Ever since my childhood, this has been the place we have the highest reverence to. The holy shrine Sarala Temple in Jhankada has been a place we have been taught to visit even when we go home for a couple of days. During school days I remember going to Sarala Temple with a lot of devotion to seek the blessings of Godess Sarala(Godess Saraswati) to excel in studies. As a small child most of the time my mother used to send me with somebody senior who had a cycle and I sat on the front horizontal bar in front of the cyclist. It was no doubt painful but the excitement of visiting Godess Sarala overpowered the pain to back-ground and it was evident only towrds the end of the return journey and it happened so very often on every occasion. The reason was simple. I was fat as a small child and none of my seniors like Ekana Bhai, Sura Bhai, Nira Bhai or Gopa Nana ever wnated to carry my weight on the back seat of their cycles.I also have visited the Godess with my father many times and I still remember that when I was not able to walk in the sun( my father knew no cycling) he lifted me up and put me up on his shoulders and walked the rest of the way in the fields till we reached the main road. I also remeber once walking from the hostel in Srikrishna Academy with my class-mate Narayn Mishra in 1968. It was the year of appearing at the board exam and we both decided to visit Godess Sarala. Started very early in morning without breakfast, went walking and came back walking. Had decided not to talk but only to think and pray Her in mind during the journey.It was a superb feeling. I have never ever experienced so much love and devotion for Godess Sarala and experienced Her blessings in life.
SS
