An update on The Abode of the Gods Mt.Abu

The Abode of the Gods Mt.Abu.

Blame it on the “BLUE Moon”, Global warming, blah blah—Well the weather sure has taken a strange turn, drought-like conditions have suddenly turned into raging flood conditions in the least expected places in Rajasthan and part of Gujarat. Mount Abu was apprehensive for a short duration with the late arrival of the monsoons, but today, with its reservoir’s almost brimming or overflowing, the Abuites are comfortable that there is enough water to tide them over till the next year.

We still have more rain in the making! Looks like we do not have to resort to the “Indian rain dance to appease the rain gods anymore” as I mentioned earlier, there seems to be a radical change in the weather. The seasons seem to keep pace with the changing pace of human progress; the predictable rise and fall of the monsoons have sure changed over the years. Overnight lightning and thunderstorms followed by cloudbursts seem to be the norm.

I, for one, love and appreciate the steady rainfall that used to be Abu’s hallmark; today I’m apprehensive when I see this dramatic change in nature.

OH, By the way, I was to apprise you of the latest events in Abu, well some young men went bathing the day before late in the evening to one of our waterfalls on the way down and two of them did not make it back as they were swept away and their bodies only recovered the next day. Tonight I heard it through the grape wine that a lad from Delwara went for a dip in Mini Nakki Lake and drowned, will look out for the local paper tomorrow to confirm the news.

Some snaps I took a few days ago on the latest in Abu.

Blue Moon Taken in Abu 31 Aug 2012 

Not so Blue

Return of the sparrows 

Rammed into a date palm tree

Mount Abu “A ghost town July, 3, 2009”

The Day Abu Stood Still: A Community’s Quest to Appease the Rain Gods

Mount Abu town deserted on July 3, 2009

On July 3, 2009, its residents deserted the tiny, one-horse town of Abu. This wasn’t because of a curfew, a ban of any sort, government intervention, or a natural disaster like an erupting volcano. Instead, it was a combined effort by the Banya community and other citizens to appease the rain gods, hoping for abundant rainfall in the upcoming monsoon season. They dedicated the entire day to performing “Havans” (sacred fire rituals) and praying to the rain gods, combining their spiritual endeavours with a community picnic.

Interestingly, before the Havans began, the sky turned overcast, and by afternoon, it rained, hinting at the monsoon. But then something went amiss. Was it the weather presenter’s forecast that failed, or did the smoke from the pure ghee offerings during the Havan not appease the rain gods? Or perhaps it was human greed that disrupted the natural order.

 We often blame global warming for our woes, but maybe it’s our own actions that have led us here. If we could curb our greed and heed the warnings nature gives us, we might create a better, cleaner world.

 If these thoughts resonate with you, do yourself a favour and listen to the voices of today’s youth. Click the link below or copy and paste it into your browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WzgVMp7-Lo