Kaartik Purnima- 2010

It’s a Sunday today. The day is Kaartik Purnima. It marks the end of auspicious month of Kaartik. Purnima implies the Full Moon day. Among Hindus, it’s a significant day as it’s believed the gates of Heaven open for all those who are invited by Lord Vishnu. The gates of Vaikunth (place where Lord Vishnu resides) are wide open.

In Gujarat, it marks the end of Diwali festivities. People call it “Dev Diwali” as they believe the Gods and the Goddesses celebrate their Diwali on this day. It is day of the “Last Bath” or “Last Kaartik Snaan” in the holy rivers of India like Ganga, Yamuna, Tapi, Narmada, Shipra etc.

The Sikhs celebrate it as Guru Nanak Jayanti. On this day, the founder of Sikhism “Guru Nanak Saheb” was born in Nanaksar in NWFP region of Pakistan. Sikhs visit Gurudwaras, offer prayers and organize community langars (lunch) for all.

In my life, today holds more importance than any other day. My mother left for heavenly abode on this day of Full Moon in the year 2006. English Calendar indicated the date as 5th of November. She died early morning during “Brahma-Mahurat”- the time of early dawn. It’s surprising that God chose this day for her to come to Heaven. This day was a Sunday; “Ashwini” Nakshtara; in “Surat”- the present “Suryapur” i.e. place of Sun. One typical quality common about giving these details is that the Sun was very strong in her horoscope. Her zodiac sign too happened to be Leo. She was, in fact, an Iron Woman, who never compromised under any circumstances, come what may. She was very active and strong in her speech or voice. She was a good orator. Had situations been on her side, she would have become an excellent lawyer or may have become the Chief Justice of the country. Her way of debating was extraordinary. Nobody gathered the guts to speak out. Check and Mate…….

She was a firm believer in Kunj Bihariji (Shri Radhe-Krishna). Being greatly attached to her own mother i.e. my grandmother, she received a lot of attention, love and respect. My granny was a great worshipper of Kunj Bihariji. The God had too chosen Rama-Ekadashi for her to come to Heaven. I and my family always felt that my mother had received “darshan” of Shri Nathji much before, perhaps, two-three days. But, we felt, Lord Vishnu chose the right time, right day and right place to invite and stay with Him on this auspicious day.

For right time and right day, reasons are revealed, but why the right place? Karna, the great Mahabharata legend, chose Surat for his pyre. He had asked his step-brothers to find the purest and holiest place on Earth for his pyre. When, they found the ghat of Tapi (daughter of Sun God) to be holy, they brought his body from the battle field of Kurukshetra to Surat. This ghat where the crematorium was later constructed is known as Ashwinikumar (son of Sun God).