Rameswaram: The Right Place At the Right Time

But I'm Not Non-Hindu

What followed this back and forth bantering was no less than one of the most remarkable moments of my whole life. I must have talked him into it because the next thing I knew, I was being rushed around, almost into the temple, and then not quite. He had to convince people that it was okay to let me in, and he did not do this alone, he kept having to get back up forces to convince the displease guardians that it was okay to let me in. What he said to the other priests to convince them to come and argue on my behalf, I will never know. But I am forever grateful to him.

My guess is that one of the terms under which I would be let in was that I participate as a full Hindu, I was not to be let in for a quick and casual look-around -with which I would have been sufficiently happy. Instead, I was allowed to participate in full Hindu worship. And it was a million times more wonderful than I could have imagined. The first thing they did was to rush me down the road to put on a quick, cheap sari over my khaki pants and white shirt. When I came back, I had to complete my journey around the wells. So I went to the final twelve wells, and this time I was completely doused at each one. This time, I wanted to get wet.

And next, I had to go and pay my respects to several dieties, many of whom I knew but who were known in this temple under names I had not heard before. After I bought an offering to present to the images, I sat down beside a priest and he led me through some kind of a purification ritual for the offerings which I would present to god. The majority of that ritual consisted of the priest chanting in Tamil and me repeating after him, recreating the sounds that I had heard as closely as I could. (I suspect that some of the funny looks he shot me meant that sometimes I was closer to recreating those sounds than others.) Finally I was taken to see the linga of the inner sanctum. This was the one that Sita had formed in her hands from the wet sand on the beach; the two which had been transported from Kashi were located in other parts of the temple. I was led to the steps which went to the sanctum itself. I handed my offerings to the priest and he performed the ritual. After that, I was taken to the shrine of the goddess Parvati -since Siva and Parvati are married, their shrines are beside each other in the temple. This time, all I saw when I looked into the area was a red curtain: the goddess was behind it. The priest took my offerings and performed the appropriate ritual and at the end, he pulled back the curtain revealing the goddess. What follows is from my journal entry dated November 8, 1994:

"come and sit before another dark, small, cave-like room. I on the steps, holding appropriate offering on my lap. I see a red curtain, behind it the goddess, but I cannot see her face yet. The priest come, ask names of parents and sister, take offerings and go behind curtain. I see red curtain. Moment later, curtain pulled, goddess revealed. She is beautiful and golden. Her eyes. Do you see me goddess? I am here. More offerings for me, three big garlands of flowers are around my neck. Each time, gray ash or red cum-cum smeared, streaked or placed on my forehead. Each time, a flame passed before me on a brass platter, I pass my hands over, place them on my head. It is hot, I am wet, the sari has begun to unwrap, unfold, it is still soaking. As I leave the place, all around me is the sound of drums and bells, flames, smell of incense, carrying prasad, wearing garlands of flowers and thick amount of whatever on my forehead. Yes."