MAMTA

Mamta wanted to reach the mountain peak, the peak of motherhood, the peak of Ma Vaishno Devi. Mamta...what did she know about her individuality? Maybe all she knew was the holy shrine of Ma Vaishno on the mountain peak, for which she had to climb 13 kms through the cobbled steep valley. Mamta, her age couldn't be guessed, her skin was fair and delicate, her hair was deep black with the energy of youth, somehow her eyes were not that youthful because they had an enigmatic depth of experience, her lips looked as if she had been chanting goddess Vaishno's name since her birth for that was what she spoke even now 'Jai Mata di"(hail in the name of mother)

Mamta's steps...as if she had never begun or stopped...she was always walking. Mamta only knew to give and never expected anything in return. For her giving was worshipping, worshipping the core of divine bliss of the very nature of soul. Mist had already surrounded the mountain, the sun was setting and the darkness intermixed with the cold and wrapped the mountain like a blanket, Mamta shivered. Her steps moved forward and she realised that she had reached "Ardhkuwari", the halfway mark at 6 km. She halted at a tea stall to have some tea, As she sipped tea she glanced at the mountain peak her eyes madly contemplating on the shrine, when will she reach there?

Mamta resumes her walk, her feet feeling stiff and trembling at the same time, but they don't bother her for she sees only one thing in front of her eyes, Ma Vaishno. There are tears in her eyes, she wipes them with the corner of her shawl, something very magical happens, the corner of the shawl which touched her tears has turned golden and a slim streak of golden threads run all along the shawl that covered her. Mamta now forgot her existence, she didnt feel her body, all she felt was rays coming from the mountain peak. The cold had increased but the warmth of motherhood pierced it. Mamta walked slowly along the valley among the devotees with the following words on her lips-"Jai Mata di"

After almost 9 kms on the path Mamta realised that there was no light on the road, it was impossible for her to see. She thus lit a diya(oil lamp), held it firm and resumed her climb. The light of hope to intermingle with the real core of the soul showed the path in the darkness that seemed to swallow the life of the mountain. The cold was extreme now and Mamta's body started surrendering, did her soul surrender to the conditions?No! Absolutely not, for her soul had already surrendered to the feet of Ma Vaishno, How could it surrender to extreme environmental conditions. Alas! look, Mamta has lost controll over her trembling legs and her breath is irregular, eyes still aiming the shrine, she falls.

There was no one on that path,except the darkness and the diya in her hand, which was strongly gripped in her hands even when she lay down unconscious. A  very faint roar is heard. Whose voice is it? On that road, in that magical night of spiritual belief and devotion originated from the bush a huge lion. It went close to Mamta, touched her feets with his paws, gently lifted her on his back and then begun its march towards the shrine. Snowfall begins and rolls gently over the pale body of Mamta and the lion. Blessed is the mountain to experience motherhood taking birth.

As the devotees from various regions of India finally reach the mountain peak  after climbing 13kms, they are filled with the enthusiasm for finally having the darshan of their goddess mother Ma Vaishno Devi, the Sherawali(the one whose vehicle is the lion). They enter the main temple cave and are enchanted to see their Mother, A fair woman whose age can't be guessed, deep black youthful hair, calm deep eyes epitomising experience,covered in red clothes lined by golden stripes,sitting on the lion with a diya in her hand , the flame reflecting in the eyes of the devotees. What do they see? Mother or Mother hood(Mamta) within them? They hail, "Jai Mata di".