Day 221 of Indian places making you smile – Champaranya the birthplace of the Saint Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya

Day 221 of Indian places making you smile – Champaranya the birthplace of the Saint Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya

I landed at Raipur airport and had 4 hours to spare. I was advised by the Chhattisgarh tourism official to visit a place that is considered very sacred by the Vallabh sect  of Gujrati pilgrims…I decided to visit Champaranya -the birthplace of the Saint Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya! He was a visionary, extremely learned in the Vedas and Upanishads who established and preached the Pushti way of life in an era of budding religious beliefs.

I hired a taxi and we were almost alone on the highway with miles and miles of bare dry land around us. Chattisgarh seemed very barren and flat as I noticed from the window seat of my plane when we flew over this newly formed sate.

This pilgrim place Champaranya at Chattisgarh is different from the Champaran in Bihar that we learnt about in our History textbooks. I entered a colourfully decorated place, mistaking it to be the temple when actually it was a dharamshala or a rest house for the pilgrims. I visited the tourist office for some more information about this small place and walked in the hot sun to reach the actual temple of Saint Vallabharcharya at Champaranya at Chattisgarh

The simple nature of the locals and the low cost of everything surprised me. When we pay Rs.30 for a coconut in Mumbai…I was surprised to get a coconut with other pooja items for only Rs. 10. A very colourful and artistically creative temple has been constructed in his honour. The walk through the long decorated entrance lobby made me present to the magic in the air and the positive energy of the place.

There are two temples dedicated to Shri Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharyaji in Champaran. The first one is known as Prakatya Baithakji Mandir, and the second is the Chhatti Baithak. One of them is located at his birth place under the tree and the other one is at the Ghati pujan place. Many pilgrims were patiently waiting for the doors to open and to witness the sevais performed by temple officials. I waited from 10.30 to almost 11.15 and nobody seemed to know when exactly the doors would open. I almost walked away from the uncertain temple officials and sat back in the car. Then I realized that this was Gods way of asking me to slow down, be calm and immerse myself in the simplicity of the place. I asked the driver to make a u-turn, I came back to the temple and prayed fervently in front of the still closed doors. When I got a darshan of the baithak of the Saint Vallabhacharya- (the holy place where he used to sit and meditate) I thought it was worth the wait.

Apart from this there is a museum with bright colourful images depicting the story of the great saint. A small stream of Mahanadi river flows near the temple. And I also got to visit the temple of Champakeshwara Mahadeva. Legend has it that a particular cow called Radha was discovered pouring a continuous stream of milk on to a rock shaped like a unique Shivalinga that had Mahadev, Parvati and Ganesh on it.

Submitting myself to the simplicity, calmness and the holiness of this pilgrim place, I imagined the many miracles of the Saint Vallabhacharya and the huge devotion of the Gujarathis and I considered myself blessed to be able to visit this sacred site at Chattisgarh.

So which Indian place made you smile today?

Please share your experience of Indian places that make you smile.