A modern day Shravan Kumar

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A modern day Shravan Kumar​

DH News Service

World is fast changing and people are opting for more modern gadgets to make their life comfortable. But some of the practices continue to remind us of the stories narrated in epics and other hoary texts. Now, the mission undertaken by a 36-year old man reminds one of Shravan Kumar of great epic Ramayana.

Kailash Giri Brahamchari has resolved to visit all important religious places in the country to fulfill the vow taken by his mother Kirti Devi. A resident of Wargi village of Madhya Pradesh, Brahamchari has been carrying his blind mother Kirti Devi in her 80s in a makeshift swing suspended from a pole across his shoulder. While the woman sits in one of the baskets, Brahamachari keep his clothes, utensils and some other heavy items in the other to act as counter balance.

"When I was about eight years old, I fell from the treetop and suffered fracture. Expensive treatment was not possible because of financial difficulties. It was then my mother prayed for my recovery. She vowed to undertake a journey to some of the religious places, if I was cured. Her prayer bore the fruit and I recovered quickly and that too without any medicine. She could not perform the thanksgiving trip for one reason or the other. But when I turned 24, I started taking my mother to the religious places," recalled Brahamchari.

He has taken his mother to places Ayodhya, Chirtrakut, Kashi, Tarapith, Basukinath Dham (in Jharkhand) and Tarakeshwar in the past 12 years.

Kirti Devi had asked Brahmachari a few times to end this religious travel but he is insistent on completing it. Brahmachari faces embarrassing moments at times as people seek his blessings because of his true love for his mother. The new-age Shravan Kumar gets good response from the people and at many places the locals make arrangements for food and shelter for the two.

 

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Enlivening the myth of Shravan Kumar​

By Pranita Das
Berhampur: He hasn't seen 'Bhagwan', has no knowledge of the recent laws for protecting the well being of aged parents at the hands of modern progenies. In an age when 'Dads and Moms' are facing a raw deal at the hands of their grown up children, rustic Kailash Giri is an antithesis. He has enlivened the myth of Shravan Kumar of Ramayan in real life in this 21st Century.

He is carrying his 80-year-old blind mother Kirti Devi on his shoulders on a 'Char Dham' yatra on foot. His every step on the highway

is proving to be a slap on the faces of people who do not look after their aged parents. His parched shoulders speak of the pain he has taken since more than 11 years to fulfill his mother's wish.

Kailash Giri hails from Hinota village of Jabalpur district in Madhya Pradesh. He is now trotting along the NH 5 on his way to Puri carrying the heavy load of self imposed penance on his shoulders.

Kailash entered Orissa from Andhra Pradesh about a week ago. He has already taken his mother to places such as Prayag, Kashi, Chitrakoot, Ayodhya, Rameswaram, Madurai, Tirupati and a trip along the length of Narmada River during past 11 years.

It was a hard torturous journey. He carried his mother in a makeshift swing on his shoulders. Kailash's makeshift swing comprises a strong bamboo shaft with two swings attached to its two ends that he carries on his shoulders. On one swing sits his mother while his day-to-day articles balance the weight on the other side.

He manages to cover mere four to five kilometers in a day. Roadside temples become resting places for this mother and son duo. He cooks the food and serves it before his mother as a holy offering. And both of them sit down to eat together. Till date the common men he met on his way have been his only help for sustenance. But he feels his mother's affection is his greatest strength. And he wants every youth who come across him to consider parents as embodiment of God.

Kailash had started this arduous journey when he was around 21 years of age to fulfill his mother's wish to take up the 'Char Dham' yatra. His mother had desired it after she recovered from a long ailment. He had lost his father and elder brother when he was young. He had no desire to take financial help from anyone. Having faith on his own will power he decided to take up this journey on his own physical efforts.

His journey would not end at Puri. After reaching Puri they would start for Kolkata via Bhubaneswar. Their next destination would be Pashupatinath in Nepal, Badrinath and Dwaraka to complete the 'Char Dham' yatra.

He only prays to God to grant a long life to his mother. Kailash has no dreams for his own future as he has already dedicated his life to his mother's wish. He has not taken Sanyas. But in his mind and action he has become a true Sanyasi. He is well attached to 'Sansara' but he is not part of it.

 

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We appreciate him the work he done in Chardham tour there are four adobes of god they are located in the four directions of India Puri in the east, Rameshwaram in the south, Dwarka in the west, and Badrinath in the north.