Somnath …!!

Read so much about it in history, heard so much about it, talked so much about it and today .. I stand before it, reliving all those years of mention in a moment of my life.

Its an hours drive from Sasan Gir to Somnath and in order to take the first shot as the sun rises above the sky and the sea, we leave at 5 am. It is dark still, but the darkness breathes an air of freshness, of moist early morning dew. As we speed away through well maintained roads a large banner decorated on the side of a crossing with some people standing by with bouquets almost misses my eye. The light is not enough to notice them and we drive away past them. Later in the evening as I scan through the days pictures I notice their orderly yet quiet presence and feel terrible at not having stopped to greet them and accept the bouquet that they must have taken great pains to collect at this early hour. If I can find a way to meet them tomorrow I shall feel a bit better .. will push the administration to help me out.

The location of the temple is by far one of the best that I have seen - by the sea and on a land that has been chosen with great care. Elevated on greyish sand hills that flow down to the lashing Arabian Sea, it presents a post card moment which ever way you look at it. A pillar on the edge announces that the arrow pointing on it is the direction to the South Pole, and that from here there is no land obstruction till the southern most point of the globe - just the sea and the ocean.

Somnath was rich in its ornamentation and invader upon invader that attacked India from the West ravaged and looted this property and indeed tried on many occasions to destroy our very identity and our culture. But faith cannot be wiped out by destroying a few structures and despite several attempts, faith prevailed and the temple was rebuilt each time. Its present state is a little more modern and is the gift of Sardar Vallabhai Patel, that great leader and freedom fighter, contemporary of Gandhi and Nehru, who had it reconstructed in 1948.

The temple houses the Shiv ling, or one of the 12 Jyotirlings, the essence of Lord Shiv, inside the sanctum sanctorum and is one of the first among the other temples that houses it. I have spent a quiet day around it and inside, in some contemplation. Faith and belief and its manifestation into these magnificent structures that symbolized prayer and devotion, have such an imposing presence in the world of the human. When so much is still unknown to us, when nature provides us with baffling adventures each moment, when not a single leaf or plant or insect or any living breathing object is the same, the power and force of the unknown element that is manufacturing all this, becomes deserving of these edifices of devotion and divinity. Was there ever an outer world presence in our world ? Did some one roam our planet that possessed supernatural powers ? Did they become our Gods and Goddesses ? Where did they come from and why did they go away ? Do they still look upon us now and do they conduct our lives as they may have done before ? So many questions and so many unanswered. Somewhere we have tired and withdrawn ourselves from seeking those answers. Too complicated and intense. Better to submit to the next best alternative - faith, prayer, temples, religion. Many answers found here. Many believers too. Numbers provoke us and propel us to follow. When millions are saying so, better to join them than to stand alone and differ. There is greater security and strength in numbers. When you follow your responsibility reduces. They were doing it, so I went along too. A nice alibi in a sense. Convenient and of some comfort. Let it rest there.

This shoot has come to an end, well at least this section of it. The first phase of the campaign is over. It has covered some important areas of the State. In time other areas will be covered when I shall return. But suffice to say that it has been a most interesting and educative experience and I do hope that the cause that we have promoted, fructifies.

Meanwhile back home travels continue. Aishwarya left Istanbul today for Paris. She endorses Longines the watch company and since it is a sponsor for Rolland Garros, the French Open Tennis, she is required as per contract to attend it. Abhishek returns tomorrow to Mumbai as do I, until he sets off again to attend the premiere of Raavan in London on the 16th of this month. And I shall prepare for my recital in Paris on the 13th !! And the shivers begin !!

Fans have the ability to keep your spirits going and as one can see even in remote Somnath, there are still a few who show allegiance - and some indeed replication !! Or their version of it. Look -

Ha ha .. could do with a bit of grey in the hair though !!

Love and love and more .. have not been able to respond with the jaundiced lines, but tomorrow is another day ..

Amitabh Bachchan