2 hours agoWriters: Rajesh Sahu and Raksha Singh
Manikarnika Ghat of Varanasi… Its veins are like the narrow streets making noise. Kashi Labh Mukti Bhawan is just 100 meters away from here. It is identified with death. Means people bring their parents here only so that they may die. It is believed that the one who dies here gets freedom from the cycle of life and death.
Dainik Bhaskar’s team reached inside Muktidham of Varanasi. Talked to the people who came with the desire of salvation. Talked to his family members. Know why they want to die here. Know the guidelines of Mukti Bhavan after talking to the people who are looking after the arrangements there. Let us know everything one by one.
10 rooms, all waiting for death
This is the photo of Mukti Bhawan. The more noise outside the gate, the more peace inside.
Surrounded by green wooden doors and white walls, this building was built in the year 1908. At that time this building was not used for liberation. For the first time in 1958, it was named Mukti Bhavan. Since then till now 14 thousand 902 people have come here seeking salvation. There are 10 rooms for his stay. The building has a temple, quarters for priests and sweepers.
When we reached the premises of the building, there was silence and an eerie silence all around. Mourning silence. When he went inside the building, through the sound, the soft voice of ‘Hare Rama, Hare Krishna’ fell in the ears. It is said that this tune brings peace to the mind, so it always plays. After this we reached a room. Where two wooden planks were lying. The white walls here had become dirty. There was a small window from where the dust in the room was clearly visible in the light coming from it.
- Presently there are two salvation seekers in Mukti Bhavan, let us know about them first.
If the mother sacrifices her life here, she will get salvation
Gudiya Singh of Chandauli has come here with her mother-in-law. Mother is now eating food only in the form of liquid.
Janak Singh of Chandauli has come to Mukti Bhavan with his 90 year old mother. Janak is accompanied by his wife Gudiya and sister-in-law Kamla. Janak explains, “We already knew about this place. Our maternal uncle died here. The person who sacrifices his life here gets salvation, he gets salvation. Thinking this, we brought our mother here. Huh.”
Gudiya Singh says, “We live in Mumbai, when we came to know about my mother-in-law’s ill health, we came home. Now mother is eating only liquid food, so we brought her here. Mother-in-law had died here, then mother had also expressed her wish that she should bring me here in her last moments.
Food is not going in the mouth so brought it here
Sripati has brought his father from Rohtas in Bihar. He hopes that the father will attain salvation here.
Shripati Yadav from Bihar’s Rohtas district has come to Mukti Bhavan with his 80-year-old father Shiv Pujan Yadav. Shripati explains, “Father’s left side is paralyzed. He cannot walk now. We took him to Rohtas and Sasaram for treatment but to no avail. That’s why we brought him here to Mukti Bhawan. Salvation is attained.”
We spoke to Anurag Shukla, the manager of Mukti Bhavan, run by Dalmia Group.
No 5 star hotel will give room to die
In many states of the country including UP, Bihar, ‘Kashi Maranaanmukti’ is recognized. Kashi maranaanmukti means one gets heaven after death in Kashi. Anurag Shukla, manager of Mukti Bhawan, says, it really happens, people from all over the country come to us. This building is open to people of every religion and every caste, as long as they believe in Kashi’s death.
Anurag further says, this Mukti Bhawan run by Dalmia Group has some rules. We give entry here only to those who have been answered by the doctors. Or he may be old, unable to walk on his own. Can’t eat food by yourself. Many people contact for booking but we give them entry on these conditions only. First of all they give entry for 15 days. Only 20 rupees is charged for every day, which is taken from the devotees for the electricity bill. If the salvation seeker does not die, then we increase this time.
We want the salvation to be with the family in the last moments
Anurag says, it is mandatory for two family members to stay with the mokshaarthi. Both people have to be in the same room. Such a rule was made so that the family could stay with the person in the last moment. If he has made a big mistake and wants to improve, then he can tell his family members. In the last moment, a person only needs a family.
The family members themselves had to prepare food for the devotees.
Only Mukti Bhawan gives gas cylinder-stove and utensils. So that the family members can cook here.
The salvation seekers who come here are given all the utensils including gas, cylinders, but they have to prepare food for themselves and the salvation themselves. The Mukti Bhawan Committee says that when we are doing so much for the salvation seekers, then we can also prepare food. But in such a situation, all the salvation seekers will have to eat the same type of food, which we do not want.
That’s why we made a rule that at the last moment they should be fed only the food they want to eat. For this, all the items are given to the family members so that they can cook food of their choice.
Many people come and don’t die or they have to return
Anurag tells that many times the patient enters here only to get salvation. At the same time, many such people also come who keep moaning in pain all night, lying on the bed, but they do not die. In such a situation, after 15 days, we have to request them to return from here.
Two priests, one sweeper are always there in this Mukti Bhavan. Aarti is performed three times. A few drops of Gangajal are put in the mouth of the salvation seekers as Prasad.
There were so many deaths here but no one is scared
The priests wake up at 4 in the morning, after which the order of worship-aarti starts going on in the building.
Kalikant Dubey, who is taking care of the aarti-pujan in the building, says, “We get up here at 4 in the morning. The temple is cleaned daily. Worship starts from 6 o’clock. Mangal Aarti is performed. After this, we go to the salvation seekers while playing drums and put drops of Gangajal in their mouths.
Moksharthis are given Ganga water and Tulsi leaves three times a day – at 10 am, 12 noon and 3 pm. Ramayana takes place from 5:30 to 6:30 in the evening. Bhajans are sung again till half past seven. Another aarti takes place from 8 pm to 9 pm. The atmosphere here has been kept so devotional that even after so many deaths no one is afraid.
- At last this verse of Shrimad Bhagwad Gita is for you.
For a man whom these do not afflict, O best of men.
He who is steadfast in equal pain and pleasure is fit for immortality.
Its Hindi meaning is, “The man who is not disturbed by happiness and sorrow and remains stable in both the circumstances, he is definitely eligible for salvation.”