Hari-ki-Pairi—Bathing at the Footsteps of God by Melinda L. Alderman-Vajaria I want to visit the Great Mother says the young woman. She journeys from abroad, en route to scenes of God’s motifs in stone; home of the river goddess that streams with devotion out of Shiva’s matted hair— the Himalayas. She descends, near Ganges’s west banks as priests gift, sunset offerings of shimmering flames; set to drift the deity’s downstream ripples. Their offerings of lights, become their holy meditation of Mother Ganges. I’ll need flowers for Mother Ganges says the woman to riverside merchant vending marigolds and his pious wares where prayers of flowers are brought to the river’s edge to toss to the goddess, while Hindus hold onto chains set into the ghat-steps; assuring themselves with firm grips, so Mother’s curls of water will not brush them away. She dips alongside devotees into Ganges’s holy waters and washes her sins away. Namaste Ganga Maiya… © 2003 by Melinda L. Alderman-Vajaria. All rights reserved. Home