Stations of the cross in the village....
It was a Saturday afternoon when I had just returned back from college with the news that lectures would be cancelled on account of the Corona virus pandemic when I just got to know that my mother was going out for something special carried out every year in the village during the Lenten season and that was none other than the great to witness 'Stations of the Cross' which had happened at around 5 in the evening. On hearing the news, I was really filled with excitement as I personally like to attend these village gatherings and feel the true essence of what it is to experience the traditions that are carried out in the village and get the feel of the simplicity of the locals in their adherence to their customs.
So this too was an equally great experience to actually be penning it down. Since it had been a last minute thing, it was planned that my mother would go for it on her own, but then on realizing that the next day would be a holiday, I thought to myself that why not I join her in experiencing it. So she had gone ahead of me as she had already been prepared for it, while I was busy ironing my clothes in a hurry to head out for it.
To all those who would like to know about, this 'Stations of the Cross' is carried out every year during the Lenten Season wherein all the villagers go in a procession with the statue of Jesus on the cross to each and every house of the people who are either sick or those students who are answering their exams and are in need of prayers to help them excel in them and what is more interesting is that each and every house is a station of the cross.
So my mother had already left the house by then and was at her ancestral home where the procession had just arrived and by the time I had reached there, it had already left that house and had headed off to our neighbour's house. So I had waited for the procession to come out of the house as it was on a very long and winding road and when I saw them coming out, I was really filled with joy in the seeing all our villagers- the people whom we had met previously for the 'Statue of Mother Mary' in the months of September to October. From there on, I had joined them, and was just filled with joy and happiness mesmerizing how they travel from one house to the other and on their way to the next, recite a set of prayers and also hymns to commemorate each and every station.
As we all know that there are a total of 13 stations of the cross, the procession had actually visited 13 such houses in the village, out of which we might have possibly covered only about 8 or 10 of them as we had come in between when the procession had just started but nevertheless, it was really nice to see the houses we were all heading off to, specially the thrill of actually taking a walk along the narrow and winding lanes of the village. More importantly, it even showcased how committed the villagers are in their faith which itself is something that can be admired and is something that we ourselves can work on strengthening our own faith!!!!
PS: Below are some pictures that I have captured of the procession of the 'Stations of the Cross' to each and every house. You would also be noticing a video I had captured of the procession just to get the feel of the tradition carried out during the Lenten season.
So this too was an equally great experience to actually be penning it down. Since it had been a last minute thing, it was planned that my mother would go for it on her own, but then on realizing that the next day would be a holiday, I thought to myself that why not I join her in experiencing it. So she had gone ahead of me as she had already been prepared for it, while I was busy ironing my clothes in a hurry to head out for it.
To all those who would like to know about, this 'Stations of the Cross' is carried out every year during the Lenten Season wherein all the villagers go in a procession with the statue of Jesus on the cross to each and every house of the people who are either sick or those students who are answering their exams and are in need of prayers to help them excel in them and what is more interesting is that each and every house is a station of the cross.
So my mother had already left the house by then and was at her ancestral home where the procession had just arrived and by the time I had reached there, it had already left that house and had headed off to our neighbour's house. So I had waited for the procession to come out of the house as it was on a very long and winding road and when I saw them coming out, I was really filled with joy in the seeing all our villagers- the people whom we had met previously for the 'Statue of Mother Mary' in the months of September to October. From there on, I had joined them, and was just filled with joy and happiness mesmerizing how they travel from one house to the other and on their way to the next, recite a set of prayers and also hymns to commemorate each and every station.
As we all know that there are a total of 13 stations of the cross, the procession had actually visited 13 such houses in the village, out of which we might have possibly covered only about 8 or 10 of them as we had come in between when the procession had just started but nevertheless, it was really nice to see the houses we were all heading off to, specially the thrill of actually taking a walk along the narrow and winding lanes of the village. More importantly, it even showcased how committed the villagers are in their faith which itself is something that can be admired and is something that we ourselves can work on strengthening our own faith!!!!
PS: Below are some pictures that I have captured of the procession of the 'Stations of the Cross' to each and every house. You would also be noticing a video I had captured of the procession just to get the feel of the tradition carried out during the Lenten season.
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