Reverie of a Forever

It was black as night. But the dark roads were illuminated by the beams of cars, vans, buses, and even motos and bicycles. And the silent air interrupted by engine motors, shuffles of feet, and murmuring voices. The day has started.

The man who joined me as my guide picked a deserted spot by the waters just before the main entrance, while the multitude of tourists continued on. They disappeared after the main entrance, leaving us nothing but stillness as we waited. The majestic walls and towers slowly took shape and loomed beyond the waters. The silence magnified its greatness.

The man, perhaps obliged by his work duties, spoke to me in hushed tones about the beginnings of this monument. “Built in the early 12th century, it was intended to honor the god Vishnu…” His voice trailed off while the horizon shifted from a blanket of darkness to a sheath of blue.

The man continued to whisper how he and his family called on Vishnu when their child was seriously ill and how his wife cut her hair in offering. This I later learned was a prelude to a sight in the right tower – a grand statue of Vishnu with multiple locks of hair scattered alongside.

He continued to speak of the monument’s history and detail. But there is something magical about waiting for the dawning of a new day. The people in your midst seem to quietly fade away.

By then the voice became more muffled until I heard nothing at all. It became a perfect moment in solitude. I was in my own world. The clouds parted to reveal the sun’s soft light, which slowly swept the heavens with a pale peach glow. The details of the epic towers and aged walls slowly came into view. And in an unspoken harmony, the waters rendered a serene reflection of the towers and the heavens.

I journeyed here, yearning for a golden sky above the ancient temple. But sages say we receive what we need. And I remembered, this is why I came here. I did not need a moment in rapture, but rather a good measure of serenity. I needed a pause from the madness of the life I left behind. And in doing so, I lived a dream.