I usually have plenty of photographs to show you after a trip. This time, I have someone else to introduce too. 😊
I got a Hanuman statue in Bodh Gaya.
That is him in the photograph, with the green cloth, the little coloured details on his crown and the flowers around him. A different picture from the temple buildings and streets in my camera roll, but just as much a part of this journey.
I shared our time near the Bodhi Tree in the Bodh Gaya story. The statue was the detail I hadn’t shared yet. And there were two more temple visits I wanted to tell you about.
Our First Darshan at Hanuman Garhi
At Shri Hanuman Garhi in Ayodhya, we were visiting for the first time as a family.
Look at that entrance. The pink carvings go right up above the doorway, with figures on both sides. Then there are the colours around the courtyard and the temple towers. Even in these few photographs, there is so much to notice.
“A few photographs” is always a slightly flexible number with me. 😂📸
But the reason for being there was darshan. I felt the energy of the temple, and I felt blessed that we could visit together.
This is a part of travelling in India that means a lot to me. I enjoy seeing the places, trying the food and taking pictures. I also want to experience the spiritual side for myself. Our visit to Hanuman Garhi was part of that.
With Baba in Kashi
We also visited a Sai Baba temple in Kashi. Another first visit for us. 🙏
There is a photograph of Baba at the shrine, and another of my family standing together in prayer.
In that second picture, we are facing the shrine. It shows the visit in a way a photograph of the building alone couldn’t: my family was there, praying together.
Serving Food in Kashi
During our visit to the Sai Baba temple, we also served food to people in need.
Our family stood at the serving table, with large pots of food in front of us. We helped fill plates and hand out meals as people came over.
These pictures bring back another side of our time with Baba: standing together, ladles in hand, serving food.
I felt blessed to visit the temple for the first time. Being able to take part in serving food was part of that visit too. 🙏❤️
We had come to India for Appa’s seventh-year prayers in Kashi. These visits were part of those nine days together, each with its own place in our family journey.
For me, the blessing was being there with my family, experiencing these places for the first time together.
And among the memories from those nine days is this Hanuman statue from Bodh Gaya.
You’ve met him now too. 😊🙏
Just here.
— Thana
Beyond The Horizon 🌅
