When pilgrimage becomes tourism...

O human, you have used the entire growth of your mind and intelligence to make all the things around you mano-anukool, conducive to your mind.

Even in ashrams and pilgrimages, you lookout for whatever makes your heart happy, gives sukha, comfort to your body and peace to the mind.

As if some external solutions will fulfil all your needs, you do not want to make any special effort or undertake a spiritual activity. Your mind works resourcefully to find a short cut or some simpler easier way.

Even pilgrimages have been converted into tourism.

Awaken your conscience and soul and understand the truth. Do not tamper with your nature and Supreme's Nature. All your cleverness will be ineffective when Nature will do its tandav -- dance of destruction, and in its fury, wash away all the imperfections.

Indian culture which is based on the laws of the Vedic treatises, assists in human evolution like a true guru.

You are using your entire energy in distorting these traditions according to your convenience, instead of making an effort to make yourself worthy of them. O human! You are not even the slightest aware of your complacency.

Nature is everyone's amma, mother; her fierce blows will sooner or later corner you and force you to understand this truth. Earlier, pilgrimage to places of spiritual significances was a ritual that people undertook when they were freed of their worldly duties.

Even now some sadhaks, seekers, take up such pious, religious journeys as a path to peace and knowledge. Anyone travelling with this bhav, feel travels light, with only a few essentials items that his body can carry, travelling mostly on foot, eating light – roasted chickpeas or fruits, whatever is available. No need for special bed-rooms, air-conditioned.

cars or delicious savouries. They carried forth the duty of a pilgrimage for days, creating a feeling/sense of belonging with all, conveying a message of brotherhood amongst all the people they met in small caves, ashrams or local settlements.

They received the blessings and satsang of yogis and mahatmas, and blissfully fulfilled the dharm of pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage is a sadhna, penance which is performed by staying near Nature and experiencing a feeling of oneness with it; keeping the body healthy, content with the meagre means; leading a life free from attachment, happy despite being away from relatives and associates, and experiencing a sense of belonging and oneness with fellow travellers.

Instead, pilgrimage has been turned into a picnic - hurriedly taking everyone along, enjoying fully great comforts and entertainment, tampering with environment, and coming back with an ego bloated by a great sense of accomplishment of having completed a pilgrimage -- distributing alms, doing charity and having had the darshan or look at the idol! O human, embarking on a pilgrimage as a spiritual journey, by first understanding its grace and significance; performing it with proper rules and rituals is the ultimate and beautiful medium of spiritual evolution; otherwise, there is no significance or justification for tampering and playing with Nature.

Pilgrimage is symbolic of chintan, mannan, contemplation and meditation, constant growth or movement and love for Nature.

This is the Truth.

Meena Om