This is a true story, one of those that seem to recur in our lives as Indians and defy a ‘rational’ explanation. I share it not to contribute to what is scoffed at as ‘superstition’ but to place it on the table as an inexplicable episode from my life; a reality or ‘sat’, which means, ‘That which is.’
Early one morning in Ranchi, my mother dreamt that Goddess Chandi told her that somebody had abandoned Her idol in our garden and urged her to enthrone the idol in our puja room. My mother woke up, rushed to the garden and indeed found a statuette of Chandi made of ashta dhatu, which was duly placed with honour in my mother’s puja room.
It was my mother who usually performed the day’s puja, with my sister substituting for her at times. One day, my mother was indisposed, so my sister performed the puja while my mother slept. When she woke up, she told my sister that Chandi had come in her dream and complained that Her idol was placed on the floor. My sister ran to check and regretfully saw it was true. The idol was duly reinstated.
Once, my mother was out for the day and my sister took over as usual. When my mother returned in the evening, she told my sister that en route, she had had a vision of Chandi telling her that Her throne was unclean with stale flowers. Once again, my sister had to rectify the oversight. Some months later, the holy personage Anandamayee Ma was to pass by our house in a car. We stood waiting in our verandah to catch a glimpse of her.
{{/usCountry}}Once, my mother was out for the day and my sister took over as usual. When my mother returned in the evening, she told my sister that en route, she had had a vision of Chandi telling her that Her throne was unclean with stale flowers. Once again, my sister had to rectify the oversight. Some months later, the holy personage Anandamayee Ma was to pass by our house in a car. We stood waiting in our verandah to catch a glimpse of her.
{{/usCountry}}Generally, Anandamayee Ma never entered anybody’s house.
Suddenly, however, her car stopped at our gate. Anandamayee Ma came out alone and without talking to anybody or asking for directions entered our house and went directly to Chandi’s idol in the puja room and closed the door behind her. About three minutes later, she emerged as swiftly and silently as she had entered, got into her car and left.
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