Maha Shiva Ratri at Kardo-A Photo feature

The last Thursday being Maha Shiva Ratri, the colleagues at work decided to pay a visit to the Shiva Lingam at Kardo, some 3-4 km away from Hao Polyang (Hapoli) Township and they asked me if I could join them. So, I tagged along with them; not because the devotion in me prodded me-I am an atheist in fact, but because I wanted to see if there was any change since my last visit to Kardo and how the devotees observes Maha-Shiva Ratri.

And change-it was all there to see written all over the trees, quite literally. It was nice to see that the Kardo Committee looking after the place is quite environment conscious and they students of Tajang, Duta, Hija, TDP and Gandhi Schools under the banner of Future Club had put placards all along the way to not to pollute the environment. Kudos to them for their environment conciousness. I only wondered how much the devotees paying visit to the Lingam pays heed to their request.

[Environment Message]

Another change from my last visit was presence of vendors selling puja items and eatables all along the way to the Lingam-which I guess was perhaps on the anticipation of huge number of devotees turning out to offer their prayer that day and in turn a good business for them.

[Selling Puja Items]

And true to their anticipation, large number of Shiviites turned up to offer their prayers, sometimes even making it impossible to make way for each other in the narrow, muddy and slippery track leading to the Lingam. I am all praise for those devotees-young and old alike, who made this tiresome uphill trek all for their devotion to Shiva and their zeal to offer prayer to him on Maha Shiva Ratri. (It’s been 2 days since the visit to Kardo, but still my muscles are aching)

[The Devotees]

After near about 45 minutes trek, we reached the spot. My colleagues went on to offer their prayers and while they were busy offering their prayers, I was busy capturing with my camera.

[Trishul]

Just near the entrance to the puja sthall, my attention was caught by this sadhu. When I approached him, he very enthusiastically obliged to be photographed.

While photographing him one thought was doing round my mind, what purpose he might have shown for his visit while applying for ILP (Inner Line Permit). Was it a tourist permit or a work permit?

[Devotees offering their prayers]

The turn out of the devotees being large it took around 30 minutes for my colleagues to get their turn to offer their prayers. One of my colleague, after observing so many locals making part of the devotees who came to offer prayer, remarked, "Now, one cannot deny that Hinduism has made inroad into the Apatani society and it wouldn’t be long when majority will be Hindu." I couldn’t agree more than him. When Donyi-Poloism is being equated with Hinduism or as a branch of Hindu, is there anyone left who is not a Hindu?.

Having offered their prayers we climbed downhill. Finally, after near about 2 and a ½ hours since we started the trek we came down to foothill, all satisfied.

I’m leaving you with this photograph of view of Hapoli Township shot from the place just before you make ascent to Kardo.

[View of Hao-Polyang Township]