Hip Hop

As our car rushes down Kalo Dungar, the driver warns us to brace ourselves for paranormal (adbhut) speeds. And lo and behold! We do seem to be doing a rollercoaster down the Magic Mountain of Kutch!

Later, at the foot of the mountain, the driver tells us that even switching off the ignition does not seem to prevent the acceleration down hill; the vehicles still go down at speeds exceeding 80 kmph!

Officials at Bhuj repeat the same story.

Apparently, the so-called mystery is still being unraveled. Some folks insist that it needs to be gazetted as more than just a ‘rural legend’. There’s also some uncertainty about the ‘true’ Master of the shrine a top Kalo Dungar.

Most people invoke Sri Dattatreya. But some speak about a Datta-bhakta called Lakkhguru. Some colonial records point to a Pachmai Pir and his parasol (chhatri) being in place of the present temple. Folklore even outside Kutch talks about Sri Dattatreya’s penchant for Sufi attire or Malang vesh. Now, while Malang is synonymous with Sufi, the word is derogatively used sometimes for ‘mad’ or ‘nomad’.

In poetry or philosophy, however, Malang is reserved for a mystic: someone who does not care much for his external circumstances; someone who remains unworldly while going through the motions of being worldly. That description matches the seemingly bizarre displays of Tantric behaviour associated with Sri Dattareya.

But the floridly transgressive sage ( Unmatta pishachavritti) is also enlightenment embodied ( Jnanamurtim). We bow to Him, the Remover of Dualities.