…”You must go to Kashi.”
I have heard this countless times.
Yes, I believe in Shiva intimately, and I have always trusted his divine grace.
He lives deep in my heart, in his stillness, his calm demure, and his fierce presence; that’s how I connect with the higher power.
But why Kashi?
What makes it so special?
And then, it happened, I arrived.
The busy city, the narrow lanes, the endless crowds.
And yet, the air feels different here.
Surreal. Timeless. Eternal.
I catch myself asking, “Am I really here?”
My heart is full. Moist eyes. Unexplainable emotions.
A lump rises in my throat.
A strange lightness, as if something I have been carrying for years is slowly unraveling to nothing.
It feels like home, away from home.
A strong pull so ancient, so powerful, shaking me from within.
Am I just a visitor, or am I a soul remembering?
There’s something about Kashi that words can’t contain.
It’s not just a city, it’s a crossing, a realm between two worlds, a threshold between the physical and the eternal, a portal to something profound.
Transcendental. Meditative. Mystical.
Ethereal, where the heart and soul merge with the divine, beyond earthly.
Here, death is not the ultimate, but a liberation — Moksha.
Here, devotion flows deeper than the Maa Ganga.
Here, every mantra, every flame, every step feels sanctified.
Here, every toll of the bell reverberates, awakening something eternal.
Here, Shiva is not only worshipped, but he is entirely here.
Every breath. Every heartbeat. Every rhythm of the being.
I feel Him in the rustle of the leaves, in the chants that rise and fall at the Maa Ganga Ghat Aartis, and in the subtle tremor of my soul.
He is not distant. He is here, within me, around me, everywhere.
Now I know why they say, you must go to Kashi.
You see, Kashi is not a destination.
It is a calling.
And, my soul smiles being here.
And, my solo journey continues, today and forever!
~with heart,
monika
