The Magic of Naini Mata

-

Image courtesy of:  https://pixabay.com/en/india-nainital-lake-hill-station-2714556/


While God is everywhere in the universe, in different parts of it, one sees his power in different names and forms. In Nainital it is as Naini Mata, the lovely goddess of the pristine Himalayan Lake of Nainital, a daughter of the most majestic of lakes on Earth, Mansarovar, higher up in the Himalayas from where she draws her water through underground water channels. It is so believed by many, although not yet verified by modern scientific methods but believers need no such proof.

My own work in life has spanned from modern science and technology to the spiritual side of life through social, educational and philosophical work. While in one area of activity, I try not to mix in the other for clarity for just as one does not talk of one’s home affairs in office, one does not talk of office work at home for best life practices.

However segregation of activities requires the use of some tools. Thus when unusual spiritual events intrude into another area of life one might just say that it is a coincidence, or fate as I did while writing a note on police reforms in India in another blog of mine that includes such topics.  I shall reproduce that note here because it stems from Nainital and then explain the magic of Naini Mata, the beloved goddess in it for behind all things the power is that of the Lord.

Nainital Leads the Way in Police Reforms of IndiaAs a developing country struggling to emerge from its colonial past, in the arena of public services, there is much that needs improvements in India. One of these is policing. An insidious practice has developed in India to demand long and inhumane working hours from the force. This had led to poor physical and psychological health as well as poor family life of Indian policemen. Such a force cannot be expected to provide quality service to public. While many suggestions for improving the police force have been put forth by individuals and institutions in India, few have been followed up. However, yesterday the High Court at Nainital passed a judgment that is a key element of police reforms in India.
It has been mentioned in a companion blog, how the Lovely Himalayan Town of Nainital built around the lake of the goddess Naini has been at forefront of many changes not just in India but also the world since its inception in mid nineteenth century. The present police reforms adds another feather in its cap. 
This Author's interest in the Matter

Emerging from a rich life experience and international education, I have contributed many ideas in my blogs with a hope that they would lead to improvements in various areas of human activity. These were areas in which I had personal experience and interests. Policing was not one of them until 2009. At that time I had joined an educational institute in Nainital district as its Director. On my joining, a dear former student, Ashok Kumar, who had joined the Indian police service read about it in the local newspaper and immediately called me. He came to visit me with his wife the very next day. Inspector General Ashok Kumar, was the senior most police functionary not just of Nainital District but the entire Kumaon region, of which Nainital is a part, at that time. He has become more senior since and moved to the State Capital. Inspired by many conversations with him in that period as also a book - Human in Khaki – that he wrote around that time in Nainital, I began to ponder over how policing might be improved in India.  The book by Ashok Kumar can be found here,
https://www.amazon.in/Human-Khakhi-Ashok-Kumar/dp/8128834185
As fate would have it my neighbor at that time was the senior most police official of Nainital District under Ashok Kumar and his wife a fellow board member of another Educational Institute in Nainital District, the Birla Institute at Bhimtal. Soon after I wrote a public note containing six suggestions on how policing may be improved in India. I have sent links of this note to the highest authorities in India but little was done since. Even when a service is in need of improvements, there are vested interests that benefit from the deficiency. Sadly the will and energy of these latter persons far exceeds the will of those who might bring about changes for better. Therefore shortcomings persist for decades on ends. That note can be found here
https://www.facebook.com/notes/malhotra-ashok/six-steps-to-strengthening-the-policing-system-in-india/575937605755225/
However, the Nainital High Court, on the PIL of Arun Kumar Bahdauria of Uttarakhand, has now ordered one of the suggestions of this note –Humane working hours. It imposed humane working hours, not exceeding eight hours per day of duty along with a slew of other humane measures for police personnel in the hill state of Uttarakhand of India. It is expected that citing this judgment, this change will soon spread through other states and union territories of India through similar court orders when interested persons approach them. There could be some modifications of this judgment in other states or on appeals to the Supreme Court of India but it is not possible that conditions will revert back to earlier inhumane hours since that is a violation of basic human rights and right to life. A newspaper report on the matter can be found here,
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/uttarakhand-hc-orders-series-of-directions-for-police-reform-in-the-state/articleshow/64181054.cms


Magic of Naini Mata

The visit of 2009 to Nainital as mentioned in the note had been after a long gap and it was natural for the lovely mother goddess to throw a ring of protection around a loved son, hence the senior most police dignitaries around me. It was neither fate nor coincidence. More so because my work was in a secluded forested area in the plains below the hill in Nainital district. However, every month I would climb the hill to visit the lake and the temple of the goddess by the lake, deciding to stay in its beautiful surroundings for a few days. On such visits, through a set of circumstances, the lovely Mother Goddess would arrange for me lodgings in one of the most beautiful and secure locations in Nainital known as the Raj Bhavan. At one time the British had located these lodgings as the most secure and ideal one as a getaway place for Her Majesty Queen Victoria after scouting thee entire British Empire over which the sun never set. This is described in another older note in this blog here,

https://nainitalgoddess.blogspot.in/2013/03/secret-nainital.html





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Who was Babaji or Baba Haidakhan?

-
Article Updated May 6 , 2019 If one were to select a likely abode of Gods on our planet, it would likely be highest mountains on the planet, Himalayas- including its greener hills, valleys and caves in lower ranges fed by pristine waters of melting snows of the highest peaks and lakes. Here the air is fresh, cool and crisp and because it is relatively close to equatorial regions, not so cold as to be inhospitable even in the depths of winter. Indeed, fresh air, pure water to drink, green fields, wild flowers and groves of Oak or Pine have created areas within these vast ranges that might be most akin to what one might imagine of heaven. However, over centuries, even the Himalayas have not remained untouched by greed and lust with its associated evils. It is a process that seems to have been set in motion several thousands years ago. Just as it is in the nature of humans to begin forgetting God and goodness with prosperity so it is with civilizations made up of them. As
Read more

The Goddesses Nanda and Sunanda of Kumaon

-
S ome of the earliest mentions of divine Nanda and Sunanda are found in ancient Sanskrit texts. It cannot be confirmed if these references have any connection with more recent worship of these goddesses in Kumaon region but they deserve mention for the probable origin of these glorious goddesses. The Bhāgavata Purāna also known as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, is one of the Puranic texts of Sanskrit literature. It includes  many stories well known in Vedic tradition. The text credits Veda Vyasa, the revered ancient sage, with its authorship. Here is a verse from this text,  “ Also, Srutadeva, Uddhava and others, Nanda, Sunanda and other leaders of liberated souls who are constant companions of the Lord ” Canto 1 Chapter 14 According to this verse, Nanda and Sunanda are close to the eternal lord with the same position as the highest of Angels of the Lord and amongst the leaders of liberated souls that are constantly engaged in serving God. A story in chapter 12 of the same text
Read more

Encounter with a Himalayan Mystic – Baba Haidakhan or Babaji

-
I t was early eighties. I was then an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Delhi. I had rented an apartment a few kilometers away from IIT, at a place known as Masjid Moth (DDA Flats). There was accommodation on campus but with two infant daughters and a live in full time Nanny to boot, available accommodation on campus was a bit too compact for our needs. I lived in this apartment from approximately the middle of 1981 to the middle of 1984.  During this period I had an unusual spiritual encounter. I do not recall the exact date when the encounter took place but the incident itself is crystal clear in my mind. Babaji: Message from the Himalayas , by  Maria Gabriele Wosien , G. Reichel Verlag ( 1990), https://www.amazon.com/Babaji-Himalayas-Maria-Gabriele-Wosien/dp/3926388145/ At the time my wife with nanny and children were away. I was alone at home. It was morning, some time after breakfast the bell rang.
Read more

Jai Shiv Shankar – Spiritual Mantra from the Himalayas

-
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Himalayas,_Kedarnath_and_Neelkanth_peaks_from_Ukhimath,_Rudraprayag.jpg T he Almighty, beyond comprehension of finite minds has been referred to by an infinite number of names through the universe, wherever intelligent life capable of worship of the Infinite Lord exists. One of these names, popular in South Asia is Shiv (Shiva). The almighty beyond form and comprehension has also been worshiped in an infinite number of forms in the universe, some human, for the Lord everywhere has an infinite number of faces and forms too Some hold that for ease of worship of human devotees, who wish to visualize the Lord in human form, the Lord appeared as the sage Shankar in Himalayas. Others hold that having attained the most advanced stage of yoga through worship of the Lord known as Shiva, the sage Shankar merged his soul and identity with Lord Shiva and was then known as Shiv Shankar. The true mysteries of Almighty are not known fu
Read more

The Abode of Shiva

-
M ount Kailash situated in Tibet  is regarded as the abode of Shiva-Shankar who was charged with the spirit of the formless and infinite Almighty known by many Hindus as Shiva. Lake Mansarovar, the largest fresh water lake of the Himalayan region is situated at the foot of this mountain. It is situated to the north-east of Nainital District. Many believe that  lakes of Nainital District are fed by waters of this lake through underground rivers. According to mythology, the connection was a result of prayers of ancient sages that medidated on the banks of Naini Lake. Bhim Tal lake also in Nainital District is held by some to be fed from the adjoining Rakshas Tal. It is one of the poorly developed and mantained lakes of the district. Its water constitute a portion of the water supply of Haldwani town situated at the foot of Nainital Hills. Surprisingly the less beautiful parts of Nainital district are those fed by Rakshas Tal, whereas others fed by Mansarovar Lake are charged with
Read more

The Rightful recognition of Nanda Devi East as Sunanda Devi

-
Nanda Devi and Sunanda Devi I t was described in the last post that the goddesses Nanda and Sunanda occur together in mythology and worship. Nanda goddess means the Bliss giving goddess whereas Sunanda means the good bliss giving goddess. One may wonder why the prefix good is added to Sunanda when in fact Nanda is the more active and senior goddess. The reason is perhaps that Nanda Devi also takes on fearful avatars in mythology when she goes about conquering evil demons and at such times adding good is not necessary. Goddess Nanda Devi has been regarded  variously as a human representation of the Great Mother Goddess and even as that of Mother Earth. Goddess Sunanda has appeared in mythology and  history from time to time as the companion goddess or sister of this goddess. In nature the Nanda Devi mountain, one of the highest in the Himalayas is regarded as a sacred and majestic representation of the Great Goddess on Earth. It is a twin peak mountain in which the lower s
Read more