Chalo Bulaava Aaya Hai, Mata Ne Bulaya Hai 

Mridula Kaul

For those of us of a certain vintage, ‘chalo bulaava aaya hai, mata ne Bulaya hai’ (‘we have been beckoned, the Mother is calling us’) in Narendra Chanchal’s fervent, shrill notes will bring back many memories. I never could understand it then but as I’ve grown older (and possibly wiser although the author of this piece provides no guarantee for said wisdom), several lived experiences have substantiated that point beyond any doubt. 

I’ve had the good fortune of finding a large extended family by way of KPAE here in the UK – a family that binds each one of us through cultural, spiritual and social events. Like all family events, even with the best will in the world it isn’t possible to attend all but I find myself drawn, time and time again, to the universal appeal and magical power of our beloved Ragnya Devi and the day that commemorates her divinity. I am of course talking about the Tulmul havan conducted annually to celebrate Zyeth Aetham (the eight day of the Jyeshtha month in the Hindu calendar) by the Kashmiri Pandit community in the UK. I had the privilege of attending it this year battling a clash in timing with the untold joys of Saturday drudgery also known as  swimming, drama and piano lessons for one’s offspring and relying on the marvels of British public transport that involved changing only 2 trains with poor timing and a bus and yet, it all miraculously worked because our Divine Mother willed it so. I’ve long given up on the dream of the entire family doing everything together (in Rajshri’s Hum Saath Saath Hain mode :-)) and firmly believe that we all must do what we need to if it’s important enough for us. 

I am not going to go into the details of why this celebration is important for the community – the learned among us are far more knowledgeable about the history, the spiritual aspects, the traditions and prayers behind all of it. I am here merely to share my experience which is nothing short of blissful. Every time I attend this havan, I am transported to the last time I was at Tulmul, the summer of ‘89 – it was a hot day, the air was filled with the heady smell of dhoop and incense, the Tulmul naag was blue with waters the colour of a tropical paradise and embellished with rose petals whose fragrance enthralled my senses while I saw offerings of kand being showered into these hallowed waters like snowlflakes. The aroma of lucchi halwa surrounded us and I felt like I was in a trance. I sat down on the cool floor of the temple watching the decorated idols in the middle of the water and being mesmerised by the lilting leelas sung by the elders of the family, parents, aunts, uncles. I remember the other younguns darting outside, playing, some lying under the shade of a tree. For me though, it felt like I was home. 

I am so grateful to everyone that organised the Tulmul Havan of 2024 to make it such a blessed, beautiful, sacred and joyful event but more so because like a real family that has so many parts of lineage, everyone came together, in all humility, with complete shraddha and unconditional love, chanting ‘Maej Sharika kar daya, kar daya he Bhavaeni’ (‘have mercy on us Mother Sharika, bless us on Bhavani’). Thank you for taking me home. Jai Kashmira !