There is something about Benaras that makes one believe in magical things like destiny and happenstance. Except that when such things happen in Benaras, they do not appear magical. They appear normal.
One such incident happened to us when we were visiting Benaras in November last year. We were walking down the streets adjoining the ghats, headed toward Sri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, when we came across an old house with a wooden door. The door was chained up and locked and it had a nameplate "B. Lahiry" on it.
Though the door was beautiful, there did not seem anything unusual about it at that time. We also failed to notice the marigold garland hanging by its side. Even if we had noticed it, I am sure we wouldn't have thought it weird.
Anyhow, when we were returning from the city at night after listening to several great performances at the Kabir Festival, we saw a gentleman sitting right in front of the gate. He was dressed in white kurta and dhoti. The lanes ahead were a little confusing and just to be sure, we asked him the way to our hotel.
He responded in a Marathi accent, telling us that he only comes to Benaras to sit in front of this gate and does not know much about the lanes as such. Then we asked him why he does that. And he explained that this was the house of Lahiri Maharaj. And everything just fell in place then.
Shyama Charan Lahiri, popularly known as Lahiri Mahasaya, was a famous Indian Yogi born in September 1828. He embraced the Mahasamadhi in the year 1895, four days before he turned 67.
He revived the Kriya Yoga technique after being instructed by the non-physical form of his guru Mahavatar Babaji to do so. He opened the Kriya Yoga School and it was later run by his descendants. As per the legends, the yogi was a truly magical being. And he has also found mention in the famous book The Autobiography of a Yogi.
Once we realized the history of the place we were standing in front of, we felt shivers run down our spine. It was truly a very humbling and startling realization.
We stood there for a few minutes, just soaking in and accepting the fact that this miracle had happened with us and then moved on toward our hotel.
Till today when we think about this incident, we feel overwhelmed. Each passing day convinces us that we were destined to find that house, otherwise why would we have stopped to ask that gentleman the way when we were almost sure of the way. Such things do not sound too out of the place in a city as enigmatic as Benaras.
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