Visiting a religious place than any hill station is something not many youngesters would agree to. But, as pushed by some of my office colleagues, I made up my mind to to visit the scenic places of Uttarakhand this time instead of going to another religious place.

Little did I know that I was destined for some other place. A day previous to the date we were supposed to leave, I had a mind flash which moved me. I was shaving at that time to go to office on the last day before taking thee days vaccations. The lyrics of devotional singers Rajan ji and Sajan ji Mishra---Chalo Man Vrindavan Ki Aur (O my soul, let’s go to Vridavan, the place of Lord Krishna).

I called up my friend childhood friend Rajesh and we both were ready to visit the one of the unexplored and most fascinating places for us.

At office, I collected basic information from two office colleagues and a maternal cousin to plan out the two days journey to three places—Mathura, Vrindavan, and Goverdhan. I had everything charted out on paper as per bus journey.

But Rajesh booked the tickets online for Taj Express, an unusual train which has sitting arrangement similar to any spacious bus with 3x 3 seats on left and right side. The journey by train has always drawn us, as we have rarely moved out and that too on trains.

As we took the early morning train journey which starts at 7.10, we enjoyed the bread and cutlet in breakfast at Rs.20. It’s quite fresh to eat. As usual, I took out my folder of old newspaper cuttings of articles by foreign writers, my friend felt bored and left for a train survey to find out after all how many girl are traveling with us in the same train. It’s our habit, though I always act lazy and avoid doing the ‘survey’ to save myself from an awkard though tantalizing and natural act of any young at heart.

Our misfortune was that the third passenger sharing our 3x3 seat was a Dehati, a villager and not any girl or educated person. On our right side of the corresponding seat, was a girl Pooja, Rajesh had checked her name from the train chart as we do always before boarding to test our share of luck. She was too ugly to be looked at again. I was sitting in the middle seat and Rajesh on my right side. She sat on extreme left of her 3x3 seat. A passage only separated Rajesh and her from each other. So, it was obvious for Rajesh to take at least five breaks of 10 to 15 minutes for ‘train-survey’ and freshen up his mood. I was enjoying studying the write ups and also clicked a few photographs from the train window. It was a rainy-weather and both of us were enjoying the atmosphere, in our ‘own ways’.

As I stated earlier, we had planned out our tour on paper based on bus journey. The fact that we finally took the train journey spoiled everything pre-planned. But both of us were equally enthusiastic to explore new places for next 48 hours.

The timing of arrival in Mathura, our first stoppage, had extended. Hence, we were to hurry up to visit the first temple—Shri Dwaraka Dheesh temple, which closes sharp at 11.00 o’clock for the morning. It opens at 8.00 o’clock in the morning. There is no cloak room so we had to deposit our bags and shoes-shoes at a nearby private shop meant for this purpose. He charged 10 rupees for two bags and shoes-sandals. Local just leave it at his shop without paying anything.

As advised we hurried up and entered the temple at around 10.10. The shop was just four five to seven shops from the temple so it was time-saving for us. The little exhaustion and surprise to have entered the famous temple for the first time took time for my mind to settle down and focus on the Lord’s holy glimpse only. My mind was lost in looking all around and clicking photographs secretly inside the main hall of the sanctum sanctorum, despite prohibition to take snaps. I personally feel no one should be allowed to take snaps at a place where people are trying to connect their soul with the Lord’s presence. It was just quite uneducated of me and showed mediocrity of mind to take four or five snaps. Honestly, I was too captivated by the whole view—the roof-paintings depicting Lord Krishna in various joyous acts, the colours of paintings and the shimmer of Jhumar in the main hall.

The main Murti (statue) is of Shri Dwarakadheesh (Krishna, the King of Dwaraka). The colour of the revered statue is in jet black colour with the Lord in standing posture. The holy glimpse fascinates the soul. It felt as if I was actually standing before the Dwarakadheesh or, Lord Krishna, the King. The prayer started around 10.30 and everyone joined in singing the Aarti, the prayer full of praises of the revered Lord. I felt embarrassed for not being able to recite even one sentence of the prayer being said by all devotees by heart. This was me, a self-proclaimed devout devotee of Lord Krishna, not knowing even one sentence of his prayer. I felt shameful.

I laid down on floor at the end of the prayer, copying other devotees, as a gesture to Namaskar His holy feet and submit my whole self at his Shri Charan, the holy feet, and seek His kind blessings for future. Honestly, I was feeling too grateful to Krishna for having drawn me to His place from home that I didn’t feel asking but just felt like thanking him for all His grace which I have always found driving me on in all pursuits of daily life.
Some may find it surprising but since childhood till 30 years of age, I never went beyond Shri Vaishno Devi near Jammu. The joy of visiting a highly revered temple at Trikuta hills and 14-kilometres trek always attracted me. I just never thought beyond it until my childhood friend, his professional friend, and myself took the trip to Shani Temple in Kosi, a three hour journey by private vehicle in Uttar Pradesh. I cherished the visit like never before. It was a joyous feeling to have visited a new religious place