Dear friends, this is my 2nd post of annual Saturn Retrograde 2026, and like I vowed in the first post, I'm making these posts purely Saturnine in quality, mood, and flavour...
Every night when I leave our friends adda at Gwhy Club area, and make my way back home through Chenikuthi, I take the internal Kanwachal road, along Navagraha Crematorium.
As soon as we enter the Kanwachal road, we're welcomed by the Navagraha crematorium compound wall on the left, and a Shani Mandir on the right. And, as we progress, we reach the entrance to the Navagraha crematorium. Atop the grand entrance gate sits the statue of Dharma Raj/ Lord Yamraaj. Sitting on his throne, with mace in hand, with glowing ruby eyes, welcoming people to their heavenly journey beyond.
And, as we cross the entrance gate, and proceed ahead, there's yet another Shani Mandir at the other corner of the Navagraha cremation ground.
So, it's lord Yamaraaj flanked by Lord Shanidev on BOTH sides, Shani temples on both the corners of the cremation ground.. on Kanwachal road... See video below👇🏼 👇🏼 👇🏼..
The music track is All The Way from the 1991 movie stg Julia Roberts.. Dying Young..
At night when I cross this stretch, now vastly illuminated by LED lights, I remember my childhood days when it was dark, gloomy, shady and full of hushed up tales.
In my youth, I was full of enthusiasm to make others perceive me with astonishment, shock , and awe. It was this same enthusiasm which saw me conduct many of my prayers and rituals at the cremation grounds. Many people were often shocked to see me emerge from the crematorium at late hours. To my great satisfaction, exaggerated stories about me began to spread throughout our town. And to foster and maintain that legend, I used to visit the cremation grounds more often. But finally, one day, an incident occurred, which made me discontinue my visits and rituals.
It was 1990, when my grandfather departed just before my metric exams. While they prepared his body above the pyre, they removed his rings and jewellery. I remember a red coral ring, they had taken off and put on the side. I could have taken it as a relic, as a last memory of my grandfather. But something inside me froze. I couldn't take it.
Later in the evening as we waited at home mourning, I felt a great restlessness come over me. There was no electricity, it was drizzling, and dark, and I set out with an umbrella from my then home, at Uzan Bazar. I walked all the way to the Navagraha cremation grounds. In the dark, drizzling rain, I began searching among the ashes, for my grandfather's red coral ring. Someone saw me from afar and made a hasty retreat. My smile was almost glowing in the dark. And I continued searching amidst the wet ash and cinder.
After sometime, the drizzle stopped, and It became suddenly quiet. In fact it sounded much more quieter than any other night. I felt a strange tingling sensation on the nape of my neck. As if someone was watching me from behind. Someone not too far away. I could feel a strange cold feeling in my chest and stomach. My heartbeat started pacing. I almost started sweating. Without looking back, I picked my umbrella and left the crematorium.
After that night I completely stopped my nocturnal visits.
As the years passed, Kanwachal road changed. It became well lit, crowded, bustling. It completely changed from my youthful days " portal of darkness". Late night, in a crowded city, it became one of the well lit, spacious, landscaped terrains.
But, very recently, especially, post Covid days, suddenly, it seemed to have resurrected with a new Avatar. One, that brought us strongly closer to the afterlife, once again.
Especially after Covid, the neat categories of longevity and mortality, youth and ageing, natural departure and sudden early death.. all seemed to have been.. completely muddled up.
Because, In the recent times, so, so many of my own friends, and younger people, have I been unfortunate enough to accompany, on their life's last journey... to this very Navagraha cremation grounds...
So, every night when I cross this gate, where Lord Yama sits. On his throne, atop this looming entrance gate. Flanked by Lord Shanidev on BOTH sides.
And I pause.
Sitting on my bike, in front of this gate.
A gateway both reminding us of and welcoming us to.. the heavenly afterlife beyond..
And I offer my humble prayers...
For yet another day on Earth
Before, my own time cometh
To enter the gateway ..
And commence my own ..
Heavenly journey beyond ..
🙏🏼🙏🏼🪐🪐🪐🙏🏼🙏🏼🪐🪐🙏🏼🙏🏼
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