lady sat, who gave us the bindis!!! It would not go away, and there on my third eye stood Hanuman, in profile with his tail curling over his head, seemingly dancing in joy! I do not lie to you: what would not be erased simply became more defined as Hanuman's effigy! It lasted for a total of 6 days after that, and on the seventh day after I was given the bindi, it disappeared!! I was understandably dumbfounded, as was my wife!
And to this day, I feel in a way blessed by Hanuman himself, chosen to carry and spread his joy into this world, which I have dutifully undertaken. In all of my actions, thoughts, decisions, and words, I feel compelled to act through and spread the word of the Joy of Rama and Hanuman!
A few days later after the occurrence I bought William Buck's translation of the "Ramayana" in Mumbai, and read it cover to cover, and my life has not been the same since! As it is written in the "Ramayana", by the words of Hanuman, he says that he will be present on this Earth as long as the tale of Rama is told and known, and I feel that I have been passed the torch to spread this joy and love of life! For that is the essence of Rama, and of Hanuman, the white monkey!
I know this is long and rambling, but if you get anything out of this, please go and read the "Ramayana" and love your fellow humans and love yourself! THERE IS NOTHING BUT THE LOVE AND THE INFINITE CREATION THAT EXISTS, AND RAMA WAS INCARNATE, AND SO ARE YOU!!!! WE ARE EACH THE CREATION ITSELF AND WE EACH ARE ALIVE TO EXUDE THAT JOY OF LIFE!!!
Much love and blessings!!!!!! -Playdo
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
HARE KRISHNA KARE HRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
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