Tag Archives: Mother Teresa

Kali temple, Kolkata

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I had an incredibly shocking experience in Kolkata, perhaps the most bizarre of my life. There’s a Kali temple in the city, one of the 51 Shaktipeeths and a significant Hindu pilgrimage site. According to Hindu Dharma, after Sati’s death, Shiva’s grief led him to perform the destructive Tandav dance. Concerned gods sought Vishnu’s help, who intervened by dismembering Parvati’s body. The locations where these body parts fell are now known as Shaktipeeths. I had heard about the Kali temple and was eager to visit. Despite a busy schedule, I made time for it, inviting Seranna to join me.

We were both excited to explore this Hindu shrine. The temple is notorious for its dishonest priests who often target outsiders. Having encountered similar issues at other temples, I was cautious and warned Seranna to be wary of strangers. As we arrived, a group of people surrounded our taxi, peering in through the window. I knew their intentions. As we exited the taxi, we were immediately surrounded by a group of 5-10 people dressed as priests, eager to guide us to the temple. I declined their offer, but they were insistent. They claimed it was a special day with a large crowd and offered to expedite our entry for a fee of Rs. 50 each. I pretended not to hear them.

I searched for a police officer to ask directions. One of the priests approached me, pointing to an alley and insisting that the temple was located there. I noticed others entering the temple directly, but he persisted. When I ignored him, his tone became aggressive, and he began yelling at me. He wanted me to accompany him, but I was determined not to.  In such situations, I usually look for police officers, which has always worked for me. This time, however, one of the priests grabbed my hand and tried to force me into the alley. I had reached my limit and responded forcefully, becoming rude to him.

Fortunately, I noticed a few police officers nearby. I approached them, asked for directions, and they confirmed I was on the right path. The priests had attempted to lead me astray for unknown reasons. I shudder to think what might have happened if I had followed them. After dealing with the aggressive priests, I finally reached the temple. Another group of priests immediately approached me, asking for a Rs. 20 fee. I had planned to explore the temple on my own, but the long queue made me reconsider. I decided to hire one of the priests, choosing a young fifteen-year-old who seemed less experienced and potentially less dishonest.

He was polite at first, guiding me through secret passages and leading me to the statue within a few minutes. The chaos intensified as we approached the statue. The priests were aggressive, demanding more money from me. The crowd was unruly, with people pushing and shouting. Seranna had fallen from a five-foot wall, injuring herself. The priests were yelling at me, demanding all my belongings. I gave them Rs. 20, but they wanted more. I tried to leave, but they blocked my exit. More people were trying to enter, while others were being forced out by the priests. It was a chaotic scene, unlike anything I had ever experienced. I was overwhelmed and confused.

One priest attempted to steal my wallet, while another held my arm and shouted at others. I gave him Rs. 50, but he was still unsatisfied and demanded more. In desperation, I borrowed money from Seranna. I can’t recall the exact amount, but I discovered my wallet was empty, and Seranna had lost around Rs. 200-300. As we exited the statue area, I noticed a line of people, each holding a goat. The priest explained that these people were preparing to sacrifice animals. I was aware that animal sacrifice is practiced in a few Kali temples, but I didn’t realize the extent of it. Many believe that offering a goat to Kali brings her pleasure.

A priest was slaughtering the animals. I observed people washing their goats, adorning them with flowers, offering food, lighting incense, and chanting mantras. After the sacrifice, another priest would cut the meat into pieces, which were then distributed as a blessing. I saw many people arriving at the temple with goats, accompanied by the sound of drums. I discussed animal sacrifice with some priests in Varanasi. They explained that Hindu Dharma features a demon named Raktabīja, whose blood could multiply like seeds. He abused this ability by killing people and engaging in anti-religious activities. Eventually, Goddess Durga, in her Kali form, descended to defeat him.

However, each time Durga decapitated him, his blood would touch the ground, creating a new Raktabīja. To end the cycle, Kali drank all of his blood before it could touch the earth, ensuring his complete destruction. Many Kali depictions show her killing Raktabīja and drinking his blood, leading some to believe she enjoys blood. The priests clarified that the body parts wrapped around her are those of the demon, not innocent beings. They emphasized that Kali drank the blood only to eliminate the demon, not out of a desire for blood. The priests explained that this belief in Kali’s fondness for blood stems from the mythology surrounding her defeat of Raktabīja.

While I can’t verify the accuracy of this explanation, it made sense to me. I discussed animal sacrifice with my friends to gauge the strength of this belief. They claimed that offering a sacrifice at a Kali temple could guarantee the fulfillment of any wish, no matter the obstacles. They cited the example of a former Indian cricket captain who was removed from the team due to internal politics. Despite consistent good performances in domestic cricket, he struggled to regain his spot. After a pilgrimage to a Kali temple and animal sacrifice, he was selected for the team within fifteen days and performed better than before. This story illustrates the deep-rooted faith in animal sacrifice among those who believe in its power.”

In Hindu tradition, offering and breaking a coconut is considered a form of sacrifice, which I often do. I once read a Tantric text that referred to a mixture of lentils and curd as ‘mans,’ meaning ‘meat’ in modern Hindi. The text mentioned that offering meat to deities was once common but is now misinterpreted as requiring animal sacrifice. Regardless of the reasons behind animal sacrifice, many people don’t believe in it. Personally, I prefer offering a coconut over an animal.

After witnessing the animal sacrifice and dealing with the dishonest priests, I was overwhelmed and unable to speak. Seranna helped me leave the temple, and I sat outside for a while to recover. Eventually, I found my bearings and decided to visit a Mother Teresa home nearby. I asked a police officer for directions and discovered it was in the next building. I went there and stayed for a while. The Mother Teresa organization’s work is truly inspiring. Witnessing their dedication to social welfare was a heartwarming experience. I spent time there, trying to forget the unpleasant events earlier. After some time, I regained my composure and left the temple, avoiding another look.

Hindu Dharma upholds the belief that all life is sacred, and Goddess Kali is revered as the mother of the universe. I firmly believe that a mother would never take joy in seeing her children suffer. However, it is unfortunate that sometimes people blindly follow practices they’ve seen others perform, without using their own judgment. It’s interesting The priests of this temple are known for donating land to the Mother Teresa organization in Kolkata, perhaps their only positive act. While I have deep respect for Hindu traditions and the faith of its followers, my experience with the priests was deeply disturbing. Their predatory behavior was shocking. I was ashamed to have brought Seranna to such a place. She commented that religion is often exploited, a statement I couldn’t refute given our experience.

Italian guest visits Aghori society

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I worked with an Italian named Giona Peduzzi, who initially contacted me through Couchsurfing to arrange a meeting for a drink. After a series of emails discussing his tour of India, he asked me to plan his visit to Varanasi. Giona lives in Rome and works for Channel 5, Italy’s largest private TV channel, as a show designer and writer for two Saturday night shows. Giona arrived in Varanasi on August 6th and stayed until August 9th. I arranged his accommodation at my guest house.

During his visit, we explored various sites including Mother Teresa’s Home, an Aghor monastery, Mathas (places where people reside while awaiting death), Sarnath, Tulsi Manas Temple, Sankat Mochan Temple (the monkey temple), BHU, Durga Temple (in Ram Nagar), and we also met Lali Baba. Giona was particularly impressed by the people he met. One memorable visit was to Machali Bandar Math, where we spoke with a Sadhu who had been residing there for over 30 years, waiting for his death. Giona was astonished by this dedication, though it was less surprising to me given my previous experiences working with Sophia, an anthropology student from the University of Berlin.

Lali Baba left a significant impression on Giona. He found Lali Baba to be the most fascinating character he had ever encountered, especially captivated by his elaborate attire for the evening Aarti, his garlands and skulls, and even seeing Lali Baba using a computer to chat. We also visited Mother Teresa’s Home. Although I have mixed feelings about going there—feeling both compelled to help but finding it emotionally challenging due to the many mentally and physically ill individuals—I still find it important to visit. I suggested providing a television for the patients’ entertainment, but the Nun declined, explaining that they had never used one before and preferred to maintain their current approach.

At the Aghor monastery, Giona was surprised by their Guinness World Record certificate for treating the most leprosy patients in the world. I have a great appreciation for this place and visit their hospital every time I am in town. Giona expressed interest in visiting Bodh Gaya for a day and then heading to Mumbai. He wanted to experience a film or TV serial shooting in Mumbai. I reached out to Yogesh, a production manager in Bollywood, who agreed to show Giona around Film City. I hope Giona enjoys his time in Mumbai with Yogesh.

I and Giona

Research on death in Varanasi

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A German girl named Sophia reached out to me on Couchsurfing, inquiring about Hindi classes in Varanasi. At the time, I had a tenant named Dave from the US who was learning Hindi with Professor Virendra Singh, so I introduced Sophia to him. Sophia was conducting anthropology research for the University of Berlin and was interested in the lives of people who come to Varanasi to die. I took her to a place where Sadhus come to spend their final days and translated the interview for her. Sophia was thrilled to understand the people, thanks to my translations.

She asked if I could work as her translator for the next few days. I was excited about the opportunity but was concerned about my prior commitment to Amanda, another student from Yale University, who was scheduled to visit Varanasi soon for research related to Coca-Cola. We agreed that I would work with Sophia first, and if Amanda arrived, I would assist her. We visited three monasteries: Machali Bandar Math, Mumukshu Bhavan, and Kashi Labh Mukti Bhavan. All these monasteries are for individuals who come to Varanasi to die, but they differ slightly in their focus.

Machali Bandar Math only permits Sadhus and Sanyasis, Mumukshu Bhavan accommodates both Sadhus and non-Sadhus, including families, and Kashi Mukti Bhavan is a short-stay place for the seriously ill. People at Kashi Mukti Bhavan do not stay long-term. During our visit to Mumukshu Bhavan, we encountered a woman who had been there for 30 years, waiting for her death. She had come to Varanasi with her husband, who died after two years, but she continued to wait. Despite her lengthy wait, she was cheerful and felt that dying in Varanasi was her ultimate wish. She prayed daily for her death to come in Varanasi, believing it was the best possible end.

We also visited two Aghor monasteries: Kina Ram and Bhagwan Avdhoot Ram Ashram. Sophia was particularly interested in the ash used by Aghoris. We learned that they use it for protection against diseases and other issues, believing its efficacy depends on faith. They carry the ash with them during travel to use daily, even when away from the monastery. At Kina Ram Monastery, there is a fire that has been burning continuously for hundreds of years. They use wood from cremation sites for this fire, a practice rooted in religious significance, though I didn’t fully understand why. Cremation sites hold great importance for Aghoris, who perform many rituals there, including special pujas during Diwali.

The second monastery, Bhagwan Avdhoot Ram Ashram, is listed in The Guinness Book of World Records for treating the highest number of leprosy patients. They operate an Ayurvedic hospital for leprosy, a school for street children, a library, a research center, and a press that publishes Aghora books. Founded in 1962 by Aghor guru Bhagwan Avdhoot Ram, the monastery also organizes group weddings to avoid the wastefulness of traditional ceremonies. Attending one of these weddings was enlightening, as Aghor followers’ philosophy differs from mainstream Hinduism, particularly in rejecting casteism.

I was surprised to see a Kshatriya serving as the priest, and when I asked, they explained that anyone who studies religion or Sanskrit can become a Brahmin. I was impressed by their inclusiveness. We also visited Mother Teresa’s home in Varanasi to interview people. The environment was warm and compassionate. Although run by Catholics, the institution allows residents to practice their own religions and provides both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. I admired the dedication of the nuns there.

We interviewed some Doams working at the cremation sites. They explained that babies, pregnant women, leprosy patients, Sadhus, and those bitten by snakes are not cremated but are instead immersed in the river. Doams often drink and smoke, and they even asked Sophia to buy them whiskey. They said that drinking helps them cope with the difficulties of their job, as cremating bodies is emotionally taxing. They also shared the belief behind why people come to Varanasi to die.

According to them, when Shiva left Varanasi, he made Vishnu promise to whisper the name of Ram into the ears of those dying in Varanasi. Hearing Ram’s name at the moment of death is believed to lead to liberation. They explained that although Shiva now resides on Kailash, Varanasi remains on his trident, reinforcing its significance. We finally visited Lali Baba, a notable Aghori baba. Sophia was eager to spend time alone at his monastery to observe his daily routine. She was thrilled to meet Lali Baba, remarking that despite his commercial nature, it was a worthwhile experience. I also found Lali Baba fascinating.

Soon after, Amanda arrived, and I had to switch my focus to work with her.