I have to tell you UCP is very sad to be saying goodbye to this Festival of Shiv and although we didn't blog for the last few days of the calendar it was only because we were too tired or busy to do so and not because we didn't wish to! But as promised yesterday we are sending off the Festival with a grand finale blog! I didn't post it up last night on the last day of February but have kept it instead for today as it is the Somvaar in Hindi and Monday in English...a very much celebrated day for Shiv Bhakts or devotees who see him as related to the Soma...although I feel more affinity for the Guruvaar...Thursday as I see him as the Supreme Guru...Super Shiv! :)
Now here is the surprise and what for me and hopefully for you makes this a grand finale blog to close the Festival of Shiv! You know how I'm always saying how I often visualise Shiv sitting at its banks perhaps under a tree or doing yogic stretches along its rim? And I've even shared some pics of it on my Kartik pilgrimage blog last year here. But I've always wanted to go on a full pilgrimage to there and spend sometime in relaxation, meditation, reflection and most of all photography so that I could share the experience with you here! :)
So yesterday was my day to go! Thing is I came to the realization that the creek is on the west coast of the island...in fact the creek is this sheltered body of water that separates Trinidad and Venezuela. But the realization wasn't about Venezuela but about the fact that the creek's location in proximity to Venezuela and Trinidad makes it calm...and it being in the West means the the setting sun kisses it! So I decided not to go first thing in the morning as originally planned although my natural prayer instinct was to do so! I decided to go at sunset or close to it...and there my dilemma began...like Van Helsing trying to catch the last moments of sunlight to drive the stake through Dracula's heart before he gained power...there was I racing against Mr. Sun as my nephew calls him! :)
The whole race reminded me of my MahaShivratri blog early during the Festival of Shiv where I spoke of Mr Sun or that Surya guy not having any power over Baba Shiv! I mean after all Shiv dances throughout the cosmos so what was our sun i.e. planet Earth's sun...Mr. Surya Bhagwan's business telling Baba Shiv what to do! LOL!
So I had this date with Shiv at my favourite place to visualise and almost see and feel Shiv- Mosquito Creek! And of course I could meet Baba Shiv there any time and any space but I wanted to take the photos you see so I was hoping Mr Surya would have waited for me! In the end I did catch a glimpse of Mr Surya while I was on my date with Shiv but he played a trick on us and hid behind a cloud! Needless to say these are just some of the beautiful shots we got of Shiv and I on the date sneakily chaperoned by Mr Sun! :) I'd have to say it was a great date indeed and long overdue! :) And I will definitely go on a second date!
At the end of the date I was even able to catch up with people at the end of their Phagwa celebs that day...
And driving home after the date I couldn't believe my eyes but Chanda Mama had been watching upon us all the time in his fullest glory! Yes folks it was a glorious full moon! :) And some say Shiv is also the moon or the moon part of Shiv...but one thing for sure indeed he wears the crescent moon in his head! :)
And of course all you UCPers must by now well know that I'm just kidding or metaphorically speaking when I said I went on a date with Baba Shiv. However yep in the folk stories he does indeed wear a crescent moon in his head and weds Parvati and as we say goodbye to the Festival of Shiv I leave you with this memory of the Festival where Shiv and Parvati are on their Honeymoon in the TV serial Om Namah Shivay!
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