SECOND BIRTHDAY Special Show: 'Strider-Man'

Today it is the second birthday of this blog, Natural Scientific and Medical Wonders! Today a wonder insect appears here: ‘Water Strider.’ It walks on the top of water! It gets the help of surface tension for this feat. Its feet are specially adapted for it with nano level structures. It is said that it makes for itself air cushions to stay afloat. I have seen these water striders fly towards fluorescent lamps, hop on the grounds and take to floating if they come across a pool of water. The point of their foot contact with water shows a dimple on the water surface. They are also called by other names such as Water bugs, Water skaters and Water scooters! Aptly I have likened (linked) this insect with Siddhars and the Basilisk lizard in one of the previous posts.

The Lizard with Miraculous Feat

The Hindu puranas inform about the divine incredible powers of Holy Sages, Rishis and Siddhars – like walking on the water or floating on water etc. I know an insect that swims or surfs (or rests) on water surface with its six legs – the ‘Water Strider’! Have you heard of a lizard doing this feat? Yes, it is the Basilisk Lizard. When a predator chases, it runs on water with its two legs for about fifteen meters and escape! It has specially modified hind legs as that of a frog – webbed feet. Running with four limbs is tiresome, and with two legs, as we human do, it is quicker and easier, it seems – that too on water surface! A wonder lizard, indeed!

The Hill of the Supreme Being

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                                                                             

Being present in the sylvan beauty that is enclosed between the tops of four hills must be enchanting and exciting, isn’t it? The place on this earth referred to is called ‘MAHALINGA MALAI’ (it is in Southern Tamilnadu of India). Cut off totally from the rest of the world, there it will be great to enjoy the company of trees and plants, birds and animals & the devotees and their prayers to SIVA, the Hindu God of these hills! The mantra chanted everywhere on the hills is: “Sivayea nama Om”

Up the hills to the abode of the god:

The hills have to be ascended up by walking and climbing through the paths surrounded by many medicinal plants, trees and streams, and dotted with small worshiping sites for minor deities here and there. The path is occasionally seen strewn with scats of bears. Monkeys follow you for the snacks you carry. Jungle fowl strays out near the path sometimes.

The tiredness of ascending is blown out by the hospitality received from the devotees when we reach the Mahalinga malai temple: the devotees provide us resting spots and give free food as these services to the worshipers are equaled to the services to the God.

The elephants too worship the God:

It is said elephants come to the shrines of SIVA when the humans are absent, and pray the God by offering flowers! I wonder whether we humans have interfered much their praying duties! I think that why we should not allot for them certain period of the year for their free prayers?

On the hills one can even go for trekking higher up the hills to their tops with the guidance of experienced devotees. Note that nobody resides on the hills except Siddhars! All devotees descend down after praying the God. It is a wonder everywhere on the Mahalinga malai having always wonderful experiences at each time of the trip to be told to the folks at the plains!